Scooter Incident at Magic Kingdom Bus Stop

[DisneyPrince1982]

On a recent trip to Disney World, my group had left Magic Kingdom towards closing time and our bus stop for the Beach Club was quite packed so we got in line and waited. A bus came about 20 minutes later and took quite a few people but we still had to wait for bus #2. Another 20 minutes passed and bus #2 came up.

As bus #2 pulled up, a scooter rushed toward the loading area and she was of course boarded first by the bus driver. The issued seemed to be with her party size which numbered possibly 6-8, I didn't exactly count them. A grown man in front of me told the bus driver that some of the party should have to wait behind the people who've already waited 40+ minutes.

And I have to admit, I can't really disagree. I understand the logic of boarding the person on the scooter. And that person may likely need some help so allowing perhaps 1 person of their party to board as well. But 6+ able bodied people boarding ahead of people who patiently waited? Doesn't seem right.

 

[cakebaker]

I don't remember the limit on the number who can board with a scooter, but it doesn't bother me when this happens from time to time. I'll take waiting and being able to tour without assistance over their limitations any day of the week.

There is no excuse however for a 40 minute wait for a bus. That's what I'd be complaining about.

 

[DisneyPrince1982]

I'll take waiting and being able to tour without assistance over their limitations any day of the week.

The 6+ people traveling with the person on the scooter were touring without assistance though.

 

[wdw4rfam]

I have to disagree, to a point. What if the bus line was 3 buses deep? Should half the party be left behind to wait 2-3 more busses? I see what you mean, but there is no good answer here.

 

[DLM1980]

It never seems right. Just because a person is in a scooter doesn't mean they should get to skip the line for the bus. Stick them in the queue and when it gets to their time to board they board. The problem is if their time to board is at the end of a full bus you have to yank people off to load the scooter cause those damn things are standing room only in the evening

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

I have to disagree, to a point. What if the bus line was 3 buses deep? Should half the party be left behind to wait 2-3 more busses? I see what you mean, but there is no good answer here.

Well, the whole party--including the scooter--could wait for 2-3 more buses and ride together if it's that important to them to stick together.

 

[cakebaker]

The 6+ people traveling with the person on the scooter were touring without assistance though.

I understand that and it doesn't bother me. The number allowed with the scooter has to be enough that you aren't causing big problems for that group of people. For instance- Mom, Dad, Grandma and 3 little ones. Mom or Dad goes with grandma and the scooter leaving 1 parent behind to deal with 3 little ones and all the trappings that go with that? It's impossible to have a system left to the discretion of the bus driver. There has to be a blanket rule. So even if it's 6 able bodied adults- they get to all board together. It's just 6 people, not an entire bus, it's really not that big of a deal. In all the times we've gone to WDW I can't recall more than a few times when a large group boarded and it caused us to not be able to board the bus. Even then, we just waited for the next one. The problem, as I said, is that the busses were taking that long to get there. I would've been very upset over that without a doubt.

 

[mkla2015]

I can understand both sides- I'd also be upset about a 40 min bus wait.

My mom uses a scooter due to knee problems- on our last trip we were a party of 11- we did not all board with her. My aunt went with my mom and the rest of us stood in line to get on the busses.

On our next trip I'm not sure what will happen as it will be just me, DH, 2 young kids and mom... I can't see one of us boarding with her and 1 being left with kids.

 

[scoobygrl79]

On a recent trip to Disney World, my group had left Magic Kingdom towards closing time and our bus stop for the Beach Club was quite packed so we got in line and waited. A bus came about 20 minutes later and took quite a few people but we still had to wait for bus #2. Another 20 minutes passed and bus #2 came up.

As bus #2 pulled up, a scooter rushed toward the loading area and she was of course boarded first by the bus driver. The issued seemed to be with her party size which numbered possibly 6-8, I didn't exactly count them. A grown man in front of me told the bus driver that some of the party should have to wait behind the people who've already waited 40+ minutes.

And I have to admit, I can't really disagree. I understand the logic of boarding the person on the scooter. And that person may likely need some help so allowing perhaps 1 person of their party to board as well. But 6+ able bodied people boarding ahead of people who patiently waited? Doesn't seem right.

I have to admit that like you, I'm sympathetic to the disabled guest, but can still view it as rather frustrating to see many fully capable bodies wait a fraction of the time I did simply because they are in the same party.

 

[scoobygrl79]

I can understand both sides- I'd also be upset about a 40 min bus wait.

My mom uses a scooter due to knee problems- on our last trip we were a party of 11- we did not all board with her. My aunt went with my mom and the rest of us stood in line to get on the busses.

On our next trip I'm not sure what will happen as it will be just me, DH, 2 young kids and mom... I can't see one of us boarding with her and 1 being left with kids.

I think this was very considerate of your group as I know being separated poses challenges as well

 

[lovin'fl]

There is a rule on how many can go on with ECV. I think it's 6. Some bus drivers stick to it and some don't.

 

[Aurora0427]

I can understand both sides- I'd also be upset about a 40 min bus wait.

My mom uses a scooter due to knee problems- on our last trip we were a party of 11- we did not all board with her. My aunt went with my mom and the rest of us stood in line to get on the busses.

On our next trip I'm not sure what will happen as it will be just me, DH, 2 young kids and mom... I can't see one of us boarding with her and 1 being left with kids.

Sounds like your party did the right thing by having your aunt board with your mom. Next trip given the dynamic of your party, I'd board the entire party with mom.

 

[Pkltm]

40 minutes for a bus is not acceptable, if it is that busy they should be stacking them ready to get you back to your resort.

On one of our Pop stays there was a party that had two scooters and an additional 18 people (including a couple of kids), they would arrive at the bus stop and the whole party expected and received priority boarding each time we saw them in our week's stay. Twice it left us standing at the bus stop waiting for the next bus, when they arrived just in time to get on the one we would of been on. It was quite a frustrating experience and it got to the point that we were heading to EP, saw them at the bus stop so we switched the DHS.

I understand the party wanting to be together, however when we travel in large groups (about once every two years), we will split up on buses if need be.

 

[PantherPete]

No one has been able to adequately answer the question as to why someone on a scooter should get 1st priority when the bus shows up. So someone will need to help me understand why someone on a scooter should not have to wait the same amount of time for a bus as the rest of us. I'm not arguing that they shouldn't be in the scooter and they don't have a physical limitation. And I'm not saying that I don't empathize with them. I'm just saying that waiting in line for a bus isn't much different (and is actually less physically taxing) than touring Disney. So what is the problem with having to wait your turn for a bus?

 

[anniemae]

It kind of stinks to have to wait like that, but I think Disney's rule has always been to keep the party together. That way they don't have to split up and half the party is at the parks waiting for the other half. Or if they have an ADR half gets there and waits around for the other half etc. I think it has to be all or nothing to be fair and easy.

 

[cakebaker]

No one has been able to adequately answer the question as to why someone on a scooter should get 1st priority when the bus shows up. So someone will need to help me understand why someone on a scooter should not have to wait the same amount of time for a bus as the rest of us. I'm not arguing that they shouldn't be in the scooter and they don't have a physical limitation. And I'm not saying that I don't empathize with them. I'm just saying that waiting in line for a bus isn't much different (and is actually less physically taxing) than touring Disney. So what is the problem with having to wait your turn for a bus?

The scooter takes up seating and it has to be maneuvered into position. If they board from a normal line it could mean moving people off the bus in order to get the scooter on the bus. It's easier, quicker and safer to board them first.

 

[DLM1980]

No one has been able to adequately answer the question as to why someone on a scooter should get 1st priority when the bus shows up. So someone will need to help me understand why someone on a scooter should not have to wait the same amount of time for a bus as the rest of us. I'm not arguing that they shouldn't be in the scooter and they don't have a physical limitation. And I'm not saying that I don't empathize with them. I'm just saying that waiting in line for a bus isn't much different (and is actually less physically taxing) than touring Disney. So what is the problem with having to wait your turn for a bus?

I thought I did in my original post, but let me restate it a different way. Scooters are easier to load on an empty bus, so getting them on the bus before other people is the priority otherwise you would need to kick peeps off the bus to load said scooter, much like when they pull up to a resort stop and you have to get out of the "disabled seats" to make room for the scooter.

There should be a mechanism in place at park closing (I realize its expensive to staff all day long so park closing would be best) where scooters have to wait the length of time it takes a line to move, after that time has passed they get first on the next bus.

 

[bc7ate9]

I have to disagree, to a point. What if the bus line was 3 buses deep? Should half the party be left behind to wait 2-3 more busses? I see what you mean, but there is no good answer here.

Yes, I think that'd be fair. Everybody else has to wait.

 

[dancin Disney style]

No one has been able to adequately answer the question as to why someone on a scooter should get 1st priority when the bus shows up. So someone will need to help me understand why someone on a scooter should not have to wait the same amount of time for a bus as the rest of us. I'm not arguing that they shouldn't be in the scooter and they don't have a physical limitation. And I'm not saying that I don't empathize with them. I'm just saying that waiting in line for a bus isn't much different (and is actually less physically taxing) than touring Disney. So what is the problem with having to wait your turn for a bus?

I think most often the bus driver doesn't know if the scooter just rolled up or if they have been waiting half an hour. The drivers just aren't going to get into it with people on that.

 

[DisDadDVC]

I have to disagree, to a point. What if the bus line was 3 buses deep? Should half the party be left behind to wait 2-3 more busses? I see what you mean, but there is no good answer here.

No one in the party should have been allowed to board on the first bus. The rest of the party should have waited in line, and when it was their turn to get on the bus, the disabled person should board then. Can Disney easily enforce this? Probably not. Should people have common courtesy and know not to cut? Probably.