Sketchy Bus Driver

[Kyle Martin]

Literally just got back to my hotel at Animal Kingdom Lodge to relax. Our daughter got hurt in the park yesterday and split her lip so our trip started out bad! So we are just taking it easy today. Anyways, our bus driver didn't announce whick AK lodge we were at so we got off thinking we were at Jambo House. Nope! Kidani instead. Since this was our first trip staying AK we weren't sure what to do and nobody seemed to know at Kidani that all we had to do was get back on another bus to go to Jambo. About 30 minutes later and a phone call we finally got pointed in the right direction. We headed back to a bus and my seven and six year olds got on the bus. When I got on he told me sorry and closed the doors!!! I nearly had to start shouting to get back to my family...and the bus itself was nearly empty. I don't know what he was thinking. Why would you let two kids on a bus but not the parent? I thought I was going to have two missing kids today!

 

[jerseygal]

That is very scary and very inappropriate! Do you have any identifying information about the driver?If not, exact time that you attempted to board the bus? Personally I would report the incident immediately. If you can’t get hold of an e mail for customer service for Disney transportation, I would minimally ask a CM at the resort for information to speak to some one from bus transportation, definitely a manager of that department! Glad that he opened the doors, I would have been very scared myself! In my mind, violates safety protocol!

 

[Kyle Martin]

And honestly I posted this because I've never ever experienced this ever. This is my wife and kid's first trip but about my 8th trip to Disney. Never saw a driver do this .I know about the exact time we got dropped off so hopefully they could narrow it down. I tried to read his name tag but couldn't make out his name.

 

[Kyle Martin]

I'm kind of hestitant to complain though because I already had to complain to Disney on this trip. My parents are with and are staying at Beach Club. Their room was filthy (literally toilet paper stuck to the bathroom floor) when they checked in. The front desk wouldn't help them so I contacted Disney via Twitter. I don't want to appear like I'm just an unhappy guest but our trip so far has had a lot of ups and downs.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I'm sure there is missing info in each of your posts.

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm kind of hestitant to complain though because I already had to complain to Disney on this trip. My parents are with and are staying at Beach Club. Their room was filthy (literally toilet paper stuck to the bathroom floor) when they checked in. The front desk wouldn't help them so I contacted Disney via Twitter. I don't want to appear like I'm just an unhappy guest but our trip so far has had a lot of ups and downs.

Did you call or go to the front desk?

 

[joelkfla]

I thought there was a shuttle between Kidani & Jambo, being run by the resort apart from Disney Transport. Has that been discontinued already?

 

[Kyle Martin]

I thought there was a shuttle between Kidani & Jambo, being run by the resort apart from Disney Transport. Has that been discontinued already?

That's what I was told but after standing for 25 minutes I called and was told to go to the park bus stop instead.

 

[Kyle Martin]

Did you call or go to the front desk?

Yeah I did tell the concierge and mentioned it to him (I needed something help with something else hence my visit) but he didn't say much at all. The cast members this trip just really seem grumpy. I think the Thanksgiving holiday has cast a spell on everyone working at WDW.

 

[supersnoop]

Yes, there is a shuttle. It looks like a plain van, or maybe a van wrapped in Animal Kingdom regalia. You may have simply not realized that it was the shuttle. The bus announces the stops, not the driver. The bus has a GPS-connected PA system that provides information based on the route and location. The bus should have told you that Kidani is the first stop. All park buses stop at Kidani first and then Jambo. Disney Springs buses go the other way. And it’s about an 8 minute walk from one resort to the other.

 

[bumbershoot]

Since this was our first trip staying AK we weren't sure what to do and nobody seemed to know at Kidani that all we had to do was get back on another bus to go to Jambo.

If it was dark, I can understand, but if not, there should have been visible signs pointing you to the simple walk back to the right lodge.

I'm kind of hestitant to complain though because I already had to complain to Disney on this trip. My parents are with and are staying at Beach Club. Their room was filthy (literally toilet paper stuck to the bathroom floor) when they checked in. The front desk wouldn't help them so I contacted Disney via Twitter. I don't want to appear like I'm just an unhappy guest but our trip so far has had a lot of ups and downs.

Why are YOU complaining about something involving your parents?

Hopefully they walked down to the front desk to report things.


And going to the AKL front desk to talk to them about the bus situation would have been good, too.

 

[joelkfla]

Yes, there is a shuttle. It looks like a plain van, or maybe a van wrapped in Animal Kingdom regalia. You may have simply not realized that it was the shuttle.

I think I saw somewhere that the van had been replaced by a minibus, like a rental car shuttle or off-airport parking shuttle.

 

[sndral]

Yes, there is a shuttle. It looks like a plain van, or maybe a van wrapped in Animal Kingdom regalia. You may have simply not realized that it was the shuttle. The bus announces the stops, not the driver. The bus has a GPS-connected PA system that provides information based on the route and location. The bus should have told you that Kidani is the first stop. All park buses stop at Kidani first and then Jambo. Disney Springs buses go the other way. And it’s about an 8 minute walk from one resort to the other.

I think I saw somewhere that the van had been replaced by a minibus, like a rental car shuttle or off-airport parking shuttle.

Last Dec. it was a smallish bus, I can report back if it’s still the bus in 3 days when I get there
OP for future reference the shuttle at Kidani picks up near the lobby (to the left as you face the road - the bell services and valet parking people who are out front will steer you in the right direction) not at the bus stop. Likewise the shuttle at Jambo picks up near the lobby. It runs non stop back and forth between the lobbies and there’s rarely much of a wait for it.
Or if you go down to the bus stop just hop on any park bus to get to Jambo. Do ask the driver if they’re stopping at Jambo as if the bus is full they don’t and I’ve been on a couple of late night returning buses when a confused driver accidentally stopped at Jambo first.

 

[joelkfla]

I’ve been on a couple of late night returning buses when a confused driver accidentally stopped at Jambo first.

Not necessarily confused; it just makes sense.

Park buses pick up at Kidani 1st because if they picked up at Jambo 1st, around park opening virtually every bus would be full before it got to Kidani.

After park closing, that doesn't matter, and when a bus is full leaving the park, it's easier to unload 1st at the stop where most of the passengers are getting off than to make a few passengers push their way to the exit thru a crowd of passengers who are staying on.

 

[rg35]

Hmm, OP is a brand new poster and came here to complain. I'm always dubious of these kinds of posts.

Also, not for nothing but after 8 trips to Disney this doesn't sound like someone who wouldn't know how to make their way around, even if staying at a new resort. They really spent 30 minutes making phone calls to figure out how to get from Kidani to Jambo? Why not just walk back?

A lot of what's going on here just doesn't really add up.

 

[supersnoop]

and I’ve been on a couple of late night returning buses when a confused driver accidentally stopped at Jambo first.

Late at night, it’s likely that the bus was going to Disney Springs next, so Stopping at Jambo first would be appropriate.

 

[sndral]

Late at night, it’s likely that the bus was going to Disney Springs next, so Stopping at Jambo first would be appropriate.

I never thought about that! When it has happened it’s like a bonus since we’ve been at Jambo. If there’s a next time I’ll look to see where the bus is headed next!

 

[AngiTN]

It's very unfortunate but I've found that very few drivers announce Kindani/Jambo when going to AKL. On top of that, when they do announce things, it's so noisy on the buses and the speakers so quiet, I can't hear a thing anyway.
I guess we got lucky on our first stay and figured it out but we weren't stressed with several kids and one hurt on top of that.

Literally just got back to my hotel at Animal Kingdom Lodge to relax. Our daughter got hurt in the park yesterday and split her lip so our trip started out bad! So we are just taking it easy today. Anyways, our bus driver didn't announce whick AK lodge we were at so we got off thinking we were at Jambo House. Nope! Kidani instead. Since this was our first trip staying AK we weren't sure what to do and nobody seemed to know at Kidani that all we had to do was get back on another bus to go to Jambo. About 30 minutes later and a phone call we finally got pointed in the right direction. We headed back to a bus and my seven and six year olds got on the bus. When I got on he told me sorry and closed the doors!!! I nearly had to start shouting to get back to my family...and the bus itself was nearly empty. I don't know what he was thinking. Why would you let two kids on a bus but not the parent? I thought I was going to have two missing kids today!

I fell like I'm missing something.
When you got on he told you sorry?
Sorry for what?
You got on but you were worried you were going to lose your kids?
How is that?