I've hesitated to relate this story from my February trip because some folks might want to chastise rather than praise the drivers involved but, to me, this bus trip was a shining example of what Disney is all about and how we should all count ourselves very very lucky in all the little blessings we have every day.
It started out waiting for a bus at DD early in the morning to get to OKW. In February they were trying out a new bus system and had a lot of blips. I was waiting by what I thought was the OKW stop and also kept an eye on all the buses coming in. None said OKW as they came in. I finally asked the "dispatcher" and she told me I need to be out closer to the road -- a spot where the buses seemed to be "parking" as they came in. So, I did as told and went to that bus stop, #1. In a bit, a bus driver got off his bus (which was parked by the where the dispatcher was gabbing away) and asked if I was going to OKW -- he was going to OKW but due to the congestion at the entrance and the three non-OKW buses parked in the #1 bus stop, he had pulled around to the other side.
Nice guy, customer friendly -- we're off to OKW and it's a private bus! I explored around Turtle Krawl and then got on a bus (different driver) at Peninsular Road to take a quick tour and head back to DD (staying at SSR this trip and really making a gotta see OKW before we go home this morning quick drive by). Do all the buses play music that matches the resort's theme? I noticed that it was Caribbean/Jimmy Buffet tunes on the bus that morning -- coincidence or a Disney plan?
Now, here's where the "magic" starts to happen. We pick up a group of people at South Point who are smiling and happy to be at WDW. We do have to load their severely challenged son in his wheelchair but his Dad is able to work with the driver to get it done quickly. We're off....then Mom notices she left the bag with all their Typhoon Lagoon supplies on the sidewalk. No worries -- Disney Magic at work -- we go back! The driver turned the bus around and went right back to the stop and waited for Dad to get back on. And the driver did it with a banter to the bus that had us all on his side, the "right" side. The mom was so grateful as she told me they were having "one of those days" where they had already locked the same bag in the room by mistake and had to get housekeeping to let them back in the room.
Next stop, Old Turtle Pond.....and here we have an older woman in a wheelchair and a young woman in a scooter. The older woman is able to board the bus not on her wheelchair and they can fold and store it for her. The younger woman is able to get out of her scooter to allow her husband to "ride" it onto the bus and get it locked in place. He is so pleasant and gabs about his "driving" skills and warns to keep toes out of the way. The driver works with them all with a smile and lots of warm welcoming words. The young woman is with a big family group and they are so happy and full of life. You would hardly notice the portacat in her chest and autopump of chemotherapy she holds in her lap. She has fiery red skin from her medication but she is happy, laughing and on her way to Typhoon Lagoon.
Now, was this an extremely long trip -- yes. But I could not even think of complaining about being delayed a few minutes during "vacation" for goodness sakes. I'm not sure if the driver "shoulda" stuck to a schedule but I know he was touching at least three families directly and making lots of smiles on our bus, too. He had that old time Disney banter of -- only an hour more to Typhoon Lagoon, etc. etc.
These families all had very, very serious challenges but they were laughing and enjoying life. I plan to try to do that every vacation -- if not every day. Yeah, there's lots that's bad or not right -- but focusing on the good can make life a lot more fun! And isn't that what Disney is really all about -- forgetting the "world" and concentrating on how wonderful life can be with the Mouse?
It started out waiting for a bus at DD early in the morning to get to OKW. In February they were trying out a new bus system and had a lot of blips. I was waiting by what I thought was the OKW stop and also kept an eye on all the buses coming in. None said OKW as they came in. I finally asked the "dispatcher" and she told me I need to be out closer to the road -- a spot where the buses seemed to be "parking" as they came in. So, I did as told and went to that bus stop, #1. In a bit, a bus driver got off his bus (which was parked by the where the dispatcher was gabbing away) and asked if I was going to OKW -- he was going to OKW but due to the congestion at the entrance and the three non-OKW buses parked in the #1 bus stop, he had pulled around to the other side.
Nice guy, customer friendly -- we're off to OKW and it's a private bus! I explored around Turtle Krawl and then got on a bus (different driver) at Peninsular Road to take a quick tour and head back to DD (staying at SSR this trip and really making a gotta see OKW before we go home this morning quick drive by). Do all the buses play music that matches the resort's theme? I noticed that it was Caribbean/Jimmy Buffet tunes on the bus that morning -- coincidence or a Disney plan?
Now, here's where the "magic" starts to happen. We pick up a group of people at South Point who are smiling and happy to be at WDW. We do have to load their severely challenged son in his wheelchair but his Dad is able to work with the driver to get it done quickly. We're off....then Mom notices she left the bag with all their Typhoon Lagoon supplies on the sidewalk. No worries -- Disney Magic at work -- we go back! The driver turned the bus around and went right back to the stop and waited for Dad to get back on. And the driver did it with a banter to the bus that had us all on his side, the "right" side. The mom was so grateful as she told me they were having "one of those days" where they had already locked the same bag in the room by mistake and had to get housekeeping to let them back in the room.
Next stop, Old Turtle Pond.....and here we have an older woman in a wheelchair and a young woman in a scooter. The older woman is able to board the bus not on her wheelchair and they can fold and store it for her. The younger woman is able to get out of her scooter to allow her husband to "ride" it onto the bus and get it locked in place. He is so pleasant and gabs about his "driving" skills and warns to keep toes out of the way. The driver works with them all with a smile and lots of warm welcoming words. The young woman is with a big family group and they are so happy and full of life. You would hardly notice the portacat in her chest and autopump of chemotherapy she holds in her lap. She has fiery red skin from her medication but she is happy, laughing and on her way to Typhoon Lagoon.
Now, was this an extremely long trip -- yes. But I could not even think of complaining about being delayed a few minutes during "vacation" for goodness sakes. I'm not sure if the driver "shoulda" stuck to a schedule but I know he was touching at least three families directly and making lots of smiles on our bus, too. He had that old time Disney banter of -- only an hour more to Typhoon Lagoon, etc. etc.
These families all had very, very serious challenges but they were laughing and enjoying life. I plan to try to do that every vacation -- if not every day. Yeah, there's lots that's bad or not right -- but focusing on the good can make life a lot more fun! And isn't that what Disney is really all about -- forgetting the "world" and concentrating on how wonderful life can be with the Mouse?
Thanks for sharing it.
, so we were not happy. 
