Stay Out of the D*** Buses!

[mjaclyn]

What is up with all the accidents?? In light of recent events my husband and I have decided to use the rental car when we go to WDW next month (staying at CBR). We were planning on trying the bus with the two kids and double stroller but have decided to skip it. I shudder every time I think of how they would most likely end up on the bottom of a pile of people should a Disney bus have another accident while we're down there. I realize that is not likely to happen, especially since Disney will probably heighten safety awareness... but, to me, it's not worth putting the lives of my family in the hands of someone else. At least if I'm driving the car I can be in control of what I do and how I drive it. And I'm a good driver

PS - No one can be in control 100% of the time. My point is, I feel that I can be more in control driving my own car than as a passenger riding in a bus.

 

[saradela]

Please do so!!! I am very glad you will be in your car, while I will be in the Disney Bus , that way maybe I can get a seat easier.

 

[zulemara]

Please do so!!! I am very glad you will be in your car, while I will be in the Disney Bus , that way maybe I can get a seat easier.

I advocate for people to ride the buses so that people like me(local who knows where they're going) have a reduced chance of getting in an accident by someone using their passenger's finger as a blinker or slamming on the brakes at an exit they don't wanna take, or making a U turn at a no U turn sign into double oncoming traffic...shall I go on?

 

[connie1042]

Accidents happen everyday. This last accident does not seem to be the buses fault. It sounds like the child veered off the bike path and hit the side of the bus. I don't know how the bus could have avoided that. My heart goes out to the family of the child, but I still think it is saver to ride the bus, because like the above poster said., so many people do not know where they are going. I lost a son to a traffic accident. I don't blame anyone. It was an accident.

 

[Northern_Julie]

Accidents happen. I am not even sure the is a need for heightened saftey. The size of the wdw bus fleet and number of transported each day make this a minimal hazzard. Some of the drivers have made my trips memorable and magical and I can't help to think this may have been one of them

 

[dizneedoll]

It's terrible the accidents that have happened recently but remember this sort of stuff get way more publicity because it is Disney World. Still, I think it's perfectly fine the decision you made, it's what's best for you and your family, nothing wrong with that. Plus I was thinking that since your staying at CBR you'll probably be happier having your own car anyways.

 

[AnninIowa]

The WDW Today podcast talked about this today and had a lot of good points. If you are interested, check it out. I'm sure the DIS will cover this on the Podcast next week.

 

[mjaclyn]

It's true DH and I were renting a car anyway because I like to have the kids in car seats and didn't want to use Magical Express just yet since they're so young. Plus, just the thought of folding and unfolding our twin stroller is enough to make anyone think twice about using the buses. We've used them before and have never had a problem but I HAVE thought in the past how dangerous it could be if we were in an accident and the bus was packed. Strollers, bags, kids, those light-saber things...could be a scary situation. IMO Disney should lower the capacity for the buses. I would be willing to wait in line longer to get one if fewer people meant a safer ride.

 

[saradela]

Accidents happen everyday. This last accident does not seem to be the buses fault. It sounds like the child veered off the bike path and hit the side of the bus. I don't know how the bus could have avoided that. My heart goes out to the family of the child, but I still think it is saver to ride the bus, because like the above poster said., so many people do not know where they are going. I lost a son to a traffic accident. I don't blame anyone. It was an accident.

Now you have an waching over you, until you meet again.....love never dies.

 

[safetymom]

Car accidents at Disney don't make the news. I don't think that now is the time for people to start renting cars. The accident with the child at Fort Wilderness was just an accident.

I do think that everyone needs to decide what works best for them. There isn't enough evidence yet to scare me off the bus at WDW.

 

[wishspirit]

Car accidents at Disney don't make the news. I don't think that now is the time for people to start renting cars. The accident with the child at Fort Wilderness was just an accident.

I do think that everyone needs to decide what works best for them. There isn't enough evidence yet to scare me off the bus at WDW.

Exactly. Statistically you are much more likely to get injured in your car than you are on Disney transportation. However since these things are so rare, they get big news coverage, it doesn't mean you have an increased risk, it is just more reported.

A few horrible events have happened at Disney recently, and my thoughts go out for the friends and family, but they are accidents, which are a tragic part of life. Disney are extremely good at managing risk, these accidents are usually very few and far between.

You cannot spend your life worried out of your mind about risk that is comparatively very small. Yes, minimise the risk where you can, but driving does not minimise that risk, it actually increases it. However I understand the wanting to have control, and in your situation I can understand that with two small children, a car may be easier- but it isn't intrinsically safer. You say you are a good driver, doesn't stop the rest of the population accidentally doing something stupid.

 

[dmccarty]

You cannot spend your life worried out of your mind about risk that is comparatively very small. Yes, minimise the risk where you can, but driving does not minimise that risk, it actually increases it. However I understand the wanting to have control, and in your situation I can understand that with two small children, a car may be easier- but it isn't intrinsically safer. You say you are a good driver, doesn't stop the rest of the population accidentally doing something stupid.[/QUOTE]

EXACTLY.

We had a serious car accident on 2/13/2009 which was a Friday. Third car incident I have had on Friday the 13th. Not a superstitious type but I am getting there regarding cars and Fridays on the 13th day of the month...

The lady that hit us did not yield at a traffic light. She could not see on coming traffic due to a truck blocking her vision of us. Said truck blocked our vision of the lady. Even though she could not see around the truck she accelerated rapidly through the intersection of a major four lane highway with a speed limit of 55mph. I saw her at the last second and used every bit of driver training and experience that I possess which allowed us to change the angle of impact and bleed off quite a bit of speed/energy.

She hit the left front corner of our car. If I had not changed the angle of impact and slowed our car down she would have T boned my door. I would have been seriously injured or dead. As it was I "just" had neck/back problems for over 9 months. My knee stopped hurting after a few months. My wife still has not recovered fully. She saw the impending impact, threw her arms in front of her face and screamed. At the moment of impact her shoulders where injured and she has problems lifting her hands over her shoulders.

One of our kids was sleeping in a car seat. The accident woke up our kid and scared the heck out of her but she was uninjured except for burn and bruising from the seat belt and some skeletal issue the bone cracker fixed.

The lady that hit us broke her foot. Her car was knocked almost 180s degrees in the wreck. Both cars were the same weight but we had more energy than she did since we were driving 55 mph before the accident and still had speed up when contact was made.

Kids car seats work. I am glad we bought the best we could find. I wish *** I *** could have one.

I have had professional driving instruction and use it on the job. I am a good driver. I used the skills to minimize the injuries in our accident but I could not prevent the accident from happening.

There is only so much you can do. Stuff happens.

We will let the WDW bus driver haul us back and forth the parks. I have only had one or two bus drivers that I thought were driving badly, usually too fast. I have seen far more people in their cars doing dangerous things at WDW. It is safer on the bus. I have been on a bus that was hit by a car that ran a light. We were fine and barely felt the accident. A wee little car hitting a big heavy bus just is not going to have much impact on the bus riders.

And yes the accident happened on a Friday the 13th.

Later,
Dan

 

[Disney Dad Canada]

You cannot spend your life worried out of your mind about risk that is comparatively very small

I have been trying to tell people that in the Canadian section, explaining that having a child abducted by a stranger's odds is 1.5 million to 1, whereas the chances of being struck by lightning is 1 in 576,000. I have yet to see anyone teach their kids about "lightning danger" as opposed to "stranger danger".

 

[darrengs]

It's true DH and I were renting a car anyway because I like to have the kids in car seats and didn't want to use Magical Express just yet since they're so young. Plus, just the thought of folding and unfolding our twin stroller is enough to make anyone think twice about using the buses. We've used them before and have never had a problem but I HAVE thought in the past how dangerous it could be if we were in an accident and the bus was packed. Strollers, bags, kids, those light-saber things...could be a scary situation. IMO Disney should lower the capacity for the buses. I would be willing to wait in line longer to get one if fewer people meant a safer ride.

If you feel this way then you should use the car anyway, if you are renting a car because you want your kids in their car seats it is your only option. Just be aware no matter what you will be folding up the stroller and carrying everything if you need to take a tram in the parking lot.

I have never felt unsafe on Disney transportation and I prefer letting a professional handle that during my vacation.

 

[mjaclyn]

At least if I'm driving the car I can be in control of what I do and how I drive it. And I'm a good driver

It's true you can't control other drivers but you CAN control your driving. And even though it's much more likely to be in a car accident than a bus accident the kids will STILL be much safer in a car seat than in my arms on a bus with no type of restraints.

 

[LilGMom]

What happened at FWC is a very tragic accident and I hope that people aren't going to jump to conclusions as to the cause.

We don't use the buses when in WDW but we go so often that we don't even have to really use the signs anymore either. If anything I would think that if more people used the buses that it would be safer on the WDW property. Because than you don't have people that are unfamiliar with the area trying to cut across the lanes at the last minute when they realize that they want/need to turn right. We've almost been hit by more than a few cars because you've got families that are talking with their kids in the backseat, trying to read signs, looking at everything, everyone is excited, speeds are usually more than the posted speeds and people not knowing where they want to go while everyone is trying to jockey for positions.

 

[mjaclyn]

Did anyone see the news story today about another Disney bus accident? I hope no one was hurt... This is the third bus accident in two weeks. I wonder if increased traffic because of the holiday could have contributed to all of this...

 

[iheartjacksparrow]

I feel like Disney is getting a bad rep because of all these accidents, but I do NOT at all think it's Disney's fault...

Just think of how many cars/busses are in Disney daily, just think of how many excited kids are and could easily run out in front of a bus unexpectdly..

I'm honestly suprised that there hasn't been MORE accidents in Disney. With millions of people and cars in the parks everyday, I really can't believe there's more.

My heart goes out to the boy who was in the most recent accident..

 

[Derby4me]

I think this is sort of like the people who don't like to fly because of plane crashes. Plane accidents are few and far between but they make big news. I am traveling with my one year old next month and I wouldn't think twice about riding on Disney transportation. We also will have a rental car but only because we are staying offsite for a portion of our stay. However, I honestly have more faith in the Disney bus system than my own ability to navigate from point A to B.

 

[JennMouse32]

Another person blaming the bus.. IT IS NOT THE BUSES FAULT!​