Transportation Complaint

[LadyntheTramp]

I didn't read all the comments but when my family went to Disney last summer I can distincly remember my 13 or 19 year old sister sitting on my lap (I'm only 23) just so a family could squeeze in, or so the three of us could sit down . If we can sit on each other I'm sure a parent can hold their small kids. And we did see alot of this. Actually we didn't have any problems with buses. Sometimes we got a seat sometimes not. But I don't recall any pregnant, elderly or young kids standing on the buses. Maybe I just didn't noticed but I offered my seat when I did.

 

[Howellsy]

On public transport over here in the UK it's common practice to offer seats to the elderly and pregnant women and I have been raised to do so, and so I tend to just automatically offer my seat to people on buses in Disney too, even if my feet are aching or whatever. I don't think age or gender play any part in it, as I am a 16 year old girl, and neither do I think everyone MUST give up their seat. If you would like to offer your seat to someone else then go ahead and don't complain when others don't give up theirs. If you'd rather sit down after a tiring day at the parks, go for it

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

....but people here say that's the BONUS for staying...on property and we should be willing to pay a premium for these services.

I absolutely think for the prices Disney charges we SHOULD expect bus service and GOOD bus service.

Well, if that's how you feel, you are free to stay elsewhere. I personally disagree. We paid $80/night for a WDW hotel room. To me, that's a standard price and even if they didn't offer transportation or theming, we would be happy. I travel frequently and I always end up paying $80 to $100 per night for hotel rooms and none of them are located inside WDW and very few of them offer any extras other than maybe a continental breakfast. So, with that in mind, I'll gladly stay on-site at WDW and be happy with any bus service whatsoever.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Well, if that's how you feel, you are free to stay elsewhere. I personally disagree. We paid $80/night for a WDW hotel room. To me, that's a standard price and even if they didn't offer transportation or theming, we would be happy. I travel frequently and I always end up paying $80 to $100 per night for hotel rooms and none of them are located inside WDW and very few of them offer any extras other than maybe a continental breakfast. So, with that in mind, I'll gladly stay on-site at WDW and be happy with any bus service whatsoever.

I have free car rentals......I gladly bypass the crowded busses. We travel at our own convenience.....and have been known to offer rides to guests waiting in the "pack"for busses.

My husband and I met at Disney and are fans of Walt's concept of WDW...not the current managment style. We know it well, my husband is a castmember of 29 years.

We stay at delux properties and have no apologies when we say for $325 - $550 p/night for a standard room (depending on the season)......we expect an efficient and safe bus system at WDW (and clean bathrooms).

I respectfully ask you to not tell me to stay elsewhere simply because you do not like my opinion. I believe we are allowed to disagree here.

 

[jimmymac]

I, too, am one of those who expect good service from the WDW buses. If I'm being charged $425 a night for a room that would cost half that if it were not on WDW property, the bus service should at the absolute minimum be satisfactory. I don't think substandard bus service is acceptable under any circumstances at all. Call me silly, because the next step is too easy - Oh, since I'm staying on site, it's OK if the room isn't just right or the bathrooms aren't really clean. That's a very slippery slope. Disney should be held to an extremely high set of standards because they established those same standards

 

[divawife]

This is ridiculous. Disney has put into their package that they include transportation if you stay at their resorts. If anyone were to be hurt on the bus because a driver insisted on filling it up past capacity then it would be an inferred part of the bargain that Disney was going to provide SAFE buses.

Now I have not used the bus system because I have never stayed on-site except for this Saturday through Thursday.

If I can help it I will not place my family in harms way by being bullied by a driver who insists on filling up the bus with standing room only. Yes for those smart people who will write and say that I'll be standing anyway if I wait for another bus-there is a difference. I won't be standing on a moving vehicle.

Disney as part of the bargain that we pay for the package and the package includes the bus needs to live up to that bargain and provide enough buses. They certainly know when they will have more guests they need to act accordingly.

 

[mickeymousemom]

I am one who has also completely given up on bus etiquette. Anyone in my family will give up a seat for an elderly person, pregnant woman, mother with small kids, or small children...I have stopped expecting it to be done for us.
Last year, my DD was barely 4 and we got on a bus with full seats. We walked as far back as we could, which meant stopping just before the steps that go up to that upper bus level and being in the open area by the back doors. Everyone around us(including me) had something to hold onto EXCEPT my 4yo. She was too short to even reach the open area by the steps and just couldn't really grab anything. I was trying to hold onto her AND hold onto the rail. It was in the early AM on the way to a park and I guess I was just in a MOOD. You know...the kind where you sort of THINK OUT LOUD? Well, I was thinking OUT LOUD to my DH and older DD's about how absolutely RUDE it was that no one would at least give up a seat for my little one when it was darn OBVIOUS that she had NOWHERE to hold on. The driver wasn't being overly careful and it doesn't take much to be jostled around on the busses anyway. She was going everywhere and was getting scared. FINALLY, after hearing my complaint and seeing my DD in tears a sour looking middle aged lady got up and said that she was sick of hearing my DD cry and gave her the seat. I started to refuse her, when DH told me to let DD sit down(for her own safety, it wasn't worth it to prove a point). The rest of the trip, this lady was standing up looking like at DD and I like we were Satanic. When we got off the bus, DH had to talk me into not letting it ruin my day. After about an hour I was okay. DD was fine as soon as we got off the bus.

I have always been one willing to stand as has the rest of my family. Also, if there had been something for my 4 yo to easily grab hold of, e would have been fine. We've done it before. We just weren't near a pole that she could grab, and no one offerd to trade. We were crammed in like sardines.

At that moment, I gave up. Unbelievable.

Let me also say that I think it perfectly fine for a child above 3 to stand if they have to...its the way the cookie crumbles, but this was just an odd situation we were in and the fact that NO ONE would even trade spaces with my DD so sho could grasp a pole was amazing to me.

Just totally UNBELIEVABLE.

 

[divawife]

Why not wait for the next bus?

 

[jenn-n-okla]

We've gone the last five years, with the following group make-up:

2003 - Me, DW, DS7, DD4
2004 - Me, DW, DS8, DD5
2005 - Me, DW, DS9, DD6, DD 3 months
2006 - Me, DW, DS10, DD7, DD 16 months
2007 - Me, DW, DMIL, DS11, DD8, DD 2.5, DD 3 months

As you can see, our group has grown increasingly large, with increasing numbers of small children!

Have the buses sometimes been a problem? Yes. Have they been a problem every time? No. With the little ones, my DW had them in a Baby Bjorn, so holding them wasn't an issue, but it was difficult with the other little one, who needed someone to hold her. The older 2 were OK either way. There were times when we all got seats, the bus didn't fill up, and we kept them. There were times when we all got seats, the bus filled up, some people w/o kids were standing, and we still kept them.

There were times when we all got seats, the bus filled up, got real crowded, some elderly people or pregnant women or people holding small kids were standing. What did we do, EVERY SINGLE TIME? Depended on which year. The first 2 years, we ALL stood, b/c we ALL could physically, and we could ALL make it easier on those who had it tougher. The next 3 years, as we had smaller babies, my DW needed to hold them in a seat for safety reasons, but myself and the older 2 could, and did, stand so they could have seats. This past year, I made sure my DW and DMIL had seats, as they were carrying the smaller 2, and if there was room for the others to have seats, they got them; if there wasn't, or there were people who needed them worse, they didn't. They know the drill, and I tell them why they have to do it.

In my book, no able man should be sitting, when elderly/pregnant/child-carrying people are standing. Period. For me, that includes my able children. That's just the way I was raised, and I find it respectful. I personally think it's rude to do otherwise. If my wife carrying an infant (or any elderly/pregnant/child-carrying person) is standing on a bus, and an able man is sitting and can offer her his seat, and doesn't, I personally don't think any more of that man than I do a pile of whale crap. It is completely being selfish and looking out for what's best for YOU, rather than what's best for others. In my opinion, that's a lot of what's wrong in this world.

Anyone, of course, is free to disagree, that's your right. There are those who say that "first come, first serve", or "wait on another bus." And like I said, that's often the mindset. But also as I said, I was raised to help and respect those less able than yourself, and that applies on Disney buses as much as it does anywhere else. Like I said, too much thinking of ourselves, and not enough thinking of others.

Out.

I ditto your thoughts. My DD 12 and 6yrs know to always give up a seat to any elderly/pregnant/child-carrying person, and my DD6 wears Oxygen. We either have both girls sit in our laps and I put the oxygen machine under my feet or we all stand and the machine goes between my feet.
In all of our times visiting only one time have we had a bad experience on the bus. It was last year. We made the mistake of exiting with the masses. DD ran out of oxgyen, was exhausted and it was hot an muggy on the bus. There were lots of teens on the bus and not one of them would give up a seat for me to sit down to hold her. So DD then age 11 held the machine as best as she could and still hang on and I held sleeping DD then age 5 who at this point was breathing very rapidly. Thank goodness we were on the first drop off.
As a teacher I make sure my students understand this simple thing called respect to others. It saddens me when I see simple values going by the way side these days.
Enough on my soap box.

 

[MadToad]

I've ridden Disney Transportation many, many times, like most people here at the DIS. For years I've always given up my seat not just to pregnant women or the elderly, but to all ladies and small children. It was just good manners in my opinion, and I never expected anyone else to follow suit.

Here's the thing - when I give up my seat, I'm giving my DW a new companion. I've come across too many instances where I've surrendered my seat to someone who feels deodorant is a valuable comodity and should be kept safely in it's bottle, unused. Or people who lean, poke, push, etc DW. An older woman I once surrendered my seat to told my wife that she looked able bodied enough and could stand also (not as politely as I've just typed either).

So I've scaled things back. If you're clearly pregnant or fragile, you get my seat. Otherwise, you get my most sincerest apologies.

 

[missj1975]

I think it is wonderful all the people who are so gracious to offer their seats to other people. But I wouldn't give up my seat and I don't consider myself a rude person. For one, I tend to not pay attention to other people at Disney so I probably wouldn't notice whether the person is old, pregnant, or for whatever reason needs a seat more then me. I am definitely not going to analyze every stranger to see if they are more worthy of a seat then me. Personally I think if a person needs a seat then they should wait for the next bus. I can't be that rude: I am taking a "stand" for the unpopular opinion

 

[lizardqueen]

I am one who has also completely given up on bus etiquette. Anyone in my family will give up a seat for an elderly person, pregnant woman, mother with small kids, or small children...I have stopped expecting it to be done for us.
Last year, my DD was barely 4 and we got on a bus with full seats. We walked as far back as we could, which meant stopping just before the steps that go up to that upper bus level and being in the open area by the back doors. Everyone around us(including me) had something to hold onto EXCEPT my 4yo. She was too short to even reach the open area by the steps and just couldn't really grab anything. I was trying to hold onto her AND hold onto the rail. It was in the early AM on the way to a park and I guess I was just in a MOOD. You know...the kind where you sort of THINK OUT LOUD? Well, I was thinking OUT LOUD to my DH and older DD's about how absolutely RUDE it was that no one would at least give up a seat for my little one when it was darn OBVIOUS that she had NOWHERE to hold on. The driver wasn't being overly careful and it doesn't take much to be jostled around on the busses anyway. She was going everywhere and was getting scared. FINALLY, after hearing my complaint and seeing my DD in tears a sour looking middle aged lady got up and said that she was sick of hearing my DD cry and gave her the seat. I started to refuse her, when DH told me to let DD sit down(for her own safety, it wasn't worth it to prove a point). The rest of the trip, this lady was standing up looking like at DD and I like we were Satanic. When we got off the bus, DH had to talk me into not letting it ruin my day. After about an hour I was okay. DD was fine as soon as we got off the bus.

I have always been one willing to stand as has the rest of my family. Also, if there had been something for my 4 yo to easily grab hold of, e would have been fine. We've done it before. We just weren't near a pole that she could grab, and no one offerd to trade. We were crammed in like sardines.

At that moment, I gave up. Unbelievable.

Let me also say that I think it perfectly fine for a child above 3 to stand if they have to...its the way the cookie crumbles, but this was just an odd situation we were in and the fact that NO ONE would even trade spaces with my DD so sho could grasp a pole was amazing to me.

Just totally UNBELIEVABLE.

So you, your DH or your older DD's couldn't have traded places with your 4 year old? Or you just decided to stay on a bus where it was obvious that you wouldn't have a seat and expect somone to give your DD a place to sit? Sounds like your decision to put your DD in that position, not that of the others around you. Why would you expect someone to give up the seat that they waited for just so you or your family could sit? You could have waited just like those before you. But YOU chose NOT to. You got on a full bus and felt that your child was more entitled to a seat then someone who waited in front of you and got one.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

I respectfully ask you to not tell me to stay elsewhere simply because you do not like my opinion. I believe we are allowed to disagree here.

I wasn't telling you to stay offsite! You spent a very long post going through, detail by detail, why it was more cost effective to stay offsite. I just assumed that you were making a case to stay offsite.

If I'm being charged $425 a night for a room that would cost half that if it were not on WDW property, the bus service should at the absolute minimum be satisfactory. I don't think substandard bus service is acceptable under any circumstances at all.

I guess that's a matter of opinion. I've used public transit my entire life and I really fail to see how this system is not satisfactory. I've never lived in a city where you could catch a bus every 15 minutes on every single route! I would not call it substandard service at all. To me it is completely standard. The crowds on the bus are no different than the crowds on the buses or subways in Toronto or Montreal or New York, depending on time of day and year, of course. You can always go at a different time of year and pretty much be guarenteed a seat. When we went at the end of August, sometimes we nearly had the buses to ourselves.

Well, I was thinking OUT LOUD to my DH and older DD's about how absolutely RUDE it was that no one would at least give up a seat for my little one when it was darn OBVIOUS that she had NOWHERE to hold on. The driver wasn't being overly careful and it doesn't take much to be jostled around on the busses anyway. She was going everywhere and was getting scared. FINALLY, after hearing my complaint and seeing my DD in tears a sour looking middle aged lady got up and said that she was sick of hearing my DD cry and gave her the seat. I started to refuse her, when DH told me to let DD sit down(for her own safety, it wasn't worth it to prove a point). The rest of the trip, this lady was standing up looking like at DD and I like we were Satanic.

I don't understand this at all. So you spent a bus ride complaining out loud to a group of strangers so that you could get something that you wanted. When you finally got something that you wanted, you complained about that too? Just as people may have been rude for not lending you a hand, you are equally as rude for acting entitled.

 

[VAN]

Transportation between parks was always a perk of purchasing a multi-day park ticket long before it was advertised as a perk of staying on-site. I know since I've been going since 1973!!

Oh yes, you do not have to stay on-site to be eligible to ride the WDW buses. So, I would say that it really is not included as part of the price you pay for your hotel room. It is part of the price for your WDW park tickets.

I say anyone who doesn't like the buses should get a rental/personal car and then they can ride the trams from the parking lots to the park entrances. Problem solved!!

 

[jimmymac]

I guess that's a matter of opinion. I've used public transit my entire life and I really fail to see how this system is not satisfactory. I've never lived in a city where you could catch a bus every 15 minutes on every single route! I would not call it substandard service at all. To me it is completely standard. The crowds on the bus are no different than the crowds on the buses or subways in Toronto or Montreal or New York, depending on time of day and year, of course. You can always go at a different time of year and pretty much be guarenteed a seat. When we went at the end of August, sometimes we nearly had the buses to ourselves.


I, too, use public transportation every day to get to / from work. One evening recently at the BC, we waited 35 minutes for a bus to come. Because BC was not the first stop on the bus route and the time between buses, the bus was already full. The driver said the next one would be by in 15 or 20 minutes. That would make an hour waiting for a bus. Some might find waiting an hour for a bus to be standard; to me is ridiculous, especially at WDW. There they know what the crod levels are going to be. Here in NYC, the buses still manage to function on a pretty regular basis. WDW buses are not subject to winter weather, aging equipment and sky-high union labor costs. Disney advertises the bus service as a major reason to pay the inflated prices to stay on site. Providing bus service is not their way of burning of excess profits that they don't need. And the ironic thing about it is every minute you're waiting for a bus, you're not in the parks spending money

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

I wasn't telling you to stay offsite! You spent a very long post going through, detail by detail, why it was more cost effective to stay offsite. I just assumed that you were making a case to stay offsite.



Actually, I have tremendous compassion for those who are no longer lucky enough to pay the inflated prices Disney charges to stay on property - tickets, etc. It's the sad reality of today's economic news for many guests who have shared the parks with us in the past. Wait till summer gas prices hit!

Hopefully someone here may decide that for less than half the cost of a Disney hotel, fabulous free breakfast buffets, landscaped gardens and free shuttles to WDW....they can STILL afford a Disney vacation and come down and share the magic with us.

I have stayed off property so I am familiar with some of the fabulous..and even the not-so fabulous choices out there. There ARE beautiful choices for those who cannot afford, or simply do not wish to stay in an "affordable (?)" disney hotel.

As far as my husband and myself.....we are very lucky to pay what we think the hotels should be charging for the product they offer. It's not boasting. Trust me....we are aware how lucky we are....and how many will not be that lucky this year.

Maybe a nice big 2 bedroom suite just outside WDW for $140 a night could be the ticket for a small group or family who otherwise would not be able to jump into the Pixie Dust this year.

 

[inkkognito]

The problem with giving up your seat to the elderly/pregnant/small-child-hauling is that the majority of the population you'll encouter is made up of those people. Where do you draw line? We're becoming a society of labels and perceived entitlements that come with those labels. I'm glad I drive now and don't have to deal with the buses anymore.

Personally, I don't think anybody else should feel obligated to give up their seat for me because I fit a certain category. It's up to me to make the choice of either standing or waiting for the next bus. When I had a nasty knee injury and couldn't stand well on a moving vehicle, I always waited for the next bus. Sometimes the drivers would argue with me, but I would insist...they got rude sometimes, but it's not like they can physically drag me on.

 

[aimeeg]

I sort of disagree. My DH never sat on the bus the whole trip. (Unless it was empty.) We had an 18 month old and almost 4 year old. The baby sat on my lap and my DD sat on the seat. Under no circumstance would I allow her to stand for quite sometime. It is not safe for a child to stand on a bus. When the baby is older I would give up my seat and the girls would take up two. I found everyone to be very kind to me. My DH had to deal with the stroller and I had the exhausted kids.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Transportation between parks was always a perk of purchasing a multi-day park ticket long before it was advertised as a perk of staying on-site. I know since I've been going since 1973!!

Oh yes, you do not have to stay on-site to be eligible to ride the WDW buses. So, I would say that it really is not included as part of the price you pay for your hotel room. It is part of the price for your WDW park tickets.

I say anyone who doesn't like the buses should get a rental/personal car and then they can ride the trams from the parking lots to the park entrances. Problem solved!!

QUOTE from Disney.go.com/WDW/Resorts

First line under "Resorts"

Complimentary transportation


There was no requirement there to purchase tickets to qualify for transportation listed on the Disney website.

 

[sdzman]

Mom always taught us to give up our seats to our elders and I would do the same for a mom with young children besides there aren't any long bus rides at WDW.