vent about WDW bus passengers

[Family Loves Disney]

We are staying at the POR resort now, and have stayed at ASMo in the past, this just irritates me to the bone! The adult passengers on a crowded resort bus not getting off their lazy you know what and giving up their seats to the small children that are standing! These people know good and well that these children cannot reach the bars! I understand that their are some adults that need to sit and those that are holding sleeping children, but my gosh people, if you are able to stand then give up your seat to a child! Ok, getting off my soapbox now and going to do laundry so we have clothes to wear the rest of the week.

 

[scrapbookmommy]

Last time we went on the monorail ride back out of MK I had to stand holding my sleeping 14 month old because we give up their seat to me.

 

[RMulieri]

I agree.On the bus ride home from MK back to BC in Dec, there was nowhere to sit and my 6 yr old can't reach to hold on.Well the bus driver took a sharp turn too fast,she fell right on a mans lap because I lost my grip on her( no injury thankfully, and the bus driver apologized).After that suddenly someone got up to let her sit.

 

[puffkin]

Our past trip in December was just awful on the busses. Worse we have ever seen. I can't tell you how many times we gave up seats or only took up 2 seats for a family of 5. But many times we were not extended the same courtesy and had to stand with a very sleepy/tired 3 year old. The one night he screamed the entire ride from Epcot to AKV because he wanted to sit and not a single adult offered a seat to him including the guy who wouldn't hold his sleeping toddler because he didn't want to disturb him . I just let him scream I saw so many other parents having to stand holding babies and small toddlers....it was disgusting.

Honestly that trip the busses were very efficient and came frequently so I can't complain about that. But the other passengers were beyond rude. I have never seen it so bad in 10 years of riding the busses. I will NEVER go to WDW again without a rental car after that last trip!

 

[Dopey19]

Trip in October on DME a family of four adults (two parents and a married couple in their 20's) all sat separately. One in each two seater, sitting in the outside seat - done to discourage anyone from "squeezing" past them to the window seat. The 20 something women I could tell was embarrassed as me and my DD3 were scouting for a seat. She got up and squished past her husband, giving up her two seater to us. He was obviously annoyed and then proceeded to recline his seat back as far as he could (which put him almost in my lap!). I guess this was his way of discouraging me to move - umm, there were no other seats on the bus! (My DH took a single seat up front and sat apart from us). I would understand such childish behavior from a bunch of college kids but the parents in this group where in there 50's and the younger couple where old enough to know better. Seriously people??

 

[crashbb]

I'll turn this thread to where it is eventually going to go.

Having a child is not a disability. Leave the park earlier (before the big crowds); wait for the next bus (so you are the first ones on); drive your own car; or deal with standing.

Is it nice of others to stand for you? Sure (and I probably would). Should you expect it? Nope.

 

[DISNEYFOS]

This topic typically gets a lot of responses from people that argue against getting up for others... I don't understand it either.

I was always taught to get up and offer my seat to elderly and people who need it (like small children).

This is why we avoid busses. Walk or monorail. We've even taken a cab to AK to avoid it.

 

[avahoneybee]

We've given up our seats for many people over the years but can't think of a time we did it for children only (mine normally sit on my lap if it's a full bus).

 

[Ava]

I'll turn this thread to where it is eventually going to go.

Having a child is not a disability. Leave the park earlier (before the big crowds); wait for the next bus (so you are the first ones on); drive your own car; or deal with standing.

Is it nice of others to stand for you? Sure (and I probably would). Should you expect it? Nope.

I kind of agree with this. I live in NYC and ride public transportation every day. I do not stand up for every child that gets on the train or bus; if I did I would never have a seat. If a parent gets on holding a baby or small child, I will offer them my seat - I do the same for pregnant women, elderly & disabled people. But if a child is big enough to walk onto the train/bus on their own, they are capable of standing.

 

[avahoneybee]

I kind of agree with this. I live in NYC and ride public transportation every day. I do not stand up for every child that gets on the train or bus; if I did I would never have a seat. If a parent gets on holding a baby or small child, I will offer them my seat - I do the same for pregnant women, elderly & disabled people. But if a child is big enough to walk onto the train/bus on their own, they are capable of standing.

I agree with this as well. If we gave up our seats for every child that got on the bus, it would be all children sitting. If they are able bodied, they can stand.

I will add though, that my children have given up "their" seats for elderly or pregnant women.

 

[acejka]

I'll turn this thread to where it is eventually going to go.

Having a child is not a disability. Leave the park earlier (before the big crowds); wait for the next bus (so you are the first ones on); drive your own car; or deal with standing.

Is it nice of others to stand for you? Sure (and I probably would). Should you expect it? Nope.

Completely agree.

 

[Becky2005]

I will just defend the people sitting down, it would NEVER have occurred to me to stand up on a bus. My kids don't take public transportation normally & they are NOT allowed to stand up on a school bus ever. The very few -- I think it has been 4 times I have ridden a public bus in the city of Chicago I'm not even sure it is allowed to stand on those either. My kids were freaked out as it was without seatbelts much less standing.

Honestly, unless you grow up in a place that it's typical to stand up on moving vehicles, it would not occur to you to give up your seat. It never even crossed my mind for others to give up their seats to me the few times I stood with the kids.

I know DH would never give up his seat because he physically couldn't handle it real well. He would deal if he had to but no way would he give up his seat.

I actually didn't even know it was something you were supposed to do until I read about it here on the DIS.

 

[waltskids]

I'll turn this thread to where it is eventually going to go.

Having a child is not a disability. Leave the park earlier (before the big crowds); wait for the next bus (so you are the first ones on); drive your own car; or deal with standing.

Is it nice of others to stand for you? Sure (and I probably would). Should you expect it? Nope.

We have two small children and I agree! It is no one else's job to provide me a seat when I chose to enter a bus and hold my child rather than wait for the next bus. When it happens I am happy (and it does happen alot) but do we ever expect it, no way!

Oh and DH will always give up his seat to anyone, but that's just how he was raised. It doesn't make him better or worse than anyone else. It's just the way he is!

 

[Marymom]

Last summer, I forewarned my kids ages 9,11,13 and 16 to be prepared to give up their seat. Rule of thumb for them was that anyone younger than them or older than me (43) had dibs on the seat first! I never heard any complaints, we all were aware of the expectation/obligation before we got on the bus.

 

[disneyjunkie]

We are staying at the POR resort now, and have stayed at ASMo in the past, this just irritates me to the bone! The adult passengers on a crowded resort bus not getting off their lazy you know what and giving up their seats to the small children that are standing! These people know good and well that these children cannot reach the bars! I understand that their are some adults that need to sit and those that are holding sleeping children, but my gosh people, if you are able to stand then give up your seat to a child! Ok, getting off my soapbox now and going to do laundry so we have clothes to wear the rest of the week.

I'll turn this thread to where it is eventually going to go.

Having a child is not a disability. Leave the park earlier (before the big crowds); wait for the next bus (so you are the first ones on); drive your own car; or deal with standing.

Is it nice of others to stand for you? Sure (and I probably would). Should you expect it? Nope.

I'll take that turn with you.

If you feel your child needs to sit, don't get on a crowded bus.

I do give my seat to parents holding babies.

I kind of agree with this. I live in NYC and ride public transportation every day. I do not stand up for every child that gets on the train or bus; if I did I would never have a seat. If a parent gets on holding a baby or small child, I will offer them my seat - I do the same for pregnant women, elderly & disabled people. But if a child is big enough to walk onto the train/bus on their own, they are capable of standing.

 

[puffkin]

It isn't so bad for kids to stand (especially those over 5) but there really is no place for them to hold on since they can't reach the overhead bars and many of the busses do not have vertical bars. That is the problem.

I personally never let my child (who is 3) sit in a seat by himself on the bus unless there were enough seats for everyone. Someone in our party either held him or he and his cousin shared a seat.

As for waiting for another bus, or leaving earlier, etc that isn't always an option. If you leave at park closing or after fireworks etc the busses are much more efficieint. But if you leave at off peak times many times the busses only come very far apart or they will sit and wait until they fill up.

There really is no good answer. It is just sad to witness....and it is why we now will only travel to WDW with a rental.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I'll turn this thread to where it is eventually going to go.

Having a child is not a disability. Leave the park earlier (before the big crowds); wait for the next bus (so you are the first ones on); drive your own car; or deal with standing.

Is it nice of others to stand for you? Sure (and I probably would). Should you expect it? Nope.

I agree. While you would think that people would get up and offer a seat, most just wont. If I see that a bus is packed, we wait for another bus. When we go back to the park in the afternoon, we drive because it's insane at park closing. It is NOT worth it to me.

 

[TanyaNMJ]

I live in the NYC suburbs and took my kids to the city Monday. I have to say I was offended, and reminded of pregnancy days, when no one stood up for my 3 year old (or my 6 year old) who is not used to the motion of the trains and was a bit frightened. I ALWAYS stand for older folks, pregnant women, people with disabilities, small children and people who look like they really need a seat right then. So yes mostly I stand. I am 40 years old, healthy and able bodied. It's how I was raised.

I understand able bodied adults get tired just like anyone else, but to not stand and make room for a small child (I say under 6 or so) is just plain lazy and rude. I think it's a sad example of the decline of the American society and the thoughtlessness of people in general.

Yes, this is just one opinion, but really think about it. It's a bus that is rocking, turning and unstable - if the kid is usually required to be in a car seat or booster seat shouldn't you (as a grown up) offer that child your seat? Or do you turn away when someone calls for help also?

 

[Rylee]

I've seen it all.

We have a son with a rare medical condition, and one night when he was 5, he wasn't feeling well, so I was taking him back to the resort while the rest of the family stayed at Magic Kingdom. We had to stand in the front of the bus. He kept falling asleep and I tried to hold him, but he was too heavy. (I was also balancing a diaper size bag with his medical supplies.) When I tried to stand him up, he kept falling over. I apologized as he slumped this way or that way, but no one said a word to us... not even a "poor little guy is pooped right out," or an "awe," etc. This bus had the 3, or so, seats that face each other in the front of the bus. For the ENTIRE ride, the childless adults in this party, just stared at us! For one man in particular, it felt like he was being openly defiant... as he sat rather slouched, knees spread far apart, arms folded, and stared as I struggled with my son. Finally, the bus driver said to sit him on the floor, leaning him up against her seat. I said I didn't think this was allowed and the driver said he would be alright. As I bent to put him in place, she said she was sorry some people were so inconsiderate. With my son on the floor, I tried to straddled him with my legs to try to "hold" him in place with my legs, while I held onto the poles with my hands. At times, I squatted to hold him, (my knees were killing me.)

These people didn't need to give up their seat for us, but would it have been too much for them to squish in and make a little room for a 5 year old? Really? Could one of them offered to just hold my bag while I attended to my son?

All of my children who are old enough to balance on a moving vehicle, know to give up their seat for the very young, the elderly and parents holding children. And, even if we are among the first people on the bus, my DH doesn't take a seat because he knows someone will need that seat more than he does.

When standing myself, I've held onto strollers for strangers, so they could better hold onto their child because no one offered to give up their seat for them. We've even put siblings on siblings laps, to make room for another "tiny hiney" on the seat.

I know everyone is tired... but common sense and common courtesy isn't too much to ask for.

 

[brymolmom]

While I feel for the pp with the son with a medical condition...I have to disagree with one statement - you didn't 'have' to stand at the front of the bus - you could have waited for the next one. OR if he was really sick and you needed to get back as fast as possible - you could have grabbed a cab.

I likely would have given up my seat for him - but certainly would never expect it NOR consider it inconsiderate for others not to do so for my children. It is my choice when I get on a crowded bus instead of waiting for an empty one (which I have done many times when kids (and mom/dad) are very tired and I know we all WANT a seat). So keep in mind that many/some of those who are choosing to keep their seats very well might have been back to their hotel sooner but opted instead to wait for a bus where they could have a seat. And I'm sure you don't expect them to give up that seat that they waited long and hard for! There's always a choice and you are CHOOSING for you and your children to stand when you get on a crowded bus - so don't blame others for your choice.