What's up with the new design of all the Disney busses?

[wendy1974]

Alright, it might now be brand new to some but I was there in 2009 and didn't see this. Just got back from a great trip to WDW and noticed 99% of the busses running to the parks all had the sideways facing seats (where you're looking at the person across from you) with maybe 12 seats at the back of the bus on an upper level facing forward. I've seen this design in the past but it would be an occassional thing where we may get a bus like this. I counted the seats and there are less than on the forwarding facing busses (got 1 this trip) but the isles are much wider. All I can think is they feel like it's more important to have standing room for people on the bus rather than a place to sit??? I did see a lot of people with large strollers and I can see how a wider isle might be a benefit to them but I personally would much rather have more of a chance to sit and also face forward as my neck ended up hurting a lot from looking to the side if I wanted to watch where the bus was going. Maybe it's just me but does anyone else not like the newer design?

 

[nessz79]

I noticed this on our last trip. Most buses were as you described them. I think it's mostly due to so many scooters being used now (can't remember their acronym). I don't know for sure, that's just my theory.

It made most bus rides very crowded with a lot of people standing. This is why on our next trip, we will be driving to most of the parks, with the exception of MK.

 

[goofyernmost]

I noticed this on our last trip. Most buses were as you described them. I think it's mostly due to so many scooters being used now (can't remember their acronym). I don't know for sure, that's just my theory.

It made most bus rides very crowded with a lot of people standing. This is why on our next trip, we will be driving to most of the parks, with the exception of MK.

Your theory is probably correct. More and more ADA's are out and about these days and the transportation industry has had to comply with the laws and have ordered more buses with more ADA locations on them. Sideways facing seats will usually fold up and become wheelchair/scooter locations. It's the times we live in. It is a good thing that people with disabilities are now able to get out and enjoy life instead of having to stay at home and stare at the walls. It's a small sacrifice for us able bodied to help those less fortunate.

 

[disneygirlmass]

I agree, that's mostly likely the reason they are using these newly designed busses. I prefer to rent a car when traveling to Disney, unless I'm staying at a monorail resort. The buses tend to take up a lot of time, one time it took me over an hour to get from the Polynesian over to MGM. Driving a car saves so much time.

 

[Traveliz]

It's not just the scooters -- the overall capacity of those buses is much larger (of course its standing room) but the more people they can move at once the better they like it.

Liz

 

[sassyredhead]

It's not just the scooters -- the overall capacity of those buses is much larger (of course its standing room) but the more people they can move at once the better they like it.

Liz

I agree. A standing body takes up less room than a sitting one . . .

 

[Willow1213]

It also has to do with strollers. A lot of people are bringing strollers with them instead of renting at the parks. The larger strollers will not fit on the old style buses. Trust me, we got stuck behind someone trying to get a jogging style stroller onto one of the older style buses. It wouldn't fit through the doorway properly and would not go down the aisle at all (this was folded, it was too wide). I felt bad for the mother who was by herself with a 5/6 yr old boy trying to wrangle this thing onto a bus when it obviously didn't fit.

 

[SueM in MN]

Your theory is probably correct. More and more ADA's are out and about these days and the transportation industry has had to comply with the laws and have ordered more buses with more ADA locations on them. Sideways facing seats will usually fold up and become wheelchair/scooter locations. It's the times we live in. It is a good thing that people with disabilities are now able to get out and enjoy life instead of having to stay at home and stare at the walls. It's a small sacrifice for us able bodied to help those less fortunate.

A few of the new buses hold 3 EVCs (scooters) or wheelchair, but the majority only hold 2 - the same as the old buses.
The reason I have heard for the new style buses is primarily strollers. On the buses that have most of the seats facing forwards, there is little space for the strollers except the aisles. The aisles have to be clear.

The newer style buses have more space for stowing strollers and also wider doors that make it easier to carry strollers into the bus.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

It also has to do with strollers. A lot of people are bringing strollers with them instead of renting at the parks. The larger strollers will not fit on the old style buses. Trust me, we got stuck behind someone trying to get a jogging style stroller onto one of the older style buses. It wouldn't fit through the doorway properly and would not go down the aisle at all (this was folded, it was too wide). I felt bad for the mother who was by herself with a 5/6 yr old boy trying to wrangle this thing onto a bus when it obviously didn't fit.

I'ld also put some money on this, combined with the accessible spaces and overall total capacity.

It could seriously be me, but to me it seems like there are more and more bigger strollers each year and I've only been going since 2007.

 

[d1gitman]

hmmmm....not a new bus design to us...that is the only style bus we have ever encountered since beginning our annual treks in 2004.

 

[wendy1974]

A few of the new buses hold 3 EVCs (scooters) or wheelchair, but the majority only hold 2 - the same as the old buses.
The reason I have heard for the new style buses is primarily strollers. On the buses that have most of the seats facing forwards, there is little space for the strollers except the aisles. The aisles have to be clear.

The newer style buses have more space for stowing strollers and also wider doors that make it easier to carry strollers into the bus.

After my trip this past week I totally agree with that. Only one little section of the seats flipped up for ECVs and I witnessed several times only 2 being able to fit. However, I probably saw more strollers and larger strollers than I have ever seen in past trips. I miss the old busses.

 

[sjs314]

Your theory is probably correct. More and more ADA's are out and about these days and the transportation industry has had to comply with the laws and have ordered more buses with more ADA locations on them. Sideways facing seats will usually fold up and become wheelchair/scooter locations. It's the times we live in. It is a good thing that people with disabilities are now able to get out and enjoy life instead of having to stay at home and stare at the walls. It's a small sacrifice for us able bodied to help those less fortunate.

Hearing about the new buses now has me worried about our trip in November. I have to wonder what Disney's liability will be when someone falls and is injured due to having to stand on the bus. It is well documented of how many accidents Disney buses seem to be involved in and even when they have to stop short because some tourist cuts them off while not an accident can cause someone to loose there footing if standing on a bus.
There are so many posts about the rights of the disabled, about people who do not want their children to stand as it is dangerous, what about us older visitors who at times tend to be unsteady on our feet being forced to stand for lack of seating. Gone are the days when anyone offers up a seat to the elderly, believe me I know it happened to me on our last trip in 2009.
And before you say it no we do not want to rent a car, we have never rented a car, always using Disney Transportation. I hope with the design change they will put on additional buses but it seems to me that the new design would be to eliminate buses if there capacity it more with extra standees now.

 

[delmar411]

hmmmm....not a new bus design to us...that is the only style bus we have ever encountered since beginning our annual treks in 2004.

Same here. The up high buses were always pretty uncommon to get. I personally dislike those as they don't hold as many people and yes strollers take up too much space on them and can be very difficult to get onboard. Also having to climb those high steps is pretty dangerous for little ones or anyone who has their hands full. With the 'newer' buses it's just an easy step up into the bus.

 

[rndmr2]

I also think the newer buses are easier to get on/off due to the fact that they are lower and there aren't any steps. I do prefer the older ones due to more of a chance to sit down but I also never have liked sitting sideways, I usually get a headache.

 

[joelkfla]

It's not really new -- it's been over 10 years since Disney added any buses with cross-wise seating the full length of the bus. All of the buses added since then have either length-wise seating the full length of the bus, or length-wise seating forward of the back door and cross-wise at the back of the bus, depending on the manufacturer.

As the old buses are retired and replaced by new ones, the proportion of new-to-old increases. The newer ones definitely outnumber the old ones, by at least 2 to 1. There's speculation that the old models may all be gone when the next large order of buses arrives around the end of the year.

The newer buses are all low-floor, for access without climbing stairs. That makes the top of the wheels higher than the floor of the bus, which doesn't leave much room for cross-wise seats. It also lets wheelchairs and scooters roll right up a ramp, instead of dealing with the ingenious but slow lift on the high-floor buses.

 

[stitch34]

I noticed this a couple trips back. We used to see two types of buses.. the kind described in this post, and also ones that had a majority of rows of seats. For us, we SOOO prefer that - need to sit my son somewhere where he's trapped against the wall so doesn't try to get up and run.
Now... with those few seats in the back, we hope to get on the bus early enough for there to be seats, then make our way all the way back (sucks with heavy special needs stroller) to get seats.
Past couple trips have not been on ANY buses with rows of seats. Really hate having all that seating taken away.
The standing is the worst. This past trip we only sat when we took buses during the afternoons... but going to parks in morning and at night, EVERY bus we stood on.
But with the style of buses now, so few seats, they fill up fast - and then add in an ECV or two and their families - forget about it.

 

[JenniJ]

What you discribe is not new here in chicagoland. That design sounds like most of the public transportation buses (CTA/PACE) around the city.

 

[Whitegloves]

Gone are the days when anyone offers up a seat to the elderly, believe me I know it happened to me on our last trip in 2009.

You need to ride the buses we do, my DH (who is 51 and has a bad knee) ALWAYS gives up his seat. Our sons do the same. Chivalry is alive and well...just harder to find. =0)

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

It's not really new -- it's been over 10 years since Disney added any buses with cross-wise seating the full length of the bus. All of the buses added since then have either length-wise seating the full length of the bus, or length-wise seating forward of the back door and cross-wise at the back of the bus, depending on the manufacturer.

As the old buses are retired and replaced by new ones, the proportion of new-to-old increases. The newer ones definitely outnumber the old ones, by at least 2 to 1. There's speculation that the old models may all be gone when the next large order of buses arrives around the end of the year.

The newer buses are all low-floor, for access without climbing stairs. That makes the top of the wheels higher than the floor of the bus, which doesn't leave much room for cross-wise seats. It also lets wheelchairs and scooters roll right up a ramp, instead of dealing with the ingenious but slow lift on the high-floor buses.

While true, it does seem like you haven't noticed the fact that disney does no longer have one type of "new" bus. They've had the lower ramped ones for years, but not until pretty recent did they get a second type of "new" bus. Also low, also ramped but this one comes with 3 spots they can tie down a wheelchair or ECV into. Those busses have more floorspace in total and even less seats as the "first new busses" do.


I personally love the "second generation new busses". Not per se because of the 3rd wheelchairspot, eventhough I am a wheelchair user but because of the fact there is more "walkway". For me that means a huge decrease in being hit (hard) by some parent half-half holding on to a stroller and/or thinking my chair is the perfect wall to store their stroller against while keeping an eye on little Suzy/Tommy. Same goes for other guests getting on the bus after strollers. Strollers tend to be situated in the areas with the most room (duh), which then leaves guests boarding after that having to more past that parent sitting down holding onto the stroller by kinda scooting or even sometimes climbing past the stroller. Noticed a lot less of those peeves on the "second generation new" busses.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

Hearing about the new buses now has me worried about our trip in November. I have to wonder what Disney's liability will be when someone falls and is injured due to having to stand on the bus. It is well documented of how many accidents Disney buses seem to be involved in and even when they have to stop short because some tourist cuts them off while not an accident can cause someone to loose there footing if standing on a bus.
There are so many posts about the rights of the disabled, about people who do not want their children to stand as it is dangerous, what about us older visitors who at times tend to be unsteady on our feet being forced to stand for lack of seating. Gone are the days when anyone offers up a seat to the elderly, believe me I know it happened to me on our last trip in 2009.
And before you say it no we do not want to rent a car, we have never rented a car, always using Disney Transportation. I hope with the design change they will put on additional buses but it seems to me that the new design would be to eliminate buses if there capacity it more with extra standees now.

Yeah all those well document bus accidents are just running wild.
If you compare the few isolated incidents of the years past vs the amount of people are moved on Disney trasnportation and miles driven it is very minimal. You are more likely to be in an accident in your own vechile within miles of your own home.