Disney Buses

[Moliphino]

It's not a common practice. I did it only when instructed by a bus leader, which was rare. Most people have never seen it done.
I began doing it when I started driving a Disney bus many years ago up until I transferred out just a few years ago. But for all I know, the practice could have been discontinued the day after I left.

They did it often enough that we noticed they'd stopped. We kept hoping for the other bus to pull up alongside like we'd seen often enough in the past, but they never did. This was December 2018.

 

[Colleen27]

Why are people so insistent that wheel chair users never ever ever get even one leg up on them ever? Sometimes they do but when the day is all done and all legs throughout the day up and down are tallied, they'll end up 5 legs or more down to those without one. And here people are complaining those with mobility devices didn't end up 6 legs down on the day instead of 5. 911 what is your emergency? Quick. Send the waaaaaaaaahmbulance because some scooter got on the bus ahead of me. Again it is far faster on the day not to have any people in the party on mobility devices. And it isn't even close. So those grouching, making snide remarks to those on scooters, or deliberately making them loud enough so those on scooters can hear them are just being petty and small. And I'm quite sure the vast majority of those with mobility devices would gladly trade places with those without if they could.

Amen! I'll admit, I had a few moments, usually at the end of very long park days, where I grumbled about ECV users pulling up and getting on the next bus while us able-bodied folks who were there first continued to wait and wait... but traveling with someone in a wheelchair sure taught me a lesson about that "convenience". Believe me, getting on the first bus at the end of the night is poor consolation for having to wait through three or four or more in the morning, when you're chomping at the bit to get to the parks, because you're staying in a resort with multiple bus stops and all the space for mobility devices filled up before the bus arrived at your stop. In case you haven't noticed, drivers don't make able-bodied people get off to clear space for a wheelchair, so even if there's no other wheelchair users on board, the space where the chair would go is usually full during that peak getting-to-the-parks rush. We found it basically impossible to make rope drop with a wheelchair unless we drove, and as most of us DIS uber-planners know, time matters far more at the start of the day at WDW than at the end. And that says nothing of all the little in-park frustrations that come with traveling with a chair...

 

[AARCLUKSCH]

I love the busses and think they are a fun and genius way to get around the "world". With that being said....years ago, the busses were pleasant and efficient. The bus drivers were spirited and basically most people were happy in a happy place. It is the few rude, inconsiderate people who ride them that make people want to avoid them. And I have seen many really rude and inconsiderate people in my years on these busses. With growing crowds, this number is growing. And Disney has done a great job, IMO, accommodating the crowds on the busses. Waiting in line is one thing, but being crammed onto a bus with inconsiderate people makes it unbearable. Also - they used to play music. If I recall, they no longer play music anymore. I think that added to the experience in the past. I also think if Disney added this feature back into the equation it might make the ride a little more enjoyable for most. So yes, the busses are fun but some of the people you may run into ON them, not so fun.

 

[LSUmiss]

Well, I was just at Disney earlier this week for a work event, but had the opportunity to ride the buses several times. All I can say is that I get older and less patient, I like them less and less. I experienced two very long waits 35+ minutes and when one of the buses showed up it took 10 minutes to load as the drivers changed shifts. Very annoying to say the least. Another time, we took the bus to another hotel and walked because we were not risking another 35+ minute wait.

There was nothing magical about the buses at all.

I can't believe I forgot to mention the shift change ordeals! It seems like every time we leave DHS or AK, it's shift change time!

 

[studiojmm]

I like the busses - the convenience and the social element.

The only thing I wish is that MDE included bus estimates at the park, not just the resort. There have been times when it mattered that we not wait 30 min and I would have taken Uber/Lyft if I'd been able to get an estimate. Recently on our very last day we left what I thought was plenty fo time, but waited a very long time for our bus and then a shift change. We did not miss our Magical Express ride, but it was much tighter than I planned. Most of the time though, I find we wait 10-15 minutes or less.

I have vacationed at Disney 2-3 times a year for the last 14 years. There is a lot I can criticize about Disney. Transportation is not one of them. Every single day, 365 days a year, they move tens of thousands of people to where they need to be. Every single trip, I marvel at the efficiency at park close. It is amazing if you really think about it.

Agreed. I live in a major city with a good bus system (something most U.S. cities do NOT have) and Disney is more efficient (and more pleasant) even though they probably move more people daily and cover almost 2/3s as much space as my home city (and more than most smaller U.S. cities). I've been there at park closing where it looked really unpromising and then multiple busses pulled up loading everyone on (while cast members exchanged pleasantries and or pin-traded with my kid, keeping her happy).

Also, I've stayed offsite and depended on Uber/Lyft. That was definitely more chaotic and confusing at park closing than the busses. This may have improved since they designated pick up spots, but we had a shuttle drop-off at AK this past trip right as tons of people were leaving due to an afternoon rainstorm and we went past the Lyft/Uber spot. It didn't look very orderly.

I think Disney's system for people with scooters/ECVs is just fine...

This is the same as all busses everywhere - wheelchairs/scooters load on and off first. I think the Disney bus drivers do it very efficiently. And on city busses here, able-bodied must move if a wheelchair passenger needs their spot. It's just that there are more mobility devices at Disney than on the average public transit route.

The rest of the world is not very accommodating and it is wildly inconvenient to live with mobility limitations (or many other kinds). I love how inclusive and accommodating Disney tries to be (I'm sure they aren't doing everything perfectly and all, but they try). I will happily wait.

And Disney busses are WAY more accommodating of the strollers than a city bus, in my experience. Yes, you have to fold them, but they'll let you load 6-7 to a bus.

For me either- the late arriving ECVs and all of the family and friends definitely did NOT go into the queue, but immediately into the area with the gate for ECVs. There were two separate ECVs, and both of them had over a dozen people accompanying them. So, nearly 30 people and ECVs. I did not see any CMs anywhere around at MK at the bus stops to direct people or to limit the flow from that gate.

Ok, that's obnoxious, but it can't be that common. I don't think I've ever seen a ECV party of more than 5 and often it's a parent in an ECV and another managing a couple of small children, sometimes in a stroller. That's not easy.

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I think the biggest problem with lack of appreciation for the bus system is that we are not a public-transit-riding country. We think everyone should have their own vehicle and never have to wait for anyone else.