Guest attacks Disney bus driver

[MickeyPeace]

fix the bus system

Sounds like a good idea to me although I do not know how effective it would be considering only a small fraction of WDW guests take DME. Placing a video in multiple locations would be much better.

Now if they would just allow Wil Wheaton to do the videos in a similar manner to some of his semi-famous PAX "don't be a d$%^" keynotes you would have a winner.:lol:

I took the DME for the first time last month...and the video was broken. The driver popped in a dvd of a Disney movie.

Fix the bus system! Fix the bus system!

 

[TomHendricks]

Thats what made me suspicious that the person is not telling the truth also, along with a few other details. He sounds doesn't sound like a professional security person.

I have to say that the Disney bus system was the low light of my last few Disney visits. Waiting forever, overcrowded busses, obese people in electric wheelchairs, bus drivers continuing to pick up people on a standing room only bus and so on.

Next time I just may rent a car to avoid the stress of the Disney bus system. The guest's behavior was totally wrong but if anything can make someone lose it in Disney, it's the bus system.

I'm not arguing with you, just using your post to make a point. If you have issue with the Disney Transportation system, please rent a car or use taxis. It will free up space for us that do use it and dont get freaked out by the wait, family with strollers and people in wheel chairs/scooters and their families who board ahead of us able bodied people. I know it sucks standing or waiting for another bus or a bus in the first place. This is FREE transportation system, go demand a bus to pick you up for free and take you to Sea World or Universale Studios. Oh yeah, when it take forever to get to your car, because your parked all the way in the back and then takes forever to get out of the parking lot, making the wait for a bus seam trivial.

 

[goofntink]

I think what guests (myself at times) don't understand is why during less crowded times, while waiting for a bus for the Poly, we'll see 5 buses for OKW before one comes for the Poly.

Another thing I didn't understand is when we stayed at the Yacht Club, did we share buses with Beach Club, Boardwalk, Swan and Dolphin. One bus for over 4,000 rooms???

Answer for wait times and bus dispatch.
It has alot to due with resort booking,plus which park you are at.Our bus dispatch system is tied into the resort reservation system and the turnstyle park entry systems. This allows us on a day to day and hour by hour basis see how many guests are at which resort and which parks they are at. This then helps us determine where buses are needed, and how many are needed to service the resorts and parks. Your example Poly verses OKW. Not alot of guests know or realize there are 2 or more ways to get to Poly depending on which park you are at. EX:Hollywood Studios We have the bus to Poly [load zone 12],plus a bus to TTC [load zone 11] which TTC is right next door and a 3-4 minute walk away on the Poly walkway from TTC.You can take the Epcot bus [load zone C7]and transfer to the monorail to TTC ,and then to the resort monorail or again walk to Poly from TTC.Last you can take the MK bus,transfer to the resort monorail at MK and go to Poly. OKW has only one way to get there which is?? Anyone anyone. The OKW bus [load zone 5]. Also {please don't shoot the messenger}OKW is a DVC has usually has more guests booked than at POLY.


Answer for SDYBB bus. Epcot and Hollywood because of their locations doesnt have a bus to those resorts [except for exit and peak operation then we activate a load zone for it.} they are serviced by the friendship resort boats. MK has 2 buses, one for B/S/D [load zone 7] and Y/B [load zone 8] because of size of park and location from resort.Ak has one bus [load zone 3] because its a smaller park,and its hours of operation. It also has to do with how closely grouped those resorts are to each other.

 

[Slowjack]

If you have issue with the Disney Transportation system, please rent a car or use taxis. It will free up space for us that do use it and dont get freaked out by the wait, family with strollers and people in wheel chairs/scooters and their families who board ahead of us able bodied people. I know it sucks standing or waiting for another bus or a bus in the first place. This is FREE transportation system, go demand a bus to pick you up for free and take you to Sea World or Universale Studios. Oh yeah, when it take forever to get to your car, because your parked all the way in the back and then takes forever to get out of the parking lot, making the wait for a bus seam trivial.

I don't understand this post. It's not remotely free -- it's included with the (high) cost of staying at a Disney resort, and touted as one of the features of staying at said resorts. (There are the park-to-park buses, but that's not the issue here.) This would be like saying that if you got dining as part of your vacation package, you shouldn't complain about any bad food or bad service.

I mean, are you saying that no matter how few the buses are versus the number of people who are using them, or anything else about the quality or quantity of bus service, no one should ever complain about it?

 

[_Scar]

Yup, faith in humanity lost again. Sorry Chilean miners, you had your fun.

 

[Slowjack]

...Your example Poly verses OKW. Not alot of guests know or realize there are 2 or more ways to get to Poly depending on which park you are at. EX:Hollywood Studios We have the bus to Poly [load zone 12],plus a bus to TTC [load zone 11] which TTC is right next door and a 3-4 minute walk away on the Poly walkway from TTC.You can take the Epcot bus [load zone C7]and transfer to the monorail to TTC ,and then to the resort monorail or again walk to Poly from TTC.Last you can take the MK bus,transfer to the resort monorail at MK and go to Poly. OKW has only one way to get there which is?? Anyone anyone. The OKW bus [load zone 5].

But if "not a lot of guests know or realize" they can get to the Polynesian via other routes, then why would Disney be using the existence of those routes as a reason to reduce bus service directly to the resort?

Also, while traveling to the TTC to get to the Polynesian is a reasonable option -- especially if you're staying on the east side of the resort -- traveling to the Magic Kingdom is not. I mean, by that logic, the Old Key West resort has many ways of getting to it also -- I could travel to Downtown Disney, and then take the Old Key West bus from Downtown Disney, for example.

 

[RobnRachal]

I work for bus operations and the entire incident was caught on the security cameras.Every load zone has a high def camera that sees the bus and load zone. We can actually zoom in with the cameras and read the drivers name and his hometown on his name tag on their uniform. Also in the video one of the gentleman on the bus,{I wont identify him} was one of our plain clothes security officers and was in the load zone at the time and witnessed the attack. Security was called along with the OCSO,and yes it took them a few minutes to get to him. This was because the bus was in load zone C7 which is in the charter bus lot and away from the regular Resort load zones near the entrance to Hollywood Studios. If you watch the video closely you will see flashing red and blue lights illuminating the side off the bus.When the wife saw them pull up the wife took off,and tried to hide in the crowd,and left her child with the husband. Other guests identified her to security. They were then removed from the bus and load zone and taken backstage. The gentleman was then arrested and handcuffed for assault on the driver. He is also facing charges for Terrorist threat due to the assault happening on the bus, and public endangerment. They were also ejected from the resort they were staying at,and trespassed from Walt Disney World property.They will not be returning to the Happiest Place on Earth ever again. Also everyone will be happy to hear the driver was not reprimanded for the incident,and continued with his job that evening. I actually saw and talked to him last night and he is doing fine.
Also forgot to add copy of the security tape was provided to the OCSO,they are in turn forwarding it to the state attorney for possible further charges of Felony child neglect and endangerment.

Wow!!! Thank you for the clarification. . .I'm so glad it was dealt with and continues to be dealt with. . .and good to know there are cameras all over that area!

 

[jumblue]

I like the fact that there are two other routes between studios and epcot.

He could have taken the boat, or simply walked between the two...

 

[Tomi-Rocket]

I chalk it up to the "I'm #1!" entitlement syndrome that people have these days. The "dad" should've been arrested for child endangerment. I wonder if the mother was as horrifed as anyone else? :shrug:

 

[goofntink]

Thats what made me suspicious that the person is not telling the truth also, along with a few other details. He sounds doesn't sound like a professional security person.

I have to say that the Disney bus system was the low light of my last few Disney visits. Waiting forever, overcrowded busses, obese people in electric wheelchairs, bus drivers continuing to pick up people on a standing room only bus and so on.

Next time I just may rent a car to avoid the stress of the Disney bus system. The guest's behavior was totally wrong but if anything can make someone lose it in Disney, it's the bus system.

If I may be so polite to ask, can you tell us the wait time you incurred waiting for the bus,and the time of day? Define overcrowded as our buses hold 72 people including those who are standing.Large framed individuals are not the only guests in ECV's and wheelchairs on our buses. Our bus drivers continue to pick up guests until the bus is full. Please understand our fleet of 291 buses service 21 resorts, 4 theme parks, 2 water parks,and DTD,and numerous theme park cast member shuttles that you dont see behind the scenes and travel approx 300 miles of roadway on property everyday,24/7/365. As for a rental car, 9 times out of 10 it will take you longer to get to the park than what it would it would take you to wait for the bus and ride to the park. Plus you are paying for a rental car,and possibly parking, compared to riding the bus for free!

Also to comment on some other posts referring to having to stand on the bus. As guest you have no problem, nor have I heard any complaints of having to stand in line all day for the rides and attractions and having to walk around in the park. But when it comes to a 5-20 minute ride on the bus to and from your particular resort then there is a problem???????:veryconfu

 

[raven]

What does that have to do with Pop Century having better service to Animal Kingdom, DHS, and DTD than the Grand Floridian?

Pop has a TON of rooms and is pretty much near capacity all the time. It also has only 1 bus stop making buses to Pop to be very crowded. More buses are needed to move all of those guests on in a timely manor.

 

[wm49rs]

Pop has a TON of rooms and is pretty much near capacity all the time. It also has only 1 bus stop making buses to Pop to be very crowded. More buses are needed to move all of those guests on in a timely manor.

I wonder if there will be a renovation of the bus stops/number of busses once the Art of Animation resort opens.....

 

[BrerFrog]

I work for bus operations and the entire incident was caught on the security cameras.Every load zone has a high def camera that sees the bus and load zone. We can actually zoom in with the cameras and read the drivers name and his hometown on his name tag on their uniform. Also in the video one of the gentleman on the bus,{I wont identify him} was one of our plain clothes security officers and was in the load zone at the time and witnessed the attack. Security was called along with the OCSO,and yes it took them a few minutes to get to him. This was because the bus was in load zone C7 which is in the charter bus lot and away from the regular Resort load zones near the entrance to Hollywood Studios. If you watch the video closely you will see flashing red and blue lights illuminating the side off the bus.When the wife saw them pull up the wife took off,and tried to hide in the crowd,and left her child with the husband. Other guests identified her to security. They were then removed from the bus and load zone and taken backstage. The gentleman was then arrested and handcuffed for assault on the driver. He is also facing charges for Terrorist threat due to the assault happening on the bus, and public endangerment. They were also ejected from the resort they were staying at,and trespassed from Walt Disney World property.They will not be returning to the Happiest Place on Earth ever again. Also everyone will be happy to hear the driver was not reprimanded for the incident,and continued with his job that evening. I actually saw and talked to him last night and he is doing fine.
Also forgot to add copy of the security tape was provided to the OCSO,they are in turn forwarding it to the state attorney for possible further charges of Felony child neglect and endangerment.

This makes me happy. :sohappy:

Have a very magical day, good sir.

 

[TREVON 2.0]

I loled

 

[Kobe!!]

So roughly 60 people "passed by him" in line before he decided to go off on THE BUS DRIVER? :shrug:

RIGHTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT........

 

[goofntink]

I wonder if there will be a renovation of the bus stops/number of busses once the Art of Animation resort opens.....

Yes there will be/ We have in fact ordered more buses to service the resort once it comes online. As part of the financing for the construction of new resorts,the resort " buys " into the bus transportation system and " purchases " new buses that are added to the fleet to cover the guests that will be coming to and from the resort. We have po's for a little over 60 new buses this coming year to cover the resort and replace some that are coming up on the ends of service life. Over 30 of that number were new buses bought by the new resort.

Would like to add we are currently working on the All Star Resort load zones starting with Sports. This is being done to help speed up and make it easier for guests to load and unload off the buses,as well as make it easier to get the buses into and out of the load zone. We listened to the guests as well as our drivers on this problem and are redesigning the load zones to ease the process

 

[wm49rs]

Yes there will be/ We have in fact ordered more buses to service the resort once it comes online. As part of the financing for the construction of new resorts,the resort " buys " into the bus transportation system and " purchases " new buses that are added to the fleet to cover the guests that will be coming to and from the resort. We have po's for a little over 60 new buses this coming year to cover the resort and replace some that are coming up on the ends of service life. Over 30 of that number were new buses bought by the new resort.

Well, that's good to hear. I've never stayed at one of the Value resorts, and very rarely taken the bus when we're on-site. But I have little doubt that 60+ new busses will be a welcome sight indeed.

 

[Phonedave]

Also to comment on some other posts referring to having to stand on the bus. As guest you have no problem, nor have I heard any complaints of having to stand in line all day for the rides and attractions and having to walk around in the park. But when it comes to a 5-20 minute ride on the bus to and from your particular resort then there is a problem???????:veryconfu

While I think the bus system is great 98% of the time, they do some strange things at times, like have 2 or 3 busses go to an empty queue, while none come to a stop that has a line building to 30+ people on it - but then can be chalked up to human error.

However, standing on a bus is different than standing on a line - unless there is an earthquake going on - the moving of the bus can be difficult for some people (not for me, I stand all the time) and if you have a very small child, standing on the bus is harder because you have to hold them.

But yes, for a large number of people, standing on a bus should be no more difficult than standing in an attraction queue.


-dave

 

[WDWmazprty]

If I may be so polite to ask, can you tell us the wait time you incurred waiting for the bus,and the time of day? Define overcrowded as our buses hold 72 people including those who are standing.Large framed individuals are not the only guests in ECV's and wheelchairs on our buses. Our bus drivers continue to pick up guests until the bus is full. Please understand our fleet of 291 buses service 21 resorts, 4 theme parks, 2 water parks,and DTD,and numerous theme park cast member shuttles that you dont see behind the scenes and travel approx 300 miles of roadway on property everyday,24/7/365. As for a rental car, 9 times out of 10 it will take you longer to get to the park than what it would it would take you to wait for the bus and ride to the park. Plus you are paying for a rental car,and possibly parking, compared to riding the bus for free!

Also to comment on some other posts referring to having to stand on the bus. As guest you have no problem, nor have I heard any complaints of having to stand in line all day for the rides and attractions and having to walk around in the park. But when it comes to a 5-20 minute ride on the bus to and from your particular resort then there is a problem???????:veryconfu

I love it!:sohappy:

 

[mickey2008.1]

Thanks goofntink! its good to hear that this didnt just go away without recourse. He got everything he deserved. Good for the bus driver and for the way he handled it, i would have been throwing punches back. And thanks for watching over us making sure were safe from aholes like this.