Improving buses… can anything be done?

[ddbowdoin]

I have a few specific questions about WDW and buses and what you think can be done. Please answer seriously as we all know monorails in todays economy probably won’t happen.

1) Is there anyway WDW can improve the wheelchair situation?
- I have been on multiple trips where people just wheel up seconds before a bus pulls up get loaded on first with there family of 20 and pretend like nothing happened while we waited 2 buses to get on. I don’t find there fair and was wondering what other people think.

agh, that's the politically correct world we live in now.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Again, due to safety considerations it is illegal and foolish for any public transit operator to allow a stroller on that cannot be folded and stored out of the lane of escape. If it happens it's because the operator was either to lazy or to timid to enforce the laws that already exist. If something happened both themselves and the company would likely be facing charges if the situation turned out to be severe enough.

Happens all the time where I live. Rarely, if ever, do I see any kind of foldable stroller. Usually it's the big, bulky hard-plastic ones that store several pounds of goods for carrying around.

Edit: I should say that perhaps the strollers may fold, but the owners never do so (usually because they leave their kids and stuff in them). I'm not an expert on strollers and their features.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Disney could always use weelchair specific buses, but the drawback for them would be the cost of staffing and running a seperate type of bus altogether.

 

[copcarguyp71]

To save time regarding ECV's I posted in another thread that they need to standardize the ECV's so that they can "dock" in the busses. It is an easy system where the ECV locks in automatically without all the straps and gizmos. TDO could make it a standard that the ECV's have to meet in order to be able to utilize the bus system...for a short period of time they would have a captive audience as only their in-house units would work at least until the rental companies caught up but that should be enough time to pay off the installation and upgrade of the busses. Check out the link below for something along those lines...

http://rjmobilityservice.com/mobility-products/wheelchair-safety-restraints/ez-lock/

 

[bethymouse]

I drive the bus and we always load wheelchairs and scooters first. If grandma drove over your feet after everyone else got on, then you would be mad about that. It is a safety issue. What is annoying are the GIANT strollers that everyone seems to feel the need to bring on vacation. I picked one up today that had more wheels than the bus. Also, it is not a Disney rule that your child be taken out if the stroller, but a federal DOT regulation that is clearly marked on the outside of the bus. If everyone brought a normal stroller that folded easily and could be stored under the seat and not in the aisle, then we could fit more people in the bus, reducing wait times.

Amen! Thanks for being a Disney bus driver! You guys are awesome!

 

[TDF]

agh, that's the politically correct world we live in now.

Agh, the rude America we live in today. Although it may not be fair doesn’t mean we can’t find a compromise.
- Justin

 

[Goofyernmost]

Disney could always use weelchair specific buses, but the drawback for them would be the cost of staffing and running a seperate type of bus altogether.

Plus it wouldn't be "equal" opportunity. It would be specifically targeted and not what the "spirit" (sorry to have to use that in a different vane) of ADA is all about. What it is all about is confusion, lack of specific direction and not enough common sense to move a feather in a hurricane.

 

[Zipadeelady]

I drive the bus and we always load wheelchairs and scooters first. If grandma drove over your feet after everyone else got on, then you would be mad about that. It is a safety issue. What is annoying are the GIANT strollers that everyone seems to feel the need to bring on vacation. I picked one up today that had more wheels than the bus. Also, it is not a Disney rule that your child be taken out if the stroller, but a federal DOT regulation that is clearly marked on the outside of the bus. If everyone brought a normal stroller that folded easily and could be stored under the seat and not in the aisle, then we could fit more people in the bus, reducing wait times.

Thanks for driving us around John!

 

[FireChiefGoofy]

Ill

Thanks for driving us around John!

I'll drive ANYONE around regardless of their needs or how much time it takes. Everyone has a right to enjoy the parks and 99.5% of the guests do not mind the wait.

 

[Zipadeelady]

Buy from an non American manufacture.

Boo Hiss. Did i miss something? What does this have to do with the topic?

 

[ddbowdoin]

Agh, the rude America we live in today. Although it may not be fair doesn’t mean we can’t find a compromise.
- Justin

In my time there I've seen some unlucky kids stuck in chairs and then I've seen slobs eating turkey legs and cokes... That's not a disability

 

[DDuckFan130]

You are spot on with this thinking. I think people will try to get over on Disney because they think Disney won't be hard about rules like you said. One example I've seen are when lining up for parades, CMs will tell people they can't stand in certain areas, the people ignore the instructions, and the CMs can't/won't do anything about it.

Really? I know the CM's are always telling people to get out of non designated parade viewing spots and whatnot. I always move and I usually see people move when told. Some of the CM's do get nasty about it too so I don't think they care about confrontation lol

 

[bsiev1977]

Really? I know the CM's are always telling people to get out of non designated parade viewing spots and whatnot. I always move and I usually see people move when told. Some of the CM's do get nasty about it too so I don't think they care about confrontation lol

Guess we've just seen the opposite sides. Like, I've seen people who all of a sudden lose the ability to speak and understand English when they're asked to move.

 

[DDuckFan130]

Guess we've just seen the opposite sides. Like, I've seen people who all of a sudden lose the ability to speak and understand English when they're asked to move.

Lol I see that at 1) the buses when they're told to move all the way to the back and 2) when they plop in the middle of the theater aisle. Death stares don't work then either lol

 

[Goofyernmost]

Lol I see that at 1) the buses when they're told to move all the way to the back and 2) when they plop in the middle of the theater aisle. Death stares don't work then either lol

I always get a kick out of people who say things like...I gave them a look, I know they got the message. Yea, right! Like anyone cares how you look at them. They don't even know who you are why would they care what you think. Nothing works like words. It can get you in trouble, but it is meaningless to "glare" at someone and think that your message got through. I didn't! They did get a chuckle out of it though.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I really just want posted wait times. We've had great luck with buses our last 2 trips, but back in 2010 we had several really long waits at WL that it would just be nice to have some accurate info showing when the last bus was and when the next buses will be coming.

The reason I say when the last bus was is b/c we had a 45 min wait one morning and they claimed there was a bus there when it wasn't.

 

[jlsHouston]

I just want to post I rode the absolute best bus out of EPCOT back to the POLY in November! It was one of those rental buses and the seats were high back and plush and the heater was on and the driver never hit a bump I felt on the ride back to the resort...

 

[Goofyernmost]

I really just want posted wait times. We've had great luck with buses our last 2 trips, but back in 2010 we had several really long waits at WL that it would just be nice to have some accurate info showing when the last bus was and when the next buses will be coming.

The reason I say when the last bus was is b/c we had a 45 min wait one morning and they claimed there was a bus there when it wasn't.

Surprisingly, things happen with transportation that aren't planned. Breakdowns, accidents, traffic, shift changes, many things can affect when a bus arrives. One that is supposed to be there at a certain time many times, just isn't. No amount of planning can avoid this from happening. It's the nature of the beast and Disney is not immune from it. The only thing that you can depend on with public transportation is that they are only dependable within certain parameters and certain perfect conditions, which is how the arrival times are figured.

The last bus that went through, lets say WL will, in all likelihood not return again for quite a while or even the same day. The runs are shuffled to help prevent one area from continuously having late buses. If they didn't and the bus, for whatever reason, got delayed 20 minutes, it would stay that way all day long. It can never catch up because the times are based on research on how long it takes to get from point A to point B. That is constant. So a bus that ran from WL to MK, will probably not return to WL at least not right away. However, a bus that just loaded at POP and went to Epcot, may be the next bus you see at WL. If that one didn't get delayed then you will see them on time, if it did, it could be any amount late. There is no real purpose in posting arrival times, beyond every half hour or something like that, then it is arbitrary and is there when it arrives, not when you think it will.

I know that seems counter-productive but trust me, it is one of the best ways to insure that if a bus is late, the next one has a good chance of arriving when it should.

 

[DDuckFan130]

I always get a kick out of people who say things like...I gave them a look, I know they got the message. Yea, right! Like anyone cares how you look at them. They don't even know who you are why would they care what you think. Nothing works like words. It can get you in trouble, but it is meaningless to "glare" at someone and think that your message got through. I didn't! They did get a chuckle out of it though.

I neither glare nor tell them anything. I just keep going about my business and enjoy from afar

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Surprisingly, things happen with transportation that aren't planned. Breakdowns, accidents, traffic, shift changes, many things can affect when a bus arrives. One that is supposed to be there at a certain time many times, just isn't. No amount of planning can avoid this from happening. It's the nature of the beast and Disney is not immune from it. The only thing that you can depend on with public transportation is that they are only dependable within certain parameters and certain perfect conditions, which is how the arrival times are figured.

The last bus that went through, lets say WL will, in all likelihood not return again for quite a while or even the same day. The runs are shuffled to help prevent one area from continuously having late buses. If they didn't and the bus, for whatever reason, got delayed 20 minutes, it would stay that way all day long. It can never catch up because the times are based on research on how long it takes to get from point A to point B. That is constant. So a bus that ran from WL to MK, will probably not return to WL at least not right away. However, a bus that just loaded at POP and went to Epcot, may be the next bus you see at WL. If that one didn't get delayed then you will see them on time, if it did, it could be any amount late. There is no real purpose in posting arrival times, beyond every half hour or something like that, then it is arbitrary and is there when it arrives, not when you think it will.

I know that seems counter-productive but trust me, it is one of the best ways to insure that if a bus is late, the next one has a good chance of arriving when it should.

I guess what I'm suggesting is that they adopt a logical plan like any efficient mass transit system, where they have a schedule and their patrons can know that schedule. As in any effective system, buses are managed for efficiency and normally wouldn't just travel between pt A and pt B. Nowadays, many mass transit options even offer real time info...like you'd expect with train service...i.e. the 10:20a bus is running 3 min late. Even a transportation app would be a welcome addition. It just seems illogical to run such a large bus transport service for their hotels, parks, and other points without even a simple schedule for guests. Their bus service is a larger operation than some small cities, but the info- or lack there of- given to guests makes it one of the bigger uncertainties when planning your days.

I also suggest this b/c our biggest wait at WL was a result of incorrect info in their systems. We waited 45 min b/c the system said a bus had been there at 7:15am. The handful of people who had been out there with us since 7am knew this was also not the case - i.e. that bus never showed. At least in a well functioning bus system, they track the buses and schedules well enough with simple tracking to know if that bus actually made its scheduled stop. Now, I'm sure they use something...and everything has the possibility of malfunction...which may have been the case that morning. Still- if there had been any kind of schedule and real time updates- we would have known sooner rather than later that there was a problem.