New Bus enhancements in April

[disneykid23]

I imagine its dispatching that will need to learn the computer system, not the drivers.

There is a onboard computer system that the drivers have to learn how to use. There is a Box up by the driver witha touch screen that controls the sounds and tells the driver were they are going and they have to log in once they get on the bus.

 

[starwood]

anyone seen any yet?

 

[LudwigVonDrake]

FYI, Stitch is no longer part of the monorail spiels.

YES!!!! God answered my prayers

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Thank GOD for the post-Stitch monorail. It was cute for about 2 rides...and then it made you want to put your finger in your own eye and swirl it around for awhile to see if that was more fun....

 

[DisneyNut7578]

This is dissappointing. Believe it or not, some of those most interesting things I've heard while at Disney was what the drivers said :shrug: . There was one on the way back from CS that was telling us interesting facts about Disney Transportation: x amount of busses, x amount of drivers, how long it takes to train, etc. My wife and I both agreed it was interesting. There are drivers that sing, play games, etc, and make the seemingly boring idea of a bus ride idea actually fun. The recorded spiel takes away a bit of the magic. And personally, If I can't understand the driver, I just zone out. I don't want to be forced to have some pre-recorded disney spiel blaring in my ear the whole ride.

Oh yeah, then there was this bus driver who had this cool story about a 5th gate. j/k

 

[Master Yoda]

This is dissappointing. Believe it or not, some of those most interesting things I've heard while at Disney was what the drivers said :shrug: . There was one on the way back from CS that was telling us interesting facts about Disney Transportation: x amount of busses, x amount of drivers, how long it takes to train, etc. My wife and I both agreed it was interesting. There are drivers that sing, play games, etc, and make the seemingly boring idea of a bus ride idea actually fun. The recorded spiel takes away a bit of the magic. And personally, If I can't understand the driver, I just zone out. I don't want to be forced to have some pre-recorded disney spiel blaring in my ear the whole ride.

Oh yeah, then there was this bus driver who had this cool story about a 5th gate. j/k

The sad thing is that drivers like the ones you describe are becoming an endangered species much like a good living with the land cast member. The prerecorded spiels are the best way to keep the guest experience at a consistent level of quality. Hopefully the drivers will have a little control over the system and the good drivers can chime in especially on those 2:00 AM PI trips.

 

[DisneyNut7578]

The sad thing is that drivers like the ones you describe are becoming an endangered species much like a good living with the land cast member. The prerecorded spiels are the best way to keep the guest experience at a consistent level of quality. Hopefully the drivers will have a little control over the system and the good drivers can chime in especially on those 2:00 AM PI trips.

That's a good point. Hopefully they will have a recording that lasts a couple of minutes. Then, if you have a cool bus driver that wants too, they'll do something nice.

 

[k.hunter30]

I remember going to WDW with a friend back when we were in high school. We were in choir together and every night we would take the bus back to the hotel we'd sing Disney songs... The little girls on the bus would always request Little Mermaid or something like that... That's one of my best memories. I'm glad that they're piping in some music now - I'm sure if I tried singing on the bus now I'd be forced to hitch-hike...:lookaroun

 

[typhoonguy]

And I hope I'm not the only one who thinks that if you live and work in America, you should have to learn and speak the language. :lookaroun

And what language is that? Since there is no official language of the United States of America, I'm just confused why which language they should have to learn?

 

[RedBaron]

I think that it is good idea that they will have a pre-recorded spiel on the bus. I remember there were times when I had great bus drivers that would tell you different info or facts about the parks and were entertaining in one way or another and then the next day you would have someone that said nothing. It was sort of confusing and you did not know wether the person was crabby or being entertaining was not part of their job description? This way if everything stays consistant there will be no confusion. I will say that I will miss those great bus drivers out there that made the ride entertaining.

 

[ToTBellHop]

And what language is that? Since there is no official language of the United States of America, I'm just confused why which language they should have to learn?

There is no official language, but I agree that CMs need to be able to speak English reasonably well. The ambassadors at World Showcase come from countries where many different languages are spoken, but they are expected to understand and speak English reasonably well. If I get on a bus to MGM and ask the driver when the park closes tonight, and he says "Pleasure Island closes at 2 am," we have a problem.

 

[disneykid23]

Well i am moving back to Orlando to go back to being a bus driver for WDW. I will be moving back Mid April, with training all over again i should be on the road by May.

 

[Monty]

And what language is that? Since there is no official language of the United States of America, I'm just confused why which language they should have to learn?

To say nothing of the sad fact that if English is the language CMs are expected to speak clearly, there is a significant percentage of American-born and raised young adults that likely wouldn't pass muster.

 

[uklad79]

So has all the work to install cameras at every stop been completed? I thought that was a key part of the work so they could montor lines and send busses to the stops that needed a bus the most?

 

[jholiiday]

And I hope I'm not the only one who thinks that if you live and work in America, you should have to learn and speak the language. :lookaroun

Have to? Why should you have to? This country is, and always has been a melting pot, and an evolution of the language(s) spoken are bound to change over the next 100 or so years. Rather than suggest that other people be forced to learn english, foreign language should be taught earlier in schools. It is in most other first world countries. People in Europe speak 2 and 3 languages. It wouldn't hurt for people here to speak a few, either.

 

[starwood]

anything yet?

 

[EpcotMark]

All the stuff from the first post is true. My roommate is a Transportation manager. However I dont like the idea of automated spiels and background music. I am so tired of phony sounding prerecorded spiels. That guy from the monorails who sounds like he had one to many happiness pills is bad enough, but do we need this on every bus? In a word, no.

 

[jmvd20]

That guy from the monorails who sounds like he had one to many happiness pills is bad enough, but do we need this on every bus? In a word, no.

I like the monorail voice guy, one of the first things I do when we get to WDW is ride the monorail to MK. When I hear that voice I know I'm on vacation!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . they burn off too much fuel and create an awful smell on top of the pollution from them. It is extremely easy to see which lanes the busses take on the roads in Disney, just look for the lane that has a thick black stripe from the old busses's exhaust . . .

1) If Disney would convert to BioDiesel, this would not be a problem.
2) BioDiesel is made from soy beans.
3) It
. . . burns clean
. . . emits 78% less CO2 than petroleum fuels
. . . biodegrable (faster than table sugar)
. . . non-toxic
. . . takes 1-unit of energy to make 3.2 units of biodiesel energy
. . . about the same price as diesel fuel
. . . saves up to $3,500 per year in bus engine maintenance
4) But, WDW will not listen to such suggestions.

 

[dreamscometrue]

what happened to the days when the bus drivers would talk? i remember them telling the riders about the parks.. now they just sit there..

We just got back from a week at The World and half of our bus drivers talked and entertained us. It still happens.