Gentlemen...please give up your seats for kids on bus!

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Not sure if I'm putting this in the right section...
We just returned from our trip and just something I wanted to throw out there....

-- Gentlemen - I know you are also tired at the end of the day, but I really think it would be nice for you to give up your seat on the bus for children. Not women....just children. I know I might be flamed for this but I have to bring it up. My husband did if he saw a child or a woman standing. To be fair, a number of men did give up their seats. But one night I was riding a packed bus back to CSR from Epcot and boy do they pack us on! It was just me and my two kids (ages 8 and 6) and we were standing right in the front by the yellow line. Two young "gentlemen" one in their late 20's and one in their 30's were sitting right near us (they were not together...two different groups). Bus stops short (no exaggeration, people scream). My daughter hits her mouth on my son's head b/c she couldn't hold on tight enough and she started crying and got a fat lip. Bus driver asks if everyone is ok and proceeds. At this point everyone was looking at me and my kids b/c my daughter is crying but is embarrassed so she's hiding her face in my side. These two men continue to stare at us and never offered their seat even after they saw she got hurt. Left me speechless...
Please don't tell me that they may have had a problem with their leg, etc...if that was the case then they would have had a scooter like everyone else.

On another note.....I'm not wishing this on anyone but it is only a matter of time until someone is seriously injured riding on a packed bus like that at Disney. We were travelling 55 mph...I can't imagine what would happen if we were cut off by another car or a tire blew, etc. Pretty scary if you're the one standing in front with your kids.

Ok - done with my 2 cents.

Okay, got to reply your comment ..."please don't tell me they had problems with their leg or they would be in a scooter" because my mother and I both have health issues (back and leg) and neither of us rented a scooter last time...I did end up renting a wheelchair half way through but you had to turn them in at the park everyday so I rode the bus without a wheelchair or scooter...

Having said that yes it is irritating that healthy gentlemen don't give up their seats to the elderly or people with young children...my son who was 14 years old on our last trip gave up his seat several times just simply because he has been raised that way, so there are good young men out there.

[mjm12000]

This is 2010 right...? and yet I see only Gentlemen being told to give up their seats... was there no healthy young women who could also have given up their seats? Sorry to come off negative but last time I checked woman wanted to be treated equally so how about changing the mentality of Gentlemen to People or whatever term you wish but to impy that because they were "healthy" young men in your eyes is irrelavent unless you know them personally, they may have had their own reasons for not giving up their seat. And as people have pointed out it is a courtesy to give up your seat, not a law or rule a courtesy. So maybe some of the healthy young ladies can step up once in a while and offer up a seat as well.

[Frog]

We give up our seats...
and look at it as an opportunity to be good citizens.
But wouldnt it be nice if Disney solved this problem by connecting all the resorts with a monorail??!!

[BrerGnat]

On our trip over spring break, we had LOTS of people give up seats for our kids. Everyone was very nice. A couple of times, we (including the kids) had to stand, but it was fine. It's not the end of the world to stand (and my kids are only 4 and 5).

I'm with everyone who says not to get on a bus if you are not willing (or able) to stand. Wait for the next one.

[magicjasb]

Sometimes when you get on the bus, you don't realize until too late that it is standing room only. At that point, you may be too crowded in to try and get off the bus, especially when you have sleeping kids and a double stroller.

[MarkC]

I also offer to give up my seat whenever I see someone elderly or someone needing an assist. However, I totally agree with MJM that this should not be directed at "gentlemen" only in 2010. I will open a door for anyone or lend a hand to anyone-- male or female, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, etc. However, all healthy adults should do the same. You can't have equal rights if you don't expect everyone to treat and be treated equally. Its only fair. There is a lot else I would like to say but will leave well enough alone.

[TheRustyScupper]

1) ALL PEOPLE, ADULTS AND KIDS, ARE EQUAL AT WDW. *
2) Sorry, but first-on get seats.
3) If adults are too tired, maybe they should leave the parks earlier.
4) If kids are too tired or sleeping, maybe they should leave earlier.
5) Or, people could leave earlier to get an emptier bus.
6) One should not blame others for lack of seats.

* People that require wheelchairs or crutches deserve seats.

[magicjasb]

I don't think anyone is blaming anyone else for not having enough seats. I think people are just trying to make the point that it seems to be more common in today's society, that people (man or woman) do not give up seats as readily to those in need as they may have in the past.

[wildernesslady]

Wow, this is a tough one. We always give up our seats when needed. We do however wait until this is an elderly, pregnant, or parent holding a child right by us to do so. There have been numberous times when we have gotten up and someone that appears to be physically able to stand take the seat. That is not right. I completely understand that all disabilities may not be visible. Everyone deserves a seat. No matter what time you leave the park. I think we are all guilty of getting on the first bus available after a long day at the parks. Scooters definitely need to board first, but to let 12 others board with them is wrong. That's a shame that that was allowed.

[epceddie]

After reading all these posts, I can't tell you how glad I am that we rent a car. The added stress of having to deal with waiting in more lines for buses and worrying about whether or not you'll get a seat just isn't worth it.

[disneydad153]

If one wants a seat that bad, they should just wait for the next bus or leave the park earlier. You cant leave a closing and not expect a packed bus. As far as the kids, you say that they were in front of or near the yellow line. Then you should have stepped aside and waited for the next bus if you wanted your kids to sit. Just my 2 cents.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

I didn't mention this in my previous post, but I am a 40 year old woman with back problems and my mother is mid 60s with back and leg problems....it is difficult for us to stand sometimes on the bus but even we give up our seats to someone holding an infant or the elderly, but that is our choice. My 14 year old son gave up his seat several times last trip without me telling him to do so.

However, I'm sorry but I am not giving my seat up to a healthy looking 8 year old kid, nor do I think my son should have to. We have waited for another bus before when we felt we could not stand up, so that's what I would recommend. That's as far as the courtesy issue.

As far as safety goes, I do wonder with seatbelt laws why it is allowable for people to stand on the buses but that is a whole other issue in itself.

[Joannelet]

If anything I hope Disney sees this post. Not for any of the reasons that people should be giving up seats for children but the fact that children standing on any bus is a DANGEROUS situation and it shouldn't be allowed.
I also think that if there are children seated on ANY BUS that their should be NO standing adults.
In the case of the bus accident that happened when the bus driver hit a MEARS bus that was broken down, a 5 year old had his pelvic bone broken because people fell onto him seated on the bus.
I have to say that if it was my son who was with us in December when he was a year old or in July when he was 7 months old and an adult landed on him (or more than 1) I don't think he would have survived.
This is a very dangerous/and or accident waiting to happen over there with the buses and something seriously needs to be done about it before its too late.
I also let lots of buses go by and fill up as I wanted to get a back seat with my infant on my lap that no one could fall on. I wanted a seat facing forward...not sideways as to prevent someone from falling on him if god forbid the bus got into an accident.
Last time I was there in December I was really shocked as to the safety risks involved with my infant. I did NOT feel safe with him on my lap while people stood in front of him. I was not happy.
It was the last time I will be taking a bus with a child.
I hope they fix this problem. I understand they are trying to get a lot of people to and from places...but its safety first and quality.....not quantity.

[DisneyFr33k]

But wouldnt it be nice if Disney solved this problem by connecting all the resorts with a monorail??!!

That would be nice!! But I've been on the monorail with standing room only too before....thus, recreating the original question.....

[faline]

That would be nice!! But I've been on the monorail with standing room only too before....thus, recreating the original question.....

I was going to say the same thing - I've often been on standing-room only monorails. There was a time when everyone who rode the monorail had a seat and you were assigned to a "door" just as you are for any ride within Disney World. However, I think these cars did not transport as many people at once as they can if folks just jam in while standing. Additionally, I don't think they handled chairs, scooters, and/or strollers as readily as the current configuration.

[joelkfla]

It would be a very long time getting home if there were no standees on Disney buses.

We have about 300 in the fleet, and sometimes bring in charter buses to help out. Even with all that, it can take an hour to empty out the Pop Century and All Stars queues after Illuminations at Epcot.

All of the buses Disney has acquired for the past ten years have seating configurations designed to maximize aisle space for standees, as do most transit buses these days. That also helps speed up loading and unloading, and makes it easier for guests with strollers. (I always feel sorry for the poor guest who has to hoist a stroller almost over his head to get it down the narrow aisle in the older buses.) So I see little chance that Disney would eliminate standees in the foreseeable future.

We do have a spiel available that suggests guests "offer available seating to the handicapped, elderly, and those with small children." After reading this thread, I'll make sure I play it more often.

[The Flying Dutchman]

IMHO, once you sit down, the seat is yours. No one should expect to have a seat on a bus simply because they have children with them (or because they are tired or sore or etc.) Like so many have said, if you can't stand the thought of standing on a bus or if you don't feel safe, wait for the next one. Now, personally, I will take an empty seat if available and then give it to someone who looks like they need it once they step onto the bus (be it a couple of very young kids or someone carrying a sleeping kid or someone who has troubles walking or even someone who looks like they can't take another step!) BUT it is my choice to do so. I take the seat to give it up, but I never expect someone else to do so.

Additionally, shame on you for singling out "gentlemen" with this post. I have seen just as many "ladies" who could stand up as "gentlemen." If you want equality in some places, you have to accept equality in all.

[LVT]

My town in Iowa. Standing on buses is standard, with the exception of the orange school buses. I would like to know about others.
Sorry to hear about the accident. I hope she got over her scare. I get scared by the ones
who stand without holding on. I wonder if most WDW clients do not regularly ride buses
and have not been exposed to the courtesy of peers.

[faline]

Let me first say that, my husband has often given up his seat for others who seem to need it more. I have as well. However, that being said, I do understand that all may not be as it appears initially. Having personally had several surgeries which impact my stamina (particularly around walking and standing), there are times when I would not have felt capable of providing my seat to others. Many "healthy" appearing individuals are anything but for a variety of reasons so we can't always judge those who do not appear to be good neighbors and citizens.

That said, I do believe that, if we are able to do so, we can be good neighbors and citizens to the dad juggling the sleeping baby on his shoulder while also hanging on to the double stroller and/or mom who is struggling to stand while also holding onto two other children who aren't quite tall enough to balance themselves well on moving vehicles.

Oftentimes, we have seen families insist their children sit on their laps to make more room for others on the bus. Just as often, though, we've seen families spread out and take up more seats than are necessary for the size of the group.

I guess I'm rambling. I think, though, that we all need to be kind to each other and, sometimes, that may mean providing a seat to someone who seems to need it more. On the other hand, I think that it also means that we don't judge the person who doesn't give up a seat on the surface impression that the person is healthy and could have easily given up his or her seat to someone else. After all, folks have, in this thread, already illustrated a number of instances in which there are reasons why a particular individual needed a seat as much as, or more than, someone was standing.

[Pirate Granny]

Just one more word on the subject...and about waiting for another bus...It was after the MNSSHP...we waited at least one hour for a bus...Pop Century...and we (two ladies over 50) decided to wait and let people go in front of us as we wanted to sit rather than stand...yep, you know the rest of the story...we waited and were the first on the next bus...the bus loaded and lo and behold, the last two people on the bus were two ladies at least in their 70's...and yep, we got up and gave them our seats...I still laugh about it...but no matter how tired we were, and how long we waited, we weren't going to let those two ladies stand and try to hold on...