Driving at Disney World

[Big Wallaby]

I've come to the conclusion that they need to ban all cars except Disney buses on Disney roads. Have everyone park at the edge of property and get bussed in. A few reasons why, and it's sad how many of them are buses:

• The other night, in the load zones at All Star Movies, an American Coach (CoachUSA, Raz Transportation) CP bus sped by at about 40 miles per hour, and screeched to a stop at the end of the zones. Because of the layout of the bus area and the number of buses in the load zones, there could easily have been a guest walking out right in front of that bus which would have no possible way of stopping.
• Last night/this morning at DTD, I was following a Disney bus away from PI, down BVD when a taxi to the bus's left drifted into her lane and finally corrected when he was about 3" way from her. The bus driver thought he had hit her at first, but he had just missed her. Within half a mile, the taxi turned left into the Bonnet Creek Resort
• Previous day, I was circling from the Marketplace to Pleasure Island, passing the first light where guests can turn in to park at MP. As I was accelerating through the intersection, a taxi van came around from my left and turned into the parking lot. What he didn't realize was traffic was stopped and so he was forced to stop directly in front of me. Because I was in an RTS and with no standing passengers, I was able to stop a couple inches away from T-Boning him. Due to the force at which I had to stop, one guest hit their head on a rail. The taxi pulled away before I could get the name off the side of his van, but I will recognize the design, and it's a van I see fairly regularly. When I do, I plan to turn him in to management and the police. Even though I would never actually do it, I've had violent thoughts about this taxi driver.
• Just outside Saratoga Springs on (Old) Community Way (now on maps as Vacation Club Way), I came to a stop just in time for an oncoming Mears bus to get back in his lane before hitting me head-on. That would have been pretty.
• Same road today, I was passing Treehouse Villas when one of the CP buses pulled out in front of me. Again, I barely stopped before hitting him. Oh, and he was in a brand new bus.
• On BVD where it turns around Downtown Disney, I was following a car with a green light, when it just stopped and sat (despite me blowing my horn after he had sat there for no apparent reason for ten seconds) 60' back from the intersection until the light turned red, at which point he went through. When the light turns red, the crosswalk is cleared and a light comes on on the traffic light bank, "No Right Turn on Red".
• A Van Hool got to the end of Bonnet Creek, realized they were in the wrong place and performed a ten-point U-Turn, tying the intersection up for the entire length of my green light during the PI close when we have to hustle to get back to PI on time.

Please note, this is just in the last two days, and these are just things I've witnessed, not the ones I've also heard about from other drivers. I'm also pretty sure I forgot a couple. If I listed all those that I forgot and the ones I have just heard about, I'm pretty sure this page would scroll forever before I got done.

[Princess Susi]

You need combat pay, my friend!
We have always used the busses on property, but then we stay on property and the only time we ever drove a car on property was to pick up the rental and drive from the Boardwalk Resort to the back exit of the Park to that new highway and up to Ocala. We had the Concierge and valets double check and redline our route out of the Park and I navigated and Ralph DROVE! That is what the guy behind the steering wheel is supposed to be doing, driving, NOT looking at a map, or checking the street signs, but driving! Sounds like most of the car drivers are doing other things, but drive! They probably are driving along, la-di-da, and see their exit go by and then try to manuver over to get to it! So dangerous!!!!!
Taxis are everywhere, every big city has em and they all drive like jerks. I think they make their pay based on how many fares they can get so they move real fast to get in as many as possible. They are dangerous everywhere!
The other bus drivers that are driving poorly? Now that is just unacceptable. They MUST be reported. They are putting their passengers and yours at risk!
We have used mass transit a lot. When we lived in Berkeley, we did not have a car, did not need one. We took the bus and BART everywhere. It worked out real well. I like busses. I get to relax and look at the scenery and someone else drives. It is convenient to me. Unless they stink like stinky homeless people and farts like the busses in Berkeley smelled like. I know the busses in WDW don't smell like that. Only sometimes... :hysteria: When that lady is changing a diaper on the bus...
If we lived in Florida, I don't know how we would come to the Park. We probably would drive, until we learned the bus system in Orlando and how it connects to WDW. The car is convenient for putting purchases in, so you don't have to carry them on a bus.
Last time we came in a towncar from the airport, that guy knew right where to go and was a great driver. He followed all the traffic signals and drove right to the Contemporary without hesitation. I would do that again or take the Magical Express. I liked the towncar because you get to stop at the store (read: liquor store for the Rum for Ralphie HAHAHA!) and the grocery store for assorted sundry items.
You need an airhorn, like the kind they have on semi's. My dad, a mechanic with a great sense of humor had one! We went on a trip to Wisconsin and Florida back in the 1970's and he put the airhorn on our Monte Carlo! It was rich to see the expressions on idiot drivers he would *honk* at and then pass. They would be expecting some bigass semi and here comes a guy and his wife and kids in a Monte Carlo! LOLOLOL! He only used used it on the really dumbass drivers out in the wide open spaces on the Interstates. Woke em up! :bugeyes: LOLOLOL!
I will certainly be watching and looking both ways before crossing in a crosswalk at WDW next time we come. I won't be taking for granted that everyone, including the bus drivers know what they are doing! And I NEVER, EVER cross the LZ between busses. That is just asking for the spectre of death to come for you!
We will, however track (read: stalk! :D: ) down Big Wallaby and Cranbiz just to ride their busses, even if we are not going their way, just so we can ride their busses and have some fun with them! :driver:
Just keep your chin up Big Wall, and don't let the idiots get you down. Do report all those that drive dangerously, I take down license plates when I see someone weaving or obviously driving while doing something else.
We will see you in the Spring and ride your bus with joy!
I, for one am looking forward to a joyride on a bus!
susi-Q

[ktulu]

Nah, Disney needs to scrap the buses for armored troop transports, not the wheeled variety mind you :)

[DisneyMom]

Big Wallaby, could a camera be placed at the front of your bus like they have in police vehicles? They are pointed to the front so they see what you see.......It sounds like an accident is inevitable, would clear you in these instances...ie:slamming on your brakes to avoid another vehicle,guest bangs head on object....

[Big Wallaby]

Now, in that taxi van incident, the guests actually asked why I didn't just go ahead and hit him. As far as keeping the chin up, I'm not worried. I just think all non-Disney bus drivers should be banned from driving on property, that's all. Especially Cast Members, as they are the absolute worst drivers, because they are the ones that are late for work and make Hail Mary passes around buses. I've now had one go off the road because he thought he could get around me, I was accelerating and he didn't have the space he needed. I know it's happened to enough other drivers there, but it was my first time last week, and it was exhilarating, and all my passengers cheered as he went off into the grass. As Jeff Dunham's Walter would say,

Dumb ass.

[Princess Susi]

Sounds like it makes sense that all other busses except Disney's should be banned from the property. Why not have have transfer points outside the park? Anyone riding a non-Disney bus would HAVE to transfer to Disney transportation to get around on property. That makes sense to me. As far as cars, boy that is a tough one. There are always going to be cars, I guess you gotta keep your wits about you and deal with it. The dumbasses can really ruin a day tho.... :mad:
Susi

[BRWombat]

Sounds like it makes sense that all other busses except Disney's should be banned from the property. Why not have have transfer points outside the park? Anyone riding a non-Disney bus would HAVE to transfer to Disney transportation to get around on property. That makes sense to me. As far as cars, boy that is a tough one. There are always going to be cars, I guess you gotta keep your wits about you and deal with it. The dumbasses can really ruin a day tho.... :mad:
Susi

That'd do for now. But I'm holding out for Disney inventing Star Trek-like transporters.

[Syndrome]

Mr. Syndrome and I drive on Disney property a lot, either because we are going to the theme parks or to dinner or just because we CAN (instead of taking I-4 over to Crossroads, for example). I don't think we've ever completed a trip without witnessing an SGT aimed at some poor WDW bus. Cutting off the bus, stopping in front of it abruptly, you name it. I for one second the contention that y'all deserve combat pay.

[Big Wallaby]

I for one second the contention that y'all deserve combat pay.

Write letters to Guest relations :p:

[hobie16]

The non-Disney buses probably can't be restricted fmor the park because of restraint of trade issues.