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

[DizneyRox]

I try to just remember the Golden Rule...treat others as you want to be treated.

Somewhere during my lifetime, this changed to "Do unto others before they do unto you."

Sad, but it's the world we live in... When in Rome...

[elmjimmlm]

We are all able to give up a seat in my family for anyone who may need it... My boys always want to give theirs up for someone else and I am very proud... I think that when a 10 year old offers you his seat then that is saying something...
When did trying to be nice to others become a bad thing?

[Phantod]

You'all have convinced me. Next time we go to WDW, we'll rent a car.

[DadTriton]

How can you tell by looking at someone if they are "healthy" enough to give up their seat?

What is the age cutoff for giving up your seat to a child?

What is the age when a child should give up their seat for you?

If a family is travelling together with someone in a wheelchair and they have dinner reservations and the bus is packed why should they split up and miss the reservation because "someone" didn't feel that the family should travel together?

If you are healthy and travelling in a large group can I tell you that you can't all get on the bus together?

I "look" healthy and youngish, I'm not.
I have a 7 year old nephew who "looks" healthy, he is not, in fact he is eligible for make a wish.... but you would not know it from looking at him.
Years ago on a bus my son's gave up their seats for women, elderly etc. Once they were very tired but gave up the seat to an older woman who then turned around had her grandchildren (about the same age as my kids take the seats!!!!) My kids were left feeling duped and foolish, while the other kids sat smirking.
So, when I get a seat on a bus, I'm sitting!
I'm hot, tired, sore and cranky.
I do think that disney should not have people standing.

I agree. First come first served. How does one know that a healthy looking 25 year old man didn't just get a cast off a broken foot? Or has a giant bleeding blister from bad shoes? Should everyone get a physical before hand and have a score card pin on their shirt? Many of the planning websites and posts will tell you plan on a lot of walking, standing and heat at a Disney park. This includes the monorail and buses.

[Imagineer1981]

My father and I always give up our seats, hold open doors, etc. It was the way he was raised and the way he raised me. I hope to teach my son those same values and manners

[big blue and hairy]

On the subject of families of wheelchair guests, I can understand how it can be frustrating on first blush when a crowd of 20 people gets in the bus with a wheelchair person. The thing is, the group should not have to take more than one bus in my opinion. If you make the rest of the group wait to stand, you have a good chance of separating them and that's just not right. For the record, I am not part of a family that has someone in a wheelchair, I just think the family should stay together.

[elmjimmlm]

I don't think that you should give up a seat because you are wondering if someone may or may not have a disability...If there is a Mom or Dad holding a small child or someone that is quite a bit older than you, why not offer? It's call common courtesy...

[Bohms4]

Maybe not so much blame/hate/outrage should be directed at the other riders, but rather at yourself for dragging your kid(s) around when it is so busy? Since when is it someone elses' problem that your kid is tired and you're afraid of them getting hurt? As other posters have commented, rent a car, wait for another bus, leave earlier, there is always another option... take responsibility for your children otherwise they'll grow up blaming the world (or other bus riders) for their problems like you are in this case.

Our last trip to WDW we had a five-month-old and a 2.5 year-old and never had to stand on the buses. Here's the kicker, we were never riding the buses right before a park opened or when a park was closing because (duh!) we have two small children and knew we wouldn't be comfortable standing. We either went really early to the parks, got a coffee (at least at AK) and saw the opening shows or waited a bit and took in some of the sights at the resort before heading out. Even on the monorail we had people offering us their seats but it was more convenient for us to each hold one end of the stroller while standing.

In our experience we had people (WDW staffers and other vacationers) falling over themselves to help us out the entire time we were there. We were really impressed how easy it was to travel with the kids which is why we're going back in October!

Reread my post...I do not blame everyone else for my issues and I didn't say that my kids were tired. It was a topic of conversation which is why I posted it. I just couldn't believe the lack of common courtesy at that moment, that's all.....I know my family would not have let that happen. We're obviously too nice.

[Bohms4]

Wow, I have to say I'm dismayed by the quantity of rude and smug posts, mostly coming from those who don't feel they should give up their seat for anyone. Sad.

As for intentionally running into someone with a stroller... sad. If someone would intentionally run into me just because I'm in their way, it would get ugly. Those of us without strollers don't do something rude and obnoxious like that when strollers do the same to us (I mean, what would we do, shove you?), so please don't condone such immature actions.

But, this is not about strollers....

My DH and I rarely sit on the buses. We don't get into the semantics of what is a disability, who "deserves" a seat, how old is too old, how young is too young, is a woman worth giving up a seat for....whatever. We are just respectful people, and and part of that is standing to leave our seats for someone who might really appreciate it. I will say, I think I've only been offered a seat 1 or 2 times in the many trips we've made to WDW.

DH has MS, and gets tired easily anymore, so he would love to sit on the bus ride back to the resort at the end of the day, but he knows he's still healthy enough to leave that seat for someone else like the 80 year old grandma, the toddler, or the mom who is at the end of her rope. He also just feels that..okay, flame suit on...men should give their seat to a lady, no matter her age or health status. Gulp...sounds so 1950's, huh? Well, that's how he is, and I think it's quite nice. He only sits if there are empty seats available.

I just wish people would get over the whole "gender appropriate" thing. Stop trying to sound so politically correct. I'm also sick of hearing people say "you can't tell I'm sick by looking at me", or "I paid just as much as everyone else for this trip, so I will sit", etc. And, no....not everyone pays the same, so just stop it.

I'm sorry I'm ranting a little, but after pages of the same back biting and venom spitting, I'm sick of it. We'll be back in WDW in just 9 days, and we'll be giving up our seats again, and not worrying about if the person we gave it to was deserving enough or not. I can't worry about such petty things.

OP - I am so sorry that you had that incident on the bus, and believe me, you would have had at least two seats made available to you if we were there.

Thank you Surfer Stitch, people are making me out to look like I'm a horrible person and that the world owes me something and I'm not like that AT ALL. I teach my children proper manners and always remind them to "do the right thing". Shame on me for thinking that other people should have the same common courtesy that I was brought up with. I appreciate that you see where I'm coming from. COMMON COURTESY PEOPLE!!!

[DVCJohn]

An earlier post spoke to the fact that not all disabilities are visible. This is very true.
I am in my early 50,s and I have Degenerative Disc Disease in my lower back. 3 of the discs are completely gone and It is bone on bone. I do not look like I have a disability. I usually travel with my elderly parents (ages 85 and 86). My mother is in a wheelchair and I push her through the parks.
Typically if the bus is crowded I will make sure my mother and father are accommodated and I will stand. But if the back is acting up I will take an available seat. And I do get a little "Ticked Off" when someone comes on the bus and thinks that I should give up my seat for them. Again folk someone can look able bodied but have a hidden condition.

[Bohms4]

An earlier post spoke to the fact that not all disabilities are visible. This is very true.
I am in my early 50,s and I have Degenerative Disc Disease in my lower back. 3 of the discs are completely gone and It is bone on bone. I do not look like I have a disability. I usually travel with my elderly parents (ages 85 and 86). My mother is in a wheelchair and I push her through the parks.
Typically if the bus is crowded I will make sure my mother and father are accommodated and I will stand. But if the back is acting up I will take an available seat. And I do get a little "Ticked Off" when someone comes on the bus and thinks that I should give up my seat for them. Again folk someone can look able bodied but have a hidden condition.

I agree with you 100% but I think it's safe to say that not every single person on that bus had a hidden disability (men or women).

[PopPhan]

I agree with you 100% but I think it's safe to say that not every single person on that bus had a hidden disability (men or women).

It still remains a moot point, as you could have easily seen that the bus was full and waited for the next bus. Don not put the blame on others when you won't do what is right for yourself and your kids.

[wdw dude]

[TheVBs]

Thank you Surfer Stitch, people are making me out to look like I'm a horrible person and that the world owes me something and I'm not like that AT ALL. I teach my children proper manners and always remind them to "do the right thing". Shame on me for thinking that other people should have the same common courtesy that I was brought up with. I appreciate that you see where I'm coming from. COMMON COURTESY PEOPLE!!!

You definitely did not come off that way and I'm really sorry you're being made to feel that way now. Try not to let the indignation of some here over what some others see as a simple act of kindness make you feel like a bad person. At no point did you say that you and your family deserved a seat more than others. You just, understandably, wondered how someone else could watch your child get injured and be unaffected by it. As I said before, no matter what's said here, everyone has made the mistake of getting on a bus when they should have waited, staying too long at the parks or any number of the small things that could cause a hiccup in an otherwise great vacation.

Seriously people. She made the mistake of getting on the bus when it was standing room only and it didn't work out for her little girls well. Maybe she thought she was avoiding the mistake of waiting too long to get them back to the hotel. If she had waited and her kids were melting down at the bus stop would you be criticizing her for not getting on the standing room only bus? For all of you coming down on her like a ton of bricks, I dearly hope that others are as forgiving of you when you make a mistake in judgment.

Let's all lighten up a bit and take that wonderful Disney advice that's played over the bus speakers, be considerate of your fellow guests.

[Bohms4]

It still remains a moot point, as you could have easily seen that the bus was full and waited for the next bus. Don not put the blame on others when you won't do what is right for yourself and your kids.

Once again, not blaming others for my choice to get on the bus. Move on....

[Bohms4]

You definitely did not come off that way and I'm really sorry you're being made to feel that way now. Try not to let the indignation of some here over what some others see as a simple act of kindness make you feel like a bad person. At no point did you say that you and your family deserved a seat more than others. You just, understandably, wondered how someone else could watch your child get injured and be unaffected by it. As I said before, no matter what's said here, everyone has made the mistake of getting on a bus when they should have waited, staying too long at the parks or any number of the small things that could cause a hiccup in an otherwise great vacation.

Seriously people. She made the mistake of getting on the bus when it was standing room only and it didn't work out for her little girls well. Maybe she thought she was avoiding the mistake of waiting too long to get them back to the hotel. If she had waited and her kids were melting down at the bus stop would you be criticizing her for not getting on the standing room only bus? For all of you coming down on her like a ton of bricks, I dearly hope that others are as forgiving of you when you make a mistake in judgment.

Let's all lighten up a bit and take that wonderful Disney advice that's played over the bus speakers, be considerate of your fellow guests.

Thanks VB's. Nice to see some people on here have a level head.

[Gator]

Well, I'm a little late on this conversation. Let me first say there are a few people who give up seats for kids on those buses. The worst offenders: the dozen people who get to board early with their family member in a wheelchair/motoscooter. They'll get on board before anyone else, and you can forget about them giving up a seat for a mom with two kids and a stroller. I know this becaue it has happened to my wife and kids nearly every day on my last two trips. I really wish Disney would fix this.

[LVT]

kudos to supersticher.

[Bohms4]

kudos to supersticher.

One more note to SurferStitch: you and your husband will always have good karma coming your way....you both deserve it.

[SurferStitch]

One more note to SurferStitch: you and your husband will always have good karma coming your way....you both deserve it.

Good! We could really use some right now!! HA!