Have a Magical Day II 

Four things I love about the Disney World bus transportation system (I couldn’t come up with a fifth): 

1. They have a system for dealing with the disabled that actually works. There are kneeling buses that kneel, drivers that take the disabled in first and don’t allow anyone on until the individuals are clear and secure, places inside the bus to secure wheelchairs and scooters with appropriate hardware to secure them, and (mostly) patient park-goers who wait while the disabled are taken care of before they get on the bus.

2. If asked, drivers will go off route to drop people off at other stops. I saw it happen twice with two different drivers so I know it’s not a fluke–they’re that nice. Of course I was simmering because we had to take a ten-minute detour when all I wanted to do was get back to the hotel and rest my aching feet.

3. Drivers don’t ask for tips. There’s no sign saying “tips allowed” and there’s no cup for collecting them in. I never saw any money pressed into a driver’s palm, no folded dollar bills eased into a shirt pocket, no loaded handshakes, no mumbled “thanks” while looking over their shoulder. This makes for a stress-free ride.

4. The drivers actually seem to like their jobs. They smile often–and these smiles seem genuine. One driver held a contest for passengers to see who could spot a family of wild turkeys on the side of the road. While we all searched he regaled us about the wildlife of Florida, an obvious passion. My son loved this.

 

And my wife spotted the turkeys.

 

–Joe Lunievicz