The Official "A Bus Driver Told Me" Thread.

[WDWmemories]

What fun job - drive tired people around and tell them tall tales

[Serkazong]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the bus drivers employed by Mears Shuttle Service?

That could explain a lot about some of the more outlandish rumors. Can't blame them though, they probably get quite a kick out of it.

[Bobby2]

I had a bus driver tell me a few years back that the blackened rooms in the Swan & Dolphin were where a monorail line was going

Yes, this is one of the better one's I've heard from a bus driver!
Leaving the TTC swings to WLodge stop, Epcot, front drop off stop, goes around outside of Epcot stop back gate, S&D Stop, at the time MGM Stop, Boardwalk stop and back to Epcot, back gate Stop. It was so well thought out I often wonder if it was a plan that just never came about.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the bus drivers employed by Mears Shuttle Service?

The Magical Express buses are Mears along with the Motor Coaches.
Notice the drivers uniforms, so not Disney. Plus you'd never see such blatant tipping requests from Disney Employees. The resort bus drivers were always Disney employees.

I like interactive drivers, blarney just adds to the experience. I've had a few cranky bus driver and a few with stone faces, always though they needed to go back for a refresher course at Smile School.

[Serkazong]

Last year, we were @ the Contemporary bus stop in the morning and one of the drivers stepped out of his bus to chat while the passengers loaded. He ended up giving my son a set of 3 "collectible" cards featuring the different types of busses used by Disney Transportation. They are pretty neat cards and he was a nice guy- the type you would expect to interact with while at WDW. I had never heard of the cards before, but he said there are also sets for the boats and monorails.

I too however, enjoy a good natured fib as well as the next guy......Did you hear about the new casino they are building on Pleasure Island?

[doconeill]

I too however, enjoy a good natured fib as well as the next guy......Did you hear about the new casino they are building on Pleasure Island?

Now that's a new one...

The drivers do like to perpetuate the urban legends about Disney - monorail through the S&D, the S&D statues being switched, Walt frozen under the castle, etc.

The question is do they KNOW they are wrong and just messing with people, or do they believe it?!?

We had a driver at NASA KSC a couple of years ago that was telling us that NASA wasn't allowed to patent anything - if they came up with something, anyone could take it and file a patent and make money. I didn't have the heart to tell him that NASA held plenty of patents as it was...

[doconeill]

I posted this on another thread but I'll post it here too

Our trip a few weeks ago the bus driver told us that Disney was going to open a new park in Dubai. And a new park would be coming soon to WDW.

I don't think this was TOO far from a possiblity, though...Dubai has been building up a lot of stuff, putting BILLIONS into development to become a huge tourist destination. They supposedly approached Disney about putting a park in there as well, but Disney turned it down. I believe several other organizations have announced plans to build there though - I'm thinking Universal made an announcement, and perhaps Busch/SeaWorld - but the latter has probably since been shot down since InBev took over.

[WDW4Ever]

Not really an outlandish story, but we had one bus driver a long long time ago when my brother and I were little tell us that he could "turn this bus on a dime and give us 9 and a half cents back."

[BusDriver]

I am going to save this post and use all of these when I retire to my dream job!!!!

[lexitoad]

Not really a rumor but we were on a bus to Downtown Disney and apparently this was the 2nd bus in a row for DD. At the next stop a person asked the driver when then next bus to Disney World would come. The driver said “BOOM you are there! This whole area is Disney World.” I didn't make the person very happy but all of us on the bus laughed with the driver.

[redheadbrown]

I've heard people say "Disney World", but what they really mean is Magic Kingdom.

We had a Motor Coach driver tell us that Disney has only developed a fourth of the property. If this is true, think of ALL the possibilities!!

[Serkazong]

I posted this story on a different thread as well, but although it was a boat pilot not a bus driver, I thought it might apply.

Last year I was riding a water launch to the MK from WL when we passed by the construction site of the new Bay Tower DVC building which was at this time about 7 or 8 stories high with two large tower cranes swinging materials in overhead. I was sitting near the front of the boat and the pilot and I were both watching the construction in progress when I asked him when he thought it would be complete. He gave me a puzzled look and said " I'm sorry sir, I don't see anything but a green fence". He then grinned at me and carried on with his skipper duties.

[brentbrit]

I don't think this was TOO far from a possiblity, though...Dubai has been building up a lot of stuff, putting BILLIONS into development to become a huge tourist destination. They supposedly approached Disney about putting a park in there as well, but Disney turned it down. I believe several other organizations have announced plans to build there though - I'm thinking Universal made an announcement, and perhaps Busch/SeaWorld - but the latter has probably since been shot down since InBev took over.

Very true. The company I work for has locations in Dubai and it is absolutely blowing up. And I do believe you're right on the Universal thing also.

That being said Disney did turn them down from everything I've heard.

[doconeill]

I've heard people say "Disney World", but what they really mean is Magic Kingdom.

We had a Motor Coach driver tell us that Disney has only developed a fourth of the property. If this is true, think of ALL the possibilities!!

This is generally true - there is a LOT of green space. But it will never be 100% developed. Some of the land is "unbuildable". Some is to preserve the separation of the parks, etc. There is still plenty of usable space though - if Disney doesn't deannex and sell it to someone else...

Last year I was riding a water launch to the MK from WL when we passed by the construction site of the new Bay Tower DVC building which was at this time about 7 or 8 stories high with two large tower cranes swinging materials in overhead. I was sitting near the front of the boat and the pilot and I were both watching the construction in progress when I asked him when he thought it would be complete. He gave me a puzzled look and said " I'm sorry sir, I don't see anything but a green fence". He then grinned at me and carried on with his skipper duties.

A lot of CMs had fun with Disney's Worst Kept Secret. Aside from it being invisible, it was a Target, Wal-Mart, castmember penthouses, etc...everyone KNEW it was a DVC building, but at least the DVC people were absolutely forbidden from discussing its existence.

[Disney2000]

our bus driver told us about how pleasure island closed, but in a few months, a new adult space will be opening at the end of western way (i think that was the road). He also said pleasure island will become more shops resturants and the opening of all of this will coincide with the opening of Night Kingdom. He said it would open sometime around August this year.

[doconeill]

our bus driver told us about how pleasure island closed, but in a few months, a new adult space will be opening at the end of western way (i think that was the road). He also said pleasure island will become more shops restaurants and the opening of all of this will coincide with the opening of Night Kingdom. He said it would open sometime around August this year.

From what I've heard, very little has been done so far on the Western Way development (called Flamingo Crossings) so far. Dirt moved around and perhaps the slabs for some buildings. August might be tough. But other than these rumors there has been nothing about it bein an "adult" area, but simply 3rd party run budget motels and stuff. It is possible some clubs will go there.