Working at disney part 3. Transportation.

OK so i covered living at Disney and the basic idle of working there.
Now is one of the jewels of the Disney Program.

Transportation.

OK so let me set it up for you.
When you do the program you have three choices for getting to work. (four if you like $30 cab rides)

#1. Have a car. This can be very handy and will really cut down on your commute depending on were you work. But of coarse it cost money, and the guards can... and DO check the car when you come in and out.
#2. Have a friend who has a car. This is slightly less handy because they might or might not have work when you do. But you can make A KILLING as a cheaper then normal cab service on your day off.

#3. Take the bus. Now there are about 1600 CP's at any given time. More if a short group is in. (Large influxes of college program people doing the program for 2-4 mouths in the summer) And remember that means twice a year, because we get allot of Brazilian Summer program people in the fall.

And seance most people work 5 days a week that means on any day there are about 1143 (Rounded up) People going to and from work. And that's not counting the people just going to the park for the day as guests.

That's OVER 9000!!! (More like 3000) People a day being transported on the buses. Buses start leaving at 6:10.AM. (Zombie Bus One) And end at 4:10.AM. (Zombie bus Two)
And run about every 30 minutes.

The buses are name starting at A-Bus, and ending at the K-bus. (that's about 450 bus trips a day)

OK so stuff you should know about the buses.

#1. They are very punctual.
#2. They are very serious about there time chart. If you get there 1 second after they shut the door, you are S.O.L. my friend.
#3. A bus is meant to hold any were between 54 and 80 passengers. And it can hold ALLOT More. I have seen at least 120+ people on a bus before.
#4.Most of the drivers are ether.
A:Not native English speakers. And wile i am very good at understanding people and it is a requirement for them to speak English. Some of them DO NOT.
B:Are retired and working there to have a little extra money.
#5. Time.
Depending on were you work and were you live, your round trim can take between 30 minutes (EPCOT) And 1 Hour and 16 minutes. (Magic Kingdom)

Wile i have never been on a bus that broke down it does happen. And i have never been on a bus that had a accented, but it does happen. I have on the other hand been on a bus that ran over a wild boar. (There all over the place down there) And it did bust the tire. And i was late for work and they don't care why.
You best bet is that you have a really nice manager that will set your time chart back a hour so you don't half to be at work until a little latter.

All bus drivers fall into a couple groups of driving ability.

First you have the Import drivers who cant drive, cant speak understandable English and talk on there cell phones wile driving. (Illegal and against company policy)

Second you have the Import driver who can drive, Can talk Good English and at least use a blue tooth. (Legal but still against Company Policy)

Third you have the guy who is 60+ years old, who can kind of drive, constantly tells the "Kids" on the bus to quite down. (Something we don't have to do and are not going to do)

And then. Theirs Charles.
OK so Charles is the only bus driver i know by name because he is like the Michel Phelps of Bus Driving. Things i know about Charles from talking to / riding with him.
He is from Saint Paul Minnesota.
He is the youngest son of a family with like like.... 80 kids or something.
His family were dirt poor dirt farmers.
He is at least 65.
He can fit a 10 foot wide bus throw a 4 foot opening without damaging anything but the space time continuum.

The reason i know that Charles is at least 65 is that he flew Jets in the Vietnam war as part of Operation Rolling Thunder from day one. The operation started in 1965. And Charles had the job of attacking North Vietnamese Surface to Air Missile Sights. Witch is allot like bull fighting on the crowd is throwing rocks at you at the same time.

Now this is important to say because most people drive a tour bus like it was a boat or ship.
Charles on the other hand drove it like it was a Multi-Million Dollar Jet Fighter. He always drove the same route, the late Magic Kingdom bus.
A bus that never had less the a billion people on it, they gave Charles this job because they new that if Charles was about to have a crash he would simply Slam on the brakes pull up and let the other Vehicle fly under us before destroying it with a air to air missile.

Charles actually dressed up for the Halloween bus, wearing riding pants, a leather jacket, leather skull cap goggles and a big scarf.


Needless to say if you ride the bus and see a sweet little old man, with white hair, and glasses who's name tag that said Charles. Strap in and enjoy the ride, your in good hands.