What’s wrong with this school group?

It's etiquette, and people aren't teaching it anymore. We've had plenty of trips where I was left standing with two infants/toddlers in my arms while DH juggled the stroller. We have taught our girls that if an individual gets on the bus who is a senior, injured, or with a young child that you give up your seat. It's called being polite.
There's the possibility many visitors don't use public transport. So there's no opportunity to "teach" it (until you're at Disney). And the parents don't know the "etiquette" because they've never been taught.
 
I've had fairly good luck if I had my son in my arms on getting a seat, both when he was 6 months old and 3 years old. I remember the first trip we took was after I had a scope on my knee and after a long day in HS at closing, my knee was aching and little swollen and the bus line was quite full. So instead of standing in that long line, I took a seat with my daughter on a bench nearby. We waited and watched many buses come and go and the line didn't seem to be getting any shorter. Apparently some of the guests in line noticed us too and started calling out for me to come get in front of them at the front of the line and I politely declined but told them thank you. It wasn't fair for me to get in front of them. I'm not sure if someone told the bus driver or if he noticed me also, but the next bus he got off, came over and got me and said you've been sitting here a while and you can get on first. He insisted so I did. I hobbled over and saw a few of the people who had offered for me to get in front of them at the front and they said good, you've been sitting there a long time so it was your turn anyway. LOL I've had other instances where guests gave up their seats to allow me a seat specifically when my son was a baby and he was asleep and me and my teen daughter were struggling with the stroller.
 
And the parents don't know the "etiquette" because they've never been taught.
BINGO! This is exactly the problem. There was a generation that rejected their parents teachings so they never passed that along.
 
To tell you the truth I find the whole "judge on appearances" to be exhausting, judgemental, and just all around inaccurate. And I'm one who was taught to respect your elders, hold doors open for people, say thank you a gadzillion times over, etc.

I'm young but I'll tell you what a few days at the parks and I'm hobbling. Please don't assume that because I'm young (well young-ish as I'm 29) and appear to be perfectly fine that I lack social etiquette and am ill-mannered because I stayed sitting in my seat.

Luggage, bags, etc are a different story.
 


I saw full size luggage on the buses (thought that was a no-no, evidently not!)
Slightly OT -- another example of Disney saying one thing, but doing something else. When I was driving, the policy stated on the web site was no luggage allowed, while the policy internal to the Transportation dept. was that luggage was permitted so long as it was within the Guests' control and not blocking the aisle or exits.
 
You misunderstood me. It's not demeaning a woman for a man to sacrifice his own wants/needs or to make himself less important in a simple gesture of holding a door or offering a seat to a woman. I'm not in the camp of demasculinizing men to make women look/feel stronger/in control nor do I have patience for redefining/misconstruing the natural/common meaning of words or gestures in order to fit a specific agenda.

Yet you took the time to respond to my post in the first place.
 
You've misunderstood me. I never said it was demeaning to men to give up their seat. I said it's demeaning to women that men think they need to protect ALL women from the immense hardship of standing on a bus for 10 minutes. Of course people with children, the elderly, people with mobility issues should be given an opportunity to sit, but saying "all men need to stand so all women can sit" doesn't put a lot of faith in women to complete an otherwise routine task on their own.

I've noticed that some people have an attitude that a younger person should automatically give up their seat to their 'elders' regardless of whether or not that person actually needs a seat. I think this smacks of the same entitlement that the older generations accuse millenials of. The OP did not state whether or not they had a legitimate need for someone to give up their seat in this particular instance though they did mention having a child with them on different occasions so I can't say that that was the case here but as a regular user of transit I've seen it a lot.
 


What a complicated world we live in today. It is now considered insulting for a man to offer a seat to a woman. If a man offers a seat the woman believes he is thinking that she needs to be protected from standing because she is so delicate. There was a time when that gesture was considered polite. Now it's an insult.

I wonder how many men who offer a seat on a bus are thinking, "She is incapable of standing so I better let her sit."
 
I ride public transit in NYC and it is often sardine can crowded. I've given up my seat and seen other people offer their seats to others in need which is nice. However, I saw one woman this week that got annoyed when a seat opened up and a man took the seat since it was in front of him (and me). I would have taken the seat except I was getting off at the next station and so he sat down when I said as much. As soon as he sat, this woman made a snide comment (something like "the nerve of some people") and glared at him so intently that he got up and gave her the seat. Mind you she wasn't any younger than me and had no apparent disability. She just had the attitude that she was entitled to the seat and he wasn't. This entitlement mentality is what gets so many people upset.

Bottom line is this: If you really need (rather than just want) a seat, don't think you are entitled to one and don't count on others to give up theirs. Be responsible for your own well-being (or that of your family) and look at alternatives that work for your situation.
 
I find it rude for someone to get on a bus and expect someone else to give them their seat. If you can't stand, then don't get on a standing room only bus. Step aside and wait for the next bus, or grab a taxi if you are in a hurry. Or maybe even avoid the buses and rent a car.

Fwiw, I do offer my seat when I am able. But I'm not always able. My trip this past October included my 70+ year old dad, and he never stepped foot on a bus. We rented a car (and stayed at the Swan) to make sure transportation was easy and safe for him. No way would I shirk my responsibility to him and expect total strangers to keep him safe and comfortable.
 
Just returned from a two week stay in WDW.....got home last night. I have to say that the less than stellar behaviour I saw was incredible. It wasn't just on the buses either. There seems to be a 'you first, right after me' mentality nowadays.
Then, there are those that stand their ground, in the front of the bus. They don't want to be standing away from their family, so they now block the aisle with their oversizeed folded up stroller and their body. After unsuccessfully trying to move past one dad, I finally just stood there and said 'It's fine if you don't want to move, but there are seats back there, in the rear of the bus, and there are people waiting to get on this bus that could use those seats. So...could you, possibly, maybe, just scootch over a little bit so we can squeeze by you? Maybe???'. Man, that guy wasn't happy with me. But, there were about 6 seats back there!!! When he finally moved aside a bit, the flood gates opened. There was room for about 20 more people!!
You would have liked the one driver we had at POFQ last month. He kept telling people to move to the back or get out of the way so others could. He implied strongly that we weren't going anywhere until that happened.
 
Another reason I rent a car...never have to worry about not having a seat. I'm short (5'1") and hate standing on the buses. :sad2:
 
Don't hold your breath waiting for someone to offer you a seat on a Disney bus. If you can't stand on the bus, it is up to you to be proactive.

I don't expect men to stand for me just because I'm female but if they ask I won't rip them a new one. (I commute by subway daily and I have seen women do this)

The aisle hogs are a problem. I agree, they want to stand by their party, so they won't move to the back, but why they refuse to let anyone else pass so more passengers can board is beyond me.

My party carried full size luggage to the front of OKW on a park bus, but the bus was empty at the time, so the driver probably didn't care.
 
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Times are changing, and not for the better.
Basically, this is it.
Society is loosing all manners. It's not just on buses or giving up seats for women/elderly. It's way more than that.
We have quit attending away football games due to the behavior of fans in the stadiums. They have ruined things. Rude doesn't begin to describe it. I have been afraid.
That's no way to "enjoy" a game, let me tell you. I finally put my foot down and told DH I would not be making any away game trips ever again. Not until society can find manners again.
Seeing how it's getting worse, not better, I don't see it changing.
 
Basically, this is it.
Society is loosing all manners. It's not just on buses or giving up seats for women/elderly. It's way more than that.
We have quit attending away football games due to the behavior of fans in the stadiums. They have ruined things. Rude doesn't begin to describe it. I have been afraid.
That's no way to "enjoy" a game, let me tell you. I finally put my foot down and told DH I would not be making any away game trips ever again. Not until society can find manners again.
Seeing how it's getting worse, not better, I don't see it changing.

I agree, and it's disappointing. My wife and I are doing our best to instill a sense of politeness and manners in our toddler son, and he's doing a really good job with it! Amazes me how shocked people are when he uses his words like "Thank you", "excuse me", "please", etc. Like they haven't heard it before or are just surprised that a 4 year old can show some manners??

I boil it down to the heightened sense of self-entitlement that seems to be running rampant everywhere - everything is for me me ME, and if it benefits ME, to hell with the rules and how my behavior might affect others. Line cutters, gaming the system, bringing in pets as ESAs or not following the pet policies Disney established, rude behavior in general, aisle blockers, last minute firework space invaders, etc. These are just a small sampling of people not following common rules of courtesy because they feel they can just do what they want to do.
 
We were in WDW this weekend. We always rent a car because I have mobility difficulties and have a hard time waiting and standing on the bus.
This weekend, we choose to do a monorail tour of the resorts to see the Christmas decorations. I would never expect anyone to offer me a seat but EVERYTIME we entered the monorail I was offered a seat by gentlemen.
While I would never expect it and try to plan accordingly, it warms my heart that young men still offer a seat to an old lady!
 
I personally think a mentality like "every fit adult male with empty hands on a full bus [has] to be on his feet" is actually pretty insulting to women, implying that they're delicate flowers incapable of standing on their own.

Of course people should be kind and offer seats to those who look like they need one, but blanket policies based on gender are, no matter how well intentioned, a little demeaning.

You sound exactly like my wife.

Heh Now I’m paranoid and wondering if you are my wife.

I was taught one way when I was younger and it was definitely sexist. It’s been a hard habit to shake but I have given up on offering my seat to women who show no obvious need. That just doesn’t fly with a lot women.

And just in case; love you. You are awesome. ;)
 
I have heard stories of poorly behaved school groups with chaperones who were not doing their job and had also heard stories about poor behaviour on the busses but this trip I’m living it.
Does nobody offer a seat any more to somebody who might be in need? I remember being at Disney years ago and the common thing was for every fit adult male with empty hands on a full bus to be on his feet. That was common. Now it’s rare.
I feel bad offering my seat because it makes it so obvious others are not. When I’m with DW I’ll stand as a matter of course but I seem to be the exception.
Taking a bus just me and DD I insisted tonight that our 2 year old DD move to my lap (which she hates) so an older lady could sit. The lady seemed stunned and at the end of the trip said thank you and I was the first person to do that since they arrived.
And being on the other side of it is not fun either. I caught a bus at Fort Wilderness, got on carrying stroller and DD to find the bus seats nearly full of 14-15 yr olds with their chaperones standing in a group at the front. Nobody offered me a seat, fine, I could see a couple seats in the back. But the chaperones would not move. It was like their feet were glued to the floor. And I’m not tiny and quiet; I’m 6’3”, arms full and saying ‘Excuse me please’ in a louder and louder voice. Driver starts driving, chaperones still not moving, just making annoyed faces as I squeeze past them. Weirdly enough I got the impression that they just actually did not want me on the bus period. Fun times.
I remember riding public busses as a student and a teacher or chaperone would rip into you if you did not give up your seat to certain groups of people. When my baseball team took public busses you stood unless there was pretty much nobody else needing a seat.
Have I just had bad luck? Or is this how it is now; first come first served, everyone equal?
I'm a mom & have trained my young son to offer his seat to his elders. I do the same. I wish more people still did this.
 
Basically, this is it.
Society is loosing all manners. It's not just on buses or giving up seats for women/elderly. It's way more than that.
We have quit attending away football games due to the behavior of fans in the stadiums. They have ruined things. Rude doesn't begin to describe it. I have been afraid.
That's no way to "enjoy" a game, let me tell you. I finally put my foot down and told DH I would not be making any away game trips ever again. Not until society can find manners again.
Seeing how it's getting worse, not better, I don't see it changing.

Now that is unfortunately something I have experience with. I love going to mlb and nfl games when traveling. I’ll go see anyone play just to have a chance to visit another stadium and check out the local fan experience. It’s usually been very positive (Jacksonville had some of the best, most hospitable fans I’ve yet encountered) but sadly I have learned to not wear visiting team colours. Just not worth the hassle. I’ve had local friends in some cities warn me off and they were right. I understand that some fans travel so they can have those kinds of confrontations and enjoy it but no thanks. I don’t enjoy watching a game while somebody screams swear words at me. So I completely understand your decision.
 
Can I say I had two opposite experiences last week? People actively not wanting to be the "rude" one that sat. There was one bus at closing with FOUR open seats but people were packed in standing and people were waiting. My whole group was sitting and I yelled "There are four empty seats this way." No one moved. I yelled "Can people sit so more can get on?" Finally, they filled in.

The other time, we drove off with no one waiting but three empty seats and five standers. o_O
 

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