# Driving a bus at Disney world



## Mars Troll Number 4

Well passed my CDL and started orientation today at Walt Disney world.

I’ll be driving a bus between the various parts of the park. (WDW is the same square mileage as San Francisco and has a highway connecting everything together)


$12.65 an hour day 1, 40+ hours a week, (overtime is an opt in when needed, not required) insurance after 90 days, stupid uniform, free passes to the theme parks, 25% off merchandise/food at the theme parks.

And I’ll be home every day...

So over $4.00 an hour over min wage here.


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## UberLady69

Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> Well passed my CDL and started orientation today at Walt Disney world.
> 
> I'll be driving a bus between the various parts of the park. (WDW is the same square mileage as San Francisco and has a highway connecting everything together)
> 
> $12.65 an hour day 1, 40+ hours a week, (overtime is an opt in when needed, not required) insurance after 90 days, stupid uniform, free passes to the theme parks, 25% off merchandise/food at the theme parks.
> 
> And I'll be home every day...
> 
> So over $4.00 an hour over min wage here.


Good for you! Hope you enjoy your new job, stupid uniform and all. I think I'm going to try for a real driving job. Uber sucks!


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## ShinyAndChrome

Way better than uber's $.53/mile or whatever it is in orlando.


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## POOLKiller

A normal job. That’s great. Fuber can suck a fat one.


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## unPat

Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> Well passed my CDL and started orientation today at Walt Disney world.
> 
> I'll be driving a bus between the various parts of the park. (WDW is the same square mileage as San Francisco and has a highway connecting everything together)
> 
> $12.65 an hour day 1, 40+ hours a week, (overtime is an opt in when needed, not required) insurance after 90 days, stupid uniform, free passes to the theme parks, 25% off merchandise/food at the theme parks.
> 
> And I'll be home every day...
> 
> So over $4.00 an hour over min wage here.


Whag h


Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> Well passed my CDL and started orientation today at Walt Disney world.
> 
> I'll be driving a bus between the various parts of the park. (WDW is the same square mileage as San Francisco and has a highway connecting everything together)
> 
> $12.65 an hour day 1, 40+ hours a week, (overtime is an opt in when needed, not required) insurance after 90 days, stupid uniform, free passes to the theme parks, 25% off merchandise/food at the theme parks.
> 
> And I'll be home every day...
> 
> So over $4.00 an hour over min wage here.


Drive the lynx bus , you get $25/hr and the rest without the theme park passes.


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## Blatherskite

unPat said:


> Drive the lynx bus , you get $25/hr and the rest without the theme park passes.


The other upside to Lynx driving is you aren't held to any standard of politeness or consideration for those with whom you share the road. You can just trundle along like a lobotomied drone.


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## Mars Troll Number 4

unPat said:


> Whag h
> 
> Drive the lynx bus , you get $25/hr and the rest without the theme park passes.


Nope...

https://www.golynx.com/careers/job-postings.stml
(AH10571)
*Pay rate during training:* $14.00 per hour
*Pay rate after training:* $15.24 per hour

On top of that it would involve the "bus crazies" all over the greater Orlando area, rather than tourists in the theme parks. ALSO... no screwing around with bus Fares and the headaches that involves.

So a little less per hour but fewer crazies and a much safer neighborhood?

Bus crazies are scary man, scary...



Blatherskite said:


> The other upside to Lynx driving is you aren't held to any standard of politeness or consideration for those with whom you share the road. You can just trundle along like a lobotomied drone.


Very good point, but being polite in the theme parks isn't that hard when your making $12.65 an hour..


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## Blatherskite

I'm a big fan of Cast Member attitude. Also, Publix has taken that page from Disney's playbook.


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## Mars Troll Number 4

Blatherskite said:


> I'm a big fan of Cast Member attitude. Also, Publix has taken that page from Disney's playbook.


It's easier to be "Disney happy" when your making the same exact money no matter how business is going. I gotta admit it can be hard to provide good customer service when your having a lousy day and you find out your customer is only going 1/2 a mile down the road.

So much easier to deal with Disney guests when you don't have to give a crap about anything but not getting complaints.

For my training yesterday i drove a route with a trainer on board.
I did one of the buses running magic kingdom to the Epcot resort area hotels, over and over and over until 2 hours after magic Kingdom closed.

Yawn... pretty boring to be honest.

It got exciting when one group of guests almost got on the wrong bus...

The routes are so stupid easy to learn it's ridiculous.

Rule 1. Don't run anyone/anything over
Rule 2. Don't overpack the bus
Rule 3. Be kind or else!
Rule 4. always follow the signs on the Disney highway to where i'm supposed to be going


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## RedANT

$12.65 /hr to drive a bus at WDW? Typical Disney payscale as they charge "guests" $100+ per day. As long as people drive busses for $12 /hr things will never change. 

(To put things into perspective, Taco Bell, McDonalds and BK in Seattle generally start at ~$15 /hr. The only ones paying shit wages like that is Amazon)


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## Mars Troll Number 4

RedANT said:


> $12.65 /hr to drive a bus at WDW? Typical Disney payscale as they charge "guests" $100+ per day. As long as people drive busses for $12 /hr things will never change.
> 
> (To put things into perspective, Taco Bell, McDonalds and BK in Seattle generally start at ~$15 /hr. The only ones paying shit wages like that is Amazon)


Maybe in Seattle...
Here it's min wage which is 8.05 an hour.


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## Stephen

Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> Rule 1. Don't run anyone/anything over


Because paperwork. Amirite?


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## upyouruber

Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> Well passed my CDL and started orientation today at Walt Disney world.
> 
> I'll be driving a bus between the various parts of the park. (WDW is the same square mileage as San Francisco and has a highway connecting everything together)
> 
> $12.65 an hour day 1, 40+ hours a week, (overtime is an opt in when needed, not required) insurance after 90 days, stupid uniform, free passes to the theme parks, 25% off merchandise/food at the theme parks.
> 
> And I'll be home every day...
> 
> So over $4.00 an hour over min wage here.


So you gonna' moonlight with the cab?


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## Mars Troll Number 4

upyouruber said:


> So you gonna' moonlight with the cab?


Yuppers...

Still making good money driving a cab.


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## RynoHawk

Cool deal. When I was riding the buses there I thought I wouldn't mind that gig.


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## Mars Troll Number 4

I'm officially on part time, three 8 hour shifts a week for 24 hours total.

Still driving a cab when i get around to it. I've had a few weeks here and there where my body just can't handle full time.


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## 1974toyota

Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> Well passed my CDL and started orientation today at Walt Disney world.
> 
> I'll be driving a bus between the various parts of the park. (WDW is the same square mileage as San Francisco and has a highway connecting everything together)
> 
> $12.65 an hour day 1, 40+ hours a week, (overtime is an opt in when needed, not required) insurance after 90 days, stupid uniform, free passes to the theme parks, 25% off merchandise/food at the theme parks.
> 
> And I'll be home every day...
> 
> So over $4.00 an hour over min wage here.


Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss


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## HotUberMess

Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> Well passed my CDL and started orientation today at Walt Disney world.
> 
> I'll be driving a bus between the various parts of the park. (WDW is the same square mileage as San Francisco and has a highway connecting everything together)
> 
> $12.65 an hour day 1, 40+ hours a week, (overtime is an opt in when needed, not required) insurance after 90 days, stupid uniform, free passes to the theme parks, 25% off merchandise/food at the theme parks.
> 
> And I'll be home every day...
> 
> So over $4.00 an hour over min wage here.


Was CDL training free through Disney?


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## kdyrpr

Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> Well passed my CDL and started orientation today at Walt Disney world.
> 
> I'll be driving a bus between the various parts of the park. (WDW is the same square mileage as San Francisco and has a highway connecting everything together)
> 
> $12.65 an hour day 1, 40+ hours a week, (overtime is an opt in when needed, not required) insurance after 90 days, stupid uniform, free passes to the theme parks, 25% off merchandise/food at the theme parks.
> 
> And I'll be home every day...
> 
> So over $4.00 an hour over min wage here.


Do you notice your car seems to be smiling when you look at it now?


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## Mars Troll Number 4

HotUberMess said:


> Was CDL training free through Disney?


the VA paid for my retraining,

I was CDL until i got blown up in Iraqistan,

Then the TBI and anti seizure meds disqualified me for a very long time,

Recently got my med clearance back and the VA paid to retrain me


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## HotUberMess

Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> the VA paid for my retraining,
> 
> I was CDL until i got blown up in Iraqistan,
> 
> Then the TBI and anti seizure meds disqualified me for a very long time,
> 
> Recently got my med clearance back and the VA paid to retrain me


Wow, my hat's off to you sir, keep on bussin'.


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## SRGuy

Mars Troll Number 4 said:


> the VA paid for my retraining,
> 
> I was CDL until i got blown up in Iraqistan,
> 
> Then the TBI and anti seizure meds disqualified me for a very long time,
> 
> Recently got my med clearance back and the VA paid to retrain me


Thank you for your military service.


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## RIchB_IV

Just wanted to check in to this forum. 

I have been gone for months now, and honestly I love it!! No more dealing with drunks. I have really found it takes a special person to be a driver which does not fit my lifestyle in any way. 

In my case I started a blog about 8 months ago and now seeing results after all this hard work I put in over the past months and now it is starting to pay off. 
Glad to see that Rideshare business has surved your purpose.
Good luck with everything!!


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## Tom Harding

Mars Troll Number 4 said:


> Well passed my CDL and started orientation today at Walt Disney world.
> 
> I'll be driving a bus between the various parts of the park. (WDW is the same square mileage as San Francisco and has a highway connecting everything together)
> 
> $12.65 an hour day 1, 40+ hours a week, (overtime is an opt in when needed, not required) insurance after 90 days, stupid uniform, free passes to the theme parks, 25% off merchandise/food at the theme parks.
> 
> And I'll be home every day...
> 
> So over $4.00 an hour over min wage here.


Uber & Lyft are for retirees and part timers, not for full time drivers. Its something to do when your are tired of TV and having to do,


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn

RIchB_IV said:


> Just wanted to check in to this forum.
> 
> I have been gone for months now, and honestly I love it!! No more dealing with drunks. I have really found it takes a special person to be a driver which does not fit my lifestyle in any way.
> 
> In my case I started a blog about 8 months ago and now seeing results after all this hard work I put in over the past months and now it is starting to pay off.
> Glad to see that Rideshare business has surved your purpose.
> Good luck with everything!!


(i'm the same person as the troll)

I actually quit doing uber back in the end of June last year, and for 2017 i had a grand total of $285 in uber revenue with nothing on lyft. Minus uber fees.

I quit ubering a very long time ago but i still drive a taxi from time to time when bordom is exceeds laziness...


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## Cynergie

Mars Troll Number 4 said:


> Well passed my CDL and started orientation today at Walt Disney world.
> 
> I'll be driving a bus between the various parts of the park. (WDW is the same square mileage as San Francisco and has a highway connecting everything together)
> 
> $12.65 an hour day 1, 40+ hours a week, (overtime is an opt in when needed, not required) insurance after 90 days, stupid uniform, free passes to the theme parks, 25% off merchandise/food at the theme parks.
> 
> And I'll be home every day...
> 
> So over $4.00 an hour over min wage here.


Good for you. Have you considered driving for Muni in SF though? The pay is much higher ~$17+ based on B license and your DMV training is paid and your FT union benefits are far superior. Mist Muni drivers make guaranteed $65k+ per year. Decent wage if you opt not to live in SF


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn

Cynergie said:


> Good for you. Have you considered driving for Muni in SF though? The pay is much higher ~$17+ based on B license and your DMV training is paid and your FT union benefits are far superior. Mist Muni drivers make guaranteed $65k+ per year. Decent wage if you opt not to live in SF


Sorry for the confusion, disney land is the California Theme park Complex, Disney world is the Florida one.

Here is a chart explaining the size comparison, San Francisco is just used to describe the size, not location.

this pic is TO SCALE










The difference here for municipal bus drivers is a couple dollars more, but they won't hire green drivers, Disney will..

Most of the municipal bus drivers here start out at either Disney or working for the county school districts, or one of the gazillion motor coach operators here. Lynx (orange/seminole/osceola municipal buses) is actually the number 3 biggest operator of buses in the area. Disney is at number 2 when it comes to the number of buses. Orange County school district holds the spot at number one. But the drivers only get about 20 hours a week, and that is driving 5 days a week, morning and afternoon. The school bus drivers make about $250 a week and they are all retired or hold second jobs, a great many double up at WDW.

Orange county public schools- 450
WDW- 350 buses
Lynx- 300

There's also the noticeable improvement to quality of life by only dealing with Disney customers. No fare boxes, no charging people money...

All i get are tourists all day long, with an occasional employee,

Vs the bus crazies if I worked for the county bus service.


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## LuisEnrikee

Happy for ya . Sadly you went into a job field and place that will be replaced by SDT’s soon enough since Disney has their own place . I would suggest branching on quick with that class B license!

All in all good job dude


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn

LuisEnrikee said:


> Happy for ya . Sadly you went into a job field and place that will be replaced by SDT's soon enough since Disney has their own place . I would suggest branching on quick with that class B license!
> 
> All in all good job dude


I have the full class A license, with passenger endorsements.
I'd just very much rather come home every day, i looked and no one would hire a green driver for local on the class A jobs. Only offers i got was long distance. Orlando has a huge glut of class B jobs.

Self driving vehicles?

We'll see if they really come about before i drop dead, after all flying cars have been just around the corner for a century. It could be more hype than reality.

For the trucking... first mile and last mile is still necessary to have a driver.

Honestly... i think we might be 90% of the way there technologically,
We could be 95% of the way there in 5 years. But that last 5% might take 100 years.

And 90% isn't quite close enough for these to work well enough to get the job done.

Of the 5 levels of autonomous vehicles... you need a solid Level 5 to be useful as a self driving vehicle.

Everything i know... we are at level 3 with level 4 kinda sorta there.

The problem is people have too much confidence in level 3 and kill people by not paying attention. Level 3 is the most dangerous level IMHO. These will be death traps when used improperly. Which they will be constantly misused. Uber's Self driving fatal accident was a case of this.

Level 4 is useless as a self driving taxi. It is however useful as a shuttle in a closed area. A college shuttle or a downtown mini bus... stuff like this it could be great.

However an SDV shuttle? that's right around the corner, if not already possible.

The hardest part is the first mile/last mile of a trip. A self driving taxi is useless if it can't get the last mile down to find the customer. Which is already the hardest part of the job.


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## LuisEnrikee

Stevie The magic Unicorn said:


> I have the full class A license, with passenger endorsements.
> I'd just very much rather come home every day, i looked and no one would hire a green driver for local on the class A jobs. Only offers i got was long distance. Orlando has a huge glut of class B jobs.
> 
> Self driving vehicles?
> 
> We'll see if they really come about before i drop dead, after all flying cars have been just around the corner for a century. It could be more hype than reality.
> 
> For the trucking... first mile and last mile is still necessary to have a driver.
> 
> Honestly... i think we might be 90% of the way there technologically,
> We could be 95% of the way there in 5 years. But that last 5% might take 100 years.
> 
> And 90% isn't quite close enough for these to work well enough to get the job done.
> 
> Of the 5 levels of autonomous vehicles... you need a solid Level 5 to be useful as a self driving vehicle.
> 
> Everything i know... we are at level 3 with level 4 kinda sorta there.
> 
> The problem is people have too much confidence in level 3 and kill people by not paying attention. Level 3 is the most dangerous level IMHO. These will be death traps when used improperly. Which they will be constantly misused. Uber's Self driving fatal accident was a case of this.
> 
> Level 4 is useless as a self driving taxi. It is however useful as a shuttle in a closed area. A college shuttle or a downtown mini bus... stuff like this it could be great.
> 
> However an SDV shuttle? that's right around the corner, if not already possible.
> 
> The hardest part is the first mile/last mile of a trip. A self driving taxi is useless if it can't get the last mile down to find the customer. Which is already the hardest part of the job.


I myself am interviewing for city bus driver . They'll pay for my class b . Hopefully . But I will still keep doing Uber for the weekend or day off.


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## Z129

SRGuy said:


> Thank you for your military service.


Seconded.


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## EphLux

SRGuy said:


> Thank you for your military service.


Until he realizes it was a war to benefit billionaires and Jews and had nothing to do with national security.


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn

EphLux said:


> Until he realizes it was a war to benefit billionaires and Jews and had nothing to do with national security.


No it DOES have something to do with national security, If gets to the point that is surrounded..

Israel starts nuking it's neighborhood.

Then Russia's missile defense system kicks in (because i have FULL faith in it correctly working as intended), and russia then nukes the USA.

10% of Russia's nukes actually *work* as intended, if 10% get launched at america,,, that's more than enough to trigger america's nuclear launch sequence...

And there we have it...

Israel get's wiped off the map, they nuke the middle east and the world is cast into nuclear holocaust.

The former USSR buts right against the middle east. There's actually a couple of former USSR states that ARE part of the middle east. (Tajikistan and uzbekistanto give two examples)

But the USSR no longer exists you say?

Well Russia still does.

All it will take is one missile landing in Russian territory to trigger the end of the world. The thing about how all the nukes are set up is that they may be set to automatically respond. Also there is something called the "Fog of war" With kiloton sized nuclear weapons the EMP blasts create a literal disconnect between the countries.

But if russia get's nuked they will assume it's the US... it could even just be an automatic response.

So really, it's less about saving Israel than it is about saving the world from the nuclear holocaust caused by faulty 50 year old atomic weapons brought to you by the same folks who brought you the Yugo.


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn

Final vote on a new contract at Disney this week,

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-disney-contract-wage-increase-20180827-story.html

(Assuming the employees vote it through which i'm highly suspecting they will)

Min wages for most positions in WDW will go from 10-15 an hour, between now and october 2021
(Min wage is already lower than WDW pay is)

I'm getting a $2.50 pay raise within 6 months, and 50c for every hour i worked driving buses since February. With a sliding increase every year until 2021 putting my pay at like 18.00 something an hour. (It's currently at $12.65 an hour)


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## Bluto1899

Stevie The magic Unicorn said:


> Final vote on a new contract at Disney this week,
> 
> http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-disney-contract-wage-increase-20180827-story.html
> 
> (Assuming the employees vote it through which i'm highly suspecting they will)
> 
> Min wages for most positions in WDW will go from 10-15 an hour, between now and october 2021
> (Min wage is already lower than WDW pay is)
> 
> I'm getting a $2.50 pay raise within 6 months, and 50c for every hour i worked driving buses since February. With a sliding increase every year until 2021 putting my pay at like 18.00 something an hour. (It's currently at $12.65 an hour)


Congratulations man. Disney bus driver was my father in laws dream job. Unfortunately he passed away before getting to do it. He used to drive school busses here up north. When we were there 2 years ago, every driver was great. Question to confirm a suspicion. Is calling every little girl "Princess" company policy? Because every driver we had greeted my daughter as princess when we got on their bus.


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn

Bluto1899 said:


> Congratulations man. Disney bus driver was my father in laws dream job. Unfortunately he passed away before getting to do it. He used to drive school busses here up north. When we were there 2 years ago, every driver was great. Question to confirm a suspicion. Is calling every little girl "Princess" company policy? Because every driver we had greeted my daughter as princess when we got on their bus.


Every little girl is a princess at WDW.


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## Lee239

Mars Troll Number 4 said:


> Well passed my CDL and started orientation today at Walt Disney world.
> 
> I'll be driving a bus between the various parts of the park. (WDW is the same square mileage as San Francisco and has a highway connecting everything together)
> 
> $12.65 an hour day 1, 40+ hours a week, (overtime is an opt in when needed, not required) insurance after 90 days, stupid uniform, free passes to the theme parks, 25% off merchandise/food at the theme parks.
> 
> And I'll be home every day...
> 
> So over $4.00 an hour over min wage here.


Cool congrats. Hope they raise you to $15 an hour.


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