Don’t Crowd Doorways and Exits (Unless You’re Happy to Get Off First)

This is mostly an issue on the Monorail, but it can be useful in other instances as well. For whatever reason, one of our favorite places to gather on public transportation is in the doorways and exits of the vehicles. On the monorail in particular, you can stay clear of most people trying to get seats and you get a great view of the passing scenery. And, generally, they can be a pretty decent spot to stand, with a nice railing to hold onto and everything.

But, when the monorail gets to the station stop, you’d better be prepared to get out of the way of anyone getting off.

Nothing is more frustrating than squeezing through a large group that’s blocking the exit of the monorail while you’re just trying to get to your 6:45 dinner reservation at California Grill. Inevitably, you end up having to push past them, initiating an uncomfortable moment everyone will have wished they could avoid.

So, if you want to stand in the doorway or exit of a vehicle, that’s totally fine! Just make sure to step out of the way to let anyone off and on who needs it.

Give Up Your Seat For Anyone Who Needs It More Than You (But Don’t Judge Anyone Who Didn’t)

This is, of course, the golden rule of public transportation, and it’s one I’m sure everyone is familiar with. If you’re feeling good and in good health, give up your seat to anyone who seems like they might need it more than you, be they elderly or a small child, injured or exhausted. Kindness is a type of currency at Walt Disney World, and showing some to a fellow guest will come back to you someday, somehow. That’s part of the game.

But the second part of this rule is, I think, just as important.

Not all difficulties are visible, and furthermore, a day at the Disney Parks is enough to run even the toughest and most physically fit into the ground. Just because someone looks to you like they might not need a seat on the bus, that doesn’t mean you have all the information. So, yes, it’s important to always give up your seat to someone more in need, but respect others enough to trust that they’re able to make the same calculation of need that you are.

Ultimately, public transportation etiquette is mostly about having respect for each other and for the system itself. It’s a small miracle that Disney is able to move the sheer number of people through its property that it does, and the fact that it does so for free is unbelievable. The least we can do is treat each other well while we ride.