"Speed"

In the movie "Speed," a bus is rigged with a bomb that will explode if it goes below 50 mph. The bus weaves dangerously in and out of traffic. This movie comes to mind every time I see an American Coach bus. Some of the drivers make you wonder if you are going to get off the bus alive.

Disney World uses its own bus system to transport guests to Orlando's international airport plus everywhere on Disney property. The College Program, however, employs a bus company to transport CP's to and from work, restaurants and Wal-Mart. This company is American Coach. They are not owned by Disney so they can hire less than desirable people to drive the buses.

The American Coach bus system in theory serves an excellent purpose. They provide free transportation for College Program castmembers who neither brought their own vehicle nor have friends who did. If at all possible, BRING YOUR OWN VEHICLE! The buses are free but they are also late, overcrowded and time consuming.

If you do not have your own vehicle, you must put up with the hassle of waiting for the American Coach buses late at night when you get off work. Full time castmembers joke that "CP" stands for "close park." You believe it when you see over one hundred CP's waiting to catch a bus home at the end of the day.

The buses are on a schedule and come through approximately every 15 to 20 minutes. They fill up quick. One night there were so many CP's trying to ride the bus that I watched three different buses fill up and drive away before I was finally able to get on.

American Coach is somewhat of a joke among Disney castmembers. They are their own company hired by Disney to transport CP's to and from their apartments. Since they are not owned by Disney, they can hire less than desirable people to drive the buses. Disney's transportation castmembers do not get along with them.

At the Magic Kingdom, every castmember has to take a short bus trip from the parking lot (West Clock) to the opening of the Utilidor (better known as the Tunnels). The American Coach buses drop CP's off at West Clock, at the pick up spot of the "VIP Castmember" bus.

 
The full- and part time castmembers groan when they see the American Coach bus pull in and release the crowd of CP's that makes its way over to the VIP bus. It makes for one crowded bus ride.

So if you are planning on becoming a College Program castmember and want to increase your speed, bring your own vehicle. You will get where you are going quicker and with less headaches.