Let the flaming begin!

[rao363]

Not flaming, just asking.. What solution to this situation would you propose?

I couldn't agree with you more! I also witnessed this being done at Magic Kingdom..My family and I waited a good 45mins for each bus to come to/from the resort(we were staying at the animal kingdom lodge). We got in line just before the park closed and the line was already long. Finally when we were half way through the line, I assured my niece and nephew who were practically sleeping on the concrete that we would be on the next bus. sure enough the bus started to load and here comes someone in a scooter with atleast 10 family members. Right up to the front of the line they went, as I watched the bus driver make people either switch seats or stand up to accomodate the scooter and their family. I am sorry, but I think that if people are already on the bus sitting, their should be no reason why I have to get out of my seat(if I don't want to) Is their a law that says people on scooters cannot wait in line for the next bus??? But here is the best part, not only does each scooter take up 3-4 seats worth, but then, the people get off the scooter and take up yet another seat!


My suggestion for disney would either A. Have a "Scooter bus" to accomodate the disabled. B. Set some guildlines, If you want to get on this bus, then you can only bring 1 family member...not 50. If you choose to keep everyone together, then you wait in line like everyone else.

 

[It'sWDW4me]

I like the thought of 1 person waiting on the side with the person in the scooter/wc while the rest of their party waits in the regular bus line. Usually, you can tell when you're close enough to the front that you'll definitely be getting on the next bus. When the rest of the party is in definite "next bus" territory in line, I'm all for the scooter/wc be loaded first with their party guaranteed to be on that bus - sitting or standing. This may also cut down on the renting of scooters simply for front-of-the-bus-line access.

 

[puggymom]

I normally avoid these threads, but wanted to mention that last Saturday night (the same night the monorails were down) at park closing time I saw a CM direct a woman in a scooter and her family to go in the regular bus line for AKL. The rows were wide enough for the scooter to manuever. THey had multiple busses showing up and double parking the busses. They directed her to the one closest to the line when she got to the front and directed the rest of us to the bus on the outside to not interfere with loading the scooter. It was very orderly and was fair to everyone.

 

[Px4]

When we went a few years ago, my FIL ended up having to rent a scooter. To many years spent bent over and crawling in the mines had shot his back and legs to the point he can't walk for long periods of time standing up straight. But anyways, he is a proud man and tried his best to walk, so when he did finally give in to getting a scooter it was a big bruise to his ego. We didn't know the rules with the scooters and buses - Keep in mind, we had stayed at Shades of Green for years and usually drove ourselves, so we didn't really experience scooters or pay attention when we did. Never looked into it, never thought we would need to. So on the first morning that we actually had one at the hotel, we went to catch the bus and were waiting in line like everyone else. The bus driver came up to him and asked him and his party to come with him. My FIL told them that there were other people there before us and the bus driver said they have to board scooters first. That its the rules (not sure if its a law) and its due to safety concerns. And the same rule applies when unloading. They get off last. And most people were already in the parks or hotel by time we were finally off the bus.

So when it comes to scooters boarding first, remember, it is not the person riding. They are not trying to skip line. It is Disneys rules.

 

[jfranklyn]

This happened to us daily on our recent trip. The part that really bothers me is that the entire party gets to board ahead of everyone else. I would be completely fine with the person in the scooter/wheelchair and ONE family member getting priority loading. The rest of the family needs to wait in line. I even said to my husband last week "Why does it seem that everyone in a scooter is travelling in a party of 15?!"

 

[LilyWDW]

It is not really Disney who gets to make all the decisions... there are laws that have to be followed as well.

It is also safer and easier for the ECV driver to get on an empty or nearly empty bus. Both for themselves and for others. As such, having them outside the queue makes it easier for the drivers to see them and get them on before the bus is too full. If they didn't do it that way, then we would see people complaining about nearly being run over by an ECV trying to load.

It is also unsafe to sit on an ECV while it is tied down. They are asked to take an additional seat for safety purposes. There are also signage on the buses (just like many city buses) that say that people in those seats may have to move to accommodate those in need.

I do agree, however, on them needing to limit the number of people who load with the ECV or wheelchair. One other adult and any minor children should be allowed to board... but there is no reason that the whole of a larger party would need to.

Besides the buses, most ride queues are mainstreamed and those in ECVs or wheelchairs wait with everyone else. For those rides where it is NOT mainstreamed, they are taken on a different way. However, this can actually lead to a LONGER wait depending on if the person can transfer or not and how busy the ride is (you can only have X number of people with needs on the ride at one time due to evacuation procedures and safety).

 

[Hannathy]

No flames from me, I agree 100%. It is ridiculous. If they have to be loaded first then all that needs happen is the bus driver get off the bus when they pull in and if he sees on in the line within the number of people that will fit that load THEN he pulls them out and loads them. I also think it should only be 1 to accompany them unless the 1 left to wait would be a child.

As far as I know GACs aren't applicable to the buses so that person pulled a fast one and that driver should not have allowed it.

As far as the first on last off argument, so what you are still where you want to be a lot faster than I am standing 20 minutes away waiting on the next bus. They don't make you sit there waiting till the next bus pulls in.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

1. It is much easier to load a wheelchair or ECV when the bus is empty than when there are already people on the bus.

2. The person in the wheelchair is the last one off the bus.

 

[Kona65]

Not flaming, just asking.. What solution to this situation would you propose?

I think the best solution would be for the people that are with the person(s) on the scooter or in a wheelchair, should have to wait in line and board at the front of the bus like everyone else. Maybe one person could board with the handicap person, but not anymore.

 

[katrina1122]

A person in a scooter or wheelchair is already sitting down. Yes, they have mobility issues, and it's tough to get around the parks. However, here they are, sitting down, and no more or less in a rush than the other people around them to get to wherever the bus/monorail/whatever is going. Why do they need priority for transportation?

That last is a real question, not a rhetorical device. I'd really like to know why it's needed. And the inconvenience/hardship of being in a scooter in the first place is not really a reason, any more than having an infant in a stroller, a toddler on a leash, and a 5 year old in tow is a reason.

I can understand keeping a party together, though. But if you're at the back of the line and your party won't all fit onto the bus, then you wait for the next one where you're at the front of the line.

Just because someone is seated doesn't mean they aren't in pain. My dad could only be in his wheelchair for so many hours before he'd have to lay down to take pressure off his spine. YOu don't know if someone is ok or not. When we went with him in '99 there wasn't a priority load for wheelchairs onto buses. We waited as 6 buses filled up with people or passed by full before I had to get on the steps of a bus and refuse to get off until the bus driver sent us a bus with a lift and allowed my dad on first at that point. Not only was he in pain, but his battery was running low and we couldn't afford to just sit and keep waiting.

 

[PoohsFan1]

I agree with what the OP and others are saying...there should be a Policy or something that says that either a) the person on the scooter gets on the bus right away but with one other adult to help them load and unload and then the rest of the party has to wait in line with everyone else, or b) the person on the scooter waits off to the side while the rest of the family is waiting in line to load.

 

[thptrek]

One Scooter per bus, one guest with the scooter.

Not to hijack the thread by why are scooters built to go so fast? Their top speed should be limited to a slow walking speed. This would greatly help to reduce the number of scooter drivers plowing into people.

 

[MareSINY]

I always find these threads funny because 9 out of 10 times people are complaining about scooters and not wheelchairs. Is that because people assume if you're riding a scooter you aren't really disabled or that you're just being lazy or trying to get around the system?

My dad used a scooter when we went on vacations to DW, usually he just rented one in the parks but on the last trip we took with him we were staying on site and I rented him one for the week (he wasn't happy about it at first but soon realized I had the right idea.) We were embarassed to get on the bus before everyone else because we felt like we were cutting the line. We also saw the dirty looks we were receiving from people which made us even more uncomfortable about the situation. On a few occassions we actually split up so that we wouldn't all be "cutting the line." One day we were heading to DTD and because the lines were so long we split up, sent my dad and BIL on the bus while myself, my sister and 2 nieces waited for the next bus. When we got to DTD we couldn't find my dad and BIL. Turns out that they were trapped on their bus. The lift broke and they couldn't get my dads chair off the bus. It took a good 45 minutes before they were freed from the bus and able to catch up with us. This was when we realized why they try to keep families together, incase of problems, etc. the entire group is together.

Also, as PP's said, for safety reasons it's best to load the scooters before you load other passengers on the buses. Since they don't want to penalize visitors in scooters for being in scooters they are allowed to board with their party.

Lets all be grateful that we're healthy and not in need of scooters and wheelchairs instead of complaining about people getting on a bus before you. I can honestly understand being tired and frustrated when all these people get to board before you, but I've also seen it from the other side and know that it's not all fun and games.

My dad died less than a month after that trip to DW. I'm glad I had gotten him the scooter to make him more comfortable and I'm not sorry if anyone was not happy that we boarded a bus before they did.

 

[brunette8706]

Wait in line like everyone else?

*
Took the words RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH! This would solve everything.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

I honestly couldn't agree with you more OP. Disney should make special buses for them and their families. I'm thinking their own bus line to and from parks and resorts. That way they can still stay together but not hold up everyone else.

 

[brunette8706]

At Disney's California Adventure, all the new rides allow scooters to wait in the line with everyone else. They don't need a separate loading space.

There are some people, though, with certain disabilities that can't wait in line, and I'm good with them skipping the line and going straight to loading.

*
HI! If they "can't" wait in line, how do they wait in lines at WDW?

 

[lustergirl]

I always find these threads funny because 9 out of 10 times people are complaining about scooters and not wheelchairs. Is that because people assume if you're riding a scooter you aren't really disabled or that you're just being lazy or trying to get around the system?

My dad used a scooter when we went on vacations to DW, usually he just rented one in the parks but on the last trip we took with him we were staying on site and I rented him one for the week (he wasn't happy about it at first but soon realized I had the right idea.) We were embarassed to get on the bus before everyone else because we felt like we were cutting the line. We also saw the dirty looks we were receiving from people which made us even more uncomfortable about the situation. On a few occassions we actually split up so that we wouldn't all be "cutting the line." One day we were heading to DTD and because the lines were so long we split up, sent my dad and BIL on the bus while myself, my sister and 2 nieces waited for the next bus. When we got to DTD we couldn't find my dad and BIL. Turns out that they were trapped on their bus. The lift broke and they couldn't get my dads chair off the bus. It took a good 45 minutes before they were freed from the bus and able to catch up with us. This was when we realized why they try to keep families together, incase of problems, etc. the entire group is together.

Also, as PP's said, for safety reasons it's best to load the scooters before you load other passengers on the buses. Since they don't want to penalize visitors in scooters for being in scooters they are allowed to board with their party.

Lets all be grateful that we're healthy and not in need of scooters and wheelchairs instead of complaining about people getting on a bus before you. I can honestly understand being tired and frustrated when all these people get to board before you, but I've also seen it from the other side and know that it's not all fun and games.

My dad died less than a month after that trip to DW. I'm glad I had gotten him the scooter to make him more comfortable and I'm not sorry if anyone was not happy that we boarded a bus before they did.

Sorry to hear about your dad. I agree with your post. I would care less what other people think if I am the one using the ecv or if I was one member of the family with one user. We are guests just like everyone. This goes a long ways towards the entitlement issue and everyone trying to be first to do everything and god forbid someone else's family gets to the designated park before mines. Give it a break people. Be grateful that you don't have to use an ECV and get on with your lives and enjoy your trip!!!

 

[katrina1122]

I honestly couldn't agree with you more OP. Disney should make special buses for them and their families. I'm thinking their own bus line to and from parks and resorts. That way they can still stay together but not hold up everyone else.

Gee that's not typecasting or ostricizing anyone is it?

 

[It'sWDW4me]

*
HI! If they "can't" wait in line, how do they wait in lines at WDW?

I've seen it disputed, but GACs are usually front-of-the-line passes. Usually, people with a GAC "cant'" wait in lines and so get to wait in a seperate area which usually turns into a FOTL entry.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

We just returned from a 6 day trip on Tuesday and had a fabulous time, but I MUST speak my peace about the Bus/Scooters priority loading policy that is currently in place ( and yes I know there is a million threads on this topic)

First let me state that under no circumstances do I have an issues with the use of scooters. Whether you are disabled, have an injury etc....that's not my concern and believe that it's a fantastic solution allowing thousands of guests to tour the parks without discomfort.

What I do have an issue with is the loading policy. Why should I wait 15+ minutes with literally 100 people behind me (yes we were leaving MK after closing) have the bus pull up to the curb, then just as we are set to load, 2 scooters with over 10 family members "scoot" up, are loaded up, and with the loss of 6-8 seats due to the storage of their scooters, take up 25% of the seats?

I fully support the Priority seating policy when a guest requires my seat ( I gave mine up many times last week to elderly and/or parents holding kids) but 100% disagree with the "Hey I'm here with my scooter, immediate family, extended family, my good friends and a few next door neighbors and are bumping/cutting in front of the line."

So there - now I feel better, and as my post thread title states - Let the flaming begin!

I also agree with OP and really don't have any other solutions either. I also question why (and I'm assuming because of the way many queues are too winding and narrow for scooter navigation) those in scooters don't have to wait in ride lines either and get to be loaded right away?

Like OP, I also don't have any issues with the use of scooters or with those who use them, I just question the fairness to all. [/QUOTE

Ok so on the flip side for those of you who had never had the unfortunate need to use a scooter or wheel chair....I travel to WDW and my Mom has to use a scooter. She has had knee surgeries and though she can get up out of the scooter and walk for a bit it is only for short distances and standing for more than10-15 minutes can become difficult. I can tell you that she would trade that scooter for the ability to walk and stand pain free. In our experiences, yes there are times when we have been loaded either our whole party or part of our party, ahead of others in line. We have faced snide remarks and chants of unfairness. When we get on the bus with my mom, the rest of us stand while the others in line take a seat on the bus. We have had people getting on the bus complain about how we got to get on before they did (9 times out of 10 we have been waiting just as long as they have if not longer) while they take the seats we made sure not to take so they could sit. When we get to the destination those same people are the FIRST ones off the bus because now we have to wait for the driver to unload the scooter. So now all those poor people who thought it was so unfair we got on the bus and stood (exepting Mom of course) are off on their way into the parks or on their way back to their rooms. We might have been first on but we are always last off.

I can also tell you from many trips to WDW with Mom using an ECV we have had to wait many times far longer than those in line. Busses will pull up. Empty if needed and people in line having seen us waiting for the bus with the ECV will rush the door and get on the bus. The bus driver then says I'm sorry I'll send another bus. We have waited many times (and this had happened to us often) anywhere from 30 minutes to TWO hours to be allowed on another bus. I am not exaggerating here. Our personal experience is that we time our arrivals at bus stops so we are not arriving in a crowd therefore it is rare for people in the line to have waited longer to get on a bus than we have. We have done this due to our experiences of having to wait because the bus was loaded not allowing room for the ECV.

As far as ECVs in attraction lines we have not found that having a GAC has decreased our wait time as many able bodied people think, In fact most often we are waiting longer than we would have had we been able to follow the regular que.

So like I said on the flipside, be thankful that you have an able body it is no treat having to navigate the parks the buses etc with and ecv. Be thankful you do not have the need to. I know mom would rather wait in the bus line on her two feet while and ECV was loaded than having to be the one on the ECV.