Buses with a wheelchair and a service dog.

[Stag]

I'm trying to plan a trip for 2013 or 14, and we're definitely staying on property. My question is, I'm a wheelchair user (rigid, so I can't just fold it up and transfer to a regular bus seat or anything) and I also have a large breed service dog. How would the buses handle that? Is it best for us to put our trip off a year later so we're old enough to get a rental car so we don't have to deal with the bus system? Is it going to be complicated to get me, my chair, and my dog on the bus and settled - and if we end up getting on it, is it going to be dangerous? I don't want to risk my dog's safety in any way, but I've never done Disney with a SD before. I know how it works with ECVs and my friend will be in one of those, but for various reasons, I can't use them so that's not an option.

Thanks!

 

[SueM in MN]

First - since you can't fold your wheelchair, a car will probably not help much. My daughter has a Quickie wheelchair with a rigid frame. In order to get it into a car trunk, we usually have to pop off at least one of the wheels, take off the seat cushion and back and then somehow make all those pieces fit in the trunk. If your friend also has an ECV, that would be another thing to take apart and get into the car.

Wheelchairs are generally not folded on the buses - they are fastened down with tiedown straps on the floor of the bus. People who fold the chair are usually those with very plain rental wheelchairs. Folded chairs need to be help on the bus, so that would not work for you anyway.
Wheelchairs and ECVs load and unload from the back of the bus, at a ramp that the driver puts down so you can roll in and out. The dog will be able to walk up the ramp easily.

Here's what I would suggest (my daughter has a service dog, but has not brought him to WDW, so those with experience might suggest something else).

Have your friend with the ECV load onto the bus first. Once the driver has gotten her ECV attached down, send the dog in to her and have her hold onto the dog while you get in. It is recommended that guests with 3 wheeled ECVs transfer to a bus seat because the ECV will be much more stable on the bus without anyone on it.

You may want to practice sending the dog to her before you go and also after she has gotten the ECV. Those things should not be a problem for a service dog, but they are strange and added the sights and sounds of using a bus and ramp to what is going on, it would probably make your dog more comfortable to have some pieces of the process familiar.

It will take a few minutes for the driver to attach the tiedown straps to your wheelchair and fasten it down. If you don't have a transport option with installed tiedown loops on your chair, it will be faster if you can figure out safe tiedown points (strong frame pieces, not anything bolted or attached on). Colored duct tape or ribbon works well to mark. Then you can tell the driver he/she can attach anywhere they see the tape or ribbon.
Your friend should hold the dog while your chair is being fastened down, then you can call the dog back to you to settle close to you.

When getting off the bus, you would get off first and then call the dog down to you before your friend gets off.

A couple of other things to be aware of -
WDW still has some older buses with lifts, although these are being phased out. You do not want to use those, so if that kind of bus shows up, just let the driver know that you need a bus with a ramp and to please call for one.

There are attractions where Service Dogs are not allowed. For those, you will have to provide someone to hold the dog for you while you ride. If it's just you and your friend, you will need to trade off riding and holding the dog. Those attractions are listed in the regular park maps, plus there are special park maps for guests with disabilities that have more information.

 

[Stag]

It only takes me a couple seconds to breakdown my chair - pop off the wheels, fold down the back, and pop it in the backseat - but I didn't think about fitting it in a car with an ECV as well. We were going to be looking at an SUV, if that helps.

But... we probably won't need to, since you've given me such perfect step by step instructions and I can picture how it works now. This makes it much easier, thank you!

 

[peemagg]

Another thought that if you are willing, just for the ride to and from the parks, is to leave your dog with your friend. There is usually room under the seats on the buses (especially the newer ones) that your service dog could probably fit under. This way they would be more out of the flow of people coming on and going off the bus, and if it a standing room only bus, then they aren't going to be injured by someone falling into them or stepping on them.