Buses

[Tiiiigergirl]

I think I remember reading about a change in the buses at the world but few people had any experience riding on them. Since it has been a while since this topic has been addressed does anyone who has been there recently have any info on travel in the buses especially with an ECV?

 

[lisapooh]

Most of the buses are still the old ones. The new ones should be a breeze with an ECV. Up the ramp on the ECV and then turn. The bus aisles are wider and easier to manuver. The ramp is steep at the theme parks but an ECV should have no problem although I would have one with my power chair.

 

[Tiiiigergirl]

Thanks Lisa. I can't remember is the door at the front or the back? And would you back on or drive forward? Also would you have to turn around on the bus? I'm also a little confused about why the ramp is steeper at the parks. I think I missed something.

 

[lisapooh]

Ramp is at the back. You would get on forward and then turn to the right as you enter the bus and back into the spot.
Ramp is steeper at the theme parks because there are no curbs and there is only so far that the bus kneels. With the curb it is only a slight incline but without it is quite a bit steeper.

 

[jusus3]

Hi. I was there last weak with my daughter whom uses a wheelchair and we used the new buses quite a few times. I really nlike them but I think they still have some kinks to work out. The promblem was getting the bus back up from the kneel possition. A couple of times we waited quite a while because they couldnt get the bus back up. I can understand that because I have a van with a kneel down and leave it off because many a time I couldnt get it back up and I was stuck. Im not sure if it is the bus, or the drivers just arent sure of it yet. I had one driver ask me to help him pick up her wheelchair into the bus because he didnt want to get stuck again. Thankfully these buses are lower so it wasnt a big deal. Hope this helps

 

[lisapooh]

One of the drivers told me that one problem with the buses that kneel is the lack of proper training and not all the trainers even know how to get the bus back up. They need to hold the release lever until they actually hear it release. Just hitting it will not work.

 

[Tiiiigergirl]

Thanks Lisa. That gives a little better picture. Last year was my first time using the bus system since before I had always just rented in the parks. The first time I felt so proud of my accomplishments and was all parked when the driver informed me that I was pointed the wrong way. Arrrrgh! when I bumped into him it was accident. I think.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

On the buses can more than 1 wheelchair go at a time? We will have 1 person in a wheelchair and a second renting a scooter from Walker(?) . It would be nice not to have to wait for 2 seperate busses.

Also what happens if you can not lift the chair onto the bus and the kneel down is not working? My guess is we wait for another bus.

Is it better to rent a car?

Thanks, you guys are the best helpers!

 

[Daisimae]

Yes, more than one WC or ECV can go on the bus at a time. Once when we were there last year there was me with the ECV and two WC's on at the same time.

I don't know about the kneeling busses. I didn't use them when we were there.

Daisimae ;-)

 

[lisapooh]

Only 2 wheelchair, ECVs or a combo of both can be used in the buses. Daisimae at least one of those wheelchairs had to be folded as there are only 2 tie downs

 

[SueM in MN]

I guess the best way to say it is only 2 occupied mobility devices (2 wheelchairs or ecvs, or one wheelchair and one ecv) can go on a bus at once. There MAY be able to be more, if the wheelchairs are folded up. There can never be more than 2 ecvs, because of there only being 2 tiedowns.

 

[Daisimae]

You are right. One of the WC's was folded.

Daisimae ;-)

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Thank-you all! I feel better knowing that there is a possibility that we can all go on the same bus.

 

[lisapooh]

Actually it is a good possibility. We have done the 3 ECVs a few times and rarely have been separate. Only once have I been refused when there was someone else on the bus already but this guy was huge and the wheelchair was oversized and there was no way a second chair could load with him already by the door.
Of course the driver could have thought a bit and not boarded him first but he didn't. So I waited another 40 minutes for a bus that was lift equipped. The route only had 1 bus lift equipped that day. The other was not. I was not a happy camper with a total of a 1 hour wait. I had just missed the previous bus but would have had to wait anyway as it was the one without a lift.