Disney Magical Express with Power Chair

[connolly14620]

We will be taking our first trip to Disney World next June with our son who will have a new Power Wheel Chair. Can we still use the Disney Magical Express option? Will they be able to load and carry his Power Wheel Chair on the bus, or do we need to rent a special equipped van to carry the Power Wheel Chair?

John

 

[Cheshire Figment]

They will be able to handle it. Many of the buses have lifts.

Make sure they are aware of this with your reservation, and when you get to the check in desk at MCO be sure to remind them. This way they will make sure that a lift-equipped bus is used to get you to your Resort.

 

[SueM in MN]

We will be taking our first trip to Disney World next June with our son who will have a new Power Wheel Chair. Can we still use the Disney Magical Express option? Will they be able to load and carry his Power Wheel Chair on the bus, or do we need to rent a special equipped van to carry the Power Wheel Chair?

John

Not every DME bus is wheelchair accessible, so you may have to wait a bit longer, but you can use the DME bus with a power wheelchair.
Mention you need a lift bus when you make your reservation and also when you check in for your bus.

Here's a picture of the lift in its top position:

Several rows of bus seats near that rear door actually push forward to make room for a wheelchair. They have wheelchair tiedowns to attach the wheelchair to the bus. If your son's wheelchair has a transport option, you are all set because they are usually well marked. If it doesn't, make sure you know where tie downs can be attached.

 

[connolly14620]

Cheshire & Sue -

Thank you very much for this information!

John

 

[clkelley]

Also to ensure you have a lift equipped bus for the trip back TO the airport do the following:

Tell them you need a lift bus when you make your reservations.

When you get to the airport, remind them you need a lift bus and that you need a 4-hour pickup instead of a 3-hour pickup.

When you get your DME time information under your door the day before you go home, call them and remind them you need a lift bus and make sure you are scheduled for a 4-hour pickup instead of a 3-hour pickup.

Be at your designated DME spot 15 minutes before your 4-hour pickup time. When a bus without a lift shows up, then you have plenty of time to fuss at them to get you a bus with a lift or to dispatch an accesible taxi.

 

[pugdog]

I second what Carol said. The last 2 times they have messed up and did not send a lift bus for the return to MCO. If we had the extra hour we would have been fine.

 

[connolly14620]

Also to ensure you have a lift equipped bus for the trip back TO the airport do the following:

Tell them you need a lift bus when you make your reservations.

When you get to the airport, remind them you need a lift bus and that you need a 4-hour pickup instead of a 3-hour pickup.

When you get your DME time information under your door the day before you go home, call them and remind them you need a lift bus and make sure you are scheduled for a 4-hour pickup instead of a 3-hour pickup.

Be at your designated DME spot 15 minutes before your 4-hour pickup time. When a bus without a lift shows up, then you have plenty of time to fuss at them to get you a bus with a lift or to dispatch an accesible taxi.

Carol & Pugdog -

Thank you for this helpful advice!

John

 

[SueM in MN]

We have never had a problem on 4 trips with the regular pick up time, but agree that asking for an earlier time would be helpful to allow some 'wiggle room' in case the bus sent doesn't have a lift or something is not working. It's better to get to the airport a little early than too late.

One thing to be aware though, the time they give you is not the pick up time. It is the leaving the resort time.
The bus is scheduled to be all loaded and leave the resort at the time. They tell you to be there at least 15 minutes before the time they give you - we usually make sure we are there a good 1/2 hour before. While we've been waiting, we've seen/heard a lot of people who missed their bus because they thought 8:15 meant "we can get there sometime between 8:15 and 8:30".