Electric Wheelchair loaded AFTER passengers

[Disfan60]

Old Key West Resort 7/7
10:03 am
Bus 5081
Driver Jamie- allowed all passengers to load before my husband in a electric wheelchair.
He never asked if we were taking the bus We had to tell him!
Ignorant driver!
That was so dangerous

 

[gap2368]

Old Key West Resort 7/7
10:03 am
Bus 5081
Driver Jamie- allowed all passengers to load before my husband in a electric wheelchair.
He never asked if we were taking the bus We had to tell him!
Ignorant driver!
That was so dangerous

You should email Disney if you do not like what a CM did or did not do. Here will do nothing unless you need to vent. Witch I understand

 

[Disfan60]

I will be reporting him! Just to let people in Wheel chairs know- bus drivers don’t always report recognize the disability of others- or the challenges that someone in a wheelchair faces getting on a loaded bus- people in seats near wheelchair space were nearly hit. He didn’t even ask them to move and they were far to self absorbed to realize the dangerous situation.
It’s hard enough for my husband to be in the wheelchair- he didn’t need the added stress due to a poorly trained driver.

 

[Selket]

At resorts with multiple bus stops I've been loaded in after people had already boarded from other stops. Not sure that's what happened for you. I'm actually pretty good at parking on the bus and rarely need help but when people are sitting everywhere but the square where I'm supposed to park - well it's impossible to do without bumping someone. I let the driver park it. It's a different situation with a power chair though - sorry that happened to you. I would rather the driver call in another bus. Too bad they can't call a complimentary Minnie Van for you when they mess up like that.

 

[kaytieeldr]

You should email Disney if you do not like what a CM did or did not do. Here will do nothing unless you need to vent. Witch I understand

Why wait? Guessing they just arrived recently, if still onsite, go talk to an OKW Manager. Today. Follow up with an email, sure.

OP - in the future when waiting for a bus anywhere without individual lines (so, anywhere except the Value resorts), nod your head and wave at the driver as the bus approaches. If it's not your bus, shake your head. If you don't think the driver saw your signals, talk to him/her ASAP.

Especially places like OKW, where giests wait for all what? Six? Seven? Different bus routes in a single spot, drivers need some indication we want to board that bus..

 

[gap2368]

Why wait? Guessing they just arrived recently, if still onsite, go talk to an OKW Manager. Today. Follow up with an email, sure.

OP - in the future when waiting for a bus anywhere without individual lines (so, anywhere except the Value resorts), nod your head and wave at the driver as the bus approaches. If it's not your bus, shake your head. If you don't think the driver saw your signals, talk to him/her ASAP.

Especially places like OKW, where giests wait for all what? Six? Seven? Different bus routes in a single spot, drivers need some indication we want to board that bus..

I was not thinking thst they were still there but yes if they are still there they can take to someone at the resort. Also we have no idea the detail behind what happens

 

[Disfan60]

Why wait? Guessing they just arrived recently, if still onsite, go talk to an OKW Manager. Today. Follow up with an email, sure.

OP - in the future when waiting for a bus anywhere without individual lines (so, anywhere except the Value resorts), nod your head and wave at the driver as the bus approaches. If it's not your bus, shake your head. If you don't think the driver saw your signals, talk to him/her ASAP.

Especially places like OKW, where giests wait for all what? Six? Seven? Different bus routes in a single spot, drivers need some indication we want to board that bus..

We come regularly- we know the drill- and not at a value hotel!
The bus drivers ALWAYS ask before allowing people on the bus.
There was NOBODY on the bus until he let them all on. Never did he ask!
2 other bus drivers got up off their derrière and asked if we were using their bus!
This was a young ignorant driver who obviously failed his lessons when being trained- 3 time in 7 months to Disney- we do know the protocol.
We know which buses to use- what stops are the most convenient for my husband- he absolutely hates using the wheelchair or the buses because of the ignorance of others.
He goes with the flow- won’t say a word.

 

[seashoreCM]

Could your husband take his time and be careful and get it right getting into the wheelchair square all while keeping a straight face?

Or did the driver perform the maneuvering with your husband's help?

The driver has to attach the belts and straps so the bus will remain stopped until your husband is secure.

 

[Allison]

Wow. Why call the other guests names?

 

[kaytieeldr]

We come regularly- we know the drill- and not at a value hotel!

Yes, I understand OKW is not a value resort. Value resorts are, though, the only ones with individual queues for each destination - which lets the driver know as the bus approaches whether there are any mobility device guests boarding THAT bus.

The bus drivers ALWAYS ask before allowing people on the bus.

When the guest is proactive in indicating their desire for a specific bus, the driver doesn't have to ask. I will have to take your word.

 

[DisneyOma]

Old Key West Resort 7/7
10:03 am
Bus 5081
Driver Jamie- allowed all passengers to load before my husband in a electric wheelchair.
He never asked if we were taking the bus We had to tell him!
Ignorant driver!
That was so dangerous

I will be reporting him! Just to let people in Wheel chairs know- bus drivers don’t always report recognize the disability of others- or the challenges that someone in a wheelchair faces getting on a loaded bus- people in seats near wheelchair space were nearly hit. He didn’t even ask them to move and they were far to self absorbed to realize the dangerous situation.
It’s hard enough for my husband to be in the wheelchair- he didn’t need the added stress due to a poorly trained driver.

We come regularly- we know the drill- and not at a value hotel!
The bus drivers ALWAYS ask before allowing people on the bus.
There was NOBODY on the bus until he let them all on. Never did he ask!
2 other bus drivers got up off their derrière and asked if we were using their bus!
This was a young ignorant driver who obviously failed his lessons when being trained- 3 time in 7 months to Disney- we do know the protocol.
We know which buses to use- what stops are the most convenient for my husband- he absolutely hates using the wheelchair or the buses because of the ignorance of others.
He goes with the flow- won’t say a word.

But what happened after you let the bus driver know you were waiting for the bus? Did you post that somewhere and I'm just not seeing it? Did you get on the bus? Did you have to wait until another bus came?

Oh wait - I see you did get on the bus.

 

[Bjkandma]

Please take the time to stop at front desk of resort today. Tell them you want to speak or report an incident with the bus. If they can't right then,someone from transportation will definitely call you, If you leave phone number.

One question, was your husband at the handicap loading area BEFORE the bus arrived. If you were arriving same time as bus, they are not required to load you on that bus. We've run several times to catch the bus, and we were not loaded because we arrived at the handicap spot After the bus. The bus drivers have acknowledged us waiting with a nod when pulling up. If we are in the designated area when they pull up.

 

[CJN]

.....when waiting for a bus anywhere without individual lines (so, anywhere except the Value resorts), nod your head and wave at the driver as the bus approaches. If it's not your bus, shake your head. If you don't think the driver saw your signals, talk to him/her ASAP.

Can’t stress enough how much easier this can make life.

 

[mamabunny]

OP, I'm really sorry you are so angry about this.

There's a LOT of folks here who are either in chairs/mobility devices full time, or who have a loved one who is, so a LOT of us deal with the bus drivers - and getting on/off the buses - just like you and your hubby do.

In fact, it's probably one of the biggest topics of concern for Guests who find that they have to use a mobility device at WDW on their next trip. There have been *pages* written on the subject here - including telling folks to make sure they are in the white box on the ground (or in line behind the person in the box) and signaling the driver as the bus arrives and before passengers get on.

I'm just here to say this: Probably 99 times out of 100 when I ride a bus at WDW, I have zero problems with the driver. That one time is typically at the end of the day, when the driver is in a multi-stop Resort and forgets to let us off, which usually results in some hollering from the middle of the bus before he pulls away from the stop!

We have had drivers - and this happens to us more at the Theme Parks during the middle of the day, or at Disney Springs - who will have already loaded ambulatory passengers, and then we roll up before they depart, and so they shuffle around some folks on the inside, I roll on, and away we go. That's happened more times than I can remember.

I'm not defending the driver - because I wasn't there to see for myself what happened. But I have seen drivers load mobility devices after other Guests when they have arrived after regular boarding began. And I have seen drivers do this not once, but twice on one bus when people with wheels arrived at two different times before the bus was scheduled to leave.

And I have also seen drivers tell folks who roll up after the bus is loaded that they will have to wait for the next bus. I've been that person! LOL I don't really mind, because these days we can just call a Minnie Van, or... in 20 minutes (or less) another bus will be along to the same destination. We always double our transportation time when planning bus transport at WDW, simply because we know that if more than 2 mobility device users need to go to the same place, someone is going to be left on the curb waiting.

Anyway, all of this is to say: What you experienced was not that far outside the norm, especially during busy season at WDW. I know it was unexpected for you, but it does happen, and more often than you have experienced in the past.

I am at WDW an average of 3 times per year as well - and we tend to stay between 7 & 10 days at a time, so I spend a *lot* of time dealing with Disney bus drivers. I doubt very seriously that the young man acted with any ill intent or malice in his heart specifically towards y'all. I don't know why it happened, but it's over; please don't let it be the defining memory of your vacation - I hope the rest of your time there is as Magical as it can be!

 

[Lilsia]

I think that I would give the bus driver the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he didn't see you for some reason. And I have been on the bus many times when they have loaded an ECV or wheelchair with others on board already. This happens a lot at the resorts with numerous bus stops.

 

[MikeOhio]

Mistakes happen and you really seem to be expressing serious anger at the driver and even guests. I’m sure you and/or your husband have made mistakes at work. Try to be a little more understanding

 

[dizneefan13]

We just got back from WDW and found way too many drivers who didn't know how to deal with ECVs. These were Disney Springs resort drivers, we didn't stay on property. One driver told me to put on the brake??? When I told him the ECV didn't have a brake, he argued with me. Most of our rides were on the big buses with the cargo area underneath like you take from MCO. One driver loaded the ECV and didn't put it back in gear, so it rolled around in the compartment and banged the front basket connector so bad it bent and we had a helluva time getting the basket back on. When taking the bus one morning, the driver got out and when he figured out he had to load the cart, he said "Oh Boy" shaking his head. My daughter explained how he should do it. I would say our luck with drivers was 50/50. Some were very good, helpful and considerate.
One night leaving a park, a worker was there with a clip board from Mears and asked some questions. So we were able to voice our concerns in person. One the plus side, the buses were mostly on time, except once we waited an hour. The Mears rep made a comment how the bus service was "always on time" and I told her she was wrong.
I think they must be having a hard time keeping good drivers because too many of them appeared to be new and not really suited for a driver/customer service job.

 

[kaytieeldr]

We just got back from WDW and found way too many drivers who didn't know how to deal with ECVs. These were Disney Springs resort drivers, we didn't stay on property.

While it's regrettable you had so many negative issues, this might be a good point to interject that the HPB buses are not provided by Disney, not are those bus drivers employed by Disney.
Q

One the plus side, the buses were mostly on time, except once we waited an hour. The Mears rep made a comment how the bus service was "always on time" and I told her she was wrong.

Those buses do run on a fixed schedule, either 30 or 60 minute intervals. It's entirely possible for you both to be right: the buses are never late, but one failed completely.

I think they must be having a hard time keeping good drivers because too many of them appeared to be new and not really suited for a driver/customer service job.

Again, "they" in this case is Mears, not Disney.

 

[dizneefan13]

I made it very clear that this was Mears.

 

[Simba's Girl]

I'm sorry you're so upset OP. Perhaps it was an oversight. I doubt that it was done intentionally. People aren't perfect. I would not let this be your hill to die on this vacation. Your husband seems like he's let it go, I hope you can too.