EVC size limitations on Disney buses??/ECVs on WDW transportation - merged thread

[bucky1023]

While reading the most recent AllEars newsletter I came across this in one sections...

"While there my mother rented a scooter from an outside vendor, the largest one they have. While there we were notified by several bus drivers that effective October 1, those type and sizes of scooters wouldn't be allowed on Disney transportation. My uncle works part time for Disney and he confirmed this information."

I was just wondering if anyone has any info on this. I am leaving with my mom on the 7th and renting a scooter from Scootarama but I just want to make sure she will be able to bring it onto the buses while we are there.

 

[KPeveler]

They are probably talking about the Dream scooter, which is larger than the ADA guidelines for a "standard wheelchair" and are therefore unable to fit safely in the spots on the buses.

Pretty much every scooter I have ever heard of except for this one will fit on the buses - anything smaller than 30 inches wide by 48 inches long.

 

[Tinker Bell Fan]

I read the same article and was wondering the same thing. We have our own scooter that DH needs to use and I hope we won't have problems boarding any of the Disney buses when we visit in April 2011.

 

[KPeveler]

I am pretty sure you will be fine. After a quick glance at the models, I do not see a single model of a Pride scooter that is larger than the guidelines. The only scooter I have ever heard of is the "Dream Scooter" which is very large. the only way to get it on the bus is to turn the front wheel at 90 degrees to the scooter (sideways) - there is really almost no way to park the scooter fully within the spot on the bus. Also, they are very difficult to fit on the lifts.

If you get pretty much any other scooter, you should be fine!

 

[bucky1023]

I LOVE this board!!! I knew I would have an answer in no time!!

Thanks for the quick responses and I'll post any info I can after my trip!!!

 

[senecabeach]

Leaving next week with my sister who needs a basic ecv @ Disney and I have rented one off site.

For the 3rd time in a month I have heard that :

We just returned on Saturday from a stay at Port Orleans. While there my mother rented a scooter from an outside vendor, the largest one they have. While there, we were notified by several bus drivers that effective October 1, those type and sizes of scooters wouldn't be allowed on Disney transportation. My uncle works part time for Disney and he confirmed this information.

Does anyone have any information on this ecv/transportation topic???

 

[peemagg]

I believe the dimensions for a ECV are 32x48. As long as she is getting a regular ECV (not some behemoth like the Dream scooter) she should be fine.

I know up in the FAQ's sticky at the start of the forum, there is the info in there about the buses and ECV's.

 

[goofy4wdw2]

Can ECVs go on boats? Is there any type of transportation in WDW that cannot accomodate an ECV? Heading down with my dad in 12 days--we've never gone with a scooter before. Thank you!

 

[SueM in MN]

There is more information about transportation at WDW in post #8 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread (with pictures).

There are some very small boats that go between the MK area resorts and MK. Those small boats require a step to get on and they are not wheelchair or ECV accessible.
It is also possible that the boats that go between Wilderness Lodge may not be accessible if the water level is very high or very low. That doesn't happen often and the boat captains do have ways to deal with that.
Other than that, all the boats, monorails and buses are accessible.

 

[goofy4wdw2]

Thank you! We are staying at Bay Lake Tower. Just to clarify, will can take the boat to Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness if the water level is ok? And it sounds like we can't take a boat to Grand Floridian? Thanks again!

 

[SueM in MN]

I am going to combine this with an another thread about transportation.

Post #4 of the disABILITIES FAQs has information about bus travel, including the information about the new size rules that a bus CM had posted earlier.
The size of the ECV must be no larger than 30"X48".

Most of the ECVs are smaller than that and won't be a problem. There are a couple of ECVs that are larger than that size - the only one I know for sure is larger is the Dream, which the rental company says is OK because the front wheel can turn to make it smaller (there is actually a link in post 4 of the disABILITIES FAQs to a past discussion of the new rule).

You can find the disABILITIES FAQs near the top of this board or follow the link in my signature.

PS - you could email or call the company your sister is renting from to find out the size. If it is smaller than the size listed above, it will not be a problem.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thank you! We are staying at Bay Lake Tower. Just to clarify, will can take the boat to Wilderness Lodge or Fort Wilderness if the water level is ok?

Yes.
They sometimes alternate the large boats with small ones, but you will be able to get there by boat.

And it sounds like we can't take a boat to Grand Floridian? Thanks again!

No, you won't be able to, but you can take the monorail right from the Contemporary to Grand Floridian.

To get to MK from Bay Lake Tower, you have the choice of the monorail or there is a very nice walking path that takes about 10 minutes to get to MK (faster than going into the building, taking the elevator to the monorail station and getting on the monorail).
The path is well marked and you will find the start of it near the bus stop - if you don't see the signs, just stay on the walkway under the monorail track.

 

[selina4disney]

According to this page http://www.thescooterstoreonline.com/celebrity-x-3-wheel.html the Celebrity X (the larger Celebrity model I rent from Randy's) is 46" long by 24" wide so a 30" wide scooter would be quite large. Seems most will fit. Thank goodness. I almost had a heart attack when I read this before I hunted down the measurements.

 

[cranbiz]

The statement is correct. In the new operational guidelines that go into effect on Oct. 1, the Dream scooter will not be allowed on Disney transport. The ECV must fit completely in the 30x48 space without turning the wheels to fit.

All drivers have been to the class and should be on the same page with this. I understand that Disney has met with the provider of the Dream scooters and informed them of this. The Dream scooters are NOT classified as a mobility device due to size and speed.

 

[KPeveler]

The statement is correct. In the new operational guidelines that go into effect on Oct. 1, the Dream scooter will not be allowed on Disney transport. The ECV must fit completely in the 30x48 space without turning the wheels to fit.

All drivers have been to the class and should be on the same page with this. I understand that Disney has met with the provider of the Dream scooters and informed them of this. The Dream scooters are NOT classified as a mobility device due to size and speed.

Yeah, I could not understand how turning a wheel would suddenly make it fit! there is no way to safely get it into the spot with the wheel needing to be at 90 degrees to the scooter!

I bet the Rental Company was not happy - They bought those specifically for Disney to be "in park" rentals!

 

[kimsuenew]

Any other regular rental ECV is fine though, correct? I use the largest one Walker has for rent. Our last trip was Fall, 2008 and I had no issues. We will be at WDW again in about 2 months and I need to get a rental in the works so I wanted to be sure! THANKS!

 

[cranbiz]

From what I have seen, the only scooter that will be affected by this will be the Dream scooter. The other scooters are classified as a mobility device and are manufactured to ADA standards.

Even the big tanks that the parks rent are less than 30 X 48.

 

[SueM in MN]

From what I have seen, the only scooter that will be affected by this will be the Dream scooter. The other scooters are classified as a mobility device and are manufactured to ADA standards.

Even the big tanks that the parks rent are less than 30 X 48.

Thank You, cranbiz


Those park rental scooters make the other rental scooters look small in comparison.
I have actually measured the park rental ones and they are less than 30 by 48 by quite a bit.

When the Dream Scooter first came out, I found the website of the company that actually makes the scooter (not the Orlando rental company). The manufacturing company at that time was promoting one model as a perfect scooter for use on buses and subways. Several months later, they removed that information from their website and are no longer promoting it as a mobility device, except for use where it does not need to be transported.

I HAVE seen some scooters where the rental company has added additional very large baskets compared to the ones that the scooter was originally manufactured with. Those might make the scooter larger than 48 inches long if the scooter is a longer one.
I have seen this one in the parks and also this one.
Both are listed as 43 inches long. The basket I have seen on them looks to be about 8 inches long, so with that, it may be larger than 48 inches long because the basket does stick out farther from the front than the wheel.

 

[SueM in MN]

There were 3 current threads, all about WDW transportation with ECVs.
Since all included new bus information about size of scooters allowed, I have merged all of the threads.

I would also like to point people to the sticky about bus transportation that KPeveler started on the top of the thread list on this board.

 

[kimsuenew]

From what I have seen, the only scooter that will be affected by this will be the Dream scooter. The other scooters are classified as a mobility device and are manufactured to ADA standards.

Even the big tanks that the parks rent are less than 30 X 48.

Thank you VERY much, this helped to put my mind at ease!