Getting on bus with wheelchair

[hbridges]

HI,
My nephew will be in a walking cast at Disney, but we are still going to push him in a wheelchair for the most part. Does anyone know if Disney will let us fold up the wheelchair and keep it with us on the bus and monorail, or do we have to wait for the ramps and special buses that will accomodate wheelchairs? What about the boat transporation? We will be at the Poly.
Thanks for any help you can give us!

 

[SueM in MN]

Welcome to disABILITIES.

Monorails: All the monorails have a car that will accomidate a wheelchair (an extra wide door and a car with space to park the wheelchair). The monorail transportation CMs will direct you to the correct car and bring a portable ramp out (you may not need the ramp, but the CMs are pretty qucik with whipping it out for use). The are also good about spotting people traveling in wheelchairs and you should not have to wait any longer than normal. Once he's on the monorail, he can ride in the wheelchair or get out and sit in a seat.

Buses: Almost 100% of the buses have either a lift or a ramp for people using wheelchairs to board the bus, so you don't have to wait for a special one. They won't allow you to carry the folded wheelchair up the steps (it's too heavy and bulky to do that safely) and it would be easier for your nephew to ride the wheelchair up the ramp or lift than to try to negotiate the steps in a cast (and possibly crutches). Once he is on the bus, he can sit in the wheelchair or on a bus seat. The wheelchair can't be folded on the bus; it will need to be attached to the bus by the driver with the tie down system on the bus.

Boats: For the boats, they do have portable ramps, but you don't necessarily have to wait for one to be put out. Your nephew could get out of the wheelchair and walk onto the boat. Then you can lift the wheelchair on. Your nephew could either sit in the wheelchair or you can fold it (or leave it open if there is room).

You didn't say whether or not you will be bring a wheelchair or how old your nephew is. You might want to rent from one of the off-site medical equipment companies, especially if he is small and not likely to fit well in an adult size chair. Here are some of the companies that DIS posters have used:
Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/

Walker Mobility:
1-888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html

And here's a link to the DIS page about touring with mobility disabilities .

 

[hbridges]

Thanks so much. That was great info!