Had A Magical Vacation, But........

[Tiger Fan]

Disney requires that wheelchairs and ECV be loaded FIRST. There are several reasons for this - mainly it is for the safety of others that they do not want to risk any passengers being hit as the chair is loaded. You didn't mention in your post how the wheelchair bound person AND their family were the LAST to get off the bus (for the same safety reasons) and thus did not get ahead of anyone heading either back to the resort or to the park.

Please be careful not judge those that you know nothing about. I walk to and from my wheelchair all the time (and trust me I've heard tons of comments like those posted here, unfortunately the world is full of such rudeness). I promise you would not want the details of what I face daily. I posted my feelings on another thread about people like those who have posted here with such little courtesy or knowledge so I want repeat myself, but you are way out of line. Myke, thank you for your effort to educate. I only wish people with such negative and uninformed thoughts would listen
Lisa
Tiger Fan

Edited to add: maybe take a look at this thread - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=809688

 

[Forevryoung]

I think what Stinkerbell meant about the wheelchairs was not to be ignorant or to insult anyone in a wheelchair, but to say that she saw people who were in wheelchairs actually get up once on the bus and take a seat. I saw many, many people using wheelchairs and the motorized ones (I forget what they are called) when they did not need to be during my last stay at WDW. There were many instances where I saw merely lazy children riding around, or elder people using them because of all the walking required, not necessarily because they were not capable of walking. In those instances, I agree it could be frustrating, especially if you are waiting so long, if the person in the wheelchair is capable of walking. That is simply wrong to me.

I feel bad for you. You SAW merely lazy children riding around?? You KNOW that was the only reason older people use the ecv's and wheelchairs??

I know that 90% of those people (if not more) would give anything to be running around with wonderfully working bodies. I will be with a 10 year old with CP at WDW in three weeks and I know this is going to be one of those few times in her life where she doesnt have to stop and think about making it accessible, it already is. This goes back to the stroller issue (putting older kids in strollers), if it makes them happy and gives them a better day then it's worth it.

 

[bytheblood]

This entire thread is sad and quite heart-breaking. As I said before, I am so very thankful that I have the ability to move on my own two legs and that what pain I have, is minimal and has not kept me from living as I choose.

May God bless the people in the wheelchair, for whatever the reason.

 

[All Aboard]

I still find it hard to believe anyone would spend $30 to do that if they didn't need it but whatever.

While I agree with you, I've seen it way too many times. The worst abuse was a young couple (perhaps mid-20's) both dressed way too nicely for theme park touring (well, way too uncomfortably). She seemed rather embarrased by it, but he thought it was just hilarious - tooling around on his Epcot ECV. He pulled into the area near the exit of Ice Station Cool (aparently to "see what she could do.") In doing several figure 8's, he flipped it. But, he was able to jump off it and land perfectly, unscathed. Yeah, he really needs an ECV.

My take was, he saw them near the entrance, thought they were a "premium" item, and figured he wanted to get in on that action. So, off he went. Silly fools who can't afford one and had to WALK all day, indeed!

 

[DAWGPOUNDAJ]

I am sorry to hear about your poor experiences at Pop Century but I have to take issue with what you wrote here. I am trying to type what i am feeling about what you wrote but I have to be honest, these statements, in my opinion are ignorant and hurtful. Complaining about an extra 5min wait that gives someone with a disability access to the great place that is WDW to me is too much to me. You are not that person and you do not know what challenges they face. And as far as getting up and taking a seat, many times it is not safe for an individual to remain in their mobility device on a moving bus. I know that several of the ECV providers require the users to not sit in the ECV when on a bus. I would also say that not all disabilities are something you may be able to "see" easily.

And as far as it being "frustrating and a bummer "? Imagine how frustrating and hurtful it is to be the person who uses the wheelchair/ECV so that they can experience their vacations and day to day life and then has to hear people making ignorant comments about them and glaring at them because of the 5min it takes to get the wheelchair/ECV onto the bus. I say all these things as someone who has had to use a wheelchair/ECV and is "glad" to know that there are such "understanding" people out there.

I'll end this here and I am sorry if it comes off as a rant. I do not devalue your frustration and I know a long day in the parks is tiring to everyone. I just think that a little more acceptance and understanding on the part of many people in this world would go a long way.

Mike

Mike I definitely understand what you are saying, but I think the poster meant no offense, but was simply pointing out a question of why the wheelchair bound individuals could not wait in like with the rest of the people, who had been there, as they put it, for 2 hours. It sounds pretty frustrating from the poster's perspective as a generality, not like she was doubting their disability. I think the poster was just upset that families who had been there a long time had to wait longer, and as a member of a family who has a wheelchair bound member, I have to say even they have never understood why they got ushered to the front of the bus lines at WDW. Normally they insist on waiting in line simply b/c they feel it's unfair to cut in front of everyone else. They understand the jumping to the front of the line on park rides b/c they cannot fit through the ques, but as far as the buses go they have always been confused by the policy. I think it is perhaps done thoguh b/c it's, as you stated, hard to tell the extent of someone's disability by just looking at them. Hopefully that made sense.

 

[CherylWI]

Sorry you did not enjoy your stay at PC. My dh and I just returned from our visit (May 7 - 14) and were pleased. We stayed in the 50's on the 4th floor, so that may have made the difference in the noise level.

Our very first wait for a bus was a 15-20 minute wait to EPCOT and then waiting for 2 or 3 wheelchairs to be loaded. It made me sigh a bit; but then scolded myself for my inpatience and thanked God I can still walk. The rest of the week we had no more than a 10 minute wait for buses.

 

[Mykelogan]

Mike I definitely understand what you are saying, but I think the poster meant no offense, but was simply pointing out a question of why the wheelchair bound individuals could not wait in like with the rest of the people, who had been there, as they put it, for 2 hours. It sounds pretty frustrating from the poster's perspective as a generality, not like she was doubting their disability. I think the poster was just upset that families who had been there a long time had to wait longer, and as a member of a family who has a wheelchair bound member, I have to say even they have never understood why they got ushered to the front of the bus lines at WDW. Normally they insist on waiting in line simply b/c they feel it's unfair to cut in front of everyone else. They understand the jumping to the front of the line on park rides b/c they cannot fit through the ques, but as far as the buses go they have always been confused by the policy. I think it is perhaps done thoguh b/c it's, as you stated, hard to tell the extent of someone's disability by just looking at them. Hopefully that made sense.

I appreciate your response and I definitely agree that it is frustrating to see someone be able to move ahead in the busline. I will tell you that as a solo traveler I will usually wait at the back of the stop until I am sure that the people who were waiting before me could get on a bus. I will say though I disagree that this was the only problem the original poster had and I think you are not acknowledging what else was written. I will quote "It would take the bus driver about five minutes per wheelchair to get them loaded, strapped in and then we would watch in disbelief at these wheelchair bound people stand up and take a bus seat leaving their wheelchair empty and taking up a bus seat. " I am sorry but to me that is questioning/judging a situation that they are not privvy too.

I honestly have been debating whether I would respond to anything else on this thread. I do thank the understanding people that did post, which is most of the responders, yourself included DAWGPOUNDAJ. Like I said I appreciate your trying to help explain. I do however feel that I am not misinterpreting the sentiments expressed by several posters that involves more than being frustrated at waiting. We all can agree to disagree and that is fine by me. It is my strong belief that we all have the best intentions when we post but that sometimes we may not realize the feelings we may cause in others when they read what we post, and as the authors we are responsible for that. I know many will say "It's just a message board, chill out!" and I agree for the most part. I just know that as a person I would want to know if something I said or did affected another person whether I intended it to or not.

Thanks for listening!
Mike

 

[Yellow_Stitch]

The following is a true story. It happened the first week of May, 2005. We were waiting at the bus stop at ASM in the afternoon, on our way to MK for dinner at Liberty Tree. We were first in line with a few people behind us. A woman on a scooter (I use that term because most bus drivers do.) pulled up to the curb lined up with the back door area of the bus. No big deal. We never had any problems with the whole routine...until now. A horde of people, 15 to be precise, milled around the same area. Bus pulls up, about 15 minutes later, back door opens and half of them get on. The bus driver shooes them out and starts the scooter loading process. The bus leans, then rises, then leans, then rises. The bus driver goes to the front, fiddles with the controls. No luck. Tries the up and down routine for another 5 minutes. Tells the woman that the ramp won't extend and that he doesn't know why.

OK, mechanical things fail all the time. The driver tells her that he'll call another bus. At this point I figure he's been here 10 minutes so another bus is probaly 10 minutes away anyway, but he's just making sure. He fiddles AGAIN with the controls. No dice. The woman was very polite and told him she'd get a cab and told the rest of her group to go on. They agreed and we all loaded up. One guy in the group was an obnoxious loud-mouth moron. He was just running his mouth about everything under the sun, including his inconvenience, at full volume. He constantly belittled his nephews about turning into little girls because they didn'y play whatever sport he considered manly. The mother of said kids, either his sister or SIL finally had enough and told him to shut up and talk about a topic he knew something about.

As this is going on we were thinking we'd just make our PS time in MK, when the driver asks for attention.... 3 times before he has to yell for one of the large group to come to the front. One does and comes back to tell big mouth and the others that "due to the inconvenience, the bus would go straight to the contemporary so they could make their PS." Of course their PS was 20 minutes after ours. The family across from us was reserved at the Hoop-Dee-Doo at the same time as our PS. The father went to talk to the bus driver, but he wasn't obnoxious, so he got no consideration. They called the HDD and were told that they would not be able to switch to the later show since it was booked solid. They were not happy, but who cares about them.

The large group was dropped off in plenty of time for their meal (I hope big mouth choked on a chicken bone, not fatally, but enough to give him a scare!) (Just kidding...a little) "Unhappy family" ran off the bus at MK to get to the dock, but it didn't look good. We were mainly upset for them since our dinner was just a PS which turned out to be no problem. Now some may say that the Contemporary was not far from MK, but after the 20 minute delay at ASM which the rest of us suffered in silence, time was short. I thought of complaining to the driver, but I'm sure he was following his supervisior's orders so what would be the point.

The point of this is not to hassle the woman in the scooter-she was polite and understood that the driver tried his best. My complaint is with the able bodied group (mainly mega-mouth) around her which whined about her delay, which I might add was a delay for THE WHOLE BUS, in order to re route the bus. Wow I made myself mad again just thinking about it.

 

[lfama]

I feel bad for you. You SAW merely lazy children riding around?? You KNOW that was the only reason older people use the ecv's and wheelchairs??

No, really. For instance, while waiting about a half hour or so for It's Tough to Be a Bug, I saw an entire family (who were all walking perfectly fine at some point) keep switching off on an ECV(?). It was quite obvious that no one in the party really needed it, as the kids in the party were jumping around and seemed very active. I did not state that that was the only reason older people use them. I did come in to contact with a few people who used wheelchairs and EVC's for this reason, though. For instance, we were waiting in line for Indiana Jones, and an elderly man was using an EVC(?) as well and could not figure out how to use it, as he kept crashing. He eventually gave up and said he could walk and let his grandchildren - who definitely did not need it - ride around in it. Please think and read before you attack. Thank you.

 

[kellymouse]

I agree. We had a great time, but this is the sixth year in a row we have been in May, and I have to say that the bus service was really bad this year! I have never complained about this because it has always been soooo great, but this year we had to wait a lot, and we just felt like the buses made more stops, and were just slower. It was really a pain!

 

[sha_lyn]

you know lfama your ignorance is very annoying. Just because someone can walk around does not mean they don't need a wheel chair. They could have a lung disorder that causes them to tire very quickly. They could be a cancer patient on chemo etc. Not every person in a wheel chair is paralyzed and un able to move about.
Please get a heart before you accuse people of not thinking or reading.

 

[justhat]

The following is a true story. It happened the first week of May, 2005. We were waiting at the bus stop at ASM in the afternoon, on our way to MK for dinner at Liberty Tree. We were first in line with a few people behind us. A woman on a scooter (I use that term because most bus drivers do.) pulled up to the curb lined up with the back door area of the bus. No big deal. We never had any problems with the whole routine...until now. A horde of people, 15 to be precise, milled around the same area. Bus pulls up, about 15 minutes later, back door opens and half of them get on. The bus driver shooes them out and starts the scooter loading process. The bus leans, then rises, then leans, then rises. The bus driver goes to the front, fiddles with the controls. No luck. Tries the up and down routine for another 5 minutes. Tells the woman that the ramp won't extend and that he doesn't know why.

OK, mechanical things fail all the time. The driver tells her that he'll call another bus. At this point I figure he's been here 10 minutes so another bus is probaly 10 minutes away anyway, but he's just making sure. He fiddles AGAIN with the controls. No dice. The woman was very polite and told him she'd get a cab and told the rest of her group to go on. They agreed and we all loaded up. One guy in the group was an obnoxious loud-mouth moron. He was just running his mouth about everything under the sun, including his inconvenience, at full volume. He constantly belittled his nephews about turning into little girls because they didn'y play whatever sport he considered manly. The mother of said kids, either his sister or SIL finally had enough and told him to shut up and talk about a topic he knew something about.

As this is going on we were thinking we'd just make our PS time in MK, when the driver asks for attention.... 3 times before he has to yell for one of the large group to come to the front. One does and comes back to tell big mouth and the others that "due to the inconvenience, the bus would go straight to the contemporary so they could make their PS." Of course their PS was 20 minutes after ours. The family across from us was reserved at the Hoop-Dee-Doo at the same time as our PS. The father went to talk to the bus driver, but he wasn't obnoxious, so he got no consideration. They called the HDD and were told that they would not be able to switch to the later show since it was booked solid. They were not happy, but who cares about them.

The large group was dropped off in plenty of time for their meal (I hope big mouth choked on a chicken bone, not fatally, but enough to give him a scare!) (Just kidding...a little) "Unhappy family" ran off the bus at MK to get to the dock, but it didn't look good. We were mainly upset for them since our dinner was just a PS which turned out to be no problem. Now some may say that the Contemporary was not far from MK, but after the 20 minute delay at ASM which the rest of us suffered in silence, time was short. I thought of complaining to the driver, but I'm sure he was following his supervisior's orders so what would be the point.

The point of this is not to hassle the woman in the scooter-she was polite and understood that the driver tried his best. My complaint is with the able bodied group (mainly mega-mouth) around her which whined about her delay, which I might add was a delay for THE WHOLE BUS, in order to re route the bus. Wow I made myself mad again just thinking about it.

You made me mad just thinking about that too!!

A similar thing happened to us. No wheelchairs or ECVs involved, just some people who were late to an event at WWOS. We were leaving MGM and the bus to DTD also stopped at WWOS, but DTD was first. It took awhile for the bus to come, I guess we had just missed one, so we waited maybe about 25 minutes. Well some people started to loudly complain about missing their game at WWOS cause they waited so long for a bus, so finally the bus driver said he'd go there first. We had a PS at Fulton's but who cared about that. Not that the people going to WWOS couldn't have left MGM earlier. It was irritating cause we planned to get there early to have some time to walk around and browse the shops before dinner but now that was out. We actually ended up checking in for our PS around 10 minutes late. Not a huge deal, but certainly an inconvenience.

Oh, and we were sorta complaining to ourselves how we'd be late for our PS so others could get to their game by disrupting the bus route and some women next to us said our PS was not nearly as important and we should mind our own business. Yeah, nevermind that she's the one answering our personal conversation!

 

[Forevryoung]

No, really. For instance, while waiting about a half hour or so for It's Tough to Be a Bug, I saw an entire family (who were all walking perfectly fine at some point) keep switching off on an ECV(?). It was quite obvious that no one in the party really needed it, as the kids in the party were jumping around and seemed very active. I did not state that that was the only reason older people use them. I did come in to contact with a few people who used wheelchairs and EVC's for this reason, though. For instance, we were waiting in line for Indiana Jones, and an elderly man was using an EVC(?) as well and could not figure out how to use it, as he kept crashing. He eventually gave up and said he could walk and let his grandchildren - who definitely did not need it - ride around in it. Please think and read before you attack. Thank you.

I will only half appologize and I wasn't trying to attack you. Who cares why they use it??? If they are using one of the parks wheelchairs or ECV's then they aren't going to be taken onto the busses. If they are on the busses then they must really need them. Enjoy the fact that your family doesn't need one. They really slow you down. You do NOT get to go to the front of the line just because you have an ECV or wheelchair. You are in line with everyone else.

I will be going to Disney in 3 weeks with a 10 year old who will usually be riding a scooter. Sometimes she just gets tired of sitting so I will take her out and give her a piggyback ride or in a line I might let her "stand" and "walk" (she cant do either unaided). Does this mean that you will see her scooter empty? Definitely not, probably her sister will be driving it because how else is it supposed to move? She would do anything to trade spots with your children and I hope we do not encounter any of this resentment.

 

[Gymbomom]

I sympathize with people with disabilities. I see my own parents being there very soon.
But, I will say I understand where the OP is coming from.
I don't mind the time it takes to put a chair into the bus at all, but do not understand why they (and all their party) go first and bypass the lines.
If they are able to handle a day at the parks, surely they can wait in line for a bus.
I mean no disrespect by this, just my opinion.
I also have NO problem with people with disabilities getting in line for rides ahead of everyone, having special seating for parades. The world should help people out who are not able to experince life like the majority of us can.

 

[shellybaxter]

I could be wrong, but it was my understanding that not all Disney buses can accomodate all types of ECVs. I know I've read posts on the disabilities board saying the wheelchair guests and their families have waited through one or two buses until the "right kind" of bus came along to let them on. If this is the case, then I can see a case for letting wheelchair guests board first. I mean how fair would it be for them to "wait for the next bus" when the next bus and maybe even the one after that, wouldn't be able to take them??

Shelly

 

[Glenn]

I sometimes have really had it with scooters at disney. My last trip had alot delays both on busses & boats, not by the scooters themselves but by people that had no idea how to use them. I saw 1 woman several times who was great, on or off the buss in a matter of minutes, no problem with that. Another took 20 minutes trying to get it on the bus & locked. Ive also been bumped while standing still and seen someones foot run over because the driver wasnt paying attention. If someone needs a wc or scooter I have no problem with their needs just dont hurt someone with your driving.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I am sorry to hear about your poor experiences at Pop Century but I have to take issue with what you wrote here. I am trying to type what i am feeling about what you wrote but I have to be honest, these statements, in my opinion are ignorant and hurtful. Complaining about an extra 5min wait that gives someone with a disability access to the great place that is WDW to me is too much to me. You are not that person and you do not know what challenges they face. And as far as getting up and taking a seat, many times it is not safe for an individual to remain in their mobility device on a moving bus. I know that several of the ECV providers require the users to not sit in the ECV when on a bus. I would also say that not all disabilities are something you may be able to "see" easily.

And as far as it being "frustrating and a bummer "? Imagine how frustrating and hurtful it is to be the person who uses the wheelchair/ECV so that they can experience their vacations and day to day life and then has to hear people making ignorant comments about them and glaring at them because of the 5min it takes to get the wheelchair/ECV onto the bus. I say all these things as someone who has had to use a wheelchair/ECV and is "glad" to know that there are such "understanding" people out there.

I'll end this here and I am sorry if it comes off as a rant. I do not devalue your frustration and I know a long day in the parks is tiring to everyone. I just think that a little more acceptance and understanding on the part of many people in this world would go a long way.

Mike

Mike, thank you. You beat me to it.

While some bus drivers are quicker than others, sometimes it does take 5 minutes to get on and strapped in. I am a paraplegic, paralyzed from the waist down. I don't have a choice, I have a to use a wheelchair. I'm not going to be apologetic to those who are impatient in my boarding. I am a person, I paid to stay at the resorts just like you did, and I have a right to use the bus services. They offer an awesome service with those buses, IMO.

While I don't get out of my chair and "take up a regular bus seat" I find your comments offensive.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

This is pretty ignorant. Last time I was there I was in a wheel chair due to a severe injury. I felt bad that it took so long for the driver to secure my chair. Sorry you found this "irritating" , I would have glady traded places with you.

For goodness sake, don't feel bad. The buses are wheelchair accessible. There is not reason for you to feel bad.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I got the impression that Stinkerbell was more irritated that the people in wheelchairs(and I'm assuming the party of people with them), would just go to the front of the line without waiting in line like everyone else. I have seen this happen before. I have been with people in wheelchairs before and they would just go to the area by the front and wait(because they could not get their wheelchair through the "maze of bars") and the remaining people in the group would go through the line like everyone else. Then when it was our turn, they would get on the bus with us. Same thing with the rides.

I was always told to bypass the line and wait down on the other end so I would be visable to the bus driver, so he would know there was a wheelchair needing to board.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I have no problem with waiting with behind wheelchairs to load for long as it takes as long as they were ahead of me to begin with but I do think it is wrong for them to go straight to the front of the line, just because. Why should they not have to wait? That would seriously bug me. If it was because of a serious medical issue then by all means, go ahead, but if it was because they thought it was their right because they where in a wheelchair then "No Way" ( this isnt just about people in wc either, I 've had it happen with people not in chairs also!)

Again, I don't skip the line to be boarded first, I just go to a different part of the line. I don't care if you board me first or last, I just want to be visable to the driver when he/she arrives.