Handicapped taxi?

[bgula]

My mom is confined to a wheelchair because of a stroke. If we wanted to get her off-property for shopping, meals, etc., who would we contact for a handicapped taxi or the like? Would this be done thru the front desk at the resort? Would anyone know the rough cost of such a venture?

 

[Camster0307]

I believe most of the taxi services have handicapped vans (I know Mears does) - the concierge should be able to help you with that.

We don't leave the property but, one year, we missed our ME back to the airport and the concierge at the BWV got us a wheelchair accessible taxi. The trip to the airport, I believe, was around $40. The cost for you would depend on the distance you travel - just like any other taxi.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Mears actually runs most of the taxi services in the area. My understanding is they have six lift equipped minivans. They are only allowed to charge the standard metered taxicab fees, which in Orlando are very high ($2.00 for the first 2/8 mile, then 25¢ per additional 1/8 mile). However, they may require reservations due to lack of availability.

Check out www.mearstransportation.com or call (407) 423-5566 for more assistance.

 

[Andrew Bichard]

If we wanted to get her off-property for shopping, meals, etc., who would we contact for a handicapped taxi or the like? Would this be done thru the front desk at the resort? Would anyone know the rough cost of such a venture?

OK, you have touched a raw nerve with me!!!

I ride a power wheelchair and I cannot transfer tothe seat of a taxi.

For me, there are only four ways offsite:

1) A wheelchair Taxi - more of that later...

2) Mears Wheelchair van - Mears run excursions to Seaword & Universal with a wheelchair acessible van, picking up at Disney resorts.

3) Lynx (Orlando public bus service) fully wheelchair acessible. Picks up at Ticket & Transportation Centre (Routes 50 and 56) Route 50 also stops at the Cirque end of Downtown Disney. Route 50 goes to Orlando Central bus depot via Seaworld, where you could change to I-drive trolley to get to various shopping centres (though I haven't done that). Route 56 gous out along 192 to Oceala passing various small malls and one Super Wallmart.

4) If your mom has a power wheelchair, she will be able to ride out to the Crossroads shopping centre. Take a Disney Bus to Downtown Marketplace, then sidewalk all the way. Goodings Supermarket plus a few shops & fast-food restaurants.

Now for Taxis!!!!

Yes, there are (in theory) wheelchair taxis operating around Disney. They have a lift up tailgate and fold-down rear seat, so you can ride right in with your chair or ECV.

However, unless things have changed since my last visit just over a year ago, there are not many of them. I have used them on three of my trips. Bell services call for one and I wait, ...and wait... and wait...

Two hours later (I am not exaggerating), one shows up. I go shopping at Publix. Driver says it is best he wait for me (with meter running) as I might not get one back. Apparently, the taxi company only has three adapted wheelchair taxis. All three will be on the road for park opening & closing, but in the middle of the day, some or all of them might be off the road while the driver rests. At various times, drivers have told me 'the taxi company has three more on order', what they may not tell you is that when they are delivered, the three high mileage ones will be taken off the road - they are replacements, not additions to the fleet.

The best way to get a wheelchair taxi is to ignore the dispatcher. Phone the drivers direct on their mobile - preferably a day or two ahead - to arrange a pick up.

I can give you list of phone numbers that I have collected over the past few trips. Please send me a private message and I will give you my list of numbers.

Andrew

PS. I have just seen Cheshire Figment's reply. His information might be more up-to date than mine. My last trip was September/October 2006. At that time there were only three wheelchair adapted vehicles in Mears' taxi fleet, though they also had several adapted vans in their bus fleet.

 

[bgula]

Thanks for the info!

 

[mrmagicmph]

When we were there in October 2007, there were only 3 Mears handicapped taxis. Also, if you have the valet desk (at the Deluxe resorts) order you a cab in advance, if they tell you "Oh, it's not a problem, the day shift can order it about 20 minutes before you want to go"... DO NOT BELIEVE THEM! Tell them to check the book, it has the number, and that they should call at least many hours in advance.

The handicapped equipped cabs are most often found OUTSIDE of WDW, at the airport, etc, so takes quite a while for them at times to get to your resort, unless it is reserved well in advance.

Enjoy the Magic!

 

[Andrew Bichard]

When we were there in October 2007, there were only 3 Mears handicapped taxis.

So there are no more now, than there were during my last trip in 2006.

if they tell you "Oh, it's not a problem, the day shift can order it about 20 minutes before you want to go"... DO NOT BELIEVE THEM!

The problem is with the Mears Taxi dispatcher, not Disney - I suspect that the dispatcher puts out the radio call for a wheelchair taxi, then move on to the next call, without following up if no-one accepts the call.

Last trip, my wife dislocated her hip and had to be taken to hospital by ambulance. I couldn't ride with her, so the manager at the Boardwalk said he would get me a taxi. I waited & waited in the lobby with disney chasing the cab company. Eventually Disney gave up and called out a wheelchair van from their own pool of vehicles to get me out to Celebration hospital. There was no problem for getting a cab to return later that night. - I assume all the wheelchair cabs were on property, waiting for park closing.

The handicapped equipped cabs are most often found OUTSIDE of WDW, at the airport, etc

a few years ago, I took a cab to Publix, but didn't ask it to wait. I called for a cab when I finished shopping and waited... and waited... and waited calling the cab company (Yellow Cabs run by Mears) every 20 minutes. When the cab turned up he said he had been working out the other side of Winter Haven when he heard the first call over his radio and after the second or third call, decided to drive in to collect me, a drive of 40 minutes.

The truth is, that Yellow Cabs operate strictly within the letter of the ADA laws, not within the spirit. Simply stated, they have far too few wheelchair cabs on the road.

Disney could do something about this, but chooses not to. Disney grants Yellow Cabs (Mears) an exclusive right to operate on Disney property. All Disney has to say to them is 'double the number of wheelchair taxis in the area or lose your exclusive rights'.

Rant over

Andrew

 

[pugdog]

OK I am down here right now and the taxi's are not as bad as Andrew last said. Mears now has 18 wheelchair taxi's. We called dispatch each time and they would not tell us how long it would be but it was 30-45 minutes wait each time. We have used them about a dozen times now without any major problems.
The most expensive ride so far was from the Marriot World, which is next to WDW, to a restaurant near Universal that cost us $25 each way.