Has anyone fallen backwards in their wheelchair while boarding a WDW bus?

[Annam26]

I went to WDW for the first time ever las June. It was a great trip!

However we had a few problems. One of them was with the buses. We stayed
for five days, and took the bus every day to the park and back to the hotel.

At first I liked the buses with the ramps best because they are less complicated to board. Just roll in and out the ramp. (btw, before I forget, I use a manual wheelchair).

Well, once while boarding (or getting off? sorry the details are fuzzy )
facing forward, I fell backwards. One of my sisters was helping me, and she couldn't avoid letting me fall. Well, we thought facing forward was the wrong way to go, so we started doing it backwards. My other sister was helping me and guess what......I fell backwards again (this happened on different days)

Thank goodness I didn't hurt myself, but needless to say I felt quite embarrassed both times

Well, after believing that last year's trip was a once in a lifetime deal, there's a chance - a pretty good chance that we may go again to WDW!!!

But I don't want to fall again! I go to WDW to be entertained, NOT to be the entertainment!

Any tips on how best get on/off the buses?

 

[Talking Hands]

You didn't say what type of wheelchair. How to enter the bus depends on the wheelchair and the type of bus so we'll need more information to help you

 

[Annam26]

Thank you Talking Hands for replying.

I mentioned that it was a manual wheelchair. It's just a regular manual wheelchair, I don't know what more details to add.

And if I remember well, there were only two kind of buses at WDW. The ones witha lift, and the others which use a ramp (newer buses?) I fell both times in the ones with the ramp.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I find this so odd. I use a manual wheelchair and have had to board backwards many times, my husband helping. I guess I'm not understanding just how you fell out of your wheelchair.

 

[Andrew Bichard]

once while boarding (or getting off? sorry the details are fuzzy )
facing forward, I fell backwards. backwards. ....I fell backwards again (this happened on different days)

Any tips on how best get on/off the buses?

If your manual chair is anything like mine, it is a fully adjustable lightweight design where you can set the position of the main wheels backwards or forwards to suit and has optional anti-tip wheels.

If I set my main wheels towards the front, I could set my chair up so that I could balance on two wheels with the front castors hanging in the air. Move the main wheels towards the back and the chair is much more stable, much less likely to tip, but less manoeverable & harder to self-propel.

You are always vulnerable on slopes & ramps even with the main wheels positioned for stability. If your sisters haven't the strength to keep you from falling backwards, maybe you should put back your anti-tip wheels!

Andrew

 

[SueM in MN]

You are always vulnerable on slopes & ramps even with the main wheels positioned for stability. If your sisters haven't the strength to keep you from falling backwards, maybe you should put back your anti-tip wheels!

Andrew

agreeing with what Andrew said.
If you have antipper wheels (a set of very little wheels at the back of your wheelchair), set them down so that your wheelchair can rest on them if it tips back.
I know that sometimes when wheelchairs are ordered, antitippers are considered an option. If they were not on your chair originally, they are an option you want to get. (Personally, I don't think they should be optional - they are really important for safety in situations like this.)

If you look in the disABILITIES FAQs thread, I think there is a link in the part about buses that shows bus pictures and links to some other threads about boarding buses.

 

[justplaingoofy]

I was in Disney a couple years ago and saw something that stuck with me

My dad is in a wheel chair (manual & electric) so I always keep an eye on when we travel to check for accessability. My dad was not with us, this was a guest that we did not know.

One day the busdriver was loading a wheel chair with a guest on it, and he fell back and hit his head.. really hard! We could hear his head hit the ground from where we were standing. I felt sooo badly for him and his family.

There was another bus that was loading be behind this bus and saw what was going on. He came running over and there was a guest that happened to be an M.D. that went over to help. They called the ambulance and said they were going to transport him. Disney sent another bus for us and kept apologizing... (no apology to us was necessary)..to this day I still think about that gentleman.

He was boarding the bus as if do go right in because when he fell back he fell out of the bus hitting his head on the pavement. Sorry to sound like such a bummer i am only sharing this to make others aware that it has happened, and to be careful...

 

[scroot]

What a nightmare.

We have had to remove our anti tip wheels because we have to pop up to many curbs both at home and while traveling. DW won't have them.

I just keep a firm grip and pray.

 

[Annam26]

I find this so odd. I use a manual wheelchair and have had to board backwards many times, my husband helping. I guess I'm not understanding just how you fell out of your wheelchair.

I didn't fall out. I fell backwards, but didn't fall out the chair.

And it's a pretty sure bet that your husband is stronger than either of my sisters. I don't know how it happened, but it happened.

If your manual chair is anything like mine, it is a fully adjustable lightweight design where you can set the position of the main wheels backwards or forwards to suit and has optional anti-tip wheels.

If I set my main wheels towards the front, I could set my chair up so that I could balance on two wheels with the front castors hanging in the air. Move the main wheels towards the back and the chair is much more stable, much less likely to tip, but less manoeverable & harder to self-propel.

You are always vulnerable on slopes & ramps even with the main wheels positioned for stability. If your sisters haven't the strength to keep you from falling backwards, maybe you should put back your anti-tip wheels!

Andrew, that sounds like a nice chair. My wheelchair is pretty simple. No anti-tip wheels. Thanks for the tip

If you have antipper wheels (a set of very little wheels at the back of your wheelchair), set them down so that your wheelchair can rest on them if it tips back.
I know that sometimes when wheelchairs are ordered, antitippers are considered an option. If they were not on your chair originally, they are an option you want to get. (Personally, I don't think they should be optional - they are really important for safety in situations like this.)

Yes, anything that is a safety device should be standard.

If you look in the disABILITIES FAQs thread, I think there is a link in the part about buses that shows bus pictures and links to some other threads about boarding buses.

Thanks!

I was in Disney a couple years ago and saw something that stuck with me

My dad is in a wheel chair (manual & electric) so I always keep an eye on when we travel to check for accessability. My dad was not with us, this was a guest that we did not know.

One day the busdriver was loading a wheel chair with a guest on it, and he fell back and hit his head.. really hard! We could hear his head hit the ground from where we were standing. I felt sooo badly for him and his family.

There was another bus that was loading be behind this bus and saw what was going on. He came running over and there was a guest that happened to be an M.D. that went over to help. They called the ambulance and said they were going to transport him. Disney sent another bus for us and kept apologizing... (no apology to us was necessary)..to this day I still think about that gentleman.

That's awful! I hope he got better ans was able to enjoy the rest of his vacation

He was boarding the bus as if do go right in because when he fell back he fell out of the bus hitting his head on the pavement. Sorry to sound like such a bummer i am only sharing this to make others aware that it has happened, and to be careful...

Thanks for sharing your story, justplaingoofy. Everyone should be aware of the risk, and that yes, it happens.

What a nightmare.

We have had to remove our anti tip wheels because we have to pop up to many curbs both at home and while traveling. DW won't have them.

I just keep a firm grip and pray.

Maybe they should just have kept the lifts on the buses. This is better for everyone, I think.

And what about people who are alone, or traveling with someone not strong enough for the ramp? I know this does not happen to often, but it could happen.

In the trip we're planning now, there is a day when my sisters will be busy (attending a wedding). I was thinking that my mom and I could take a bus to go to Epcot while they are at the wedding, but now I'm seeing that she and I can't "just take a bus". There's no way my mom can help me get into one of those buses with a ramp.....we would never risk it.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Maybe they should just have kept the lifts on the buses. This is better for everyone, I think.

No, no, a HUNDRED times no!! The ramp buses are awesome. On our last trip, every bus we got onto that had a lift had troubles when landing on eneven ground. With a ramp, no problems whatsoever.

I totally misread your OP. I didn't catch the tipping backwards part. Just saw that you had fallen.

 

[Talking Hands]

Maybe they should just have kept the lifts on the buses. This is better for everyone, I think.
And what about people who are alone, or traveling with someone not strong enough for the ramp? I know this does not happen to often, but it could happen.

A thousand times no! I have had far more trouble with the lift ramps than the ramped buses. I use a power wheelchair and enter the bus going forward on the ramp and have not had a bit of a problem except if it is wet.
I often travel without a companion and have not had problems with the ramp on the buses.
Make sure you do not have too much on the back of your chair as it messes up the balance as well.

 

[Annam26]

Ok, no lifts...it was just a thought

 

[MarieS]

Can I ask how steep the ramps are on the buses? We won't have our accessible van on our next trip and planned to use the busses. My boys have manual chairs. Thanks!

 

[Talking Hands]

They are standard ramps. Not particularly steep as the buses kneel before deploying them. Sometimes if the driver doesn't kneel before deploying there can be a problem but I believe with the new Gilly's they always kneel before deploying. It was a problem with the old Nova ramps especially leaving Animal Kingdom. Like the Gilly's the best.

 

[SueM in MN]

Make sure you do not have too much on the back of your chair as it messes up the balance as well.

A heavy backpack on the back of a wheelchair can make it very unstable (enough that when my DD gets out of her wheelchair, it can tip back onto the antitippers).

There are some links with bus pictures in the disABILITIES FAQs thread, post #4.

 

[mousermerf]

Wow, I'm really suprised. I've spent a considerable amount of time when I was a CM in the park pushing wc's up and down narrow little ramps (anyone been on Universe of Energy lately?) and I never figured there would be problems with bus ramps.

They're so.. flat. Isn't the standard for accessible rise on a slope like 1 to 2 (hence, 1ft rise for every 2ft distance)? And those bus ramps seem very "un" steep.

And doesn't the bus driver have to guide the guest up? Guest weren't allowed to navigate ramps in attractions without a host/hostess.

I spent several hours a day moving folks up and down ramps, and I've never known anyone to actually fall to the point of being on the ground. Wheels have slipped off the ramp, chairs have rolled back, but to my knowledge no one ever ended up on the floor, because the CM took the brunt of the weight and corrected or held the person until another CM could assist to correct the situation.

Are the bus drivers not as extensively trained?

 

[SueM in MN]

Wow, I'm really suprised. I've spent a considerable amount of time when I was a CM in the park pushing wc's up and down narrow little ramps (anyone been on Universe of Energy lately?) and I never figured there would be problems with bus ramps.

They're so.. flat. Isn't the standard for accessible rise on a slope like 1 to 2 (hence, 1ft rise for every 2ft distance)? And those bus ramps seem very "un" steep.

You are correct, the bus ramps are very "unsteep". I think because of that, and because they are worrying about all the other people waiting to get onto the bus, people are not always as watchful of bus ramps as they should be.
They seem to be no steeper to me than an average curb cut, and people don't normally fall when going up those.

And doesn't the bus driver have to guide the guest up? Guest weren't allowed to navigate ramps in attractions without a host/hostess.

I spent several hours a day moving folks up and down ramps, and I've never known anyone to actually fall to the point of being on the ground. Wheels have slipped off the ramp, chairs have rolled back, but to my knowledge no one ever ended up on the floor, because the CM took the brunt of the weight and corrected or held the person until another CM could assist to correct the situation.

Are the bus drivers not as extensively trained?

The bus drivers don't push wheelchairs up the bus ramps like the CMs at the rides do. It is up to the person using the wheelchair and/or one of their party to get onto the lift or up the ramp. The bus driver's responsibility is to operate the ramp/lift and to do the tiedown of the wheelchair or ECV. It is the guest's responsibility to get themselves into position to do that.

One of the possible things I can see happening is that some guests are expecting either the CM or another member of their party to help, but no one does. I also think falling from the ramp is probably very rare. If it happened frequently, there would be a rule that bus drivers had to manouver the wheelchair up the ramp.

 

[Annam26]

But are the bus drivers forbidden to help anyone board the bus?

If I asked one for help, could he push me up/down the ramp?

 

[Andrew Bichard]

But are the bus drivers forbidden to help anyone board the bus?

If I asked one for help, could he push me up/down the ramp?

My understanding is that drivers are forbidden to help. If I had to guess, I would say it's probably due to Disney's public liability insurance.

However, I am sure someone in the line would help, especially if they didn't want to be delayed as well! I have always found fellow guests at Disney very friendly and helpful.

Andrew

 

[Annam26]

However, I am sure someone in the line would help, especially if they didn't want to be delayed as well! I have always found fellow guests at Disney very friendly and helpful.

Andrew

Good idea, Andrew. I'm actually very shy, but if I want to go anywhere when it's only my mom and I going I'll need to ask someone for help.

Thanks for the tip!