How easy (or difficult) is it to get ECV on bus or monorail?

[Minniekins]

We will be arriving in WDW early Saturday afternoon. I have used an ECV last year, renting from the parks. Will need to use again this year, but finally decided to save money and go with an offsite company. I am renting from Walker and hope all goes well! The reason it took me a while to decide to go offsite and cheaper, is the prospect of having to use the buses and the monorail with the ECV. I'm hoping it's not too difficult to maneuver onto the bus or the monorail. There are only two of us, myself and my DD23, so not lots of extra people trying to board with me at least! I know so many post such negative experiences, an I don't want to be embarrassed or overwhelmed trying to drive onto the bus or monorail. Feeling very self conscious about it, lol.

I have driven them before, so not worried at all about the regular driving. Plus, what I've read says the 3 wheeled scooters are much easier to drive than the bigger 4 wheeled disney ecv's, so that's cool. Besides being in people's way or taking their time, one concern is I'm not sure where to go to wait for the bus. I'll hang back and wait for a bus so I can be first in line so as not to make others feel like I'm cutting in front of them. Do I then wait at front of people line or over near the bus back door area where there is a spot for ecv's? Whatever to be as unobtrusive as possible. Usually, we'll be leaving parks very late so hopefully crowds will be lower, they usually are when we leave. We are at Beach Club, so plan to monorail over to MK during the day, probably early afternoons. Hoping maybe the monorails are easier than the buses?

Getting to Epcot and Dhs will be easy if I drive over since we are at Beach Club, so that is nice! Not sure about the boat over to Dhs. On the last day of our trip we have to transfer over to Okw as we added a day! (Get to try it for our trip next year so that works!). We want to try to get to Downtown Disney on Monday, our last day. I think we can either drive the Ecv over or there is also a boat between Okw and DD? Has anyone either taken the boat over with an Ecv or driven over? Is driving over to DD from Okw about the same as the drive from BC to Dhs? I thought maybe driving would be easiest and then the timing of when we can leave will be up to us.

So, can anyone help with any of these questions? I do see there is a positive bus experience thread down the page so I will go read that! Thanks for any who can help!

 

[Betty Rohrer]

you should do fine with both buses and monorails. biggest suggestion I can give you is to take your time and do not try to rush loading on either. the more you try to hurry the longer it will take. do not plan to stay on ECV on the buses as I have always been made to take a seat for safety reasons

 

[retired and happy]

We have children in wheelchairs and whenever possible, we go to the outside of the chain near the white box on the ground. This box, by the way, is there to measure the size of your chair to see if it fits on the bus. Occasionally a CM comes along and puts us behind the chain, but separate from the "regular" people waiting, and this is also near the "box" so the driver can see us as he/she approaches. This has worked for us for many years. Only once or twice have we been told to wait in the "regular" line. Then the bus is full before the wheelchairs get to the front and the driver has to make people move, or tell us to wait for the next bus.

The ECV is a good choice when needed and will afford you much more comfort in the parks and elsewhere. And we don't worry too much about holding other people up while we are loading. We are usually more concerned about our children, who are also there to enjoy the vacation. We use the transportation as it was intended to be used, and if we're first-on, we'll be last off, so it all balances out.

Have a great trip. I know we will!

 

[peemagg]

ECV's on the monorail is easy. You drive straight up a ramp and into the car. You back out when you get off.

Buses are a bit trickier but doable. Just go slow and take your time and you will do fine.

If it were up to me I would take the boat from OKW over to DTD. It is a nice ride and easy to load and unload. It can be quite a hike to there from the resort and back.

 

[disney david]

Their a walking path to Dhs so you won't have to rake the boat if you don't want to. As others said please don't feel like you have to rush to load you take your time. You have load safely and the driver has to load you safely so please take your time and load. Don't worry about others they are not important only ones who are important is you and your family. You have every right to load at your speed and make sure you get in and off safely.

 

[ny3boys]

We have children in wheelchairs and whenever possible, we go to the outside of the chain near the white box on the ground. This box, by the way, is there to measure the size of your chair to see if it fits on the bus. Occasionally a CM comes along and puts us behind the chain, but separate from the "regular" people waiting, and this is also near the "box" so the driver can see us as he/she approaches. This has worked for us for many years. Only once or twice have we been told to wait in the "regular" line. Then the bus is full before the wheelchairs get to the front and the driver has to make people move, or tell us to wait for the next bus.

The ECV is a good choice when needed and will afford you much more comfort in the parks and elsewhere. And we don't worry too much about holding other people up while we are loading. We are usually more concerned about our children, who are also there to enjoy the vacation. We use the transportation as it was intended to be used, and if we're first-on, we'll be last off, so it all balances out.

Have a great trip. I know we will!

We never cared much about how long it took an ECV or wheelchair to load, as long as they had waited their turn in the line like everyone else. I believe you are supposed to wait in the regular line until you get to the chain, then you go through the chain and wait for the next bus. That is how most of the people we saw did it. Those that go along the front right to to that white box are cutting the entire line, including cutting in front of other scooters/wheelchairs that are already in line. ECVs and wheelchairs do get loaded on the bus first, but that doesn't mean they are supposed to cut in line to get on a bus ahead of others who have already been waiting for a while.

Once we stood in line after Epcot (not even at park closing mind you) and one bus came, picked up some people and was full, so we stood with a group of others to catch the next one- including a family that had a "stoller as a wheelchair" with an obviously disabled child in it. Right as it came around two larger groups of people with ECVs ran straight from the walkway up to the wheelchair loading spot- those 2 parties got on and the bus was full, so the entire group of us had to wait for a 3rd bus while they never waited at all. I don't think that is the intention of the system, and I am sure that MOST people don't abuse it like that.

 

[stitchlovestink]

We never cared much about how long it took an ECV or wheelchair to load, as long as they had waited their turn in the line like everyone else. I believe you are supposed to wait in the regular line until you get to the chain, then you go through the chain and wait for the next bus. That is how most of the people we saw did it. Those that go along the front right to to that white box are cutting the entire line, including cutting in front of other scooters/wheelchairs that are already in line. ECVs and wheelchairs do get loaded on the bus first, but that doesn't mean they are supposed to cut in line to get on a bus ahead of others who have already been waiting for a while.

Once we stood in line after Epcot (not even at park closing mind you) and one bus came, picked up some people and was full, so we stood with a group of others to catch the next one- including a family that had a "stoller as a wheelchair" with an obviously disabled child in it. Right as it came around two larger groups of people with ECVs ran straight from the walkway up to the wheelchair loading spot- those 2 parties got on and the bus was full, so the entire group of us had to wait for a 3rd bus while they never waited at all. I don't think that is the intention of the system, and I am sure that MOST people don't abuse it like that.

Actually it depends on who you ask. MANY CMS that work in transportation will tell guests on ECVs or in WCs NOT to enter the regular queue but to go to the front side edge to wait. Most buses can only take 2 (yes I know some now accommodate 3 or possibly 4). It is a RARE bus driver that will load an ECV or WC once the bus has started filling with other passengers as they typically don't want to ask them to move from those seats needed to tie down the ecv/wc. So if we get to the front of the line in the middle of a filling, we have to wait for the next bus. Or how about when there are several ECVs/WCs and we have to wait for 4 or 5 buses because they can only accommodate 2 at a time. Or how about when the bus lift is broken and you should be on THAT bus but they can't take you because of malfunctioning equipment. Not trying to be rude, but there are many times *we* wait LONGER than *you*. So please "Ride" a mile on our wheels before *you* "complain" about line cutting.
And the policy is 5 guests plus the ECV/WC. The driver is at fault for not enforcing the policy

 

[Minniekins]

Thanks for the helpful comments and good wishes, I appreciate your help! Hopefully this all goes well. I'll probably hold back so i can be first on the bus I take, so I'll just let others go ahead of me, or not get in line till it's time. Not planning on cutting if front of anyone, trying to avoid any bad feelings or doing the wrong thing, lol! I guess I'd rather wait a bit than get too much negative attn! Feel self conscious enough. But, I'm sure we'll have a great time - and I'm excited, it looks lot some warm days on our trip, (brought proper clothes, just in case though), yay! Leaving in a few hours!!

Anyone else know anything about the trip between Okw and DD? The boat might be fun, but worried about getting back in the right time for our DME that day.

 

[peemagg]

The boats run I believe about like the buses every 20 minutes or so. They just keep making loops back and forth. If you were to plan on leaving DTD by boat about an hour before you need to be at the bus stop for DME you should be fine.

 

[lorigacc]

We were there about 2 weeks ago and were traveling with my mom who used an Ecv the entire trip. We stayed at the beach club, and used the boat to HS, and the buses to AK and MK. My mom was ALWAYS the first person to be let on. It was difficult for her parking the ECV the way it had to be...but my husband would do that for her. Getting off was the reverse (as it should be)...so it worked out fine. The drivers and the people around us, we're all very understanding and polite. Same experience inside the parks. Disney was wonderful with accommodating my mom!

 

[ttintagel]

I found the Disney bus drivers to be AMAZINGLY helpful and patient, talking me through the entire boarding process the first couple of times (even reaching over and helping steer occasionally), reassuring me and my companions, and just being generally awesome. Whatever they're paid, they earn every penny and more.

The Monorail is even easier. A CM sees you and puts a ramp down, asks you where you're going so they can radio ahead to expect you, and you scoot straight in. When you get there, they're waiting with another ramp and you either back out or go out the other side depending on how the station is set up. The only thing you have to worry about is careless guests running around at the bottom of the ramp, but the CM is usually pretty good about keeping them clear.

 

[Talking Hands]

very east on both counts

 

[BSchaal57]

, I am feeling the same way as you about the bus and monorail and making people wait. I was telling my travel agent about it and she said if someone says something,which she really doubts people would be so rude, that I can just say "Yes,I am on first but you are OFF first". That will make them feel better! I am concerned about this also. We will be leaving in 4 days!!! I cannot wait! Hope you have an great time!

 

[disney david]

, I am feeling the same way as you about the bus and monorail and making people wait. I was telling my travel agent about it and she said if someone says something,which she really doubts people would be so rude, that I can just say "Yes,I am on first but you are OFF first". That will make them feel better! I am concerned about this also. We will be leaving in 4 days!!! I cannot wait! Hope you have an great time!

Let me ask you this are the other guest paying for your vacation no you are so have fun don't worry what other guest say. YOur loaded first for safety and last off for safety that it you have very right to a safe bus ride as any able bodied guest.

It still amazes me how many people spend all that money to go to Disney then spend their time saying comment giving dirty looks to other guest. Thy should stay gone save the money and be rude no reason to say anything about anyone else. So guest have to wait two min longer your in Disney I wait 100 min longer to board a bus if it means I can be in Disney.

 

[StregaNona]

We only used WDW transportation last week and found it easy to get on and off the buses, monorails and boats. As others have said take your time. I found the bus drivers to be very patient and helpful. My only problem with the monorail was when the MK CM did not let the Contemporary know we were getting off. A couple of friendly guests got a CMs attention so I could get off.

I have used Walker Mobility many times since Disney's preferred provider rule went into effect. I have had no problem getting the scooter or having it picked up. I found the staff at Walker (telephone ladies and delivery drivers) to be extremely flexible and courteous.

Have a wonderful trip!