Just back 3/9-3/11....I guess they call these the good, bad and ugly.

[maxiesmom]

Another instance of because you've never seen it, other people must be exaggerating.

That is not what I said. Please go back and re-read my post. Or here: "Not saying it never ever happens".

 

[dawgsgirl]

My mother is elderly and uses a scooter. We visit frequently and our experience has been that sometimes you have to go through the line and sometimes you don't. Never can tell and if there isn't a CM at the bus line it seems to be up to the driver. I will say that those bus que lines are not made for scooters and are a pain to navigate. It is a problem but I wish Disney would be consistent with the scooter loading.

 

[bushdianee]

I used an ecv in 2013 and 2015. The trip in '13 consisted of 5 adults and 3 kids. If the line was long I would wait in the back until most of the family made it close to the front then I would go to the loading spot. Usually one or more of the kids were waiting at the box spot with me so they could move around without bugging other people and their parents would call them back into line when it was time for me to board with 1 or 2 of the other adults. the bus drivers almost always had the whole group load together. It wasn't an issue in '15 as it was only me and a 9 year old. We didn't expect special treatment and only had good experiences.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Because this Just Back thread (from a month ago) is now a scooter discussion, moving to TP Community.

 

[Dentam]

That is not what I said. Please go back and re-read my post. Or here: "Not saying it never ever happens".

Yeah, I can read - thanks. Your intent was pretty clear. All I was saying was that I could see how people could get disgruntled watching a large group load with one person in their party on an ECV ahead of people who have been waiting in line much longer.

 

[Tomh]

Just wanted you you to know that your words caused me to see things differently. Thank you.

I think, the best possible way might be to have the entrance to the handicap "box" at the beginning of the last zig. When ever anyone with a wheelchair or ECV makes it to that point, they move into the box, and are loaded first on the next bus. This would allow their family to make it onto the same bus with them, without giving what is sometimes 15 people priority entrance to the bus. Seems like it would be fair for everyone. ECV user gets onto the bus that they should get onto, family makes it on with them, no hopping to the front of a crazy long line.

 

[revdon64]

Another instance of because you've never seen it, other people must be exaggerating.

Didn't seem to me that that's what was said. I would wager this though - I'd be willing to be that the actual incidences of 10 people boarding with one ECV rider are significantly fewer than the reported incidences of it on this board. I've been a number of times and I've never seen it either.

 

[tarak]

Didn't seem to me that that's what was said. I would wager this though - I'd be willing to be that the actual incidences of 10 people boarding with one ECV rider are significantly fewer than the reported incidences of it on this board. I've been a number of times and I've never seen it either.

That's how I read it, too. I've seen this once in over ten trips. The family (maybe a dozen folks) was lovely - they were there with their grandfather who was in his nineties and he was the sweetest man. They hadn't made it on an earlier bus because it couldn't accommodate the ECV, so at least in that case, no one in the family was skipping ahead of the rest of us.

 

[maxiesmom]

Yeah, I can read - thanks. Your intent was pretty clear. All I was saying was that I could see how people could get disgruntled watching a large group load with one person in their party on an ECV ahead of people who have been waiting in line much longer.

Apparently my intent wasn't clear as you are still not getting it.

 

[Dentam]

Apparently my intent wasn't clear as you are still not getting it.

Not interested in arguing with you. Have a great day.

 

[Dentam]

Didn't seem to me that that's what was said. I would wager this though - I'd be willing to be that the actual incidences of 10 people boarding with one ECV rider are significantly fewer than the reported incidences of it on this board. I've been a number of times and I've never seen it either.

Well, the CM who drove us to the DVC tour agreed that it is a problem. He said not to even get him started on that subject. lol

But because three people here have never had an issue with it, it must not be a problem. My mistake.

 

[maxiesmom]

Well, the CM who drove us to the DVC tour agreed that it is a problem. He said not to even get him started on that subject. lol

But because three people here have never had an issue with it, it must not be a problem. My mistake.

No one has said it wasn't a problem. Only that it wasn't rampant as some seem to believe. If it is a problem, it is a small one.

 

[menotyou21]

Interesting thread. By no means am I an expert on this, but have traveled to many places, including Disney with my extended family. My mother is older now and can no longer walk very far, hence her need for ECVs when we did Disney. (In fact, she can no longer travel, so our last WDW trip with her was 2011). My main input here is themed on the live action Cinderella - "Have courage and be kind"....I get theme parks and exhaustion. I have 4 kids all within 4 years of each other. Our feet hurt at days end, we "rush" to the gates when the fireworks end, our ankles have been hit by so many strollers, we want to get on the first possible bus/boat....but honestly, when my mom was with us, it would take us 15-25 minutes longer to make it to the bus stop. I truly believe in compassion and kindness. After a tough day, having the courage to show both of these is the hardest part.

As for a solution - having a "next bus queue". The CM could easily have a click-counter and herd us into the next bus area. Anyone, ECV or not would be considered for that area. Once the ECV party, regardless of size, reaches the next bus area, then have a designated spot for them to load first.

 

[Disney_traveler]

I could be wrong, but I'd swear there was a sign up at the bus stops saying groups of x or less could wait/load with ECV but parties of x or more with an ECV need to let ECV wait in ECV box and others go through line.

 

[Tinkerbell19672]

Oops, posted in wrong section

 

[ThistleMae]

In many ways this makes sense to me. ECV users should wait like everyone else. In the past, the line could be four-five zig/zags long and an ECV drive up, get in the rectange, and board the next bus before those who had already been waiting. I'm sorry, but that's not fair to those who have been waiting. However, OP should NOT have had to go to the back of the line. They should have been directed to the rectangle and been first to get on the next bus.

I hear what you're saying except, when you wait in the regular line and the bus starts loading, even if you're next you have to wait for the next bus, so people in back of you get to go in front of you. That doesn't seem fair either, now does it?

 

[ThistleMae]

I agree that I'm fine with an ECV 'skipping' the line, but there are logical limits. As the number of people using ECV and wheelchairs continues to rise, a shift in policy is to be expected. While I'm okay with 1 or 2 ECV skipping the line, when it becomes 7 or 8, then we start getting to problematic situations. What if the number of ECV continues to rise to the point that if you don't have an ECV you're not getting on a bus ever?

I don't actually know how many ECV fit on a bus though.

Only 2 ECV's to a bus...so you wouldn't wait for 7/8 ECV's to go on. They would have to wait for the next bus and so on.

 

[ThistleMae]

My mother is elderly and uses a scooter. We visit frequently and our experience has been that sometimes you have to go through the line and sometimes you don't. Never can tell and if there isn't a CM at the bus line it seems to be up to the driver. I will say that those bus que lines are not made for scooters and are a pain to navigate. It is a problem but I wish Disney would be consistent with the scooter loading.

What I found when staying at POP, was at night, when parks were closing the handicap section was always closed with a rope, so we had to wait in the line, and it was super long each time. I was just grateful I could sit instead of standing in those long lines, and I mean long, like past two or more other stops for other resorts. And, thank goodness, this year is my first year going without an EVC. I hope I can make it! New knee!

 

[sharonabe]

I hear what you're saying except, when you wait in the regular line and the bus starts loading, even if you're next you have to wait for the next bus, so people in back of you get to go in front of you. That doesn't seem fair either, now does it?

Agreed. That's why I also said in a later post that the bus drivers should be able to see there is an ECV in the line and whether they are close enough to the front, to let them through to board. Nobody should have to wait longer than "their turn."

 

[Sabathamk]

Agreed. That's why I also said in a later post that the bus drivers should be able to see there is an ECV in the line and whether they are close enough to the front, to let them through to board. Nobody should have to wait longer than "their turn."

Last trip we took was in 2013, and we were at the POP. I remember the driver doing that when someone with ECV was in the regular line. I also remember only one time where we had to wait for more than one bus... coming back from MK after fireworks. It was horrible as we had to wait for 4 busses or more with 3 kids, one of which I had in my sleepywrap (baby wearing is great with three kids and one stroller)... and nowhere to sit. They loaded us into bus 4 or 5 as the last standing group as they could see I really didn't want to wait for another bus. There was even a party that rolled up to ECV after we had waited in line and were finally in the last loop, and they were a large party as well. Nice group. Bus rolled in just as they did, they were going to load the ECV, but the family saw the rest of us in the line and went into the line themselves, even though I think a lot of us would have been ok with them all going together. The magic of Disney for me was seeing how kind people were to others around them, even when they themselves have been having a rough time.