New Policy on Scooter Baskets?

[I Love Pluto]

OK - you wanted to know - so here is an answer...

In August - I was denied admission to both Pooh & Pirates because I could not sit in the sling-type wheelchair. (spinal cord issues) The managers would not permit my ECV (solid seat) into the line.

I was SCREAMED AT by the manager of Haunted Mansion when I entered the exit - the only way I can get into the ride. I went to Guest Services, obtained a note from the manager there, & was still denied access to HM. The very loud manager of HM would not accept the note from Guest Services!

I gave up! My specific needs WERE NOT MET! Please do not preach to me about equal access when I was NOT given equal access at all.

We are going with a open mind on Dec 27th. I hope things are better this time!

 

[Chuck S]

OK - you wanted to know - so here is an answer...

In August - I was denied admission to both Pooh & Pirates because I could not sit in the sling-type wheelchair. (spinal cord issues) The managers would not permit my ECV (solid seat) into the line.

I was SCREAMED AT by the manager of Haunted Mansion when I entered the exit - the only way I can get into the ride. I went to Guest Services, obtained a note from the manager there, & was still denied access to HM. The very loud manager of HM would not accept the note from Guest Services!

I gave up! My specific needs WERE NOT MET! Please do not preach to me about equal access when I was NOT given equal access at all.

We are going with a open mind on Dec 27th. I hope things are better this time!

Haunted Mansion still loads the actual ride cars through the exit. BUT you now enter the building/attraction through the regular queue into front door, you don't go directly to the exit. After the stretching room, you now are escorted through a narrow hall back to the exit to load. This way wheelchair and ECV guests can experience the entire attraction, including the graveyard queue and stretching room.

Don't know much about Pooh, only experienced once with a wheelchair, and they load those through the main line, now. Pirates has been having guests transfer to regular wheelchairs for a couple of years now, Mom was in our own regular wheelchair, and we still had to transfer to one of the attraction wheelchairs in order to board. They have been doing that for several years. Though I don't know why.

 

[PatMcDuck]

More of a problem are the DADS in the parks wearing the large backpacks. They turn suddenly in a crowd, and WHACK right in my face….. Ouch. It is not like they have soft clothing in there, either.

 

[I Love Pluto]

Getting back to the topic - I still want my scooter basket. It will be difficult without it.

I need TWO hands to steer my ECV. I don't have the third hand to carry anything in!

 

[disneyfan19712006]

Getting back to the topic - I still want my scooter basket. It will be difficult without it. I need TWO hands to steer my ECV. I don't have the third hand to carry anything in!

it would make me more dangerous. If I had to try to steer with two hands and hold onto a drink, a camera, and everything else it would be like texting and driving way more dangerous than a basket that is inline with the front tire. I also need to carry a charger. Are they making people not hang bags on their stroller or carry backpacks. Backpacks stick out way more behind a person. My granddaughter got whacked by one a a baseball game because someone turned around fast.

 

[Gracie09]

Seriously there has been one comment on a dining blog of all things about this and not even by the blogger. Why is everyone saying the sky is falling? If this was changing the Disney Ecvs would be the first and no one is reporting that those are losing their baskets. So instead of jumping up and down and stomping our feet ( figuratively of course) let's treat it like it is, an unsubstantiated rumor like the hundreds of other unsubstantiated rumors out there about Disney.
Anyone here the one about the fifth park opening or the disneys airline starting etc etc

 

[Gracie09]

Haunted Mansion still loads the actual ride cars through the exit. BUT you now enter the building/attraction through the regular queue into front door, you don't go directly to the exit. After the stretching room, you now are escorted through a narrow hall back to the exit to load. This way wheelchair and ECV guests can experience the entire attraction, including the graveyard queue and stretching room. Don't know much about Pooh, only experienced once with a wheelchair, and they load those through the main line, now. Pirates has been having guests transfer to regular wheelchairs for a couple of years now, Mom was in our own regular wheelchair, and we still had to transfer to one of the attraction wheelchairs in order to board. They have been doing that for several years. Though I don't know why.

At pirates the way the ride is built the loading and unloading are in two different places separated by a wall. They can't move the chairs/Ecvs from one area to the other. So they transfer you to a ride chair and move your chair to the exit so it's there when you get off. It's been that way for at least a couple year probably longer but i only traveled with mil on a ecv a couple years ago and that's when it noticed it.

 

[SueM in MN]

Seriously there has been one comment on a dining blog of all things about this and not even by the blogger. Why is everyone saying the sky is falling? If this was changing the Disney Ecvs would be the first and no one is reporting that those are losing their baskets. So instead of jumping up and down and stomping our feet ( figuratively of course) let's treat it like it is, an unsubstantiated rumor like the hundreds of other unsubstantiated rumors out there about Disney.
Anyone here the one about the fifth park opening or the disneys airline starting etc etc

This is an unsubstantiated rumor based on one comment made by one person on a blog site. I quoted the comment in a previous post.
The comment did not say where the commenter got the information and at least one of the things the commenter said is a change (no kids riding on ECVs) has been forbidden for years.

I have searched the internet and that one comment (plus this thread) are all I can find. For many reasons it doesn't even make sense - what would people do with their things? What about those who carry medical supplies in their baskets?
And how would they enforce?

So, I would class this as unsubstantiated and probably a misunderstanding of something the commenter heard.

At pirates the way the ride is built the loading and unloading are in two different places separated by a wall. They can't move the chairs/Ecvs from one area to the other. So they transfer you to a ride chair and move your chair to the exit so it's there when you get off. It's been that way for at least a couple year probably longer but i only traveled with mil on a ecv a couple years ago and that's when it noticed it.

The original edition of Passporters Open Mouse book lists Pirates and Winnie the Pooh as attractions where guests using ECVs need to transfer to an attraction wheelchair. That book was copyright 2005 and I was one of the reviewers, so I know it was actually written in 2004.

Pirates loading area is actually in one building and the unload area is in a totally other building. It is quite a ways away and one level down from loading area.
Even those with personal wheelchairs are strongly encouraged to park their own wheelchair use an attraction wheelchair in line. Using a personal wheelchair in line is an exception and is sometimes not possible because of staffing.
Because of the difficulty moving devices from boarding to unload, they can't guarantee that a guest's own device will make it to the unload area in time. Moving a wheelchair from loading to unload involves the CM taking the wheelchair out of the loading building, around backstage, into the unload area building, then down a very small elevator to the unload area and park it there.
Some ECVs may be too big for the elevator.
They used to allow folding wheelchairs to be folded and placed in the boat with the guest, but they have not even allowed that for probably 5-7 years. They don't allow that anymore - the reason I have heard was the weight of wheelchairs and concern about them getting dislodged on the ride.

Winnie the Pooh has a tight turn to get from the line to the area where guests with mobility devices wait to board. The area is small and ECVs would have great difficulty getting in and out.