Non-accessible resort busses

[sparky68]

Wheelchair space should always be loaded last for people without mobility issues. And always loaded first if there are scooters or wheelchairs or other mobility issues waiting. This is for everyone's safety.

Sure, but that means that the people waiting in line can be bumped by later arriving people on scooters.
Everyone has issues with how the buses load. I personally think it should be first come first serve. But, that isn't how it works.

 

[Groot]

How long do y’all think that the tour buses are going to be used? Will Disney be back to using their own 100% accessible fleet by October?

 

[lanejudy]

How long do y’all think that the tour buses are going to be used? Will Disney be back to using their own 100% accessible fleet by October?

I do think it will be mostly Disney fleet by this fall. But WDW has supplemented their own fleet with coach buses during busy times for several years, so I don't think that will disappear completely.

 

[olwyngdh]

Were those people at the bus stop first? Imagine waiting at the bus stop, it finally shows up just as a bunch of scooter riders show up, with their family. Happens all the time to walking guests.
The bus situation is annoying for everyone.

Wheelchairs wait in the regular line and are pulled out at the end to wait at the area in the back of the bus, so yes, people behind us in line were loaded before we were and placed in the seats that law requires to be reserved for us and people to be moved if they are sitting there. Sorry that being seated ahead of people ahead of you in line is such an inconvenience for you.

 

[sparky68]

Wheelchairs wait in the regular line and are pulled out at the end to wait at the area in the back of the bus, so yes, people behind us in line were loaded before we were and placed in the seats that law requires to be reserved for us and people to be moved if they are sitting there. Sorry that being seated ahead of people ahead of you in line is such an inconvenience for you.

I think we all know that a family with scooters can arrive last at the bus stop and displace people who were already there.
It does bother me that I can be waiting 30 minutes in the heat, only to not get on the bus after a family of people with scooters show up right as the bus pulls up, there are a lot of scooters at the parks, and the scooter people are often with their family members. 2 scooters and a family take a lot of spaces up, without the bother of waiting for a bus.
Have they changed it recently to fix that problem?
I know, I know, some busses have broken lifts, so making the people in line wait for another bus is..
Just wish they could come up with a solution. The best, but not cost effective method would be having dedicated staff that monitor the lines.
A person rolling up just as the bus pulls up should not be able to board in favor of people who were already waiting

 

[AGoofykindagirl]

The issue of just rolling up as the bus arrives and getting on first reminds me of Mom. We were leaving HS (this was years ago- her last visit was in ‘98) and not every bus was handicapped accessible. There was a huge line as we came upon the bus stop. A CM told Mom to drive up to the line to be loaded on the next bus. Mom said she wanted to ride with her family. She told the CM that her family would go through the line and if it looked like we would be okay for the second bus, she would pull up to the line then. The CM tried to get her to go to the line and bring us along, but she told the CM that everyone was tired and it wouldn’t be fair to those who had already been waiting. And turned her ECV and went back a little bit away from the line. The line cheered and the CM smiled! Another ECV arrived after they had started loading and demanded they stop loading and load them. The CM said to get in the ECV line behind Mom. I sure miss her.

 

[sparky68]

The issue of just rolling up as the bus arrives and getting on first reminds me of Mom. We were leaving HS (this was years ago- her last visit was in ‘98) and not every bus was handicapped accessible. There was a huge line as we came upon the bus stop. A CM told Mom to drive up to the line to be loaded on the next bus. Mom said she wanted to ride with her family. She told the CM that her family would go through the line and if it looked like we would be okay for the second bus, she would pull up to the line then. The CM tried to get her to go to the line and bring us along, but she told the CM that everyone was tired and it wouldn’t be fair to those who had already been waiting. And turned her ECV and went back a little bit away from the line. The line cheered and the CM smiled! Another ECV arrived after they had started loading and demanded they stop loading and load them. The CM said to get in the ECV line behind Mom. I sure miss her.

Sounds like your mom was an amazing lady.

 

[AGoofykindagirl]

Sounds like your mom was an amazing lady.

She was indeed. She always wanted what was fair. I hope folks think I’m a little bit like her. Thanks.

 

[Evita_W]

Wheelchairs wait in the regular line and are pulled out at the end to wait at the area in the back of the bus, so yes, people behind us in line were loaded before we were and placed in the seats that law requires to be reserved for us and people to be moved if they are sitting there. Sorry that being seated ahead of people ahead of you in line is such an inconvenience for you.

We are here now and if you have a mobility device, you do not wait behind others, except in very rare circumstances at Magic Kingdom.....everywhere else we have been directed by signage and/or cast members to go straight to the designated spot and wait. And they always are loading mobility devices on first. We have even had some bus drivers empty the front half of the bus in order for us to get on when buses stop at multiple stops and then allow them to reboard. We never asked for, but several have done this.

Of course we haven't seen a single long line for the buses yet. But even so, simply reading signs and going by directions given you don't wait in the regular line.

 

[Evita_W]

I think we all know that a family with scooters can arrive last at the bus stop and displace people who were already there.
It does bother me that I can be waiting 30 minutes in the heat, only to not get on the bus after a family of people with scooters show up right as the bus pulls up, there are a lot of scooters at the parks, and the scooter people are often with their family members. 2 scooters and a family take a lot of spaces up, without the bother of waiting for a bus.
Have they changed it recently to fix that problem?
I know, I know, some busses have broken lifts, so making the people in line wait for another bus is..
Just wish they could come up with a solution. The best, but not cost effective method would be having dedicated staff that monitor the lines.
A person rolling up just as the bus pulls up should not be able to board in favor of people who were already waiting

The simple answer is run more buses, then it won't be an issue

 

[olwyngdh]

I think we all know that a family with scooters can arrive last at the bus stop and displace people who were already there.
It does bother me that I can be waiting 30 minutes in the heat, only to not get on the bus after a family of people with scooters show up right as the bus pulls up, there are a lot of scooters at the parks, and the scooter people are often with their family members. 2 scooters and a family take a lot of spaces up, without the bother of waiting for a bus.
Have they changed it recently to fix that problem?
I know, I know, some busses have broken lifts, so making the people in line wait for another bus is..
Just wish they could come up with a solution. The best, but not cost effective method would be having dedicated staff that monitor the lines.
A person rolling up just as the bus pulls up should not be able to board in favor of people who were already waiting

They changed this years ago and unless they have changed back to no waiting in line since February you are not paying attention to what is happening, you are just seeking to blame disabled people because you have to wait your turn. Chairs go through the regular line. Right before the last loop of the line there is a gate with a picture of a wheelchair on the gate. Chairs go through that gate so they are lined up with the back of the bus. It is this way at every park and at Disney Springs and at any resort that has lines rather than a free for all.

 

[olwyngdh]

We are here now and if you have a mobility device, you do not wait behind others, except in very rare circumstances at Magic Kingdom.....everywhere else we have been directed by signage and/or cast members to go straight to the designated spot and wait. And they always are loading mobility devices on first. We have even had some bus drivers empty the front half of the bus in order for us to get on when buses stop at multiple stops and then allow them to reboard. We never asked for, but several have done this.

Of course we haven't seen a single long line for the buses yet. But even so, simply reading signs and going by directions given you don't wait in the regular line.

Then they have changed at least 8 years of policy and have done it since February of this year. The pixie dust you have been getting is not the normal way things are done.

 

[Evita_W]

Then they have changed at least 8 years of policy and have done it since February of this year. The pixie dust you have been getting is not the normal way things are done.

It is the exact same way it worked in February the couple of times we rode the bus then as well. Nothing is different, other than they are loading the buses fuller now, with up to 15 people standing and this is the same as it has been on every trip we have taken for 15 years.

 

[Evita_W]

They changed this years ago and unless they have changed back to no waiting in line since February you are not paying attention to what is happening, you are just seeking to blame disabled people because you have to wait your turn. Chairs go through the regular line. Right before the last loop of the line there is a gate with a picture of a wheelchair on the gate. Chairs go through that gate so they are lined up with the back of the bus. It is this way at every park and at Disney Springs and at any resort that has lines rather than a free for all.

EPCOT definitely has separate lines, CMs escort those in mobility devices to them. Hollywood Studios, the bus drivers have come to us. Animal Kingdom has signs that direct you.

Magic Kingdom is the only exception and only once.

 

[Lilsia]

It is the exact same way it worked in February the couple of times we rode the bus then as well. Nothing is different, other than they are loading the buses fuller now, with up to 15 people standing and this is the same as it has been on every trip we have taken for 15 years.

The way you are saying, with the ECV's/chairs going through the line is how it is supposed to be. But most don't do that. I go to WDW quite a bit and always ride the bus. I rarely see ECV users go through the actual line. Most just go around the line and wait in the loading area. I completely understand why they load chairs first and have no issues with it. But it rarely happens as you say, with everyone "going through the line".

 

[Evita_W]

The way you are saying, with the ECV's/chairs going through the line is how it is supposed to be. But most don't do that. I go to WDW quite a bit and always ride the bus. I rarely see ECV users go through the actual line. Most just go around the line and wait in the loading area. I completely understand why they load chairs first and have no issues with it. But it rarely happens as you say, with everyone "going through the line".

Well, about 5 minutes ago at MK, a CM blocked us from waiting in the regular line and insisted on walking us around. Now it was pouring rain and lightning, so I don't know if that made a difference, but it was interesting, he wouldn't let us wait in line and this was at Magic Kingdom. The bottom line is we just follow directions, if a CM gives directions that are different than what is posted, we follow the CMs direction, as there may be circumstances we are unaware of and they are there to keep everyone safe. If no CM directions are given, we go with what is posted.

But at the end of the day, we just go with the flow, we are all on vacation and you just do as instructed, if not instructed, be nice to others and they will generally be nice to you. At Disney Springs earlier, a person told us he was grateful we were being loaded, as he saw us and he knew he had enough time to catch the bus. So ECVs being loaded first can work to others advantage as well. All we can all do is our best.

 

[Lilsia]

Well, about 5 minutes ago at MK, a CM blocked us from waiting in the regular line and insisted on walking us around. Now it was pouring rain and lightning, so I don't know if that made a difference, but it was interesting, he wouldn't let us wait in line and this was at Magic Kingdom. The bottom line is we just follow directions, if a CM gives directions that are different than what is posted, we follow the CMs direction, as there may be circumstances we are unaware of and they are there to keep everyone safe. If no CM directions are given, we go with what is posted.

But at the end of the day, we just go with the flow, we are all on vacation and you just do as instructed, if not instructed, be nice to others and they will generally be nice to you. At Disney Springs earlier, a person told us he was grateful we were being loaded, as he saw us and he knew he had enough time to catch the bus. So ECVs being loaded first can work to others advantage as well. All we can all do is our best.

You are getting worked up and offended over what other people do. YOU may follow the rules, but that does not mean that everyone else does. To argue that others do what they are supposed to do, when we all know that is not true, is futile. We all have eyes and can see what happens. I am actually on your side and completely understand why they load chairs first. But I can also understand the frustration of those who DO wait in line, sometimes for up to a half an hours, only to have a huge family with grandma in the ECV cut in front of everyone and get on first. We are all human after all. This is one of those situations where it is not "fair" to anyone.

 

[Evita_W]

You are getting worked up and offended over what other people do. YOU may follow the rules, but that does not mean that everyone else does. To argue that others do what they are supposed to do, when we all know that is not true, is futile. We all have eyes and can see what happens. I am actually on your side and completely understand why they load chairs first. But I can also understand the frustration of those who DO wait in line, sometimes for up to a half an hours, only to have a huge family with grandma in the ECV cut in front of everyone and get on first. We are all human after all. This is one of those situations where it is not "fair" to anyone.

I am not getting worked up, if it came across that way, sorry. I am trying to point out what's happening now l, as it's contrary to what others have been saying are the rules or how things are working, so even if others want to follow the rules, it may be hard when they aren't clear to those that don't go as frequently as those of us here or the rules seemingly change from day to day, for example, our first day there was no standing allowed, the next, up to 15 people standing was allowed. But I said said the CMs are there to keep everyone safe, I didn't say they were there to keep things fair and there is a difference there.

As for the larger family with Grandma, the bus drivers have been mostly strictly enforcing no more than two additional people with the person with a mobility device. The exception is if there are Children in the group and only two adults total. Any extra in the group have to go through the line. There person in the mobility device and two additional people are given them choice of boarding that busy or waiting for them rest of their party to get to the front. This is consistent with them written posted rules, with reasonable exceptional made when children are involved. It isn't perfect, but it helps in the situation you described and we have seen that happen more than once this trip where the buses driver enforced the rule.

The bottom line is life isn't always fair and ask we can do is try to do what is right as far as we know it and that may not always be perfect, but all we can do is try out best.

 

[Groot]

The last few years, it’s always been mobility devices loaded on first because of the additional time of kneeling the bus and deploying the ramp, getting the person in said device onto the bus/ throwing the scooter/powerchair into freewheel mode and getting it into the designated area on the bus, tying down said device and buckling the person in, and bringing the ramp back up.

 

[mamabunny]

The last few years, it’s always been mobility devices loaded on first because of the additional time of kneeling the bus and deploying the ramp, getting the person in said device onto the bus/ throwing the scooter/powerchair into freewheel mode and getting it into the designated area on the bus, tying down said device and buckling the person in, and bringing the ramp back up.

Additionally, you have less chance of an issue with a mobility device bumping into a previously loaded passenger - and they are literally following the same protocol that airlines do (load disabled/needs extra time first, and then they get off last if they have to wait for equipment to show up at the aircraft door).