PC on bus, monorail,etc.

gingersnap

Earning My Ears
Joined
Sep 21, 2002
Messages
3
Hi, I finally figured out how to post. Hope my questions can be answered. I have a Jazzy 1122. This will be my first trip to WDW, and also a first trip with pc. I have read in some of your posts that you have to back onto lifts. I'm really worried about that because I'm not supposed to back up a lift in my Jazzy. Anybody have any comments on that. Also can I take the pc on the monorail and the rides that you can get off at different destinations at, or do I have to find other ways. We booked at the contemporary thinking this would be easy access since it has the monorail. Am I mistaken? What about access to hoop-de-doo-review? And can I leave my chair at rides where I can't use it without worrying about it being taken. It doesn't use a key. I hope these aren't stupid questions. I live in Wa. We will be flying out. Do I need to worry about my pc on the flight? It seems like I read somewhere that one got wrecked. I don't want that to happen. And what's the best trans. to WDW from the airport. We'll be meeting my daughter at WDW. She has a Suburban and thinks my chair will fit. Any solutions that others have come up with will help me. Thanks
 
From the Contemporary to MK and to EPCOT you will have no problems. Monorails are fully accessible. I can actaully turn my Jazzy 1103 around in the monorail car and come off forward. I do not back either way.
As to the buses. Flat refuse to back up a ramp. For a lift it is no problem real short back up on flat surface. Ask for a lift equipped bus. If you get a problem ask for a supervisor and repeat the request. If at that point they are still being a problem ask how they intend to get you to your destination because you will not back up a ramp as it is an unsafe practice in your particular chair. They will have a choice. Have you enter forward (don't sign a release!) or provide a lift bus or other acceptable transportation.
BE FIRM AS IT IS YOUR SAFETY THAT MUST COME FIRST AND THEY ARE NOT THE EXPERTS ON YOUR WHEELCHAIR AND WHAT IS SAFE PRACTICE FOR IT

You will need to check with your resort on getting to Hoop Dee Doo. Inform them you will be in a wheelchair. I assume you already informed Hoop Dee Doo when you made reservations. If not call and inform them asap so they don't put you in the balcony. They had to completely change us our last trip because they had me in the balcony. Ouch. Plus I had interpretation arranged and would not have seen them from the balcony.

A Suburban should be large enough for the chair but how are you getting it in. Jazzy's are heavy and one person can't lift it. It took 2 large men to lift mine off a bus one time when the lift broke. I was able to hobble off the front with support from the driver. Otherwise they have had to call rescue to get me off.

Have a great trip. Get a GAC stating that your wheelchair is not an ECV and you can remain in it in lines like Pooh. Also anyother epecific needs you may have such as avoiding sitting in the sun. Can you transfer to a ride vehicle? If so that will help. They will keep your chair at the exit for you so there is no need to worry about someone taking it. If you are like me and have multiple needs don't let them tell you they can't accommodate you. They can figure it out and do when confronted. I have been taken through backstage areas in my chair so I can also have interpretation. Enjoy your trip. If you have any more questions ask away
 
Thanks for your excellent answer. Since I am not familiar with WDW at all, this is a great start. I have a 5 foot portable ramp that folds. Will they allow me to take it on the flight. If they will, I can use it for the Suburban. If not, maybe I can rent one there. I'll have my daughter check it out maybe where she lives if I can't bring mine. Yes, I can transfer, and can stand or walk a little. I have Fibromyalgia, added to that many injuries, and a heart irregularity, so I don't have a lot of energy and my pain level is usually high. My daughter made the reservations to hoop-dee-doo a while back, but I think she got them on the main floor. She didn't mention my chair I don't think. Thanks again for your reply. By the way, we're not going until March 1st. So I still have a little while to work out the bugs.
 
I have fibromyalgia also along with diabetes, hypertension, neurofibromas and I'm recovering from a shattered leg.

Don't know about the flying as we drive normally. I live in Miami.

When in March? I am thinking of going Mar 9 through the 13th and celebrating my birthday. I have to be up in Central Florida anyway for a conference March 7-9.
 

Welcome to disABILITIES.
I'm wondering what PC stands for (maybe "power chair??") since I've never heard that term used before to talk about a power wheelchair.
Anyway, I don't have much to add to what Lisa already said. More to reassure you that you DO want to back onto a lift. As Lisa mentioned, it is backing up onto a flat platform. That is the way that all wheelchairs, power or not go onto a lift. And you want to do it that way so the heaviest part of the wheelchair is closest to the bus.
Most of the buses at WDW are equipped with lifts, but about 2 years ago, they added some buses with ramps. Those are a problem for anyone with a power wheelchair, since any power wheelchairs should not be backed up a ramp.
If you don't already know, find out where the safe attachment places for vehicle tiedown are on your wheelchair, since they will strap/tie down your wheelchair on the buses. We use some bright pink plastic tape to mark the safe places on DD's wheelchair. It's a lot easier that way. I can just tell them they can attach to anything marked with pink tape.
The monorail station at the Contemporary is acessible, as are the monorail cars (or at least one on each train). The CM will direct you to the correct place to wait for the accessible car. Unless they added elevators in the last year, there will be a fairly steep ramp at MK and also at the TTC to get to/from the monorail station to the ground. The station is at the level of the monorail track.
You could probably call your airline and ask about your ramp. Ask to talk to someone who deals with special needs - they might say they don't have a "Special Needs" department, but they most likely do. That person can also help you with what needs to be done to transport the wheelchair. There was a thread a while back about someone's bad experience with airline travel. I'll see if I can find it and bump it up to the top.
If you want to check into renting a ramp, here are some medical equipment places to try:
Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/

Walker Mobility:
1-888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html

If they don't rent them, they might know who does.
Get a GAC stating that your wheelchair is not an ECV and you can remain in it in lines like Pooh.
ECVs are not allowed in some lines and some CMs may not understand that your wheelchair is not an ECV, because it doesn't look like a standard power wheelchair that they are more used to seeing. CLICK HERE for the DIS Board's page about touring with a mobility disability. If you scroll to the bottom, you will find a list of rides/attractions where you can stay in the wheelchair for the whole attraction. For the ones where you need to transfer to a ride car, most of the time you will wait in the regular line. At some point before boarding, your party will be brought to the exit for boarding and the wheelchair will be waiting at the exit for you when you get off.
For the rides with a moving walkway, the CMs can slow, or even stop the moving walkway for boarding (except at Peter Pan - that one can't be stopped). At the Pirate Ride, you will have to switch to a foldable manual wheelchair because of the way that ride loads and exits. That one is the only big problem.
 
Actually with the Jazzy the batterries are central so the heaviest part is actually under where you sit. But you still want to back on to the kift since you don't want to risk catching your toes as the lift goes up. Better to have the toes away from the moving parts.
 
Actually, I was taking that into account. No matter where the heaviest part of the wheelchair is, if you pull onto the lift forward, you need to leave room for the feet to clear the lift mechansim. Just having that amount of room means the heaviest part will be pretty far away from the bus.
 



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