Scooter Incident at Magic Kingdom Bus Stop

[crostorfer]

Someday soon, an airline will provide flights that don't allow children. Maybe someday, someone will create a theme park that is ECV free. Ankles of the world will rejoice.

I'm with you OP. Its incredibly frustrating sometimes with the buses and the ECVs and wheelchairs. Its another reason that I don't use Disney buses unless I absolutely have to. I'll take a cab every time. Much less stress.

 

[DisneyFive]

Eh, until people start piling on you won't be certain when those folks will get to the front. All able bodied adults here, still think the current system is the most fair even though it can be annoying, especially when I am dog tired and the able bodied in their party take up the primo seats on the bus!

I disagree that your solution is the most fair. I've been on 100+ bus rides too, but I still disagree. And yes, I have seen people on scooters left behind because of a non working lift. Now if the driver could have manipulated it to work or were just lazy that day, I have no idea. But I have seen it.

I have to add I don't think there is any way of running the buses that would be fair to everyone. I just that my lucky stars that so far I don't need special consideration. It is too bad people are so stuck on someone in a scooter beating them onto a bus that they fail to consider how much harder their day probably was over-all.

That's why these wheelchair/ECV threads are so contentious, lots of opinions on what the best option is. One common point is that they are difficult for everyone at WDW, including those riding them. Peace.

Dan

 

[Hollymom1229]

Most of the time when we travel it's my DH and I who are both able bodied. But on occasion, I've gone with my MIL who requires a wheelchair. Yes, she may be first on the bus, but she is also the last off, and over the course of the day we don't get nearly as much done as we do when our party is able bodied. I begrudge nothing to those on scooters, and that they load their party with them. Our biggest group ever was six adults and a 1 y.o. Three of the adults being my parents who were 62 and my MIL in her wheelchair. We would get loaded first. My parents and MIL had seats, my 1 y.o. niece sat in my mom's lap, and my DH, myself, sister, and BIL stood on most trips back at night, because we gave our seats up to older people and parents with young kids. It is possible to be the family being loaded first and be considerate simultaneously. People really need to stop treating it like someone is taking something away from them.

 

[jollycacklefarm]

exactly - wait your place in line like everyone else.....i understand some people have conditions that require the use of a scooter, and i am sorry for that, but your condition should not entitle you to cutting bus lines, or any bus lines for that matter....

 

[icelady]

I am unfortunately a person who needs a scooter to navigate WDW d/t knee problems and breathing difficulty. I have no problem waiting my turn but try loading a scooter into a loaded bus is difficult at best and is not safe for the bus riders and scooter operator. I don't mind waiting for the next bus but you can't win even then. I have asked to stay on scooter during the ride and was told no d/t safety issues so I don't take up an extra seat from someone standing in line. I wish I didn't need the assist of a scooter but do. I will trade anyone the boarding first and use of the scooter if I could have a day of walking

 

[Pats Dragon]

I think this thread is just a commentary on our world today. More disabled people are trying to lead a normal life with quite a few obstacles and hardships. If it looks like ANY person is getting special treatment then there are those who will totally resent this. Life is not fair but if everyone tried to be kind and not be prickly about things we would all have a better trip. It is human to wish you didn't have to wait but remember that you may be on a scooter someday.

 

[scoobygrl79]

I haven't finished reading the whole thread yet, but I wonder if anyone has considered the fact that someone in a scooter has to move painstakingly slow exiting a crowded park. Literally thousands of people are passing them heading to the bus stops. If they could walk like you, they would probably already be ahead of you in line. And by the way, complaining without offering a viable solution is just whining.

EVERY scooter smokes me when fighting the crowd... I'm typically barricaded in a human fort and they zoom right ahead of me. I bite their dust as I wish I was sitting on their lap for a ride
I agree with all posters that there aren't many other options that will please everyone; I'm glad that those who need scooters are accomodated to enjoy Disney

 

[kandb]

This is why we rent a car

 

[DisneyOma]

Disagree. Not only does it require a tremendous amount of infrastructure be added all over the place but it doesn't solve the issue that the constant flow of ECV/WC would make those in the queue continue to wait bus after bus.

With increasing occupancy at Disney hotels and the increase use of ECVs Disney absolutely needs to get a management plan in place for the transportation of these folks that works for and is fair to all.

Funny thing is Disney already knows how to do this and could easily implement it property wide with the current infrastructure with minimal adjustments. I've actually seen them implement it, and it worked very well.

Leaving the MK one night as I approached the line for our bus at the new bus terminal I noticed Disney transportation telling all ECVs (and there was a steady stream to all the different buses) to enter the regular queue. No surprise while most complied with no issue a few started arguing that they had priority over all. Transportation did not respond other than to tell them to enter the queue.

At the turn to the final link of the queue there as an opening in the rail that the ECV rider and their party would go through and wait in the ECV lane for the next bus. Even with them loading first (which I think we all know has to happen) all the folks in the link of the queue that had been in front of them were still guaranteed a seat on the bus. This was completely fair to everyone! Many folks in the line were commenting that it was a positive move. The new terminals at MK have wide queues that are ECV accessible and I'm thinking maybe AK does too.

Now for resorts and parks where the ECV can not go through, easily solved. ECV enters the ECV/WC lane and the rest of their party enters the queue. When the party gets to the same point, turn before the last link, they exit an opening (Disney might have to cut these out and add a chain) to join their family member in the ECV lane to board the next bus. Again everyone has waited their fair turn and ECV still gets on bus first.

We saw the above happening at Magic Kingdom on our trip back in August. Guests on wheels were directed to be in the queue with everyone else. It only happened at MK though.

You can, but again, since the bus driver has to load the scooters on first, you run the risk of having to wait more than your fair share. Just get in the scooter line - I feel like most guests will not think anything of it unless you have a party of 12 that you are trying to push to the front of the line Just do your thing. You are following the rules by entering the scooter line and no one should be upset by it. In some cases (see my PP) you may end up waiting more than the other guests anyway bc of a surge of scooters at closing time. Sorry if that happens, but they are usually good about sending buses quickly. OP's case seems to be particularly stinky in terms of bus waits at closing time.

There were no scooter lines at Magic Kingdom - at least they had gotten rid of them when we were there in August. There was a gate in the regular queue, and a painted line on the curb, but no way to get to that line unless you went in the queue. I saw people trying to bypass the queue, but they couldn't get to the line. They only got to a small section of the curb and were blocked by a chain.

 

[wdw71]

I believe Disney policy is that the Scooter can load and the party with the scooter not to exceed 6 may board with them. I know it's wishful thinking but it would be nice if people would be courteous on their own and if the bus line is extremely long send one person with the scooter and the remaining party can wait.
As far as scooters loading first there is I guess no sure way for the bus driver to know how long the scooter has been there versus other people really. And as somone mentioned it's just easier to get the scooter onto an empty bus. I'm ok with that and Disney is the true problem if people are waiting 40 minutes for a bus.

 

[wdw71]

ELSA711-I think it's because the scooter needs to load on an empty bus. But that is a good idea.

 

[Dbktmc]

One of the most frustrating things on our last trip was the amount of time it was taking for the busses to arrive. We stayed at AK Lodge and would routinely wait 40+ min for a bus. Many, many times a group would arrive with one person riding on a scooter and would get priority entry onto the bus. I think I would have been ok with that had I not seen one of the "disabled" people jumping and swimming in the pool the very next day. I even watched this person go down the water slide numerous times. (She had been wearing a cast while on the scooter but didn't need it as she wondered around the pool area.) My husband and I actually started to wonder if some of the people were renting scooters just to be sure they would receive priority boarding for the busses. (Pure speculation on our part.) If the busses had been arriving quicker I'm not sure it would have bothered us so much.

 

[danny1649]

I just closed a thread on same subject for being argumentative. Please don't turn this into a debate or argumentative thread or I'll close this one too.

 

[emeraldmom]

One of the most frustrating things on our last trip was the amount of time it was taking for the busses to arrive. We stayed at AK Lodge and would routinely wait 40+ min for a bus. Many, many times a group would arrive with one person riding on a scooter and would get priority entry onto the bus. I think I would have been ok with that had I not seen one of the "disabled" people jumping and swimming in the pool the very next day. I even watched this person go down the water slide numerous times. (She had been wearing a cast while on the scooter but didn't need it as she wondered around the pool area.) My husband and I actually started to wonder if some of the people were renting scooters just to be sure they would receive priority boarding for the busses. (Pure speculation on our part.) If the busses had been arriving quicker I'm not sure it would have bothered us so much.

You would probably think unkind thoughts about my family too. Please remember you don't know everyone else's situation. One of my boys has juvenile fibromyalgia. This causes both pain and fatigue. I use a manual wheelchair for him, and have for several years. He's 14 now. It is not uncommon for him to come bounding out of the wheel chair when we get to a ride. You would see him at a pool swimming, and he'd be all over a slide. What you might not see is him at the end of a long day. At that point, if he's not in his chair, he's probably miserable. He may be leaning against me, kinda shuffling/limping along. He looks like an over used rag doll. The chair helps, it keeps him from the miles of walking between attractions. It allows him to have the energy to bounce up out of his chair and go running for a queue. He's not faking. He would rather not have the chair. He has tried without it, but he needs it. In the first half of the day, you will likely see me pushing an empty chair. It's later that I have to make him get in it. I can tell when he needs it, even when he is trying not to.

As a matter of fact, I have fibromyalgia too. I should probably be using a scooter, but I don't. Luckily his older brother is big enough to push him now, so I don't always have to. I do take over in very crowded areas. Another reason you might think we're "faking" is that, later in the day, you might see me in his chair. If he has a good day, at the end of the day, sometimes the boys will "make" me sit in it. This is usually when I am just DONE for the day. Ds will say he's doing okay and can walk, older ds will offer to push me if they can just please stay a while longer.

There may be some people faking it, I don't know. I don't think it's worth the bother for the very few small benefits you might get. But someday you might see my family. Please remember that you don't know somebody else's story. I will say again, if everybody followed the golden rule, the world would be a nicer place. I work with children, and I tell them that all the time. You would want somebody to be kind to you, or give you the benefit of the doubt.

 

[momtosam]

Moral of the story: rent a car. Trips are so much more stress free this way than dealing with Disney transportation.

 

[cakebaker]

Moral of the story: rent a car. Trips are so much more stress free this way than dealing with Disney transportation.

I agree-if something like this causes you angst, you're better off using another method of transportation.

For us, it doesn't bother us in the least. While we have had times when a bus was slow coming, we've never once waited 40 minutes for a bus nor have we run into conditions in which we thought boarding parties using ecv's were an issue that delayed us.

But for us, the busses are great and even though we drive to WDW and have our own car, we never see it again once we arrive until it's time to go home. Disney transportation is not stressful at all for us, but there are other options for those who feel differently.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

as a ECV user I have no problem using the line but I have a problem with getting to the front and being told I now have to let the people behind me load because they have no room for ECV. I will be demanding a manger first because now the able bodied are now cutting the line. so now the bus leaves half full and you are still waiting for next bus what have you gained? only fair way would have everyone behind ECV/wheelchair waiting for next bus. I am not for making people already on get off and starting over either. yes you are mainstreamed for rides but most times you are loaded as you get to front of line, buses are different

 

[goofyernmost]

No one has been able to adequately answer the question as to why someone on a scooter should get 1st priority when the bus shows up. So someone will need to help me understand why someone on a scooter should not have to wait the same amount of time for a bus as the rest of us. I'm not arguing that they shouldn't be in the scooter and they don't have a physical limitation. And I'm not saying that I don't empathize with them. I'm just saying that waiting in line for a bus isn't much different (and is actually less physically taxing) than touring Disney. So what is the problem with having to wait your turn for a bus?

It never seems right. Just because a person is in a scooter doesn't mean they should get to skip the line for the bus. Stick them in the queue and when it gets to their time to board they board. The problem is if their time to board is at the end of a full bus you have to yank people off to load the scooter cause those damn things are standing room only in the evening

Well, the whole party--including the scooter--could wait for 2-3 more buses and ride together if it's that important to them to stick together.

There is a simple answer for that. It's called... it's the law. Passed by the congress of the United States. If it is going to take over 30 minutes then by law they are required to send separate transportation for them, but, only if no regular transport is available.

Someone may have already answered this, and if so, I apologize for repeating, but, it is important to know that it is legislated that they must be allowed passage as soon as humanly possible. Even if they loaded the regular people first they would still have to save a place for the scooter and group. (I believe that Disney does have a limit as to how many can accompany them, but not on the bus.) They are loaded first because it is easier for the remaining passengers if it is done that way otherwise it is mass confusion and people stepping over one another. One way or the other they have to be accommodated on the first available transport.

I'm not even going to get into how important it is to have a little empathy for someone that has to have a scooter (and none of us has the ability to know for sure if it's valid or not) Just be happy that you can stand.

I will agree with one of the posters that said that the people you should be upset with would be Disney's lack of sufficient buses, but, even then those buses do not float in the air, they have to deal with traffic that at closing can be quite congested. Solution: have a car and park it in the parking lot (free, if you're onsite) and avoid the entire mess.

 

[Goldilocks07]

I don't understand-
Why doesn't the person on the scooter have to wait in line like everyone else? And I don't care if it's 5 minutes or 40 minutes- waiting, is waiting. We all want to get back to our hotels or homes-

I don't think parties need to be separated. That's tough.
But what does need to happen, is that they wait in line like we ALL have to wait in line.

I guess there's no real great solution. ECV must board first, but it's really not fair for huge parties to load up just following the evc-
If I had been waiting for 40 minutes with my grumpy husband and tired 4 year old, we would have lost our minds seeing this.

Of COURSE I feel bad for anyone using the evc, of COURSE I'm thankful I can stand, but at the end of the park day, I want to get back to our room. Just like everyone else.

 

[Spoiledraf]

We have visited with my sister in law and her family who include my niece in a power wheelchair. They/we always waited our turn for a bus and never took advantage of the priority seating for the challenged. If there was a crowd and we were last to get there we waited for the next bus. As we should.