Scooters on the boats?

[skater]

My mom will be using a scooter on our upcoming trip. I can't remember if they're allowed on the boats. We were hoping to use the boat to DTD from POR as well as the boat from MK to WL and Fort Wilderness. Has anyone done this? Thanks!

 

[SueM in MN]

The boat from DTD to PO is wheelchair and ECV accessible

The boat from MK to WL or Fort Wilderness may or may not be. It depends on if they are using the small boats, which require a step down or the larger boats, where wheelchairs and ECVs can be rolled right on.

There is more information ( including pictures) in the disABILITIES FAQs thread, located near the top of this board or you follow the link in my signature to get there. The first post in that thread is an index that tells which post has which information.

 

[skater]

Thanks! Maybe we'll rethink the plan to travel to HDDR via the boat. Taking the boat was really for fun anyway.

 

[gwb]

For the boats from WL to MK if you have a scooter you'll have to wait for a big boat to come. Last time there,the schedule was a small boat then a big boat and alternated. My wife was in a wheel chair and we were able to break it down to get into the small boats. But people on scooters had to wait. It's only about 10 min. wait

 

[book_junkie]

We took a trip with my parents (both ECV bound) in 2007 and stayed at WL, and they've stayed at POR/POFQ using the ECVs. Upon check-in at WL they were told that in addition to waiting for the larger boats that if the water level in the lakes were too low that they may not be able to board- it would be unsafe to get the scooter onto the boat. Didn't happen, but could be an issue depending on when you're going.

The CMs did say that if that did become a problem, they would find alternate ways for my parents to get to where they needed to go.

 

[skater]

Thanks for all the advice! At least we know what to expect.

 

[SueM in MN]

We took a trip with my parents (both ECV bound) in 2007 and stayed at WL, and they've stayed at POR/POFQ using the ECVs. Upon check-in at WL they were told that in addition to waiting for the larger boats that if the water level in the lakes were too low that they may not be able to board- it would be unsafe to get the scooter onto the boat. Didn't happen, but could be an issue depending on when you're going.

The CMs did say that if that did become a problem, they would find alternate ways for my parents to get to where they needed to go.

We were at WL one trip where the water levels were an issue.

If it's totally impossible for guests with wheelchairs and ECVs to board the boats, they do set up bus routes to go from WL to MK, so you can still get there.

The CMs also have some interesting ways to deal with water levels, such as:

- if they need the boat to float higher in the water, unload the arriving guests, then load the wheelchair/ECV first before other departing guests have gotten on

- if they need the boat to float lower in the water, asking arriving guests to stay on the boat and loading departing guests before loading the guests in wheelchairs/ECVs.

- having everyone on the boat move to one side or the other so the side they are on goes lower in the water and the other side of the boat rises.

So, don't worry if you can't get on the boats. They will find a way.