Small rant about something I witnessed in the bus line

[dburg30]

My mom probably would never skip, but cant walk very far. So she easily could be the one you see "walking with no limp" at certain points, but I promise, it wouldnt be for very long or very far. But she would walk some, because sitting for that long is also not good for her. But there is no way she could make it even a fraction of a day, much less then a week, without a wheel chair.

 

[Talking Hands]

I agree. Allowing 1 person on with the wheelchair/ECV is a great option and a compromise I think many people waiting in line would be more happy with. I also agree that splitting a party up is sooo not a big deal. I know there are situations that call for that not being a possibility, but for the most part I would bet it wouldn't be a problem.

I would be fine with that if travelling with my husband, however if I had my grandson with me, I would object to him not entering with us until he was old enough to be alone in the parks.

 

[peemagg]

This past January, we were a party of 9, two of us needing and using ECV's. Whenever we boarded the buses, even though technically we could all board thru the back door, only the 2 of us who used the ECV's used the back door.

The rule is that the ECV user and up to 5 others can board thru the back.

 

[waynesgirl]

If there were a way to make it more equal, that would be great. My DH uses an ECV. His first time using an ECV in WDW (he was able to walk around previously), a bus pulls up and decides to ignore him. My husband pulled up into the area reserved for ECVs. I went in the regular line because we had to get something done in time over at Epcot. I got on the bus. He didn't. Once the bus starts boarding, how can you possibly inconvenience a bunch of people and have them move while the ECV is boarding? Even though the stickers near those seats state that you must move, it's very rare when that is asked. So, the ECV has to go on first and be secured before anyone else is allowed onto the bus.

As for groups going with an ECV, we are a family with two children. However, one time a family walked in the back door with us, trying to make it seem they were a part of our party. I can't remember if we or the bus driver said anything. Often, we feel so self conscious with getting to board the bus first, that if it becomes standing room only, three out of the four of us offer our seats to others. Generally, we usually take the bus in off times to avoid inconveniencing others.

People sometimes only see where ECV folks benefit. They are off and gone to the park before the ECV is unstrapped and taken off the bus. Or they don't see how long an ECV has to wait for a bus. And not all buses have lifts. There have been many times where the buses assisting at HS did not have lifts.

Not sharing to be argumentative. Just trying to give a different view.

Can I say I Love You? It's called courtesy and you show it in this post. I am able to stand, and mostly I do, just so other people can sit. Besides, like you said, I WANT to get off the bus first, especially at the resort when my feet hurt. So standing lets me do so. If everyone, including able-bodied, practiced courtesy, it might just be a better time for all.

 

[MulanMom]

Can I say I Love You? ....

Sure...never hurts to have too much love!!!! LOL

GMTA....Must be because we both like Malificent!!!!

 

[cranbiz]

Granted, It's been 2 years since I drove for WDW, I still have some insight.

1) ECV's were being mainstreamed at most of the parks at the time I left the mouse. They would be in line to a point and then taken out to be loaded first on the next bus.

2) A max of 2 were allowed in the back doors. The rest of your party was to enter thru the front doors.

3) 99% of the new Gilligs (the 5000 numbers and higher) had 3 tie downs. Before those, only bus 4815 (a Nova) has 3 tie downs.

4) There were many changes that were to happen in Transportation, some mandated by previous incidents, some mandated by guest complaints and some by management who had not seen a bus stop at park closing. I didn't like some of them but would go back to driving for Disney Transport in a heartbeat if I was to return to FL permanently.

ECV guests, IMHO, need to be boarded first. This is a safety issue for both the guests and the driver.

Guests with ECV's should wait like everyone else, to a point. Just my opinion colored by 4 years of driving a bus for WDW.

 

[goofy4tink]

Granted, It's been 2 years since I drove for WDW, I still have some insight.

1) ECV's were being mainstreamed at most of the parks at the time I left the mouse. They would be in line to a point and then taken out to be loaded first on the next bus.

2) A max of 2 were allowed in the back doors. The rest of your party was to enter thru the front doors.

3) 99% of the new Gilligs (the 5000 numbers and higher) had 3 tie downs. Before those, only bus 4815 (a Nova) has 3 tie downs.

4) There were many changes that were to happen in Transportation, some mandated by previous incidents, some mandated by guest complaints and some by management who had not seen a bus stop at park closing. I didn't like some of them but would go back to driving for Disney Transport in a heartbeat if I was to return to FL permanently.

ECV guests, IMHO, need to be boarded first. This is a safety issue for both the guests and the driver.

Guests with ECV's should wait like everyone else, to a point. Just my opinion colored by 4 years of driving a bus for WDW.

Hey you!!! I've missed seeing you around.
This really isn't a huge issue. It should be an easy thing. Allow one person to board with the ECV..not the entire family. 2, and possibly 3, ECVs can now be accommodated on some buses. Once those are loaded, everyone else gets on board. But...here's the thing. You don't get to be in an ECV and just rolling up to the bus stop as the bus is loading and then be allowed on. The driver needs to be able to see who is already there, waiting, as the bus pulls up.
It's not fair to make the ECV folks wait in the regular line....why? Well, if guests would leave those 'ECV accessible' seats open, then fine. But they don't. And there have been many instances where, when asked to move to accommodate an ECV, these guests refuse.
There is never going to be a completely fair and equitable way to manage this issue. But a little common sense and courtesy, on everyone's part, would go a long way.
If you are riding an ECV, and are able to board that bus first?? Please...don't expect to take the entire group of 10 on with you. That's not fair to those that may have been waiting 20+ mins for the bus.
And those of you who are waiting, patiently, in that line, but see an ECV pull up?? Try not to start with the dirty looks and the snide comments. You have no way of knowing what that person's story is. Sure they may be taking advantage of the system...it happens. But, that may not be the case. They may, most likely, be very entitled to be on the ECV. And those comments and looks are hurtful. So what if you have to wait an addtl 8 mins while the ECV is loaded?? If you need to get to the parks that quickly, you may be better off renting a car. WDW transportation is basically public transit. It is not a private shuttle service that is provided to get you and your family to the parks as quickly as possible.

 

[PatsMom]

I would be fine with that if travelling with my husband, however if I had my grandson with me, I would object to him not entering with us until he was old enough to be alone in the parks.

100% agreement on this. I am off on my second wheelchair trip tomorrow. Last trip there were three of us - my 21 year old daughter (and well bribed wheelchair pusher), my 67 year old husband who has his own troubles walking and me - who had a broken foot that trip. We didn't splurge on an ECV. This trip I am 7 days out from a nine inch midline incision to remove all the organs they could due to metastatic carcinoma of unknown origin. So between the new incision and the cancer, I am pretty wiped out lots of the time.

I need to walk - sitting all day makes me hurt worse and is not good for my healing. So there may be times when I magically arise from my chair like the gentleman in the original posting - sorry about that! I have learned not to judge others by appearances. I now there are those who try try scam but there aren't many benefits to a mobility device now. Not that benefits is the correct word! At a couple of older attractions you may be directed to the exit or the fastpass line but most are mainstreamed.

In May we got in the regular line - I had limited mobility but could walk. No point using a wheelchair tie down. My daughter would fold up the chair and carry it on like a stroller. That is what we intend to do this time too. At a few places we were directed to the front of the line - despite my husband telling the bus driver I would not need the lift. At the MK at closing we felt bad because we were sent to the front of a looong OKW line! We were anticipating waiting for the next bus because I obviously could not stand. But the person directing people traffic said it is easier to put you on first - so we followed directions!.

This trip there are six of us. I don't anticipate getting on the bus together. Just like when we board our Southwest flight, my husband will go with me - the other four (two adults and two children) will meet up with us whenever we get to where we are going.

But like Talking Hands - if my grandson was alone with us (he's five) I would object if he were not allowed to board with us. The 21 and 42 year old daughters are one story - the five year old grandson and 11 year old niece are a little different. The 11 year old would most likely be fine - she would know to just get on and off the bus like she does at school but I would worry about her in a strange place. Mostly at OKW that she would get off at the wrong stop and be confused!

 

[goofy4tink]

100% agreement on this. I am off on my second wheelchair trip tomorrow. Last trip there were three of us - my 21 year old daughter (and well bribed wheelchair pusher), my 67 year old husband who has his own troubles walking and me - who had a broken foot that trip. We didn't splurge on an ECV. This trip I am 7 days out from a nine inch midline incision to remove all the organs they could due to metastatic carcinoma of unknown origin. So between the new incision and the cancer, I am pretty wiped out lots of the time.

I need to walk - sitting all day makes me hurt worse and is not good for my healing. So there may be times when I magically arise from my chair like the gentleman in the original posting - sorry about that! I have learned not to judge others by appearances. I now there are those who try try scam but there aren't many benefits to a mobility device now. Not that benefits is the correct word! At a couple of older attractions you may be directed to the exit or the fastpass line but most are mainstreamed.

In May we got in the regular line - I had limited mobility but could walk. No point using a wheelchair tie down. My daughter would fold up the chair and carry it on like a stroller. That is what we intend to do this time too. At a few places we were directed to the front of the line - despite my husband telling the bus driver I would not need the lift. At the MK at closing we felt bad because we were sent to the front of a looong OKW line! We were anticipating waiting for the next bus because I obviously could not stand. But the person directing people traffic said it is easier to put you on first - so we followed directions!.

This trip there are six of us. I don't anticipate getting on the bus together. Just like when we board our Southwest flight, my husband will go with me - the other four (two adults and two children) will meet up with us whenever we get to where we are going.

But like Talking Hands - if my grandson was alone with us (he's five) I would object if he were not allowed to board with us. The 21 and 42 year old daughters are one story - the five year old grandson and 11 year old niece are a little different. The 11 year old would most likely be fine - she would know to just get on and off the bus like she does at school but I would worry about her in a strange place. Mostly at OKW that she would get off at the wrong stop and be confused!

There are always going to be exceptions. No one is going to have an issue with a young person boarding with the adult in question!!! But, if that 5 y/o boards with a group of 9? Then yeah, that's going to be an issue. There are plenty of adults to take care of the kiddos.

I really don't think that many people abuse the whole ECV boarding process. Yes, I've seen some large groups all board together. It is annoying when 10+ people all board with that one ECV bound person. It's also annoying when someone comes barralling down the sidewalk, in their ECV, and then figures it's their 'right' to board before those who have been waiting for 20+ mins....and yes, I was one of those people waiting. I was about 15 people back in the line and I had been there for about 15 mins, and when the ECV got there, just as the bus drove up, I had been in line for 22 mins...yes, I timed it!!! It's what I do in order to report back here!!! So, yeah, that can be annoying.

But, it's also annoying when an elderly couple has to sit through 3 buses at MK.....not one of those 3 buses was able to accommodate them due to faulty equipment...so there they sat, out in the heat/humidity of August, waiting for a 4th bus. Nope, life is just not fair.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

goofy4tink what would you do with my 5 year old grandson as my husband boards with me as the one person? is he to be on his own? if he boards with me and i need help to control him, specialneeds. we are a party of 3 and i use a scooter.

 

[KrazeeK120]

goofy4tink what would you do with my 5 year old grandson as my husband boards with me as the one person? is he to be on his own? if he boards with me and i need help to control him, specialneeds. we are a party of 3 and i use a scooter.

As goofy4tink stated, "No one is going to have an issue with a young person boarding with the adult in question!!!"

I believe this is true. I sure as heck wouldn't mind if a couple of kids got on with someone in an ECV. It's when a group of 10 (mixed adults and kids) comes with the ECV and they all expect to board the next bus. One person boarding with the ECV to help that person is fine (or one person and small children if there are no other adults with them). Taking your entire extended family with you...not so much.

 

[prlady13]

This past Sep. we traveled to WDW with my mother who needs an ECV. Her body is riddled with arthritis and she has great difficulty walking. We waited on all the lines till we reached the handicap station. The bus drivers loaded us up first but whenever there was a long line I did not take a seat and instead stood for the ride just to be fair to the others who were also waiting. There were 4 in our party, 2 were my kids (one of which has autism). He is a teen so he looks like an adult, almost 6 feet tall, but I would never split up our party and leave him behind. Many don't realize that other travelers have hidden disabilities. We don't know the make up of other families and who or how many traveling in their party are disabled. For that reason I don't feel families should be split up and only be allowed to board with one person. We have no problems waiting on long lines like everyone else but people should be more aware of others unique situations. It is such a shame that people abuse the system and make it difficult for those who truly need it.

 

[lylone]

This past December at HS I cannot forget. We waited 30 minutes and watched bus after bus pull up for other resorts until one came to our stop. At that time 3 ECVs had pulled up at various times during the 30 minutes. Each one was loaded on with their large parties. 6 people in the regular line loaded on the bus and by then it was full.

Some people in line were quite upset and rightfully so. Those parties were extremely large and it was a long time waiting for the next bus.

 

[seashoreCM]

Idea for an invention.

A collapsible left to right gate that closes off most of the floor space in the bus but leaving enough space for wheelchairs to be maneuvered. The gate might be at a row of front facing seats with very high seatbacks so it does not have to be very wide itself.

The driver stops, walks to the back door, closes the gate, and opens the door. After wheelchair guests are loaded, the driver gets back in the back door, closes it, opens the gate, and returns to his seat to load other passengers.

... we waited 30 minutes ... a long time waiting for the next ...

Was it at park closing? Seems like at least three trips were missed: T+10, T+20, and T+40.

 

[I Love Pluto]

Let me tell you the "flip side" of that situation.

MK bus stop. Not closing time yet, but during EMH. I am always on an ECV (balance issues). The Pop bus line is crowded. There are 2 ECV's in the waiting area. I was not quite 2 months post-op from a spinal cord & cervical surgery. I was wearing a collar - quite large & obvious.

The crowd started screaming at ME - before I even got to the line - that I had to go through the line just like everyone else. Apparently, the 2 ECVs in the handicapped area had cut in line & they were mad. Crowd anger took over & took their anger out on the next ECV (me). I was actually unable to go through the line - was in a sad state each time the line turned. I couldn't see correctly because I couldn't bend my neck yet - and the turning actually made me dizzy. There was no bus coordinator there to help. I went through the line so that I didn't get "tarred & feathered" by an angry mob. It was horrifying for me.

I waited through 4 buses before I got on one. The 2nd & 3rd bus did not acknowledge my presence at all.

Please don't get mad at a person on an ECV. You don't know their story.

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

This past December at HS I cannot forget. We waited 30 minutes and watched bus after bus pull up for other resorts until one came to our stop. At that time 3 ECVs had pulled up at various times during the 30 minutes. Each one was loaded on with their large parties. 6 people in the regular line loaded on the bus and by then it was full.

Some people in line were quite upset and rightfully so. Those parties were extremely large and it was a long time waiting for the next bus.

Our last trip, we waited for what seemed hours for a POP bus after MK fireworks. When it seemed we might get onto the next bus, with only one ECV left in the line, a very large group (10 or 12 people) approached the man in the ECV and his wife and said that, since he only had one person with him, could they board the bus as his "family"! The guy said yes, and so we had to wait for yet another bus.....

 

[maxiesmom]

This past December at HS I cannot forget. We waited 30 minutes and watched bus after bus pull up for other resorts until one came to our stop. At that time 3 ECVs had pulled up at various times during the 30 minutes. Each one was loaded on with their large parties. 6 people in the regular line loaded on the bus and by then it was full.

Some people in line were quite upset and rightfully so. Those parties were extremely large and it was a long time waiting for the next bus.

Sorry, but unless the ECV people all loaded with at least 20 people each, there is no way the bus only had room for 6 people from the "regular" line. I think you are exaggerating just a tiny bit. That or you had a bus full of idiots who wouldn't fill all the space.

I do think the bus drivers should be more strict in how may people they allow on with the ECVs. But I bet arguing with people gets old after a while. And I highly doubt they will shut the door on the extras, or try to physically remove them once the board. Unless WDW hires bus enforcers, I don't see how they can stop large groups from boarding with ECVs.

 

[lylone]

Sorry, but unless the ECV people all loaded with at least 20 people each, there is no way the bus only had room for 6 people from the "regular" line. I think you are exaggerating just a tiny bit. That or you had a bus full of idiots who wouldn't fill all the space.

I do think the bus drivers should be more strict in how may people they allow on with the ECVs. But I bet arguing with people gets old after a while. And I highly doubt they will shut the door on the extras, or try to physically remove them once the board. Unless WDW hires bus enforcers, I don't see how they can stop large groups from boarding with ECVs.

Sorry, but I didn't count how many got on but I definitely remember the bus driver stopping more people from getting on and saying "we are full"

And yes we saw bus after bus go by for the next resort and not a single one for us...for 30 min.

 

[gratefulfred]

mt

 

[Tormania]

Having a physical handicap is just that, a physical handicap. But it shouldn't give one a "Fast Pass" for life either. They can wait in line like everyone else in most cases. Obviously there are situations where that is difficult or more hassle than it's worth, but for 90% of the time they should wait.