Transportation changes and ECVs?

[Simba's Mom]

With all the new changes regarding decreased social distancing at WDW, I was wondering if anyone had noticed any changes regarding ECVs? For instances, buses taking 2 ECVs now, like in the pre-Covid days? Any increases in 3 of ECVs on any transportation?

 

[Evita_W]

There are only two ECV spaces on each of the buses and reports are they are going back to full capacity in the next couple of days, which means they will load multiple, even if not in the same party.

 

[Bjkandma]

The only transportation that can handle two scooters are the buses. 3 ECVs would be allowed on one monorail, but only one in each car. The skyliner only has room for one. Boats usually only carry one. I've never been on a ferry with more than one - and its me!!

 

[Evita_W]

The only transportation that can handle two scooters are the buses. 3 ECVs would be allowed on one monorail, but only one in each car. The skyliner only has room for one. Boats usually only carry one. I've never been on a ferry with more than one - and its me!!

Oh, we have had up to four ECVs on the Magic Kingdom to resort boats. I have seen up to about 6 or 7 on the ferry from the Ticket and Transportation Center. The friendship boats can accommodate two inside and one outside. The Disney Spring Boats from OKW and SSR can accommodate two ECVs.

All of this is based on personal experience, except the ferry, that is just seeing them getting off a single ferry, I joked they should have made a parade.

We have been in a party with four ECVs (I do not recommend that, if you do, just plan on meeting up occasionally, not trying to keep the group together) before and it is a challenge, but the boats were the most accommodating. At the time accessible Minnie Vans were helpful as well, they could accommodate at least two ECVs. Unfortunately that isn't an option at present. The monorail accommodated us all plus 2 or 3 additional ECVs. Granted it wasn't busy and this wasn't during COVID, but the point is they can accommodate more than 3.

But many of the boat examples above were not during the time with 4 ECVs, although it did occur then as well.

 

[mamabunny]

Oh, we have had up to four ECVs on the Magic Kingdom to resort boats. I have seen up to about 6 or 7 on the ferry from the Ticket and Transportation Center. The friendship boats can accommodate two inside and one outside. The Disney Spring Boats from OKW and SSR can accommodate two ECVs.

All of this is based on personal experience, except the ferry, that is just seeing them getting off a single ferry, I joked they should have made a parade.

We have been in a party with four ECVs (I do not recommend that, if you do, just plan on meeting up occasionally, not trying to keep the group together) before and it is a challenge, but the boats were the most accommodating. At the time accessible Minnie Vans were helpful as well, they could accommodate at least two ECVs. Unfortunately that isn't an option at present. The monorail accommodated us all plus 2 or 3 additional ECVs. Granted it wasn't busy and this wasn't during COVID, but the point is they can accommodate more than 3.

But many of the boat examples above were not during the time with 4 ECVs, although it did occur then as well.

LOL we rode the Friendship boats from EPCOT to HS one memorable evening when the CMs "Tetris'd" 4 ECVs inside and 2 outside. I was actually kind of impressed at how they did it - there was still a "walkable" aisle through the back, too! It was doable probably only because there were no strollers...

 

[Betty Rohrer]

The only transportation that can handle two scooters are the buses. 3 ECVs would be allowed on one monorail, but only one in each car. The skyliner only has room for one. Boats usually only carry one. I've never been on a ferry with more than one - and its me!!

granted before covid but ferry from Fort Wilderness had 4 ECVs on one of my trips to MK

 

[TLSnell1981]

Still one and that isn’t a guarantee. You must wait in the regular line and see if they have space for aN ECV. The monorail is down so....transportation for mobility impaired is less than optimal.

 

[Lizgistix]

They'll load 2 ECVs on a bus if need be. There's that divider between the sections. This was even before the reduced social distancing.
This is the regular Disney bus. They also have a contracted carrier for some resorts and those cannot take an ECV (they make you wait for the next bus, which could mean you'll have the next bus all to yourself)

 

[TLSnell1981]

They'll load 2 ECVs on a bus if need be. There's that divider between the sections. This was even before the reduced social distancing.
This is the regular Disney bus. They also have a contracted carrier for some resorts and those cannot take an ECV (they make you wait for the next bus, which could mean you'll have the next bus all to yourself)

They don't necessarily load any ECVs. Everyone waits in the same line. They only allow them if the space isn't occupied by other able bodied guests. It can be a long wait especially if you have more than one ECV in your party.

 

[Simba's Mom]

"Everyone waits in the same line." When did this start? Last time I was at WDW, ECVs had to park in a special "square" and then loaded on the bus first.

 

[Evita_W]

They don't necessarily load any ECVs. Everyone waits in the same line. They only allow them if the space isn't occupied by other able bodied guests. It can be a long wait especially if you have more than one ECV in your party.

That's not how it works, there is a separate space for ECVs and wheelchairs and they get loaded first. And in fact by law those that are able bodied must move to make space for those in the ECV/wheelchair spaces, it is clearly posted on the windows with a reference to the code section. Now the drivers won't always follow that rule, but they are supposed to. The only exception is if the bus is already at capacity.

Some of the parks do have a portion of the line that ECVs and Wheelchair are supposed to wait in, but they get brought to a separate spot once they get near to the front of the queue and get loaded first.

 

[Evita_W]

"Everyone waits in the same line." When did this start? Last time I was at WDW, ECVs had to park in a special "square" and then loaded on the bus first.

This is still how it worked in February, although sometimes there were cast members there directing people and had you wait in a slightly different spot for social distancing purposes, but you still loaded first.

 

[TLSnell1981]

That's not how it works, there is a separate space for ECVs and wheelchairs and they get loaded first[/COLOR][/SIZE][/B]. And in fact by law those that are able bodied must move to make space for those in the ECV/wheelchair spaces, it is clearly posted on the windows with a reference to the code section. Now the drivers won't always follow that rule, but they are supposed to. The only exception is if the bus is already at capacity.

Some of the parks do have a portion of the line that ECVs and Wheelchair are supposed to wait in, but they get brought to a separate spot once they get near to the front of the queue and get loaded first.

Not anymore.

 

[TLSnell1981]

This is still how it worked in February, although sometimes there were cast members there directing people and had you wait in a slightly different spot for social distancing purposes, but you still loaded first.

As of last month...not my experience.

 

[Evita_W]

As of last month...not my experience.

Then, I think you misunderstood the system, no one else has posted this and it would be all over this board if this was happening. Is bus drivers were doing something different, they were improperly trained. But I am inquiring with some people that will know.

Additionally, all you have to do is point to the signs on the bus and reference the code and ask them to move the able bodied people using the wheelchair spaces, it is the law.

There is even a 2017 court ruling about this
https://www.equalityhumanrights.com...air-spaces-buses-must-be-priority-court-rules
And yes, these buses count as public transit.

 

[mamabunny]

As of last month...not my experience.

So... tell us exactly what your experience was? Outside of some very specific cases, I have never seen that happen at WDW, and I have been visiting there literally since the first year the Park was open.

That doesn't mean that you and I will always have the exact same experience - I understand that. But *generally* speaking, as my friend @Evita_W said above, there may have been a misunderstanding about how, where, and when you wait, and load as a mobility device user at WDW. Other factors can be the time of day, which bus stop you choose, and (literally) where you are - in the queue, as well as at WDW.

There are 2 basic queue types at WDW bus stops: a "mainstreamed" queue, where you go through the line with everyone else, and then pull out of the line at a designated exit point that is roughly where the back door to the bus is, and there are (last I checked) still a few queues that don't have the exit point, and you simply bypass the mainstream queue, and go directly to a marked location to wait your turn to board the bus.

There are some queues that can be confusing for mobility users, as they are not well marked at the entrance, and if a CM is not present to guide you to where you should enter the queue, and where to wait, I could see how a driver would actually not be able to load you.

- If you were (for example) in the "mainstream" queue line, even if the driver could clearly *see* you, they would not be able to load you until you were completely through that queue, and to the exit point - they aren't going to ask people who are in front of you in line to move so that you can be loaded before them; that is not how the system is set up.

- If you were (for example) at a bus stop for a Resort hotel that has multiple stops on a loop, then yes, this is a real possibility that the seats are already occupied when the bus arrives. This can be a real problem, especially at larger Resorts, and particularly during "rush hours" (usually morning/rope drop) when lots of people are trying to leave the Resort hotel to get to the Parks. (If that's the case, always ask for a room closest to the front desk; usually that's the first stop on the loop around the Resort, and often your best shot at consistently getting a spot on the bus)

It is my (personal) understanding that *if* someone is in those seats, then the driver is supposed to ask them to move if a
mobility device user is present, and read to load at the next stop. However, the Guests who are occupying those seats do not have to give them up if they have a mobility issue or hidden disability that requires that they sit during transit on the bus - in other words, those people may have every "right" to use those seats, we just can't see *why* They don't have to explain themselves, other than to say that they need to sit, just as you or I don't have to explain why we need to use a mobility device - we just do, and that's enough. Additionally, it is my understanding that if there are no other seats available when the driver opens the back door, the seated Guests (regardless of disability) do not have to move, because there is no similar accommodation for them available.

That's how it was explained to me - by a lovely WDW driver one evening when we were chatting. We had decided to skip fireworks, and when we got to our Resort bus, it was literally empty except for us! We had a very nice visit with the driver during our own "private bus" to our Resort that night! (Hat tip to Tim Tracker: I was "Queen of The Bus!" LOL)

And yes, there are some drivers who are not well-trained *or* well-mannered; coming back from the pandemic, it is my understanding that there are also many new drivers as well, who may not yet be accustomed to working with Guests who have mobility devices, many of whom are more knowledgeable about how the system *should* work than then driver!

So - what was your experience? Did it look like any of the scenarios above? I'm genuinely curious - I always want everyone here to have the best possible trip, and sometimes the difference between a trip, and an *AWESOME* trip is just knowing a few little "tweaks" to try next time!

 

[FastPasser.]

There is even a 2017 court ruling about this

Isn't that article from Great Britain?

 

[lanejudy]

During this time of social-distancing, they are loading buses back-to-front and NOT asking folks to move. It is a particular challenge for routes with multiple stops because the bus tends to be loaded before it gets to you.

That said, as @Lizgistix said, they have been loading more than 1 ECV on at least some buses. It depends on the zones for that particular bus.

 

[Evita_W]

Isn't that article from Great Britain?

I believe that one was from the US, but there have been court cases in the US with similar results.

Here is a link to a PDF that explains all of the rules as the currently stand in the US:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAMegQIKBAC&usg=AOvVaw0XaEPB_jY5hpKUXPq1SA4A[/URL]

 

[Evita_W]

During this time of social-distancing, they are loading buses back-to-front and NOT asking folks to move. It is a particular challenge for routes with multiple stops because the bus tends to be loaded before it gets to you.

That said, as @Lizgistix said, they have been loading more than 1 ECV on at least some buses. It depends on the zones for that particular bus.

It is my understanding that they are either currently back to fully loading the buses or will be within the next few days, unfortunately this means complete with tending in the buses.

But according to a couple of bus drivers, when assigning seats they are supposed to assign the abled bodied people to wheelchair spaces last on multi stop routes to keep them open as long as possible. Obviously if there are no wheelchairs or ECVs waiting on a single stop route, it doesn't matter when they assign the space.