Upcoming TTC Ferry issues for those with mobility issues

[mgilmer]

Saw this posted on the transportation board and thought it should be noted here.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2371627

 

[WheeledTraveler]

I'm certainly glad I won't be going to Disney while the ferry to the MK will be out of service since I can't get up the ramp to the monorail on my own and I would not want a stranger pushing me (would feel marginally better if it was a cast member, but I question whether they'd be allowed). I wonder who would need to be contacted to point out that they've just made the MK legally inaccessible to anyone not staying a resort?

 

[Schmeck]

You can take the walking path over to the Poly and board the monorail there, so there's still access.

 

[martin1]

I'm certainly glad I won't be going to Disney while the ferry to the MK will be out of service since I can't get up the ramp to the monorail on my own and I would not want a stranger pushing me (would feel marginally better if it was a cast member, but I question whether they'd be allowed). I wonder who would need to be contacted to point out that they've just made the MK legally inaccessible to anyone not staying a resort?

thats a bit strong, if a boat needs rehab it needs rehab, nothing can be done about it sometimes safety has to come first im sure you would rather the boat be fixed than operate dangerously and if it stops wheelchairs from using the temporary one then so be it its just a matter of safety for yourself and others

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks to the OP for letting us know this.

As for the monorails - there are no elevators at either the TTC or MK.
This IS a problem for some people because the ramp to get up and down the monorails is very steep. If it was being built today, it would not be legal because the slope is too steep.
Even with a good, strong person to push you up, it is not easy.

But, with the ferry boat out of commission, there are several other options if you can't handle the monorail ramp:

1) If staying at one of the WDW resorts, take the bus to MK.

2) To get to MK if parking in the MK parking lot , as was mentioned, the Polynesian is a short walk from TTC. At the Polynesian, you can take an elevator up to the monorail boarding level and ride the MK resort monorail. If you can't manage the ramp down at MK, you can get off that monorail at the Contemporary. There is an elevator at the monorail station that will take you down.
There is a walking path to MK from the Contemporary. Just follow the path of the monorail to MK.

3) To get back to the TTC from MK, take the walking path to the Contemporary and use the Resort Monorail to get back to TTC.

 

[SueM in MN]

I thought I should post the text of the thread that the OP made a link to:
I don't have specific dates yet and will keep this thread updated, but I wanted to put an advisory out about MK watercraft transportation.

In the very near future, a number of rehabs will be happening that, while the guest flow is low, can still impact travel time to your destination.

Currently: One of our 120 passenger cruisers is in rehab. While the Bon Voyage is out of service, there is a 39 passenger launch in its place. Typically, the Bonnie is on the green(Ft Wilderness route), so what we have now is instead of 2 120 passenger cruisers, we have a 120 passenger cruiser and a 39 passenger launch. This will cause delays, especially during the hoop de doo times, so please make sure to add extra time. I would honestly recommend that if you're going to be going from MK to Ft Wilderness for any show or dinner reservation, be on the dock at MK 1.5 hrs before your seating. For hoop de doo, that means if the seating is 9:30(I don't remember the other times) they ask that you're there by 9(I'm factoring that in) so be on the dock at 8pm. If you have a dinner reservation, follow the same principle.

In the very near future: The west angle dock which currently hosts the gold route(GF and Poly) will be shut down. The gold route will be moved to the east angle dock. This is the dock closest to the ferry boat dock. I'm sure someone can provide a map. This shouldn't impact wait times much other than the adjustments pilots will have to make to account for additional docking time. This is being done to make way for a floating dock on the west angle, which is badly needed.

In the near future: The ferryboat slip at that TTC will undergo refurbishments. This means we will be using the Temp slip at the TTC. While it's safe to use for guests, it requires 2 things. The max capacity of the ferry boats will be cut in half to 300 guests. Additionally, wheelchairs or ECVs will NOT be allowed on the Ferry. Guests with these 2 items will have to take the monorail to get to or from MK. I know this is a big deal, so I will do my best, as soon as I have firm dates, to update this thread.


Those are the 3 things I have been told. I will update as necessary and do my best to keep an eye on the thread and answer any questions you may have.

 

[seashoreCM]

... I can't get up the ramp to the monorail on my own and I would not want a stranger pushing me (would feel marginally better if it was a cast member, but I question whether they'd be allowed). I wonder who would need to be contacted to point out that they've just made the MK legally inaccessible to anyone not staying a resort?

Disney will hire CM's to magically come out of the woodwork to push wheelchairs up the ramp prior to conceding that the MK is inaccessible.

Face characters anyone? Who would like to be pushed by Hercules or Tarzan or even mild mannered Eric?

Another alternative is putting buses in service between TTC and MK for "handicapped" guests.

 

[KPeveler]

Thanks to the OP for letting us know this.

As for the monorails - there are no elevators at either the TTC or MK.
This IS a problem for some people because the ramp to get up and down the monorails is very steep. If it was being built today, it would not be legal because the slope is too steep.
Even with a good, strong person to push you up, it is not easy.

But, with the ferry boat out of commission, there are several other options if you can't handle the monorail ramp:

1) If staying at one of the WDW resorts, take the bus to MK.

2) To get to MK if parking in the MK parking lot , as was mentioned, the Polynesian is a short walk from TTC. At the Polynesian, you can take an elevator up to the monorail boarding level and ride the MK resort monorail. If you can't manage the ramp down at MK, you can get off that monorail at the Contemporary. There is an elevator at the monorail station that will take you down.
There is a walking path to MK from the Contemporary. Just follow the path of the monorail to MK.

3) To get back to the TTC from MK, take the walking path to the Contemporary and use the Resort Monorail to get back to TTC.

I am not entirely certain how making people go on a 5-10 minute walk is a solution to accessibility... And I could not get myself DOWN the ramp from the monorail either.

I should always have an option to getting TO the park in the first place that does not require me to use an illegal ramp. I get that not everything in an older park is accessible, but I think the only way for people in cars (and a lot of people CANNOT take a bus due to disability/illness/preference/etc) and locals to get to the park NEEDS to be accessible.

 

[SueM in MN]

I am not entirely certain how making people go on a 5-10 minute walk is a solution to accessibility... And I could not get myself DOWN the ramp from the monorail either.

I should always have an option to getting TO the park in the first place that does not require me to use an illegal ramp. I get that not everything in an older park is accessible, but I think the only way for people in cars (and a lot of people CANNOT take a bus due to disability/illness/preference/etc) and locals to get to the park NEEDS to be accessible.

I'm not disagreeing with you - I have thought since the first time that I used those ramps that they needed to be changed.
But, since I have no power to change them, I was suggesting ways that someone could get around the fact.

I would encourage people to write to WDW and explain the impact of both the temporary change in the ferry boats and the fact that the monorail ramps at MK and the TTC are not accessible. I don't know for a fact that the ramps don't comply with the ADA because I have not measured the slope. I just know thst the ramp we built in our garage is on the border of being out of compliance and those ramps look much steeper to me.
There are a couple of loophole in the ADA that talk about changes not being required if they are not technically feasible, which may fit both stations because of how the train tracks are situated in the station.

 

[KPeveler]

I may write to disney - That is a good idea.

I am not suggesting they need to fix the ramps (something that would not be a bad idea), but that there needs to be a way for people who cannot do the ramp to get to the MK. Perhaps even running a short-trip bus or van from the TTC to MK while the ferry is out of commission would be good.

I would be very annoyed if I paid extra to stay at the CR or Poly and everyone with a wc or ecv who was a local or taking a car suddenly was taking up one of the few spots on a monorail where an ECV can go...

 

[retired and happy]

I've always thought there should be elevators at all of the monorail stations. Do any of you more knowledgable folks know if there is a technical reason they could not be installed...maybe not in time for this "temporary" problem, but for the long run?

 

[SueM in MN]

I've always thought there should be elevators at all of the monorail stations. Do any of you more knowledgable folks know if there is a technical reason they could not be installed...maybe not in time for this "temporary" problem, but for the long run?

I have heard that they did look at putting in elevators at both TTC and MK, but because of the way the stations are built and the tracks run, there is not room to add elevators. They would need 2 sets at each station.
Perhaps someone with more engineering background can confirm that for us, but that was what I had heard.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

In theory they could build four elevator towers.

At the TTC one next to the exit side of the Epcot beam and the other on the exit side of the Resort Beam.

At the MK one next to the entrance side of the Express beam and the other on the entrance side of the Resort beam.

They would need a tower with an elevator in it. The doors would have to open at right angles to each other. And they would need to provide a paved path to/from each elevator as well as relandscaping all of the area. And because of the hillside nature of the land along each side of the stations there would be a real lot of serious landscaping being needed to be done.

Anybody care to guess how many million dollars it might cost to put in all four?

What they will proably do while the ferry slip is out of service is have a special shuttle bus or van running between the TTC and MK for people in wheelchairs (ECVs can use the monorail),

 

[KPeveler]

In theory they could build four elevator towers.

At the TTC one next to the exit side of the Epcot beam and the other on the exit side of the Resort Beam.

At the MK one next to the entrance side of the Express beam and the other on the entrance side of the Resort beam.

They would need a tower with an elevator in it. The doors would have to open at right angles to each other. And they would need to provide a paved path to/from each elevator as well as relandscaping all of the area. And because of the hillside nature of the land along each side of the stations there would be a real lot of serious landscaping being needed to be done.

Anybody care to guess how many million dollars it might cost to put in all four?

What they will proably do while the ferry slip is out of service is have a special shuttle bus or van running between the TTC and MK for people in wheelchairs (ECVs can use the monorail),

I would be happy if they had shuttles. I realize that it is very difficult to make the ramps/platforms different, but as long as there is another reasonable accommodation, then I am happy