Waiting for bus with ECV???

[sherreis]

We leave on Wednesday for our trip to WDW and DH will be renting an ECV from an offsite company and we'll be using Disney transportation.

I just want to clear up something for myself.

DH is not supposed to wait in line with everyone else for a bus? What about me and our 2 kids (8 and just turned 13). Do we wait in the line with everyone else or can we stay with DH?

thanks. Just clearing up the small details now. Can't pack until Sunday.

 

[Carnator]

You and your children can wait with your husband. After your husband and ECV are loaded the driver will let you on. I think up to 5 people can go with a person with ECV or W/C.

 

[BrotherBear82]

I have rented an ECV from an off property company (Walker Mobility) for 5 years and have never had any problems with getting from place to place. I was also told by one of the drivers that they look for persons in ECV as they approach a bus stop so they can make room on the bus. CM's in the parks are also very helpfull to you. Your family can wait with you and board the bus right after the ECV is loaded through the same door..

 

[sherreis]

Thank you. That's what I thought but then I had 2nd thoughts - and thought that me and the boys should stay in line. Last trip we had our car with us and put the ECV in the car instead of using Disney transportation. I hope we have a good experience with the busses.

 

[LindaBabe]

My husband tried waiting in the regular line, but the bus drivers called him out of the line and had him board with me, anyway.

 

[honugirl]

You get in the wheelchair/ECV line which is at the end of the regular line. Just look for it. Make sure at some of the stops he is CLEARLY VISABLE to the bus pulling up. Depending on your resort and the theme park, if the driver pulls too far up, there are obstacles such as posts with bushes around them at Animal Kingdom, that cut down on the area to board the ECV. The ramp buses are way easier than the lift buses to get on. With the lift buses, it might be easier to put the ECV in freewheel and "push" it into the spot that way because the aisle is very narrow. I heard from a bus driver when I was there last month that at least some of the lift buses are being traded in this month, not sure if all of them are. So the lifts may/may not be an issue. Have fun! I was there for 18 days and had only one minor problem with the buses, the rest of the time the bus drivers were pretty cool.

 

[sherreis]

You get in the wheelchair/ECV line which is at the end of the regular line. Just look for it. Make sure at some of the stops he is CLEARLY VISABLE to the bus pulling up. Depending on your resort and the theme park, if the driver pulls too far up, there are obstacles such as posts with bushes around them at Animal Kingdom, that cut down on the area to board the ECV. The ramp buses are way easier than the lift buses to get on. With the lift buses, it might be easier to put the ECV in freewheel and "push" it into the spot that way because the aisle is very narrow. I heard from a bus driver when I was there last month that at least some of the lift buses are being traded in this month, not sure if all of them are. So the lifts may/may not be an issue. Have fun! I was there for 18 days and had only one minor problem with the buses, the rest of the time the bus drivers were pretty cool.

Thank you. GLad to hear you didn't have any problems. I'm so afraid that DH will have trouble and he is quick to get angry. No problem with putting the ECV in neutral as long as we can figure out how to do that. He can walk just not long distances and definitely can't stand for long.

 

[HonnyDipp]

I am also renting an ECV from an outside company. I am serious about the bus system. I have been reading some negative posts about them. This thread has put myself at ease!

 

[Carnator]

I guess we remember more things negetive than positive. For the few problems I have had with Disney transportation and an ECV there have been hundreds of rides with no problems or very magical rides.

 

[sherreis]

I guess we remember more things negetive than positive. For the few problems I have had with Disney transportation and an ECV there have been hundreds of rides with no problems or very magical rides.

That's the truth about everything. You always hear more of the negative than the positive.

 

[honugirl]

There should be a lever on the rear of the ECV to put it in freewheel. The drivers on the buses generally know where they are too.

 

[hematite153]

I guess we remember more things negetive than positive. For the few problems I have had with Disney transportation and an ECV there have been hundreds of rides with no problems or very magical rides.

That's certainly true. I can vividly remember the three times that we had to wait through multiple buses (because a driver didn't want to load an ecv or w/c) while people who arrived after us got on easily. But, I've had dozens of good experiences and overall wdw transit works very well between the resorts and the parks.

 

[SueM in MN]

If you haven't read it, there is also a section about bus travel in the disABILITIES FAQs thread. (link to that thread is in my signature).