What is the best with wheelchair? Car or bus?

[Disneycrazymom]

To all of you that have traveled with a wheelchair, please help us decide. We need to choose between renting a car or using a car service. Which will work better to get to All Star Sports? Would we wish we had a car once we are there? I want information specifically about what is easier for my sister in the chair. She is an adult and has no experience traveling, in fact does not even go out much at all, so this is a BIG deal to her.

I am concerned about being able to get her in a rental car, and fitting all the luggage and her chair in the trunk. But like being able to move around Orlando without depending on the buses. OR, It could be nice to if she could just stay in her chair and board the van, and then the Disney buses.

Sorry this is so long. What are your experiences? Thank-you

 

[lisapooh]

The majority of Disney buses are equipped with lifts so she will be able to remain in her wheelchair if you use Disney transportation. I really prefer to do it that way rather than having to load my wheelchair and then unload at each park. Too much of a hassle.

 

[SueM in MN]

I agree with lisapooh; for getting around WDW, the buses are a lot easier than plopping the wheelchair in and out of a car. Getting to the parks by bus is not much of a hassle and the majority of the buses do have wheelchair lifts. The only reason you would need a car is if you plan to go resort hopping or want to go outside of WDW. For example to go from AS to CBR, you would need to take a bus from AS to one of the parks or DD and then catch a us from there to CBR.

For getting to the resorts, we rent a van. With 4 people, one wheelchair and all our luggage, a car would be tight. Whether a car would work for you depends on how small the wheelchair would fold, how much luggage you have and how many people there are. We like having the flexibility of having a vehicle, even though we don't use it much once we are there. Keep in mind that when you arrive and when you leave will be the only times you will need carry all your luggage, the wheelchair and all the people. If your sister has a lot of difficulty getting in and out of the car, that might be your deciding factor.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Thank-you both. We still have not decided but will have to very soon, as we leave on the 24th. It is very hard to get her into a car. she cannot support herself at all now, so in that respect the bus is better. I also like to have a car, just in case. Thank-you for helping me think this through.

 

[SueM in MN]

Glad to help. We are lucky because our DD is just the right size for us to move around. She can't stand without a lot of support, but she's only about 5 feet tall and about 80-85 pounds, so we can move her pretty easily.
Another option you might want to consider is to have part of your party ride to the resort in a car with most of the luggage and have the rest of your party take a town car or accessible van (Mears has them) with your sister and her wheelchair. I don't know if it would be more expensive or not, but it would be the least hassle for your sister and you would still have a car.
Or, if you rent a car, you would only have to use it with your sister for the trip to and from the airport to the resort.

 

[Andrew Bichard]

I am just back from a vacation at Disney in a wheelchair.

I discovered that for the last three months or so, the taxi company that serves WDW (669 9999) has had six or so wheelchair accesible vans in their taxi fleet and has more on order. They are Voyager size vans with a lowered floor ramp at the rear and whelchair tie downs. I used them a couple of times. My longest wait was 30 minutes because the only available taxi was the far side of WDW. They would carry four passengers plus a regular sixe wheelchair or one passenger plus an oversize wheelchair or scooter (back seat folded). Wheelchair user can remain in chair.

andrew

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Thanks for the tip Andrew. Did you use them from the airport or just on Disney property?

 

[Andrew Bichard]

DisneyCrazyMom

I used them to go shopping. Boardwalk to Publix on 192 near AKL was about $12-$13 plus tip each way. Crossroads to Boardwalk a bit less.

I used Mears shuttle - airport to Disney and Disney to Universal.

(also Lynx - Disney to Super Walmart out beyond Celebration $0.25 each way)

Andrew

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Thank-you Andrew, I will try Mears from the airport and the cab company to church. This information is most helpful.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks for that info, Andrew. The taxi type information is one piece that is changing pretty quickly. About 2 years ago, there was no way other thatn a medical van (very expensive) to get people with wheelchairs around the Orlando area. It's really nice to see more options opening up.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

To answer my own question now that we are back. The busses are wonderful. The drivers are so helpful and are really compassionate. I was so glad that we stayed on site and did not bother with a car, we did not need one at all and I think it would have been harder on my sister to get in and out of the car and chair each time.

Thank you so much Andrew for the cab advice we used yellow cab and they were great. Tiffany took the rest of us (we were a group of 10) and the driver helped us get the wheelchair accessable cab at the airport then both came to the hotel right on time and followed each other on our return to the airport.

We had such great service. Any questions just ask.

 

[SueM in MN]

Great. Traveling by bus is a lot less moving in and out for the person who is using a wheelchair. Thanks for sharing your experience.