wheel chair boats to mk

[the who #3]

do you think they will ever have wheel chair/scooter accessable boats from wl, poly, gf and cont. to the mk park. i am so disappointed that you can not get on the boat. the trip by boat is so much faster and also pleasant with a beautiful ride across the lake.

if everybody would sprinkle a little maybe they will work on that wish.

 

[SueM in MN]

I don't think it's likely, especially in the current economic climate. Since you can take the monorail, they have provided a way to get from the resort to the park, so I think they may have satisfied the ADA with that.

 

[Momelie]

I've taken the boat from WL before, but not recently. Have they changed this?

 

[Judy Judy Judy]

My dd is in a wheelchair and has rode the boat from WL to MK last summer. Is something different that she can't ride now, if there is please let me know we will be leaving soon?????????????

 

[mechurchlady]

The smaller boats are dependent on weather and water level for boarding. The larger boats do not have that problem. Some people I have read about drug the wheelchair onto the boat and sometimes passengers were shifted around to get the boat to the right level. Anyhow that is what I remember reading here about them smaller boats.

Maybe when the old boats are replaced they will make them wheelchair accessible without having all the passengers on one side of the boat. Technically they are providing a service that is not accessible sometimes so technically they would be required to accomodate. Busses would be one answer I guess but I am not a lawyer.

 

[Schmeck]

Maybe when the old boats are replaced they will make them wheelchair accessible without having all the passengers on one side of the boat. Technically they are providing a service that is not accessible sometimes so technically they would be required to accomodate. Busses would be one answer I guess but I am not a lawyer.

Having grown up working on small boats, making one able to handle the weight of an ECV would only work if you had tiedowns in the dead center of the boat. That would block access on a small boat, unless they limited the seating to a long bench to the sides of the boat. That would then shift the weight to the rails of the boat, making it more prone to capsizing. That would be a disaster, especially with someone in an ECV locked to the boat.

 

[the who #3]

from what you guys say, there may be a boat from wl to mk that will carry wheel chairs. i had been told by cm that there was not one.

the monorail does not go to wl. only to gf and poly. i wish it did!

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

There are 3 types of boats that serve the MK waterways. The largest are the Ferry boats from TTC to MK, these are always wheelchair friendly. The next largest are the Cruisers, there are 3 of these(orignally only 2, one was added 10years or so ago)2 serve the FW to MK route and are generally wheelchair friendly(FW has no other direct route to MK), 1 serves the WL to MK route. The 3 boat is the Launch,these boats require a step or two into them and are not wheelchair friendly. 1 serves the WL to MK route, 2 serve to WL, FW, CR route and 2 to 3(depending on need) serve the Poly, GF, MK route.

With the exception of the newer cruiser The Mermaide, all the other boats have been inservice since the opening of WDW and I doubt anymore boats will be added to the fleet anytime soon. I seem to recall there were originally 7 launches, but one seems to be missing now, I wonder if when it was removed from service(for whatever reason) that that is when the commissioned the new cruiser.

 

[mechurchlady]

from what you guys say, there may be a boat from wl to mk that will carry wheel chairs. i had been told by cm that there was not one.

the monorail does not go to wl. only to gf and poly. i wish it did!

Thanks HappyDznyCamper for that information.

So if you get the middle sized boat then you should be able to get on and off but if the weather or water level is not right then you are stuck. The smallest boats would require someone transferring the person then dragging the chair onto the boat. I am now half awake and do remember reading on this board of people not getting onto a boat because of water level, etc.

Maybe it is time for a public outcry as there are people not in wheelchairs that find the bus ride a bit traumatic and time consuming.

 

[SueM in MN]

there is also information about the boats that go from the resorts to MK on the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
The Cruisers that HappyDznyCamper mentioned are sometimes not accessible because of water levels - the boat is either floating too high or too low compared to the dock. Sometimes they can manage that by moving people around; sometimes they can't and when they can't the Cruisers are not wheelchair accessible.