Wheelchair Accessible Transport

[Tink1024]

Six of us are going to Disney next month. We are staying at SSR. I am in a morotized wheelchair and we will need transportation from MCO to the resort and then back as well. We are not going to take the Magical Express. We will have some equipment to travel with which is why we would prefer to avoid the Magical Express. Does anyone have any input on the best way to get to our resort? Mears said they cannot accomodate 6 passengers? And that they also cannot pick us up at SSR to go back to MCO due to SSR being private disney property?

 

[going/again]

Six of us are going to Disney next month. We are staying at SSR. I am in a morotized wheelchair and we will need transportation from MCO to the resort and then back as well. We are not going to take the Magical Express. We will have some equipment to travel with which is why we would prefer to avoid the Magical Express. Does anyone have any input on the best way to get to our resort? Mears said they cannot accomodate 6 passengers? And that they also cannot pick us up at SSR to go back to MCO due to SSR being private disney property?

I can see why your confused Magical Express is run by mears for disney, my wife has a power chair and has had no problems with ME, if you have had no previous bad experience with ME give it a try you can pm me for more info

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yes, can you please explain in more detail why the equipment with which you're traveling is leading you to avoid Magical Express? Maybe we can allay your fears.

 

[Tink1024]

We don't want to have to wait for ME to bring the equipment to the hotel because we will have to set it up right away.

 

[zumbergc]

I think you have the option of gathering all your luggage yourself, and bringing it with you to to the bus yourself?

I've never done ME, but i know others here have. Some people chose to bring their luggage with them to the bus. I know that southwest people have to bring their luggage because they are not one that currently grabs the luggage and brings it to the ME bus. Although i heard that SW is doing a test program to get them on board with ME.

I suspect with 6 people. You might have the option to have some of the party go to the check-in and the others wait at the side of the bus to get your stuff off the bus.
This is how i would think it works, but again i haven't actually used them. Maybe a southwest flier who uses ME can give more info.

If you do an offsite limo or towncar, they have you dropped off at the check-in place too. I believe they have golf cart like transport to get you to your room, if you need assistance. I believe thats what my mom used. We dropped them off in the morning at the same location, they don't pick you up at your room, but at the check-in area of the resort.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

We don't want to have to wait for ME to bring the equipment to the hotel because we will have to set it up right away.

No need. You can bring the equipment with you on the ME bus (so, it would NOT go on the seperate luggage transport). Basically you can treat it like any other carry on item; you'll have it with you at all times.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yes, as the two posters above me have indicated - you do not HAVE to let Magical Express deliver your checked luggage.

If the items you will need to set up on arrival will be part of your carry-on luggage, no issues whatsoever. If they're items you've checked, you can just NOT attach the DME yellow luggage tags to whatever container/s those items are in. In fact, if you want you can attach the tags to your 'regular' checked luggage and ONLY pick up the bag with the items you'll need immediately.

Returning to the airport, there's absolutely NO reason why you CAN'T use Magical Express. Even if you're flying home on a participating airline, you don't have to use the luggage check-through option. You can bring all or some of your checked luggage to the DME bus with you.

Any items too large to be held on one's lap will need to be stowed under the bus in either/both directions.

So, in response to your original question: Magical Express IS the best/most cost-effective way to get to your resort

 

[KPeveler]

you CAN use DME with any airline that you fly. Southwest does not work with the resort check in for departure, so you will have to check in at the airport for your flights back.

 

[kaytieeldr]

And that they also cannot pick us up at SSR to go back to MCO due to SSR being private disney property?

That's correct. Saratoga Springs is owned by Disney. Magical Express services Disney-owned resorts. Mears (which provides the buses and drivers for DME) therefore does not service those resorts.

 

[pumpkinboy]

DME worked great for us and our medical equipment. Anything we had checked that we needed right away we just brought on the bus with us. Of course, anything we absolutely had to have, we would gate-check anyway. But DME was by far the easiest leg of our journey.

enjoy!