Wheelchair in Disney - PLEASE BE UNDERSTANDING!

[OneLittleSpark]

I think the world would be a better place if everyone needed to use a wheelchair or would have a temporary disability from time to time.

That can be arranged!

 

[Camster0307]

That can be arranged!

 

[lovetoscrap]

I wish I had read all this before I went the end of Nov. There were 2 of us in ECV's. I was a newbie, she had used one before but was just not comfortable getting it on and off the buses. For the most part we had the GREATEST bus drivers-- wonderful help and patient and caring and the best sense of humor. The highlight for our entire group was my siggy picture-- The lifts scared the bejeebers out of me and I mentioned that it was scarier than Tower of Terror so this bus driver decided to have a little bit of fun with me!

But we had three bus drivers that were just not good at all. One was just not helpful and the other was downright mean. That was the only time I was actually in tears. I was pretty good at manuvering my scooter in but he was so nasty and made me so nervous I could not get get it in. After I broke down crying he finally very nastily agreed to do it for me when I finallly just refused to try anymore. I should have gotten his information and reported him (all I remember is his name--it is etched in my brain). I was trying to just focus on the positives and not dwell on negatives though. I guess in hindsight I should have taken the time to report him.

The 3rd driver did not close the front door after letting the walking passengers off. He just told those waiting to get on to "please wait". I am sure you can all guess how well that worked. (he also left the front door open as we were loading, but those guests DID stop 1/2 way down the aisle) My friend was already having a bad day and started to panic when all these people started getting on and heading towards us as we were trying to get off. I told her to just hold on and I would get off and come back to get her scooter. I easily got my scooter off and walked up the ramp to get hers.

Well she decided not to wait for me because the driver was telling her to go. She apparently told the people that were sitting all around now and had their feet and bags in the aisle that she needed them to move, but of course no one did. We suspected that they may not have spoke much English, but aren't sure. She told the bus driver, "I can't go with these people here", but he just and told her to go anyway.

She lost it. As I said, she was having an awful day and this was just the breaking point. I got on the bus in time to see her ram the scooter at about 1/2 of full speed into the seat in front of the scooter parking spot. That guy sitting there looked . She hit so hard the back wheels lifted off the ground. She then hit reverse and began to go at the same speed towards the women sitting in the seats she had asked to move. Fortunately she hit the tie down bar instead! I was screaming at her to stop. She was crying. She said a few choice words to the bus driver and everyone else, including "I told you to move!" and some others I can't post here, and stomped off the bus.

I got on the scooter, turned the speed all the way down and eased it off the bus. At least one of the women now had her feet all the way up on the seats now. I just looked at her and and said "I won't run over you."

If they didn't speak English we think they may have learned what "Please Wait to get on the bus" means. And where was the bus driver the entire time? Just back by the control box, waiting for us to get off the bus. He never moved or did a thing! All of this could have been avoided if he had just done his job in the first place and CLOSED THE DOORS!

I am not condoning her behavior, but the frustration of the week combined with some other things just finally got to her. People just don't realize that you need that space in the aisle to be able to manuveur, particularly if aren't that skilled at parallel parking. It is really difficult. And the helpfulness of the bus drivers really made all the difference in the world to us.

 

[arielchickenofthesea]

I know that everyone is not like this, but we encountered quite a few, but I wanted to share some problems we have when traveling with a wheelchair to hopefully make people more aware of what it is like.
We were waiting for the Disney Magical Express to pick us up from the airport and had to wait 1 hr. for a bus with a wheelchair lift. If we could of gotten on a regular bus the wait would of been 30mins.

When using the Disney buses they load the wheelchair first and we heard so many people complaining about this. How it was taking so long and how we got to get on the bus first. What you don’t realize is that we had to wait for another bus a few times before, because there is room for only 1 or 2 wheelchairs at a time, so if there is a wheelchair on the bus when it comes we have to wait for the next bus. We cannot just push our way on and stand. And a few times people were getting on the bus and NOT waiting for the wheelchair to be loaded, so by the time the wheelchair was on the bus there was no room for the rest of us. I sent dad with the wheelchair while the rest of us waited for the next bus. So, that meant that dad and child had to wait for us to come when they got to their stop. Then we have to wait until everyone is off the bus before we can get the wheelchair off. So you are on your way into the park even before we are off the bus.

We get to go through the exit and get on the next ride. Well did you ever think how long it took us to get to this ride? We had to dodge people racing to the ride; we had to watch out for all the people who cut right in front of us. It is so tempting to just hit them in the heels. Then when the ride is done, you race to the next ride, while I am getting the child off this ride and putting him back into his wheelchair. You are probably at the next ride before I am finished buckling him back up in his wheelchair.

So the next time you see someone in a wheelchair going to the front of the line, take a deep breathe and be thankful that you can walk and run and are not stuck in a wheelchair.

Thank you for letting me get that out. With that said our trip to Disney was not very magical. It was very stressful. In the past, Disney really took care of us and bent over backwards for you. We did not see that this trip. We had a lot of problems and the employees were not sympathic. Most of the time they said that there was nothing they could do, which is not the Disney we knew.

If people complained about the wheelchairs being loaded first, I would turn around and say to them, "I will gladly trade places with you, you can have my wheels for the rest of your life and I get your legs and get to be healthy enough to walk again for the rest of mine. Wanna trade now?" THAT will shut the fools up.
Arielchickenofthesea

 

[cccory]

I wish I had read all this before I went the end of Nov. There were 2 of us in ECV's. I was a newbie, she had used one before but was just not comfortable getting it on and off the buses. For the most part we had the GREATEST bus drivers-- wonderful help and patient and caring and the best sense of humor. The highlight for our entire group was my siggy picture-- The lifts scared the bejeebers out of me and I mentioned that it was scarier than Tower of Terror so this bus driver decided to have a little bit of fun with me!

But we had three bus drivers that were just not good at all. One was just not helpful and the other was downright mean. That was the only time I was actually in tears. I was pretty good at manuvering my scooter in but he was so nasty and made me so nervous I could not get get it in. After I broke down crying he finally very nastily agreed to do it for me when I finallly just refused to try anymore. I should have gotten his information and reported him (all I remember is his name--it is etched in my brain). I was trying to just focus on the positives and not dwell on negatives though. I guess in hindsight I should have taken the time to report him.

The 3rd driver did not close the front door after letting the walking passengers off. He just told those waiting to get on to "please wait". I am sure you can all guess how well that worked. (he also left the front door open as we were loading, but those guests DID stop 1/2 way down the aisle) My friend was already having a bad day and started to panic when all these people started getting on and heading towards us as we were trying to get off. I told her to just hold on and I would get off and come back to get her scooter. I easily got my scooter off and walked up the ramp to get hers.

Well she decided not to wait for me because the driver was telling her to go. She apparently told the people that were sitting all around now and had their feet and bags in the aisle that she needed them to move, but of course no one did. We suspected that they may not have spoke much English, but aren't sure. She told the bus driver, "I can't go with these people here", but he just and told her to go anyway.

She lost it. As I said, she was having an awful day and this was just the breaking point. I got on the bus in time to see her ram the scooter at about 1/2 of full speed into the seat in front of the scooter parking spot. That guy sitting there looked . She hit so hard the back wheels lifted off the ground. She then hit reverse and began to go at the same speed towards the women sitting in the seats she had asked to move. Fortunately she hit the tie down bar instead! I was screaming at her to stop. She was crying. She said a few choice words to the bus driver and everyone else, including "I told you to move!" and some others I can't post here, and stomped off the bus.

I got on the scooter, turned the speed all the way down and eased it off the bus. At least one of the women now had her feet all the way up on the seats now. I just looked at her and and said "I won't run over you."

If they didn't speak English we think they may have learned what "Please Wait to get on the bus" means. And where was the bus driver the entire time? Just back by the control box, waiting for us to get off the bus. He never moved or did a thing! All of this could have been avoided if he had just done his job in the first place and CLOSED THE DOORS!

I am not condoning her behavior, but the frustration of the week combined with some other things just finally got to her. People just don't realize that you need that space in the aisle to be able to manuveur, particularly if aren't that skilled at parallel parking. It is really difficult. And the helpfulness of the bus drivers really made all the difference in the world to us.

I am so sorry that you had a bad experience too. Everyone that I have told just couldn't believe it, I started to doubt myself, but then you post put me right back there. I'm not sure if Disney hires holiday help or if this is what we are going to have to deal with from now on. I was with you, I didn't want to start taking names down of employees who weren't helpful. Who wants to dwell on the negative when you're on vacation, but I really feel like I will have to next time. I want Disney to know that they have some employees out there who are not making families vacation dreams come true.

 

[Friendly Frog]

I WANT YOU FOR OUR BUS DRIVER!!!

I was lucky in Sept and DID get him as my driver. I remember it well, he was so nice and I stopped to tell him so, only to find out he was on the boards! He even gave me a hint on looking for Bob and cart cam.