wheelchair on buses

[Coloradomom]

Thanks to everyone here, we are just 2 weeks out from our trip and almost ready. I had a trimalleolar fracture in January and will have another surgery when we get back to take out the remaining hardware and clean out scar tissue. Since I still cannot walk as much as needed in WDW, we ended up purchasing a transport wheelchair from Amazon..it is only 23 lbs, folds easily and should work to get me to different areas of the parks, and from there we plan to park it and do the attractions in each area. We'll just fold it up on the bus to and from the parks.
My question is: someone mentioned that some bus drivers frown on you carrying the bus on like a stroller, even though Disney does permit this. A number was mentioned where one could get a letter "okaying" this in case of a difficult driver. Does anyone have that information? I'd greatly appreciate it.

P.S. thanks to everyone's tips also for our newly diagnosed gluten intolerant teenage daughter. I emailed Brenda Bennett and heard back within an hour.

 

[Coloradomom]

Bump. Anyone with knowledge of this? Thank you!

 

[SueM in MN]

I do not recall ever seeing a number to contact anyone about getting a letter to be "allowed" to carry the wheelchair onto the bus.
In our experience, the 'bad' bus drivers are the ones who don't want to fasten down any wheelchairs.
On our trip to WDW last week, we rode on the bus every day and saw several people carry folded wheelchairs on the buses. They didn't have any problems with the bus drivers.

If you haven't read it, there is information about buses in the disABILITIES FAQs thread.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

In the past, we've carried the chair I was using (at the time, a rental) onto the bus and just held onto it. It is, however, a bit of a nuisance to do this. Firstly, even the lightest of chairs isn't that easy to lug up the stairs (and may injure the back of the person carrying it); secondly, the steps are quite large, so that's an extra whack of pain, before your day has even begun (or at the end of it, when you've probably got enough pain to deal with as it is); and thirdly, holding onto those things on a crowded bus can require some serious contortionism!

Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, we did this for a number of years ourselves, I'm just asking you to consider using the help available. If you don't want to have the chair strapped down, you can always use the lift, then transfer out of it onto a regular seat. I did this for a couple of trips until one night, a few days into our trip last month. I transfered to allow the ECV users in the queue to come aboard and ended up getting half sat on by the guy next to me (he'd moved up to let someone sit next to him, but that meant moving into me), twisted at odd angles trying to keep the chair steady and kicked a few times by the people standing (not blaming anyone else for this situation; it was a crowded bus, there was nowhere else for people to go). Anyway, I was in so much pain by the time I got back to the hotel, that I decided to remain in my chair on the bus from then on. I found the journeys a lot less painful and stressful!

Well, that was a very long-winded way of saying 'think about using the lift / ramp, and maybe stay in the chair if you think it would help', but there we go !

Have a great trip!

 

[SueM in MN]

Even if you do plan to have it folded up, I would highly recommend boarding thru the back door with it, rather than trying to carry it up the steps. If it is folded, a transport chair may look a lot like a folded stroller to the bus driver, so you may have to explain what it is (some of those strollers are gianormous).

 

[LisaBi]

It was me who posted about the letter. I emailed guest relations (I don't have the exact address right off, but it's all over these boards). They responded and asked for my address.

That said - my last trip was Sept. 9 to 19 and I didn't need the letter. Every driver was wonderful with helping get the chair onto the bus (if it wasn't a kneeler). There have only been 2 drivers ever (in 5 trips now using a chair) who didn't want us to fold and hold the chair. But this last trip, not only were they OK with it, they were cheery about it.

You will want to wait at the back door, and wait for the driver to come back there after everyone gets off the bus. Then just till him "I'll be able to transfer." He'll help you on, then go open the front door for everyone else.

 

[AFL]

Hi - I'm new to these boards. Hubby and I are going to WDW in Dec. I hadn't given a thought to transportation within the parks yet. He uses a wheelchair.

Are all the buses equipped to take the wheelchair or are we going to have to wait for a certain bus? His chair folds but it's not light.

AFL

 

[Shorty82]

All of Disney's busses are equipped with either lifts or ramps for wheelchairs. They all also have two tiedown locations for chairs. Occasionally a bus might have a broken lift but they will normally call for another bus for you. I believe Transportation will normally try to take any busses with broken lifts out of service until it is fixed but that might not be possible because of crowd levels and whatnot.

Wheelchair users and their party board first and get off last. The driver will help direct you on and will secure the chair.

The disABILITIES FAQ at the top of the main forum page has lots of information on using the busses among other things.

 

[SueM in MN]

The disABILITIES FAQ at the top of the main forum page has lots of information on using the busses among other things.

there is a whole section about buses that was edited for us by some WDW bus drivers.