Wheelchair user boarding bus/transportation alone

[RachelKS]

We are taking a family trip soon. My husband is a wheelchair user (electric, cannot transfer out). We are wondering how easy the transportation system from park to resort will be for him to use alone. We are just thinking if he gets too hot or tired of the crazy bunch he can just go back to the resort to relax. Will he need my assistance for boarding the transportation systems? Thanks!

 

[disneydude365]

very easy, all the busses are very accommodating so are the monorails and ferrys any transportation
the busses are awesome they tilt to the side and have a ramp go out then they have areas to lock the wheelchairs down and you can remain seated in your chair trust me he will be well taken care of by disney

 

[mamabunny]

Honestly, the only place I can see a potential problem is with the door to the Resort Hotel room you are staying in.

Some of the rooms (like the room we recently stayed in at Poly) have an assisted-opening door (electric motor that holds the door open) that engages after your Magic Band opens the lock.

Many, however, do not. It can be quite difficult to hold open a heavy door and try to navigate through on your own without assistance, since most room doors at the Resorts are designed to close on their own. (I'm thinking here of Wilderness Lodge, where it seems like the doors work extra hard against you to "help" you not get in! LOL)

The buses, (most) boats and Monorails are all easy to manage on your own; as disneydude365 said, the buses all "kneel", and then a ramp is lowered and you drive right on the bus. The boats and Monorails use a portable ramp that a Cast Member will place for you; rarely, if water levels are just right, I have been allowed to travel on or off of a boat without it, but typically it is placed regardless.

I never hesitate to strike out on my own at WDW; it really is a very accessible and "wheels friendly" place.

 

[BillSears]

I use a manual wheelchair and often travel alone. It's pretty easy using WDW buses. The hardest part is that at the stations where the bus lowers the ramp to the road(these are at MK, EPCOT, and AK) and not to a sidewalk the ramp is a bit steeper than I'd like. But since your husband is using a power wheelchair I would think he should be able to make it up that with no troubles. Also since it's a power wheelchair and not an ECV he should be able to park it fairly easily in the spot. Once in the spot he can remain in the chair and the driver will strap eveything down.

 

[weetot]

Honestly, the only place I can see a potential problem is with the door to the Resort Hotel room you are staying in.

Some of the rooms (like the room we recently stayed in at Poly) have an assisted-opening door (electric motor that holds the door open) that engages after your Magic Band opens the lock.

Many, however, do not. It can be quite difficult to hold open a heavy door and try to navigate through on your own without assistance, since most room doors at the Resorts are designed to close on their own. (I'm thinking here of Wilderness Lodge, where it seems like the doors work extra hard against you to "help" you not get in! LOL)

The buses, (most) boats and Monorails are all easy to manage on your own; as disneydude365 said, the buses all "kneel", and then a ramp is lowered and you drive right on the bus. The boats and Monorails use a portable ramp that a Cast Member will place for you; rarely, if water levels are just right, I have been allowed to travel on or off of a boat without it, but typically it is placed regardless.

I never hesitate to strike out on my own at WDW; it really is a very accessible and "wheels friendly" place.

I was under the impression that you have to back into the buses when in a powerchair or ECV. Am I mis-informed? I will be travelling with my daughter and we will have a powerchair and an ECV on our trip.

 

[BillSears]

I was under the impression that you have to back into the buses when in a powerchair or ECV. Am I mis-informed? I will be travelling with my daughter and we will have a powerchair and an ECV on our trip.

It was a rule for a bit but I haven't ever seen a bus driver ask an ECV user to go up backwards and I'm not sure when the last time I saw a power wheelchair user on the bus.

 

[RachelKS]

Thanks for the info! We will test the doors before we go solo.

 

[lanejudy]

Thanks for the info! We will test the doors before we go solo.

One suggestion I have read is to bring a door stop -- the basic rubber kind found at most hardware stores. Once he gets the door open, he can prop it using the door stop to allow him to get in front of it and positioned to enter the room. Maybe someone who has used this trick will post more.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[mamabunny]

I was under the impression that you have to back into the buses when in a powerchair or ECV. Am I mis-informed? I will be travelling with my daughter and we will have a powerchair and an ECV on our trip.

You *DO* have to back on to the DME (Disney's Magical Express) buses to and from the Orlando airport. If you are not utilizing the DME bus between the airport and the Resort hotel, then you don't have to worry!

Here's a recent post where the DME bus was discussed: First time with an ECV & Magical Express

 

[SueM in MN]

The DME buses have lifts, but park/resort buses with lifts are very rare at this point. The park/resort buses with lifts may be entirely phased out - we haven't seen any on trips for at least 2 years.
They were being replaced with buses with ramps, which can 'kneel' to make the ramp less steep.

ECVs and wheelchairs should always back into lifts because that puts the majority of the weight close to the lift attachment instead of over the part of the lift that isn't attached to the bus. (Power or manual wheelchair).

The first buses with ramps had relatively steep ramps, which might have been steeper than recommended for some ECVs and power wheelchairs. From what I heard, that plus that there were still some buses with lifts, was why drivers were asking people to back on with ECVs and power wheelchairs. As far as I know, they have not asked people to back onto the park/resort buses for quite a few years.

That said, if you can back accurately, it's a lot less maneuvering to back on - you back on, make a small turn and you are in place. I actually back DD's power wheelchair into our own van because it takes less space and time.

 

[RachelKS]

The DME buses have lifts, but park/resort buses with lifts are very rare at this point. The park/resort buses with lifts may be entirely phased out - we haven't seen any on trips for at least 2 years.
They were being replaced with buses with ramps, which can 'kneel' to make the ramp less steep.

ECVs and wheelchairs should always back into lifts because that puts the majority of the weight close to the lift attachment instead of over the part of the lift that isn't attached to the bus. (Power or manual wheelchair).

The first buses with ramps had relatively steep ramps, which might have been steeper than recommended for some ECVs and power wheelchairs. From what I heard, that plus that there were still some buses with lifts, was why drivers were asking people to back on with ECVs and power wheelchairs. As far as I know, they have not asked people to back onto the park/resort buses for quite a few years.

That said, if you can back accurately, it's a lot less maneuvering to back on - you back on, make a small turn and you are in place. I actually back DD's power wheelchair into our own van because it takes less space and time.

Good information. My husband always backs in to our van so that won't be a problem. He is more annoyed about having someone tie him down.