wheelchairs on Disney buses

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Taking my parents to WDW in December!!! Can't wait! The problem is that they really can't tolerate a lot of walking, so I know we will be renting 2 wheelchairs.

My question is, can my parents board the bus without the wheelchairs and can we bring on the wheelchairs folded like strollers can be folded?

 

[tinka-belle]

Yes. Tell the driver that they can "transfer" (in Disneyspeak) to a normal seat. This will keep the wheelchair/ECV slots open for those who need them, and the driver won't have to take the time to flip up the seats and prepare for a tie down thus saving a few minutes.

The wheelchairs might be bulky to fold, and you'll have to keep hold on them during the ride so they are not in anyone's way.

Definitely use the wheelchair lift/ramp to get your parents on the bus first, then have them find a seat and you can fold the chairs. Much easier than having them struggle with the steps and trying to lift a folded wheelchair up steps or the back door ramp. Most likely the driver will have you use the rear lift/ramp doors anyway.

 

[MommyGina]

My mother was in a wheelchair on the Disney buses. It was just easier to keep her in the wheelchair and have the driver secure her in to the special place for wheelchairs. The bus is lowered and then the ramp. The driver will wheel the person up in the wheelchair and buckle them in! It' a great feature.

 

[goofy4tink]

It will be greatly appreciated by others if your parents can transfer to regular seats, while the wheelchairs are just folded. It will also be a lot faster for everyone involved.

 

[seashoreCM]

My mother was in a wheelchair on the Disney buses. It was just easier to keep her in the wheelchair and have the driver secure her in to the special place for wheelchairs. The bus is lowered and then the ramp. The driver will wheel the person up in the wheelchair and buckle them in! It' a great feature.

(For those eavesdropping) The person in the wheelchair or scooter is supposed to transfer to a regular bus seat unless s/he is unable to.

If your parents can walk far enough to board by themselves, the overall boarding will go faster by not waiting for the back door even though the order of boarding goes: (1) Bus arrives, (2) Your parents get out of the chairs and board by the front door*, (3) You fold the chairs, (4) You carry the chairs on board.

*Your party will likely be first in line for this bus, having stood aside from the previous bus because all the seats were taken.

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

thanks everyone. I feel so much better! My parents can certainly board by themselves, and I think they will feel alot better themselves knowing they can board and then just fold up the chairs.

Can we just go in the regular line? I feel like we shouldn't go in the wheelchair line because they can board on their own.

 

[MommyGina]

Yes, they can get in a regular line.

Maybe I should clarify myself when I talked about my mom and said it is just easier to keep her in a wheelchair. My mom was unable and still is unable to climb the stairs to anything. If she were able, she would rather not inconvenience anyone with having to have them wait for her. It was and still is very difficult for her to walk and that is another reason why she was/is in a wheelchair. And now that is why she does not travel anymore with us because she feels that she is putting people out by having them wait for her.

 

[seashoreCM]

Can we just go in the regular line? I feel like we shouldn't go in the wheelchair line because they can board on their own.

Yes you can go in the regular line.

But you might still eavesdrop on others commenting about last minute wheelchair guests proceeding immediately to the wheelchair line and being boarded first.

 

[gigi1313]

we were told by the "bus monitor" (person w/clipboard at the resort bus stop) one morning when we were travelling w/my mom and her lightweight foldable wheelchair, that in order to board w/the wheelchair (even folded) we had to go in thru the second door/aka wheelchair line... it could not be carried on like a stroller... my mom also found the back steps to be easier to climb than the front ones...

 

[kaytieeldr]

(For those eavesdropping) The person in the wheelchair or scooter is supposed to transfer to a regular bus seat unless s/he is unable to.

Incorrect. Wheelchairs and their occupants ABSOLUTELY CAN be tied down safely in the designated spaces on Walt Disney World buses.

ECV users do need to transfer to seats, as the center of gravity in an occupied ECV is unsafely high even with the occupant also 'safely' belted in.

The balance of information in the quoted post is also wrong, so is not quoted here.

 

[Tara]

*Your party will likely be first in line for this bus, having stood aside from the previous bus because all the seats were taken.

This assumption makes absolutely no sense to me.

I would not count on being first in line for a bus unless the party in question actually arrives before anyone else or, having not been first in line, gets to the front of the line during boarding and then chooses to let others pass them to fill a bus and then wait for the next bus.

 

[gigi1313]

This assumption makes absolutely no sense to me.

I would not count on being first in line for a bus unless the party in question actually arrives before anyone else or, having not been first in line, gets to the front of the line during boarding and then chooses to let others pass them to fill a bus and then wait for the next bus.

i think the assumption in question indicated that the guest would have stood aside to let the previous bus fill... and waited for an empty bus...

of course, this could take a long time for an empty bus to come along at certain resorts... like CBR or POR where some stops *never* see an empty bus!

 

[goofy4tink]

Yes you can go in the regular line.

But you might still eavesdrop on others commenting about last minute wheelchair guests proceeding immediately to the wheelchair line and being boarded first.

And why in heaven's name would you want to stir up something here????

 

[seashoreCM]

Incorrect. Wheelchairs and their occupants ABSOLUTELY CAN be tied down safely in the designated spaces on Walt Disney World buses.

ECV users do need to transfer to seats, as the center of gravity in an occupied ECV is unsafely high even with the occupant also 'safely' belted in.

The balance of information in the quoted post is also wrong, so is not quoted here.

I, with the aid of a stopwatch, beg to differ.

And why in heaven's name would you want to stir up something here????

A heads up for the OP.
(Ph.D. in English needed) Suggested reading (title may vary) "The Father, His Son, and the Donkey).

 

[kaytieeldr]

I, with the aid of a stopwatch, beg to differ.

Please explain how it faster for someone to wait up to twenty minutes to board at the front door of an empty bus and board at the front entrance when they could/should have boarded the original bus through the rear/wheelchair entrance?

Also please explain how it is easier for a person who can walk but needs a wheelchair to get around a place like Walt Disney World to climb even one step to board a bus when they can wheel or walk up a ramp at the back of the bus, or use the lift on the older buses?

Where can I get one of those stopwatches?

And finally, NO, "PhD in ___" NOT required. Stop trying to intimidate others.

 

[seashoreCM]

Also please explain how it is easier for a person who can walk but needs a wheelchair to get around a place like Walt Disney World to climb even one step to board a bus when they can wheel or walk up a ramp at the back of the bus, or use the lift on the older buses?

The OP said that the family members intended to get up and climb the stairs into the bus.

I have often urged older and/or infirm members of my family to engage in physical activity whenever possible, although never forcing the issue.

RE: the Ph.D.
Mentioned in text where it is likely that someone may comment using the icon.

Your party will likely be first in line for this bus, having stood aside from the previous bus because all the seats were taken.

Now I get out my stopwatch.

Scenario 1. Wheelchair party is at back door. Start. Driver goes to back door, opens it, helps wheelchair guests aboard, closes back door, returns to his seat, opens front door, lets other passengers board. Driver closes door. Stop.

Scenario 2. Wheelchair party is in line for front door. Start. Driver opens door. Passengers up to two wheelchair guests board bus. Wheelchair guests get up and board. Other family members fold up wheelchairs and carry them aboard. More passengers board. Driver closes door. Stop.

Which is faster?

 

[SueM in MN]

My mother was in a wheelchair on the Disney buses. It was just easier to keep her in the wheelchair and have the driver secure her in to the special place for wheelchairs. The bus is lowered and then the ramp. The driver will wheel the person up in the wheelchair and buckle them in! It' a great feature.

Just FYI for other guests - the bus drivers are not supposed to push the wheelchairs or drive the ECVs. So, if you need assistance, plan on getting it from another member of your party.

thanks everyone. I feel so much better! My parents can certainly board by themselves, and I think they will feel alot better themselves knowing they can board and then just fold up the chairs.

Can we just go in the regular line? I feel like we shouldn't go in the wheelchair line because they can board on their own.

As other posters have mentioned, it is different than a stroller. Because wheelchairs are heavy and clumsy, you really can’t board with them at the front door. If they did let you, you would need to walk thru the bus to the back anyway, which is one of the reasons they have guests with wheelchairs board thru the back door.
If you can lift the wheelchairs up the step to get in, the driver will not need to lower the ramp to let you in. This makes getting in faster.
Once you are in, you can fold the wheelchairs, but someone will need to hold them like a stroller.

we were told by the "bus monitor" (person w/clipboard at the resort bus stop) one morning when we were travelling w/my mom and her lightweight foldable wheelchair, that in order to board w/the wheelchair (even folded) we had to go in thru the second door/aka wheelchair line... it could not be carried on like a stroller... my mom also found the back steps to be easier to climb than the front ones...

Incorrect. Wheelchairs and their occupants ABSOLUTELY CAN be tied down safely in the designated spaces on Walt Disney World buses.

ECV users do need to transfer to seats, as the center of gravity in an occupied ECV is unsafely high even with the occupant also 'safely' belted in.

The balance of information in the quoted post is also wrong, so is not quoted here.

Correct.
Guests using wheelchairs can stay seated because those can be easily and securely tied down.

ECVs are much harder to tie down securely and there are signs on the bus that advise guests using ECVs to move to a bus seat.

There is more information about buses in the disABILITIES FAQs thread (there is a link to the thread in my signature, then look at post #1, which is an index to tell you where to look for the different subjects in the thread).

 

[kaytieeldr]

RE: the Ph.D.
Mentioned in text where it is likely that someone may comment using the icon.

Demeaning, unnecessary, and not the LEAST bit funny - no matter how it's intended.

Scenario 2. Wheelchair party is in line for front door

Your stopwatch forgot to include this extra twenty minutes:

*Your party will likely be first in line for this bus, having stood aside from the previous bus because all the seats were taken.

 

[seashoreCM]

Demeaning, unnecessary, and not the LEAST bit funny - no matter how it's intended.
Your stopwatch forgot to include this extra twenty minutes

Demeaning? Funny? I beg to differ. It is possible I might have agreed had I had a Ph.D. in English myself, which I don't although my becoming convinced has not been ruled out.

I am measuring the driver's time spent at the bus stop, not mine.

 

[kaytieeldr]

While the rest of us are measuring the Guest's time. Pointless for a Guest to ignore Walt Disney World's guidelines for Guests in wheelchairs boarding buses, and instead wait for a second bus so they can be at the front of the wrong line to board the next bus twenty minutes later.