minnie61650 said:
Actually if you park in the handicap area at the MK lot there is no tram from the parking lot to the TCC. There are a few wheelchairs to use.
My advice for the MK lot is to either park in the regular lot and take the tram or park in the handicap area and use a wheelchair.
I agree with everything minnie had to say, except, I would take the bus to MK. The bus lets you off right near the turnstiles to get into the parks. If you drive, you need to get from your car to the TTC (no tram if you are parked in the handicapped parking) and from the TTC to the park, using either the monorail or the boats. For your MIL with a disability, the boats are a long hike and using the monorail involves climbing to the station up a long ramp (you have to get from ground level to the station on second floor level). If it is busy, they may make you fold the strollers.
We have been traveling to WDW at least once a year since 1987 with DD in a wheelchair and MIL and FIL who have some mobility problems and can't walk long distances. We usually take the buses because they involve less walking for FIL and MIL. In fact, the days we drive, MIL and FIL usually opt to take the bus anyway because the walk from the handicapped parking area is farther than walking from the bus. There are times when we have driven to the same park as they have taken the bus to and, even though we have the perception that we are getting there faster by driving, we have arrived at the turnstiles (or back at our hotel) at about the same time as they have (sometimes they beat us there).
The time you save by not standing in line waiting for the bus is used up when you are in line in your car waiting to get out of the park (as someone else posted, if the buses are busy, so is the parking).
We usually only use our van on days when we are planning to leave before the park closes or plan to go somewhere off-site after visiting the parks. As another poster mentioned, if you don't rush right for the bus after the parade or after the park closes, you will find a lot less people.
If you do drive, for all the parks, you will actually have the shortest distance to walk by using the regular parking and the tram system rather than parking in the handicapped parking area. If you park in the regular parking, you do have to have the strollers folded to use the tram.
As minnie mentioned, there is no tram service from the handicapped parking areas. They do have
some wheelchairs available in the area to use to get to the place where
ecvs/wheelchairs can be rented, but there is no guarantee that there will be any wheelchairs available in the parking area or that the wheelchairs will be close to where you are parked. Some of the handicapped parking areas are quite large, so if you have to park towards the end, it will be a long walk.
If you plan to rent an
ecv in the parks, it's important to realize that they are first come, first serve and there may not be one available when you arrive or if you park hop. If you are not prepared to push a wheelchair if no ecvs are available, then it would be best to rent an ecv from off-site. You can get more information on wheelchairs/ecvs from the
disABILITIES FAQs thread on the disABILITIES Board.
Also, if I read right, you have 6 adults and 3 children, plus at least 2 strollers. Our rental minivans have had seats for only 7 people.
9 people plus 2 or 3 strollers and an ecv will not fit in any minivan I can think of. You would need 2 vehicles to drive to/from the parks, as far as I can figure. One minivan plus one car should do.
With 2 vehicles, you will each have a guaranteed seat, as several people have posted, as opposed to the bus, where you might have to stand. If you plan on only one minivan though, you are going to be very crammed/cramped (not even mentioning the dangers of children riding on laps).
Putting 2 adults and one child with a stroller into a minivan is pretty quick (although you have to plan for time with the doors open and the air conditioning running full blast to cool it off before you get in). It may take quite a bit longer to get your whole party and strollers back into your vehicles.
Take the Car! We always rent a car and drive to the parks. We usually stay in monorail resort, so use monorail for MK & Epcot, and sometimes even drive to Epcot. (if park hopping) It's so much easier. If someone get ill like we had happen, you'll be thankful you have a car!
The busses are not as crowded then.
