"Full Bus" Policy

[Eeyorestail]

Read in another thread some misconceptions about what WDW's policy is regarding a full bus, and whether a wheelchair can be loaded or not.

The policy is deceptively simple:

If you are at the load zone when the bus arrives, your wheelchair gets loaded before all other guests at the bus stop. Period.

Some routes have more than one stop, as in the All Stars, Carribean Beach, etc...These buses can be too full to accomodate a wheelchair before arriving at your stop...In this case, if the driver feels there is not enough room for a chair, he should not accept ANY new passengers.

If you should arrive during the loading process, and there is no room to maneuver your wheelchair on board, the policy is to treat you as ANY OTHER GUEST. If there is no room for your wheelchair, the bus is to be treated as completely full, and no other guests should be loaded. At this point, the driver should radio his coordinator, to inform them that guests were left at the bus stop, "including one wheelchair"

A nearby bus should then be dispatched to your location.

 

[Talking Hands]

Now if all he drivers would follow this it would be nice. Unfortunately they don't always and that is when handicapped guests get upset. That and when the drivers don't bother to communicate with us as to what is going on.

 

[Schmeck]

Why does the bus have to not allow any new passengers, even ones that agree to use standing room only? I would think that allowing more able-bodied people on the bus would make it easier to get space on the next bus for a wheelchair.

I think each bus stop should have some sort of communication device so that a bus driver can find out quickly that a wheelchair or ECV needs to load, and make the proper, efficient arrangements (as in, not loading up at a previous stop!) as needed.

 

[Eeyorestail]

Disney feels that it would be discriminatory to tell the guest in a wheelchair that they have to wait, while all other passengers are allowed to board. Again, the idea is that those in wheelchairs receive no less treatment than anyone else. In this situation, all guests are treated the same.

I agree that all drivers do not always follow the policies. In those instances, it is imperative that the guest make the situation known to a BUS manager--don't complain to the resort, or to Guest Relations at a theme park--ask to speak directly to a BUS manager. If one is not readily available, leave your name and resort, and a Bus Manager will contact you.

 

[seashoreCM]

Does the policy mentioned at the top of this thread actually exist?

So if the bus driver pulls up to the second stop and first thing sets the brake and walks back to raise the seat where wheelchairs are normally tied down, and the people sitting on that seat refuse to get up (been there seen that), then the driver is supposed to walk back to the driver's position and depart without loading anyone at that stop?

Also seen a situation where the driver loaded a wheelchair guest and folded up the wheelchair lift, then started loading other passengers. He declined to redeploy the lift for another wheelchair guest who arrived a little later, but continued letting other passengers climb the steps.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

Another idea, if there is lots of room but passengers already on the bus refuse to let the driver raise the seat to use the wheelchair tie downs, then the bus driver sits there with the doors closed until the next bus with room for the wheelchair guest arrives or until the guests on the bus comply.

 

[Talking Hands]

What really seems to happen is that the driver (if he is a good one) will tell you there is no room for you and you will have to wait for the next bus. He will then load all the other people not in your party. He may or may not inform a supervisor that a wheelchair party is waiting. Some just load everyone and drive off without taking the time to say a thing to you.
If you drive up after they start loading room or not figure that you will wait for the next bus. They may take all the late arriving other than you but you can count on being left.

THAT IS REALITY no matter what the rules are.

 

[vhoffman]

I don't use a wheelchair but I've seen many disabled people in wheelchairs experience frustration trying to use the bus system at WDW. My suggestion is to just forget the bus. Rent a car and just drive to the parks, etc. Yes, I know, its an extra cost, you should have the same accomodations as a non-disabled person, etc., etc,. however, it just doesn't work that way. If you have your own vehicle and avoid the frustration of trying to use the bus you'll enjoy your trip better and avoid the anxiety and hassle.

 

[BillSears]

Originally posted by vhoffman
I don't use a wheelchair but I've seen many disabled people in wheelchairs experience frustration trying to use the bus system at WDW. My suggestion is to just forget the bus. Rent a car and just drive to the parks, etc. Yes, I know, its an extra cost, you should have the same accomodations as a non-disabled person, etc., etc,. however, it just doesn't work that way. If you have your own vehicle and avoid the frustration of trying to use the bus you'll enjoy your trip better and avoid the anxiety and hassle.

I hate to admit it but yep I gave up on the busses a couple of trips back. I also just rent a car and it works much better for me for everywhere but the MK and even there I usually drive. I'm a paraplegic and have been handling getting myself and my chair in and out of various cars for 27 years so it's really not that tough for me and the extra distance between the handicapped parking and the bus stops doesn't bother me.

 

[vhoffman]

Hi, Bill Sears,

I know what you mean about the MK. I discovered it the hard way. The parking lot is a fair distance from the entrance to MK and there's a fairly steep up and down slope to navigate. I don't use a wheelchair but do have difficulty walking. Last trip we rented a car and drove to MK. I thought it made sense to park in the handicapped place. Well, we waited for about 30 minutes for the tram we saw circling the lot to come our way. Finally I hailed a CM and asked when the tram would come our way, only to be told that the tram didn't service the handicapped lot. When I asked what I was supposed to do I was told there were wheelchairs available free of charge (such a perk!) and I should use one of them. Well, that just wasn't possible for me. I have arthritis in my hands as well as my legs and don't have the strength to push myself. I was by myself with my two kids, 6 & 7 years old, and they certainly couldn't push a wheelchair all that way with those inclines. I decided it wasn't too far and attempted to walk it (dh was meeting us inside MK after a round of golf). Well, by the time I made it into MK I was so worn out I nearly passed out. I spent most of the time at MK just sitting at a hot dog place while dh took the kids on rides. Coming back dh got the car and drove as close as he could to pick me up, but he couldn't get as close as the bus stops. Well I guess if you're not disabled you get a lift, but if you are disabled you're SOL unless you have someone to help you. After that we learned to drive to the Contemporary, valet park the car, then take the monorail. Crazy system. I was told later that I should have told the parking lot cm's that I was disabled but not a wheelchair user. They have some places reserved in the regular lot for such circumstances. I could park close to the tram stop and ride the tram. Well, live and learn. I just think Disney could make that clear to people while in the parking lot. One shouldn't have to experience the frustration I did, then come home and find out from Disboards what I should have done. BTW, I did send a letter of complaint to WDW, but just got their standard "Thank you for your input" letter. I doubt anyone even read my letter.

 

[Schmeck]

I didn't know you could park at the Contemporary to visit MK - I thought you had to be visiting the resort to do that?

 

[pumpkinboy]

I don't think it does anyone any good to give up on the Disney Bus system. Sure there have been problems, but all problems have a solution, perhaps more than one. One solution to the "full-bus" problem (which we have encountered being based at the Boardwalk when at WDW) is discussed in a couple of other threads on this board. Apparently if you call, or let a CM know a little bit ahead of time when you're going to need wheelchair assistance on the bus, they can send a bus just for you (and any lucky able-bodied folk who happen to show up at the bus stop then too); calling ahead is the preferred method if you're going to have more than one wheelchair/ECV on a given bus anyway. And this is really only a problem at the resorts (and DTD/PI) since there is only one stop at each of the parks.

Check out this thread.

Disney buses are plenty frequent, and a little patience will end up getting you where you want to go faster and more efficiently than driving to the parks. If the buses aren't working for you, talk to the CMs ASAP, and get them working for you. IMO they really are the easiest way around; sure a heck of a lot easier than driving, parking then tramming/ walking to the park entrance.

 

[vhoffman]

Well, it kind of depends on what your goals are -- to reform the bus system or have an enjoyable, hassle-free vacation. To each their own, but I'd rather just give up on the *#@! bus and provide my own transportation and enjoy my stay. Some battles you just aren't going to win and you have to decide for yourself which ones are worth it and which ones aren't. Kind of reminds me of the time I was in school. I was one class shy of getting my degree. The instructor simply wouldn't work with me and my disabilities, implying that I was somehow trying to get preferential treatment that wasn't indicated. Well, I could have fought a losing battle, or do what I did--drop the class and took it at another university and transferred it to my school. I got further faster that way. I had a job offer pending completion of my degree and that was more important than sticking around to fight a battle I might or might not win and let the job opportunity go by. Whatever one thinks it best for the circumstances. However, I wouldn't want someone reading this board to think that the bus system at WDW is going to magically change for them because they make complaints. That's all you'll do is make complaints. Just find a way to make it work for you.

 

[Juliah]

It's not feasible for everyone who has a wheelchair to use a rental car. Our DDs cannot transfer out of their wheelchairs into a car, as they cannot walk at all and are too big to lift; we would have to rent a van with tiedowns and a lift so they could travel in their wheelchairs. This would be much more expensive than renting a car--that's if we could even find a suitable van to rent.

 

[SueM in MN]

I didn't know you could park at the Contemporary to visit MK - I thought you had to be visiting the resort to do that?

In general, you are correct. I don't know if there is more information that the poster didn't include. But, in general (from what I have read), if you park at Contmeporary to go to the parks, you risk being towed. It may not be a problem during slow times, but when the parks and resorts are busy, things are different.

I was told later that I should have told the parking lot cm's that I was disabled but not a wheelchair user. They have some places reserved in the regular lot for such circumstances. I could park close to the tram stop and ride the tram. Well, live and learn. I just think Disney could make that clear to people while in the parking lot.

They do now have that information in their Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities now, which is a change. The information is available from Guest Services locations (which doesn't help if you have already parked), but it is also available online, at the official Disney site, on their disabilities page. (When the page opens, go down to "Parking").
I do know that Disney does read boards like this and does read emails sent to them because I have seen things change over the years. I also know that they have advisory groups of people with disabilities who look at things for them and make suggestions about accessibility. But (and this is a pretty big "but"), each disability is different and each person is different. What works well for one person may be the exact thing that makes it harder for someone else. The only way anyone will know is for us to tell them and make suggestions.
The bus service does a pretty good job of effeciently moving large numbers of people around to the various places. During peak times, they have a harder time (like any place else having to deal with peak traffic).
My DD is older (my baby is growing up ) , but we are able to rent a van, lift her onto a seat (she can't help transfer) and put her wheelchair in the back. I know this is not an option for some people. Even though we have a van available, it is a hassle to lift her out, get her situated in the van seat, lift the wheelchair in and then reverse the process when we park. So, most of the time, we do use the bus. We have run into our share of too full buses, buses with non working equipment, not-totally-pixie-dusted drivers, rude guests, etc., but we figure that waiting for a bus in Florida certainly beats driving around in rush hour traffic in Minneapolis.

 

[vhoffman]

Well, insofar as parking at the Contemporary then taking the monorail to MK, we just did that once. We used valet parking and since I had a handicapped parking permit we weren't even charged. No one asked if we were guests of the CR. Actually we had PS for Chef Mickey's, but no one asked. We also parked for free at the AK, just parked ourselves in a handicapped space. I certainly wouldn't want anyone to take what I post as general parking policy, perhaps we were just lucky. However, it would seem to me that renting a car is preferable over hassling with the bus IF using a rental car is feasiable for one to begin with. I'm still upset over my parking experience our last trip to WDW. It was so totally ridiculous!! You can ride the tram unless you're disabled, then its assumed you "have your own wheels" or can manage with the wheelchairs provided. Well, I'm glad to see that Disney at least now is trying to make this little fun fact available in their publications. I haven't been back for about 8 months so maybe things have changed. However, in general, I've found the more a person makes their own arrangements and the less they rely on "handicapped accomodations" the better. Usually its just a farce.