ME transportation with wheelchair

[wacowgirl]

Good morning all,

I'm planning a trip next year with my whole family. It will be 6 adults, 2 of which will be using an EVC while we are there. No biggie.

My question involves ME. I'm thinking that this might be the easiest way to get to the resort (not sure which one yet) as I don't think we'll be renting a van (don't think 2 EVC's can fit inside one). My mom, who will be renting 1 EVC can probably walk up inside the bus but my daughter in law definitely will need a wheelchair to get inside the bus. She has zero mobility in her legs. Do they have a lift so she can get in?

Thanks!

 

[seashoreCM]

Yes.

Going to Disney we cannot rule out having to wait for the "next" bus to get the lift.

Going back to the airport you need to let Magical Express know you need the lift and see it confirmed on your reservation paper. Normal deadline for everybody's DME reservations is morning of the day before the day y'all will be sadly leaving.

 

[SueM in MN]

This is copied from my post on the disABILITIES FAQs thread

There are DME -Disney Magical Express - buses available with lifts to lift a wheelchair into the bus. It is recommended that you request a lift bus when making your DME reservations if you will need one.
If you didn't prearrange it for your trip from the airport to your resort, they will still provide one, but your wait may be longer. If you need one when returning to the airport from your resort, it is vital to prearrange getting one. If you don't, you might risk getting to the airport on time. My family usually asks to leave for the resort extra early to allow for any issues - like a wheelchair bus not coming or the equipment not working.

Here is a picture of the DME bus lift in its highest position:

DME Bus steps

Someone using a wheelchair or ECV can ride it up the lift and then the wheelchair will be fastened down to the floor of the bus.
A wheelchair or ECV can also be placed underneath the bus in the luggage storage compartment, but the person will need to climb the steps.
People have posted before that they were allowed to stand on the lift and ride it up for boarding because they were unable to climb the steps. This is no longer allowed for safety reasons after 2008, but you may see older posts saying they did this.
Only a person seated in a wheelchair, ECV or other mobility device is allowed on the lift. Manual devices need brakes locked. Power devices must be turned off.
No one may stand on the lift or sit on the floor of the lift platform.

If you have mobility problems or other disability, but can climb the stairs, the first row of seats is reserved for guests with disabilities.

If you feel you can't climb the steps, let the CM know when you are making your reservations for DME and again when you check in. They will need to come up with some alternative for you.
I have seen people using an airport wheelchair to ride up the lift, get out of the wheelchair to sit in a seat and then borrow a wheelchair at the resort to get out.
On our trips in the last years, I noticed that there were 2 wheelchairs in the under bus storage area. Since we were the first on, the wheelchairs were on before the bus arrived at the stop.

 

[RaySharpton]

I agree with everything SueM said and I had the same experience. I agree that it would be a lot easier to plan ahead and let WDW know that you will need a lift instead of using the stairs when you request the DME transport to and from WDW.

I didn't realize until SueM told me I couldn't stand on the lift with just a cane. Back home on a smaller handicap bus, they used to allow me to stand with my cane back in the day instead of using the stairs when I was only using a cane. The handicap bus only had three steps up, but I had a hard time with that.

Sue also told me that if I used DME without a wheelchair of my own, that I could ask for a wheelchair to use just to use the lift to get on the bus, but not to take with. I never tried this so I don't know how that works. I guess they get a wheelchair from upstairs from the MCO airlines. If you don't see one just ask.

When I was just using my cane, I had to go up to the airports next floor to get a wheelchair when returning to the airport since at that particular time DME didn't provide airport wheelchairs at their DME bus stop. My understanding is that they never did nor do they offer the service. Only the airlines do. There is an escalator and an elevator right next to the DME lines, so if you or a family member had to get a wheelchair they wouldn't have to go far to get one and bring it down while the person sitting on a bench after getting off of the DME bus.

I think that I recall when I went back upstairs the airline rolled me all the way to the gate.

I think that I got that information right from my past experiences a long time ago.

Maybe someone can correct me for what happens now.

I remember reading that the airline could roll you down to the DME area if you ask them when you arrive to MCO airport and depart your gate. Most of the time the airline staff just helps between the gate to the luggage pickup which is on a different floor for most airlines at MCO. If you ask an inexperienced or newbie airline wheelchair staff, I would just ask them nicely and show them your letter from DME with the map of where DME is located in relation to the gates and all three MCO floors. They may say, oh, I didn't know that, but they will probably say sure, I can roll you down there.

This is copied from my post on the disABILITIES FAQs thread

There are DME -Disney Magical Express - buses available with lifts to lift a wheelchair into the bus. It is recommended that you request a lift bus when making your DME reservations if you will need one.
If you didn't prearrange it for your trip from the airport to your resort, they will still provide one, but your wait may be longer. If you need one when returning to the airport from your resort, it is vital to prearrange getting one. If you don't, you might risk getting to the airport on time. My family usually asks to leave for the resort extra early to allow for any issues - like a wheelchair bus not coming or the equipment not working.

Here is a picture of the DME bus lift in its highest position:

DME Bus steps

Someone using a wheelchair or ECV can ride it up the lift and then the wheelchair will be fastened down to the floor of the bus.
A wheelchair or ECV can also be placed underneath the bus in the luggage storage compartment, but the person will need to climb the steps.
People have posted before that they were allowed to stand on the lift and ride it up for boarding because they were unable to climb the steps. This is no longer allowed for safety reasons after 2008, but you may see older posts saying they did this.
Only a person seated in a wheelchair, ECV or other mobility device is allowed on the lift. Manual devices need brakes locked. Power devices must be turned off.
No one may stand on the lift or sit on the floor of the lift platform.

If you have mobility problems or other disability, but can climb the stairs, the first row of seats is reserved for guests with disabilities.

If you feel you can't climb the steps, let the CM know when you are making your reservations for DME and again when you check in. They will need to come up with some alternative for you.
I have seen people using an airport wheelchair to ride up the lift, get out of the wheelchair to sit in a seat and then borrow a wheelchair at the resort to get out.
On our trips in the last years, I noticed that there were 2 wheelchairs in the under bus storage area. Since we were the first on, the wheelchairs were on before the bus arrived at the stop.

 

[wacowgirl]

Yall are the BEST!! Thank you for your input. I truly appreciate you and this forum.