Disney buses and ECVs?? About This Page:

[SARH7]

We just got back and one night at DHS, the bus driver loaded 3 ECVs and a wheelchair on the bus, leaving very few seats for other guests. The ECVs were not together...all different families.

I was under the impression that each bus was only allowed to take two at a time. Needless to say, this took a very long time to load and only a handful of guests got on the bus beside the guests with the ECVs.

Just curious....

[HiddenMickey]

I think I read in a thread from a few weeks ago, that some of the newer buses are now equipped to take more than two ECVs. I'm sorry it caused you to have to wait a long time. Did another bus come quickly after that one loaded?

[jimmymac]

With the older buses, 2 is the max. The newer ones can handle 3 or 4

[Carousel96]

We were on one last week where the bus was full -- to standing room -- when the person with the ECV came up and the driver made people get off so the ECV rider and her family could get on.
THAT caused some raised eyebrows!

[iamgrumpy]

Each of those guests who use ECV's most likely would rather be able to walk and wait in a regular line and feel self conscious about having to take extra time to get on the bus and worry about what others are thinking or feeling about them, but its apart of making sure they are able to enjoy the resorts and parks just like everyone else. In terms of the number that they can accommodate depends on the type of bus and the number of spaces that are there. Some are 2 and some are 3/4. Their families do get to go on with them, would you have a mother in an ecv who has children with her get on and risk the children having to wait for the next bus?

As someone who requires the use of an ECV I'd do anything to be able to just hop on and off of a bus, walk around a theme park, stand in line, and enjoy the park just as you can but that isn't an option. I'd gladly trade my knees and my hips and back for new ones if i could but that isn't an option so using an ecv is required.

While you may have to wait a few extra minutes while I load, I have to wait longer to get off the bus, I have to endure the stares, the comments, the jokes, the mean spirited thoughts others make while they watch, I have to wait for the specially accommodating ride vehicles in the park. while you get to run around from ride to ride and enjoy the park the way I wish I could like a non mobility impaired person.

So while I am sorry that it caused you to have to wait, Think of how the person in the ecv would feel if they knew what you were thinking. Try and put yourself in their shoes and how you would feel if someone were complaining because you took too long.

[lukeandbrookesmom]

Originally Posted by iamgrumpy

Each of those guests who use ECV's most likely would rather be able to walk and wait in a regular line and feel self conscious about having to take extra time to get on the bus and worry about what others are thinking or feeling about them, but its apart of making sure they are able to enjoy the resorts and parks just like everyone else. In terms of the number that they can accommodate depends on the type of bus and the number of spaces that are there. Some are 2 and some are 3/4. Their families do get to go on with them, would you have a mother in an ecv who has children with her get on and risk the children having to wait for the next bus?

As someone who requires the use of an ECV I'd do anything to be able to just hop on and off of a bus, walk around a theme park, stand in line, and enjoy the park just as you can but that isn't an option. I'd gladly trade my knees and my hips and back for new ones if i could but that isn't an option so using an ecv is required.

While you may have to wait a few extra minutes while I load, I have to wait longer to get off the bus, I have to endure the stares, the comments, the jokes, the mean spirited thoughts others make while they watch, I have to wait for the specially accommodating ride vehicles in the park. while you get to run around from ride to ride and enjoy the park the way I wish I could like a non mobility impaired person.

So while I am sorry that it caused you to have to wait, Think of how the person in the ecv would feel if they knew what you were thinking. Try and put yourself in their shoes and how you would feel if someone were complaining because you took too long.

Well said Amy!

[WillCAD]

I don't think the new buses have as many seats on them as the older buses did, even if there are no ECVs aboard and all seats are engaged.

Newer buses CAN handle more ECVs than the old buses.

The limiting factor is not a rule or regulation; how many ECV spaces are built into the bus are what determines how many are allowed on the bus. All ECVs MUST be tied down; it's not a Disney reg, it's the law in Florida, so a bus driver doesn't have any leeway and can't take more ECVs than the bus has spaces. But the driver IS allowed, to take as many ECVs as the bus will hold, and is required to load the ECVs first, walking passengers second.

There do seem to be a lot more people using ECVs at WDW these days, probably due to the ease of renting them from the parks or from outside companies, so Disney has been scrambling a little to increase ECV capacity on its transportation system. But there is only so much they can do; the plain fact is that one ECV takes up as much space as 2-3 people on a bus, boat, or monorail.

On my last trip, my Dad was with me, and we rented him a nice ECV from Walker Mobility. Since we had it for the duration of the trip, we had to take it back to our room every night. But Dad thought ahead - when we picked up our rental car, he insisted that we get a vehicle that had enough room in back for the ECV, and we were able to use the car the whole time instead of WDW transportation, which made it a lot easier to get around. But we were in a unique situation; Dad is able to walk, and is in fairly good condition, he just can't walk long distances due to a total knee replacement and multiple other knee surgeries, but he was able to help me lift the ECV into the back of our car. Had he not been able to do that, we would have been restricted to WDW transport the whole trip.

I try not to grouse about the delays. People in ECVs are people, too, and they're just trying to to enjoy WDW along with the rest of us.

[SARH7]

Originally Posted by iamgrumpy

Each of those guests who use ECV's most likely would rather be able to walk and wait in a regular line and feel self conscious about having to take extra time to get on the bus and worry about what others are thinking or feeling about them, but its apart of making sure they are able to enjoy the resorts and parks just like everyone else. In terms of the number that they can accommodate depends on the type of bus and the number of spaces that are there. Some are 2 and some are 3/4. Their families do get to go on with them, would you have a mother in an ecv who has children with her get on and risk the children having to wait for the next bus?

As someone who requires the use of an ECV I'd do anything to be able to just hop on and off of a bus, walk around a theme park, stand in line, and enjoy the park just as you can but that isn't an option. I'd gladly trade my knees and my hips and back for new ones if i could but that isn't an option so using an ecv is required.

While you may have to wait a few extra minutes while I load, I have to wait longer to get off the bus, I have to endure the stares, the comments, the jokes, the mean spirited thoughts others make while they watch, I have to wait for the specially accommodating ride vehicles in the park. while you get to run around from ride to ride and enjoy the park the way I wish I could like a non mobility impaired person.

So while I am sorry that it caused you to have to wait, Think of how the person in the ecv would feel if they knew what you were thinking. Try and put yourself in their shoes and how you would feel if someone were complaining because you took too long.

I really meant no disrespect in asking the question, and you have no idea what I was thinking at that time. I do understand what you must face and I am glad the ECVs give disabled guests the ability to move around the park easily. And of course I would not want families of the ECV user to have to ride separately. I was just curious as to how many could fit/were allowed to fit. It just seemed like a lot to me to be on one bus...not the best use of space.

[my2girls]

Originally Posted by iamgrumpy

Each of those guests who use ECV's most likely would rather be able to walk and wait in a regular line and feel self conscious about having to take extra time to get on the bus and worry about what others are thinking or feeling about them, but its apart of making sure they are able to enjoy the resorts and parks just like everyone else. In terms of the number that they can accommodate depends on the type of bus and the number of spaces that are there. Some are 2 and some are 3/4. Their families do get to go on with them, would you have a mother in an ecv who has children with her get on and risk the children having to wait for the next bus?

As someone who requires the use of an ECV I'd do anything to be able to just hop on and off of a bus, walk around a theme park, stand in line, and enjoy the park just as you can but that isn't an option. I'd gladly trade my knees and my hips and back for new ones if i could but that isn't an option so using an ecv is required.

While you may have to wait a few extra minutes while I load, I have to wait longer to get off the bus, I have to endure the stares, the comments, the jokes, the mean spirited thoughts others make while they watch, I have to wait for the specially accommodating ride vehicles in the park. while you get to run around from ride to ride and enjoy the park the way I wish I could like a non mobility impaired person.

So while I am sorry that it caused you to have to wait, Think of how the person in the ecv would feel if they knew what you were thinking. Try and put yourself in their shoes and how you would feel if someone were complaining because you took too long.

Very well said Amy!!!

[lukeandbrookesmom]

Originally Posted by SARH7

It just seemed like a lot to me to be on one bus...not the best use of space.

Whether is it one EVC each on three buses, or three EVCs on one bus they physically take up the same amount of space.

[iamgrumpy]

Based on the fact that you came home and posted about how few seats and how long it took the tone of type doesn't convey the tone of voice, but to me it came across as someone who was upset that they had to wait or had to stand instead of sit and was upset at the fact that 3 families who have members in ecv caused it. Now if that wasn't the tone you meant it in that I understand, but let me give you an example of something that happened to me in July.

I was staying at Pop Century with a friend I had rented my ecv from an outside company so I had it at the resort and in the parks. I was loading on to an Epcot Bus and the driver had an problem with the lift it wouldn't go down automatically she had to manually lift the ramp up and push it out and down (its one of the newer buses not the old kind that lift and raise the ecv up into the bus) so it took a few extra minutes then normal.

There was a family of 4 2 adults and 2 teenagers, in line waiting. My traveling party 1 other adult and 1 child waited off to the side and behind this family (we knew there was plenty of space so they waited in line). The family started making comments, rolling their eyes, huffing and puffing about how I was inconvienancing them and couldn't "it" find another way to the parks instead of causing them to have to wait. I didn't know at this point if I should just go home, and cry or continue my loading process.

Then because of the comments, and actions I was nervous and I had to make a 2nd try to try and get the ecv lined up right. The family huffed and puffed and when the Magic Kingdom bus showed up behind us they said "it will be faster to take that bus and use the monorail then having to wait for IT" I was no longer a person but an object without feelings and I guess they had no soul.

So when people get upset about having to wait for ecv's I know how it feels to be the person they are upset about. So I am over sensitive to posts that mention it.

So sorry If I mistook your tone of voice but as I read it and understood what you were saying it came across as a complaint about the time and space we require to enjoy the same parks and resorts and services others enjoy, I know most don't mean disrepect but if someone else reads this post and did mean it maybe my reply will get them to rethink and find compassion and understanding.

[JoanneS]

I haven't seen the new buses, but it sounds like the new buses hold more ECV's than the old ones. I guess Disney chose these because more and more people are using ECV's these days. I still think it would be easier if Disney would give the ECV users a little more consideration and have special busses especially for them and their families. It's hard to wait in those lines in an ECV, and not all drivers are good at securing the ECV's in the bus. If they had their own special line of busses, the drivers might be better trained to deal with the ECV's and their users wouldn't have to wait so long to get from place to place.

And Stephanie, I know you meant no disrespect. I guess this is just a touchy subject?

[SARH7]

I really meant no disrespect. I was just curious as to how many were allowed on one bus.

I guess I was a little upset that day, but not because I had to wait for EVCs to load. As I said, I understand, I know it takes time, that isn't what bothers me. I tried to write out my feelings here, but no matter how I worded it, I figured it would be taken the wrong way. In the end, my issue is with the bus system and absolutely not with EVC users.

I know how disrespectful people can be...doesn't matter who you are, disability or not, there always seems to be people who think they are better than others and deserve more.

I guess this is a touchy subject and I regret having even started the discussion. My apologies.

[Eeyore Tattoo]

I am going to give a plug to my article here to give a bit of insight to what it is like to be a ECV user.. Amy also gave some great insight too..
Scooting Around the World: Exploring Walt Disney World on a Scooter or ECV - PassPorter.com

[lukeandbrookesmom]

Originally Posted by Eeyore Tattoo

I am going to give a plug to my article here to give a bit of insight to what it is like to be a ECV user.. Amy also gave some great insight too..
Scooting Around the World: Exploring Walt Disney World on a Scooter or ECV - PassPorter.com

One of the best articles on the subject ever written Deb!!