Another way to board Test track About This Page:

[trixiedixie]

My dad really wants to ride but it is a big step down and he is a big man with BAD knees..... Is there an alternate method of boarding?

[CinderAbby]

Not as far as I know. There's no doors on the ride vehicles so either it's a big step down or it would be a bigger step up and over the side.

[SueM loves WDW]

There is an alternate place to board Test Track, but I'm not sure if it would be helpful at all for someone with bad knees.
The regular boarding area has the car sort of recessed to the ground with the wheels and most of the side covered so that you step down into it. You return to the same place to get off and need to step up when getting out.

The alternate boarding area is at the seat belt check point and it is used mostly for people with wheelchairs who need to be lifted in and/or can sit on the side of the ride car and swing themselves in. The ride car at that point is at not recessed, but sitting so the bottom is level with the track. This is a picture of the test track car at that point:


Getting in and out of the car at that point is a bit like getting in/out of a bathtub with a high side. In the picture, you can see that the side of the ride car is about at the height of the CM's knees, so a pretty high step. The top of it was roughly level with the seat of my daughter's wheelchair - about 22-24 inches high.
You need to either sit on the side and swing the legs over and then sort of 'shimmy' down or step over the side (which you can see from the picture is rather high). People with wheelchairs need to come back to that area to get off since the wheelchair will be left there. People without wheelchairs can get off at the 'regular' spot.

To get to that spot involves asking the CM at the time that you are asked how many are in your party. The seat belt check point is at a higher part of the track, so getting there involves a trip up a set of stairs with a CM (one flight of stairs, a landing, then another flight of stairs). There is also a small elevator big enough to carry one wheelchair or ECV. When getting off the ride, you have to reverse those steps to get to the exit.

I don't think boarding there would be any less difficult for someone with bad knees. We have used that boarding spot lots of times with our daughter who can't walk and needs to be lifted in (not an easy lift). We have also been with friends who have bad knees and they said lifting the leg high enough to get in and out there was actually harder than getting in at the usual boarding area.

[trixiedixie]

Thank you so much. Dad doesnt have much moveability... He only needs the ECV at WDW. He could do the step at Jungle Cruise... I think he can do it on Pirates...but Test track seemed so deep to me I wasnt sure.... And because you are still stepping up and over....I dont know that he could do it.....

[SueM loves WDW]

Originally Posted by trixiedixie

Thank you so much. Dad doesnt have much moveability... He only needs the ECV at WDW. He could do the step at Jungle Cruise... I think he can do it on Pirates...but Test track seemed so deep to me I wasnt sure.... And because you are still stepping up and over....I dont know that he could do it.....

It's pretty high at the alternate boarding area. To board there, he would basically need to raise his leg up high enough to get his foot over the 24 inch height.
If he can do the step on Jungle Cruise and Pirates, the step at the regular Test Track boarding area is fairly similar.
Here's a picture from allearsnet.com that shows the ride seat (but not really the step down) at the regular boarding spot.

He would need to step about 4-6 inches over the side of the ride car. Then, instead of making the big step all the way down to the floor, make a step to the seat and then another step from the seat to the floor. That would give him 2 smaller steps instead of one big one.
There are gates he could hold onto when getting into the car (similar to Pirates), along with being able to grab onto the side of the car or the windshield if he is sitting in the front (there is more leg room in the front). This picture shows an overview of the exit. You can see there are also bars at the exit to help with getting out. The bars would probably make it easier for him to board and exit there than at the alternate spot where there are not any bars.

[Eeyore Tattoo]

[Tim Sullivan]

yep, as one of the posters just mentioned, rather than stepping all the way down, step onto the seat, and then onto the floor of the car. Also, you can use the car itself to help get in/out of the cars as well. The biggest tip I can give as well is to make sure your Dad takes his time getting in and out, and to not feel rushed with all those eyes staring at him....chances are that ride is the last time they'll ever see your Dad again, so who cares what they think :P

Cheers!

Tim

[Sandra Bostwick]

Sue M, those photos are GREAT! What a wealth of info!

[trixiedixie]

Originally Posted by Tim Sullivan

yep, as one of the posters just mentioned, rather than stepping all the way down, step onto the seat, and then onto the floor of the car. Also, you can use the car itself to help get in/out of the cars as well. The biggest tip I can give as well is to make sure your Dad takes his time getting in and out, and to not feel rushed with all those eyes staring at him....chances are that ride is the last time they'll ever see your Dad again, so who cares what they think :P

Cheers!

Tim

Ok I love that...puts it all in perspective huh?

[SueM loves WDW]

Originally Posted by Sandra Bostwick

Sue M, those photos are GREAT! What a wealth of info!

Thanks.
My husband laughs at me taking pictures, but at this point I have about 700 that show different attractions and accessibility.

Well tell your hubby that your photos have been very helpful on the boards!

[tigger_03]

We were in front of a couple at TT. He was riding an EVC and we talked throughout the line until we go to the point where were loading the pre-show. I know he boarded in a different area than we did.

We rode in the front seats and I was having major issues with my joints at this point during our trip. But I took the stepping in slowly and held on to the bars. I'm sure others who saw me wondered why such a woman my age (in my early 30s) was moving so slowly/holding on. I didn't care. I wish I had thought about stepping into the seat first and then onto the floor. I'll remember that for next time if I'm not using an EVC (still up in the air).

[SueM loves WDW]

Originally Posted by tigger_03

We were in front of a couple at TT. He was riding an EVC and we talked throughout the line until we go to the point where were loading the pre-show. I know he boarded in a different area than we did.

Since the ride boards on one side of the track and exits on the opposite side, there needs to be some way to get wheelchairs and ECVs over the track. The way they handle that is to have an elevator the CMs can use to bring the ECVs and wheelchairs up, cross over the track and then take them back down. The elevator is to the far right as you come to the room where boarding occurs.
People using ECVs and wheelchairs are routed to the first preshow room because that is the closest to the elevator area. After watching the preshow, those using ECVs and wheelchairs are directed to one of the boarding areas on the right side of the room. If they are not going to the alternate boarding area, they just park their wheelchair/ECV and get on at one of the regular boarding spots. The CMs will move the wheelchair/ECV while they are riding and it will be waiting for them in the exit area.

We rode in the front seats and I was having major issues with my joints at this point during our trip. But I took the stepping in slowly and held on to the bars. I'm sure others who saw me wondered why such a woman my age (in my early 30s) was moving so slowly/holding on. I didn't care. I wish I had thought about stepping into the seat first and then onto the floor. I'll remember that for next time if I'm not using an EVC (still up in the air).

You can do that whether or not you are using an ECV. People who can walk have a choice between boarding at the 'normal' area or the alternate area. Your ECV would be brought up the elevator to cross the track, but you can board at the regular boarding area. If you need the bars, that may be the best place for you to board.
Don't worry about taking extra time. The CM won't dispatch cars until everyone is safely seated. Even though you felt you were taking so much time moving slowly, I'm willing to bet other people were also taking a long time and you did not stand out at all. Many people helping children get in would also be moving slowly as they help their kids get in. So, don't worry.

[tigger_03]

Originally Posted by SueM loves WDW

Since the ride boards on one side of the track and exits on the opposite side, there needs to be some way to get wheelchairs and ECVs over the track. The way they handle that is to have an elevator the CMs can use to bring the ECVs and wheelchairs up, cross over the track and then take them back down. The elevator is to the far right as you come to the room where boarding occurs.
People using ECVs and wheelchairs are routed to the first preshow room because that is the closest to the elevator area. After watching the preshow, those using ECVs and wheelchairs are directed to one of the boarding areas on the right side of the room. If they are not going to the alternate boarding area, they just park their wheelchair/ECV and get on at one of the regular boarding spots. The CMs will move the wheelchair/ECV while they are riding and it will be waiting for them in the exit area.

You can do that whether or not you are using an ECV. People who can walk have a choice between boarding at the 'normal' area or the alternate area. Your ECV would be brought up the elevator to cross the track, but you can board at the regular boarding area. If you need the bars, that may be the best place for you to board.
Don't worry about taking extra time. The CM won't dispatch cars until everyone is safely seated. Even though you felt you were taking so much time moving slowly, I'm willing to bet other people were also taking a long time and you did not stand out at all. Many people helping children get in would also be moving slowly as they help their kids get in. So, don't worry.

I know they went to a pre-show room further down than us and after that we didn't see them. He was still sitting in the EVC when we saw them last so I'm pretty sure that they went to the alternate boarding area.

We had DD with us so the step down for her was a big one (she was 3). The people who rode in the backseat of our ride car also had a child but she was older than DD. Like I said I don't care if I took 10 minutes to get in there. Most people don't realize what I have to deal with because I "don't look sick."

[SueM loves WDW]

Originally Posted by tigger_03

I know they went to a pre-show room further down than us and after that we didn't see them. He was still sitting in the EVC when we saw them last so I'm pretty sure that they went to the alternate boarding area.

Probably 90+ % of people with wheelchairs and ECVs use the regular boarding area rather than the alternate one. Since the side of the car is pretty high to climb over in the alternate area and there are not any bars to grab for getting in and out, many people using ECVs with mobility problems would actually find it harder to board at the alternate place. And, those who have stamina issues would probably be able to board at the regular spot without problem.

The alternate boarding area works well though for people who can't stand/walk and need to pull themselves out of their parked wheelchair and into the ride car. Since there are no rails, the wheelchair can be parked where ever it works best for transfer. It also works well for someone like my daughter who needs to be lifted in and out of the ride car. Lifting her from below floor level, like in the usual boarding spot would be really hard on our backs.
:O

[tigger_03]

That makes total sense, Sue. I am currently trying to find out what is wrong with me (RA, lupus, another form of arthritis - though we suspect it's RA) but it's been a tough fight with the doctors. I'm pretty sure that the alternate boarding area would not be a good fit for me. Thanks for the info.