Here now, OMG buses.

[goofy4tink]

No.
They don't have to empty the bus and don't empty the bus.
It is easier, safer and faster to load an ECV or wheelchair on a bus that is empty. So that is why they load them first at the parks and at individual resort bus stops.

We usually stay at OKW and are usually getting on at Miller's Road bus stop, which is the next to last stop.
By that point, the bus is seldom empty. There are almost always quite a few people on. Sometimes, the driver asks people to move from the seats that are needed to make a wheelchair or ECV spot on the bus.
Sometimes the driver asks people to please make room for us to get on.

Bus drivers do not require other guests to get off to make room for a party with a wheelchair or ECV. I have seen a few posts from time to time where people write that they were told to get off (one of the few was on this thread).

I think that those cases are misunderstandings of what the bus driver is asking. If the bus driver says things like,
"Can you please move out of these seats because I need to load a wheelchair?"
"Can you please step out of the way to make room for the ECV?"

Most people would understand those things as getting out of the way temporarily to make space or giving up those seats to make space. A very small number might interpret it to mean get off to make space.
Over more than 20 years of WDW visits with someone using a wheelchair on the buses, we have never seen anyone who thought that they needed to get off and not get back on when the driver asked them to move out of the way.

If people would need to get off the bus to make room OR if the bus is already standing room, our experience is that the driver tells us the bus is too full and we will need to wait for the next bus.
Some drivers do not want to load a wheelchair or ECV - we have occassionally been told by a driver that he can't ask the people sitting in the wheelchair securement spots to move (even when there are many other seats available). Even when the driver comes out and basically whispers to us, many people hear or know we need the spot and move anyway. We have seen more than one driver who told the people they don't need to move after they volunteered. 100% of those people move anyway.
Occassionally there is a group who refuses to move ( even when seats are available for them to move to). When that happens, we have to wait for the next bus.

I have been hoping that you would find your way over here and give us some of your insights into the issue!! Thanks.

 

[lylone]

My family went to Disney World quite a bit in the 80s and I don't remember seeing a single stroller or ECV. I don't think the monorail could even fit one of them in it. I just remember a bunch of rows with long couches like to sit on and they were all facing one way.

Let's face it.. there will always be some annoying, disrespectful, self-centered folks on any vacation you take.

Sometimes for us it is rather interesting and funny to see what folks will do. Sit on a bench and watch people...its rather funny what people do in public!

 

[Burnedout]

Goofy4tink, I was only trying to say thatproe say they want fair when when they only desire it when it meets their needs.

 

[bluejasmine]

Wow is all I can say..

Ill weigh in on the chairs being loaded first I agree they need fo wait in line like everyone else BUT if they are at a point in the line that they would be seated they SHOULD be loaded first!

It's so easy to say oh that person is too lazy to walk or that person is on a scooter b/c they are over weight... Well you don't know what medical condition they have and don't have the right to be judged! Having the patience to wait may not be easy but karma will bite you on the rear if not... Lol

ASMU/POR Dec 16-22, 2012 & POFQ Sept 8-15, 2013

 

[Magpie]

Courtesy is a dying thing in our world...I said before and I will say again....it is the holidays. Treat other people with love and understanding, especially this time of year, and you will be surprised how far it spreads.

This!

And besides, as those of us with an evil streak well know, courtesy can be both a shield and a weapon.

Someone's trying to walk through you? Make eye contact, smile as if they're your new best friend and say, "Oh! Excuse me, I'm SO sorry!" Guaranteed they'll go wide around you.

Ditto for people trying to stand in front of you at the parade, or butt in line at the bus stop. If they suspect you might suddenly hug them, they'll skedaddle right quick. "Do you need help folding your stroller?" is apparently a terrifying statement.

Cranky rude people are the people who MOST need love and understanding. (Even when - or sometimes especially when - it ticks them off.)

 

[Burnedout]

You are a smart cookie. I try to remember that I am a pita sometimes too!

 

[TDC Nala]

I do agree that the trend toward larger strollers is not geared to toting the kids around. It's for toting lots of extra stuff around. Food, clothes, toys, cameras.

PS...remember if you bring food in your stroller and you park it, have something to seal the packages of food with...otherwise you may lose it to squirrels or birds...

I also agree that guests already on the bus should expect to be asked to move or stand if the seats are needed to load an ECV at a later stop. They should not expect to be ordered off the bus and left at the stop to wait for the next one to accommodate an ECV rider (and their party). When the bus gets to the point that they cannot load an ECV without removing some already boarded passengers from the bus completely, they usually do not load the ECV. I have seen a few of these incidents reported. They are usually occurring when the ECV party makes a fuss and the driver wants to avoid confrontation with them.

 

[Deb & Bill]

What guests not on an ECV or a wheelchair need to remember is that the seats that fold up are labeled as may being needed for guests with disabilities. So if you get on an empty bus, avoid those seats.

 

[Funfire240]

We were there this past September and I only had 1 problem with teh buses - everything else was great. After MNSSHP we were in line for a bus and knew we would make the next one so we emptied both strollers and sleeping kids, holding them and had strollers/bags ready to board - interesting balancing/juggling act I but we were able to do it as we had practice from other nights. Anyways, they needed to load a stroller into the EVC area (I'm assuming the child was handicapped and not just sleeping as not all things are visible). The bus driver took 10-15 minutes trying to strap the stroller into the EVC area and couldn't understand why it wouldn't work. (It was a regular full size stroller, not a type of wheelchair or anything). However, other attendants saw what was going on and were able to call in a second bus to load while they were trying to figure this out. That was one time where I wished we had waited to take the kids out of the strollers until the last minute but we always make sure we are ready to board, whether they are awake or sleeping.

 

[KellyNY]

No.
They don't have to empty the bus and don't empty the bus.
It is easier, safer and faster to load an ECV or wheelchair on a bus that is empty. So that is why they load them first at the parks and at individual resort bus stops.

We usually stay at OKW and are usually getting on at Miller's Road bus stop, which is the next to last stop.
By that point, the bus is seldom empty. There are almost always quite a few people on. Sometimes, the driver asks people to move from the seats that are needed to make a wheelchair or ECV spot on the bus.
Sometimes the driver asks people to please make room for us to get on.

Bus drivers do not require other guests to get off to make room for a party with a wheelchair or ECV. I have seen a few posts from time to time where people write that they were told to get off (one of the few was on this thread).

I think that those cases are misunderstandings of what the bus driver is asking. If the bus driver says things like,
"Can you please move out of these seats because I need to load a wheelchair?"
"Can you please step out of the way to make room for the ECV?"

Most people would understand those things as getting out of the way temporarily to make space or giving up those seats to make space. A very small number might interpret it to mean get off to make space.
Over more than 20 years of WDW visits with someone using a wheelchair on the buses, we have never seen anyone who thought that they needed to get off and not get back on when the driver asked them to move out of the way.

If people would need to get off the bus to make room OR if the bus is already standing room, our experience is that the driver tells us the bus is too full and we will need to wait for the next bus.
Some drivers do not want to load a wheelchair or ECV - we have occassionally been told by a driver that he can't ask the people sitting in the wheelchair securement spots to move (even when there are many other seats available). Even when the driver comes out and basically whispers to us, many people hear or know we need the spot and move anyway. We have seen more than one driver who told the people they don't need to move after they volunteered. 100% of those people move anyway.
Occassionally there is a group who refuses to move ( even when seats are available for them to move to). When that happens, we have to wait for the next bus.

Thank you for the great information!

 

[KellyNY]

What guests not on an ECV or a wheelchair need to remember is that the seats that fold up are labeled as may being needed for guests with disabilities. So if you get on an empty bus, avoid those seats.

True, those seats have a sign, so do not take them or be prepared to get up if needed.

 

[lylone]

What guests not on an ECV or a wheelchair need to remember is that the seats that fold up are labeled as may being needed for guests with disabilities. So if you get on an empty bus, avoid those seats.

We weren't in those seats we were actually standing. In our case many more were asked to get off to load the ECVs. The ECV party also included 10 able bodied people and they got on. About 6 of us that weren't permitted to get back on the bus and were left waiting for the next bus.
I had no problems moving.. I did have a problem with 10 others getting on and us left behind.

 

[goofy4tink]

Goofy4tink, I was only trying to say thatproe say they want fair when when they only desire it when it meets their needs.

Well, that's certainly true!!!

This!

And besides, as those of us with an evil streak well know, courtesy can be both a shield and a weapon.

Someone's trying to walk through you? Make eye contact, smile as if they're your new best friend and say, "Oh! Excuse me, I'm SO sorry!" Guaranteed they'll go wide around you.

Ditto for people trying to stand in front of you at the parade, or butt in line at the bus stop. If they suspect you might suddenly hug them, they'll skedaddle right quick. "Do you need help folding your stroller?" is apparently a terrifying statement.

Cranky rude people are the people who MOST need love and understanding. (Even when - or sometimes especially when - it ticks them off.)

That would be my way as well!!! But, sometimes I get tired of being the one to move most of the time. I really do try to kill 'em with kindness..but after a few days??? Yep, I get cranky.

I do agree that the trend toward larger strollers is not geared to toting the kids around. It's for toting lots of extra stuff around. Food, clothes, toys, cameras.

PS...remember if you bring food in your stroller and you park it, have something to seal the packages of food with...otherwise you may lose it to squirrels or birds...

I also agree that guests already on the bus should expect to be asked to move or stand if the seats are needed to load an ECV at a later stop. They should not expect to be ordered off the bus and left at the stop to wait for the next one to accommodate an ECV rider (and their party). When the bus gets to the point that they cannot load an ECV without removing some already boarded passengers from the bus completely, they usually do not load the ECV. I have seen a few of these incidents reported. They are usually occurring when the ECV party makes a fuss and the driver wants to avoid confrontation with them.

Brings to mind the huge stroller I watched being attacked by those big ole white birds outside Country Bear area!!! The owners must have left something either opened or close to open...those birds swooped down as soon as the family left the stroller area....and this particular stroller was parked barely at the stroller parking area to begin with!!! There had to be 4 or 5 birds going at it. Yuck!!!

 

[TDC Nala]

I'm guessing it is possible that the driver loaded the ECV, strapped it down and only then found out there were 10 additional passengers involved. At that point he/she left some of the original passengers behind rather than untie and remove the ECV.

Actually I think some of the 10 should have been required to wait for another bus.

 

[3Leafs]

Omw home now and while in line for busses I've been following this thread. It was just my Dh and I on this trip so we were never in a hurry. One morning we waited for 40 minutes for a bus from CBR to AK. Finally another family asked a HS driver to call for us and he did better and took us there. It was nice of him.

Last night we were at the BC on our way to MVMCP and it was packed with people wanting to go as well. A bus finally pulls us and goes to load the 2 ecv's that needed loaded and man the complaints I heard made me sick. At that point another bus pulled up and it was a mad rush to get to that one. My Dh and I just continued to wait for the first bus as did another family. We ended up getting to the park just after the other bus and I even got through the turn styles before some from the other bus. I know this because some people are hard to forget lol. Other than these 2 incidents we had a great time and can't wait to go back for spring break.

 

[Magpie]

Well, that's certainly true!!!

That would be my way as well!!! But, sometimes I get tired of being the one to move most of the time. I really do try to kill 'em with kindness..but after a few days??? Yep, I get cranky.

I'm at Disney, I don't get cranky!

Besides, I got some high strung people in my family, so managing other people's moods in order to ensure that they don't impact on MY happiness has become second nature to me.

And, for what it's worth, I'm not the one moving most of the time. I just park myself and grin.

 

[Talking Hands]

So, should they unload the bus to load you in? or let you load on top of people?

How it happens is up to Disney but as I said, if I would be able to board and HAVE A SEAT as an able bodied person equal access means I do not have to wait for a second bus. Anything less than that is not equal access.

 

[North of Mouse]

My family went to Disney World quite a bit in the 80s and I don't remember seeing a single stroller or ECV. I don't think the monorail could even fit one of them in it. I just remember a bunch of rows with long couches like to sit on and they were all facing one way.

Let's face it.. there will always be some annoying, disrespectful, self-centered folks on any vacation you take.

Sometimes for us it is rather interesting and funny to see what folks will do. Sit on a bench and watch people...its rather funny what people do in public!

Well, we were there in the 80's and we had a stroller, but it wasn't a huge traveling coach

Also, the monorails used to have *benches* in the center (shorter than the end ones, and they were back to back. They also could be folded up.

Yes, and we have been *people watchers*. It can really be an eye opener while you are catching a break on a bench. Truth is stranger than fiction, and you can really *see* some doozies!

 

[joelkfla]

Hey Joel,
You're a driver right? Can I use that to report GREAT drivers? I have had some Fab ones that I would LOVE to recognize!!!

Yes, of course!

Cast member compliments are always welcome. The best are sometimes published and posted on the bulletin boards. The cm might even get a token gift from management, like a pin or a movie ticket.

 

[Peaseblossom]

One morning we waited for 40 minutes for a bus from CBR to AK. Finally another family asked a HS driver to call for us and he did better and took us there. It was nice of him.

That's awesome! Wonder if he would have gotten in trouble....