Wheelchairs: Resorts and Buses?

[Sleeping Jedi Beauty]

Hi everybody. We'll be going to WDW in May and staying at POP. Due to two family members recovering from foot surgeries and another who has foot surgery two weeks after the trip, we may have 3 members of our party in wheelchairs. Since my mom has had foot problems for years, we're used to navigating Disneyland with a wheelchair, but it's been 11 years since our last WDW trip and a lot has changed since then, such as parkhoppers, our discovery of the dining plan, and so on.

First, how much does it cost to rent a wheelchair from the resorts? I know we can rent from the parks, but with a parkhopper and ADRs at some resorts, we don't want to risk not having a wheelchair when we go back to the parks. Everybody can do some walking, but we're not sure how much, especially with Disney World's size.

Second, how many wheelchairs can you fit on a bus? My brother thinks you can only fit one, so he thinks they'll have to split us up. Can and will they fit more on the buses? We're used to Disneyland's wheelchair equipped bus and parking lot tram, but WDW is a whole new ballgame.

 

[ducklite]

The resorts don't rent wheelchairs. Your best bet would be to rent from an offsite agency--I'm pretty sure there are a couple listed in the FAQ at the top of the DisAbilities Forum.

I'm alsopretty sure the buses only accomodate two passengers in wheelchairs, but if one fo teh chairs folds, it sounds like at least one person in yoru party could easily transfer to a bus seat and fold the chair--that could be a solution.

Anne

 

[SueM in MN]

First, how much does it cost to rent a wheelchair from the resorts?

If you haven't already checked it out, look in the disABILITIES FAQs thread near the top of this board. It has information on all the options for getting wheelchairs, inlcuding borrowing from the resorts.
If they have any to lend out, the resorts have wheelchairs lent free of charge.
The if is if they have any at the time. We haven't had anyone post recently about borrowing one, but in the past, some people had very good luck with getting one and others found the one at their resort didn't fit their needs (large when they needed narrow, or vice versa). The time to get one that was more suitable ranged from a few hours to a few days. They can't be reserved ahead of time, so it is a "what's available when you ask" situation.
I'd suggest if you do plan on borrowing from the resort, that you take the phone numbers along from the off-site rental places so that you can call and get one from them if needed.

Second, how many wheelchairs can you fit on a bus? My brother thinks you can only fit one, so he thinks they'll have to split us up. Can and will they fit more on the buses? We're used to Disneyland's wheelchair equipped bus and parking lot tram, but WDW is a whole new ballgame.

There is information about this in the FAQs too.
Two wheelchairs or ECVs can usually be fit on each bus, fastened down in the wheelchair tie downs.
There are times when only one might fit - for example, my DD's wheelchair was already loaded when a man in a wide wheelchair came to the bus stop. His wheelchair would not have been able to get around DD's to enter the bus, so even though there was only one wheelchair in the bus at the time, the driver told him he needed to wait for the next bus.
If the wheelchairs are foldable and the person using it is able to get out and ride on a bus seat, it may be possible to bring the wheelchair on and then fold it for the bus ride with someone holding it. That way quite a few wheelchairs can fit on the same bus.

The parking lot trams are not wheelchair accessible, but if the person using it is able to step onto the tram and someone can fold the wheelchair and hold it in place during the tram ride, you can ride the tram and bring a wheelchair along.
If they have a handicapped parking permit, they can park in the handicapped lots at the parks. Just display it while driving in and the parking lot CMs will direct you to the correct place.
I would suggest taking the bus to MK though, since the bus leaves you off near the turnstiles in to the park. If you drive, the handicapped parking is quite a walk from the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC), where people who have driven have to switch to a monorail or boat to MK. The monorails at TTC and MK have steep ramps to get from ground level to the second floor level station.

Most of the boats are wheelchair accessible. The exceptions are the smaller boats that go between the MK resorts and the MK dock and the WL boat which is sometimes not accessible because the water level is too high or low for the boat to be in good position compared to the dock.

 

[luvmyeor]

We have borrowed wheelchairs from the resorts every time we go and have never had a problem with them not having one. I always ask for the wheelchair at check-in time. I remember at All Star Movies they weren't sure if they had one but they said that they would get us one from one of the other All Stars if they didn't. Last year we discovered that we needed a wide one but the resorts do not carry them. They lent us a standard one and we were able to trade it in at the park every day. (The standard one was okay for a short distance but was not very comfortable for the person to use all day.) We just had to reclaim the standard one at the end of the day.

 

[minnie61650]

You might also want to consider renting an EVC.

I would suggest that that if you decide to use an EVC you should rent the EVC (Electric scooter) from an offsite company.
I have limited mobility and have rented mine from Care Medical (800-741-2282) and Walker Mobility (888-726-6837) in the past. I would recommend either one. The cost is about $30 a day. The ones at the parks cost $35 a day and are bigger and have 4 wheels kinda like a golf cart. They are much harder to steer and to control. If you rents from an offsite rental they will deliver the EVC to bell services at the resort. then it can used to go to the pool, and get around the resort as well as the bus stop.
Almost all the Disney buses are accessible. I love using my EVC it gives me more independence and helps keep my pain to a minimum.

I always use Disney transportation.
When you go to the bus stop the WC/EVC line is to the left of the regular line since the WC/EVC lift is located at the back door of the bus. Be sure to wait there with your family.The WC/EVC's are loaded first for safety reasons.
The rest of your family will enter through the rear door Then the bus driver will close that door and open the front door so the rest of the guests can board.

Disney started mainstreaming most of their lines in the late 1990's. Those in WC/EVC will usually enter in the regular line. She/he will be able to stay in the EVC until just before boarding most of the time.
Sometimes the WC/EVC may be pulled from the mainstream line part way down so they can board the ride in an
Accessible area. EVC's can't climb steps so sometimes they need to take an elevator. Or they may need to board a ride where the riders usually exit in case
they need an accessible vehicle or need the moving sidewalk slowed or stopped so they can board.
You can pickup a book for Guests with disabilities at Guest Services or you download a copy of the book which is posted on the disABILITIES board.

Have fun at Disney!

 

[Sleeping Jedi Beauty]

Thank you for all of your repsonses. It's a tremendous help. Everyone will be able to transfer without a problem, so hopefully we won't have to split up. It's also good to know that availability at the resorts can be hit or miss.

I think the standard ones would be okay for us since none of us are Pooh sized.