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Transportation
Buses |
Watercraft | Monorail
Buses-more to come!
All bus routes are serviced by buses equipped to accommodate various types of
wheelchairs within the following guidelines:
 | The wheelchair must fit the wheelchair lift without being forced (some
motorized chairs and electric convenience vehicles are too wide or too long
for the bus lift)
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| the wheelchair must be securely fastened in the wheelchair restraints.
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Disney operates buses from every resort to every park (except in a few cases,
where another form of transport, such as a boat, is available) and a direct
service between a number of the parks. As far as I'm aware, almost all, if not
all, Disney buses are equipped to carry wheelchairs. They all have two spaces
down the left hand side of the bus (when looking forward), the seats of which
flip up to make a space for the chair. All of these spots are fitted with tie
downs. It is advisable to know where your safe tie down points are, before
travelling, to speed up the boarding process. Some people like to mark these
with coloured tape to make it easier for the driver. The driver can ask you to
wear a seatbelt, but you are not required by law to do so. ECV users should
transfer out of their vehicles to reduce the risk of tipping during travel.
Other wheelchair users are entitled to get out of their chair if they would
prefer to do so, but are not obliged to.
When you want to board a bus, especially at your hotel where there will be buses
arriving for more than one destination, make sure you catch the driver's
attention as the pull in. It is Disney policy to load wheelchair users first,
for safety reasons. The bus stops at the parks have a designated waiting area
for wheelchair users. This allows the driver to see you easily and board you
first. At busier times, for instance at park closing time, it is courteous to
wait a while before going to this area to avoid 'queue-jumping' (though you are,
by Disney rules, allowed to enter this area as soon as you arrive).
The older Disney buses are fitted with lifts. These are near the back of the
bus, are basically a flat plate (made by flattening out the stairs) on a lifting
mechanism. To board these the guest reverses his or her chair or ECV onto the
lift and applies the brakes. The driver then operates the lift, the guest
reverses out of the lift and positions themself in the wheelchair seating area.
One able bodied person is allowed to ride on the lift with the wheelchair user
if there is room to do so.
Over the past few years, Disney has been introducing ramped kneeling buses to
the fleet. These are a lot easier and quicker to board, as the driver kneels the
bus, extends the ramp, and you roll straight on and park up. If you feel unhappy
boarding the older, lift-fitted buses, you can ask any driver to radio for a
kneeling bus to be sent. This may take a while, but they will provide one as
quickly as the can.
Watercraft -more to come!
Access varies depending on the type of watercraft and the existing
water levels and conditions. Please contact a Cast Member at the watercraft dock
for information and assistance.
Services are run between:
| Downtown Disney <---> Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Port Orleans
Riverside and French Quarter
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| MK <---> TTC, Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Fort Wilderness
and Wilderness Lodge
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| EPCOT <---> MGM, BoardWalk, Yacht and Beach Club and Swan and Dolphin
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| MGM <---> EPCOT, BoardWalk, Yacht and Beach Club and Swan and Dolphin
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Monorail-more to come!
Guests may access the Monorail system by proceeding up to the entrance ramps or
using the elevators provided at Epcot, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa,
Disney's Polynesian Resort, and Disney's Contemporary Resort.
The monorail runs between the Magic Kingdom and the Ticket and Transportation
Center (TTC) and the TTC and EPCOT, visiting a few hotels en route. To board,
just pull up to the gate with the wheelchair symbol on it, and wait for the
train to arrive.
When it does, the guests on the train will exit on the other side of the train,
then a Cast Member will bring a metal ramp over, open the gate in front of you,
and you can roll on. Make sure you apply your brakes before the train pulls out.
When you arrive at your stop, a Cast Member should be there with a ramp to let
you off. If they aren't you may need to send a member of your group to find
someone. Alternatively just wait there, as soon as they try to load people from
the other side, they'll notice you.
Once you get a ramp put down, you can just drive forward to leave.Currently,
only EPCOT has an elevator at the monorail station. That shold be changed soon.
Currently, at the MK and TTC you have to go up or down a big long ramp.
To get from MK to EPCOT, you have to change trains, which means changing
platforms, which means rolling all the way down one ramp, then all the way up
another. It's a bit of hassle, but the monorail is a fun ride.
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THE MOUSE ON WHEELS
