A day of broken rides at WDW

[Bender123]

Having experienced the alternative loading at TSMM, I feel confident in saying it is far from a perfect system. Sure, all of the reasons you mention are indeed true. However, if you time it just "right", the wait can be quite long, on top of the wait in the rest of the line. Since there are only one or two accessible ride vehicles, you have to wait for a vehicle to make an entire trip through the ride. And if there are a few parties ahead of you, forget it. I would prefer a system where anyone who is able to transfer can go through the regular line, and only those guests needing to remain in their wheelchair/ECV loading on a side track.

...but you would be waiting the same amount of time regardless. If there are only two vehicles, then no matter where you waited, in the main line or the ECV line, would mean waiting for those vehicles based on the number of people in line ahead needing them. The best thing about this system is that it doesn't inconvenience the other riders who need to wait for a ride shutdown to load people with special needs. The wait for the ECV will always be the same, but this just keeps that wait and need from affecting everybody else.

 

[Phonedave]

It may have been ECV/Wheelchairs, but I doubt it ws the same group each time. We did a lot of back and forth in the park because of FP+ scheduling (including why we killed time on CoP because we were waiting for out Buzz time to come up). We also has three kids who seem to have no sense of logic when it comes to what they want to ride. They would spend half the day walking from one end of the park to the other if we let them follow the plan they had.

I have had rides stop for assisted load / unloads before as well, but theses seemed to be longer than ususal. Maybe they were, or maybe they were indeed malfuctions. Rest assured everyone that is planning on going to WDW soon, we will not be back for quite some time (not because of this incident, but because we are well borrowed into the future on our DVC contract)

-dave

 

[djdan888]

I don't ride the Haunted Mansion too often as I am not a fan of the Disney claustrophobic rides where they cram a bunch of people in a room and close the doors like this and PhilHarmagic come to mind, so I can't speak on how often it goes down in great detail, but it usually stops in the track at some point for a few minutes each time I do rarely go on it. Not sure if due to mechanical or to disabled person, etc. I do feel many rides are beginning to age and need refurbs to keep them going. Hopefully that will all happen soon.

 

[macefamily]

Wow. Unlucky day for you. But I must say that I don't mind getting stalled on a ride. You get an opportunity to take in the scene for an extended amount of time. The best down ride experience our family went through was this past January at Universal Studios. We got stuck on the final street scene on Men in Black. We sat in our cars for about 20 minutes until they turned the lights on. We got to see everything close up. We had to be released from the vehicles and walked out through the final scenes; pretty cool. However, they were very adamant in not letting us take any pictures.

 

[anchorman314]

...but you would be waiting the same amount of time regardless. If there are only two vehicles, then no matter where you waited, in the main line or the ECV line, would mean waiting for those vehicles based on the number of people in line ahead needing them. The best thing about this system is that it doesn't inconvenience the other riders who need to wait for a ride shutdown to load people with special needs. The wait for the ECV will always be the same, but this just keeps that wait and need from affecting everybody else.

I think you misunderstood my point. There is a large segment of WC/ECV users that can ride in a regular vehicle without any issue. At the front of the line, they stand up out of their WC/ECV and board the ride vehicle. No delays, no stoppages. At TSMM, because of the stairs, even guests that can transfer are diverted over to the accessible waiting area. And they don't bring non-accessible ride vehicles into the accessible loading area (as far as I can tell).

 

[jaklgreen]

I think you misunderstood my point. There is a large segment of WC/ECV users that can ride in a regular vehicle without any issue. At the front of the line, they stand up out of their WC/ECV and board the ride vehicle. No delays, no stoppages. At TSMM, because of the stairs, even guests that can transfer are diverted over to the accessible waiting area. And they don't bring non-accessible ride vehicles into the accessible loading area (as far as I can tell).

I see your point and agree with you that those that can transfer should go into to regular ride cars. They can easily have those people walk around that little curve and get in on the side that all of the riders get out. That way they can avoid the stairs but would not have to wait for 1 of the accessible cars.

 

[big kid at heart]

The new third lane of TSMM does not have stairs and if you can transfer they can send you that way.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

I think you misunderstood my point. There is a large segment of WC/ECV users that can ride in a regular vehicle without any issue. At the front of the line, they stand up out of their WC/ECV and board the ride vehicle. No delays, no stoppages. At TSMM, because of the stairs, even guests that can transfer are diverted over to the accessible waiting area. And they don't bring non-accessible ride vehicles into the accessible loading area (as far as I can tell).

I agree with you...I have MS, can't walk long distances, but CAN walk to the ride. Tp prevent that exact situation, I just park my ECV outside of the ride, and walk into the ride with my cane. I thank God every day that I can STILL walk, but I would imagine that there may be a few milking the system.

 

[Jedi Stitch]

I have felt that way once or twice at DLR, seams like were are getting on rides that break down or pause for a good time.
I had witness few times were everyone's patience was tested, when it felt like non stop disabled with the 13 person extended family all came in thru the exit and got on, holding up the stand by that much more.