Scooters and Buses and Waiting, Oh My!

[Willmark]

Almost 10 years later? That’s got to be some sort of threadomancy record!

 

[Hakunamatata]

Please dont feed the troll.

 

[wm49rs]

This is certainly one thing about my vacation that I try so very very hard to ignore. But it's SO HARD to ignore the ones who appear to be nothing more than fat and lazy and not old and disable. I know I know, it's not up to us to judge who might be and might not be legitimately handicapped and just because someone is over weight doesn't mean they're not trying their best. I get it, some people can't help the way they are but at the same time there are SO many that can. Anyone who is clearly elderly and frail has every right to be on the scooters and I'll give up my space in line and seat on the bus all day long for. Each year too there is always one or two people who clearly aren't disable but rather just don't want to walk all day long. Some of these people get impatient, mad and demanding if they feel they're not going to board first. I fear there is really nothing that can ever be done about this to rid of it permanently. Help me please help me to find a way to ignore this.

Try harder to ignore. You’ll be ok....

 

[jloucks]

This is certainly one thing about my vacation that I try so very very hard to ignore. But it's SO HARD to ignore the ones who appear to be nothing more than fat and lazy and not old and disable. I know I know, it's not up to us to judge who might be and might not be legitimately handicapped and just because someone is over weight doesn't mean they're not trying their best. I get it, some people can't help the way they are but at the same time there are SO many that can. Anyone who is clearly elderly and frail has every right to be on the scooters and I'll give up my space in line and seat on the bus all day long for. Each year too there is always one or two people who clearly aren't disable but rather just don't want to walk all day long. Some of these people get impatient, mad and demanding if they feel they're not going to board first. I fear there is really nothing that can ever be done about this to rid of it permanently. Help me please help me to find a way to ignore this.

Anybody can rent a scooter for any reason. And therein the problem lies. Maybe one of the problems for me is that I actually thought about the perks of renting a scooter, and realized how amazingly unfair it would be. Shoot, the bus line cutting alone is worth the price of a scooter.

This thread always ends the same way. Some people feel that abuse & injury risk from ramming is a small price to pay for the truly needy to have scooters.

Of course almost no one has ever said the truly needy should not have access to scooters when it get rights down to it. But that is how it is spun. Because opinions on needy vary wildly.

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

Not commenting on anything else.... just what WE do.

We are 66. We walk. Not sure we would be happy going to WDW if circumstances changed.....

All personal opinion - I'm not necessarily right, no one else is necessarily wrong.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

I'm one of those people who uses an ECV AND can walk short distances...I have Multiple Sclerosis and would GLADLY trade places with ANYONE that can walk (even for a half mile). That being said, there have been some very interesting points brought up on this thread.

I agree that EVERYONE who is using an ECV for the first time PRACTICE driving, steering, breaking, etc. BEFORE you leave the resort. That ONE piece of advice would solve a lot of problems loading and unloading. How many times I witnessed a person on an ECV that had NO concept of driving and backing up...It's the SAME as parallel parking, people. I usually can get into the bus and parked properly in less than 60 seconds...Why? Because I KNOW how my ECV operates, and how to use it.

I also ALWAYS INSIST with the driver that I wish to remain on the ECV and let be be buckled up while on it. (YES, there are seat belts on the bus for that purpose). I ALWAYS feel guilty taking two spots and then getting off and sitting in a third seat.

If you're going to complain about ECV's and wheelchairs, how about the plethora of double strollers on the busses? They are much wider than my ECV...how many times do people try to get on the busses without folding them up?

I ABSOLUTELY agree that there are MANY guests using ECV's who might not need them to the same degree as I do. As peeved as I sometimes get, watching them taking advantage of the system, I just say that karma is a B word, and we ALL will one day have to answer for what we did/ didn't do. For the few times that I've heard comments about my ECV, I do NOT hesitate telling them that I have MS, my 2 meds cost OVER 10 thousand dollars a month, I am getting worse, NOT better (there is no cure YET), and anytime they wish to trade places with me with their apparently miserable, petty lives, I'm ready, just say the word, that usually embarrasses them enough to shut them up.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

First, Disney doesn't have the accordion buses. Not sure they would ever want them as it may create too many liability issues.



This leads to the next part of being much more secure in what Disney does with wheelchairs and ECVs. Many people using these devices may be using them for the 1st time ever, and if not then the first time while on vacation, not loading into their passenger vehicles, but instead on a bus or monorail or boat.

For the most part, those using mass transit in cities aren't going to be tourists, but locals that are used to the buses and how everything works.

WDW DOES have accordion buses and uses them frequently between the resorts and parks...you will see them more frequently at peak times i.e. mornings or end of the day.

 

[eneric]

Try harder to ignore. You’ll be ok....

Okay, how about the guys who lack manners to give up their seats to women and the elderly? That happens probably more frequently than the ECV abusers.

 

[ninjaprincesst]

This has been discussed a lot

But I think that the person in the wheelchair should be loaded first but should only allowed to have 1 person from there party go with them. It is not fair to every one else who has to wait on line that the whole party gets to cut the line. I have witnessed at MK a party with 10 plus people with a wheelchair get to cut the line, its not fair to everyone else. They person should be allowed on person to help them the rest of the party should have to wait on line like everyone else. If they dont want to be split up the person in the wheel chair should have to wait on the side till it is there party's turn to board the bus. I think this is a totally fair way to fix this problem.

So when Dad is in a scooter or Wheelchair only Mom goes with him because she has to help Dad get onboard and situated and their children are supposed to board alone? There is supposed to be a limit of a total party of six pre boarding, that is waht should be enforced, but one person is excessive and often not feesible.

 

[jloucks]

Okay, how about the guys who lack manners to give up their seats to women and the elderly? That happens probably more frequently than the ECV abusers.

Women and elders (and ECV's for that matter) are different things, with a different set of logic dictating behavior.

Females aged 4-50 are generally more able bodied than I am. So, giving up a seat for a 25 year old is just weird to me (and probably offensive) unless they are on crutches or something. Think about it, why would a 40-50 year old man jump up for a 25 year old female? It just comes off as weird and dated behavior in the minds of many millennials.

That being said, I think most people still give up their seats to an obvious elder. I do (and my kids do) anyway. The logic there makes way more sense. They are probably in more discomfort. Lol, saying it that way also sounds slightly offensive. Baby boomers grew up with chivalry/manners tho, so not likely to actually be offended.

 

[wm49rs]

Okay, how about the guys who lack manners to give up their seats to women and the elderly? That happens probably more frequently than the ECV abusers.

What exactly are you going to go on about? Scooters or those with bad manners? Let me know when you've got it sorted....

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

This thread needs to go into the "Katiebug" forum.

 

[Bronson55]

The thing that bothers me most is not the handicaped person boarding ahead of everyone else, its when they bring along 10 people, brothers-sisters-parents-children-friends-friends of friends all get to come on board with them.

Not sure why the scooter user's party is always quoted as 10+ people but let's assume that estimate is the norm . Here's my question...if your healthy group of 10 brothers-parents,sisters-friends of friends are on line and only half can get on the bus due to capacity (let,s pretend those fat scooter people weren't on this bus) would you as a group back off and choose to ride together or would half your entourage get on and and wait a half hour or more at the other end for the rest of your group?
Part of the reason the family is allowed to stay together is for the benefit of the guest with the disability to feel part of his family group.
As far as the loading order of the scooters /wheelchairs they are are loaded first for the safety of everyone else.
Read all the angry posts about mass numbers of toes being ridden over in the parks.
I am quite skilled at handing the scooter but I have had the pleasure of trying to back my scooter in the allotted space while the bus already had people seated. You can't imagine how many people sat there not moving their feet so much as an inch almost daring me to run them over.

 

[thomas998]

Folks on scooters and in wheelchairs being allowed to board ahead of everyone in line at the bus stops - Big Source of Controversy!

I've read many threads about this and discovered that I'm still confused as to why they must board ahead of everyone else in line. I've learned about the laws of accommodation, and there are also the unwritten rules of courtesy and consideration to be taken into account.

Say for instance that the bus holds 100 people and there are 100 people already standing in line at the bus stop. The next bus should be able to load all 100 people standing in line with no problem. If someone in a chair lines up behind the 100 in line, that person and their party should be able to board the NEXT bus first.

Discussion, please?

The simple solution is a preloading area in the bus stop where you stack the first hundred people be they in scooters, wheelchairs or on the backs of unicorn. As for the actual loading of the bus you probably do want to load the wheelchair or scooter first when a bus comes for that group because cramming them on when the bus is nearly full or even half full is more of a pain than doing it when it is empty. Then when the people exit the bus they should be the last ones off because they are going to be the slowest due to their wheelchair or scooter being tethered to something that will require more room to disconnect. In the end that is a reasonable way to do it. As for allowing people in wheelchairs, scooters or riding the backs of unicorns to jump people in line... sorry but that's just not appropriate and is the reason Disneyland cracked down on the people with handicap claims just getting a free front of the line pass as they did a few years back.

In the end everyone should be treated as equally as possible regardless of handicap and that means wheelchairs and scooter should be stuck waiting in lines like the rest of us... One could even argue they should be moved to the back of the line because unlike us poor slobs having to stand up and wait they are sitting down.

 

[updownandsideways]

This is the reason I use Lyft now

 

[ninjaprincesst]

Women and elders (and ECV's for that matter) are different things, with a different set of logic dictating behavior.

Females aged 4-50 are generally more able bodied than I am. So, giving up a seat for a 25 year old is just weird to me (and probably offensive) unless they are on crutches or something. Think about it, why would a 40-50 year old man jump up for a 25 year old female? It just comes off as weird and dated behavior in the minds of many millennials.

That being said, I think most people still give up their seats to an obvious elder. I do (and my kids do) anyway. The logic there makes way more sense. They are probably in more discomfort. Lol, saying it that way also sounds slightly offensive. Baby boomers grew up with chivalry/manners tho, so not likely to actually be offended.

I will always give up my seat to the elderly no matter what, but women, no, I don't see why I should give up my seat that very often times I will wait for a second bus so that I can sit, and they come running up at the last second, no they can stand or wait like I did.

 

[ninjaprincesst]

Don't be so judgemental you never know, for example I have had people even say things about my father getting out of the scooter and walking because he always wears pants instead of shorts they could not tell he has a prosthetic leg, yes he can walk, but not the amount of walking Disney requires, also they could have cancer of some other disease that is not obvious by looking.

 

[networkpro]

I'm hoping to hear a good idea that perhaps would "grow" and reach the ears of Disney. :wave:

Then you should be contacting Disney, not a random fan site.

 

[Emm]

I agree that EVERYONE who is using an ECV for the first time PRACTICE driving, steering, breaking, etc. BEFORE you leave the resort. That ONE piece of advice would solve a lot of problems loading and unloading. How many times I witnessed a person on an ECV that had NO concept of driving and backing up...It's the SAME as parallel parking, people. I usually can get into the bus and parked properly in less than 60 seconds...Why? Because I KNOW how my ECV operates, and how to use it.

If this was done by all, if would solve many complaints with ECV. Especially with rentals, many don't take time to learn it's use

 

[ninjaprincesst]

Not sure why the scooter user's party is always quoted as 10+ people but let's assume that estimate is the norm . Here's my question...if your healthy group of 10 brothers-parents,sisters-friends of friends are on line and only half can get on the bus due to capacity (let,s pretend those fat scooter people weren't on this bus) would you as a group back off and choose to ride together or would half your entourage get on and and wait a half hour or more at the other end for the rest of your group?
Part of the reason the family is allowed to stay together is for the benefit of the guest with the disability to feel part of his family group.
As far as the loading order of the scooters /wheelchairs they are are loaded first for the safety of everyone else.
Read all the angry posts about mass numbers of toes being ridden over in the parks.
I am quite skilled at handing the scooter but I have had the pleasure of trying to back my scooter in the allotted space while the bus already had people seated. You can't imagine how many people sat there not moving their feet so much as an inch almost daring me to run them over.

Exactly, not to mention when they are all sitting there staring at you it makes it very hard to handle, and on more than one occasion people have let their kids run all over the area where my Dad was trying to park the scooter and if they are trying to load more than one scooter or wheelchair its almost impossible to get them loaded with people already on the bus, it's for everyone's safety, that is why they don't let the scooter party load until they are safely loaded unless the person in the scooter of wheelchair requires help.