ECV's and bus boarding??

[Disney4us2]

I am just over 2 months away from our December trip and starting to have a lot of anxiety about the bus boarding. This is my first time using an ECV at WDW. Do it all the time at Disneyland with their trams and h/c bus. I have no idea as to what to expect at WDW.

We will be at CBR.... do you board at any of the bus stops?

When returning to the parks, what is the boarding proceedure? Any h/c lines or areas for waiting our turn to board?

TIA

[DisneyPrincess21]

I am just over 2 months away from our December trip and starting to have a lot of anxiety about the bus boarding. This is my first time using an ECV at WDW. Do it all the time at Disneyland with their trams and h/c bus. I have no idea as to what to expect at WDW.

We will be at CBR.... do you board at any of the bus stops?

When returning to the parks, what is the boarding proceedure? Any h/c lines or areas for waiting our turn to board?

TIA

First of all, don't worry about the ECV's and the Disney buses. I had the same fears last year because I had to use an ECV for the first time due to sciatica, and was extremely nervous about the bus situation. It was a breeze.

I also stayed at CBR, and you can board the bus at any location. There will be a small blue line showing you were to pull your ECV up to so that the drivers know you are waiting for a bus. If you see a bus come by that you won't be boarding, I usually just motion to the driver that I won't be boarding so they can pull to a different area to load guest. If I do need the bus I motion to let them know I will be boarding their bus.

There are different types of Disney buses. The easiest ones have ramps that they put down and you just ride up and put your ECV in the place that the driver instructs you. There are also buses that have lifts, (not my favorite) but no problem either. You just back your ECV on to the ramp and the drive uses the lift to raise your ECV up to the bus. Be careful on the lifts that you don't pull too far back, I accidentally did this once and my bag in the pouch on the bag of my ECV was catching and it kept getting the lift stuck, I tried to tell the driver what the problem was but I guess she felt it was more interesting to try to figure out the problem on her own, even though I knew it was because my ECV was too far back and my bag was sticking ( a little embarrassing for me because the driver wouldn't listen to me, but no one hassled me about it that i know of)

At each park there is a handicap line that you and your party (i think 6 or less) are allowed to wait in. The driver allows the ECV to load first along with their family, and then after they get you settled they board the rest of the bus.

You have the option of either staying in your ECV on the bus or sitting in a regular seat (I always sat in a regular seat)

When you get to the parks the drivers unload the bus with the "regular" guest and then allow you to get off last, that way you have plenty of room to maneuver your ECV.

When you get back to CBR the bus driver will ask which "island" you will be getting off at, I believe that they try to unload at as many island first as possible to give you room to get your ECV out.

The drivers are pretty good about helping you and making you feel comfortable about the whole process. It always helps to calm you if you chat with the driver a bit. I only had one encounter with a rude driver, but I am sure he was just like that with everyone. And only one lady sat in her seat and refused to move her leg to make it easier on me to get my ECV out, this however I am sure was just her personality because she seemed crabby anyway :D. But besides that one lady, no one made me feel out of place or in the way, they were all very patient and nice about taking the extra time.

Like I said, don't worry you will do fine. Just remember that everyone deserves to have a wonderful time at Disney regardless of how they have to get there, or what they need to use to help them.

Now that I have wrote a short novel..... :D

If you have any other questions or concerns, feel free to PM me.


:tink:
I Hope You Have A Magical Vacation! :wave:

[PETE FROM NYC]

Just remember to take your time loading and unloading. I am usually pretty good at ECV usage, using DWs often, and renting one my last three trips,plus using the mart-carts at the stores.
Yet I dumped getting off the bus last week. I'm not exactly sure how, it happened so fast. Luckily there were a few strong guys to get me and the scooter up-righted again.
No damage, just embarassment.

[faline]

Just don't get into the regular line or it is likely the bus driver won't see you. There have been a few times when I've needed to alert a bus driver that someone in a chair was waiting to board as they were not in the right place to be seen by the driver as the driver approached. Typically, the person and the chair and members of his/her party should sit near the curb but just to the left of the bus line.

[Renfairwedding]

I know it was said before. Just take your time. go slow and you will do fine!

Enjoy and have fun.

[Checkers]

First of all, don't worry about the ECV's and the Disney buses. I had the same fears last year because I had to use an ECV for the first time due to sciatica, and was extremely nervous about the bus situation. It was a breeze.

I also stayed at CBR, and you can board the bus at any location. There will be a small blue line showing you were to pull your ECV up to so that the drivers know you are waiting for a bus. If you see a bus come by that you won't be boarding, I usually just motion to the driver that I won't be boarding so they can pull to a different area to load guest. If I do need the bus I motion to let them know I will be boarding their bus.

There are different types of Disney buses. The easiest ones have ramps that they put down and you just ride up and put your ECV in the place that the driver instructs you. There are also buses that have lifts, (not my favorite) but no problem either. You just back your ECV on to the ramp and the drive uses the lift to raise your ECV up to the bus. Be careful on the lifts that you don't pull too far back, I accidentally did this once and my bag in the pouch on the bag of my ECV was catching and it kept getting the lift stuck, I tried to tell the driver what the problem was but I guess she felt it was more interesting to try to figure out the problem on her own, even though I knew it was because my ECV was too far back and my bag was sticking ( a little embarrassing for me because the driver wouldn't listen to me, but no one hassled me about it that i know of)

At each park there is a handicap line that you and your party (i think 6 or less) are allowed to wait in. The driver allows the ECV to load first along with their family, and then after they get you settled they board the rest of the bus.

You have the option of either staying in your ECV on the bus or sitting in a regular seat (I always sat in a regular seat)

When you get to the parks the drivers unload the bus with the "regular" guest and then allow you to get off last, that way you have plenty of room to maneuver your ECV.

When you get back to CBR the bus driver will ask which "island" you will be getting off at, I believe that they try to unload at as many island first as possible to give you room to get your ECV out.

The drivers are pretty good about helping you and making you feel comfortable about the whole process. It always helps to calm you if you chat with the driver a bit. I only had one encounter with a rude driver, but I am sure he was just like that with everyone. And only one lady sat in her seat and refused to move her leg to make it easier on me to get my ECV out, this however I am sure was just her personality because she seemed crabby anyway :D. But besides that one lady, no one made me feel out of place or in the way, they were all very patient and nice about taking the extra time.

Like I said, don't worry you will do fine. Just remember that everyone deserves to have a wonderful time at Disney regardless of how they have to get there, or what they need to use to help them.

Now that I have wrote a short novel..... :D

If you have any other questions or concerns, feel free to PM me.


:tink:
I Hope You Have A Magical Vacation! :wave:

What a wealth of information! Thank you so much. I just today reserved a scooter from Apple Scooters for the first time. I broke my ankle back at the end of Aug. and just this past week got the cast off. The dr. says I must (and I totally agree) get a scooter at WDW and I had some of the fears of the OP and you have really been such a help. I do have a question about the monorail -- we will be staying at the BWVs and I was wondering about taking the monorail to the MK. Are the scooters powerful enough to go up the ramp? Is there an elevator that you should use? We have tickets for MNSSHP and I was just thinking it would be easier to take the monorail. Any suggestions would be appreciated. TIA!

[Disney4us2]

I have my own scooter (Pride GoGo HD), It is not the bigger scooters you see at DL and WDW. I am able to get up on all the ramps at Disneyland with no problem.

I too am renting from Apple in December. I am getting the larger one... not the big jeep SUV looking ones. Just a little larger than my own. I know those will make it up the ramps and around the parks with no problem.

Have a fun trip.:mickey:

[mickeefan]

We rent two of the Pride Victory 10 Super deluxe (three wheel) from Apple. They are great to deal with.
We loved the Captain's chairs which were the most comfortable we have ever had.
As for the monorail, they go up the ramps with no problem at all and loading on and off is a breeze. Monorail castmembers are the greatest.
We are able to get both of them on one car with no problems at all. Just remember when unloading to set the speed control to slow so you don't go shooting down the ramp.
Since I am by far of the minority dealing with the buses, I will not relate to that. We just stay at a monorail resort or Boardwalk/ Beach Club and will not use the buses at all anymore.

[brivers222]

I am going on the assumption that the EVC's are the Motorized scooter things for this reply.


I saw several buses that the entire bus automatically (hydrolics or something) leaned towards the curb and then the rear door had an electronic ramp that opened up and you could drive right in.

Once boarded the ramp would fold up, others could board and the bus then righted itself and took off.

Seemed pretty easy to me, and didn't take up much time at all.