ECV's and the small ferry boats

[gatour]

This is more a curiosity question than anything else. We had boarded one of the small ferry at the Contemporary heading to Wilderness lodge. While we waited for additional passengers.

A group with one person in ecv approached the end of the dock. There seemed a short conversation between the party and the captain for the boat heading to the Fort. Mind you this was next to either boat just in the middle of the dock. After a minute or two, our captain who was near our boat. Got on the walkie talkie and I think I heard him saying we have an ECV transport. (or words to that regard, but I am not positive).

My question is, was that what was going on. I know at one time they had a larger vessel that would transport quests (along with dinner cruises), that would probably handle ECV's actually multiple ones. I am guessing a pontoon boat could also be utilized.

So was that the case, were they calling in a "special" boat.

 

[SteveH]

On Bay Lake ECV and Wheelchairs need the larger boats they can’t load on the smaller ones. The pontoon boats around Port Orleans can take them just fine.

 

[gatour]

On Bay Lake ECV and Wheelchairs need the larger boats they can’t load on the smaller ones. The pontoon boats around Port Orleans can take them just fine.

So the larger boats are available?

 

[stranger706]

So the larger boats are available?

Yes, over thanksgiving we stayed at WL. Every other boat going to MK was the bigger boat. There was usually 1 or 2 ECV on the dock waiting for the bigger boat. I don't know what other routes the bigger boats take.

 

[ZJ5/9D47]

From my limited experience but lots of questioning, some routes are flexible when it comes to transporting ECVs and wheelchairs if there are boats available. It can be difficult to get from one resort to another for a dining reservation so one of the big boats might swing by two resorts before heading over to the MK and take an ECV from the Contemporary to the Wilderness Lodge along the way. I don't think the regular resort-hopper boat from CR-WL-FW is usually ADA-accessible. When going from FW to WL there is an accessible bus. The boat I was told was used for the Pirate's Cruises on Bay Lake is not ECV or WC accessible since there is a large step down and there is no ramp.

 

[Jimsig]

@gatour I bet if you ask this over on the https://www.disboards.com/forums/camping-at-disney-world.24/ forum you might get the answer.

There are only two things I can see they could do in that case. They would have the next big boat stop at the CR on the way to MK or if they can't do that they would call a wheelchair type van to get them over. I have stayed at the Fort a fre times and have never seen the big boat go to the CR, but that doesn;t mean it can't happen. If I was in that situation and able to depending on the wait for a van I would probably take the big boat to the MK and then go over to the CR via the pathway, it could end up being a lot quicker

 

[Jimsig]

Yes, over thanksgiving we stayed at WL. Every other boat going to MK was the bigger boat. There was usually 1 or 2 ECV on the dock waiting for the bigger boat. I don't know what other routes the bigger boats take.

There are 2 routes One from the WL to the MK and back and the other from the Fort to the MK and back. I have stayed at The Fort a few times and only once or twice have I seen a boat go from the MK to the WL then to The Fort. I have never seen them go to the CR, but that doesn't mean they don't.

As for the smaller boats there are usually 2 routes. One from The Fort to the CR and to the WL and back to The Fort, and the other from The Fort to WL then to the CR and back to The Fort.

 

[ZJ5/9D47]

@gatour I bet if you ask this over on the https://www.disboards.com/forums/camping-at-disney-world.24/ forum you might get the answer.

There are only two things I can see they could do in that case. They would have the next big boat stop at the CR on the way to MK or if they can't do that they would call a wheelchair type van to get them over. I have stayed at the Fort a fre times and have never seen the big boat go to the CR, but that doesn;t mean it can't happen. If I was in that situation and able to depending on the wait for a van I would probably take the big boat to the MK and then go over to the CR via the pathway, it could end up being a lot quicker

Do you have experience with WDW offering to transport a guest via private wheelchair-accessible van for free in a situation like that? I've never even heard of that being offered and would be surprised since there are accessible alternatives even if they take a lot longer.