Magical Express W/C Friendly?

[chw919@excite.com]

I am going to WDW 12/12 for a wk with my dh and two little ones. I have CP and use a power chair. (I have flown once b4 but the thought of being separated frm my w/c is still scary). Last trip we used Mears tranpo, but now that Express is available, we'll use that. I'm guessing it's w/c friendly since the other WDW buses are. Has anyone who uses a power chair used the Express bus? I'm curious abt experiences w/that. Some have sauid they'd rather pay extra for other transpo.

 

[clkelley]

Most ECV users that can transfer and navigate the steps onto the Magical Express bus have reported that their ECVs have been stored under the Coach with the luggage.

Most of the Magical Express buses have wheelchair lifts and you have to request it in advance so that they can plan on having a lift-equipped coach for your transport.

Carol

 

[BCV23]

Our daughter also has CP and uses a power chair. She and I used Magical Express in May. As Carol said, be sure to tell them when you make your reservation.

However, when we got to the ME counter, the agent said she would need to alert ME that we needed a bus with a lift. I told her that we had alerted ME to that fact when we made the reservation but she said it didn't matter. We would have to wait until they could get a bus with a lift. Now this lady was NOT a typical WDW CM. Frankly she was a pill so I did take everything she said with a grain of salt.

Anyway, we waited for just five minutes or so before being directed to a bus with a lift. Unfortunately, the driver had trouble with the lift. We did eventually make it to our resort. But this was in May and ME was brand new. I suspect the drivers are used to the lifts by now. I did read that most of the ME buses have lifts.

The buses and therefore lifts are very high. I don't know the proper bus term but think luxury buses. This freaked me out but she was fine. Like you, she deals with harder challenges on a daily basis.

So bottom line, let them know ahead of time and I bet you'll have a good experience. After ours, my daughter was reluctant to use ME again but I've convinced her that it should be fine and we are using it again next trip. I hope I'm right!

 

[SueM in MN]

Here are some threads about people's experiences with DME:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=862510

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=816926 (this one has your experience when you first reported it, BCV23)

 

[BCV23]

LOL, I wonder which is closer to the actuality...a five minute wait or ten? In either case, it wasn't bad. And the CM at the counter was so atypical of a WDW CM that I have to think she was either having a truly terrible day or has found a job that gives her more happiness.