Boat transportation from WL

[vhoffman]

We're planning on staying at the Wilderness Lodge this Dec. and would like to use the boat transportation. I have arthritis with two artificial knees and both ankles fused. I can walk ok with a cane but find large steps (down or up) almost impossible unless my husband all but lifts me up and down. Last trip we rode the boats around the boardwalk area with no problem. The entrance was almost flush with the boarding dock and there weren't any steps to navigate. I would like to know if the boats are similar at the WL. The bus system is out for me as well due to the steps. Last trip we stayed at the Polynesian and used the monorail with no problem. This trip we're considering the Contemporary tower for ease of access and the monorail, or the WL for the theming and lower price. However, the transporation will be the deciding factor. Can anyone give me some insight about the WL's boats? Thanks!

 

[dclfun]

The entry onto boats from WL to MK isn't always the same. It depends on water level, etc. and can be a step up. I know I've been unable to use that transportation with my chair due to this issue while the Friendship boats have always been able to accomodate my chair with their ramp. This may have changed though since I was last at that resort so you may want to contact them directly or perhaps someone here has a more recent experience. I know we were told " the water levels can change, making the boats unaccessible and thus you may be directed to the TTC for transportation to MK". It's a long walk from the resort to this boat dock as well if that's a consideration. ---Kathy

 

[SueM in MN]

The water level problem has not changed as far as I know (people were mentioning it who have been to WL in the last few months). The problem comes when there is too much rain (and the boat is too high compared with the dock) or too little rain (making the boat too low for the dock). The boat drivers can level things out somewhat, but using a ramp, and managing the load (passengers) on the boat. For example, if they need the boat to be higher to get a wheelchair in, they can load it first, before the weight of the other passengers bring the boat lower in the water. But, if the water is too high or too low, that won't be enough. That's when the boat is not accessible.
The explanation we were given by a CM was that the water level at the Epcot resorts and park and at DD can be controlled by letting water in or out of the canals. That's why those boats are at a level with the water. Bay Lake (the one by MK) is too big to have the water level controlled.

Another thing you might want to think about with WL, is that transportation to the parks other than MK is by bus to the TTC. Getting on the monorail there requires a long walk up a steep ramp.

 

[vhoffman]

Dclfun,

You say its a long walk from WL to the boat docks. What is the path like? Is it paved, dirt, gravel, steep? If I ask these questions on any of the other boards I don't get useful answers. If a person doesn't have a disability they're not attuned to these details. Most of the time you'll get some Pollyanna type answer like "Just tell them you have a disability. I'm sure they'll let you on!" Like as though its that simple! And its usless to ask Disney. They aren't attuned to these details, either, and will just give you the company line, that Disney accomodates disabilities. Well, I'd like to know before getting there if I'll run into frustrations. What would you consider best for someone with a mobility problem--WL or the Contemporary Tower? The CR garden wings are too remote from the main building. TIA

 

[minnie1928]

I have stayed at the Lodge on two occassions and loved the experience. The path from the hotel to the boat launch is basically wood planks, basically it looks like one long deck! I have not experienced it with a wheelchair, however we are taking a relative down with mobility issues in a few months and WL is on our list of potential hotels. Hope this helps!

 

[vhoffman]

Insofar as the ramp from WL to the boats, are there stairs to or from the ramp? Actually, I can handle distances fairly well, albeit slowly. I walked all around Epcot WS with only a few rest breaks and one stop for lunch. My main problem is stairs -- I can handle ramps as long as they're not too steep. I have both artificial knees, a hip replacement, and both ankles fused. One knee doesn't bend very well, just to about 70 degrees, although the other bends to about 120 degrees. The problem is the ankles. They're fused ina neutral position which is fine if I'm walking on a flat surface but just don't work with any type of step, curb, etc. That's why I use a cane, to help going up and down curbs. However, the steep steps on most buses aren't something I can negotiate without help, same as the steps on a boat. I'm especially hesitant on something unsteady, such as a boat that may be rolling as I'm trying to get on board. My husband is a great help and as long as I'm with him I'm fine, however, I don't want to be tied to him. It is nice to have some independence. Like two trips ago, while in Epcot my daughter got sick and I was able to take her back to our hotel (Polynesian) by myself and leave dh along with ds in Epcot. We used the monorail with no problems. I had a horrible experience on a Disney bus that leaves me hesitant to use them again. It was not busy at all and we were the only ones boarding on an almost empty bus. The driver could see I was disabled because I use a cane and my husband had to help me up the steps. Well, the idiot started the bus abruptly without warning before I had a chance to sit down. I fell against my husband who, fortuantely, is built like an oak tree. If it weren't for him I would have had a serious fall. I screamed in fear and was so shook up I was shaking. The bus driver never even asked if I was alright. I screamed at her "you should let a person get seated before you just take off!" No response, no concern, just acted like she was deaf. I was so shaken I couldn't enjoy the rest of the day and just went back to the hotel. It took me a couple of hours before I stopped shaking. To someone without a disability its hard to understand how such an incident could affect one, however, the terror I felt was something I never want to repeat. We felt the best way to get around the transportation issue was to rent our own car. That had problems, too, mainly with parking. We drove to MK and parked in the handicapped lot. I saw a tram picking people up to take them to the gate and assumed it would come by us, too. After three trams passed us byI flagged one down and asked when they would get to us. The driver told us that the tram doesn't service the handicapped lot because it can't accomodate wheelchairs. Well, I don't use a wheelchair. We attempted to board the tram and was told very rudely by the driver that he could only pick up passengers in designated areas. He then said to me "if you can't even walk from the parking lot in, how do you expect to get around the park" Then drove off with an almost empty tram. Well, why do they provide tram service for non-disabled guests? I assume they can walk from the parking lot in to the park so why do they need a lift but I don't? Then someone told me there were wheelchairs available at the handicapped parking area we could use. Well, I was by myself with my two kids (six and seven years old). They couldn't push me and I can't push myself so I elected to walk in. It was about 5:30 and I wanted the kids to have some fun before the park closed. It was quite a hike along a path with a rather steep up and down slope. Needless to say I was exhausted by the time I reached the entrance. Imagine my frustration as I saw non-disabled guests arriving by tram while I drug myself up and down that path! Then, of course, I had to repeat the procedure coming back. I've since learned that there's parking in the non-disabled areas conveniently located near the tram stops just for people in my situation, who are disabled but can board the tram and don't use a wheelchair. However, I learned that from this board. Non of the CM's we talked to that day volunteered that information. The rest of our last stay we got around the parking issue by driving to the Contemporary, valet parked the car, then caught the monorail. I think the best way around the transportation issue for me in the future is to rent a car and either park in the non-disabled lot and catch the tram, or do like we did before and valet park along the monorail and catch it. Extremely frustrating however you look at it. This board does give excellent advice as to how to navigate WDW with a disability, however, why should that be? WDW should be more forthcoming about disability access, we shouldn't have to learn from experience and each other!

 

[Talking Hands]

You have to remember that most of the castmembers at any park have no experience in being handicapped and have never walked in our shoes. They don't know what is needed to make it easier for us. That's why you get better information here than from most castmembers. A lot of handicapped access knowledge is word of mouth.

 

[vhoffman]

Talking hands,

Yes, that's why this board is so helpful. Just too bad I didn't have certain info beforehand. However, I'm learning enough from here to make subsequent trips (and there will be many) more enjoyable.

 

[SueM in MN]

Even people with disabilities may not be that aware of things outside their own experience.
When we stayed at the VWL, my FIL (who has bad hips and knees, found it a long walk to get from the villas to the boat). If you are inside the main lobby, there is a long ramp that basically goes from the main floor down to the next lower level. FIL had to stop several times to rest. I found it hard to push DD's wheelchair up the ramp (she is only 85 pounds and has a lightweight manual wheelchair). I was breathing hard by the time we reached the top (but I have minor heart problem). That ramp/hallway is maybe (my best guess) 2-300 yds long.

 

[vhoffman]

When you say VWL, are you talking about the cabins or the Wilderness lodge? They both have similar names.

 

[minnie1928]

I forgot about the ramp inside the WL, it is quite long and on the semi-steep side. I can imagine that pushing a wheelchair would be rather difficult.

With regard to the boat launch, I can't recall any steps to take the path to the boat launch. I believe it was all at ground level. I do recall that one of the two styles of boats had steps to get into the boat. I think it was 1 or 2 steps down from the launch in to the boat. This boat was the smaller of the two boats they use.

One sidenote, while I felt the boat were rather convenient to get to and from the MK. The bus system from WL was less than "magical"! Many times we were stuck waiting up to 30 minutes for a bus to arrive to take us to MGM or Epcot.

 

[SueM in MN]

We are talking about the Lodge, not the campgrounds (thank you for poiting out that vhoffman).
There are no steps on the way to the boat from the building (either WL or VWL). It's just that once you get to the boat, there may or may not be a step to get into the boat.When we were there, it was too steep to use a ramp and we lifted DD in her manual wheelchair on and off the boat.

 

[cupcake]

I recently stayed at the WL w/ an ECV. To get into the Lodge itself from your car, to avoid steps you will have to take what my dh called the "scenic route." There are a series of ramps that are on the side of the parking area where the buses load. It's a bit of a long walk. Inside, to get to the boats and avoid steps, you have the long ramp that others have mentioned. Do you require a roll in shower to avoid stepping over a tub edge? Some of the accessible rooms are pretty far out (eg a walk down a long hall), if that matters.

I didn't have any problems on the boat; the CMs had people move to one side of the boat or the other to adjust the water level. If you asked, I don't see why they would not do that for you too, although there is always the risk that it wouldn't work. W/o having people move, I would not describe what I saw as a "big step" -- it was enough so I could not drive on with my ECV but not the height of a full step by any means. But there is no way to know how water levels will be when you are there and of course, only you know what you feel comfortable with.

We liked the WL a lot as it is very restful and it was easy to get to the MK, which is usually a pain as we generally stay at Epcot area resorts. For us, the boat worked out fine.

Cupcake

 

[vhoffman]

Now I'm considering the Fort Wilderness cabins (not the villas). What are the walkways like? That is, are they paved paths or dirt paths which would be difficult for a disabled person?