New buses coming in early 2024 - ECV restrictions

[gap2368]

Not sure this has been said but I rode one today you ride beck wards and I think there is room for 3 mobile devices but not 100% sure

 

[lanejudy]

Not sure this has been said but I rode one today you ride beck wards and I think there is room for 3 mobile devices but not 100% sure

Yes, there should be 3 wheelchair spots. The 2 with the new locking arms are rear-facing; 1 with traditional tie-downs is forward-facing.

 

[gap2368]

Yes, there should be 3 wheelchair spots. The 2 with the new locking arms are rear-facing; 1 with traditional tie-downs is forward-facing.

This is what it looks like good to know

 

[DIZNYCHERYL]

Here now, a few personal thoughts and experiences regarding the new buses. We’ve been here for 10 days, we’ve encountered them 3 times. The Gogo scooter my husband uses can only ride in the forward facing spot, not because of being crushed but because the “arms” will not tighten against the smaller frames. Maybe this is something they need to adjust in the future, there are plenty of smaller scooters. Mine is a little larger, the arms do work on it. However, the straight backboard moves the back of your seat and I don’t know if it’s my height or body size, the high position crossbody seatbelt crushes my chest and wraps around my neck. And no, I can’t transfer, and no, we were not asked or told to transfer. The belt crushed me so hard my left arm was numb and I thought I was going to die on vacation! We were not told or asked to pull on the bus backwards, we drove up the ramp and had to turn around in the large space (all the seats were folded up). One driver took my controls and tried to assist me, he ran me into 3 different walls, I’m sure the drivers are still in training as are the guests. The other driver was no help at all, he stood back and kept telling me to back into the spot. The 3rd new bus we encountered I refused to board, I waited for the next “old style” bus. Before this trip I valued everyone’s reports of using the new buses, so hopefully I’ve helped answer a few more questions. I know these new buses are supposed to serve a purpose, hopefully in the years to come I’ll figure out what that purpose is. At this point every driver we spoke with, not just the ones on the new buses, despise them, guests seem upset, the boarding process takes longer and there are fewer seats. I remember reading a previous post regarding people with canes, older folks and children having to go up the steps because there’s less seating, that’s absolutely true. I felt terrible taking up room and facing backwards and looking into their faces!!!

 

[SueM in MN]

There are devices/people the new securement devices don't work for. Some include:

• Any device that folds from side to side - which includes some of the portable power chairs and manual chairs that fold that way
• Devices with small wheels that don't extend far enough up to be covered
• Some rigid manual wheelchairs where the back folds forward
• People who are not able to ride in a rear facing direction

 

[Simba's Mom]

I know these new buses are supposed to serve a purpose, hopefully in the years to come I’ll figure out what that purpose is. At this point every driver we spoke with, not just the ones on the new buses, despise them, guests seem upset, the boarding process takes longer and there are fewer seats. I remember reading a previous post regarding people with canes, older folks and children having to go up the steps because there’s less seating, that’s absolutely true. I felt terrible taking up room and facing backwards and looking into their faces!!!

Regarding the bus drivers hating the new buses, I can't help but hope that this gets Disney's attention, and maybe the ordering of the new buses will be stopped. I'm sure I'm not alone in worrying about how children will handle all the standing on the buses with their little arms-we're going to WDW in October with our 3 young grandchildren and considering renting a car for this reason. Also, as I've mentioned, this doesn't make those of us needing ECVs very popular. It's our fault [some might think] that Grandpa, or little Sarah, has to stand on the bus.

 

[Gillig von Driver]

I believe the new buses also have 1 “traditional” forward-facing tie-down spot.

 

[Gillig von Driver]

I believe the new buses also have 1 “traditional” forward-facing tie-down spot.

You are absolutely correct. There is one "traditional " tie down spot across from the top of the ramp on every new bus.

 

[Gillig von Driver]

Interesting

Correction;5289-5370 (newest bus with Orange Bird wrap) are the new style buses.

 

[Gillig von Driver]

Not sure this has been said but I rode one today you ride beck wards and I think there is room for 3 mobile devices but not 100% sure

You are correct. The new buses can accommodate 3 mobility devices. The 2 in the Quantum restraint system positions are rear facing. There is 1 "traditional" spot across from the ramp that is still forward facing.

 

[Selket]

Just back from POFQ and got the new style bus twice. First time was in the regular tie down spot and 2nd time I got to back in. It was odd facing everyone - no one was standing but almost all the seats were full. I sure cannot imagine these busses being full of people with nothing to hold on to if they're short!

The front seats that fold up do so automatically so if you put it down and don't sit right away, it slowly starts to fold back up. One woman went to sit and hesitated to help her husband with something and when she went to actually sit, the seat had come back up and she almost fell. I don't know about the new busses - I think they took away too many seats.

Disney has an ECV problem because too many people like me find it a great place to vacation because it is so accessible in an ECV. It's about the only place I've been able to go for years that I can do everything and keep up with my family. It's a grind for transportation and for CM's to deal with all the scooters though. I wish there were more skyliners because I feel bad taking up seats and time with the bus and the new busses just accentuate the issue I think.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Disney has an ECV problem because too many people like me find it a great place to vacation because it is so accessible in an ECV. It's about the only place I've been able to go for years that I can do everything and keep up with my family. It's a grind for transportation and for CM's to deal with all the scooters though. I wish there were more skyliners because I feel bad taking up seats and time with the bus and the new busses just accentuate the issue I think.

I'm sorry you feel bad but Disney knows darn well they cater to ECV guests and ECV use will continue to rise as the population ages. They chose penny pinching over guest comfort with this new bus fleet- instead of maintaining seats and adding more buses they chose the cheaper route to dump seats and squeeze more ECVs into the buses- it's not your fault they made that decision.