Disney Buses & Wheelchairs
Disney transportation is a wonderful way to get around the property and is included for free when you stay at a Disney resort.
Here’s what to expect!!
(This is a push wheelchair strapped onto a Disney bus.)
For guests riding in a wheelchair that does not wish to transfer or cannot transfer, you’ll arrive at the bus stop and find the ♿️ symbol.
If there’s someone already in place, form a line.
Only 2 wheelchairs or scooters can be on each bus.
When the bus arrives, the driver will know based on the occupied ♿️ space to kneel the bus and lower the ramp.
Wheelchairs/scooters will be loaded first.
You’ll be instructed to drive into the bus while the driver directs you where to park.
We drive Kaylee onto the bus so we can park her accurately and safely.
The driver will strap down and secure the chair or scooter.
The 2 chairs will be secured in a line one behind the other.
When wheelchairs aren’t present, seats fold down to accommodate additional passengers. These seats may be occupied when you are loaded onto the bus but the driver will have the seats vacated and lifted to make room for wheelchairs/scooters.
When at your destination, the reverse order will be the process to unload.
(Here are the folded up seats on a bus to accommodate a wheelchair. You can see a power wheelchair secured on this Disney bus.)
Disney bus drivers are super professional, efficient,
and knowledgeable about working with mobile aides. We love using this form of transportation!
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For guests staying at Disney affiliated resorts (not Disney resorts) you’ll be using chartered buses.
The loading is very different so we will cover this as well.
I have found these bus drivers aren’t as well versed in loading wheelchairs so be aware of this in your transportation choices. I think it’s just not as common for them and the process is much more intense.
The driver will open the side rear of the bus and lower, from quite high above, a lift to the ground for loading.
Very carefully and steadily enter the lift. The driver will secure the wheelchair in the lift with wheelchair user facing outward.
There’s not much clearance for a chair so be sure your chair will fit- Kaylee’s was almost too big.
The yellow flap on the front must be able to raise to enclose the wheels of the chair and a belt fastened across the top of the lift.
Only the wheelchair user can ride up in the lift. When my husband helps with loading and unloading, he rushes around to enter the front of the bus and to be waiting at the top of the lift to help Kaylee off the lift.
Once lifted to the height of the bus, the straps are released and the wheelchair user can back into the bus and be strapped down into the proper location.
There is only room for one wheelchair per bus from what I could tell.
If your child has issues with heights, this would not be the transportation choice for your family.