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Mobility Accessibility Friendly Transportation at Walt Disney World

Last week, we shared the best and worst, in our opinion, attractions and experiences at Walt Disney World for those using mobility assistance such as an ECV.

Today, we're going to expand on that by taking a deeper dive into transportation, including what we think is the most and least friend mobility assistance transportation, and what that means in terms of how you plan your vacation.

Uber/Lyft/Minnie Vans

Our Grade: F (not accessible)

While we did not include details about Uber, Lyft, or Minnie Van service in our overall ratings, that's because they aren't officially Disney transportation. However, we think it's important to consider that if you are using an ECV, it is very likely you will not be able to use a regular Uber, Lyft, or even Minnie Van service with it. And if you do, your ECV (or wheelchair) needs to be the kind that can be folded which means you will need to be able to transfer, fold it, which isn't always the easiest thing in the world to do, load it into the vehicle, and reverse the process at your destination.

Now, do you need to use Ubers, Lyfts, or Minnie Van (a special Lyft service operated by Disney that can get you door to door) when at Disney World? No. Their transportation system is robust. But there are instances where we felt we were missing out because we couldn't. For example, if you wanted transportation from a park more than an hour after park closing (when Disney transportation shuts down), or if there was a prohibitive line at the busses and monorails at park closing.

In short, we can get by without this service, but we think it's important to understand that it may not be available to you.

Bus stop at the Magic Kingdom

Walt Disney World Bus Transportation

Our grade: D (accessible but with long waits sometimes)

The difference between the above F and this D is like night and day, so let us explain. Disney transportation busses are fully accessible. And the Cast Members helping you load and unload from the busses are often (but not always) extremely helpful. So, what's the problem?

The problem is that each bus only has space for 2-3 accessibility devices, whether they be wheelchairs, ECVs, or (dirty word, but true...) unfolded strollers. Official Disney rules are that guests boarding a bus need to fold their strollers, but we have unfortunately seen it where the guests are allowed to keep the stroller open, often with sleeping kids inside which is why the Cast Member takes mercy in the first place, and take an accessibility spot. We realize the Cast Member is trying to be kind to tired parents here, but with only 2-3 accessible spots per bus, and 20 minutes between each bus, we get pretty annoyed when we see this, especially at park opening or closing.

We have had situations where we've had to wait for 2 other busses to pass us by before the third one could squeeze us on, and not always because of strollers, but because 2-3 accessible spots per bus is not enough in terms of proportions. This can lead to a 40-60 minute wait just to board a bus if you're using an ECV or wheelchair.

If there is an open spot for you, the bus driver will load you first through the back door of the bus. All Disney busses are kneeling busses, so the driver will first lower the bus, then open the back door and ramp. Some Cast Members will make you steer yourself onto the bus (which is tight and a little scary for some guests), while other Cast Members will allow you to get off and will steer the device on for you. Some Cast Members will say they aren't allowed to touch your device, while others won't flinch at doing so. It's very inconsistent. But assuming you can steer yourself onto the bus, you may not even need to leave your assistive device. The Cast Member will strap you in (many, many, wheel belts and seatbelts) and your party will be able to board directly after you and sit near you, if spots near you are available.

Expect side eyes from other guests standing in line during this process. While the process takes only a few minutes, they aren't allowed to board the bus until this is done, and they aren't always happy about it, especially if it's hot or raining.

In short, busses are fully accessible, but the number of accessible spots is limited and does not keep up with guest proportions. If using mobility assistance, you may experience longer waits to board a bus than other guests, sometimes VERY long waits. Cast Member inconsistency adds confusion about what to expect, and if other guests abuse the system by leaving their strollers unfolded, it can have a big impact on your ability to get somewhere on time.

Because of this, we avoid taking a bus at park closing time unless we packed a lot of patience, and we try to be extra early to take a bus at park opening time. Additionally, we avoid resorts that are served ONLY by busses. Unfortunately, this includes all value and moderate resorts, except for those on the skyliner (Art of Animation, Pop Century, and Caribbean Beach Resort).

EPCOT Monorail station at the Transportation and Ticket Center

Walt Disney World Monorail

Our grade: A (accessible, rare negative impacts)

The monorail is one of the better forms of Disney transportation for those with mobility assistance devices. The only drawback is that it serves a very limited section of the parks and resorts. The monorail serves only the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Transportation and Ticket Center, and 3 resorts (Polynesian, Grand Floridian, and Contemporary Resorts).

There are 3 monorail lines:

Direct line between the Magic Kingdom and Transportation and Ticket Center (this one does not stop at resorts)
Resort line between the Magic Kingdom and Transportation and Ticket Center (this one follows the same path as the above, but in reverse, and stops at each of the 3 resorts)
Direct line between EPCOT and the Transportation and Ticket Center

This means transfers are necessary if you are traveling from, say, the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT, but they are easy transfers.

Every monorail platform is fully accessible and every monorail car can be accessible. You will line up at a specific spot, so Cast Members can see you. When the monorail arrives, Cast Members use a portable ramp to bridge the gap between the platform and car so you can roll right on. The limiting factor seems only to be the number of cars and who is already in them, but we can assuredly say the monorail has far more accessible spots than a Disney bus would have.

The only time we avoid the monorail is after the Magic Kingdom fireworks/closing. Because many guests park at the Transportation and Ticket Center, their options to get there are monorail or ferry boat. The monorail platform can get very crowded during this time and not be a pleasant place to be.

One of the styles of boats at Walt Disney World, the Friendship boats serve the International Gateway area between EPCOT and Disney Hollywood Studios

Walt Disney World Boat Transportation

Our grade: A (accessible, rare negative impacts)

In some cases, a boat is available to get you where you want to go at Walt Disney World. These boats vary quite a bit in size and design depending on where you are, but almost all are accessible. The rare exception is some of the boats on the Magic Kingdom resorts line are small and not accessible, but they are alternated with larger accessible boats. The loading procedure varies depending on the boat itself, but usually involves using a ramp and riding directly onto the boat and parking in a designated spot. The main floor of the Magic Kingdom ferry is far more casual about this since there really is no designated spot, and guests load in whatever order they show up, but the ferry is huge, so this is usually not a concern. With other boats, ECVs and wheelchairs will often load first into designated spots, and then other guests will load.

Boat service exists:

Between EPCOT and Disney Hollywood Studios (with stops at the Swan and Dolphin, The Boardwalk resort, and the Yacht and Beach Club resorts)
Between Port Orleans Riverside and Disney Springs, with a stop at Port Orleans French Quarter
Between Old Key West and Disney Springs
Between the Magic Kingdom and Wilderness Lodge (with a stop at the Contemporary Resort)
Between the Magic Kingdom and Polynesian and Grand Floridian resorts

I have rarely encountered a busy boat, and rarely encountered a boat where we have to wait a long time to load when using an ECV. The only time we've ever had to wait was between the Magic Kingdom and the Polynesian resort, and that's because the boat arriving at the time we were in line was the smaller, non-accessible boat, but the other came about 10 minutes later.

We rarely select a resort based on boat transportation alone because most resorts that have boat transportation, also have either monorail or skyliner transportation, with the exception of the resorts on the Sassagoula River. Those resorts have boat transportation to Disney Springs, but Disney Springs is not usually a priority for us.

Skyliner gondolas moving between Disney Riviera Resort and Caribbean Beach resort

Walt Disney World Skyliner

Our grade: A- (accessible, rare negative impacts with an exception)

Although we give the monorail a higher grade, we personally prefer the skyliner. It serves an entirely different set of resorts we prefer, and it doesn't smell like a barrel of monkeys, like the monorail sometimes does.

The skyliner is usually very easy to access with a mobility assistance device, and also includes the perk that you almost always get a car exclusive to your party, which, for us, is a major perk because we can be as grumpy or goofy as we feel like being when we have relative privacy. The skyliner serves EPCOT, Disney Hollywood Studios, the International Gateway resorts (Boardwalk, Yacht Club, Beach Club, Swan, Dolphin), Riviera Resort, Caribbean Beach Resort, Pop Century, and Art of Animation.

The skyliner has 3 lines that meet at the Caribbean Beach Resort's transfer station.

Caribbean Beach Resort to the Pop Century and Art of Animation shared station.
Caribbean Beach Resort to Disney Hollywood Studios
Caribbean Beach Resort to EPCOT via the Riviera Resort

At every station, people using wheelchairs or ECVs enter a different queue from other people. This queue is usually clearly marked and a Cast Member is usually standing near the entrance to direct you. At most stations, 3 gondolas at a time can come off the main line (which keeps moving), and come to a complete stop, and each of these 3 cars can be loaded simultaneously. While 3 cars CAN come off at a time, we have seen Cast Members also only load 1 skyliner car at a time at this pullout as well. Because there is no gap, you roll your ECV or wheelchair directly onto the car, no ramp needed. The Cast Member will step in and place some wheel brakes, and then the rest of your party can load. Once loaded, it may take a moment before your car rejoins the main moving track and you're on your way (usually about 5 minutes).

The one station that is an exception is at the Riviera Resort. At that station, the Cast Member is made aware by the preceding station that you are coming and what gondola you are in. When your gondola arrives, the Cast Member will manually slow the car, slowing the entire line. The car doesn't come to a complete stop, but is slow enough that you should be able to back out safely and be on your way. This is the same with loading, but in reverse. If loading at the Riviera, the Cast Member will manually slow the line so you can roll on. They will place the brakes, and motion your party on without fully stopping the line. While this may sound scary, we can assure you, it's not, and we hardly think about it. The Cast Members are excellent about giving you the time you need.

The skyliner does shut down anytime there is lightning in the area, which can be disruptive. In these situations, you can either wait for the lightning to clear, or use a bus. Disney tends to be pretty good about shutting down for only as little time as it takes the lightning to clear, and then gets things running again quickly.

So why, the minus? We experienced an extreme downside to the skyliner on our last trip, after the EPCOT fireworks. The line was very long, as expected, but the accessible line moved exponentially slower than the continuously loading line. Which makes sense since one moves, and the other takes about 5 minutes to load. But remember how we said 3 cars can pull off at a time to load? Cast Members were only pulling 1 car at a time to load. This meant that there was a 5 minute wait between every single person with a mobility device. We waited at least an hour, which made the skyliner no better than a bus on that night. When Cast Members prioritize other guests over those using accessibility devices, it feels a lot like discrimination because our experience was vastly different than theirs.

So, while we often select a resort that will place us on the skyliner line because it is our favorite mode of Disney transportation, we now avoid leaving EPCOT after fireworks.

The Take-Aways

We often select a Disney resort based on the transportation available. Since we think busses are something of a hassle, we avoid those resorts where the only transportation option to theme parks (not Disney Springs) is busses. This includes: Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter, All Stars, Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Coronado Springs, and Wilderness Lodge.

Of the other resorts, you have an option of monorail or skyliner service, and we find this choice doesn't usually influence us as much as other factors. For example, the resorts on the monorail are some of the most expensive resorts at Walt Disney World. We love them, but we stay at them for a treat. The skyliner, on the other hand, offers options of deluxe resorts, a moderate resort, and two value resorts, and therefore, we often end up staying on the skyliner. Whether you are on the skyliner or the monorail, your special transportation is only going to get you to two out of four theme parks, meaning you'll still be using a bus for the other two. In other words, it's impossible to go to Walt Disney World and completely avoid busses. The Animal Kingdom theme park is only served by busses, so you will encounter them at some time or another, not that it's the worst thing in the world.

We also spend a little time thinking about what time of day and how busy it is. If we're trying to get somewhere for park opening, the skyliner is usually just fine as well as the monorail, but for busses, knowing some might be full, we allow extra time. If it's park closing time, we either try to leave a few minutes before fireworks end, or make a choice to stay for the fireworks and deal with the outcome. We think this is a similar struggle for all guests since after fireworks is the busiest time for all forms of transportation and everyone will wait a long time - It's just exacerbated for guests using ECVs or wheelchairs.

Do you disagree with our thoughts about transportation? Have something to add? Let us know over on our Facebook page where you can follow us to see when new articles are posted each week. Until next time...