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Old 07-02-2012, 04:21 PM   #1
sunshinetaradise
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Magical Express experience?

I just returned from a week in WDW. I have Spina Bifida and use a wheelchair full-time. I had never used Magical Express before but i was excited to use it. I made sure by calling 3 times prior to my trip, up to the day before to make sure the bus would have a lift. We got there sunday 6/24 and our flight had been delayed but only by 20 minutes or so. When we got there, the bus for CBR didn't have a lift and we were told they would "order" one. It took over two hours of us waiting to get a bus with a lift to get to CBR. Is this normal? I would have thought one would have been there. On the way back our driver seemed a little peeved because apparently it wasn't marked that we needed a bus with a lift but luckily his bus had one. I double and triple checked before i left too!!
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Old 07-02-2012, 04:37 PM   #2
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I'm so sorry you had that experience. I wouldn't know if it was normal or not. I hope the rest of your vacation was better!
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Old 07-02-2012, 07:36 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sunshinetaradise View Post
I just returned from a week in WDW. I have Spina Bifida and use a wheelchair full-time. I had never used Magical Express before but i was excited to use it. I made sure by calling 3 times prior to my trip, up to the day before to make sure the bus would have a lift. We got there sunday 6/24 and our flight had been delayed but only by 20 minutes or so. When we got there, the bus for CBR didn't have a lift and we were told they would "order" one. It took over two hours of us waiting to get a bus with a lift to get to CBR. Is this normal? I would have thought one would have been there. On the way back our driver seemed a little peeved because apparently it wasn't marked that we needed a bus with a lift but luckily his bus had one. I double and triple checked before i left too!!
I'm so sorry you had this experience! I've used DME with a pre-requested lift many times and never have had this happen. Once I had to wait for the next bus because the one waiting already had a full quota of wheelchairs on board. The wait was minimal, though.
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Old 07-02-2012, 08:52 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by sunshinetaradise View Post
I just returned from a week in WDW. I have Spina Bifida and use a wheelchair full-time. I had never used Magical Express before but i was excited to use it. I made sure by calling 3 times prior to my trip, up to the day before to make sure the bus would have a lift. We got there sunday 6/24 and our flight had been delayed but only by 20 minutes or so. When we got there, the bus for CBR didn't have a lift and we were told they would "order" one. It took over two hours of us waiting to get a bus with a lift to get to CBR. Is this normal? I would have thought one would have been there. On the way back our driver seemed a little peeved because apparently it wasn't marked that we needed a bus with a lift but luckily his bus had one. I double and triple checked before i left too!!
WOW! That is alot of park time to miss! I think if you let Disney know what happened, they'd look into it to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Mistakes DO happen, and I hope that was just an isolated incident.
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Old 07-02-2012, 10:40 PM   #5
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We used ME a couple of times with DD (in an electric chair). Both times, they were expecting us, but had to call for the bus. It was never a 2 hour wait, but once it took about an hour. And then, we were of course, the last stop!
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Old 07-03-2012, 05:21 AM   #6
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It is not normal but then again buses break down, lifts stop working, and drivers get sick. I would have been whining after the first half hour. I did not need a lift but they did go out of their way to help me get on the bus. I had a scooter which they stowed under the bus. I think you need to contact them and complain.
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Old 07-03-2012, 08:59 PM   #7
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We have ridden DME on 2 trips a year with our daughter who uses a wheelchair.
We have usually had a wait of at least 20 minutes, but never 2 hours.
So, to answer your question, it's not common to wait that long.
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Old 07-05-2012, 05:05 PM   #8
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I have used DME with a scooter. I had also called and triple-checked that the lift bus would be there. Our plane was on time, there was no line at DME and there was no bus with a lift. We had to wait about 1/2 hour for them to call a bus, THEN they wanted to make us the last stop. I put up a fuss (we had ADRs and had already been delayed). We were made the first stop.

The only other time I've used DME it was not when I had someone with their own wheelchair/scooter with them. Otherwise, I don't believe a word they say that a lift bus will be there when you are. Two hours is ridiculous. At one hour they should have gotten you a cab.
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Old 07-05-2012, 06:28 PM   #9
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Im hoping the next time will be better.... I didn't mention the fact that the bus driver parked the bus where the lift wouldn't go all the way flat once we made it to CBR(after my sister had to run to the front of the bus to ask the driver to stop because he forgot I was on there and was pulling away to go to Pop) it was pouring down rain and the driver left me sitting on the lift getting drenched while he was trying to force the lift down with me on it
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Old 07-05-2012, 07:04 PM   #10
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It seems when we are there almost every bus has a lift. When there has been a bus without one and it was needed it seemed to come in a short time.
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