Is this my only option with an Anxiety prone ASD Kiddo, big stroller *UPDATED*

[disney david]

I hope you find a scenario that works best for your DD. We do our best to avoid buses, as I always worry about safety should an overly crowded bus be in an accident, and I myself get a little anxious amidst that many tightly packed people. I think your plan to go a little later in the morning - we've found mid morning to work best - and return before the afternoon/evening crowds is your best bet!

I will say, my daughter's (with ASD) ability to handle crowds at Disney has grown exponentially as she has gotten older. Perhaps your little one will handle more than you think, but like you, we always have a plan B, C, and D. Have a great trip!

Disney driver are properly the safest in the country and Disney make sure when their buying buses they buy safe buses. So while I understand you worrying and I also don't like being on overcrowd buses. I wouldn't worry to much an accident the drivers tend to play more safe at Disney then on public transportation. So Disney and their drivers take your safety very seriously.

On was on a bus that got in an accident that only had maybe six others and it was a new gillig. Thankfully everyone okay kinda fun to see Disney in action only bad thing was the replacement bus was the old nova with stairs.

 

[zela02]

I'm a total nervous nelly! Lol.

 

[maxiesmom]

Maybe rather than the far-rear seats, I'd suggest choosing a set of forward-facing seats where DD can sit next to the window with mom or dad on the aisle. That should give her some space without worry about the stroller getting bumped/pushed into her knees, and what I find most challenging is when people's butts or backpacks/bags or little kids feet stick into my face when I'm seated; the stroller can't block that stuff. The other parent can then find a space to hold the folded stroller, which may or may not be immediately near. But the kiddo is somewhat protected simply by the structure of the bus seats and window.

The problem with this is that most of the buses in use no longer have forward facing seats. Unless you go to the very back of the bus the seats are all along the sides and face out. At least, most of the buses I used at the Pop a couple of weeks ago were set up that way. So that would be 2 seats on a bus that would work for the OP. Not good odds of getting one of those seats.

 

[SueM in MN]

Again - a reminder to get the thread back on track and keep it there.
If you feel you have been attacked by another poster, please report that post. There is there is a place to report at the bottom of each post.

So, keep your posts to suggestions for the OP.

 

[SueM in MN]

The OLD buses with lifts have front facing seats, but there are ploy a few of those buses still in service.
Some of the newer bus models have a few front facing seats at the very front of the bus. Some have front facing seats in the very back of the bus.
Most of the buses we've been on have only side facing seats except for the very back row of the bus.

So, chances of getting front facing seats are pretty slim. And, if the seats are at the front of the bus, having a big stroller there is not going to be allowed.

 

[disney david]

The OLD buses with lifts have front facing seats, but there are ploy a few of those buses still in service.
Some of the newer bus models have a few front facing seats at the very front of the bus. Some have front facing seats in the very back of the bus.
Most of the buses we've been on have only side facing seats except for the very back row of the bus.

So, chances of getting front facing seats are pretty slim. And, if the seats are at the front of the bus, having a big stroller there is not going to be allowed.

The new nova buses have the two seats right behind the driver that mom and kid could sit. And it would provide the best protection because it has high back and no one would be next to her or could bump into them. And dad could sit or stand in the back with the stroller.



But the odds are slim getting the nova he gillig could pull up and even if you decide to wait the next could still be the gillig or even a old bus. Or if at mk their using for aoa and pop the new articulated buses from nova not sure if they have the seat. They could ask the driver to call dispatch but not sure if they document the bus type by the number. Like number bus 22204 is a gillig or a nova. Their are phones at the bus stop that you could press zero ask to speak to transportation bus dispatch or manager and ask talk to the them.

The new buses are very wide and Disney choose to have the seats face inwards so they could get more people on the bus. And to make it easier for guest in ecv and wheelchairs.

 

[SueM in MN]

Yes.
The chances of getting one with front facing seats is not good. And, since they were talking about dad staying near holding the stroller, he is not likely to want to go yo the back of the bus. If the child is anxious, she may not let him anyway.

The biggest part of having the side facing seats and bigger aisles is actually people's huge strollers, not wheelchairs and ECVs.msome of the folded strollers are nearly as big folded as my daughter's wheelchair with her sitting in it.

 

[disney david]

Yes.
The chances of getting one with front facing seats is not good. And, since they were talking about dad staying near holding the stroller, he is not likely to want to go yo the back of the bus. If the child is anxious, she may not let him anyway.

The biggest part of having the side facing seats and bigger aisles is actually people's huge strollers, not wheelchairs and ECVs.msome of the folded strollers are nearly as big folded as my daughter's wheelchair with her sitting in it.

While I understand what your saying I still think those two seats would be the best. Because the if she sits j. The back even with the stroller blocking her it still can get bumped into her and be crowd. Those two seats would give her a quieter less crowed feel with not getting bumped it not. The only problem is as you said is getting the nova is slim. But that my opinion the op might find sitting in the back fine and that great.

They really did the seats like they did to get more people on the buses. Because the nova and gillig capacity on trasportation setting they say can hold around 60. Disney did it like this to get more people and yes bigger strollers. But they knew they couldn't have buses with seats facing front and taking away from standing room like they do on the public transportion versions.

These new buses are the best around Disney really thought about the guest when they decided on buying new buses. So I am sure the op will have no problem with seating sheathed they be be seats I suggest or she sits in the back with the stroller blocking dd with dad.

 

[OpiesMom]

Op here again:

Wow, when I first asked this question I thought I might get a response or two at most - either a yeah or nay about what I was going to do - I never thought I'd get such detailed responses or so many. This is such a great forum - I hope you guys really see how amazing you all are for taking so much time to really analyses and answer my one question. You all Rock.

We're probably going to go with our first strategy of going to the back - The last few responses had me remembering (rightly or wrongly) how the back of the buses seats are arranged and I'm thinking we can put kiddo near the window; mom or dad can sit next to her (both will be front facing) and the seat that sits inward (perpendicular to those front facing seats) will be for whom ever is dealing with the stroller (which will probably be me.)

With Kiddo in the corner (yes we put baby in the corner -Dirty Dancing reference lol ) she will not be bothered by folks, folded strollers or over crowding. She will have her Ipad and mom and dad sitting beside her and in front of her as well. The only one getting their knees knocked will be the parent with the folded stroller in front of them which will not be near kiddo who will be in the corner.

Thank you for again helping me refine my strategy with Kiddo. We leave in 19 days now for our 13 days stay.

 

[gap2368]

I am glade you have something that will work for you yes this form is great I leave in 20 days and staying at pop century I love this hotel have a great trip

 

[OpiesMom]

Gap- if you see a couple with a huge yellow and blue "tent on wheels" feel free to say hi- we're at Pop Century during you stay there so there is a chance to meet up!

 

[gap2368]

wow that is so cool I hope we do meet I am going solo so I will keep my eyes out when on the busses

 

[DisFun45]

If you have insurance I would look into getting something like the Mighty Lite Wheelchair by Kid Kart . My daughter with ADS simply does not stay put and needs to be in one for her own safety when we are in crowds. They are wheelchairs and are treated as such by Disney transportation. They come in many sizes, colors, and styles.

 

[SueM in MN]

I looked on the Internet for some pictures of the inside of buses.
This is an example of the type of bus with a front facing seat at the front. No one is allowed to stand beyond the yellow ones. So this would allow your daughter to sit (if you get one of those buses), but no one could stand near her and dad would need to go to the back with the folded stroller.
http://**************.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/On-the-Bus-at-Walt-Disney-World.jpg
http://**************.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/On-the-Bus-at-Walt-Disney-World.jpg

 

[SueM in MN]

This is the most common type of bus we are usually on.
All the seats face inward except the very back seat, which faces forward. The benches with grey seats can be folded up for wheelchair/ECV
securement.

http://www.dadsguidetowdw.com/image-files/disney-world-contemporary-inside-bus-brett.jpg

 

[SueM in MN]

This is one of the articulated buses, which serve the big resorts like the Value resorts. I have not been in any of these buses.
http://blog.disneygeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/wpid-20131213_171426-620x826.jpg

 

[disney david]

here a video of the inside of the new articulated buses that serve pop and aoa to mk and ak. As you will see it much more narrow then the other two and they have toward and back facing seats. Not sure if since they only go get around 20-25 of them nova wouldn't let them play around with the seating to much or if for safety reasons they couldn't have that many people standing. Their supposed to hold 120 which would be two regular buses give or take a few guest. For these you have to be by he second door hey have three sets of doors front middle and back the middle I think has the ramp again Disney had them move it. And for this bus I would fold it right when you get on as that area will be a little wider and maybe easier to do it then find a seat and sit down.

Here another video one of my favorite and I used many times but I am sure you know how they load guest through the back door but this is the gillig the one with no front facing seats in the front

 

[SueM in MN]

Screen shots from the video of the articulated bus that was posted
It looks like the best place might be the area just after the articulated area for the particular style of bus in the video. There is one front facing seat with room in front of it. (Although that bus seat configuration doesn't seem match the seats in the photo I found).
The set of 3 side facing seats near the left side of the photo might work too, with dad in the open space across from them.


I'm sure all those seats/areas might be in high demand.
I also looked the video of folding the wike. It appears to be easy, but kind of cumbersome and you probably would not have room to fold it in line or load her seated in it thru the back door and fold it on the bus. If you haven't practiced folding it, that would probably be helpful.
I will be curious to see how it works out for you - my DD's wheelchair is about 30 inches wide and 48 inches from the tips of her toes to the farthest point on the back. Even that size is hard to maneuver at times. If you haven't used it a lot as a stroller, when your daughter is getting in and out frequently, you might want to practice doing that too. 3 wheels are less stable than 4 and it might be easy to tip.

 

[LilyWDW]

Please just be sure to have a backup plan in case.

 

[OpiesMom]

Op here again

And again I say WOW and thank you for all the time and effort you guys have put into this. Now I have more options to consider. I will say I'm still leaning towards just heading to the back so all of us can sit. This also makes it a "one size fits all buses solution" so we don't have to try and remember which bus we sit where on - we just do the same thing on all buses. The back up plan would be to hail a cab and hope for a nicer bus driver the next time we need the bus till we get the van.

The wike, while not as easy to fold as a typical stroller is pretty easy. We just pop the one pin, left the side bar out of it's holder and the top folds down. What the wike lacks is an actual latch or locking type mechanism to hold the folded down top and handle to the bottom part where the front wheel is located. I came up with a homemade solution of using a bungee cord and some d-rings to fix this. (bungee cords have had their hooks squeezed together so as not to be a safety hazard to anyone. (including me)) The cord isn't stretch to capacity at all but it's just enough to keep the top and bottom together while folded up on the bus. I believe the manufactures never considered someone wanting to fold it and then use the back wheels to move it someplace, thinking folks would only fold it, take the wheels off and lay it in the trunk of a car or back of a van. They probably never thought of us folks going to Disney with it. And why would they - it's true intended purpose is to be a trailer that fits onto the back of a bike! Who would bring that to Disney world? (Who indeed)