VWL Boat Handicap/Stroller Access?

[kimi619]

DH and I are thinking of purchasing at VWL because of the location and boat access to MK. We have small kids and a SIL who is in a wheelchair. Does anyone know what kind of access the boat offers?

For reference, I stayed at BWV in October and was pleasantly suprised that the stroller and wheelchair could roll right on and nothing (and no one!) needed to be unloaded. I'm hoping to find this is also the case at VWL.

Thanks.

[crazywig]

You roll right on the boats at the VWL as well.

[bigbahamadada]

I'd call the lodge to confirm. When we were last there in late September, they were running two different size boats. A large one, like those at BCV & BWV that ran the loop from VWL to MK to Fort Wildnerness. And a smaller boat that circled between VWL, Contemporary and Fort Wilderness.

You could board the larger boat with a stroller in use, but had to fold it up to use the small boat. Both boats may be wheelchair accessable, but they certainly had different rules for strollers.

[vwl mom]

You might need to add some cushion time to any travel by boat from VWL because, as it was stated, only one of the boats has wheelchair access. They will gladly call for the larger boat to come for your route, though, even if it wasn't going to. Be warned, however, that they don't call for it until the person in the wheelchair shows up. I was on the dock several times with a large Magical Gathering at Christmas and they kept sending one of the younger members of the party to run down and tell them at the dock that the larger boat was needed, but it never worked. It wasn't until the grandparents actually showed up in their wheelchairs that they called it in. After it was called in, the large boat had to drop off the people that had already boarded at their destination and then come to the dock at VWL. The group cut it close one night and had to split up into separate boats in order to not miss their ADR at one of the CR restaurants. The people that got in the small boat with my family were distressed about leaving part of their party, especially the senior members, behind. :mad: Since I am one of the people that love the VWL boat service, I have to say a little planning, and some patience, will go along way to make the most out of this unique service. :goodvibes

[JRandAJsMom]

I have one of those double-wide jogging strollers (wide enough for my 4 and 5-1/2 year old to sit in very comfortably) and we just rolled it right on the big boat. You may have to wait for the big boat to come, but they seemed to alternate for the most part while we were there and the most we waited was 10-15 minutes (and that was only once during peak season). We LOVED the convenience of it compared to SSR (which was beautiful, but inconvenient for a stroller or wheelchair since it was harder to get on and off the bus as opposed to rolling right on the boat or monorail...). Good luck with your decision!