My discovery is much older but set up the same. Close the door to retract steps, turn off both disconnects, and then you have to jump down. When we get ready to take here out again it is a big step back in to turn batteries back on. Where I park I have to have the steps retracted or I would not be able to walk down the side. I would imagine there is a way to wire the step motor hot to the batteries and wire some sort of a switch to operate it manually but for me it is just simpler to keep a step stool close by.