Renting an ECV for the first time

[Cynthia in SC]

I've learned lots from this board in the few weeks since I discovered it but now i need some advice. DH and I are going to WDW Dec. 6-11 and staying at Wilderness Lodge. I'm renting an ECV for the first time since I am still in active theraphy for lymphedema and have not been able to walk much lately to build up my stamina.

I've practiced driving one as often as I can over the past few weeks and feel pretty comfortable with it. Now I need to know what kinds of things I need to consider bringing with me to make my ECV experience better? For example, should I bring a towel or something to cover the seat? What do I do if it rains? Do I need to bring an extension cord? In other words, what is the best bit of advice you have for an ECV newbie? Thanks in advance for giving me the confidence to actually undertake this trip and any help you can offer me.

Cynthia in SC

P.S. I"m planning to rent a Destination SCV from ScootOrlando. Any pros or cons that I need to know?

[SueM in MN]

Originally Posted by Cynthia in SC

For example, should I bring a towel or something to cover the seat?

A lot of people do bring a towel. It helps to make the seat cooler to sit on.

What do I do if it rains?

You do need to protect it from getting wet. The controls are the most critical part because if they get wet, it can short out and cause the ECV not to work. Some people have used a shower cap to cover the controls and wear a poncho.
Also, if it rains, you can lose traction so take it slow, especially up or down hills.

Do I need to bring an extension cord?

Bringing one gives you more flexibility in terms of where you can put the ECV in your room for charging

P.S. I"m planning to rent a Destination SCV from ScootOrlando. Any pros or cons that I need to know?

No one has posted anything specific, but it looks like a nice ECV.

[peemagg]

I use a couple of ponchos for covering me and my scooter when in Disney. I use a child size emergency poncho to cover the tiller and my feet and legs and the adult size one for the rest of me and the seat and battery area. If I have to leave my scooter outside for some reason (restaurants mainly) I cover the whole scooter with the ponchos so that in case it rains its protected, and it makes it easy to spot when you come out. Just bring some of those large metal spring paper clips to tighen things down and act as weights so that the ponchos don't come off in the wind.

[AlexDurrani]

Having an extension cord will help a bit but can be a trip hazard. Just keep practicing is my only suggestion. Take it slow when you are in the parks.

[LuvMyEAR]

You will love the scooter! Being able to cover lots of ground without tiring yourself out is a wonderful thing. It also takes a load of your companion(s) as you can tote parcels, water bottles, jackets/sweaters, etc. You can take turns using it for seating when enjoying parades and fireworks. Besides the excellent tips for keeping the scooter's vulnerable parts (and yourself!) dry, patience is the only other necessity.

Take your time. Stop, but not suddenly, when you wish to enjoy the millions of details that make WDW so special. Just like walking or driving a car, it is dangerous to be moving forward when staring sideways. People WILL cut suddenly in front of you. Seems like posts and other obstacles can almost do the same - LOL.

When the parks are emptying, don't rush with the crowd. Let it thin out a bit and then make your way out at a leisurely pace. Above all, have a ball!

[mom3sonstt]

I use a towel on mine in the summer - I was there in Nov and only used it one day....the day I wore shorts. If I am wearing capris or jeans I don't mess with a towel.

The scooter is great for carrying extra stuff - but be careful not to load it down with too much stuff. I park my scooter and get off to ride rides sometimes and don't want to leave it full of stuff while unattended and I don't like lugging bulky stuff on the rides. I don't let my kids (16 - 20) store stuff in my scooter while they go do other things because I don''t want to carry it with me if I get off to do something. If we are all together I don't mind, as long as they take it with them when I leave the scooter.

The ones I have rented came with a little shower cap to cover the controls with in case of rain. I have trouble remembering to cover it up when I leave the scooter for awhile when its not raining - but looks like it could. I know there are sudden short showers, but I forget about them when I am going in a restaurant for lunch. I have sent my kids out to cover it up before when we have noticed it raining while eating.

I still struggle with loading and unloading from the buses. I think it is self-imposed anxiety. My husband doesn't help - he gives me directions like "no the other way" when in my mind I am backing up straight - so there is not "other" way. For the record - I suck at parallel parking my car too. Sometimes I will get on the bus and do it perfectly and the next time I can't get it where it needs to go....I think it depends on how crowded the bus is, how friendly and helpful the driver is, and what kind of mood my husband and I are in....

I bought a stretchy bracelet key ring to keep the scooter key on. The place I rent from doesn't have theirs on one. This way I can just slide it on my wrist when I get off and I don't have to hunt for where I put the key when I get back on. I brought one with me from home, but Disney, of course sells some too on their racks of keychains.

Be alert. You may not intend to run into anyone, but that won't stop them from running into you or diving across your path.

Enjoy!!

[disneymom3]

This is a really helpful thread. I am headed to WDW in Jan and have MS. My stamina has been downright non-existent lately and I am quite worried about the trip. Last time we were there, I rented a wheelchair for our Epcot day and it was a disaster. I was newly diagnosed and I think the whole adjustment was hard for DH. It was just overall not a good thing and I swore I would never do it again. However, here we are and I don't know what I will be doing come Jan but it's pretty clear I am not going to be able to get around the parks very well. The ideas shared here really help.

[Lachesis00]

Good luck! Can a backpack be attacked to the back some how? I can remember going to DL the first time. I went with several family members and I can remember our coats being PILED HIGH like, I couldn't see over them!
Back in the day there was a basket on the front. I don't know if they are still like that. BTW Never say Never

[peemagg]

Yes a backpack will fit on your scooter. I use one with mine all the time. I just place the shoulder straps over the back and if it has a chest strap I fasten that. Works pretty slick.

Some scooters also have baskets that can be hooked on the back, but it adds a bit of length to the scooter, so you have to watch backing up even more.

[ZoZo]

Definitely bring a towel to sit on. If it's hot, it makes the seat much more comfortable.

Bring an extra "emergency" poncho (or two) to put over the scooter in case of rain. I also had a "shammy" (swimmers) towel that I could use to dry off the seat if it got wet; they wring out easily.

I rented one most days on my trip last month. The thing that surprised me the most is how you need to be careful about people walking in front of you. It's like they literally don't see you -- they'll literally step right in front of you, with no warning, making it hard to stop in time. It happened to me over and over again. You have to be very diligent to make sure you don't hit anyone!

Good luck and have fun!

[Pats Dragon]

I brought a shower curtain lining which really came in handy to cover everything when it rained. I didn't have insurance and did not want to replace the scooter if it got ruined.

[dreamalittledream]

Thanks for all the great info. my BFF is going in the spring with her mom who needs to rent a scooter. I never looked into that at all and am trying to help her out.
where do you rent them? any tips? what do you look for?
TIA

[Cynthia in SC]

Well, we are back home and I can say that the trip was a success. The scooter I rented worked flawlessly and was easier to manuver than I imagined it would be. We only had to deal with rain one day and of course I had forgotten the ponchoes I purchased before we left so I had to pay for two more Disney ponchoes. Oh well. Whoever gave the idea about the weights for the ponches had a very good idea and I wish I had followed that bit of advice as it was a bit breezy that day too.

I did find out that the "low floor buses"(the newer ones that kneel and have the ramp are MUCH easier to load. Look for the busses with the huge front windshields. If the first bus that comes isn't what you need, let the driver know and they will request one for you. The drivers were very helpful, especially when the lift on one of the older busses had mechanical problems with a poor lady on the lift at the time. Thank goodness it wasn't me, but they were very professional in handling the situation.

Thanks again for your help and I'll be glad to help anyone else that I can now that I've done the World in an ECV.

Cynthia in SC

[mom3sonstt]

I kinda like the old lift buses now - I don't like backing onto it so much because it's kinda hard for me to get twisted around to see where I am to line up to the lift (and hubby gives terrible directions!), but I seem to do better getting the cart in the spot on those. The ones that you drive onto and then back into the spot I don't do as well - and if they want me to park in the front spot - well, we are all better off if I just get off and let them free-wheel it into the spot.....if they will do it. But I am getting better at it - each trip takes me less time to get re-accustomed to it. How helpful - or unhelpful - the driver is makes a big difference. I had a driver on the last trip who stood behind me with his hand on the back of the seat the whole time. This was on one of the lift buses that I am normally good at parking, but I was so self-concious with him hanging on to my cart and was afraid I would back into him since he was just out of my line of sight that I did a terrible job of it.

[Cynthia in SC]

I know what you mean about getting the chair in the right spot on the busses. The first time I tried I nearly turned the ECV over when I accidentaly backed part-way down the ramp. Thankfully the driver and DH caught me, but it wasn't a pretty picture. I finally figured out that it's like parrallel parking and if I could pull completely straight into the aisle then it was easier to back into the correct position.
As for the old busses, we were at Downtown one night when the lift stopped working with a poor lady in her wheelchair on it and half-way down. Luckily the driver was able to get help quickly and they handled it EXTREMELY well but I was so grateful that I had left my "chariot" charging in our room that night. I'm not sure I would have been brave enough to get on that lift after that. Needless to say, the bus was immediatly taken out of service.