DD - Need ECV Cannot lift or assemble an ECV

[neuend1]

What are my options for renting an ECV at Downtown Disney with the new parking ramp?

I can walk but not very far. I will be going to WDW in December 2015 with a person who is more severely handicapped than I (her first trip to WDW). Neither of us are able to rent an ECV from outside WDW as we are old and cannot lift or assemble an ECV from an outside vendor. We will be renting ECV's at the parks. There will be no one with us so a wheelchair is out (not strong enough to go alone in wheelchair). However, I wanted to show her Downtown Disney Marketplace. On my trip in Dec 2014, I found that there wasn't any way to get me close enough to Downtown Disney that did not involve a long walk so I was unable to go to the Marketplace.

How can I find out what Disney plans to do about renting ECV's at the garage? I really want to go to Downtown Disney Marketplace but am not interested in the Westside.

I have searched and searched for this info but almost all reviews are from people that have much more mobility than I do.

Can you help me?

 

[minnie mum]

The first question I have is where are you staying? If you are staying on site, there is no reason not to rent an ecv from an off site vendor. ALL WDW buses are HC accessible. No need to lift or disassemble the ecv. Just use the buses.

 

[Goofy14sure]

If you are staying offsite and can't take a bus, you could valet park and rent one on the westside and ride. I think they are can be rented around Disneyquest, haven't been there in a while tho.

 

[neuend1]

We are staying at my nephew's timeshare and will be driving a SUV. I am not familiar with Westside. How far of a walk is it from the parking garage to the ECV rental? Which building is the ECV rental in?

Is there a number I can call at WDW to ask about mobility issues and what I can do for renting an ECV without walking very far?

By the way, is Disney building a parking garage by the Marketplace? If so will it be ready by Dec 2015?

 

[Betty Rohrer]

with renting ECV at parks you will have to get to front gate to rent EVC. you can not send someone to rent and bring to you as they will not be allowed to bring out the gate to you. plus there are no buses from Down Town Disney to the parks. even tougher is the trip from parking for MK to the front gate of park. it is a long walk from handicapped parking to either the ferry boat or the monorail and then the walk from there to front gate. you can not be dropped off at the gate and someone else then park car. I have problems with walking distances, I need the EVC to get from car to front gate of the parks. I will use Dollywood as an example, where they have a drop off area close to the gate, Disney does not offer this service. I think you are going to have to rethink how you are going to do this trip.

 

[Debbie Jean]

Perhaps there is somewhere closer to DTD that you could park and then take a cab. It would cost extra $$ but you would be dropped nearer the entrance, I think.

 

[neuend1]

How we got from my question about Downtown Disney ECV's to Magic Kingdom mystifies me. I have been going to WDW since 1999. I am very aware of the physical challenges of the theme parks. I know that I will probably have to give up going to the parks but right now I can still make the long walk from the Magic Kingdom train down the ramp, through security, and then the walk over to the ECV's.

My concern mainly is for my friend who will be going to WDW for the first time and has more mobility issues than I do. if she is still not doing well in December 2015, we might take a taxi to the Magic Kingdom or figure something else out.

Right now I want to see if going to Downtown Disney is someplace we can go. I don't know if a taxi can pull up to the Marketplace entrance. I also don't know where the valet parking is located. So again I wonder for the future (December 2015) what Disney has planned for solo handicapped persons to get an ECV to go tour the Marketplace area.

 

[neuend1]

Prior to this discussion, I never thought about taking a cab. So thanks for opening my eyes for an alternate way to get to Downtown Disney.

My only concern at this time is whether we could be dropped off in front of the Marketplace. I wasn't able to get a good look at that area on my December 2014 trip as I was the one driving and had to keep my eye on the road because of the heavy traffic.

So anyone who has gone over to the Marketplace, what are your thoughts of a cab dropping us off and picking us up there? Were cabs allowed into that area?

 

[Goofy14sure]

Prior to this discussion, I never thought about taking a cab. So thanks for opening my eyes for an alternate way to get to Downtown Disney.

My only concern at this time is whether we could be dropped off in front of the Marketplace. I wasn't able to get a good look at that area on my December 2014 trip as I was the one driving and had to keep my eye on the road because of the heavy traffic.

So anyone who has gone over to the Marketplace, what are your thoughts of a cab dropping us off and picking us up there? Were cabs allowed into that area?

There is a taxi stand near the World of Disney store, you may be able to get them to drop you closer to guest services, I'm not sure of that. At one time you could rent an ecv at the DisneyQuest building. It is pretty close to the garage but Disney only lists wheelchair rental there now.

Taxi sounds like a good option

 

[neuend1]

A taxi sounds like a good option. Our resort, Grande Villas, is very close to Downtown Disney so I think we will try that. Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[PigletsPal2]

I can't think of any reason why a taxi couldn't drop you off at Marketplace. We go there fairly frequently and are usually fortunate enough to find a handicapped-accessible parking space close in. We haven't used the parking garage yet. As you enter Marketplace, you'll pass an ATM on the wall to your right and restrooms in that building. Directly across from the ATM is where you rent wheelchairs and strollers. To be perfectly honest, I've never seen an ECV for rent at DTD, although the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2014 says the deposit for them is $100 (!), so I guess they do have them. This guide provides the phone number for inquiring about ESVs (electric standing vehicles - I have no idea what they are!): 407-824-5217. Perhaps they can give you more information.

Queen Colleen

 

[SueM in MN]

I can't think of any reason why a taxi couldn't drop you off at Marketplace. We go there fairly frequently and are usually fortunate enough to find a handicapped-accessible parking space close in. We haven't used the parking garage yet. As you enter Marketplace, you'll pass an ATM on the wall to your right and restrooms in that building. Directly across from the ATM is where you rent wheelchairs and strollers. To be perfectly honest, I've never seen an ECV for rent at DTD, although the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2014 says the deposit for them is $100 (!), so I guess they do have them. This guide provides the phone number for inquiring about ESVs (electric standing vehicles - I have no idea what they are!): 407-824-5217. Perhaps they can give you more information.

Queen Colleen

Scooterbug rents ESVs (they also provide them to the parks). There is a picture on their website. They are for rent by people experienced with driving them.
http://www.scooterbugmobilityrentals.com/equipment.html#scooters

There are ECVs for rent at Downtown Disney, but they can't be reserved ahead of time and are very limited in number (I have heard they may have as few as 10), so there is no guarantee they will have any to rent when you arrive.

Because of the construction at Downtown Disney, the traffic flow is still kind of in a time of transition, so how it is now may not be how it is in December of 2015.

 

[neuend1]

I just called Grande Villas Resort and inquired about shuttles and taxis to Downtown Disney Marketplace. They have a shuttle that costs $12/person for a round trip. Not a bad price. I also talked to a taxi place and they said it would cost around $10-15 for the trip. The taxi guy said he couldn't guarantee that we would be dropped off in front of the Marketplace as Disney is constantly changing things in that area. However, we are going to WDW in December 2015 and things might be better by then. So again thanks for your help. I would not have thought of a taxi (or the shuttle) without discussing it with you people.