ECV or Wheelchair

[lync]

My mom was diagnosed with lung cancer in April 2014. She was supposed to go with us on our May 2014 trip. She didn't get to go with us. We are going in February (so she can go with us). She is probably going to need an ECV. She gets fatigued. We are staying onsite. We haven't decided if we are renting a car. We like to drive to the parks. If we drive to the parks, will we just try to rent an ECV there. I know they get taken pretty quickly. THe CL will be 2, 2, 4, 5, 4 on the days we are there. If we rented one off site, how would we get it to the parks? Would we have to take Disney transportation so she can ride it on the bus? We have never been in this situation before, so I don't even know where to begin.

FYI....she still works full time and doesn't rely on anything at home. It's just the amount of walking over several days that is going to be the problem at Disney. She can stand in line and probably wouldn't need something all of the time.

TIA!

 

[kaytieeldr]

You can rent ECVs offsite that can be disassembled and carried in the trunk. You wouldn't have to take Disney transportation, but if you do, and a bus is required to get where you're going, yes you'd have to take the ECV on the bus.

See the disABILITIES FAQ for more information.

 

[tobikaye]

If you rent an EVC offsite, you can still drive to the parks if the EVC will fit in your car or take WDW transportation.

The one we rented for my sister broke down into about 3 or 4 parts. The batteries and the seat came off and then the tiller lowered all the way down. The main body weighed about 30-40 pounds and fit in the trunk of our Hyundai Sonata with the batteries and seat. Since it was usually just the 2 of us, I would usually put the seat in the back seat just as it was easier than making it fit the trunk.

If she does take it on the bus, then she will drive it on and park it where the driver tells her. They will usually help with this. Then she will need to transfer to a regular seat for the ride on the bus.

 

[ttintagel]

We found it super-easy to take ECV's on Disney transportation, but a lot of people who prefer to drive do as previous posters have said and break the ECV down and put it in the vehicle. The rental company should be able to answer any questions you may have about taking the ECV apart (e.g. if one model comes apart more easily than another).

One thing to keep in mind is that you can't take an ECV on the parking lot trams. I'm not sure how people work around that, but I know they do!

 

[Goofy14sure]

If you rent a car get an ECV that can be taken apart for transport. As for parking, use your handicap tag to access the handicap parking area and drive the scooter from the car to the gates. MK will require multiple transfers, you may just want to take the bus there, the drivers will help you load the ecv.

The problem with renting in the park is the distances you have to cover from your room to the bus and from the bus to the gate. That can be quite a hike!

If you don't have a handicap parking tag already, get one now, better to have it with you

 

[tobikaye]

One thing to keep in mind is that you can't take an ECV on the parking lot trams. I'm not sure how people work around that, but I know they do!

The person in the EVC has to drive it to the park, or TTC, entrance and the rest of the party either walks along or takes the parking lot tram and meet at the entrance.

 

[tobikaye]

If you rent a car get an ECV that can be taken apart for transport. As for parking, use your handicap tag to access the handicap parking area and drive the scooter from the car to the gates. MK will require multiple transfers, you may just want to take the bus there, the drivers will help you load the ecv.

The problem with renting in the park is the distances you have to cover from your room to the bus and from the bus to the gate. That can be quite a hike!

If you don't have a handicap parking tag already, get one now, better to have it with you

This just made me think of some issues with WDW HA parking that the OP might need to know about if they have never parked there before, especially if they chose to rent from the parks directly.

There are no parking lot trams from the HA parking areas to the gates. There might be some wheelchairs to borrow to get to the rental location in the lots, but not always.

TTC (MK): The walk from the HA parking lot could be problematic for someone with stamina/mobility issues and no mobility aid, especially if they are parked farther from the center walkway to TTC.

DHS: The lot is very small and can be full. I have gone a few times with no problem parking in the HA lot, bu there have been a number of times the lot was already full and we had to park farther out.

 

[Toffeewoffy]

When I drove in with my scooter in February I spoke to the guy directing the traffic into the parking rows and he directed me down the front to the reserved section. At a couple of the parks they told me to park right down the front. I didn't actually park in the blue bays, but was a row or two back.

MK was the only park I didn't drive to as we would still have had to go and catch the ferry or monorail. The only times we went there we either took the bus from our resort, or went over to MK from GF and Contemporary after an evening ADR.

 

[lync]

This just made me think of some issues with WDW HA parking that the OP might need to know about if they have never parked there before, especially if they chose to rent from the parks directly.

There are no parking lot trams from the HA parking areas to the gates. There might be some wheelchairs to borrow to get to the rental location in the lots, but not always.

TTC (MK): The walk from the HA parking lot could be problematic for someone with stamina/mobility issues and no mobility aid, especially if they are parked farther from the center walkway to TTC.

DHS: The lot is very small and can be full. I have gone a few times with no problem parking in the HA lot, bu there have been a number of times the lot was already full and we had to park farther out.

She does not have a Handicap tag. SHe doesn't need it when we are home. If we have a reservation for dinner at O'hana, can we park at the Poly and take the monorail to MK?

 

[kahpets]

I went to Disney with my mother while she was undergoing Chemo around four years ago. While everyone is different, and energy levels vary, the EVC was a life saver for us.

I highly recommend renting an EVC from an off-site company so you have it for the entire trip, that’s what we did.

The resorts can be large, and while my mother probably could have walked from parking lots to the parks/hotel room, it was very helpful having the EVC available anytime she wanted to use it. The EVC allowed her to pick up and go most places with us, even if we were doing something outside of the parks. We definitely did less this trip than previous trips, but the EVC allowed her to accompany us most of the time, regardless of whether we were going to the parks or doing something else. I’m sure she could have used another nap here or there (and she’d probably tell you that she found my asking her every five minutes how she was feeling very annoying), but her priority was spending time with her grandchildren, and I think having the EVC for the entire trip, not just the parks allowed her to spend the maximum amount of time with them. It also helped reduce my stress about whether something was too much for her. No matter where we were, she was assured of having somewhere to sit down.

As others have said, most EVC’s will breakdown to fit in cars, and they can go on all Disney transportation. We had a car and had no issues getting the EVC into the trunk, and also took it on Disney transportation.

While the EVC needs to be driven onto the Disney transportation, my mother was not comfortable with this, so others in our group drove it on the bus or monorail (and stayed with it on the monorail), and she simply walked onto the vehicle sat down.

When she felt like walking she did, and others drove the EVC for her.

Like your mother, my mother didn’t need any assistance getting around at home, but used the EVC at Disney. For what it’s worth, my mother was completely opposed to using an EVC before the trip, but I told her I was renting one, and she could choose to use it or not, but we would have one. Other than a few dinners she used it almost the entire time we were at Disney, and at the end of the week admitted that she really needed the EVC.

Unfortunately I don’t remember what we did about the parking lots. If you’re able to get her a temporary handicapped parking permit, I would do that. Your state’s department of motor vehicles website should have the information needed to apply for one.

Enjoy your trip and your time with your mother.

 

[lanejudy]

She does not have a Handicap tag. SHe doesn't need it when we are home. If we have a reservation for dinner at O'hana, can we park at the Poly and take the monorail to MK?

You may park at the Poly for dinner, though unless you pay for valet parking you should move the car when ready to go to the parks. The resort lots do not have room for vehicles for park guests, it makes it challenging for guests staying at that resort to find a parking spot.

Without an official handicapped parking tag, be aware not to park in the actual handicapped spots. Tell the CMs directing traffic that you have an ECV but do not have a hang-tag, and they'll get you as close as possible. The lots are patrolled and tickets may be issued to those parking in the reserved spots without proper hangtags.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[lync]

You may park at the Poly for dinner, though unless you pay for valet parking you should move the car when ready to go to the parks. The resort lots do not have room for vehicles for park guests, it makes it challenging for guests staying at that resort to find a parking spot.

Without an official handicapped parking tag, be aware not to park in the actual handicapped spots. Tell the CMs directing traffic that you have an ECV but do not have a hang-tag, and they'll get you as close as possible. The lots are patrolled and tickets may be issued to those parking in the reserved spots without proper hangtags.

Enjoy your vacation!

Thanks for everyone's advice! Y'all have been so helpful with something that I know nothing about!!