welcome to disABILITIES.
I think in the decision of wheelchair or
ECV, I'd suggest you think about a couple of things. I don't have or know anyone with Parkinson's, but I am a nurse and can think of some things from knowing about the disease. Hopefully, you will get some advice from people who do have more personal information.
- How much trouble does he have with tremors, difficulty initiating movements and stiffness or rigidity of his muscles?
If he doesn't have much problem with these things and is mostly fatigued easily, then I think an ECV is a good idea. It would give him more independence and make him feel less dependent.
If he does have problems with those, he will need to decide how much problem and to what extent it might interfere with him being able to safely drive an ECV. If his symptoms increase when he is tired, he may be able to drive an ECV in the beginning of the day, but find it more difficult as the day goes on.
- Does he have problems with increased fatigue when he has to be alert for a long time (like when driving a car)?
Driving an ECV is sort of like driving a car; yes, it goes much slower, but you are in an area with less 'definition' of where you belong than when driving a car and people dart out in front of you all the time. Many people find driving a wheelchair or ECV at a busy place like WDW to be quite tiring.
- How does he feel about driving an ECV?
If the idea makes him nervous and he is worried about bumping into things, etc. it may not be a positive thing to rent one.
An advantage of using a wheelchair is that he would be able to relax and not have to be worried about being alert to where he is driving.
Also, if he feels like walking, he can park the wheelchair and walk for a while. A wheelchair is also good for walking behind if he needs a little support while walking.
One way of thinking about wheelchairs and
ECVs that has helped some people is to think of having an 'energy account' while at WDW. You do some things (like walk around) that take energy out of the account. Other things (like sitting on a bench, eating, resting, going on a restful ride) add to the energy account. If it takes too much energy just to get around, there won't be any energy left for having fun and if too much energy is used one day, the next day will start with an overdraft (that might not be able to be earned back).
Last thing, if you haven't already looked at the disABILITIES FAQs thread, I'd strongly recommend a visit there. A few of the questions might help you to make a decision and I'd also suggest looking at some of the links (specifically, the ones to past threads about boarding rides).
Good luck and hope your family has a great time.
