3 people, 1 ECV rider, a few questions...

[SenecaWolf]

This upcoming trip is myself (the ECV user), my DD16 and DS 14. I had extensive right hip/pelvis injury 20 years ago that has resulted in over 10 surguries and alot of damage. The last ditch effort was to try a hip replacement 12 years ago (when I was 25) but a lingering MRSA infection in the joint capsule resulted in it being removed 10 months later and massive bone loss. The result from that is I now have no right hip joint at all leaving my right leg about 6 inches shorter. I have a 4 inch lift on my shoe but I cannot walk more than about 50ft unassisted and probably 10-15 minutes with crutches. Even with the crutches tho I have difficulties. On top of all that I am quite pooh sized. So......heres the questions...

I've read in another thread that doing rides with an odd number of people can be tricky as far as single rider lines for the odd one, etc... so, my main question is, will both of my kids be allowed to go thru the special boarding areas with me? If not will one be able to ride at the same time from the single rider line if we wait at the area for that one to catch up with us? If we can all go thru at once, how will we get on at the same time? I'm not trying to skip the line at all, I'm trying the best I can to keep us all together on rides. Also on the rides that require you to step down into I need them for a helping hand or a little extra oomph to get out.

Thanks!

 

[crashbb]

The majority of rides are main streamed, so all three of you will go through the regular ride. In some (many?) cases you'll go all the way through to the ride in the regular line, in some you'll pulled to a different route near the front (thinking of Toy Story Mania, for example). In any case, if you are pulled to a separate line near the end or start in a separate line at the beginning (quite rare), all three of you will go together. No one needs to go in the single rider line (only three rides have such a line anyway).

Also, just as a warning, you mention them "catching up with us" a couple of times. Be prepared that, in rides that are not entirely mainstreamed, you may actually take longer. I know that you aren't trying to skip the lines, but thought I'd just bring up the point to prepare you.

 

[SueM in MN]

Just agreeing with the other poster.

Plus - if you have not looked at the disABILITIES FAQs thread, I suggest you do because you will find a lot of helpful information. That thread is near the top of this board, or you can follow the link in my signature to get there.

Post one in that thread is n index that tells which post has which information. Post 2 has information about renting ECVs in ca you have not rented one yet.

Post 11 has information about access, including attractions with Mainstream Lines. As was already posted, most attractions do have Mainstream Lines and guests using wheelchairs and ECVs wait in the same line with everyone else.
The attractions that have a different entrance or boarding area have those things because the 'usual way' is not accessible. Most of the pull off points mentioned by the other poster are close to the regular boarding area or just before an inaccessible part, like stairs. You will be waiting in the regular line to that point, then be directed to another area with up to 5 other members of your party.

As the other poster mentioned, you will be able to board with the rest of your group and you may find your wait overall is a little longer because of using an ECV.

Posts 18-22 on page 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread talk about access and which attractions might have a difficult step in or out.
There is also an EPCOT FAQs thread with pictures of the different Epcot attractions that might help you.

 

[SenecaWolf]

Thank you for the speedy replies! Thank goodness they can both go with me, a little extra wait is well worth it as long as we stay together

SueM, your FAQs thread has been invaluable to me! Thank you so much for all the information and links. Without that info I have a feeling that I would be a little lost and overwhelmed at Disney, I definitely feel alot more confident. I just couldnt quite get my head around how the ride queues were going to work with an odd amount of people.

Thanks again

 

[SteveMouse]

Also note that one of your party will have to provide you any physical assistance such as stepping down (for those rides requiring transfer) such as PotC.

 

[GrammyJudy]

I also suggest you check out allears.net and look under there "At Large" section regarding being pooh sized. I am and I use an ECV and I found that helpful.

 

[JennyDrake]

I was there last month, 2 adults, and one senior on a scooter. Yes, you all be will able to stay together. I strongly encourage you to send ONE person to the CM at the entrance to ask where/how you should enter. It is not consistent for all attractions. This saved us much time and aggrevation. And by NO means go through the Nemo "walking" queue--it is a NIGHTMARE for an ECV. The CM should direct you through the gift shop (ours did not....)

 

[SueM in MN]

I was there last month, 2 adults, and one senior on a scooter. Yes, you all be will able to stay together. I strongly encourage you to send ONE person to the CM at the entrance to ask where/how you should enter. It is not consistent for all attractions. This saved us much time and aggrevation. And by NO means go through the Nemo "walking" queue--it is a NIGHTMARE for an ECV. The CM should direct you through the gift shop (ours did not....)

There is a map available for each park just for guests with disabilities, which lists the 'mobility' access for each attraction.
You can find those maps at the entrance kiosk with the other park maps or ask at Guest Relations. There is one for each park and in most cases, the mobility entrance is the regular entrance.

They recently added PDF files of those park maps to the WDW website. This is a link to the EPCOT map:
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/me...rld/en_us/PDF/epcot-disability-guide-2010.pdf

They are a bit unclear in their markings - the symbol with an icon of a person getting out of an ECV and into a wheelchair apparently means that there is a wheelchair accessible ride car, but that ride car is not ECV accessible.
So, it is not entirely clear whether the line with that symbol is accessible to ECVs or not. The ones with that icon are also the ones that guests with ECVs, epecially park rental ones, are most likely to find difficult or be directed to go one where else.

The ones that show only a wheelchair icon are accessible to both wheelchairs and ECVs. Some are totally accessible for the entire attraction and some have an accessible line, but require a transfer to a ride car (shown by an icon of a person getting out of a wheelchair).

The ones that show an icon of a person getting out of an ECV into a wheelchair and then getting up out of the wheelchair have no wheelchair accessible ride car and the line is one accessible to wheelchairs, not ECVs.

For Nemo, guests with wheelchairs and ECVs are usually directed thru the regular line ( although, I would agree, it is a very difficult line with an ECV). Also, because we have to wait for the accessible car to come around, we have a longer wait off to the side of the boarding area. One time when they told us we have just missed the accessible car, I counted over 150 people who got into ride cars before the wheelchair car came around again.
I had not started counting right away and it was not that busy, so 30 seconds could go by with no one walking past us.