A couple of EMERGENCY QUESTIONS about ECVs

[DisneyLoverUSA]

I say emergency because I am here now and need some answers quickly (before tomorrow) if any of you happen to know and be able to help me. TIA!

If I go to DHS in the a.m and rent an ECV and decide to park hop over to Epcot at lunch, can I take the receipt from where I rented the ECV at DHS that morning and get the ECV at Epcot without having to rent it all over again? So one fee for the ECV all day, or have to pay twice?

Also, how does that work when I am in an ECV and I go up to a ride to get in line, where do I go? Where can they let me scooter myself up to so that I don't have to walk down the whole queue? Is there an alternate entrance? Do they let you scooter through the fastpass line? I am just curious where they put you while you wait to get on the ride.

We went to Sea World today and although we didn't ride any rides (OMG THE GIANT RIDES THERE!! EEK!!) We did go to 4 of the 5 shows. I didn't get let in any sooner than anybody else but they did have an alternate entrance for me to scooter myself into away from the big crowds of walkers.

I am just curious what I do with the ECV while I am riding a ride? Do I remove the key and leave it with the strollers and have to walk the queue?

I don't think I can walk a whole queue but I might try it if I have to.

I have a temporary injury (I hope to God it is temporary) that makes it almost impossible for me to take more than about 15 steps before I have to stop or sit down. I have a sever stabbing pain in my left groin area right where it connects to your leg in the bend. I woke up with it Friday and it has gotten progressively worse.

And I know the smart thing to do would be to cancel the vacation and go home, but we are here and everything is paid for. I want to try to tough it out until I can get back home this Thursday and go get an MRI or something at my doc. I think he may tell me I just tore a tendon or ligament or something. I know it is not a torn muscle because I have torn a muscle before and it didn't feel like this. I cannot even raise my foot more than 6 inches off the floor or it feels like I am being stabbed in the groin. I can't put very much weight on it so when I do walk on it I have a severe limp. (I didn't mean for this to be so long and drawn out about what is wrong with me)

I am just curious what the procedure is about using ECVs at Disney parks. I am not real sure how I am going to get from the parking lot to the gates either. Any suggestions? Is there an ECV entrance for Soarin and Test Track? What about RnR and ToT?

Thanks you in advance for any help or suggestions.

 

[deegack]

I would consider calling one of the renting from an offsite company. Its cheaper and you can use it at the hotel at night. One may be able to get one there tonight or first thing tomorrow.

As for the rides, most lines are mainstreamed. That means you can ride it through the line to the front or almost the front (then you will split off with up to 5 people in your party). The rides that aren't mainstreamed ( mainly in MK) will have an alternative entrance. The CM at the front of the line will tell you what to do.

If I remember soarin, tot, rockin roller are all mainstream. I can't remember about tt.

Please please please no matter who you rent from, take a lot of time to get use to driving it. DH (6'7", 230 pounds) was knocked to the ground by a ecv while we were standing still in line. The gentleman did not know that there was a speed control and had it set all the way high. So get use to the controls and how to back it up and stop it.
Good luck

 

[LWallace2012]

I would also get a Guest Assist Card. This will help with the walking through the lines and standing. Many times the ecv's must park in wheelchair or stroller parking. Some attractions have manual wheelchairs you can transfer to, to go through the lines.

 

[deegack]

I would also get a Guest Assist Card. This will help with the walking through the lines and standing. Many times the ecv's must park in wheelchair or stroller parking. Some attractions have manual wheelchairs you can transfer to, to go through the lines.

If the issue is mobility, Disney's answer is rent a wheelchair or ECV. They don't provide front of line passes or seating for people who may need it for waiting.

 

[GrammyJudy]

I just got back and rented an ECV from Apple Scooter for the week. Anyway most rides are mainstreamed just drive up to the CM in front and they will direct you. I know Tiki Birds and Pirates of the Caribbean I walked into but thast was it I think.

And if you do rent from Disney and go to a second park just show your receipt at the second park.

 

[jdb in AZ]

You do keep the key with you when you're on a ride. If a CM needs to move the ECV, they use a manual override switch.

Since you ave trouble walking more than a few steps, it sounds like an ECV would help you around the hotel and Downtown Disney as well.

 

[SueM in MN]

A Guest Assistance Card will really not help you at all because it will not shorten your walk and will not provide a place to sit while waiting in most cases. A Guest Assistance Card will also not help you in getting from place to place, which can be most of the walking in a day at the parks.

I am posting this here because I might not get any response on the DISabilities board. Things move really slow over there and I need these answers by tonight if possible. TIA!

I say emergency because I am here now and need some answers quickly (before tomorrow) if any of you happen to know and be able to help me. TIA!

If I go to DHS in the a.m and rent an ECV and decide to park hop over to Epcot at lunch, can I take the receipt from where I rented the ECV at DHS that morning and get the ECV at Epcot without having to rent it all over again? So one fee for the ECV all day, or have to pay twice?

Yes. You only pay once.
If you are park hopping, you can show the receipt from the first rental and they will give you an ECV at the second park without charging you again IF they have any ECVs at the second park.
Epcot should be a good park to hop to since they do have many ECVs and I have seen them still for rent even in the early afternoon. But, there is no guarantee that there will be any ECVs at the second park, so you may have to settle for a wheelchair.
There is more information in post 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread - you can get there with the link in my signature.

Also, how does that work when I am in an ECV and I go up to a ride to get in line, where do I go? Where can they let me scooter myself up to so that I don't have to walk down the whole queue? Is there an alternate entrance? Do they let you scooter through the fastpass line? I am just curious where they put you while you wait to get on the ride.

The regular and Fastpass lines for most attractions are ECV accessible, so in most cases, you will be in the same line as everyone else.
As was already posted, you can ask the CMs at the attractions. One warning though - in same cases people have posted that CMs have assumed that by asking they didn't want to bring it in line, even when it could have been. So make it clear to the CM that you do want to bring it into lines as much as possible.
There are some attractions where the line is not ECV accessible, but is wheelchair accessible. You can ask to use an attraction wheelchair if you can't walk in line.
Those attractions are listed in post 11 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
You can also find them listed on the park maps and on a sign at the entrance to each line.
A picture of a stick person on a wheelchair means that the attraction is accessible to guests using wheelchairs and ECVs for the entire attraction. A wheelchair with the person getting out means it is accessible to ECVS and wheelchairs all the way to boarding, but all guests need to transfer to a ride vehicle.
A picture of a stick person getting out of the ECV and into a wheelchair indicates that the line is wheelchair accessible, but not ECV accessible. For those you would need to park the ECV outside of the line or transfer to an attraction wheelchair.

We went to Sea World today and although we didn't ride any rides (OMG THE GIANT RIDES THERE!! EEK!!) We did go to 4 of the 5 shows. I didn't get let in any sooner than anybody else but they did have an alternate entrance for me to scooter myself into away from the big crowds of walkers.

I am just curious what I do with the ECV while I am riding a ride? Do I remove the key and leave it with the strollers and have to walk the queue?

If you are parking the ECV and walking in line, that is exactly what you would do. The CMs are able to move it without a key, by putting it into a freewheeling mode and pushing it.

I don't think I can walk a whole queue but I might try it if I have to.

There are some attractions that have a very long queue, even if the wait is very short. For example, the line for Soarin' is 1/4 mile from where you enter the line until boarding and once your get done, the way out is 1/4 mile also.
Post 22 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread also has information about attractions where all guests have to stand for a period if they don't have a mobility device.

Posts 18-21 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread have information on the steps down required for different attractions to get into the ride car.

I have a temporary injury (I hope to God it is temporary) that makes it almost impossible for me to take more than about 15 steps before I have to stop or sit down. I have a sever stabbing pain in my left groin area right where it connects to your leg in the bend. I woke up with it Friday and it has gotten progressively worse.

And I know the smart thing to do would be to cancel the vacation and go home, but we are here and everything is paid for. I want to try to tough it out until I can get back home this Thursday and go get an MRI or something at my doc. I think he may tell me I just tore a tendon or ligament or something. I know it is not a torn muscle because I have torn a muscle before and it didn't feel like this. I cannot even raise my foot more than 6 inches off the floor or it feels like I am being stabbed in the groin. I can't put very much weight on it so when I do walk on it I have a severe limp. (I didn't mean for this to be so long and drawn out about what is wrong with me)

if you feel like you need to see a doctor before you go home, the front desk at your hotel can help you.

I am just curious what the procedure is about using ECVs at Disney parks. I am not real sure how I am going to get from the parking lot to the gates either. Any suggestions?

You may want to look into renting an ECV from one of the offsite companies since you would have it when you need it and would not have to worry about getting one. You also would have it to use at your resort. The are some companies listed in post 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread that a recommended by by DIS posters. They will all deliver to your resort.
It sounds like you are driving to the park. The off site ECV rental companies all have ECVs that can be folded up to fit into a car trunk.

Is there an ECV entrance for Soarin and Test Track? What about RnR and ToT?

At Soarin and Test Track, you can bring the ECV all the way to boarding. Soarin will be easy to get on, but Test Track is a big step in and out.
Rock N Roller Coaster and TOT do not have a separate entry for ECVs, but the line is wheelchair accessible and you would be able to switch to a wheelchair. Ask at the ride entrance. RnR is pretty smooth, but you may want to consider whether or not TOT is a good idea with your injury.