Another ECV question.. ??

[WDWRookie2009]

I am looking at the list of attractions where it tells you where to go, and some like Peter Pan say to park your ECV before entering. If the attraction does not say that then they can take it all the way up until they transfer on the ride? Snow White's Scary Adventure states " Enter through the exit, located to the right of the attraction entrance. A transfer accessible vehicle is available". So they get up and leave their ECV's right there?

TIA ~

 

[SomeDude78]

I have a heavy kid in a wheelchair, so not precisely an ECV, but probably close enough. Accessible rides basically fall into two categories:

- Take your wheelchair through the regular line.

- Take your wheelchair through a special accessible line, usually the exit to the ride.

In either case, once you get to the ride, you will either take your wheelchair onto the ride or transfer depending on whether the ride has a special cart for wheelchairs and ECVs. If you transfer, then the CM will park your wheelchair for you so it's waiting when you get off the ride.

For Peter Pan, you don't have to wait in the regular line. There's another accessible line near the exit for wheelchairs and ECVs. I haven't been on Snow White for a while but believe for that one you wait in the regular line and transfer when you get to the front.

EDIT:
I should also add that I can't recall any accessible rides that require transferring before getting in line. If the ride is accessible, then IIRC you should always be able to take the wheelchair through the line regardless of whether you ultimately stay in the chair or transfer.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I think most of the FL rides you would enter through the exit. Those switchbacks don't work very well with a ECV or wheelchair.

 

[SomeDude78]

P.S.
One more thing ... just a word of caution about the Monsters Inc ride in DCA: it may have been bad luck, but for that ride, it seems that boarding time is VERY limited even for disabled guests (meaning you have to get your wheelchair onto the ride extremely fast and they don't stop to give you more time like most of the other rides do). My kid's wheelchair has a control lever that's apparently longer than adult wheelchairs have, and the crew at the Monsters Inc ride couldn't manage to get it secured into the accessible Monsters Inc car fast enough. As a result the whole ride ended up being shut down because apparently (as it was explained to us) there's an automatic shutdown timer which triggers after a set amount of time. So yeah ... anyone who was there this past Saturday when Monsters Inc got shut down (we saw lots of kids crying), that was probably our bad due to long wheelchair levers...

 

[WDWRookie2009]

Thanks for the replies! And thanks for the heads up about Monsters Inc! My parents are getting ECV's but will have their canes as well. My dad recently had vein surgery on his legs so he can't walk or stand too long without pain and my mom has had numerous surgeries due to a car accident BUT she is able to walk with a cane and stand for a bit. So I am trying to figure out the places they will need to park their ECV for a ride. Hope that makes sense lol.

 

[SomeDude78]

Thanks for the replies! And thanks for the heads up about Monsters Inc! My parents are getting ECV's but will have their canes as well. My dad recently had vein surgery on his legs so he can't walk or stand too long without pain and my mom has had numerous surgeries due to a car accident BUT she is able to walk with a cane and stand for a bit. So I am trying to figure out the places they will need to park their ECV for a ride. Hope that makes sense lol.

Personally I'd go to Guest Services at the start of your visit, explain the situation, and request a Guest Assistance Card. That should allow you to take the ECVs in line for any accessible rides. They'll obviously still need to transfer to actually get on some of the rides, but I don't think anyone expects folks who need a wheelchair or ECV to stand in line for anything more than a few moments. From my experience the "park your wheelchair/ECV" thing refers to parking it while you're on the ride, not while waiting in line. (All of this is based on my toddler's wheelchair, though, so if there are differences for adult ECVs I would be completely ignorant there.)

 

[jdb in AZ]

Personally I'd go to Guest Services at the start of your visit, explain the situation, and request a Guest Assistance Card. That should allow you to take the ECVs in line for any accessible rides. They'll obviously still need to transfer to actually get on some of the rides, but I don't think anyone expects folks who need a wheelchair or ECV to stand in line for anything more than a few moments. From my experience the "park your wheelchair/ECV" thing refers to parking it while you're on the ride, not while waiting in line. (All of this is based on my toddler's wheelchair, though, so if there are differences for adult ECVs I would be completely ignorant there.)

If you have an ECV you won't need a GAC. DH and I both use ECV's and the cast members at each ride will tell you whether it's o.k. to drive through the line, or to use the exit. Sometimes there's a long line of wheelchairs and ECV's so the handicapped line ends up taking longer than the regular line.

 

[starshine514]

If you have an ECV you won't need a GAC. DH and I both use ECV's and the cast members at each ride will tell you whether it's o.k. to drive through the line, or to use the exit. Sometimes there's a long line of wheelchairs and ECV's so the handicapped line ends up taking longer than the regular line.

This is correct, an ECV is a common assistance device that is basically the equivalent of a GAC.

 

[NiceOneSimba]

Oh, and take the ECV key with you when you get on the ride. The CMs may actually move the ECV while you're on the ride, but they know how to do it without the key.

There are usually signs near the entrance of all of the rides that say what to do if you're in a wheelchair or ECV. Or just ask a CM. We found them to be really helpful.

 

[quiltymom]

They have a brochure available around the resort that lists the where's and what's about rides and wheelchairs (where to go, etc.) We were handed one at the security bag checkpoint when they saw mom in her wheelchair.

The CM's are extremely helpful. Some of the rides they've made large enough for the chair, like Buzz. On the Haunted Mansion she went as far as the steps, then walked up and a CM brought her chair up the stairs. You'll be fine as long as you're a bit patient when you get to the ride - someone will let you know what to do.