I just wanted to share my experience with renting an ECV at Disneyland this last summer. I am a Pooh-sized, 58 year old woman who has what many call "hidden" mobility handicaps.
I was diagnosed with Cardiovascular Disease 13 years ago and have 1 blood vessel on the outside of my heart that causes me angina when I walk long distances or am under stress. The vessel is too small for a Stent or anything else to open it up, so I just have to live with the pain. Although Nitroglycerine does help, the pain will only stay gone if I stop the activity that was causing it in the first place. I also have Arrhythmia but, thankfully, that's mostly controlled by medication.
Just recently, I've been diagnosed with Spinal Stenosis which makes walking, or standing, so painful that I am in tears after a short city block. Neither one of these disabilities can be seen by the average person so I get a lot of stares when using an ECV, not only at the Disney parks, but also at the grocery store or our local Walmart. But you know what? I've learned something over the last couple of years. To heck with what other people think! I can't begin to tell you how wonderful it is to go shopping without being in pain. And our Disney vacations? They are awesome now!
We went to Disneyland last August and I rented an ECV from an outside company and had an absolute blast the entire week we were there. Well..except for the day we went to Universal. They don't rent ECVs and I didn't have the kind we could transport. What a hellish day that was for me. All I can say is... Never again!
My favorite memory of our Disneyland vacation was the day we used our Early Morning ticket. As soon as I got through the gate with my scooter, I told my husband that I'd meet him in front of the castle and I was off and running..er..scooting. I had all of Main Street to myself. Feeling the wind and sun on my face gave me such a feeling of freedom. My heart was so light and I felt such joy! If I hadn't had the scooter, I would have still been back at the tunnel, already limping and in pain. Instead, here I was.. driving onto the drawbridge, through the castle and parking my scooter to ride on Peter Pan before my family had made it half way down Main Street. I was the first in line!
Another very special time for me was our last night. The family went back to the hotel, but I wasn't ready to leave yet. I rode my scooter on paths that I didn't even know existed then rode through Tinkerbell's Grotto. I loved it in there! I made my way to Frontierland, via the back path, went up the exit ramp and rode Big Thunder all by myself. Gosh..that was so much fun! I spent some time parked by the river.. just soaking in all that magic one last time.
I would never have done these things by myself without that scooter. It was a long ways to walk back to the hotel, but distance meant nothing at all on this vacation. If you have a mobility issue.. any mobility issue.. don't think twice about renting a scooter or chair. To heck with what people think! You deserve to be pain free just like those people who stare at you. Most of them probably take their feet, their legs, their heart and everything else for granted. I know I used to.
We all deserve the freedom to have fun and to be free of pain whenever possible. So swallow that pride, (you know that's what's holding you back) and treat yourself to one of those small miracles that life hands you.
I was diagnosed with Cardiovascular Disease 13 years ago and have 1 blood vessel on the outside of my heart that causes me angina when I walk long distances or am under stress. The vessel is too small for a Stent or anything else to open it up, so I just have to live with the pain. Although Nitroglycerine does help, the pain will only stay gone if I stop the activity that was causing it in the first place. I also have Arrhythmia but, thankfully, that's mostly controlled by medication.
Just recently, I've been diagnosed with Spinal Stenosis which makes walking, or standing, so painful that I am in tears after a short city block. Neither one of these disabilities can be seen by the average person so I get a lot of stares when using an ECV, not only at the Disney parks, but also at the grocery store or our local Walmart. But you know what? I've learned something over the last couple of years. To heck with what other people think! I can't begin to tell you how wonderful it is to go shopping without being in pain. And our Disney vacations? They are awesome now!
We went to Disneyland last August and I rented an ECV from an outside company and had an absolute blast the entire week we were there. Well..except for the day we went to Universal. They don't rent ECVs and I didn't have the kind we could transport. What a hellish day that was for me. All I can say is... Never again!
My favorite memory of our Disneyland vacation was the day we used our Early Morning ticket. As soon as I got through the gate with my scooter, I told my husband that I'd meet him in front of the castle and I was off and running..er..scooting. I had all of Main Street to myself. Feeling the wind and sun on my face gave me such a feeling of freedom. My heart was so light and I felt such joy! If I hadn't had the scooter, I would have still been back at the tunnel, already limping and in pain. Instead, here I was.. driving onto the drawbridge, through the castle and parking my scooter to ride on Peter Pan before my family had made it half way down Main Street. I was the first in line!
Another very special time for me was our last night. The family went back to the hotel, but I wasn't ready to leave yet. I rode my scooter on paths that I didn't even know existed then rode through Tinkerbell's Grotto. I loved it in there! I made my way to Frontierland, via the back path, went up the exit ramp and rode Big Thunder all by myself. Gosh..that was so much fun! I spent some time parked by the river.. just soaking in all that magic one last time.
I would never have done these things by myself without that scooter. It was a long ways to walk back to the hotel, but distance meant nothing at all on this vacation. If you have a mobility issue.. any mobility issue.. don't think twice about renting a scooter or chair. To heck with what people think! You deserve to be pain free just like those people who stare at you. Most of them probably take their feet, their legs, their heart and everything else for granted. I know I used to.
We all deserve the freedom to have fun and to be free of pain whenever possible. So swallow that pride, (you know that's what's holding you back) and treat yourself to one of those small miracles that life hands you.
I love your perspective! I know when we went on our trip, my first with an 
What was I to do? I got to live in someone elses shoes for a while. There are many hidden health problems. Some people need help for the long day but can walk to rides, lines and the bathroom (like me when I was prego). This doesn't mean you don't need the 
Loved your post. I have used a scooter the last 2 trips to WDW and now can enjoy myself again and not hold back the kids. I too am pooh sized and people look at me and don't see the arthritis in my knees and back just think I am lazy and fat. But I will never see those people again and I will see my family and spend countless hours reliving the memories of our Disney trips!!!!
