Back from WDW. I've got a few questions and comments.

[edcrbnsoul]

Wow are we beating this dead horse again.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1266578

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1212407&referrerid=&highlight=ECV

No you dont get special privilages being handicapped or get to jump to the front of the lines.

Info thanks to Bill Sears:

A list of rides where wheelchair/ECV users do not go through the normal lines and have only thought of 7 1/2. Peter Pan, It's a Small World, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Jungle Cruise, Space Ship Earth, Star Tours and the last part of the line in Splash Mountain

 

[ogreenlee]

Well on the last trip I had with my husband, he was in an ECV and his stomach was really huge and it wasn't due to weight he had lung cancer
and his tumor took up not just his lung but other organs in his chest he died one month to the day after that trip. I'm sure your perception of him would be as you stated before and you are right to your opinion but sometimes things are not as they seem.

I stated in my first post that I wasn't pointing fingers at any particular ECV user, b/c I don't know which ones have problems and which ones don't. I just know, because of common sense, that the majority of the extremely overweight people do not have medical issues that resulted in their obesity, but rather the opposite.

My father had to use a wheelchair at WDW when I was 12 b/c he had slipped the day before on an oyster bed while visiting Tampa. He had major stitches in his leg, but to look at him, you wouldn't know that he had a problem. I totally understand that. They didn't have ECV's back then, but I'm sure he wished they did that day. He didn't want to ruin anyone's vacation, so we made the best of it. He did NOT want to be in a wheelchair. I'm sure your husband felt the same way. And I sympathize with your loss as I lost my father to pancreatic cancer not too long after our last Disney trip in 1987.

 

[ransom]

Ever consider many of these people might be obese because the same medical condition that prevents them from walking long distances also prevents them from exercising?

But doesn't weight gain come from taking in calories in excess of the calories burned, so eating appropriately would prevent anyone from gaining weight - even those who truly cannot exercise (the paralyzed, for example)?

 

[MareQ]

Now go ahead and call me ignorant and insensitive, but know that there are MANY people here and outside of this board who agree with me. They may not say it due to the high sensitivity level on this board regarding this issue, but they exist. I love Disney just as much as the next person around here, so I should be allowed to give my opinion as I see it.

Yup - very ignorant. May I ask - where did you get your medical degree from?

Even the MOST qualified Doctor wouldn't DARE diagnose a person without a full exam so I wonder how you are then capable of determining that a person's ONLY reason for being in an ECV is their weight and how you can determine taht their weight is ONLY due to overeating?

Are you aware that there are MANY MANY conditions that people suffer with that aren't obvious to the average person? They aren't even obvious to highly trained Doctors.....

It's always best to just keep judgements and assumptions to yourself when it come sto situations like this.

 

[missj1975]

I have to throw in my 2 cents. I think Disney should just quit renting out ECV's because I think people who truly need them already own their own and bring their own to the parks. I know I am insenitive but I am just so tired of being run over by obese people in EVCs.

 

[marivaid]

I am obese too (for both medical AND non-medical reasons) and would never use an ECV. I can walk just fine, *NEED* the walk, and know my limits. Plus I've never been too good with things like that and I would be scared to death of hurting someone!!
But I gotta say your post freaked the hell out of me. I'm already worried that I wont fit in rides (AH THE SHAME!) now I have to worry about what people around me are going to think when I walk by.

 

[beck0321]

Last year when DH and I were at WDW I didn't notice the whole ECV thing. I know a lot of people talk about them, and I was so oblivious to the whole thing I can't remember seeing even one! I was sort of "out of it" the entire time from swigging DayQuil all day, maybe that is why.
We are going IN TEN DAYS!!!!! So I'll have to see if I notice them this time. I think because I've read so much about them I will.
I also understand where you are coming from about the whole "overweight" thing. My mom is a personal trainer and teaches food service. She is very into the whole "living healthy (and sometimes splurging)" thing. She isn't the picture of perfection but she is very healthy and strong. Growing up with that, I think that is why I don't understand why someone would willingly let themselves get to that point without seeking the help of a personal trainer (your local YMCA has them for free) or Over-eaters Anonymous (sp?). I'm sure there are many many reasons, such as low self esteem. Other people, I'm sure, simply just don't want to make exercise and eating healthy part of their lifestyle. It's just hard for me to understand it, having not been in that situation myself.
I also understand why some people can not help the fact that they gained so much. For one, different medications can make you gain a significant amount of weight, and there's not much the person can do, even if they exercise every day.
But back to the EVC thing, I notice them more at the grocery store than I did at WDW last year.

 

[Mom2Em]

But doesn't weight gain come from taking in calories in excess of the calories burned, so eating appropriately would prevent anyone from gaining weight - even those who truly cannot exercise (the paralyzed, for example)?

Not necessarily... If the body eats too few calories, it can go in "starvation mode" which cause metabolism to slow and more fat to be stored...

 

[PrincessV]

Just one more thought on the subject - even lean and helthy folks may have occasional need of an ECV. I underwent outpatient surgery recently and was told not to undertake extensive walking for a few days. Had I gone to the Epcot F&W Fest as planned in the days following, I absolutely would have needed an EVC, despite being 5' tall and 100 lbs.

To be honest, I'm not at all bothered by folks using the EVC's for ANY reason they choose. What business is it of mine? Just please drive safely and we'll all get along fine!

 

[ogreenlee]

I am obese too (for both medical AND non-medical reasons) and would never use an ECV. I can walk just fine, *NEED* the walk, and know my limits. Plus I've never been too good with things like that and I would be scared to death of hurting someone!!
But I gotta say your post freaked the hell out of me. I'm already worried that I wont fit in rides (AH THE SHAME!) now I have to worry about what people around me are going to think when I walk by.

I'm not thinking anything of you when you walk by. I don't have to worry that my child is going to jet out in front of a pedestrian of any size. But when you get there, you'll see... there are WAY TOO MANY of these vehicles being used unnecessarily.


And to the other poster:
And do I have a medical degree? NOPE. But I do have common sense.

 

[MareQ]

But I gotta say your post freaked the hell out of me. I'm already worried that I wont fit in rides (AH THE SHAME!) now I have to worry about what people around me are going to think when I walk by.

It's a shame isn't it?? It just disgusts me. My mother, Grandmother and BIL all used ECV's on their last trip - yes all are overweight. Mom however was in the final stages of a losing battle with breast cancer. Yup - she could walk just fine short distances and you couldn't tell from looking at her how sick she was - she died 7 months after that trip.....

My grandmother had just had 6 months before a double knee replacement and 3 months after that a hip replacement. Yup - she could walk fine for short distances but long periods were still a bit too much for her at that time.

My brother is a foot amputee - again can walk just fine short distances but Disney World is way to much for him to walk on his own.

They got many nasty comments when they parked their chairs so we could get on lines. Maybe we should have printed out neon signs for them to wear broadcasting their "NEED" for the chairs so the judgementak folks could relax

 

[tmarquez]

Well add me to the list. I agree with you about the abuse of the ECV. We live close by and go quite often and see it everytime. I understand that you cannot "see" all of a persons disabilities (my grandmother had Lupus), but come on. Every time I go I see people that are obviously using these ECV's for the first time, unfortunately I think there will have to be a serious accident with injury before the rules about the use of these things changes.

On another sort of related note. I had read a post awhile back that had photo's of strollers at MK (I think). One was from the current year and another from maybe the 70's. It seems to me that back then there were not even close to the number of strollers in use. I strongly believe this is a part of our countries obesity problem. I know it's easier to put the kiddos in a stroller so they don't get tired (I have a dd4), but is that the best thing to do? I let DD use the stroller until she turned 4...now she walks. If she gets tired...we rest.

 

[ogreenlee]

And I think for my next Disney trip, I may just hightail it over to another country like France to see if they have similar problems. My guess is -no- even though I assume they accomodate for their special needs guests in the same manner as they do in the American resorts.

 

[ransom]

Not necessarily... If the body eats too few calories, it can go in "starvation mode" which cause metabolism to slow and more fat to be stored...

Good point.

Thank goodness that's never a problem for me!

 

[noodleknitter]

I have to throw in my 2 cents. I think Disney should just quit renting out ECV's because I think people who truly need them already own their own and bring their own to the parks. I know I am insenitive but I am just so tired of being run over by obese people in EVCs.

That is just plain silly. My mom rents off property, but we don't own an ECV. She is a cancer survivor, and we go to Disney after each round of chemo or radiation. She has no endurance. But Disney is one of the rewards for surviving.

Sure am glad you aren't worried about the non-obese ECV users...

And I think for my next Disney trip, I may just hightail it over to another country like France to see if they have similar problems. My guess is -no- even though I assume they accomodate for their special needs guests in the same manner as they do in the American resorts.

And, in France...they just cut lines without any excuse!

 

[ogreenlee]

I'm not a callous person. And like I said in my very first post... I absolutely LOVE that Disney accomodates for people who have special needs. It makes me love Disney that much more.

Yes, I guess it's the same as the pro-choice stance that I take. You either have to have it all or nothing, b/c it's too hard to weed out those who abuse the right.

 

[Mom2Em]

Sure am glad you aren't worried about the non-obese ECV users...

I was thinking the same thing... Obviously, only the obese are lazy and don't want to walk... non-obese must have something seriously wrong with them...

 

[marivaid]

I'm not thinking anything of you when you walk by. I don't have to worry that my child is going to jet out in front of a pedestrian of any size. But when you get there, you'll see... there are WAY TOO MANY of these vehicles being used unnecessarily.


And to the other poster:
And do I have a medical degree? NOPE. But I do have common sense.

The thing I dont get, I guess, is, how does this have an impact on YOUR vacation ? People dont get preferential treatment because they're using an ECV. Just different lines in SOME rides. It's been said over & over on the DIS that being on an ECV does not mean you'll get in front of the line. And it's DISNEY people they're not about to run out of ECVs. Yes they can be dangerous if someone doesnt know how to drive, but that's true for anyone not just fat people.

 

[ogreenlee]

It didn't affect my vacation except for the rides stopping midway thru... which really is a buzzkill after it happens a third, fourth and fifth time.

I'm just stating my opinion, which I have a right to do.

 

[marivaid]

And I think for my next Disney trip, I may just hightail it over to another country like France to see if they have similar problems. My guess is -no- even though I assume they accomodate for their special needs guests in the same manner as they do in the American resorts.

Better not be fat in France let me tell you that. And I've lived here all my life. Forget worrying about being too big for a ride, you'd be lucky enough to fit on a bus. It's the other way around. The US may do "too much" to make obese people comfortable, but the french simply do not want to see fat people anywhere and make it as hard as possible for us to get around.

Don't try Disneyland Paris though,people here may be skinnier but they're rude,nasty,and the rides stink.