Do wheelchair rentals sell out at super busy times?

[andrews_dad]

Will be down Dec 28-Jan 5th for our annual college bowl game/Diz trip. We know about the crowds, but this is the first year my 84 year old F-I-L will need a wheelchair. We will have a 1 year old in the group, so no way to get to the park very early. Do wheelchairs sell out on these super-busy times of the year.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

There is a very strong probability that ECVs will sell out, and also a good chance that wheelchairs and strollers may sell out.

I would suggest going over to the disABILITIES Forum. One of the first threads is the disABILITIES FAQs. On Post #2 we have a lot of information concerning mobility and some off-site vendors who will rent wheelchairs and ECVs for length of stay (which is good because they will also be used at the resort). To get directly to the disABILITIES FAQs from here just click on the link in my signature.

 

[BradyBz12]

Not sure about wheelchairs, but we actually had trouble getting an ECV for my uncle at Epcot last year during a relatively slow week. We arrived at the park around 11am and they put him on the waiting list. They finally beeped us around 1pm.

 

[dreamer423]

We just got back and my dad got a scooter from I think it was buena vista rentals (strollers/scooters). they were great. delivered and picked up from hotel, easy to charge and easy to use and less than ecv rental in parks.

 

[SueM in MN]

The vendors that Cheshire Figment mentioned that are listed in the disABILITIES FAQs thread are the companies that DIS posters have recommend most over the years. All of them will deliver to your resort and pick up when you are done.

 

[ktlm]

My MIL wound up needing an ECV after the 1st full day of our trip when her lower leg swelled up to the size of a watermelon (due to her shattering her ankle several years ago). She checked into renting at the parks. Even though it was a slow week and she was told she would have to be at the park before opening every morning, immediately rush to the line for ECVs, and even then, they usually sold out of the rentals pretty quickly. She rented from Walker Mobility. They were great. They brought it to the resort and picked it back up the day she left.

 

[pickles]

If you rent one not from disney, then you have to take the thing back and forth from the hotel with you..


I guess you cant reserve disney ones

this could make things tough for us

My mom walks, but is getting older and cant keep up in the parks, so we were going to get her ecv this trip, but she isnt going to want to deal with it on the buses

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) If you are staying on-site, get one from the resort.
. . . they are free (just a credit card imprint in case you lose it)
. . . they can be used at the resort, on buses, at the parks
2) If they are out, they can get one from a another resort.

 

[KPeveler]

1) If you are staying on-site, get one from the resort.
. . . they are free (just a credit card imprint in case you lose it)
. . . they can be used at the resort, on buses, at the parks
2) If they are out, they can get one from a another resort.

While this may be true, most people i have talked to have had problems with the resort ones, as they are really not meant to be taken away from the resort. they are not adjustable (i.e. if the footrests are too short, too bad), and they can be even heavier than the ones in the parks...

Also, i have never heard of them getting one from another resort. generally when the resort one is gone, they tell you to get one at the park

 

[mommy2allgirls]

We are going this coming Monday and Tuesday and decided to rent one from an off site place that way we have it just incase the park runs out.

 

[fostrmom2mny]

Definately rent one from offsite! Yes you have to load and unload from the busses, and monorails, but you have the peace of mind that she will have one. If she hasn't used one before, encourage her to practice on one at WalMart. Both of you will be glad that you rent one yourself. I have also found that the offsite ones are pretty good with service, and it's a bit cheaper for a week's rental, than from Disney.

I have used Randy's and they were great!
Gerri

 

[maroo]

Although I hear some resorts allow it, I hope that they curb the use of the resort wheelchairs at the parks. We had an urgent need for a push wheelchair last week and were very thankful the resort had one...If they had sent them all to the parks with guests, we would have been in trouble. Rachel can not stand or walk and her power wheelchair malfunctioned.

If you know your family member is going to need a wheelchair, please rent one from one of the many offsite companies rather than use one of the few that they have at the resorts.

 

[kayrosek]

Absolutley consider renting offsite. It's not any more expensive, in most cases it's actually cheaper. I found many ECV rentals for $30 a day and push wheelchairs for $10 (these are the same price as the manual wheelchairs at the parks but much more convenient). The resort wheelchairs are not really meant for someone to have to use for the whole day. They are stiff, heavy, unadjustable and very uncomfortable (the resort accidently gave us one of their wheelchairs instead of our rented one the first day and my husband was miserable). The chair we rented offsite was much more comfortable for him.