ECV and Friendship Boats?

[gottagetback]

Hello:
Does anyone know if you can board the Friendship Boats in Epcot with an ECV?
Thanks in advance!

 

[mrsksomeday]

Hello:
Does anyone know if you can board the Friendship Boats in Epcot with an ECV?
Thanks in advance!

Yes they can, they enter from the back of the boat. Only two mobility devices can be on the boat at once unless you are in a manual chair that can be folded.

 

[SueM in MN]

To add to hat mrsksomeday wrote, there are some pictures (along with more information about ECVs, wheelchairs and transportation) in post 8 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
You cn find that thread near the top of this board or follow the link in my signature.

The exception is park rental ECVs with large bumpers - the ramp to get on nd off the boats is too steep and the bumpers hit, so they can't get onto the Friendship boats.

 

[ChristineNic]

On at least three occasions, DH has been denied boarding the Friendship Boats in his ECV. He choose take alternate transportation and not pursue the issue.

 

[cynzilla]

I have taken the Friendship Boats at Epcot many a time with success.

The only thing I find difficult is they have you maneuver INSIDE the seating area and it takes a few dozen 3 pt turns!

 

[GGGhosts]

So...do you think my 80 year old mom can manuever those 3 pt turns? I hope this will be fairly easy for her so she doesn't worry!

 

[stitchlovestink]

I have taken the Friendship Boats at Epcot many a time with success.

The only thing I find difficult is they have you maneuver INSIDE the seating area and it takes a few dozen 3 pt turns!

Interesting....I didn't have so much of a problem with that. They just wanted me to 'pull' into the HC 'parking' spot. The biggest problem I have encountered is that people think that it is a stroller parking lot. And they don't bother to get up to come and move/fold up their strollers. And then when the Captain asks, they sometimes are Rude about it, like the ECV is taking up the strollers spot when it is truly the other way around!!

 

[gottagetback]

Excellent news. Thank you for all the insights. We are renting from Apple so, hopefully, we won't have a problem.

I also wonder if it's okay to park the ECV in a designated spot for a long period of time (maybe an hour or more) in case my mom is up to walking and until she's ready for it again. Anybody have any insight on this?

 

[lanejudy]

Excellent news. Thank you for all the insights. We are renting from Apple so, hopefully, we won't have a problem.

I also wonder if it's okay to park the ECV in a designated spot for a long period of time (maybe an hour or more) in case my mom is up to walking and until she's ready for it again. Anybody have any insight on this?

Absolutely! She can park it in stroller parking and walk when she desires, just take the key with her.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[stitchlovestink]

Excellent news. Thank you for all the insights. We are renting from Apple so, hopefully, we won't have a problem.

I also wonder if it's okay to park the ECV in a designated spot for a long period of time (maybe an hour or more) in case my mom is up to walking and until she's ready for it again. Anybody have any insight on this?

I noticed last week that Tomorrowland now has a designated ECV parking area near the bottom of the TTA just about opposite Buzz Liteyear SpaceRanger Spin. So if she wants to walk in the Tomorrowland area, that would be a great place to park it. Otherwise, just don't be surprised if you come back and find it has been moved because it seems CMs were putting scattered ECVs into this general area by placing them in neutral and then pushing them there. I guess they are trying to corral them the way they do the strollers?? The nicer part is that it is under cover IIRC!!

 

[chaoslobster]

Some of the special larger ECVs won't make it on either for the same reason the park rentals aren't able to. In general, if your scooter is a 3 wheel there shouldn't be an issue with the boats. If it's a 4 wheel there MAY be problems depending on the design and bumper placement. The people at Apple might be able to tell you which model(s) have the low oversized bumper that has trouble on ramps. All I know for sure is that I have seen a 4 wheel scooter get stuck trying to make it onto the boat from Epcot to DHS, and it was a rental from Care Medical, not a park ECV.

If your mom is worried about guiding the scooter into the boat, just put it into manual and have someone push it into place. You can do that on the buses too if she's having trouble in tight spots. It's pretty common, many people using scooters at Disney don't own them at home and aren't used to maneuvering.