ECV and staying offsite

[Ambdoll5]

We will be taking my Grandmother to Disney with us this year and renting her a portable ECV as she has COPD and issues with walking long distances. We will be staying offsite at Mystic Dunes and driving to the parks each day and assembling the ECV but how exactly do we get into the park? We normally get on the tram from what I remember but know this will not be possible with the ECV. Just not sure how this works. Thanks!

 

[tobikaye]

Will she have a handicap sticker? If so, then there are handicap spots closer at each park where there are no trams. It is still a bit of a walk at TTC, but quite close at the other 3 parks.

If she does not have a sticker, she would need to drive the ECV and those with her would either ride the tram and meet her or walk along side her. If you arrive early enough, you should be closer to make the walk easier.

When I park at any of the WDW parks in non-handicap, I usually just walk into the park, except for TTC. At DHS and AK, I rarely find the walk to be that long. At Epcot, I am usually there early enough to be just past the handicap parking.

 

[gap2368]

if she dose not have a handy cape sticker I think you can drop her off at the front ( and who ever want to get off with her while you ( the drive) then goes to park you can then take the tram to the front at the end of the day you can pick up your car and then pick her up ( I think disney allows this)

 

[Ambdoll5]

She has a handicap license plate but we will not be taking her vehicle. I will have her check on the handicap sticker. Thank you so much!

 

[tobikaye]

if she dose not have a handy cape sticker I think you can drop her off at the front ( and who ever want to get off with her while you ( the drive) then goes to park you can then take the tram to the front at the end of the day you can pick up your car and then pick her up ( I think disney allows this)

There are drop off locations, but I think that at some of the parks you have to exit then re-enter to park after dropping off. I know for TTC, you would go around like you were going to one of the MK area resorts to drop off. Then that person would have to go back out and enter again to get to parking. I am not 100% sure on the other parks though.

 

[Bete]

I'm not sure you can have a handicap license and a placard at the same time. You can have one or the other.

Also, I'm not sure if you can temporarily transfer handicap license plates from her car to your car.

You will probably have to discuss this with your motor vehicle bureau and your doctor. You may have to get a placard now for the trip and turn the handicap license in for now. Then, when you get back you go get the plates again. There will probably be a cost associated with doing this. You can transfer placards from car to car without a problem.

The other posters have given good advice. You can drop off and have someone be with her while you park. You may be able to tell the parking attendant about the need to drop off grandma with the scooter and they may let you ride into handicap parking without parking there. Then, you can park and meet. This may not work.

 

[tobikaye]

I'm not sure you can have a handicap license and a placard at the same time. You can have one or the other.

In Ohio, you can have both. My mom has a handicap license plate and 2 placards. She actually just renewed her placards. She keeps one placard in the car without the license plate and one with her for when she is goes out and someone else drives.

 

[Bete]

In Ohio, you can have both. My mom has a handicap license plate and 2 placards. She actually just renewed her placards. She keeps one placard in the car without the license plate and one with her for when she is goes out and someone else drives.

Hope that is true for the original poster.

 

[SteveMouse]

For all the parks, even if you DON'T have your disabled tag with you, the cast members can direct you to close-in parking for mobility issues including use of ECVs or wheelchairs, just tell the Cast Member when you pay for parking- they will direct you accordingly (just be SURE not to park in a space actually marked for disabled parking (usually marked in blue paint) if you don't have an appropriate tag- you can be ticketed).

 

[SueM in MN]

For all the parks, even if you DON'T have your disabled tag with you, the cast members can direct you to close-in parking for mobility issues including use of ECVs or wheelchairs, just tell the Cast Member when you pay for parking- they will direct you accordingly (just be SURE not to park in a space actually marked for disabled parking (usually marked in blue paint) if you don't have an appropriate tag- you can be ticketed).

Just what I was going to write.

So, you have the option of dropping her off or letting a CM know you are traveling with an ECV and don't have a handicapped parking permit.

I would also check with your individual state department that issues handicapped parking permits. Most states do have a mechanism/process for issuing a handicapped hangtag in addition to a license plate without turning in your license plate. They realize people travel or their vehicle might not be usable at all times, but their needs for parking don't change.
It's not something that is usually right out in the state's handicapped parking information, but is available if you ask for it.

 

[Ambdoll5]

Thank you guys so much!

 

[stitchlovestink]

In Ohio, you can have both. My mom has a handicap license plate and 2 placards. She actually just renewed her placards. She keeps one placard in the car without the license plate and one with her for when she is goes out and someone else drives.

MD is similar. You can have 2. So you could put plates on one vehicle and get one placard, 2 sets of plates, or 2 placards.
In MD, you absolutely could not transfer the tags from one vehicle to another, that would be illegal. The tags are registered to that vehicle. (That may have have been suggested by another poster and not a part of this post.)