ECV and Test Track

[Simba's Mom]

I'm just curious, what have been peoples' experiences with using an ECV and Test Track? As a recent solo with an ECV for the first time, my experience struck me as odd. The CMs at the entrance told me that my only option was to park my ECV and walk through the ride. Then afterwards, I would have to walk around to the entrance where I had left my ECV when getting on the ride. That was a lot of walking for me! The only other option, they said, was to use a manual wheelchair, with someone pushing me (my companion, if I had one). But since I was solo, I had to walk or skip the ride. Are there any other rides like that-where using an ECV in a long line isn't an option? I left my ECV outside at TSMM, Living with the Land, and Soarin, but the queue didn't seem nearly as long as at Test Track.

 

[gap2368]

soaring has a very long line I think longer then TT but I have never done the stand by line so I do not know how much back and forward you do.

 

[Toffeewoffy]

Well, that's totally wrong. I have taken my ECV into Test Track every single time! You take it right up to the platform where they load the cars, you then leave it with one of the CMs there (with the key) and while you're on the ride they take it up in the lift and back down onto the exit platform where it's waiting for you when you get off the ride.

At Soarin' I took my ECV inside and parked it against a pillar right next to where we were sitting. Again, I was then able to just get back in it and drive out through the exit.

You can also take your ECV into TSMM. You turn right instead of forward to queue up the stairs and you go into the wheelchair section, where you leave your ECV only long enough to walk 10 feet onto the ride.

There are not that many rides where you HAVE to leave your ECV outside (Pirates, and Buzz Lightyear being the only two I can think of at the moment).

 

[stitchlovestink]

There are not that many rides where you HAVE to leave your ECV outside (Pirates, and Buzz Lightyear being the only two I can think of at the moment).

Actually You also can't take it into lines for Space Mountain, "the People Mover", Enchanted Tales with Belle, Peter Pan's Flight, Journey of the Little Mermaid. Those require transferring from the ECV to a WC as well.
Well actually, I am not even sure that transferring to a WC for "people mover" is a choice....that one might require being totally mobile...

 

[Simba's Mom]

At Soarin, it happened as you described but not at Test Track. Hopefully, I'll get different CMs next time.

 

[SueM in MN]

At Soarin, it happened as you described but not at Test Track. Hopefully, I'll get different CMs next time.

My guess is that it was a temporary issue - either with the elevator OR that the area with elevators was already backed up and they might not be able to get your ECV back to the other side before you finished riding.

Getting an ECV to the other side of the track involves the guest driving it in line to to the boarding area.
Guests are sent to the left at the boarding area. If you would continue straight ahead instead, there is a small elevator.
The ECV or wheelchair would be put in that to go to a small walkway that crosses the track. On the other side of the walkway, there is an elevator that comes down on the opposite side of the track.
The walkway is at the same level as the seat belt check and is used for guests who need to be lifted into the ride car or make a transfer over the side of the ride car at the same. The area is very small and one wheelchair for someone on the ride is all that can fit there at a time. If one person is Aldo waiting up there for their chance to ride, there would be no space to transfer an ECV or wheelchair from elevator to elevator.

 

[Toffeewoffy]

Actually You also can't take it into lines for Space Mountain, "the People Mover", Enchanted Tales with Belle, Peter Pan's Flight, Journey of the Little Mermaid. Those require transferring from the ECV to a WC as well.
Well actually, I am not even sure that transferring to a WC for "people mover" is a choice....that one might require being totally mobile...

I took my ECV into Little Mermaid! It was all twisty and turny until the main room where the ride loads, and they pull wheelchairs etc out into a side area and lead you straight to the end of the belt to get on there.

 

[SueM in MN]

I took my ECV into Little Mermaid! It was all twisty and turny until the main room where the ride loads, and they pull wheelchairs etc out into a side area and lead you straight to the end of the belt to get on there.

my daughter has a wheelchair, so we go the same way.
Every time we have gone on, we have seen at least one person in line with us who was using an ECV.

 

[stitchlovestink]

I used to take mine in as well but then on one visit, they were requiring guests to leave ECVs outside and transfer. Maybe it was due to a unique situation that day. I have not ridden the attraction since. But I was going by my last experience and figured they had changed (just like Buzz Lightyear used to allow them but doesn't any longer). Wasn't trying to give incorrect info.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I used to take mine in as well but then on one visit, they were requiring guests to leave ECVs outside and transfer. Maybe it was due to a unique situation that day. I have not ridden the attraction since. But I was going by my last experience and figured they had changed (just like Buzz Lightyear used to allow them but doesn't any longer). Wasn't trying to give incorrect info.

So this makes me wonder whether it was the change was due to a temporary issue or a new policy. This was 10/21. Anyone go thru on an ECV more recently?

 

[Toffeewoffy]

Yeah - on Wednesday!

 

[elmoandzoey]

Do they require you to have a companion to push you in a manual WC when you can't take an ECV in the line? That would totally mess with our plans next trip for the rides where I can't take the ECV into the queue because obvisouly neither of my young kids wouldn't be able to push me through the queue - neither would I want them to even try in such a close environment, they'd probably bump me into people or things. Can't you operate those wheelchairs yourself?

 

[Toffeewoffy]

At Test Track you queue up a fairly steep slope. I doubt you could self-propel yourself up that slope in any event! As I said, you don't have to transfer - unless you hire one of Disney's tanks, perhaps, as they are so unmanoeurable.

 

[lanejudy]

Do they require you to have a companion to push you in a manual WC when you can't take an ECV in the line?

At rides where an ECV is not allowed into the queue, Disney will provide manual wheelchairs but they will not provide someone to push. You would need to have someone in your party push you or self-propel. Post #11 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread has details about which rides require a wheelchair instead of an ECV.

 

[elmoandzoey]

Thanks for the info. I wasn't thinking about having a CM by my side to push me, I was rather thinking about self-propelling me through the queue. There are a lot of our must-dos on the list that require a transfer to WC. Since I know we will not be able to get FP for all of them (like Buzz and Pooh), I most probably will need a WC for a few of them. If I can't get a WC just by myself, it would pretty much lock us out of all those rides except if they have a short wait time.

 

[Simba's Mom]

At rides where an ECV is not allowed into the queue, Disney will provide manual wheelchairs but they will not provide someone to push. You would need to have someone in your party push you or self-propel. Post #11 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread has details about which rides require a wheelchair instead of an ECV. I've copied the list below:

Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
"it's a small world"
Stitch's Great Escape!"
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Tom Sawyer Island Rafts
Walt Disney World Railroad
Universe of Energy: "Ellen's Energy Adventure"
Mexico: Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
The Land: Living with the Land
Tower of Terror
Star Tours
Toy Story Midway Mania
Rock N Roller Coaster
Affection section in Rafiki's Planet Watch
Kilimanjaro Safaris
TriceraTop Spin

I'm not sure I understand this list. Is this supposed to be the list where ECVs are not allowed in the queue? If so, and since most of my trips are solo (meaning I have no companion to push me), it would seem I couldn't do these rides. However, the last time I was at KS, they sent me through the queue in my ECV, as well as many other people, as long as we could transfer from our ECV to the jeep. After the ride, the jeep took us back to the same spot where we got off and our ECVs were waiting there for us.

 

[lanejudy]

I'm not sure I understand this list. Is this supposed to be the list where ECVs are not allowed in the queue? If so, and since most of my trips are solo (meaning I have no companion to push me), it would seem I couldn't do these rides. However, the last time I was at KS, they sent me through the queue in my ECV, as well as many other people, as long as we could transfer from our ECV to the jeep. After the ride, the jeep took us back to the same spot where we got off and our ECVs were waiting there for us.

I do not have recent first-hand experience as it's been quite a while since we traveled with anyone using an ECV, so maybe I've misunderstood the FAQ post. It did seem to be a longer list than I expected; I thought it's just a handful of queue that don't allow the ECV at all. Let me dig further for a more accurate list...

 

[Simba's Mom]

I do not have recent first-hand experience as it's been quite a while since we traveled with anyone using an ECV, so maybe I've misunderstood the FAQ post. It did seem to be a longer list than I expected; I thought it's just a handful of queue that don't allow the ECV at all. Let me dig further for a more accurate list...

Thanks! I'd really appreciate that info. I can't be the only solo traveler with an ECV who doesn't have a "pusher", that is, someone who can push them in a manual wheelchair.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks! I'd really appreciate that info. I can't be the only solo traveler with an ECV who doesn't have a "pusher", that is, someone who can push them in a manual wheelchair.

The list is accurate, but Disney's way of designating things is somewhat confusing and the information was copied from the park info.
They use the same icon for attractions where the queue is not accessible for ECVs as those which have a wheelchair car that is not accessible to ECVs.
That post is more useful for seeing which attractions have Mainstream accessible queues.

Instead of that post, scroll on down further to posts 18-21. They have more specific information.

 

[elmoandzoey]

I'm not sure I understand this list. Is this supposed to be the list where ECVs are not allowed in the queue? If so, and since most of my trips are solo (meaning I have no companion to push me), it would seem I couldn't do these rides. However, the last time I was at KS, they sent me through the queue in my ECV, as well as many other people, as long as we could transfer from our ECV to the jeep. After the ride, the jeep took us back to the same spot where we got off and our ECVs were waiting there for us.

That's basically what I am wondering as well. My kids can't push me and if I can't use the WC on my own, then it would not only shut me out but also my kids - I can't send them through the queue just by themselves. I don't need a wheelchair car at the ride, I can transfer by myself. What I have a problem with is standing for long periods of time like you'd have to do in the queue.

I also thought you had to tansfer to a WC for POTC to get through the queue - that one isn't on the list.