ECV charging in corridor

[Simba's Mom]

I've been a solo traveler with an ECV and let me tell ya, with how heavy these resort room doors are, it is not easy getting an ECV in or out.
I had a door stop but it was no match for that door. I'll look into that Stoppy. I also thought maybe wedging a cane (with rubber grip and foot) to hold the door open up near the top of the door but I was afraid it would mark the paint or the door.

I should have asked at Bell Services what they use to prop the door open because the guy used something to hold it open while bring the luggage in. He wedged it in the gap between the door and one of the hinges.

As a fellow solo ECV driver, I fowl your pain And I also have yet to find a door stopper that works What seems to work for me, sort of, is to use my cane, which has a rubber tipped base (actually it's a base I bought at Walmart about 2 inches in diameter)

For anyone thinking of charging their ECV in the hall, in all my stays I found ONE room at ONE resort, BCV, where I felt safe to do it It's room 516, which has no rooms past it, nothing except a wall, and it has its own entryway But even then, I only left my ECV in the hall to charge during the day, if I came back to rest

 

[Bjkandma]

I've only been fortunate to stay at Kidani once with my then 6 year old granddaughter, just the two of us. Well there was a plug right outside our door and some ones scooter was parked there. Made it extremely inconvenient for me to go into or out of the room. Yes I was new to using a scooter, but the way the scooter was parked I could not safely turn that way. In my opinion, it was rude and inconsiderate. Funny, the scooter was always parked regardless of if I was coming or going.

 

[DisneyOma]

Unless the fire is inside your own room, you're better off staying put. But seriously it's telling that a hotel hallway with a half dozen housekeeping carts along the wall is considered normal but as soon as someone puts an ECV in the same spot they're dooming the rest of us to a fiery death. Are we supposing that, in the event of a fire, the MouseKeepers will move their trolleys to a different spot? I promise you, they will not.

And to keep things in perspective, in all of the United States together, only about 5 people die each year in Hotel and Motel fires, and let's be honest, those are not happening at resort hotels. As I'm pulling picture of WDW resort hallways, most of them have more than 4' left over with an ECV parked along the wall; most appear to have 6. A 44" wide corridor for egress in an emergency is a necessity. More than that is a convenience.

But if a 30" wide ECV along the side of an 8' hallway scares you, imagine it in the 36" wide entrance area inside the room. Imagine that bit of ballet that must be done to get that heavy door opened inward with one hand while moving a 200 pound ECV outward with the other.

That maneuver in the room is only going to affect the person with the ECV. Leaving it out in the hallway affects everyone. It's also much easier to move one of those housekeeping carts (which are meant to be pushed) than to move an ECV out of the way, especially if you don't know how to put it into manual/push mode. If people parked their ECVs in the hallway, what do you do if there are two right there and another ECV or stroller can't get by?

 

[Chickenlady]

In all of my years going to WDW and lots of other travel, I have never parked a scooter in a hallway. I can open my door, back up, brace the door open with my arm, body or whatever and enter the room. Sometimes, I may slip and the door slams shut. I can't imagine how low you would have to go to blame the rudeness of leaving personal items in the hall on my disability. No one should be leaving things in the hallway of a hotel. Just because you use a mobility device does not mean that you are allowed to make a mess and clutter up hallways. I have even used my scooter on a cruise! We were staying in an inside double room..............no room for anything, but my scooter fit fine and I was able to plug it in.

 

[Selket]

We stayed at Grand Floridian last New Years and the gentleman from bell services told us to leave the ECV in the hall and even took it outside of our room and plugged it in for us! We had transferred from French Quarter to GF just for New Years and he moved the ECV when he brought our luggage up from the transfer. He told us the halls were plenty wide, but that we should always take our key with us. This was a well established bellman (said he'd been there for several years.) We were towards the end of a hall so I'm guessing this was why he said it would be fine. Some of the more frequently traveled hallways it may have been in the way, Beach Club, Yacht Club and Poly main halls it would be in the way. So, I guess my answer is 'Maybe?!'

I just wanted to say I had a similar thing happen to me the one and only time I've stayed at the GF. The housekeeper (in the hallway herself and not cleaning our room at the time) insisted I should park the ECV just outside our door. I don't know how to describe the area except that it wasn't a traditional straight hallway right there - more of a square area (staircase in the middle?). I don't remember but it didn't stick out or honestly would anyone have to walk around it the way the wall turned the corner to our room. I didn't really want to leave it there (plenty of room in that room to park it - heck we had a hallway in our room - lol!) but I thought maybe I had to do so at the time so I did. I hadn't rented an ECV often at that point so I didn't think much about it. I just think it's interesting - wonder if other GF guests have had that happen. I always put it in the room - not advocating leaving it out. I've stayed at Pop often and people do leave them out - kinda weird!

 

[mamabunny]

The "housekeeping carts" argument is not relevant - those carts do not sit in the same spot in the hallways for 8+ hours at a time.

Additionally, they are moved through the hallways during a time when the Resorts are largely empty, and all the Guests are in the theme parks.

Running a chain or bike lock through it is every bit as against the rules at the Resort Hotels as it is in the Parks. That is a WDW-wide rule - you are not allowed to lock anything up. CMs will get bolt cutters and/or drag it off if necessary. And I have actually seen CMs move ECVs from sidewalks at Moderate Resorts - for example, the sidewalks at POFQ/POR are narrow enough that a "standard" ECV parked outside the room prevents a housekeeping cart from rolling through safely.

But in the end, the fact remains that if you are responsible for an ECV - or anything else - leaving it out in the hallway, or on the sidewalk is not only irresponsible, but potentially a safety issue, if not a potential property (the ECV) loss issue as well.

You don't have to believe that bad things will happen for them to be true. I don't want to believe some of the crap I have heard and seen in the last 12 months, but that doesn't mean it isn't true, or didn't happen.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

A lot of worry-warts on this thread. Any argument against parking an ECV in the hall would have to apply to parking it just about anywhere. Or to parking just about anything just about anywhere.

1. Kids might wheel it away ... sure, they might do that to my motorcycle in the store parking lot as well.
2. or vandalize it... oh, maybe. Pretty rare and WDW is famous for their hallway surveillance. If anything happens to it you'll find out who.
3. Might cause a fire escape obstruction ... If there's outlets along a hallway or path then the path is enlarged to account for things that might get plugged in there.

My friend travels in a wheelie and we have left her chair parked, unattended in the open for literally the entire day. On a few occasions we even left the park and came back for it later in the evening. Leaving it in the hallway wouldn't even tickle my gag-reflex. Put a bike-chain through a wheel or pulling the steering to one side to prevent those meddling kids from wheeling it anywhere. Or run a chain from it under your door to a block if really paranoid.

Or clip a vibration alarm to it.

When I was far more paranoid about someone driving her little custom ride off at the park, I used to leave a cell phone in the onboard tool-kit. It was set to txt me if its gps noticed its location being changed. The handful of alerts all related to CMs moving it.

Point is... the actual risk is low and there's ways to mitigate even that. On the other hand, the hassle of getting in and out of some of the resort rooms, on top of the obstruction it creates within the room are persistent detriments to enjoying one's vacation.

Electrical outlets in the hall are not for guests to plug things in to. They are for the cleaning crew and maintenance men to use for vacuums and other equipment.

 

[Lilsia]

I guess I don't understand why some people think that just because someone has a mobility issue, that they can leave their personal items in a hotel hallway. Unless it's the theory of "my life is hard enough so I can do whatever I want". Most people have some kind of medical need but still follow the rules. I have a medical need to where I need to use the restroom urgently, but I still wait in line. I don't inconvenience others by cutting. This is one of my biggest pet peeves in life, that someone who has some kind of issue(like the rest of us don't) feel that they can just do whatever they want.

 

[cobright]

I just think it's interesting - wonder if other GF guests have had that happen.

My friend and I have had this exact bit of direction from a resort CM at most of the resorts.

Electrical outlets in the hall are not for guests to plug things in to. They are for the cleaning crew and maintenance men to use for vacuums and other equipment.

There's no need to leave the ECV outside the room, and the outlets out there are for the Mousekeepers to use.

Well someone needs to tell that to the Resort Management. Like most hotels, WDW resorts do not put a lot of easily accessible AC receptacles. What's available is usually like a desk or nightstand outlet on a cord to a receptacle. More often than not, when asking where we might find an 11Amp rated AC circuit for my friends powerchair we've been told the outlet in the bathroom is rated for the hair dryer but if that obstructs the exit we can park in the hall if we prefer.

That maneuver in the room is only going to affect the person with the ECV. Leaving it out in the hallway affects everyone. It's also much easier to move one of those housekeeping carts (which are meant to be pushed) than to move an ECV out of the way, especially if you don't know how to put it into manual/push mode. If people parked their ECVs in the hallway, what do you do if there are two right there and another ECV or stroller can't get by?

Better to sacrifice a handicapped in the event of a catastrophe than ask people to make due with a 6 foot wide hallway instead of an 8 foot hallway for two strides? I'm not saying anyone should leave a scooter parked in a 5' hallway. I'm saying that in many hallways, the 24-30 inch width of a parked scooter does not reduce the corridor width to be smaller than code requires. In those cases, it's just not a safety issue.

And since it was brought up... where would you move a housekeeping cart that wouldn't create more chaos during an emergency? Like, there's an alarm and everyone is told to evacuate and as you're trotting down the hallway it seems to make more sense to pull maid carts off the wall and push them somewhere rather than just use the other two-thirds of the hallway?

I can't imagine how low you would have to go to blame the rudeness of leaving personal items in the hall on my disability. No one should be leaving things in the hallway of a hotel. Just because you use a mobility device does not mean that you are allowed to make a mess and clutter up hallways.

Well there's three arguments against this that I can see. One is concern of theft or vandalism. Which is a fair point. Another is that it could obstruct hallways. To which I say that in cases where leaving an ECV in the hall presents an actual safety hazard or inconvenience to others, one should definitely find another solution.

But to these concerns we should now add that parking a cart makes the hallway look messy? That it's rude to leave that thing you need for your vacation but that also will not fit safely in the room (at least while charging) outside the door in an extra wide hallway ... because other guests may not like to look at it?

The "housekeeping carts" argument is not relevant - those carts do not sit in the same spot in the hallways for 8+ hours at a time.

I think it's a fair comparison. Those carts occupy some place in the hallway for 8+ hours at a time. They are roughly the same footprint as an ECV and in an emergency they are roughly the same obstruction, albeit one that moves 50' every 90 minutes or so rather than staying put.

Additionally, they are moved through the hallways during a time when the Resorts are largely empty, and all the Guests are in the theme parks.

And an ECV in the hall spends most of it's time there at night when all the guests are asleep.

And unlike a housekeeping cart, shortly after any event that requires evacuation, a mobility device parked in the hallway will become occupied by the disabled person who put it there and used to evacuate.

The very fact that to come up with a safety argument against the practice one must envision a raging fire filling hallways up with smoke. In reality, you're more likely to get injured by a car in the parking lot.

With the exception of ECVs/Chairs parked in narrow hallways, what this complaint usually comes down to is ... "I don't like it."

Right? Because you can decide not to do it yourself because there is a risk that vandals and meddlers will screw up your gear, but someone else deciding to take that risk isn't putting you out. But people still don't like to see it ... So they come up with an improbable situation in which that ECV, for the minutes it's there before being ridden away by its owner might some how keep other guests from using the other 5 or 6 feet of hallway width. Out of all of the fears people have about being injured by an ECV at WDW this one is the least justified... by several orders of magnitude. Near as I can tell, you're more likely to die by drowning in a building fire than by anything relating to an electric wheelchair. I've actually found a case where that happened.

I think the most honest argument so far is that people don't like to see the powerchair in the hallway. It disturbs the theming of the Disney property. It looks messy. It makes their trip less Magical. Another is that, like a lot of things relating to ECVs, some people see it as getting something that the rest of us don't. The rest of us don't get our own line for the busses. We don't get a nice seat for the fireworks. We all make due without stealing 12 sq.ft. of hallway.

 

[Lilsia]

I think the most honest argument so far is that people don't like to see the powerchair in the hallway. It disturbs the theming of the Disney property. It looks messy. It makes their trip less Magical. Another is that, like a lot of things relating to ECVs, some people see it as getting something that the rest of us don't. The rest of us don't get our own line for the busses. We don't get a nice seat for the fireworks. We all make due without stealing 12 sq.ft. of hallway.

People have said that they have a hard time getting past with their own mobility devices and strollers, so it is an obstruction. Your statement right here shows more that your defense is that "our lives are hard enough, we should be able to do this". That is a feeling, not a valid reason to leave your property out in common space. What if everyone just started leaving their things out in the hallway?

 

[cobright]

I guess I don't understand why some people think that just because someone has a mobility issue, that they can leave their personal items in a hotel hallway. Unless it's the theory of "my life is hard enough so I can do whatever I want".

It's called a reasonable accommodation. Fire codes require heavy spring door closers on hotel doors. Some people are disabled to the point where getting their mobility device in and out through that door is a burden. Also, the layout of some rooms is such that there isn't a place to stow an ECV and charge it for the next day's use without creating an actual unsafe obstruction. In these cases it may be more convenient, safer, or simply necessary outright to move the device outside the room.

As long as there is enough space in the hallway, I don't see why anyone would care. I've seen 3 or 4 people now complain that the outlets are there only for the hotel to use. Who says? The resorts direct people to do this, often. If they don't want it to happen, they can say something about it.

 

[Lilsia]

It's called a reasonable accommodation. Fire codes require heavy spring door closers on hotel doors. Some people are disabled to the point where getting their mobility device in and out through that door is a burden. Also, the layout of some rooms is such that there isn't a place to stow an ECV and charge it for the next day's use without creating an actual unsafe obstruction. In these cases it may be more convenient, safer, or simply necessary outright to move the device outside the room.

As long as there is enough space in the hallway, I don't see why anyone would care. I've seen 3 or 4 people now complain that the outlets are there only for the hotel to use. Who says? The resorts direct people to do this, often. If they don't want it to happen, they can say something about it.

I think you and I have two different mind sets on personal responsibility. I was raised to believe that your problems, no matter what they are, are your own and you don't visit those on other people. Everyone has their own problems and since we live in a society, we are supposed to do what is best for that society. We all have choices, we could take someone with us, stay somewhere else, get a device that helps with the door, etc. I completely understand your mindset, I just don't see life that way.

 

[cobright]

People have said that they have a hard time getting past with their own mobility devices and strollers, so it is an obstruction. Your statement right here shows more that your defense is that "our lives are hard enough, we should be able to do this". That is a feeling, not a valid reason to leave your property out in common space.

I've said from the beginning that when putting an ECV in the hallway creates an actual obstruction, it shouldn't be allowed.

I'm not sure what defense you're putting in my mouth here. In my comment that you cited, the italics are complaints abled people (like myself) have been heard to make about ECVs in the parks and resort areas.

What if everyone just started leaving their things out in the hallway?

Maybe WDW would start making room for those things inside the rooms?
This sounds an awful lot like ... "Dogs don't belong in restaurants. I don't like dogs, I don't want to be around one when I'm eating. Why should blind people or PTSD soldiers or whomever get to make their lives easier by bringing a dog with them everywhere? It sounds like they think "our lives are hard enough, we should be able to do this" What if everyone just started bringing a dog with them everywhere?"

The answer is that this one thing helps them to overcome a barrier to living a full life, it helps them get through one of the obstacles they face that the rest of us don't. And in the unfortunate circumstance that this particular thing causes you some annoyance, that is not reason enough to prevent the person from doing it.

 

[cobright]

I was raised to believe that your problems, no matter what they are, are your own and you don't visit those on other people. Everyone has their own problems and since we live in a society, we are supposed to do what is best for that society.

Right, but in the circumstance I'm defending, the disabled person has caused no problem for you other than exposing you to something you seem to regard as an eyesore.
You claim the value of personal responsibility, but let yourself off the hook for those attributes of courtesy: charity, grace, comity, temperance, and equanimity.
I get it. That person's disability isn't your problem. Expecting you to hold a door for her so it won't slam her chair is asking too much, but just asking you to walk by an empty chair in a hall is not. Is it? What does a wheelchair parked in the hall cost you?

 

[nursejackie]

I guess it doesn't matter what everyone's opinion is on this matter, it's the resort's rules that matter. Maybe contact them to check, and also give feedback on the difficulty of opening the door when a solo traveller, they may have a solution you never know.

 

[seshat0120]

Right, but in the circumstance I'm defending, the disabled person has caused no problem for you other than exposing you to something you seem to regard as an eyesore.
You claim the value of personal responsibility, but let yourself off the hook for those attributes of courtesy: charity, grace, comity, temperance, and equanimity.
I get it. That person's disability isn't your problem. Expecting you to hold a door for her so it won't slam her chair is asking too much, but just asking you to walk by an empty chair in a hall is not. Is it? What does a wheelchair parked in the hall cost you?

You do realize that there are people with vision impairments and it causes and obstacle for them where none is expected? A housekeepers cart is expected in the hallway of a hotel. Someone leaving an ECV in the hallway is not.

 

[Chickenlady]

ECVs left in the hallway are in the way for other guest.....especially guests with other mobility devices, including crutches and other ECVs. I have travelled alone with an ECV and another ECV parked in the hall can be enough for me to be stuck when I'm trying to get by with my luggage. And while I sympathize with the door opening, it has never been a big problem for me. Also, if you read my post, I have stayed in many, many hotels around the world, on a cruise and at WDW and have NEVER been unable to fit my device in my room. At WDW, we almost always have a full room and we have stayed at everything from DVC, deluxe, moderate and economy. ECVs will fit if you take the time and effort to figure it out. Sometimes, it's not your favorite place to put the thing but they do fit. If you can't drive the device well enough to park it in the room, put it in freewheel and move it that way. In Feb. we were at All Star Sports, renovated room, both beds pulled down and left that way. I could easily fit my device with plenty of room to add at least one other. I think some people think that because they are disabled they are allowed to complain or break rules, just to get more room in an already small room.

 

[Heather07438]

I try to look at it from a ‘what if everybody’ perspective. Alot of people use ECVs at WDW, way more than do in regular life. We are one of those because DH cant walk more than a mile a day without agony. Don't need it at home; need it at WDW.

If everybody started leaving ECVs out in the hall it could become an obstacle course and the people who’d be most obstructed by it are other ECV users. If there was an emergency at night it could especially be a problem. It doesn't necessarily have to be a deadly fire, it can be noxious smoke or fumes, a cuckoonut or a dozen other things people might want to avoid in a hurry.

After reading thru these comments I feel that if you can deal with it, it's best to take your ECV into your own room for charging (which is probably the majority of cases). That makes it easier for those who cannot because the overall impact from the rest of the ECV riding community has been lessened.

 

[Lewisc]

I understand not official Disney info...First time I rented an ECV from Gold I asked. Disney rule says scooters can't stay in the hall BUT Disney will usually let it slide if putting the scooter in your room us an issue.

Asking to have furniture removed from the room is a good suggestion

 

[Lilsia]

I've said from the beginning that when putting an ECV in the hallway creates an actual obstruction, it shouldn't be allowed.

I'm not sure what defense you're putting in my mouth here. In my comment that you cited, the italics are complaints abled people (like myself) have been heard to make about ECVs in the parks and resort areas.


Maybe WDW would start making room for those things inside the rooms?
This sounds an awful lot like ... "Dogs don't belong in restaurants. I don't like dogs, I don't want to be around one when I'm eating. Why should blind people or PTSD soldiers or whomever get to make their lives easier by bringing a dog with them everywhere? It sounds like they think "our lives are hard enough, we should be able to do this" What if everyone just started bringing a dog with them everywhere?"

The answer is that this one thing helps them to overcome a barrier to living a full life, it helps them get through one of the obstacles they face that the rest of us don't. And in the unfortunate circumstance that this particular thing causes you some annoyance, that is not reason enough to prevent the person from doing it.

My question is, what I am hearing is that people need to leave their ECV's out in the hallway because they can't get them in the room. It's not a space issue, since many have said that they fit theirs just fine. If it is a door issue, how are you opening the door to get into the room then? Why can't you get up, open and prop the door, and then ride the ECV into the room? Or has nobody thought of that? That's what I would do. And your service dog analogy is just ridiculous. People have no issue with service dogs, it's the lap dogs that people bring in inside their purse that makes people angry.