ECV for Disney cruise

[GinnerD]

Are there rental companies that offer this? Is it difficult to maneuver throughout the ship? how about getting on and off the ship and Castaway Cay?? Any information and advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[wilkeliza]

I believe there are ones that will meet you at the Port but they no longer can deliver to the ship to your room.

Waiting for elevators can be awful. Plan extra time if you have to use the middle one or before dinner/shows. I know that there are "ecv" parking areas so they can be charged and if you can't fit it in the room it has to go to one of those as it can't be left in the hallways. If you don't get a Wheelchair accessible room your ECV probably won't fit through the door and thus will have to be parked in the communal area.

Getting on and off the ship shouldn't be an issue if the ship docks correctly but if they "miss" by even a little bit there isn't a ramp to fix that. All shops have a small lip to them that make it difficult to bump over in an ECV and already have small paths so harder to maneuver threw.

For exploring the stops you'll have to look up vendors that have accessible vans or buses. Not all do and Disney does not guarantee their providers will be able to accommodate someone with mobility needs.

Check out the official website here https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/guest-services/guests-with-disabilities/ there are flyers at the bottom that are ship specific that will call out where you might have issues with a mobility aid.

 

[GinnerD]

Thank you! This info is very helpful.

 

[connie1042]

I have been deciding this issue for our cruise in Nov. I think it was Walker mobility that I talked to. They will bring it to the ship. But I am worried about the pool deck and the adult only area. Is it going to be to much of a hassle. I work at a store and someone came in and said they were on a Disney Cruise. I told her we were going on one and she said the ship is huge. I said I think I will rent a scooter, and she said she did , but the people were very rude on the ship. I didn't get to talk to her, because I got busy,but it made me wonder if it will be worth it. I did not plan on taking it off the ship. Still not sure what I am going to do.

 

[Mrsjvb]

the AO area is okay but they have a lot of loungers so the 'aisles' can be pretty narrow. also the lips between all the entrances are pretty high( on a ramp but still steep) I forget if CC is a tender port or not, if it is, that can be very problematic. it does however have the big fat wheels beach wheelchairs right as you get to the island and there are usually plenty to go around

the main areas of the ships are fine, but lounges and other areas with a lot of setting it can be difficult to navigate. and the entrance to a DR or two may be around the corner from the main one.

elevators will be a PITA.

keep in mind that they cannot be left in the hallways at all, not even for 5 minutes to change, and if you are at the far end of the deck the walk can be very long. IIRC the charging stations are by the center set of elevators.

if your issue is stamina , balance or stability related, a rollator may do the job just as well and would be far easier to maneuver.

 

[lanejudy]

Yes, there are companies who will rent and deliver to the port. Walker Mobility is in the Orlando area and quite popular for rentals at WDW, and they will also deliver to Port Canaveral; this may be a great option if you are doing a land/sea combo. Also Brevard Medical has delivered to Port Canaveral cruises for years. And Special Needs at Sea delivers to numerous ports including Port Canaveral. To my knowledge, the ECV will be waiting for you in your stateroom, unless that recently changed.

As mentioned, stateroom hallways can be narrow. In addition to housekeeping carts, people leave room service trays outside and sometimes people park strollers, ECVs or wheelchairs even though they are not supposed to do so; all this creates very tight space to get past. If you do not have an accessible stateroom booked, you probably won't be able to fit the ECV through the doorway to your stateroom, and even if you do there is nowhere to go with it due to room layout; DCL asks that all ECVs be parked in designated public areas if not in your stateroom (meaning not in the hallway outside your room) and that location will depend on which ship. You may need to have someone else in your party "valet" for you as it could be far from your room or even on a different floor.

There is a decent lip at the external doors to decks. Main hallways in public areas should be plenty wide. I recommend trying to stick to forward or aft elevators when you can as those aren't quite as busy. But they do get crowded anyway. Consider riding in the opposite direction and then back again if there is space in the elevator -- for example, from the main atrium ride down and then back up again to the pool deck. Within MDRs and lounge spaces can be tight as well. Are you able to walk at all, like to park outside the MDR and walk in to your table?

The first night I recommend that you arrive early at the Walt Disney Theater to find out the process for parking your ECV and accessing seats. If you need to ride the ECV into the theater to your seat, I believe they will take you in a side door a few minutes early and then park the ECV for you.

Castaway Cay is not a tender port so it shouldn't be any problem getting on/off the ship. The only issue at most ports may be the steep incline of the ramp, which I believe can change based on water level and which deck is used for debarkation that day. Grand Cayman is always a tender port; I'm not sure which itinerary you are cruising. At CC, be aware that an ECV isn't going to work in the sand so you'll have to stick to the paved pathways. DCL does offer beach wheelchairs on a first-come/first-served basis.

Enjoy your cruise!