ECV just for fun?

[dawnhaze]

All I have to say is, try opening a non-automatic door by yourself on an ECV while balancing a CS meal tray on your lap, and then tell me how much fun it is...

 

[sukhakuli]

Have you ever ridden in one?

On one of our trips to Disneyland the scooter company my mom rented from delivered the scooter to the wrong hotel. It was a couple of blocks away, and mom can't walk that far. So, I drew the short straw and walked down there to get it and rode it back. By the time I got to our hotel my arms and shoulders were killing me. You have to reach way out in front of you to hold the steering thing, and then entire time you are driving it your arms are stretched way out. The seats need more padding, too. I can't imagine how uncomfortable it is to sit in it all the time all day. So, fun? Nope. Plus I felt like a dope, because I knew that I don't need it.

Oh, and they are ridiculously hard to drive. No wonder people get run over, the darn things don't stop, they slowly roll to a stop when you let go of the power bar. I ended up with a lot more sympathy for people who have to use them to see the parks. It is certainly not easier to use an ECV.

 

[POOHsie]

Don't forget the fun of getting yelled at when you hit someone- even though you weren't moving or they walked into you!!

Yeah, good times. I like when someone is taking a picture and backs up. Especially on Main St where the sunken trolley tracks are. I stop and put out my arms to catch the picture-taker. No sense trying to maneuver around and get stuck in the tracks. Or turn over.

I love the sidewalk ECV ramps... where walking folks stop to take a break. It's fun to temporarily interrupt people to ask them to please move for a moment. Stink-Eye sometimes ensues but most are friendly. Also love the auto-open doors that don't work when you press the button. And sure enough, someone will be along and open the door, then keep walking without holding it for you because you must be invisible or something.

At DHS, part-way down Sunset there's a bathroom on an alley. To access the ramp to the facility you have to get on the sidewalk. You pass a store with the doors wide open. Sure enough someone walked out of the store and right into my path. Surprised both of us, nobody's fault. Correction, bad design by Disney. The man was very gracious, but some other people would have yelled at me.

Eating at a CS? Sometimes a CM will hold you back, then direct you to the line you should go to. Great idea. But the lines aren't ECV accessible, except the one on the end because it doesn't have rails on both sides (and also, it has a blue handicap sign). Has a CM ever sent you to a non-accessible line? Happened to me. I ignored her and went to the HA line. I could hear her shouting to me as I scooted away. I'm sure I upset her. But I'm a Disney ECV vet. What happens to the Disney ECV-Noobies?

Lastly, the Disney buses. Really doesn't matter if there's a separate line for the ECV bus wait or if you go thru the main line until the very last, then scoot over to the back door wait area. There will be people who are looking at you and judging your "worthiness" to be on an ECV. Maybe you don't "look" handicapped (you're a cheater), maybe you look handicapped but you don't deserve to get on the bus first (special perk, even if you went thru the whole line, and even though you are let off LAST by the bus driver). Finally, after everyone is through watching you park your ECV on the bus (they could do it better, for sure!), you get up and sit in a regular bus seat. Some will think you don't deserve a seat since you have an ECV, some will think it's bad that your ECV took up 3 seats, but most will watch you get off your parked ECV. If you just stand up and walk, that's bad (you didn't need an ECV). "Lucky" for me, my legs have problems and I "look handicapped," so I "pass the test."

OP, go ahead and rent an ECV. Spend unnecessary money. Hope you have as much FUN as the rest of us ECV-ers at WDW.

 

[Toffeewoffy]

Last year I managed to do the parks on a walking stick (having had an arthroscopy on my right knee the previous October) taking it slow but sure and having plenty of breaks. However, my arthritis has got a lot worse in the last year, and I knew full well (going on how painful even standing up was around Christmas) that I was not going to manage this year unless I hired an ECV.

Well, luckily enough I hired one which had an adjustable tiller, so I was able to tilt the controls over to a natural position for me which meant I wasn't straining my arms.

However, as other posters have said, they are not easy to manoeuvre and I was forever coming to a dead stop so DD walked into me. Amazing how when I accidentally stopped the ECV stopped immediately. However, when someone decided last second that they absolutely had to hop across in front of me and I let go of the controls, I would keep going for as much as a foot before stopping! And don't talk to me about trying to reverse the blinking thing! The second one I had (the first one died in the rain) could lurch backwards really fast if I wasn't careful, and you know how when you know you're going wrong your hands clench? Well, I rammed at least 2 people in queues because I couldn't stop the blinking thing!

The lift down to the Dinosaur ride at HS is now dented on the inside (it's not actually the right shape to take an ECV so you can't get out again), and the two disabled toilets I drove/crashed into have dented bins!

Yeah, I really enjoyed the ECV - NOT! DD was always whinging that I was going too fast for her and I had to keep slowing down.

Oh, and some really rude people walked right in front of us while we were waiting in the FP return line at Dumbo as if we weren't there. Maybe I should have just run them over! The CMs should have said to them, "Sorry, but this lady was here before you." but chose not to get involved.

Most of the time the CMs couldn't have been more helpful: one helped me with my tray at Sunshine Seasons, carrying it all the way through to the drinks and desserts and even waiting at the check out while I zapped my Magic Band, and then carried it to our table where DD had gone ahead of me.

Getting on and off the park buses were a pain: most of the time there wasn't really anyone else waiting (because we got on at Martinique which is the first stop), but with all the faffing of extending the ramp, getting the thing on board and stowing it, it always added 5 minutes to the journey time. Coming back was also a trial: it meant DD and I were effectively taking up 5 seats between the two of us - and no, you can't sit in the ECV while the bus is moving: they'd have to strap you in and I think that would be unbelievably uncomfortable not to mention embarrassing!

The worst part was trying to get round the park at parade times: the CMs were continuously moving us on and I was so low down it was incredibly dark and claustrophobic. ... and I don't know if it's just me being unreasonable, but why do people decide to start lining the parade route 2½ hours before the parade is due to start??? At 6.30pm the walkway was narrowed to one person in each direction because so many people were lining Main Street. The parade didn't start until 9pm so what on earth was the point? And why do the CMs let them do this so early? It's a ruddy fire risk apart from anything else!

Sorry, rant over! I will be hiring a scooter again next year ... well, it's that or I may as well not go at all! (I used to drive one of these, too ...)

 

[Toffeewoffy]

I was admittedly sometimes jealous at the end of a long park day with aching feet of Mum's ECV, but I wouldn't want to actually drive one around. People were always walking in front or diving across at the last moment- made it dangerous.

And having to load and unload it from the car was a massive pain.

You forgot to mention the two times I ran over your foot ...!

 

[Sparkly]

You forgot to mention the two times I ran over your foot ...!

Oh yes, how can I forget. I'm surprised my poor foot wasn't dented.

 

[Mysteria]

Interesting first post.

 

[gratefulfred]

My wife and I took the inlaws to the cabins at ft wilderness. Both needed ecvs for the parks. When back at the campgrounds my wife and I used them a lot too zip back and forth to the pools and stores. It was fun and cheaper than renting a golf cart.

 

[ILUVALASKA]

Renting an ECV for no reason, other than "fun," supports the premise of Wall-E. Sorry, my opinion. We all need exercise and to stay fit. Tired of walking? Sit on a bench. My feet ache after a day at the parks, but it is to be expected.

 

[SolitaryPhoenix]

Interesting first post.

That was my thought...

 

[rj137]

Just for fun? you should be ashamed of yourself.

 

[tinkerpea]

All I have to say is, try opening a non-automatic door by yourself on an ECV while balancing a CS meal tray on your lap, and then tell me how much fun it is...

I agree but it sounds like this poster won't need to do that, since they don't actually need the ECV I imagine when its inconvenient they will jut park it up and hop off!

 

[SueM in MN]

Closing - Not sure why the OP came here, but ECVs for fun is not a subject for further discussion.