ECV parking on/around Main St. USA?

[kboo]

Hi there! It’s my 82yo MIL’s first trip ever to WDW and we rented an ECV but the crowds are so big here (crowd levels of 9-10) that she is too scared to drive it much in the parks. I think her reaction time is too slow when people step in front of her, so she is terrified of hitting someone. She can walk a decent amount for her age, but has had some knee problems that we don’t want to make worse.

So, we are changing our plans a bit and we will probably use it primarily for the longish walk Fromm BLT to MK, and probably find a place to park it fairly close to the park entrance while we walk slowly in the area. Any suggestions for places to park the ECV?

(It’s also complicated because I am 3 weeks post-shoulder surgery and we also have a double stroller with little kids. If I could easily push, I think we’d have rented a wheelchair and DH and I would have taken turns pushing the stroller and wheelchair.)

Many thanks!

 

[gap2368]

There is that side street half way down on the right you can park it in. Maybe when the crowd get really bad she can walk and you can drive the ECV until you cmgwt to a point that the crowds a less

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Hi there! It’s my 82yo MIL’s first trip ever to WDW and we rented an ECV but the crowds are so big here (crowd levels of 9-10) that she is too scared to drive it much in the parks. I think her reaction time is too slow when people step in front of her, so she is terrified of hitting someone. She can walk a decent amount for her age, but has had some knee problems that we don’t want to make worse.

So, we are changing our plans a bit and we will probably use it primarily for the longish walk Fromm BLT to MK, and probably find a place to park it fairly close to the park entrance while we walk slowly in the area. Any suggestions for places to park the ECV?

(It’s also complicated because I am 3 weeks post-shoulder surgery and we also have a double stroller with little kids. If I could easily push, I think we’d have rented a wheelchair and DH and I would have taken turns pushing the stroller and wheelchair.)

Many thanks!

i am not as old as MIL but have knee problems. the one problem with that plan is what happens when she needs ECV and she is at other end of area? there are very few places to sit and wait while one gets ECV. from another of your posts I would rethink your plan to not take ECV to EPCOT as it is a long way around World Showcase as I had major trouble walking there and back to transportation back to your resort. with the crowds how is MIL going to do if she is bumped in the crowd and yes it could happen with her walking

 

[gap2368]

Yes take the ECV to EPCOT. the monerail is very easy to get the ECV on and off ( straight on straight back) someone in your group can do this for her. If she can not handle the walk from the hotel to MK I can not see her doing EPCOT

 

[DisneyOma]

There is that side street half way down on the right you can park it in. Maybe when the crowd get really bad she can walk and you can drive the ECV until you cmgwt to a point that the crowds a less

I don't think that's a stroller/ECV parking area, is it? I'd think a CM would move the ECV to a designated spot and the OP would have to trek around looking for it.

 

[gap2368]

I don't think that's a stroller/ECV parking area, is it? I'd think a CM would move the ECV to a designated spot and the OP would have to trek around looking for it.

My friend parked hers there most of the day and then did a tour with someone that parked a stroller full of water there during the 6+ hour tour if it is out of the way and dose not interfere with the flow of traffic and there is no designated spot close by normally you will be fine

 

[kboo]

i am not as old as MIL but have knee problems. the one problem with that plan is what happens when she needs ECV and she is at other end of area? there are very few places to sit and wait while one gets ECV. from another of your posts I would rethink your plan to not take ECV to EPCOT as it is a long way around World Showcase as I had major trouble walking there and back to transportation back to your resort. with the crowds how is MIL going to do if she is bumped in the crowd and yes it could happen with her walking

Yes take the ECV to EPCOT. the monerail is very easy to get the ECV on and off ( straight on straight back) someone in your group can do this for her. If she can not handle the walk from the hotel to MK I can not see her doing EPCOT

Thanks for your input! I was thinking that we’d take the boats from the end of future world into Morocco(?) or Germany (?) that would save her some walking, but that still means a long walk from the monorail entrance of Epcot all the way through future world, right?

Crowds are supposed to be a 10 on our Epcot day, and MIL is uncomfortable driving her scooter if there’s any people within 10 feet of her. I’m concerned it’s actually a little unsafe because if she comes within 10 feet of someone in front of her, she stops abruptly, and people behind her almost run into her because they’re not expecting her to stop so suddenly. What is it like on a level 10 day?

 

[gap2368]

Thanks for your input! I was thinking that we’d take the boats from the end of future world into Morocco(?) or Germany (?) that would save her some walking, but that still means a long walk from the monorail entrance of Epcot all the way through future world, right?

Crowds are supposed to be a 10 on our Epcot day, and MIL is uncomfortable driving her scooter if there’s any people within 10 feet of her. I’m concerned it’s actually a little unsafe because if she comes within 10 feet of someone in front of her, she stops abruptly, and people behind her almost run into her because they’re not expecting her to stop so suddenly. What is it like on a level 10 day?

When are you going the only real time it is a 10 is thanks giving Christmas new year’s eve

 

[kboo]

When are you going the only real time it is a 10 is thanks giving Christmas new year’s eve

We are here now. Epcot day is planned for the day after tomorrow!

 

[DisneyOma]

My friend parked hers there most of the day and then did a tour with someone that parked a stroller full of water there during the 6+ hour tour if it is out of the way and dose not interfere with the flow of traffic and there is no designated spot close by normally you will be fine

I'm surprised (and actually rather concerned) the CMs didn't move the stroller, especially since it was full of water? Six hours is a very long time to leave something unattended, in an incorrect area in the parks. Security must have had a lapse that day.

 

[gap2368]

I'm surprised (and actually rather concerned) the CMs didn't move the stroller, especially since it was full of water? Six hours is a very long time to leave something unattended, in an incorrect area in the parks. Security must have had a lapse that day.

people do this a lot just about every time I go down that side street there is a stroller there I will go back a few hours latter ( this is one of my quiet places) the same stroller/ECV is still there. I also know people that leave stroller in the stroller area all day

not sure how this could be a lasp in secerity you have to have every thing checked before coming into the parks and if you wanted to do something I would think you would park the stroller ECV in a much buser part of the park then a side street that not many people go down.

 

[gap2368]

We are here now. Epcot day is planned for the day after tomorrow!

so friday. this is a lot of walking and if she does not want to use an ECV then a wheelchair I know you have small kids but I think they ( one )can sit on grandma lap while someone pushes her ( I know you can not do this with an ECV) but this way you would have one thing to push.

 

[Selket]

Would she be able to stay in the ECV if she drove it behind the person pushing the stroller? So maybe DH in front with the stroller and her behind with you beside her? Maybe she could practice this in a non-crowded area? Although it may be really odd, she could set the ECV all the way to turtle (the slowest it can go) which is usually fairly darn slow. Then if she stops suddenly - well - she isn't going very fast so anyone behind her isn't going to want to be behind her probably (maybe you can be behind and DH in front?

I've parked my rental ECV near Tony's Town Square (there's stroller parking there) and along the side near the hat store entrance. I've parked along that side street people reference (near the Pandora jewelry shop I think?) but not left it there long - only while I'm inside the stores. Tony's or near Crystal Palace works well for longer term parking.

 

[jo-jo]

How heavy are the kids? My DH, who has knee issues, walks better when pushing a stroller. At disney, he uses a wheelchair, but around home if we are taking kids for a walk, he'll always be the one pushing a stroller.

I'm not saying forget the EVC, but if you find yourself some distance from the EVC, walking with the stroller might help.

 

[DisneyOma]

people do this a lot just about every time I go down that side street there is a stroller there I will go back a few hours latter ( this is one of my quiet places) the same stroller/ECV is still there. I also know people that leave stroller in the stroller area all day

not sure how this could be a lasp in secerity you have to have every thing checked before coming into the parks and if you wanted to do something I would think you would park the stroller ECV in a much buser part of the park then a side street that not many people go down.

They have designated areas for strollers and ECVs for a reason - safety. If everyone parks their stroller and ECV here, there, and everywhere, escape routes for fire/evac are going to be compromised.

 

[gap2368]

They have designated areas for strollers and ECVs for a reason - safety. If everyone parks their stroller and ECV here, there, and everywhere, escape routes for fire/evac are going to be compromised.

There is no designated spot on Main Street witch is why I think they let this. I am not going to go back and forth with you since it is not helping the OP.

 

[DisneyOma]

Looking at the area on Google maps, there's an emergency exit at that point in the "side street" - that should never be blocked. There are two areas in the way back that could shelter an ECV out of the way, but one would have to be careful not to block access to what appears to be a bank of phones.

This entire side of Main Street backs the emergency/overflow route MK has from Tomorrowland to the front of the park. It's a 'hot route' - one that has to be kept clear for all kinds of reasons. If people start parking ECVs and strollers in these areas, it could cause a lot of issues in an emergency.

Also, as stated in another thread, sometimes what looks to be an empty spot is actually access to Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, a fun interactive game that has different portals around the park.