ECV "parking" questions

[the_green_machine]

Hi guys....Just wondering, my wife and I are heading to WDW in a week and a half. My wife has R&R MS and has decided to use a scooter while in the parks as she has some mobility/fatigue issues.

My question is...are there places where you can leave your scooter outside of rides, restaurants or stores while your on rides, shopping...etc?

 

[Talking Hands]

outside rides you can put it in stroller parking or take it through the line if it is accessible. Same with restaurants. Stores don't really have a place to leave the ECVs unfortunately.

 

[Piper]

Have you checked the FAQs at the top of this board? The reason I ask is because most lines at WDW are mainstreamed and she can take her ECV right into the line with her. It will then be moved by the CMs and be waiting for her when she exits the ride. There is a lot of information in the FAQs that may help you!

 

[cmesq61]

You'll see ECVs parked in varous places at rides, restaurants, stores. You can park in stroller parking, and FYI--sometimes your ECV will be blocked by carriages when you come out so just be prepared--or have someone with you--who can move the carriages for you. Also, you may want to keep a cane for walking. I can no longer walk unassisted beyond about 3 steps so I keep my cane and use it when I get out of the ECV. As for stores, I've found most stores can accommodate an ECV so long as you are an able driver. I Have RRMS and the World is my very favorite place cause I can pretty do much anything! Have fun!

 

[Bete]

you have to have some common sense. For example, don't block walkways or doors.

If there is going to be a parade going on you can't park and interfere with it. The CMs will move the scooter on you if you do for the parade. You can't be in the area where the floats will be. Sometimes, this is obvious when the ropes are up for the parade, but sometimes it's too early and you can get caught putting the scooter in the wrong place.

Many scooters do park near the strollers. We have used the sides of restaurants to park when eating there. We go close to the building in that case.

Keep in mind, scooters can go through the mainsteam lines for the rides. The scooters will park in a designated area just before the ride. In some cases the scooter will be moved to the exit area by a CM. Some rides I wouldn't want to walk like Soarin' in Epcot and the Lights, Motors and Action Stunt show is a very long walk in HS; so, definitely use the scooter all the way in those instances. For Soarin' you have to use an elevator to get to that level in The Land. For the Stunt show you may or may not use an elevator depending where you get placed for seating. For many shows you can drive the scooter into the theater.

Scooters are basically treated like a wheelchair for accessibility to the shows. Usually, you will go into the theater first to get situated in designated areas for scooters and wheelchairs. For rides you will follow the handicap line and park at a designated area.

 

[asoko]

I have RRMS too. Went to Disney last Sept/Oct. If they make you leave the scooter outside a line, make sure to tell them walking a distance/standing for a time is the issue. The first time on Star Tours they sent me straight up the ramp, the second time just into a fast pass line that was as long as the regular line. I was whipped and grumpy by the time I got to the ride. The other problem I had was on the Safari in Animal Kingdom. The line divided for wheelchairs/scooters. The problem was that they had 1 vehicle for all of us, so our line was much longer than the regular line. They finally added another bus and they were both filled with those of us waiting. My recommendation for that is if you can walk at all, get a fast pass and take that line, you can't tell the handicap is full or taking a long time until it is too late to get out. I don't know if you can ride and then drop off where they put the strollers. That might be a good question to ask.

Other than that, I had a wonderful time. Don't be afraid to ask for whatever you need to make it a good trip. They are more than willing to help.

 

[SashaFarce]

We park ours in stroller parking quite frequently. I primarily use it just to maneuver around the park and I don't feel comfortable taking it in lines. If there's no stroller parking near a restaurant or shop then we either find the nearest one or find a quiet inlet someplace not blocking anything.

 

[TiggerDaddyo714]

If they make you leave the scooter outside a line, make sure to tell them walking a distance/standing for a time is the issue. The first time on Star Tours they sent me straight up the ramp, the second time just into a fast pass line that was as long as the regular line. I was whipped and grumpy by the time I got to the ride. The other problem I had was on the Safari in Animal Kingdom. The line divided for wheelchairs/scooters. The problem was that they had 1 vehicle for all of us, so our line was much longer than the regular line. They finally added another bus and they were both filled with those of us waiting. My recommendation for that is if you can walk at all, get a fast pass and take that line, you can't tell the handicap is full or taking a long time until it is too late to get out. I don't know if you can ride and then drop off where they put the strollers. That might be a good question to ask.

That brings up a question for me. I use to love to walk the parks. We would 'train' for a couple of months before going by walking the neighborhood getting in 3~5 miles a night. Now days my longest walk is the mailbox. I have DDD in (C4-5-6;T6-7-8;L4-5-S1&2) that has causes severe nerve pain from my neck to the bottom of my L foot. That being said, with meds, (and good days) I can stand for <10 minutes, and move around with a cane (<10yds) even on bad days.

It's been 5 years since we were at EP, (used a ECV then for the first time on only a 2 night stay). Didn't get to do much, mostly ride around EP, BW and DS/MGM. Trying to plan a surprise 35th with DW in Sept, but it's hard to surprise her when I have to tell her to take off for two weeks!

Do they now make you stay with the ECV and use a different line all together if you can get in/out (cane or not) of the ride/attraction? I would hate to have her wait in a longer line than needed, or use up most of the day getting dragged around from a line to line full of ECV's.

And speaking of "DW"... I'm sorry but that's funky. I mean I only have the *one*, it's not like I have a HW "homeWife", a CW "carWife" and a H&SW "hunting & shootin'Wife" that are any different from my everyday "DW".

 

[Piper]

Most of the lines are "mainstreamed" and you will take your ECV into the same lines as everyone else. At a few rides, you will be diverted to another line (usually at some point off the main line) so you can avoid stairs, etc. Those lines may have a longer wait time than the "regular" line due to a back-up of people waiting.

Since you can only walk 10 yards or so, you need to stay in your ECV to the loading area. Some of the lines are deceptively long if you try to walk--up to a half mile getting in and out! Be sure to let the cast member know you can transfer.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The lines for almost all attractions at WDW are "mainstreamed". This means that the queue is set up to allow wheelchairs and/or ECVs to go through the line just as a person without a mobility problem. As it was built prior to the ADA, the Magic Kingdom is most likely to have non-mainstreamed lines. Some attractions, such as Splash Mountain and Haunted Mansion you will go part way through the regular queue and then be diverted. Other attractions, such as Big Thunder Mountain or Space Ship Earth you will initially be directed to an accessible entrance.

All the theaters are set up with seats (usually in the back row) removed so a wheelchair or ECV can pull into a space and there will be regular seating on either side of the space for the others in the party.

Where there are quantity limits on space, or other limitation involving accessibility, you may have to wait longer to see a show or ride an attraction than people without disabilities.

Basically a person has a certain amount of energy available to them daily. If they relax during the day the amount of energy available will increase; when they sleep at night they recharge their system,

However, when in pain energy is used up much faster than in normal conditions. If you become exhausted, with by what you have done or, more importantly, what you have done while in pain your system will not recharge to the original energy level overnight and you are starting the next day with a lower amount of energy available.

Once around the World Showcase Lagoon Promenade is more than 1¼ miles; most people tend to average 8 - 12 miles per day at WDW.

 

[TiggerDaddyo714]

Thanks for the replies guys. Sorry for asking what was I'm sure is a question that has been asked and answered thousands of times. I've been wading my way through the disABILITIES faq (and related links/threads) and to say it's a bit overwhelming is an understatement for sure. I've spent more time on this laptop in the last week than the last 2 months BECAUSE I really want to believe we can do this.

I have to admit, the idea of doing the entire trip with an ECV is concerning to me. I mean it's not about handling it, but more about the fact that I'm trying to plan my very first trip *knowing* I just can notdo it any other way. After the 'quickie' 2 night trip in 05 with the ECV I knew then we wouldn't be able to go back without one. Even though my Dr's had considered me disabled, since Nov 02, it was something that I was fighting, going to doctors and specialists all over trying to 'fix' degenerative disc disease. I would not accept being disabled. Was different when I was moving around better, figuring after this procedure and that, I'd get to a point where it was managable and things would go back to normal. Wrong!

My stubborness didn't help as it (my back) kept getting worse, and what was a blue parking pass, 10 years ago, is a way of life now. My DW (and best friend) for instance kept pushing me to admit I was legally disabled (which meant filing for it) and I kept just wanting it to go away. Should have listened to her, but ya'll know how we get.

However, when in pain energy is used up much faster than in normal conditions. If you become exhausted, with by what you have done or, more importantly, what you have done while in pain your system will not recharge to the original energy level overnight and you are starting the next day with a lower amount of energy available.

True VERY true indeed. I find myself pushing to do more than I should if for no other reason than I don't want to ask anyone for help or even pretend that I would. DW at times seems more to tolerate what's going on than actually understand it. (She's a positive mindset person however, in that if you don't think about bad stuff, then bad stuff doesn't exist. Gotta' luv' her for it though.)

The pain/energy threshold is the most frustrating and least predictable part of it all however. It's like one day you get a slow start then feel just fine, the next it kills ya' to stay in bed for more than a few hours and day three you don't care if you EVER get out of bed. Ahhhhhhh well, off to grab the ol' ice pack and catch up on some more faq's.