ECV "Parking"

[LJSquishy]

My folks will be accompanying us to Disney World next year and my dad will almost certainly need to rent an ECV. He will be able to stand in line queues and board rides with no issues, but is unable to walk long distances (miles).

Do we just park his ECV outside of each ride with the strollers? Does every single ride have a spot to leave strollers/ECVs? We will be a party of 4 and don't want him to be split up from the rest of the group because of his ECV (like him having to go to a different ride entrance).

Also, an ECV will fit in pretty much all resort rooms, right? Just need somewhere to park it and charge it at night. My folks will have their own room...planning to rent points for a Studio at AKV or possibly BLT. There is no need for them to have a HA room unless it is needed in order to fit an ECV in there without tripping over it.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

1. Some of the lines are about a quarter-mile long. Also, so of the exits from attractions are a long distance from boarding.

2. Most lines are "mainstreamed" so he can take the ECV all the way to load in the regular line. If Unload is at a different location his ECV will magically appear there before he gets there.

3. If the line is not mainstreamed (or the person in an ECV is directed to an alternate entrance partially through the queue) the group of not more than six can stay together.

4. I have even stayed in a Value Resort room with a full-size ECV. It might be necessary to more a table or chair to park properly. I also carry a six-foot heavy-duty extension cord just in case an outlet is not convenient.

 

[LJSquishy]

Thank you so much for all of the info!

 

[Earstou]

Yes, you park with the strollers if you want to leave it outside a ride!

 

[jamuth]

Is this the same for the wheelchairs? My mom will be with me and she can't do distance due to bad heart. I doubt she will do many rides but I know some lines are long distances and the walking will be tough.

 

[tobikaye]

Is this the same for the wheelchairs? My mom will be with me and she can't do distance due to bad heart. I doubt she will do many rides but I know some lines are long distances and the walking will be tough.

Any mobility aid taken into lines (wheelchair, ECV, rollator, stroller as a wheelchair, walker) will be waiting for the guest when they exit the ride. If a guest decides not to take a mobility aid with them into the lines, then they will need to park it in the designated spots, normally Stroller Parking. (FYI: A CM may still move the devise around in the parking area as they straighten up the area.)

There are some attractions that require someone in a EVC to use a wheelchair, provided at the entrance to the attraction, due to issues moving the EVC from the loading area to the exit. PoC is one of these attractions.

 

[Mickeysangel49]

I'm guessing the CM's use the lock release for the back wheels of the scooter in order to move it to the exit? I don't want to have to leave the key in the scooter while we are on the ride.

 

[KPeveler]

Yes, always take the key to the scooter with you. All scooters and powerchairs come with a "free wheel" option. CMs know where they are on most models of scooters - and if you have a very unusual model, you can show the CM where the release is.

To the OP I really suggest taking the scooter into the queue as often possible. If he really wants to park it, do so at theatre attractions, so the whole family can sit wherever you want. But for attractions I strongly suggest bringing it in the queue for a few reasons

Queue are longer than they seem, and can often be on uneven ground. Just from the entrance of the ride queue to the ride on Soarin is 1/4 mile. And then 1/4 mile out again. Just to get to the wheelchair rental counter in Epcot can be close to a half mile of walking or more, depending on where the car/bus is.

Sometimes the ride breaks or is delayed, and so you are stuck in a queue for a longer time than you thought. Depending on where you are in line, it may be difficult or undesirable to leave.

Most queues are mainstreamed, so he will be going in the regular queue with the rest of the family - no added stress.

Stroller parking at the entrance to a ride is not necessarily near where you exit the ride - sometimes he may have to walk a ways to get to the scooter after riding - this may be hard after standing in line.

CMs are moving strollers around all the time, sometimes just a short distance, but sometimes they are moved a long way from where you left them (this usually occurs when a street show or parade is coming through).

All these things can add stress to the trip - my suggestion is to keep the scooter for queues for attractions (and then the scooter will magically be waiting at the ride exit), and save the walking for shows (though he is more than welcome to keep it for shows too)

One show worth transferring for is American Adventure - there is only 1 companion seat with a wheelchair seat in that theatre and sometimes the view stinks.