Ecv...rent Offsite Or On????

[mariamard]

MY FAMILY WILL BE GOING TO DISNEY AND STAYING AT WL. MY MOTHER IN LAW WILL NEED AN ECV AT ALL OF THE PARKS. SHOULD WE RISK IT AND RENT AT MK, EPCOT, ETC OR BE SAFE AND RENT THRU AN OUTSIDE MED COMPANY???? I AM GETTING NERVOUS ABOUT HOW MANY WILL BE LEFT TO RENT AT THE PARKS IN THE MORNINGS. WHAT IF WE DO GET ONE AND DECIDE TO "HOP" TO ANOTHER PARK AND WE GET THERE ONLY TO FIND THAT THERE ARE ONLY WHEELCHAIRS LEFT??? DO THE ECVS GO FAST? I HAVE HEARD A FEW HORROR STORIES THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE PARKS THAT THE ECVS HAVE ALL BEEN RENTED OUT.....THEN GETTING A WHEELCHAIR AND SEEING TEENAGERS "SCOOTING" AROUND ON THE ECVS WHILE THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THEM USE WHEELCHAIRS. THEN WHEN I CALLED AND VOICED MY CONCERNS TO A CAST MEMBER, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE ARE NO RESERVATIONS( FOR ECV), FIRST COME FIRST SERVED, SORRY. I PROMISED MY MOM THAT I WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT FOR HER..NOT TO WORRY, AND NOW I AM GETTING NERVOUS. SHE CANT HAVE THE WHEELCHAIR...IT IS TOO HARD FOR HER AND US(WE ARE BRINGING OUR 2 LITTLE GIRLS, ONE IS IN A STROLLER) AND SHE , BOTTOM LINE, SHOULD BE COMFORTABLE AND ENJOY HERSELF! WHAT SHOULD I DO? WE ARE GOING IN APRIL(YEAH!!!) AND IT IS GETTING CLOSE. THANKS !!!!

 

[lisapooh]

I would rent offsite especially if I were staying on property. You have it all the time and the walk from the buses to the actual park entrance can be a distance.
Care Med is the one I use. I am sure that Teri or Sue has the list of the other companies. I have only used Care Med and have had great service from them. Tried one other and was treated like dirt so I won't mention their name.

 

[teri]

Here are the companies that rent offsite that we have heard the most about:
Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/

Walker Mobility:
1-888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

RANDY'S Mobility is in Kissimmee 407-892-4777
http://randysmobility.com/

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html

Everything is going to be fine -- relax! I hope that you have a wonderful vacation. We want to hear back from you when you get home - tell us how things went.

 

[SueM in MN]

Teri and Lisa beat me to answering, but I wanted to second what they say. Since you really need an ecv, I wouldn't try to get one at the parks. Plus, it's usually less expensive to rent by the week from one of the offsite places than to rent daily.
All of the ones that teri listed have been recommended by DIS posters.

Since you are stying at WL, I will mention the boats. There is a boat that goes to MK from WL. Sometimes the water levels in the lake are too high or too low for ecvs to get on the boat; the dock is too high or low compared to the water, even with a ramp. It depends on how much rain they have had and the level of water in the lake. If this is a problem, there will be a sign at the entrance to the dock at the hotel and also at MK. There is also bus service, so you will still be able to go all over. Just didn't want you to be surprised.

 

[mariamard]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE GREAT INFO... I WENT WITH CARE MED AND THEY WERE AWESOME!!! THEY WILL HAVE THE ECV AT THE WILDERNESS LODGE A FEW HOURS BEFORE OUR PLANE EVEN LANDS. I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW EASY THAT WAS. MY MOTHER WOULD HAVE BEEN SO DISAPOINTED AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ENJOY HERSELF W/OUT ONE. THE WHEELCHAIR WOULD WEAR HER OUT WITH ALL THAT SHE WANTS TO SEE AND DO(THIS IS HER FIRST TIME AT DISNEY)WE WANT TO MAKE HER FEEL LIKE SHE IS A KID, TOO. THE ECV JUST SECURES THAT. THANKS AGAIN AND BE READY FOR MORE Q'S !!!!

 

[SueM in MN]

go ahead with your questions. We've usually got someone who knows the answer.
Hope you have a great time.