ECV Rental & transportation?

[hllb]

My parents are coming to Disney with us. My dad has 6 crushed discs in his neck and lower back and has a lot of trouble standing or walking for long periods of time. We are probably going to rent an ECV for him, at least part of the time. We can save quite a bit of money renting from outside the park. But, how hard are they to transport to and from the parks? We'll have a minivan, so should have the room, but how heavy are they? Are they difficult to lift in and out of a van?

We'll get the smallest one, my Dad doesn't need the heavy duty one or anything.

 

[hllb]

Oh, and another question...if we rented from the park instead, how hard are they to get and how long would we have to wait in line for one?

 

[toocherie]

I would go online and look at the various types of ECVs available at the various rental places--Buena Vista, Randy's, Walker. The most commonly rented ECV that I have had and see is the Pride Celebrity X. Technically it is not transportable in a car but I know that some people have done so. Most ECV's break into pieces so they can be lifted in and out of a vehicle--I couldn't do it alone, but could with a second person. (Your Dad probably shouldn't help with his injury though).

I would also suggest that if you are first-time ECV users that you rent from the company that actually comes and meets you and shows you how to operate, take it apart and put it back together, etc. I'm sure someone will be along as I don't know exactly which company that is (I always rent from Buena Vista since it's on-site at the Boardwalk and I've used ECVs quite a bit.)

Good luck and have a great trip!

Cheryl

 

[toocherie]

On your second question, there are a lot of things to consider:

Although technically you can park-hop and don't have to pay a second price, there is a chance that you can get to the second park and they will be out of ECVs. And if it's a busy day, you might get to the first park of the day a bit later in the morning and they are all gone too!

Also, the walks from the parking lot to the parks can be long in some cases and its helpful to rent off-site so you have the ECV all the time.

It can also be less expensive to rent off-site--for example here at Disneyland a daily rental is $45 (plus a $20 deposit) whereas from offsite you can rent for $40 a day from some places. It adds up on a multiple day trip!

 

[toocherie]

One question for you--are you staying on-site or off-site? If you are staying on-site then you can easily use the Disney bus transportation system--he can ride the ECV on and off the busses!

 

[SueM in MN]

I would go online and look at the various types of ECVs available at the various rental places--Buena Vista, Randy's, Walker. The most commonly rented ECV that I have had and see is the Pride Celebrity X. Technically it is not transportable in a car but I know that some people have done so. Most ECV's break into pieces so they can be lifted in and out of a vehicle--I couldn't do it alone, but could with a second person. (Your Dad probably shouldn't help with his injury though).

I would also suggest that if you are first-time ECV users that you rent from the company that actually comes and meets you and shows you how to operate, take it apart and put it back together, etc. I'm sure someone will be along as I don't know exactly which company that is (I always rent from Buena Vista since it's on-site at the Boardwalk and I've used ECVs quite a bit.)

Good luck and have a great trip!

Cheryl

The company that will meet with you and demonstrate the ECV is Randy's Mobility.
If you look in the disABILITIES FAQs thread, post #2 has information about renting.
Another post in that thread talks about bus transportation.

 

[peemagg]

I have a Pride Go Go Elite Traveler Plus scooter and it only weighs about 89 lbs without the battery. My Mother (65)and myself (39) can out it into the back of our van fairly easily fully assembled except the battery. It breaks down into 4 pieces if necessary real easy and will fit in the trunk of our car (Lincoln Towncar) with room to spare. If you have two people who are fairly strong it can be done without breaking it down. Just remember that all the weight is in the rear of the scooter, so whoever takes that end needs to be able to handle that weight.

 

[hllb]

We are staying off-site at the Hilton Grand Vacation Club at SeaWorld. I'll look into Randy's - the extra service would be helpful. Dad has never used a scooter before, but his condition is worsening and he can no longer feel his feet much of the time Pretty soon he's going to need surgery to fuse his spine together. He's been trying to avoid that surgery for the last 10 years.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

As another poster mentioned most of the rentals now tend to be the Pride Celebrity-X or similar. I have one and according to the manual it weighs 142 pounds without the batteries, which are 25 pounds each.

It breaks down to: two batteries, the seat, the shroud over the batteries, the rear wheel and motor assembly, and the tiller/front wheel/floor assembly. The last two weigh about 65 pounds each. I have been able to disassemble it and put it in the trunk of a Chevy Impala when traveling and it should fit, broken down, into a full-size four door sedan or larger. In a van the pieces can be scattered. It only takes a minute or two to take it apart or put it together.

 

[cmesq61]

Hllb: I have used Randy's and am using him on our next trip. He does a fabulous job of explaining everything related to the vehicle and really makes sure you know how to use it/reassemble it before he leaves you with it. We do not usually have to transport it so we don't generally take it apart. One time, though, we were at WL and for some reason the boat was too high on our way back, so I got off the ECV and my son just lifted it onto the boat and I got back on, so I can't imagione that it would be too heavy in pieces. In terms of use, Randy's regular (not heavy-weight) cart is very easy to use and has a tight turning radius, which I love casue it's so maneuverable. The ECVs for rent in the parks are too big and restrictive, IMHO.

 

[peemagg]

If your father has never used one before, he should go to Walmart or somewhere that has scooters to use and get a feel for how to use them. It is much better to learn before you go than to just put him on one and turn him loose in the crowds at Disney.

 

[hllb]

What, you don't think he should just run people over? Might get through the park easier

 

[toocherie]

What, you don't think he should just run people over? Might get through the park easier

true--but think of the wasted time having to fill out all those incident reports!

 

[mechurchlady]

wow and people call me crude and rude, hrmph. I like the idea of going to Wal-Mart to test drive ECVs. It is sad when people think ECV use is funny and get their jollies from ECV jokes. I would never drive full speed into a crowd of people nor would I recommend doing so as I would hate to accidentally kill someone or permanently disfigure someone. I have a used scooter I just bought and plan to drive it around the block and then maybe to the store and then go to DLR. I would not drive that souped up scooter in crowds until I got used to the controls. It costs me only $3 to go to parks for gasoline and there is so much to see but I could not live with myself if I hurt someone who was innocently standing in my way.

Every person I have come in contact with was the same as if I was walking. They walked in front of on coming traffic or like lately they backed into oncoming traffic. If not with a chair then with my should they would have got hit.

I am all for renting off site then taking the scooter around the hotel grounds to get the feel of driving a scooter.

 

[Windjammermay]

To have your dad practice at a Wal-mart or some store with scooters is a great idea before heading for WDW. We just can't go around running over AB's, they scream like girls when you hit them.

Besides the paper work dealing with any accident, the hard part is trying to get them back up on thier feet. Pedestrians fall over so easily when you hit them.

Yes, mechurchlady, it is rude and grude. You are right, must not hit pedestrians, naughty, no,no, bad. But you must admite they do go down pretty good.

No, there is no "good" reason to hit AB's with your chair.

 

[mechurchlady]

I do confess that in 1998 I did scare a herd of foreign tour group members at WDW. They were a pack and were not going to move for anyone. I came at them full throttle and made them get out of the way.

I noticed that the SGs who walk 8 abreast and take up a lot of space are guests who are so into themselves and the park that they forget that others are around them. Sort of like the family on a country road looking at cows while traffic backs up. Slow down daddy so we can see everything. The girl who I hit with the wheelchair was so into her conversation that she could have had a semi truck coming through. I have seen people leave strollers on the streetcar tracks and stand on the tracks while a large draft horse is coming at them. The are blind to their surroundings as they are so into something they do not move for anything.

No I am not going to put little targets on my scooter for each person I hit as I hate hitting people and try so hard that I get cramps at times from tapping the lever because people are slow moving.

 

[hllb]

I'm sure we'll be a fun group for someone to get stuck behind...an ECV and 2 strollers