ECV use on/off Disney Dream

[kingpinpearce]

OK, taking my first cruise in March, but my second time with Disney overall. I was in a massive car accident seven years ago that have left me with the ability to only walk short distances before getting tired/sore (working out to improve my mobility currently).

I know I will need an ECV for Disney World, and have a good idea where to go to rent one. My bigger question is for the cruise part of my trip. I already have an accessible cabin booked and reserved on the cruise, but I've read a few posts where they said the ECV's were too big to really get around the ship very well, and that they weren't able to be taken off of the ship. This has me wondering if the expense of renting an ECV for the trip is going to be worth the money if I really can't use it.

Can anyone share their experiences with ECV use on the Dream and what they did to work around "issues"? Also, I've heard Special Needs at Sea and Brevard Medical as two good places to go...any others?

Thanks so much. Love these boards!

Blessings,
Shawn

 

[MSPeeler]

The hallways are very narrow, I see that being the main issue. Also getting to/from your MDR table would be nearly impossible, but they have to be able to accommodate you so how. Have you tried calling and speaking with someone (possibly 2 different CMs, to get more accurate/confirmed info)?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Have you tried calling and speaking with someone (possibly 2 different CMs, to get more accurate/confirmed info)?

Sadly, talking to 2 or more CMs on the phone may just lead to more confusion. More often than not, they don't know the answer either.

 

[dcassetta]

Look for trip reports by franandaj. Good info about cruising with an ECV.

 

[lanejudy]

Walker Mobility also rents ECVs for cruises, as well as WDW.

Hallways can be narrow, but passable if there are no obstacles. Some doors are heavy, and some doorways have a lip that may be a challenge, but if you are traveling with someone that person can help hold doors. You may need to wait for an elevator. Using forward or aft elevators may be less crowded; and be willing to get in the "wrong" direction to ride back again. You'll probably want to arrive early to the theaters and ask to be admitted to the front a few minutes early. You will need to transfer to a seat in the front row and a CM will move your ECV for you unless a traveling companion can do so.

Ports may or may not be accessible depending on what you want to do. Many of these countries do not have accessibility laws like the US. The ramp to get off/on the ship can be quite steep to maneuver.

I suggest you contact DCL's Special Services department to have it noted you will be using an ECV. That may help with MDR table assignment. Be sure and let them know if you can transfer or not. And they should be able to help answer any questions you may have.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[OrcaPotter]

My dad needs an ECV for similar reasons, so he purchased a lightweight Go-Go Pro that can easily be taken apart and put in a car trunk. He has since taken it on 2 cruises, the most recent on the Fantasy last month (identical to the Dream). We had almost no issues getting around the ship. If there was heavy traffic in the stateroom hallways (which was really only around dinner), people were mostly polite enough to stand aside to let him through. Yes, they are narrow, but his ECV is very compact and it is no wider than the carts the stateroom hosts use.

Elevator use is always an issue but aside from busy times, we frequently snagged one that was empty. There were several people on the ship with the same ECV model my dad has.

Our only major limitation was all but ONE DCL excursion (the Coral World ACCESSIBLE tour on St. Thomas) prohibited ECV's. This led us to simply walk around the immediate port areas on our own. Getting on and off the ship was fine. We even had cabana 1 on Castaway, which is the accessible cabana, with no issue other than the poor weather washing us out. The only confusing thing was that since we had an ECV, no one from concierge was willing to escort us to our cabana. We were simply told to walk there and it was the first cabana. For the cost of the thing, I expected a bit more white glove service!

If you're going to rent your ECV, I would request the smallest one they have and you should have no issues.

 

[shoes99]

On the Western we took the ECV off the ship at Cozumel since the shopping center was right at the port and there is an elevator. At Grand Cayman we stayed on the ship.
DH uses an ECV and gets an accessible cabin. Hallways are tight, and mid-ship elevators are impossible to get on with an ecv, so we use aft or front.
On Castaway you can take the ecv off the ship, or you can ask for a golf cart (island taxi) to take you to the beach if you decide to leave the ecv on board.
Watch out for the lip on the doors on deck 4 leading out side, you have to find a door with no lip. Have fun.

 

[RobynPrincess]

This thread has been very useful. My mum will need her ecv on our trip in October, she doesn't need it full time but she wouldn't be able to get from the car to the ship without it. She has an accessible room already. Most likely on the ship she will be able to get around without it. There are places to sit if she needs a rest when walking to places.

 

[kingpinpearce]

The solution I ended up finding is to have it both ways. Brevard Medical hooked me up with a combo deal where I get both a scooter and a 4 wheeled "sitting" walker for only a few bucks more than the scooter itself. That way I can use the walker where I can't take the scooter. Best of both worlds.

Thanks everyone for their input here. Much appreciated.

 

[professorandmom]

Shawn, you will find many folks with mobility needs on the ship. Many/most of the CMs are very familiar and practiced to offer assistance and will make your trip memorable! Like all of us, reading the DIS boards will offer you tips that make your trip better (like some doors exiting outside on deck 4 have a lip and some don't) but rest assured you won't be alone using a mobility aid!