ECVs in Rain

[GabrielMom]

Hello,

My family and I are going to WDW tomorrow for 12 days, have 10 days in parks planned starting on Wednesday. Both grandparents are using ECVs we have rented from Buena Vista. I have purchased ponchos and scooter rain covers and umbrellas for scooters. My question is with the type of rain that is forecasted for first several days of our trip, would you take the scooters out in the rain for a full day of rain? Are there areas of some parks we should avoid? We have park hoppers and were planning to get to all four parks the first 4 days of our trip (which are forecasted to be the rainiest).

If you would plan to have them out with full days of rain, any tips?

Thank you in advance. Appreciate responses.

 

[Bete]

You have to hope there's some dry times for you to get to one place to the next.

Even on a scooter no one wants to get wet. Ponchos help but it's still it's miserable.

Rainy days are best to see inside shows. Epcot is one of the better parks for an inside attack to rain.

You may want to consider letting the grandparents have a day of rest and not go out. Maybe, have a dinner at a resort that day.

 

[I Love Pluto]

An ECV will move in the rain, but it will slow down and eventually start bucking and probably stall. If the rain is slow and steady, the ECV will respond in the rain as well as usual. But - in those downpours that Florida gets - it will have trouble staying dry enough to continue. Pull over under a covered area and wait until the rain is done.

I always carry 3 dollar store raincoats in my scooter. They have saved me many times! One is for me. The second is for the tiller (the steering column). The third is draped down from the seat to cover the battery area.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[mamabunny]

Hello,

My family and I are going to WDW tomorrow for 12 days, have 10 days in parks planned starting on Wednesday. Both grandparents are using ECVs we have rented from Buena Vista. I have purchased ponchos and scooter rain covers and umbrellas for scooters. My question is with the type of rain that is forecasted for first several days of our trip, would you take the scooters out in the rain for a full day of rain? Are there areas of some parks we should avoid? We have park hoppers and were planning to get to all four parks the first 4 days of our trip (which are forecasted to be the rainiest).

If you would plan to have them out with full days of rain, any tips?

Thank you in advance. Appreciate responses.

Main thing is to try and keep the electronics and battery(s) dry. If you can accomplish that, and the Grands want to go in the rain, then by all means, go!

Obviously, try not to drive right through puddles, especially deep ones. A clear shower cap (or a poncho) helps keep the "tiller" (control/steering) area dry, and then you just need to make sure that any other exposed electronics or battery connections are covered. I personally use a clear shower cap over my tiller electronics plus the poncho over me, and drape the front of the poncho down over the front of the scooter, and then flip the back of the poncho down over the back of the seat, and it keeps things pretty dry.

Umbrellas sound great in theory, but any wind at all, and they will be largely useless, and could cause more problems than they solve.

I won't say you won't have any problems, but I've done my share of running around at WDW on my personal mobility device during hurricanes and by using common sense, haven't had any problems.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm here now, and have gotten caught in rain twice with my Buena Vista ECV. At AK Sunday it POURED! Yet, my ECV was OK. Note, leaving the park there was a huge puddle/lake, where water was up above ankles. People who could walk were taking off their shoes, because the water was above their ankles. I scooted off to the right and went through a gift shop-I wouldn't chance that deep water with an ECV. On Saturday it rained all morning in MK, but I was OK. I can't see it getting any worse than it was in AK.

 

[mamabunny]

I'm here now, and have gotten caught in rain twice with my Buena Vista ECV. At AK Sunday it POURED! Yet, my ECV was OK. Note, leaving the park there was a huge puddle/lake, where water was up above ankles. People who could walk were taking off their shoes, because the water was above their ankles. I scooted off to the right and went through a gift shop-I wouldn't chance that deep water with an ECV. On Saturday it rained all morning in MK, but I was OK. I can't see it getting any worse than it was in AK.

I think I experienced the worst rain ever at AK also! It was just drizzling when we got through security, and in fact we were almost past The Tree of Life when it just opened up... HUGE, silver dollar drops coming down so fast and furious that it *hurt*. We ducked into Starbucks and waited it out with coffee and cupcakes LOL.

I never really thought about it until I had a smartphone with a live radar app on it: It can be dry and sunny everywhere at WDW, except for *1* Park or Resort or area - and the folks who are in the dry are just fine! It will most likely be hot and humid (normal for Florida afternoons) but not a drop in sight anywhere except where that rain cloud blew up, down over Disney Springs, or out at Hollywood Studios, or in the back half of AK. It's always kind of surreal to look at the radar while you are standing in MK, and see that it's fine where you are, but they are getting hammered at Epcot.

The app I use now has a companion app for my Apple Watch, so I enable Location Services, and I don't even have to open my iPhone - just tap my Apple Watch, and I can see how close the rain is!

Where are you staying this trip?

 

[Simba's Mom]

We were at OKW. Just left this morning. Coming back solo in Sept

 

[kaytieeldr]

We ducked into Starbucks and waited it out with coffee and cupcakes LOL.

Oh, yeah, sure there was rain...

It can be dry and sunny everywhere at WDW, except for *1* Park or Resort or area

40% chance of rain 40% of any given time over 40% of the property = it probably won't affect a given person, or ,under 10%. Not Always true, of course - but it's not tropical storm season yet.

 

[mamabunny]

Oh, yeah, sure there was rain...

Shhhh! You said you wouldn't tell anyone! LOL

 

[ess]

We came home last week. It rained for 4 days of the 8 day vacation. Buena Vista gave me two ponchos. One was to put over the controls which I did with the hood facing me so my hands were underneath and one was for me to wear. Never had a problem with rain and the scooter.

 

[disneymom3]

The clear shower cap for the control panel dealy is brilliant. I have generally just used a bag and it's not a great solution. Thanks for sharing that. Another Dollar Store item to add to the list!