Everything ECV! Educate me....

[ppan77]

My father has bulbar onset ALS. This type affects speech and swallowing first during progression. He can still walk actually golfs a 76 but fatigues easily. We are going to WDW for three days in October. He promised dr he would use an ECV at the parks. We are doing one day at MK and one at AK. He can transfer onto rides independently. We will have 8 ppl total together. My kids 4 and 7, my DH, my mom, my brother, my SIL, me and dad. We were planning on driving to the parks from Pop Century. Looks like some rentals have ECV that can fit in SUV.?! Please educate me..... Rather be independent from buses if we can. What does everyone recommend?

 

[Michigan]

I would ride the bus and forget about the car. MK parking is at the TTC which means you would need to ride the monorail or the ferry to get to MK. I don't even think there would be enough room in the back of a SUV to put an ECV since you will need all the seating area.

 

[Piper]

I would start by reading this thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=595713

Let us know if you have any questions after you check it out.

 

[jcieutat]

My parents went with us last year. They drove their vehicle to the park and then he rented a scooter in the park. If he has a handicapped tag, he can park in the front. I would rent the ECV from Disney because if it breaks down, they replace it on the spot. If you rent from outside, you are up the creek!

 

[Michigan]

My parents went with us last year. They drove their vehicle to the park and then he rented a scooter in the park. If he has a handicapped tag, he can park in the front. I would rent the ECV from Disney because if it breaks down, they replace it on the spot. If you rent from outside, you are up the creek!

Handicap parking isn't always available. I know this because I have 2 daughter in wheelchairs that are unable to stand and there have been more then a few times when the parking was full. We live 8 miles from Disney Oct-April.

 

[SenecaWolf]

I would rent the ECV from Disney because if it breaks down, they replace it on the spot. If you rent from outside, you are up the creek!

This is a tremendous bit of mis-information!

While renting from Disney would be convenient for a day or 2, it is far more cost effective to rent offsite. $50 a day from Disney vs. $130 for 5 days from Apple.

Also, you are not "up the creek" in the event anything happens. I had a scooter from Apple and about 4 hours into the first day the batteries died from a full charge. I called them and explained what happened, they asked if I could meet them at the gate. I tried but it wouldn't make it so I called back and let them know. They brought a replacement scooter to me inside Epcot with no issues. Total downtime was only 40 minutes. Had no further problems with the new scooter and they even called a few days later to follow up.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy SII using DISBoards

 

[SashaFarce]

Renting offsite is cheaper and yes, if something happens, you will have backup from the scooter company. I can only speak for Apple Scooter but any time we have had an issue they have come out to the park and inside to meet us to replace a scooter, battery, whatever we have needed. I have seen other representatives (name tag, ID badge, uniform etc) from other offsite scooter companies inside the parks servicing scooters as well.

We are not bus people. Even when we stay onsite, we prefer to drive. I am not comfortable parking the scooter on the bus (despite using one at Disney 4 to 6 times per year, i do not have the coordination to park well) and we find that the car saves time. My partner drives a small Saturn car and we can break down both scooters in just a few minutes and get them into her car using her trunk and the backseat. Once when we brought guests we borrowed a relative's SUV. We took off the batteries and perhaps the seats (I can't recall that part for sure) and then two of us lifted the rest of the scooter body into the back of the SUV (an Expedition, for size reference). We fit both ECVs in there easily. One should be a cinch.

 

[Michigan]

. We fit both ECVs in there easily. One should be a cinch.

You were able to fold a seat down. They are going to have 8 people and an ECV. When all the seats are up in an ECV there isn't very much room in the back.

 

[SashaFarce]

You were able to fold a seat down. They are going to have 8 people and an ECV. When all the seats are up in an ECV there isn't very much room in the back.

The SUV we drove didn't have a back seat. Front seat, back seat. It had regular storage space in the back. The OP asked for info about an SUV fitting into an ECV and doesn't want to take a bus. She didn't specify what kind of SUV she's driving. Unless she's driving one that has no back storage space at all, then it should fit assembled or disassembled. I'm fairly certain most SUVs - even with third row seating - have as much storage space than a tiny Saturn, and we can fit an entire disassembled ECV in one plus part of another.

 

[Michigan]

The SUV we drove didn't have a back seat. Front seat, back seat. It had regular storage space in the back. The OP asked for info about an SUV fitting into an ECV and doesn't want to take a bus. She didn't specify what kind of SUV she's driving. Unless she's driving one that has no back storage space at all, then it should fit assembled or disassembled. I'm fairly certain most SUVs - even with third row seating - have as much storage space than a tiny Saturn, and we can fit an entire disassembled ECV in one plus part of another.

And I as a mother of a 14 year old and 22 year old that both are full time wheelchair users that SUV's that have a third row have such a small space between the seat and rear window that I have to remove tires and sit the frames upright to get them in and even then there are some that doesn't even work in.

 

[ppan77]

Thanks for all the info! We may just wing it and get a scooter at rope drop sine it's only two park days. We plan to be at rope drop. Only downside is if he leaves for a break and comes back at night one may not available. But our only day we plan to do that is MK and at night we have tix for MNSSHP. Worse case is we get a wheelchair. He still walks fine so we don't have a ramp with our car. A little stressed about renting and being at Pop. But we will have two cars. GMC short Yukon and Envoy.

 

[Pooh2]

My father has bulbar onset ALS. This type affects speech and swallowing first during progression. He can still walk actually golfs a 76 but fatigues easily. We are going to WDW for three days in October. He promised dr he would use an ECV at the parks. We are doing one day at MK and one at AK. He can transfer onto rides independently. We will have 8 ppl total together. My kids 4 and 7, my DH, my mom, my brother, my SIL, me and dad. We were planning on driving to the parks from Pop Century. Looks like some rentals have ECV that can fit in SUV.?! Please educate me..... Rather be independent from buses if we can. What does everyone recommend?

Do not have any advice to offer but sending wishes your way for a trip with lots of extra special memories with your dad!

 

[MVC1225]

Thanks for all the info! We may just wing it and get a scooter at rope drop sine it's only two park days. We plan to be at rope drop. Only downside is if he leaves for a break and comes back at night one may not available. But our only day we plan to do that is MK and at night we have tix for MNSSHP. Worse case is we get a wheelchair. He still walks fine so we don't have a ramp with our car. A little stressed about renting and being at Pop. But we will have two cars. GMC short Yukon and Envoy.

If you rent on site and plan to return later to the same park, you let them know and they will hold the ECV for you. We have done this at MK a couple of times. They won't reserve if you're switching parks but, in our experience, they'll hold it if the same park.

 

[Piper]

If you rent on site and plan to return later to the same park, you let them know and they will hold the ECV for you. We have done this at MK a couple of times. They won't reserve if you're switching parks but, in our experience, they'll hold it if the same park.

Your experience was the exception -- not the rule. This doesn't always happen (depending on demand.)

 

[ppan77]

Do not have any advice to offer but sending wishes your way for a trip with lots of extra special memories with your dad!

Thanks so much!!! It is a horrible disease! This will be a very special trip for us all!