First time EVC user, looking for tips for driving through the lines.

Saw family dr today. Couldn't get into cardio dr within a week. Slight change of meds. Dr feels trip will be ok. Should have everything leveled out within the month till disney.

He did suggest a EVC.
 
Last edited:
Saw cardiologist today, he is talking about shocking the heart to get it back into rhythm. Seeing him a few times over the next month. Did I mention the trip is 30 days away? Dr said we may need to postpone.
 
My DH had aFib for a year and a half, but it's now been corrected with surgery so no longer a problem.

Don't worry too much about the heart 'shocking'. It's called 'cardio-version' and my DH had it any number of times to get him back in sinus rhythm. I was actually in the ER 'cubby' when they did it more than once.

His doctors are going to want to be sure his meds are working right and his sinus rhythm is normal. The concern about aFib is the '48 hour' rule (get back in rhythm before 48 hrs or increased risk of clots). They aren't going to want him to stray too far from home until they're sure all is as it should be.

My DH was very 'lucky' in that his aFib was erratic and he could always tell when he was in aFib. We saw the inside of quite a few ERs in various parts f the country (we RV) until his surgery.

On the ECV, we used them for the first time this Spring. DH had blown out his knee and my bad ankle has finally gotten the better of me. It was amazing to be able to stay longer, go farther, and not be wracked with pain at the end of the day. The learning curve isn't real hard. Take it slow and after a few minor miscalculations with railings (never people, thank God) I was a champ.
 
My DH had aFib for a year and a half, but it's now been corrected with surgery so no longer a problem.

Don't worry too much about the heart 'shocking'. It's called 'cardio-version' and my DH had it any number of times to get him back in sinus rhythm. I was actually in the ER 'cubby' when they did it more than once.

His doctors are going to want to be sure his meds are working right and his sinus rhythm is normal. The concern about aFib is the '48 hour' rule (get back in rhythm before 48 hrs or increased risk of clots). They aren't going to want him to stray too far from home until they're sure all is as it should be.

My DH was very 'lucky' in that his aFib was erratic and he could always tell when he was in aFib. We saw the inside of quite a few ERs in various parts f the country (we RV) until his surgery.

On the ECV, we used them for the first time this Spring. DH had blown out his knee and my bad ankle has finally gotten the better of me. It was amazing to be able to stay longer, go farther, and not be wracked with pain at the end of the day. The learning curve isn't real hard. Take it slow and after a few minor miscalculations with railings (never people, thank God) I was a champ.


Well, we went way over the 48 hour rule, We had no idea what his issue was. Thought it might have been a cold, covid, overweight. All of the above. He has been on blood thinners for a week and half now. Guess that baby aspirin wasn't cutting it. LOL.

Yeah, with wheel chair, but fear of hitting people and getting on buses. You know a 47 point turn trying to get on and off bus..

Thanks for the information. All new learning curve for both.
 
We had a one day park hopper ticket as an excursion day from our Disney cruise out of New York in November 2019. We rented Disney ECV. The first disadvantage was having to turn in your ECV when leaving each park and picking up another at the next park. Our second ECV ran low on charge pretty quickly. They tell you to contact any cast member if you run out of charge. Well, the "any" cast member we found had no idea how to help us. When we hopped to our third park, I don't think there were any ECV's available, so we just went without. By the way, the rental charge for the Disney ECV is high. You'd be better off renting outside the parks, then you can keep your ride with you until you're done for the day. When we went to Disney in February of this year, my "cheap" kicked in and we rented a wheel chair instead. My wife is heavier than me and I have a mild heart condition, but I did OK pushing her most of the time. The hardest park was Animal Kingdom, but the hardest hill was The Land at Epcot. They should have another way into there! I hope your heart condition is stabilized so you can still go. Have a great time.
 
We had a one day park hopper ticket as an excursion day from our Disney cruise out of New York in November 2019. We rented Disney ECV. The first disadvantage was having to turn in your ECV when leaving each park and picking up another at the next park. Our second ECV ran low on charge pretty quickly. They tell you to contact any cast member if you run out of charge. Well, the "any" cast member we found had no idea how to help us. When we hopped to our third park, I don't think there were any ECV's available, so we just went without. By the way, the rental charge for the Disney ECV is high. You'd be better off renting outside the parks, then you can keep your ride with you until you're done for the day. When we went to Disney in February of this year, my "cheap" kicked in and we rented a wheel chair instead. My wife is heavier than me and I have a mild heart condition, but I did OK pushing her most of the time. The hardest park was Animal Kingdom, but the hardest hill was The Land at Epcot. They should have another way into there! I hope your heart condition is stabilized so you can still go. Have a great time.

We are renting off site. Less than half the cost of a disney EVC and we have it for waiting for buses or walking back and forth to BLT.

Still keeping my fingers crossed for the trip.
 


Saw cardiologist today, he is talking about shocking the heart to get it back into rhythm. Seeing him a few times over the next month. Did I mention the trip is 30 days away? Dr said we may need to postpone.

Hang in there - sending good vibes, prayers and hope, for both you and your hubby.
 
Well, we went way over the 48 hour rule, We had no idea what his issue was. Thought it might have been a cold, covid, overweight. All of the above. He has been on blood thinners for a week and half now. Guess that baby aspirin wasn't cutting it. LOL.

Yeah, with wheel chair, but fear of hitting people and getting on buses. You know a 47 point turn trying to get on and off bus..

Thanks for the information. All new learning curve for both.

Definitely a learning curve!

Not sure if you're aware, but the Apple Watch has an ECG and heart monitoring function and will alert to an irregular heartbeat. DH has used his to actually send an ECG to his cardiologist as he's had a bout with cardiomyopathy in the past, too.

I hear about the 47 point turns. At some points during my learning curve I probably looked like I was doing an ECV solo tango to onlookers.
 
Definitely a learning curve!

Not sure if you're aware, but the Apple Watch has an ECG and heart monitoring function and will alert to an irregular heartbeat. DH has used his to actually send an ECG to his cardiologist as he's had a bout with cardiomyopathy in the past, too.

I hear about the 47 point turns. At some points during my learning curve I probably looked like I was doing an ECV solo tango to onlookers.


No I didn't . I just ordered a Kardiomobile. Just the two point one. My DS has one where you cross your ankle on your knee so you get another contact point. But DH isn't into pretzels poses these days.
 
my feeling you are going to have your work cut out for you keeping up with him

That is so true, LOL.
A while ago, my husband needed an ECV but just wouldn't do it. So, Mammabunny helped me Alot with convincing him. She is a treasure and really understands when someone is resistant.
I finally convinced him to use one for MK, and he was zipping along so much that I could hardly keep up with him. MK was not that busy and he was careful.
Next we went to Epcot and I could not keep up with him. I had to keep reminding him to slow it down so us mortals could keep up. After he tried an ECV he loved it. He didn't have back pain and could last the whole day, plus beat me, LOL.
That;s why this statement made me laugh!
 
… I finally convinced him to use one for MK, and he was zipping along so much that I could hardly keep up with him. <snip> I had to keep reminding him to slow it down so us mortals could keep up. After he tried an ECV he loved it. He didn't have back pain and could last the whole day, plus beat me, LOL. …
I’m so slow without an ECV that if DH & I are holding hands walking, it can look like he’s “dragging” me along. :rolleyes: I’m forever asking him to slow down…& his reply is ‘:snail: are passing us hon—to go any slower, I’ll just have to stand still.’ 🤣

On the ECV, I do have to turn it down a little over 1/2 way to turtle but then we can go along, me on my ride & him walking beside— still holding hands. :love2:

Quick tip that no one has mentioned— turn the ECV to whichever speed keeps dh from having to stop-start-stop-start over and over for the two of you to stay together. Every time you stop-start-stop... it strains the battery, and you risk running out of juice. Only partially pressing the lever that makes it go will also cause the power to drain faster. You’ll get much better battery life if you set the speed control to whatever setting lets dh just cruise along at a steady pace.

On a related note, take the charger cord with you (stowed in the seat back pocket). In a pinch, you can go to guest services or the park ECV rental, and they will let you charge for a short time, so that you can make it back to your hotel. (At Disneyland, they even loaned us a wheelchair and got a cast member to push the (non-Disney) ECV to the front for us. We were just about to head out of the park when her scooter went from having 3 lights, to 2, then 1 very quickly. As we neared New Orleans Square, the light began blinking. We asked a CM near Pirates if there was an outlet nearby that we could plug into, and the CM called guest services and before we knew it, a plan was in motion to make sure we could get back to our hotel on the ART bus. They *may* have taken extra pity on us because it was my sister‘s ECV, and she uses O2… idk, but I was super impressed by how kind they were.
Turns out that my sister had picked a lighter-duty scooter to save $$. Her weight was very near the upper range for the model she’d rented. The two oxygen cylinders she had to bring added add’l weight and put her several pounds over the weight cap. The lesson— always try to rent a scooter model where you are at the low end of the weight range, not the top end.)

Going slower also allows for quicker stops when people & their kids dart out in front of the ECV (or when they push their kid in front of you so they can get in line ahead of you. “Hurry, get in there— we don’t wanna be stuck behind ‘them:eek: Their kid very nearly got hit with that bright move— but I’m sure that would’ve been my fault. :sad2: )

I’m sure from your experience pushing dh around, you are familiar with the uncanny phenomenon whereby once you sit in a wheelchair or scooter, it’s like putting on Harry Potter’s Cloak of Invisibility. Add to that, everyone walks around staring at their phone… well, the number of people who are utterly oblivious of anything around them just keeps going up & up & up. :rolleyes2
 
I’m so slow without an ECV that if DH & I are holding hands walking, it can look like he’s “dragging” me along. :rolleyes: I’m forever asking him to slow down…& his reply is ‘:snail: are passing us hon—to go any slower, I’ll just have to stand still.’ 🤣

On the ECV, I do have to turn it down a little over 1/2 way to turtle but then we can go along, me on my ride & him walking beside— still holding hands. :love2:

Quick tip that no one has mentioned— turn the ECV to whichever speed keeps dh from having to stop-start-stop-start over and over for the two of you to stay together. Every time you stop-start-stop... it strains the battery, and you risk running out of juice. Only partially pressing the lever that makes it go will also cause the power to drain faster. You’ll get much better battery life if you set the speed control to whatever setting lets dh just cruise along at a steady pace.

On a related note, take the charger cord with you (stowed in the seat back pocket). In a pinch, you can go to guest services or the park ECV rental, and they will let you charge for a short time, so that you can make it back to your hotel. (At Disneyland, they even loaned us a wheelchair and got a cast member to push the (non-Disney) ECV to the front for us. We were just about to head out of the park when her scooter went from having 3 lights, to 2, then 1 very quickly. As we neared New Orleans Square, the light began blinking. We asked a CM near Pirates if there was an outlet nearby that we could plug into, and the CM called guest services and before we knew it, a plan was in motion to make sure we could get back to our hotel on the ART bus. They *may* have taken extra pity on us because it was my sister‘s ECV, and she uses O2… idk, but I was super impressed by how kind they were.
Turns out that my sister had picked a lighter-duty scooter to save $$. Her weight was very near the upper range for the model she’d rented. The two oxygen cylinders she had to bring added add’l weight and put her several pounds over the weight cap. The lesson— always try to rent a scooter model where you are at the low end of the weight range, not the top end.)

Going slower also allows for quicker stops when people & their kids dart out in front of the ECV (or when they push their kid in front of you so they can get in line ahead of you. “Hurry, get in there— we don’t wanna be stuck behind ‘them:eek: Their kid very nearly got hit with that bright move— but I’m sure that would’ve been my fault. :sad2: )

I’m sure from your experience pushing dh around, you are familiar with the uncanny phenomenon whereby once you sit in a wheelchair or scooter, it’s like putting on Harry Potter’s Cloak of Invisibility. Add to that, everyone walks around staring at their phone… well, the number of people who are utterly oblivious of anything around them just keeps going up & up & up. :rolleyes2

I don't think I've heard that tip about just going slow instead of stop/start/stop/start. Make sense .

Yes with the Harry Potter cloak and people staring at phones. In the most :eek: :eek: :eek: catagory.

We are walking , in front of us was a woman and she was looking at her phone. Suddenly , she stops, does an about face , take a few steps still looking at phone. I'm pulling up on the wheelchair, she almost ends up on DH lap. Hmmmm maybe DH had that plan.......

First runner up also with a phone..... We are moving, I see a woman sort of wandering looking at phone. I stop.....I STOP. She walks into us. Neither DH or I are tiny people. Between the two of us plus wheelchair, we are a 450 pound lump. Not a 15 pound baby crawling on floor.
 
I don't think I've heard that tip about just going slow instead of stop/start/stop/start. Make sense .

Yes with the Harry Potter cloak and people staring at phones. In the most :eek: :eek: :eek: catagory.

We are walking , in front of us was a woman and she was looking at her phone. Suddenly , she stops, does an about face , take a few steps still looking at phone. I'm pulling up on the wheelchair, she almost ends up on DH lap. Hmmmm maybe DH had that plan.......

First runner up also with a phone..... We are moving, I see a woman sort of wandering looking at phone. I stop.....I STOP. She walks into us. Neither DH or I are tiny people. Between the two of us plus wheelchair, we are a 450 pound lump. Not a 15 pound baby crawling on floor.
I’ve had both of those things happen also.
Actually, I‘ve had 2 people trip over me on the same day… one did land in my lap. And the other got to second base.

Not to mention having my hair pulled by kids whose parents have stood them on the back of my seat. :earseek: Or by the adults leaning on it (they get a rude awakening when their prop moves without warning, & dh says: “what? you leaned on her….” :cool:)
 
Warning: some lines have steep ramps and if you stop on one, you may even find yourself rolling backwards 😳. I had to grab onto the handrails (one hand on the steering wheel, one on the railing) to keep myself still and use the trick you learn in driver's Ed about turning your wheels so you'll roll sideways into the wall instead of back. FoP (the outside part just before entering the building) was the worst but I also had problems at Soarin' and I think one other. Maybe going to Space 220?
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top