Goofing up ECV use

[debmoore]

My DH and I just got back from DW, and learned a lot about ECV use.
It was his first time to DW, and he was very worried due to the fact that he cannot use his left hand and arm and can only walk short distances with a cane due to hemiparesis from a gun shot wound to his head 30 years ago.

We rented two ECVs, because he HAD to have one, and I have arthritis & figured I couldn't keep up with him in his ECV. First goof.

Due to the crowds we had to go tandem, not side to side and I had to constantly stop and check to see if he was following, having problems, etc.
This was very difficult. One of the scooters would only hold a 4-5 hour charge, so we had to stop and recharge often, and often I just parked it and would walk ahead of him to make a path. People just do not pay attention and we nearly ran over 40 people or more that just jumped in front of us, and we only barely stopped in time. Thank god we were just creeping along at the time. Most people were good sports but many were not, and made my husband feel like a jerk to even be in the ECV... and he has an obvious disability. The castmembers were great, and allowed him to enter thru the handicapped lanes, and I would get off my ECV and walk behind him. Invariably, several people in line would get mad and say nasty things about him "breaking in line" or me breaking in line, even though I would have to help him get out of the ECV and into the ride. I have a tough hide, but he doesn't, and he was humiliated, to the point that he refused to even go on the rides after a while. When we would go to the bus stops, he would make us wait til 3 or 4 buses had left before we would get on, because some people were so vocally ticked off and would glare at us because we were going to the head of the line. The cast members had to listen to the complaints all day I am sure, and still were very gracious to us. In fact, some insisted that we get on the next bus, and told us to ignore the complaints and the glares.

We did get a chance to roll around Epcot without too much difficulty, and he did get on a few rides when it wasn't too crowded, but he didn't have too much fun at the Magic Kingdom or the Animal Kingdom. If we go again, we will get only one scooter, make sure the battery is a long charging one, and will get a very loud horn to let people know he is coming. We will also go only during the most uncrowded times. I am not sure what to do about rude, insensitive people hurting his feelings, but I am open to suggestions. All we did was try to ignore them, but it was a definite downer.

 

[peemagg]

I'm sorry he had such a bad time with insensitive idiots. All you can do is ignore them and continue on your way.

I would hesitate about the loud horn unless you want more nasty comments. People walking do not see how hard it is for those of us that need wheels to get around and see us as a inconvienence. Too bad for them! Those same people will get theirs sometime and may be the person on here next year looking for advice and coming across those same idiots that they were previously. Karma does come around and bite you in the butt usually.

If you both need a ECV then use it. Next time maybe have him take the lead and just point out how you need him to go.

If you had that much problem with the battery, you should have called the company and have them replace it. They should last longer than that.

I agree with going at a slower time. Going this close to holidays and busy seasons tends to bring out the nastiest people. I personally have not ran into the issues that you did and hope never too, but I would ignore them. Most of the time if you confront them about switching places and taking the other persons issues too, they tend to back down, but no one should have to deal with it. These people are (in my opinion) just big bully's who if you did or said the same to them, they would tuck their tail and run.

 

[shellybaxter]

I try to negate the rude people with a good attitude. I do not apoligize for needing an ECV, in fact I try to show how happy I am to be enjoying Disney. I ALWAYS smile. We also use battery powered novelty lights to decorate the ECV. Enough people see them and smile, make nice comments, etc that it prevents some from being rude and its easier to hear a few rude comments amoung a sea of nice comments. Its all about the attitude for me. I'm sorry your husband had such a bad time. People are so mean sometimes and we shouldn't have to "work around" there attitudes, but I'd rather work around and be happy than let them get to me

 

[jmartinez1895]

Most of the people that make the rude statements are very selfish and do not think ( or know) about the troubles that you have. All they see is what looks like you "line jumping", but what they do not know is that often time handicap people have to wait for a special car or place at a show and can wait longer than if they were able to go into the main que. Tell your husband not to feel bad because you paid the same price for your tickets as they did and he should be able to enjoy everything even if that means using an ECV. I have posted it before, but I'm going to tell it again. Once on one of our trips while in thehandicap line there was a family in front of us with a very handicap child and we had our child in his special needs stroller. We got in line at Dumbo and after a few minutes of waiting the CM came over to us all and told us that as soon as Dumbo lands we will be the first on and to take as much time as we need to make sure our kids are set and comfortable before he'll let the others on. We'll this really upset a man in the line that heard this and he very rudly said to the family in forn tof us that it must be nice to have a kids that can get you out of having to wait in line. I was in shock at this, but the mom just looked at thim and said that it must be nice to have a child that can stand at all.

 

[videogal1]

I think people just love to exercise their puny egos by behaving aggressively toward those they consider "victims" I've been treated badly..mostly before my over-sized superdog, Cash was recruited from the local shelter and trained to assist me...but now the opposite happens...everybody and their brother wants to get chummy. It's the same thing, though, and insulting, to boot...They pass by and say hi to Cash (in the eight years I've worked with him he has never yet said hello back to anyone...), ignore me, baby-talk to him, give him pats (after several hundred of these "sneak attacks" he gets pretty grumpy) or, when they realize that he's accompanied by a real live person (what, I'm a real person?) they want to meet the doggy. It's all the same thing...People feel less threatened by the consequences of making public fools of themselves if they perceive that the object of their negative, or positive (in their eyes), attention is, to them, an inferior being. The only hope of coping with this is to be confident, or to do something that removes you from that "victim"pigeonhole. The easiest way, if you're not traveling completely alone is to assume a strong, confident tone, carry on an audible conversation with your companions, unless your only companion is your Service Dog (at that point people tend to move away) (or if your conversation would reveal things of a private nature best left private) and to include your tormentors in your temporary social group by asking them a simple question (like, where are the bathrooms or where is the location of something else, or do they know the day's weather report) so that they put their egos away. I know, it's hard, but this is one of the ways I cope...It's been 43+years of coping with this public misbehavior that has endowed me with an extremely hard attitude concerning bullying of this type and I will publicly embarrass people who try to use my physical limitations as a steppingstone for their aggression. Don't be a public punching bag. The best defense for behavior like that is to plainly and loudly have a good time. Enlist some sympathetic bystanders, or, better yet, nearby CMs, if you have to...One of Mother Nature's lessons is to be larger...become a group and repel those pests, better yet, point them out while laughing about something else with the people around you... Try to avoid "victim strategies" like silence, shying away, or allowing the snarky attitudes to affect you in any way...Just say "poof, begone".

 

[KPeveler]

I generally try to ignore the idiots - though the funny thing is that the biggest problem I had last time was with a couple with scooters! They did not know how to drive them, and so parked longways across 4!!! wheelchair spots and companion spots in the American Adventures show - he refused to move all the way across (this was after going as fast as he could to be the first ones in) and then started yelling at me when I would not move all the way down. there was no where for me to go! they were blocking all the seats. He wanted me to pull between a companion spot and the next row and turn in my seat to see, like he did. I use a powerchair full time, and I cannot turn in my seat, as I have specialized seating. The CMs actually had to come tell him to stop shouting.

but karma got him - He was all the way on hte end and couldn't see a thing!

 

[mullertwin]

I'm so sorry that you encountered uncultured and ignorant people. As a pooh sized woman who has needed an ECV for the past few WDW trips due to herniated discs in my back I know what it feels like to feel judged and self-conscious. But I just try to shrug off the comments or idiots who jump in front of me (as if I am hard to miss) and smile and have a good time in my most magical place. I really hope you and DH give it another try and that your next trip is filled with pixie dust!

I do recommend going in off seasons. I happen to personally love going in January after the holidays are good and over.

 

[dapoteete]

Like the pp, I am Pooh sized but have hip dysplasia and there is no magic when in pain from walking. I only felt the wrath once and of all things it was because I was smiling while trying to get the scooter on the bus. I did however explain very nicely to a 12 yo that made a comment about another scooter rider that was getting on the bus. She thought that because he could stand he shouldn't use the scooter. I explained that some disabilities can't be seen, even though he was wearing a boot cast. Hopefully she will share that insight to others.