HELP! Leaving for Japan next week! Need ecv rental!

[polkadotrocks]

I am leaving for Japan next week. Our first stop is Tokyo Disney Resort. We are staying at the Sheraton. I am looking to rent an ECV that can be delivered to my hotel and picked up when done. Approximately a 3-4 day rental. Could anyone possible help? Thanks in advance!

Julie

 

[WheeledTraveler]

I'd contact your hotel and see if they know of any companies that might have rentals. That's what I've used when traveling overseas and needing to rent an ECV (non-Disney travel). I don't think anyone has ever posted to this board about using a mobility aid at Tokyo Disney.

One thing to note is that some of their rules for guests with disabilities are different from the US parks because Japan's laws are different. http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/en/tdr/bfree/ looks to be where the information for guests with disabilities is. The "Experiencing Attractions" link on that actually has a pretty comprehensive description of what a guest must be able to do (and why) to ride or otherwise participate in that attraction.

 

[Mickey Fliers]

Like the previous poster said, I would try with the hotel. We live in Japan and I have never seen an ECV here. Anywhere. At the TDR, I have see a few wheelchairs, but never an ECV.

Now, I don't know what your mobility issues are, but the TDR parks really aren't that large. Nothing like walking at WDW. Are you visiting other areas of Japan? Our saying since moving here has been "Now we live in Japan. And in Japan…you walk". If you need the aid of an ECV for everyday, Japan might prove to be a tricky place for you to tour.

Good luck.

 

[Etoile]

I want to second Mickey Fliers. Japan is not particularly disability-friendly in general. A friend of mine is a wheelchair user; she had some difficulty in places. In fact, at the Disney Store in Shibuya, we asked where the elevator was. The staff person said "oh let me help you!" No thanks, just tell us where it is. So she did. Oh...you have to climb 10 steps to get to the elevator. She was offering to help us lift the chair up the steps!!

TDR is perfectly accessible for wheelchairs, my friend and I have been there. I assume ECVs can do fine there too, even though they are bigger. But renting one...you'd have to go through a specialty agency, I would think. This place is probably your best bet, they seem to be targeted more to short-term use. The other links I found with a search were for long-term use.

Japan just isn't very friendly to this kind of thing though. I do wish you luck with the trip.

 

[KPeveler]

I am not sure if you are going anywhere other than the resort, but I know that most public transportation will not be accessible. The laws are very different and I believe the closest thing Japan has to the ADA was only passed a couple years ago. So it may be difficult to get around the city itself.

 

[Bete]

You may be able to rent an ECV here and take it with you. The airlines are friendly to this; so, this may be your only answer for a scooter. PERSONALLY, I WOULDN'T DO THIS OPTION. First, you will need to rent it for a longer period of time; so, you can have it ready to go to Japan and bring it back when you return. Second, I have no idea how you would charge the battery each day with an American scooter in Japan. I'm sure the electric is different in Japan. Next, if anything goes wrong with the scooter you would be in an impossible situation. Finally, I'm not even sure a rental company here would allow it. To me this is not a good option. And as a previous poster has indicated unless you are renting your own car it may be very difficult to get a scooter to go with you wherever you go.

I really think you need to consider a wheelchair. There are lightweight, manual, portable wheelchairs weighing like 15 pounds. Of course, you need a pusher for it. You would probably have to navigate stairs in Japan and then your helper would have to carry the wheelchair up the stairs. These wheelchairs can be bought for $100 to $150. If you want to walk at times you can push the wheelchair yourself and use it like a walker. There may be a possibility of hiring someone in Japan to push the chair. In addition to paying them you would have to pay their way into the park or wherever else you go. Another option would be to get a rollator. This is a type of walker that has a built in seat. So, when you are tired of walking you can take a break and sit on the seat.

 

[AussieSing]

Having been to Japan over a dozen times and to Disney twice in Tokyo, I have to agree with the previous poster, that Japan is just not made for getting around on an ECV. You can hire these those at Disney, along with a wheelchair. if you hired one there and had it sent to your hotel, how would you get it to Disney, as your hotel only offers "shuttle" service to the monorail. What this means is a big tour bus, and they aren't like the buses at WDW with the wheelchair lifter, they have stairs to get into the bus.

When I was at Disney, I never even saw anyone in an ECV, and only maybe one or two very very elderly people being pushed in a wheelchair. All places in Asia are basically none wheelchair friendly.

Good luck

 

[Mickey Fliers]

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but "in Japan, we walk".

It is truly just the way it is here.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

If you do go for a wheelchair, you'll either want one that can be folded to get through doors or a narrow wheelchair. I've known a couple wheelchair users who've been to Japan and I know the one who was a manual wheelchair user ended up renting (near where she lived in Canada) either a 16" or 14" wide wheelchair because of the width of doorways at hotels and on the train. It's not impossible to travel around Japan as a wheelchair user (including a powerchair user), but it's difficult. You can read some of the description from the powerchair user I knew at http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/opinion/accessible_land_of_the_rising_sun.shtml . She actually find Japan to be more disability friendly than the UK, but I really think YMMV. (For example, she's small so her powerchair may be narrow enough not to have issues with the doors that the other person I knew had.)

I suspect that if you can walk enough to take the shuttle to the park, you may be best off renting at the park. The website does say that they rent wheelchairs and ECVs in Tokyo Disney.

 

[Mrsjvb]

Like the previous poster said, I would try with the hotel. We live in Japan and I have never seen an ECV here. Anywhere. At the TDR, I have see a few wheelchairs, but never an ECV.

Now, I don't know what your mobility issues are, but the TDR parks really aren't that large. Nothing like walking at WDW. Are you visiting other areas of Japan? Our saying since moving here has been "Now we live in Japan. And in Japan…you walk". If you need the aid of an ECV for everyday, Japan might prove to be a tricky place for you to tour.

Good luck.

concur. I lived there for 3 years and did Tokyo Disney twice.. never even so much as saw a manual chair in the parks. I equate them to DL as far as size, maybe a tad bit smaller. Disney Sea was very easy to get around with plenty of spots to rest.( and my favorite of all Disney parks to date.. still have to get to Hong Kong)

I honestly do not think the subways are very ECV friendly, let alone WC. they are CROWDED especially on the line that Disney has the stop on.

 

[Etoile]

I am not sure if you are going anywhere other than the resort, but I know that most public transportation will not be accessible. The laws are very different and I believe the closest thing Japan has to the ADA was only passed a couple years ago. So it may be difficult to get around the city itself.

I honestly do not think the subways are very ECV friendly, let alone WC. they are CROWDED especially on the line that Disney has the stop on.

I would actually disagree - the JR and Tokyo Metro actually bend over backwards to make things accessible, and the crowding has never blocked my wheelchair-using friend from getting on. You might have to go a little out of your way sometimes (Iriya station, for example), but it's fairly accessible. I have even known station staff to carry manual wheelchairs, occupants and all, down the stairs. Most of the other comments in this thread have been right on, and it's true about the laws - but public transportation, specifically, is fairly accessible.

 

[Mrs.Malone]

We've never seen ECV on public transportation. I have however seen a few manual chairs (also a couple of elderly people being pushed in manual chairs at Disney) and once I saw a businesswoman with a guide dog on the subway. I
think public transportation and Disney are at least mostly navigable in
a manual wheelchair.