how heavy are the ECV?

[margot31]

So it will be just me (female) and MIL on our next trip with my little kids. Hubby can't make it. Wondering if I were to rent her one from an outside company is it too much for me to life? What about those that break down type thing?

This is a bit new and looking to save a little money. While she claims she will be able to walk with the stroller I just want to have something in my back pocket as we get closer to the trip.

 

[gap2368]

If you are staying on site I would use the Disney buses to get around, but if you are not staying off-site some ECV can come apart and each piece can weight up to 35# ( I think this is how much my friend ECV weight with the heaviest pice.)

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I recently returned from the World.

Our traveling party was my best friend, and me.

I use a scooter. I was able to unload and assemble the scooter when we arrived and I was able to disassemble and load it when we left. The parts were "heavy" but not unmanageable.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

So it will be just me (female) and MIL on our next trip with my little kids. Hubby can't make it. Wondering if I were to rent her one from an outside company is it too much for me to life? What about those that break down type thing?

This is a bit new and looking to save a little money. While she claims she will be able to walk with the stroller I just want to have something in my back pocket as we get closer to the trip.

not the same but a friend I work with uses her own ECV that she takes apart and put together by herself from her car. biggest problem I see can be your kids while putting it together. is it going to be cool enough to keep them in car until ECV is together away from other cars in parking lot even if you have a handicapped tag

 

[margot31]

not the same but a friend I work with uses her own ECV that she takes apart and put together by herself from her car. biggest problem I see can be your kids while putting it together. is it going to be cool enough to keep them in car until ECV is together away from other cars in parking lot even if you have a handicapped tag

Well I can keep my car running if need be...plus it will be Dec in FL. While it can be warm still we live here in FL so it won't be that big of a deal as far as keeping them comfortable. Get the kids in their car seats and they are fine.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

not the same but a friend I work with uses her own ECV that she takes apart and put together by herself from her car. biggest problem I see can be your kids while putting it together. is it going to be cool enough to keep them in car until ECV is together away from other cars in parking lot even if you have a handicapped tag

I generally assemble my scooter, right behind my car. It isn't like I can carry all of the parts across the lot to a sidewalk. And I assemble as I unload.

If I am at a hotel, I pull into the drop off lane, unload/assemble, allow the bell staff to unload the rest of the car, then my husband or other adult moves the car. If there is valet parking, I use that. At Disney, valet parking is free to those with a placard. (Yes, I tip.)

If I rent, or when I rented, the scooter arrived assembled, and I never took it apart.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I would not go renting one for your stay if you don't even know if she needs it.
Just rent as you go directly from Disney if you need it.
This way you are not even having to concern yourself with those details.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I generally assemble my scooter, right behind my car. It isn't like I can carry all of the parts across the lot to a sidewalk. And I assemble as I unload.

If I am at a hotel, I pull into the drop off lane, unload/assemble, allow the bell staff to unload the rest of the car, then my husband or other adult moves the car. If there is valet parking, I use that. At Disney, valet parking is free to those with a placard. (Yes, I tip.)

If I rent, or when I rented, the scooter arrived assembled, and I never took it apart.

I was meaning who would be watching young kids while she was putting scooter together behind car. from what she said it was just her and person who needs scooter. I travel a lot was young grandkids and I wouldn't want to have to put scooter together in parking lot with young kids out of car in theme parking lot. I based this on something she said

 

[margot31]

I was meaning who would be watching young kids while she was putting scooter together behind car. from what she said it was just her and person who needs scooter. I travel a lot was young grandkids and I wouldn't want to have to put scooter together in parking lot with young kids out of car in theme parking lot. I based this on something she said

It would be me assembling the scooter and its not uncommon for me to have my kids in the car while loading groceries and all. My MIL would be keeping an eye on the kids.

 

[margot31]

I would not go renting one for your stay if you don't even know if she needs it.
Just rent as you go directly from Disney if you need it.
This way you are not even having to concern yourself with those details.

I might be more leaning this way. She say's she is fine if she has the stroller to help her. I am more concerned about her getting too sore. She has major back issues and a long story of some major surgeries and all. We have been trying to get her ready for a trip with all the walking.

 

[Sydney2977]

I would book one from an offsite company just to be on the safe side- lots will deliver and pick up from your resort on or off property. We paid around $30 a day, which is cheaper than at the parks, plus it was nice to have at other locations and the resort. Depending on how big of an ECV she needs it should still be manageable. When DH needed one after a surgery DS(15 at the time) and I picked the whole thing up and put in the back of our SUV the couple of times we didn't use Disney transportation, but it was a larger one. Other DS needed one a couple years ago when he broke his ankle right before our trip, but that one was smaller and I could pick it up on my own. Even if she doesn't use it the whole time it would still be worth it for piece of mind.

 

[Bete]

When we did it we were using a town car trunk. If you need to use a car trunk it's harder getting the scooter pieces in and out. We did it as a two some. The base is awkward getting in and out. With an SUV or van it's much easier. Don't know the age of your children or their capabilities, but it may be good to have an extra set of hands to help you.

Also, there are lighter weight scooters and heavier ones. This goes by the weight of the person using it. If you are on the heavier side you need a stronger scooter and those are heavier and are more difficult to get in and out of a car.

If you use a park scooter keep in mind they can be sold out by late morning. You can be put on a waiting list, but that's hit and miss. If you take a mid-day break you can keep your receipt and claim a scooter for later, but again there has to be one available.

 

[mamabunny]

@margot31 - Am I correct that you will be taking your own (personal) vehicle to WDW?

Then the main thing you need to know is how heavy the heaviest part of the scooter is, when it is broken down. On average, that's about 50 pounds.

Before you tell me that 50 pounds is no problem because your kid weighs XX pounds, remember that 50 pounds of "dead" weight and 50 pounds of "live" weight are two very different things. You have to be able to lift 50 pounds off the ground, and up over the sill, and into the trunk or cargo area of your vehicle.

As others have said here - renting from the Parks is an option, but you cannot reserve Parks ECVs; it's first come, first serve, and it is not uncommon for them to be out of ECVs.

If you are staying at one of the WDW Resorts, then having a local vendor deliver to the Resort (or they can - if you rent during regular business hours - meet you at one of the theme Parks) is the typical thing to do. Then you can use Disney's internal transportation, and you don't have to move your car from the Resort, and you don't have to take that thing apart, and then put it back together every. time. you. go. somewhere. (It gets old. Fast.)

If you are not staying onsite, then you may have no other choice. If that's the case, then I would identify (with the help of the rental vendor) what model you would potentially rent. Find out what the heaviest single piece is, and make sure you can easily dead lift that in and out of the back of your vehicle. You may even be able to find the Owners Manual online, and study it prior to arriving at WDW, so you know what to expect. (Sometimes you can even find YouTube videos on how to assemble/disassemble a particular model of scooter)

If you have any other questions, let us know - I hope you all have a lovely time in December!

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

OP, if you would like to see a video on assembly and disassembly, Walker has one on their site.

Walker is the company I rented from until my husband gifted me my own scooter.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Last time we rented from Walker and the guy showed us how to break down the scooter. Plus we've seen the videos on-line. However, even though DH is pretty fit and strong, he wasn't comfortable doing it and thought everything seemed too heavy, so we always took the bus.

 

[margot31]

OP, if you would like to see a video on assembly and disassembly, Walker has one on their site.

Walker is the company I rented from until my husband gifted me my own scooter.

I actually already checked out video's when I started thinking about this. I told her if need be we can have two options. At the end of the day I won't force her to do anything since it's not my mother. At the end of this trip either way she will learn the spring trip will be a little more intense since we are going to take this trip easy anyway.

 

[arminnie]

I rented from Randy's when I was 60 and had a compact rental car. Randy delivered it himself and showed me how to take it apart and put it back together.

I had no issues at all lifting the parts into a small trunk. I turned out to have walking pneumonia which was the cause of my fatigue - although I did not get diagnosed until after I got home.

I could not do it today as I have severe balance issues. Picking up even 10 pounds throws me off balance.

 

[tobikaye]

My sister now owns her own scooter. It breaks down to 6 pieces: basket, seat, 2 batteries, front base, back wheel base.

The largest/heaviest piece is the front base/tiller and it weighs about 30 lbs. I am only 5’ tall and my arms are not too long so it can be a bit difficult some days, but is very doable. If I have some one that can help lift, I leave the bottom 2 pieces attached and can lift that as one. Then I just place the other pieces in the trunk.