IF You plan on renting an ECV

[mycropht]

As I've posted elsewhere, I just got back from my first WDW wheelchair trip.

Since I have RA, I can't effectively use my hands and an ECV was out of the question.

One of the things I was afraid of was that people would think I was faking and didn't really need the wheelchair. I see a lot of threads from a lot of people saying the same thing....both about chairs and ECVs.

I spent a lot of time in handicapped waiting areas with other Chaires and ECVacationers and I think I have to say what I've heard all of us thinking. (We talked a lot as we waited on parades to pass us by.)

IF YOU ARE GETTING AN ECV, TAKE IT SERIOUSLY

Granted, most people in an ECV need it for serious reasons. Like me they have invisible disabilities ranging from Vertigo to Lupus to rare blood disorders only 10 people have heard of. Some of them even have obvious disabilities like missing legs, casts or whathaveyou.

We all have a love-hate relationship with our chairs and ECVs because we would much prefer to be able-bodied and free of pain and fatigue. The chairs and ECVs are a complication that uncomplicates things, ironically.

But the problem is the one person in a dozen who rents the ECV for some other reason. Like they want to have a WDW version of a motorcycle.

So for the love of Mickey, if you're getting an ECV don't sully the reputation of us disabled with

1. riding around like you're on a hot-rod or trying out for Sons of Anarchy
2. Driving around with a kid or two on your lap
3. letting your kids "have a turn" to drive because they are tired of walking.
4. Running over the Cast Member at Enchanted Tiki Birds because you don't know where the brake is. (Yes it happened. Three Times.)

I've seen several people advise a trip to Wal-Mart and Kroger to practice driving an ECV. I would also add that I would rent your ECV from an off-property provider and then take a couple of hours practicing at your resort on the machine you'll actually be using in the parks. It's a kindness to us all.

 

[Woth2982]

Thank you for these tips. I have recently be diagnosed with Arthritis in just my feet (odd I know, but it is due to years of dance and gymnastics with flat feet), and I am having knee surgery 6 weeks before my scheduled trip. I am seriously considering renting an ECV because I really do not think I will be able to walk around Disney for more than an hour. I will be turning 30 literally 5 days before I arrive, and this is my birthday treat to myself.

 

[photobob]

Thanks for your insights! My DW has recently been diagnosed with MS and we will be taking our first WDW since the diagnosis the week after Thanksgiving. We are going to try using a wheelchair this trip even though everyone on the boards here keeps telling us to use an ECV! My DW seems to feel more comfortable with the thoughts of the chair instead of the ECV at this point. Here main problem is fatigue as well as unsteadiness on her feet. We are DVC owners and this trip may decide if we keep it or consider selling.

 

[POOHsie]

Nice post. Thanks.

I use an ECV full-time. I saw a lady at DTD once, she was on a rental scooter and giving her (maybe) grandkid a hot-rod ride in continuous circles. I personally asked her to please stop, reminded her that the rental contract didn't allow 2 on an ECV. Then I showed her my arm and leg. I had tipped my ECV over just the day before. (My stupidity, so let's not go there.) My wrist was wrapped in a sprain-type bandaging, and I had road rash and purple bruising up to my shoulder, and all along my lower leg.

She took the kid off the ECV after my little talk.

 

[bedogged]

IF YOU ARE GETTING AN ECV, TAKE IT SERIOUSLY


[*]Running over the Cast Member at Enchanted Tiki Birds because you don't know where the brake is. (Yes it happened. Three Times.)
[/LIST]

/QUOTE]

Okay, can someone please tell me where the break is on my ECV? The only thing I have ever heard of or experienced is taking your hand off the tiller and then it stops in a second or so. Am I missing something?

 

[POOHsie]

...
Okay, can someone please tell me where the break is on my ECV? The only thing I have ever heard of or experienced is taking your hand off the tiller and then it stops in a second or so. Am I missing something?

No, you got it right. ECVs are set up so brakes always come on automatically, unless you press the accelerator, which disengages the brakes. So if you let go of the tiller, or just the accelerator, the brakes engage without the rider having to do anything else.

I feel for that poor CM at the Enchanted Tiki Birds!

 

[M5ward]

My husband has to use an EcV for our Disney trips..our upcoming trip will be the fourth trip since his disability precluded walking the World. Needless to say, we wish it wasn't a necessity, but it is. Unfortunately, we have encountered more than a few ECV users who rented them as a convenience rather than as a necessity. Many times the self- admitted non-disabled users aren't even quiet about the fact that riding around sure beats walking around. We have encountered young women (20ish years old, riding two to a scooter) who have chatted us up about their very wise decision to bypass the whole walking, sore feet thing. I don't know if they thought we were trying to beat the system too, but my husband's disability is apparent the moment he stands up. Some people are pretty proud of the fact that they beat the system, and they aren't ashamed to admit it. I'd much rather see the grandmom giving her grandson a " lift" than the " your turn, my turn" family. But that's just me.
Mycropht - loved the blog entry. Your sense of humor is infectious. I'm glad you took the plunge and had a great time.

 

[bedogged]

No, you got it right. ECVs are set up so brakes always come on automatically, unless you press the accelerator, which disengages the brakes. So if you let go of the tiller, or just the accelerator, the brakes engage without the rider having to do anything else.

I feel for that poor CM at the Enchanted Tiki Birds!

Thanks for letting me know! I thought I was missing something.

 

[Capt. Barbosa]

Thanks for your insights! My DW has recently been diagnosed with MS and we will be taking our first WDW since the diagnosis the week after Thanksgiving. We are going to try using a wheelchair this trip even though everyone on the boards here keeps telling us to use an ECV! My DW seems to feel more comfortable with the thoughts of the chair instead of the ECV at this point. Here main problem is fatigue as well as unsteadiness on her feet. We are DVC owners and this trip may decide if we keep it or consider selling.

Just a little insight for your DVC consideration, my DW was diagnosed with MS almost 7 yrs ago and we just purchased our DVC last year. We now go down about 2x a year, we have two children 12 and 10 yrs. MS may have changed the way we do our WDW trips but it hasn't stopped us from enjoying them.
MS effects every person differently so you probably wont have a good road map on what is in store for awhile. Go slow, watch the heat and have fun.


ETA Guess in keeping with the theme of thread I should add this. Our First trip she tried "toughing it out" the next few she used an ECV and those trips were much more enjoyable for her and us. Since that time she is now wheelchair dependent full time and the only park thats any trouble to push a chair through is AK

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The first time I rented an ECV my wife was very happy as I was no longer slowing us down by having to stop and rest every 15 minutes.

But when I am running through a Park and have to stop quickly I will push the throttle lever into reverse for a second or two and it will really stop much faster than just releasing the lever.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

i did have a rental ECV that the brake did not work right. did not stop it. company did replace but took awhile because it was late in day. hitting the reverse did not help because it would then just keep going backwards, had to hold in stop. was not fun that night.

 

[mycropht]

No, you got it right. ECVs are set up so brakes always come on automatically, unless you press the accelerator, which disengages the brakes. So if you let go of the tiller, or just the accelerator, the brakes engage without the rider having to do anything else.

I feel for that poor CM at the Enchanted Tiki Birds!

That explains that! The woman must have thought that she had to press the brake like she would a car. Because she'd come almost to a stop, press something and **whiiiiiiirrrr---->WHAM!** right into the poor CM.

Over and over. And he kept saying "maybe it would be better to just get off and park it outside manually" in this whimper. But she just went right on zooming at him. Finally another ECV rider's spouse went over to help them figure it out.

 

[POOHsie]

That explains that! The woman must have thought that she had to press the brake like she would a car. Because she'd come almost to a stop, press something and **whiiiiiiirrrr---->WHAM!** right into the poor CM.

Over and over. And he kept saying "maybe it would be better to just get off and park it outside manually" in this whimper. But she just went right on zooming at him. Finally another ECV rider's spouse went over to help them figure it out.

But your description of the incident: Kind-a funny

 

[Cheshire Figment]

When my mother was only 91 she came for a visit and I "forced" her to use an ECV (this was before she gave up driving at 94). She did have a problem finding the brake. But she still (at 97) talks about how she enjoyed her two days in the Parks, and that if I had not made her use an ECV she could not have lasted an hour.