Info on ECV

[DrmWvr1299]

Hi, I need some info on using an ECV in the parks. I will have to have foot surgery the middle of August and going to WDW in Nov. The doc has already said it was going to take months to get the mobility back in my foot. I will be able to stand and walk short distances with a walking boot, my questiion is, what do I do with the ECV while waiting in line or going on attractions? I have been reading through the threads on using them and I am quite disgusted on how people react to others with disabilities.


Any info would be great, thanks.

 

[SueM in MN]

Glad you found us.
i hope your reading didn't discourage you too much. One thing you have to rememberr is that this site is a safe place for people to air things experiences with other people who have been there, done that. Most of us don't consistently have bad experiences; it's just that those are the ones that stick out.
Anyway, for your questions. We travel with a DD who uses a manual wheelchair (but have been there >20 times), so the ecv users may have more specific advice. The first thing you want to do is get a Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities. There is one for each park and it provides some general (a little too general sometimes) info about each ride and where you will be directed to board it and whether you can stay in the wheelchair or ecv during the attraction.
Most lines are now "Mainstream" which means the ecv can go with you up until boarding. For some rides, people with ecvs or wheelchairs board at the exit. In those, you will wait in line until you get almost to the regular boarding area (or until you get to steps or places where ecvs won't fit). Then you will be directed to the exit. The ecv will stay parked at the exit while you are on the ride.
For shows, the ecv can come right in the theater with you and you can sit in it during the show. Look for doors marked with a wheelchair icon and listen for CM directions about which door to use.
The park maps have a little icon to show where you can stay in the wheelchair or ecv for the whole attraction (wheelchair icon), ones where ecv users have to transfer to a wheelchair (ecv with an arrow to a wheelchair icon) or ones where you need to transfer to a ride vehicle (wheelchair with a stick person getting out icon).
This is getting pretty long so I'll stop and leave some info for otherrs to give.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

You are much better off renting an off-site ECV than using Disneys. They cost less and you will always have it available. Some information for off-site rentals are:

Here are the urls:

Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/

Walker Mobility:
1-888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

RANDY'S Mobility is in Kissimmee 407-892-4777
http://randysmobility.com/

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html

I have used Walker a few times. They will ask for a credit card and charge it the day before arrival. They will deliver the ECV to your hotel bell services before your arrival and pick it up there after your departure. Their rates, especially for longer than a week, are much better than Disney's. Also, their scooters are much better.

You don't say if you are renting a car or what. If you are using a car for getting around, the ECVs break down into five pieces, the heaviest about 39 pounds. They take about a minute or so to take apart and about two minutes (once you are used to it) to put it together.

Another suggestion is find out your state's requirements for a termporary disabled hang tag and get the paper work and have your doctor sign off on it. The tag will allow you to use any of the handicap parking areas (which will be a necessity). Also, with the policy of charging for valet parking, with a handicap hang tag the fees will be waived. Also the valets will usually volunteer to assist in loading/unloading an ECV. In Virginia I printed the required form from the DMV website. When I took the completed form to the DMV Office it took less than 15 minutes from the time I walked in until I had my tag.

If you will be in a a cast, you might want to have the person who puts it on you draw a line with a marker where it will be sawn off. Then bring a "Sharpie" type marker pen with you and have the Characters sign the cast. Warn them when signing to not cross the line. After the cast is removed you will have an interesting souvenier.

If you will still need crutches for whatever walking around you will be doing, you can use a bungee cord to help keep crutches on the EVC. Usually it would be a short walk with the crutches from the EVC.

Good luck and let us know what finally happens.

 

[Wheelsie]

Looks like ya found alot of great help.....just want to say WELCOME!!

 

[nancycels]

i usually don't have too many problems w/ecv's, and i usually use DIS' or whichever park i am in. The one
the one thing i wd suggest is if you are inside at a show/or outside for that matter, pull your key
out!! I had one of mine at dis that took off all of a sudden, something snapped inside i think! and I was parked on an incline! I ran into some (empty! thank goodness) theater seats in Epcot, but if someone had been sitting there they might have been hurt!

In retrospect it must have looked even funnier than the show cause i'm sure the look of incredible surprise on my face hysterical!...

The one thing i find tricky is eating. I try to avoid the places where i have to go thru foodlines!
near to impossible on an ecv, but if someone is w/u u r in business. One yr i was there alone w/
young children. Two very nice kids offered to go up and get our food when they saw i was
going to try to manage the line and get a cast member to carry the sodas so the kids wdn't spill!
so not all park attendees are inconsiderate... just the opposite!

sea world is very ECV friendly too. We ran into problems this year at IOA, but our first time at Universal Studios was fine. and the poster is right, most of us don't have problems, but when we do, we know most
of the people on these boards understand the frustrations that sometimes accompany using
ECV's or other assistive transportation. I like to take a towel w/me, keeps me from sticking to
the seats! If u r up to it, I wd try to avoid going thru lines on yr ECV, its not
impossible by any means! most cast memebers are very nice(sometimes i feel like they are even
overly solicitous! <g> but if that's the only complaint.. i'll take that anyday! Sorry yr surgery is
going to impinge on yr trip a bit! You may or may not want to do waterparks, wait and see how
u feel come Nov.

 

[DrmWvr1299]

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I was not sure what to do with the ECV while waiting in lines or what to do with it when we go to eat.

 

[JudithM]

I used WDW EVCs last week at all four parks. The ECVs have improved since my last vist (& use) in May of this year. The seats are not ripped, the arms are not broken & the EVCs go a bit faster! The only problem I almost had was not getting an ECV at the MK in the early evening - I got the last one. MK seems to run out of charged up ECVs by late afternoon/early evening. I had no problem getting an ECV later in the day at the other parks - EPCOT Int'l Gateway, Studios or AK.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

When you go into a restaurant to eat you can either leave it outside, or, if if it very necessary, you can bring it in with you. The staff will suggest where to park it safely. Remember to remove the key. Many of the lines are set up so you can stay in the ECV when in line. If you have an "outside" one, such as from Walker, when in a queue be sure to have the speed control at full "turtle" and nowhere near "rabbit". Also just press a little on the control lever. Note that the three wheel ECVs (such as from Walker) are much more maneuverable that the four-wheel Disney ECVs.