Just back from 6 day stay w/ Grandfather using ECV - any questions?

[Jim from Jersey]

Prior to leaving for our trip to WDW, I read this board and decided to rent a scooter for my 78yo Grandfather due to his bad knees. We rented a scooter from Walker Mobility and had no problems. The scooter was at the Dolphin with our name on it when we arrived - at the bellhop area. Although a little apprehensive at first, he soon got the feel for it and was zooming around like the Indy 500. We never had a problem bringing the scooter on Disney transportation - boat or bus. Thank god for scooter - it made the trip fun for all of us!
PS If your going to rent a car and a member of your group has a handicap placard, bring it with you. 1) it will allow you to park close up in all the parks if you do drive. 2) There was no charge for valet parking at the swan/dolphin with the handicap placard - not sure if this applies to WDW resorts.
*** Note - above applies only if the handicap person is with you - it is illegal to use it otherwise!! ***

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks Jim. We got complimentary valet parking at Boardwalk when we were there with our DD and used her handicapped parking card, too.
If you have a folding wheelchair, or need to rent an ecv or wheelchair at the park, you may actually be closer asking the parking lot CM if you can park at the end of a row, close to the tram stop. The handicapped parking in some parks is quite a trek from the entrance, but the tram lets you off right at the entrance.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Jim,
How was the Dolphin? Was there enough space in the room for the scooter? Did you walk to Epcot? MGM? We are going in Nov. and will have both my grandfather with a cart and my sister with a wheelchair. Any information will be helpful. Thanks!

 

[olena]

I just read in the Transportation Forum that valet parking will no longer be complimetary at the WDW resorts, as of July 16th. I wonder if they will follow the Swan and Dolphim policy of keeping it free for cars with accessible placards.

 

[Jim from Jersey]

Disneycrazymom......The Dolphin was great. The ECV was really easy to manouver within the whole resort. We had the option of either leaving the scooter at the Bellhop area overnight or when not in use (plugged in & charging of course) or bringing it back to the room. Since there was only 2 of us in each room, we brought it back to the room and parked it on the side next to the table with the lamp - that's where the easiest accessible outlet was. The Dolphin resort is huge and having the ECV with us whenever we wanted it was excellant. As for walking to the parks, we never walked all the way to Epcot or MGM. We took the boat ride to each. ECV's and Wheelchairs are loaded onto the back of the boat with ease (actually the buses were easy too!) It is kind of a far walk from the Dolphin to Epcot and even further to MGM. Waiting for the boat seemed to be the better option for us. We did however walk to the BW area and walk around by the shops. As I stated in the original post, my grandfather was a little apprehensive at first- he didn't think he needed it & he didn't want to be a burden on any of us. ( he thought it was like a wheelchair and that we would have to push him around ) Now, even after being home for 2 weeks, he is still talking about how great the scooter (ECV) was. It really did make the trip better for him (and all of us) in the long run. It cost us $180 for the week for the ECV (from Walker) but that was probably the best $180 we spent on the whole trip! J from J

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Thank-you Jim. I feel better. I want everyone to enjoy this trip and have been worried about the hotel and the ECV and wheelchair. I am glad to know they can go on the boat and that the rooms are big enough to move around in.

 

[Disneydays]

What a wonderful trip this must have been!!
Was your grandfather able to enjoy rides and attractions?
Any problems with restaurants....I guess I'm asking what difficulties you encountered.........wanting to take my mom..(80)...to WDW for 3 days...she doesn't think she needs an ECV...but with 2 artificial hips...yes...mom..you do!!
Thanks for any additional info!!

 

[figmentvi]

Jim, thanks so much for this post. I feel much better about renting ECV's for my MIL and FIL. I think they will enjoy WDW much more with the scooters. I know they too will be very apprehensive, but they are good sports.

My two major concerns are storage at the YC since there will be 2 of them. I'm hoping there is an area off the Lobby that they can be stored and charging overnight. The second concern is loading and unloading off of the buses. I have heard it can be a little cumbersome.

What was your experience with the buses?

Thanks,
Linda

 

[SueM in MN]

olena mentioned the valet parking changes and I didn't notice that until now.
From what I have been able to find out, valet parking will still be free for people with handicapped parking permits. That is official from something written on the official Disney Board.
If you don't have a handicapped parking permit, you might still be able to talk them into it if you have an ecv or wheelchair. At the very least, you will be able to drop someone off at the resort entrance and then park after the person using the wheelchair or ecv is out of the car.
I haven't seen the new buses, but they have ramps, not lifts and should be very easy to get on. We don't have an ecv (just a manual wheelchair), but from what I have heard, once you have done it once or twice, it's not that hard.

 

[RaySharpton]

Thank you for the information!

 

[LindaDVC]

The new bus ramp is a little steep. So drive down slowly!

They pull to the curb cut to lower the ramp. If they brought it to the curb and actual sidewalk the angle would be better.(imho)

Linda

 

[lisapooh]

I did not find the ramps on the buses to be steep at all. In fact they are just right. And the drivers were bringing it out onto the sidewalk each time I rode.
You want a steep ramp try the one one the ferry boat. That thing is really steep

 

[slp87]

Thanks for the great info! The buses have been our biggest concern, but it sounds like no problems. FYI Walker Mobility has a website for all interested.

http://www.walkermobility.com