Looking for advice with using EVC in parks

[goofy4themouse]

Hurray, only 4 weeks and 1 day until we leave. I am a big planner and am looking for information with using EVC in the parks. My MIL will be using the EVC. She has already booked it from an off site service. She would never be able to make it if we waited to get one in the parks. I believe I understand the EVC and buses. I don't understand EVC and rides. Will she ride the EVC through the usual line and transfer to ride either by walking short distance or wheelchair. Also, our travel agent suggestion getting a GAC card. MIL does not have much strength. She can only walk short distances. She could go further, but it sets her back for a couple of days. We want her to get the most out of this trip as possible. She is very excited to watch her 2 granddaughters experience Disney.

Thanks so much for your help. I am a planner so I like to know ahead of time what to expect.

 

[Disney_Villain]

Here's the online version of the "Disneyland Guide Book for Guests with Disabilities":

http://adisneyland.disney.go.com/media/dlr_v0200/en_US/help/disabil_gdebk_3_08.pdf

I found it very informative as I'm also renting ECV outside of the DL parks (broke bones in my foot recently and can't walk without great pain). The guide covers what happens with each attraction, with respect to ECVs and wheelchairs.

Hope that helps!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Hi and to disABILITIES!

You pretty much have everything correct. At WDW (as opposed to DisneyLand) almost all attractions are mainstreamed, so she would ride the ECV all the way up to the boarding area. For those where an alternate entance is used there will be signs (and usually a CM) to direct you properly. There are a few attractions (Pirates and Space Mountain, for example) that she will have to transfer to a standard wheelchair which they will provide.

Normally the only problems that may occur are if you have more than six people in the party.

She will not need a GAC unless she has other "invisible" disabilities not related to mobility or stamina.

If you click on where it says "disABILTIES" at the top of this page it will take you to the Index. One of the top items is the "disABILTIES FAQ" which will gives lots of useful information. Post #2 deals with ECVs and Post #6 with GACs.

Or, if you want an easier route, click on the link in my signature.

 

[SueM in MN]

I didn't see where it says whether you are going to WDW or to Disneyland.

If it's Disneyland, the link that Disney_Villain posted will be helpful. The Guidebooks that Disney provides are not very detailed, but will give some basic information.

I'm guessing you are going to WDW since you mentioned buses.
Besides the pages in the disABILITIES FAQs thread that Cheshire Figment mentioned, there is further information/links in post #3 of that the thread. The links include links the the WDW versions of the Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities for each park. There are also some links to past threads in that same post.
Also, for Epcot, you might want to take a look at this thread. It's kind of a work in progress, but does have information about ride boarding and some pictures.

 

[goofy4themouse]

Thank you for your quick responses. Yes, we will be going to Disney World. I love the guide that was for Disneyland. I like how it seemed compact. I have seen that there is a lot of information on this board. Sometimes it's hard to get to the specifics that you are looking for. Is WDW more mainstream because it is a newer park, well as opposed to Disneyland?

 

[SueM in MN]

Thank you for your quick responses. Yes, we will be going to Disney World. I love the guide that was for Disneyland. I like how it seemed compact. I have seen that there is a lot of information on this board. Sometimes it's hard to get to the specifics that you are looking for. Is WDW more mainstream because it is a newer park, well as opposed to Disneyland?

The guides for WDW are the same as DL, but since there are more parks and they are bigger, there is one for each park.

AK and the Studio have all Mainstream (wheelchair and ECV) accessible lines since they are not really that old.
MK and Epcot are more accessible thru Mainstream lines than DL, since they are much never. Lines at MK and Epcot are not 100% ECV accessible because there was sometimes not room for making everything accessible. The Guidebooks tell which lines have a different access; in general, if she is able to get off the ECV and walk a few steps to board a ride car, she will be able to ride almost anything she wants.
Here are links to the park map for each park (they are not new, but pretty recent)
Link to Studio map

Link to AK map

Link to Epcot map

Link to MK map


These will be helpful because there is a little icon for each attraction that tells whether or not you have to transfer. These same icons are on signs outside of each attraction. The icons are:
a wheelchair symbol = can stay in the wheelchair or ECV for the entire attraction

wheelchair with icon of person getting out of wheelchair = must transfer to a ride vehicle at boarding area

ECV icon with arrow going to wheelchair icon = must transfer from an ECV to a wheelchair, but can stay in wheelchair for entire attraction

ECV icon with arrow going to wheelchair with person getting out of wheelchair = must transfer from an ECV to a wheelchair, then must transfer to a ride vehicle at boarding area

If you have questions about specific things, just ask.