Need help with Wheelchair or Motor Scooter?

[SharonLowe]

I broke my foot last August and have had issues since then due to incompetent Ortho surgeons and other problems. We went to Universal in January and I rented an ECV. We had a problem with the first one provided - it did not hold the charge and, after our first night at the park, my son had to push me back to the hotel, which was a real pain in the a$$. The company replaced it the next day and all was better. Nonetheless, doing an ECV, in my opinion is better than a wheelchair, because your mom has more control. Some things to consider:

1 - People walk in front of you like you don't exist - I was having to put on the brakes/slow down all the time
2 - Waiting for the handicapped restrooms - so many people think it is okay to use them when they really shouldn't - some places I waited more than 10 minutes and it was annoying when someone who clearly didn't need them finally came out.
3- Make sure you rent from a Disney approved vendor so that they can deliver to your resort and have your resort store it at Bell Services if you don't want to take it to your room
4 - Charge it whenever you stop for any length of time - meals are a great time to charge it - just ask for a plug.
5- Everything will take more time - don't rush and don't push her beyond her limits. Whether in a wheel chair or in an ECV, she will get frustrated at times if you try to push too much. Take the time to "smell the roses" and enjoy other things so she doesn't feel overwhelmed.

 

[Minniekins]

Just a note about using a preferred vendor or not, forgot in pp. Being an approved vendor just means they pay a fee to Disney to be called an approved vendor. Then they are allowed to leave your Ecv for you at bell services, and pick up there, and you don't have to be there. That can be convenient for some. As I said in a pp, I use Walker Mobility scooters, they are not an approved vendor only because they do not pay a fee to Disney. But they had so many positive reviews/referrals on the disabilities board, that I decided to go with them. I also liked that I did have to meet them so I could chat with the delivery person about how their scooter works, info about charging, and any special things I need to know such as how to take it apart if I were to want to drive to the parks myself if I had a car and needed to transport the scooter(seems pretty easy as it breaks down into like 3/4 pieces to put in the trunk). Made me feel more confident getting to speak to him in person!

 

[AkaGrace]

Just one thing- an ecv can badly hurt someone. My dh and I were standing in line with my dd (16 months at the time) and dh was hit from behind by a man who did not know how to use his ecv. Dh was knocked to the ground and aggravated a back injury. This forced us to leave the park as he could barely stand. Thankfully dd was not hit but she was standing right next to him and could easily have been hit. If it injured a 6'7" 230 pound man imagine the damage to a 20 child. If you get an ecv and have never used one or only use it occasionally, meet the delivery person and ask for him or her to go over the basics. Practice before venturing to a park. They weigh several hundred pounds. You could easily injure someone.

Also it is very dangerous and against all the major rental agency contracts and Disney rules for more than one person to sit on an ecv. It's distracting to the driver and the "passenger" could hit the tiller without the driver knowing causing and accidwnt

That is horrible about what happened to you! With my mom she kept the speed at 'turtle' so that minimized some of the risk. Definitely not all though. I would also walk in front just to the side of the scooter so that I could stop people from getting in the way. I guess we were lucky because it was only my ankles that got bumped and it was the equivalent of a shopping cart or stroller bumping into you. And yes, she definitely practiced her ECV skills before heading into the parks.
I should have been clearer about my daughter and the ECV. While in the parks she was not allowed to ride with Grammie for precisely the reasons you gave. I didnt know of the policy, but it was a decision both Grammie and I made simply because of how aware you need to be while driving them. The in park snuggles happened during parades, rests in the shade, things like that.

 

[ParrotBill]

My wife has used an ECV a couple of time. Rented offsite. Sometimes you have to wait a while for a bus with free space but not often. Please help her keep the speed setting on low to avoid sudden moves or hitting people. Get in the habit to turn the speed down when she parks... so the next start does not jackrabbit into people walking. This was the only thing that was an issue for us. All good advice above about plastic to cover up and such.

 

[BroganMc]

Store ECVs are huge 4-wheeled devices. Good practice for the absolute beginner but the 3-wheel ECVs you rent off site are smaller, faster and more maneuverable. They take a softer touch. Keep your speed setting between half and three quarters in crowd situations and tight corners. That will help keep it from jolting or racing.

The park rental scooters ate huge bohemoths with 4-wheels and poor maneuverability. They're built for the heaviest patron and can easily get hard to control. That's one reason people prefer offsite rentals.

You will often encounter a conflict between pedestrians and wheelies because safe distance rules are not practiced. An experienced wheelie gives themselves a buffer of 5-10 feet all around. (The faster your speed or steeper the incline, the more distance you need to brake.) Pedestrians are used to 2-3 feet. Those extra feet give you distance to sense a need to brake and brake as well as protect you from getting hit in the head or shoulder with backpacks, bags, etc. a standing person carries. Seated you are 4ft tall, standing you are 1-2.5 feet taller.

People will cut in front, glide into or cut across your path creating a potential collision situation. Pedestrians usually think it is the Wheelie's fault because they don't understand the extra buffer distance needed to stop a motorized device. These situations get worse around crowd panic times: park exit, sudden rain storms, parades and fireworks shows (the start and end).

Dont panic. Just smile and look for that open space. It may mean sitting tight and waiting for the crowd to thin or taking a longer route around. Keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle. Pedestrians in your party may help create a blockade for you like blockers in the NFL, but pedestrians in a hurry terms to move like water. They flow into any perceived open space.

Yes a wheeled device can hurt. I've banged and bruised myself enough times just repositioning my chair in my van. But if you operate it safely and maintain control most people will just bump themselves as they grace by too closely. Keeping your hands and feet inside protects you from the collision.

Best thing you can practice is developing a good peripheral vision perception. The more you can perceive movement all around you and anticipate how traffic moves the safer you'll be able to drive. Being a good car driver usually translates to being a good ECV driver.