New to ECV

[ragel1023]

My dad has been put on oxygen and will need a ECV to get around while at Disney in September. This is new to us so I just had a few questions.

He gets around well, but his oxygen levels drop too much when he does a lot of walking so we need to get him a ECV to use while at the parks. I don't think we need one to get from the hotels to buses and to parks. Should we just rent one in the parks each day so that we don't have the hassle of getting on and off the buses with one? Has anyone used the ones in the parks? Are they terribly uncomfortable or more expensive or anything we should know that might make us want to rent one offsite?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Where are you staying? My dad is also on oxygen when he is moving around. September is Florida is HOT and even the walk from the resort to the bus stop, or park to the bus stop can be exhausting in that heat, and it can be a fairly long walk. And there aren't a lot of places to sit once you get there. It can also be a long walk from your room to dining, depending on the resort.

 

[olwyngdh]

It is a LOT less expensive to rent one from off site, and it really isn't that bad dealing with the busses. The drivers are trained to deal with people who aren't used to using ECVs.

Also, think about hand carrying the O2 tank vs having an ECV with a holder for it...

 

[lanejudy]

I agree with PP -- September at WDW is still hot and humid.

I'd suggest an off-site rental. It will actually be less expensive, he'll have it for to/from buses and around the resort -- which can have some pretty long walks as well depending on where you are staying.

If you rent in the parks, get there early. Often ECVs are sold out by mid-morning and you would have to do a wheelchair and get on a wait-list for an ECV to be returned.

If you are flying, make sure to check with your airline about the oxygen.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[ragel1023]

Thank you everyone for the quick responses. I was thinking it would probably be cheaper to rent offsite. We live where is it almost as hot and humid as WDW, so he is used to the heat, although I know it can be draining. We are staying at the Wilderness Lodge. He's never used an ECV, and gets around well, but it helps to know that the parks run out by mid morning. That may be our deciding factor. We are driving down, so he will have his own oxygen tanks. He's working on a smaller, more mobile tank that isn't so heavy. Problem is, they don't last very long. Would he be able to stop somewhere and charge it while in the park? Thanks again for all the help!