Now I've Seen it all!

[Lees3rwe]

I would trust my kid on one more than my 66 year old stepdad (he is an amputee)...
We went to Freestyle Amusement Park in SC right after his surgery and he rented one...

He ran over me about 5 minutes later causing a HUGE, DEEP bruise on my leg.
I was done for the day! LOL...

They should have a training course for those things! But how fabulous is it that they are available for people who need them?

 

[loveysbydesign]

I would trust my kid on one more than my 66 year old stepdad (he is an amputee)...
We went to Freestyle Amusement Park in SC right after his surgery and he rented one...

He ran over me about 5 minutes later causing a HUGE, DEEP bruise on my leg.
I was done for the day! LOL...

They should have a training course for those things! But how fabulous is it that they are available for people who need them?

Ouch!

And seeing your ticker I have to say have a ton of fun on your 1st Disney vacation TOMORROW!!!!!

 

[Snape]

It could have been a small group from a handicapped facility. I've seen them locally at movie theatres and I know many facilities take their kids on group outings. I think it's wonderful they can now go places with some assistance.

 

[MareSINY]

My dad passed away a few years ago, but before he did we took a few trips with him using an ECV and let me tell you, I'd rather have a few young kids "zipping" by me than him! He actually ripped off the arm rest of a seat at the Little Mermaid show at DHS. He was frightening, and impossible to keep up with.

I think it's great that kids with disabilities have options for getting around. Kudos to technology for coming up with things like ECV's!

 

[mariepapa]

Having some health issues lately, I can safely say that you cannot ZIP around in those ECVs. Those things are slow as molasses compared to how I normally walk. And I am guessing that if some kids or Little Person was using one, he or she needed it. Why do people always feel the need to validate someone else's use of equipment? I just had back surgery that took a tumor off of my femoral nerve. I look completely fine but I have lost the use of my thigh. So now I use a walker and would definitely need an ECV at WDW. But you would never know it from looking at me!!!!!!! Why question how come someone else was using one?

 

[appletini]

I would say that if these kids are using them in the parks then they're prob using them in everyday life. My daughter is diabetic for 5yrs now (now 12). She's has ALWAYS been extremely responsible with this. She started giving herself shots after 6 months. I think it's the kids personality and the parents being involved that helps them with repsonsibilities. Now go and enoy your trip!

 

[Lees3rwe]

Ouch!

And seeing your ticker I have to say have a ton of fun on your 1st Disney vacation TOMORROW!!!!!

Thanks! we are leaving tonight!

 

[Lees3rwe]

My dad passed away a few years ago, but before he did we took a few trips with him using an ECV and let me tell you, I'd rather have a few young kids "zipping" by me than him! He actually ripped off the arm rest of a seat at the Little Mermaid show at DHS. He was frightening, and impossible to keep up with.

I think it's great that kids with disabilities have options for getting around. Kudos to technology for coming up with things like ECV's!

Are you sure we aren't related? LOL!

 

[Michelle and crew]

Special needs children are children and do not necessarily mature any faster or slower because of their disabilities. I work in a school that serves a large group of children with serious disabilities. Many use electric wheelchairs and are quite proficient. Some have used these "mini ecv's" when travelling because it is often difficult to transport electric wheelchairs on airplanes ... batteries generally have to be removed and sometimes the chair is partially dismantled for the trip and re-assembled ... hopefully correctly ... at the destination. When you are dealing with a "vehicle" that can cost as much as $20,000 you think twice before you let airline employees handle it! Remember too that for these children these vehicles are not toys but their means of mobility. They may "zip" but they generally know what they are doing. I hope they had a wonderful time! Hope you did too, OP ... no flaming here!

 

[disneymomma1978]

Hey, the only thing I said was that I was surprised by their ages....nothing to do with needs. I guess special needs children mature quicker, because my boys at that age would have been weaving in and out of crowds chasing each other with light sabers!

No disrespect intended!! I am just anticipating other people misinterpreting your post as a dis on kids with disabilities. Words get twisted faster in this forum than I can keep up with!

 

[nytimez]

Hey, the only thing I said was that I was surprised by their ages....nothing to do with needs. I guess special needs children mature quicker, because my boys at that age would have been weaving in and out of crowds chasing each other with light sabers!

That's not actually the only thing you said. Here's the potential can of worms you may have opened, intentionally or not:

how can children that young be responsible enough to drive in crowds?

 

[disneymomma1978]

That's not actually the only thing you said. Here's the potential can of worms you may have opened, intentionally or not:

I think if you're talking about a 5/6 year old, it's a valid question. OP didn't say they felt those kids shouldn't be on the ECV's, just that they question whether kids that age are responsible enough to driving a motorized vehicle through large crowds.
Asking a question is part of what this discussion board is for, right?

 

[Planogirl]

I think if you're talking about a 5/6 year old, it's a valid question. OP didn't say they felt those kids shouldn't be on the ECV's, just that they question whether kids that age are responsible enough to driving a motorized vehicle through large crowds.
Asking a question is part of what this discussion board is for, right?

I wonder if a five year is responsible enough in most cases too. Likely these kids were but I doubt that all would be.

I didn't even know that there was such a thing as a mini ECV. How cool is that!

 

[nytimez]

I think if you're talking about a 5/6 year old, it's a valid question. OP didn't say they felt those kids shouldn't be on the ECV's, just that they question whether kids that age are responsible enough to driving a motorized vehicle through large crowds.
Asking a question is part of what this discussion board is for, right?

I wonder if a five year is responsible enough in most cases too. Likely these kids were but I doubt that all would be.

I didn't even know that there was such a thing as a mini ECV. How cool is that!

Well, firstly, unless she stopped and asked their ages we don't know how old they are. We can assume they're young, though.

Secondly, it's not really fair to compare a perfectly "abled" child that age and how they might behave on an ECV that would essentially be a toy or a race car to them to a child who has had to learn to use one out of necessity because they can't walk. You can bet that many kids would quickly learn to use it responsibly if that's the only way they can get around.

 

[disneymomma1978]

Well, firstly, unless she stopped and asked their ages we don't know how old they are. We can assume they're young, though.

Secondly, it's not really fair to compare a perfectly "abled" child that age and how they might behave on an ECV that would essentially be a toy or a race car to them to a child who has had to learn to use one out of necessity because they can't walk. You can bet that many kids would quickly learn to use it responsibly if that's the only way they can get around.[/QUOTE]

--bolding is mine--

And there's the answer to OP's question. Without jumping all over them.

 

[nytimez]

Well, firstly, unless she stopped and asked their ages we don't know how old they are. We can assume they're young, though.

Secondly, it's not really fair to compare a perfectly "abled" child that age and how they might behave on an ECV that would essentially be a toy or a race car to them to a child who has had to learn to use one out of necessity because they can't walk. You can bet that many kids would quickly learn to use it responsibly if that's the only way they can get around.[/QUOTE]

--bolding is mine--

And there's the answer to OP's question. Without jumping all over them.

Who's jumping all over anyone?

 

[SDSorority]

My thought is, maybe they're used to using them at home so it's just as natural to those young kids as walking is to us, you know?

 

[ols386]

Regardless of whether it's a kid or an adult on an ECV, I would think that it might not be easy to maneuver in the large crowds at WDW.

I've never seen a mini EVC, and didn't realize that there were mini ones, but I guess it makes sense that there would be mini ones for kids.

I think the op was just surprised to see one...maybe she was like me and had not seen one before either. I don't think she said anything that is insulting to anyone who uses an EVC.

 

[disneymomma1978]

Who's jumping all over anyone?

Sorry, I didn't mean you were! All I meant was that you answered the question for the OP and the OP didn't have anyone else jumping all over them about it.

 

[princessmom29]

Having some health issues lately, I can safely say that you cannot ZIP around in those ECVs. Those things are slow as molasses compared to how I normally walk. And I am guessing that if some kids or Little Person was using one, he or she needed it. Why do people always feel the need to validate someone else's use of equipment? I just had back surgery that took a tumor off of my femoral nerve. I look completely fine but I have lost the use of my thigh. So now I use a walker and would definitely need an ECV at WDW. But you would never know it from looking at me!!!!!!! Why question how come someone else was using one?

Actually, some of them move really fast. I teach in a school with special needs children and we have to set the speed limiter on some of thier chairs/evcs because they just move WAY to fast in a crowded hallway and have injured other children. It is hard for some of them to control thier own speed because their disability extends to thier hands as well. I have absolutely NO problem with anyone using one, but just wanted to comment that they do make ECV's that can move dangerously fast in a crowded area like WDW.