Official Wheeled Vehicle Policy

[OneLittleSpark]

I think that it depends on the device and the user - kids will also be on my lap with my powerchair, but we with manual and power wheelchairs do not have controls in front of us - it is much harder for kids to accidentally hit the controls for a manual chair!

Ooh, are you two talking kids already, or is this just 'for the future'? With a power chair, you have the option of putting the child on the other side from the joystick, so they can't reach out and whack it . Obviously this wouldn't work for all powerchair users, as someone with limited movement in one arm (from a stroke, for instance) might not be able to hold a child with their weaker arm.

Even if you think your child will not interfere with the safe use of a wheelchair or ECV, what do you think happens when the child loses balance? Either you keep your hands on the controls/wheels/brake, etc., and the kid tumbles off onto the pavement, or you let go of the controls and grab the kid.

Or think of it this way - would you drive in bumper-to-bumper traffic with your toddler in your lap?

I've actually got fairly good at stopping my wheelchair with my elbows now, if I need to catch something with my hands. It's not great for your clothes, and can give you some interesting rope burns, but works at a pinch. I also make sure to leave a decent stopping distance between me and the person in front, just in case I have any problems stopping. With a power chair, if you take your hand off the control, it will put on the breaks immediately (at least all of the power chairs I've come across, please someone correct me if I'm wrong). That means you could catch the child, and the chair would stop itself - everyone's happy

Besides, there will always be 'ways around' these problems which can be explored. I don't have kids yet, but when I do, I am going to want to go out with them, without having to rely on my fella to carry them / push a buggy (stroller); if that means they ride on my lap, then we'll find a safe way to do that.

As for passengers on ECVs, power or manual wheelchairs, I imagine they will be very black and white; keeping it no passengers. If you actually go back to the operator's instructions for any of those things, I'm very sure there is something in the book that says "no passengers" or "don't allow anyone to ride with you."
For power devices, it is a safety issue for other guests, so they would be within their rights to ask anyone (even someone with a personal ECV or power wheelchair) to not have any riders. If they get 'gray' and say that they will enforce it for guests who are renting ECVs in the park only, they will get lots of complaints from those guests when they see other people doing it. And to be honest, most of the people I have seen with extra passengers or child drivers have not been using WDW park rental ECVs. And, a child falling off of a moving ECV or power wheelchair could be badly hurt and WDW would have some liability if they saw and didn't stop.

As far as manual wheelchairs, I'm sure they are concerned about lawsuits - if a child being held falls out of the wheelchair, I am sure there are people who would sue because the pavement is uneven or something else. Again, it would be much easier for CMs just to have the rule black and white.

I can understand their concern for safety, and also worrying about lawsuits (there are people out there who will sue for just about anything, nowedays ). It's not an easy issue to deal with, as you've got to ensure everyone is safe, without unfairly restricting disabled Guests. I'm sure the majority of people using mobility aids in the park will be safe and sensible, but then again, that's no consolation to the person who gets run over by a 4 year old on an ECV. I can easily see both 'sides' of the discussion; it's not an easy one to make a call on. I really don't envy Disney having to make and enforce these rules, and I wish them all the best.

Anyway, I'm off to bed now, night all!

 

[peemagg]

I know it is for safety sake, but I think by not allowing someone with a disability to transport their child in a way that they are able to is discrimination.

Let me put it in another way: An able bodied person can run around all day long carrying their child if they so desire. What if they step off the curb and the child falls to the pavement. Does this mean that because Disney allows them to be carried they have some responsibility for this and can be sued, even if there was nothing that they did wrong except to not stop the parent from carrying their child?

Sometimes I think people get so worried about lawsuits and such they don't see how they are discriminating against others.

Now don't get me wrong, I do think that if a person who is disabled is allowing their child to drive or are acting in a wreckless manner, then yes they should be stopped.

 

[KPeveler]

I know it is for safety sake, but I think by not allowing someone with a disability to transport their child in a way that they are able to is discrimination.

Let me put it in another way: An able bodied person can run around all day long carrying their child if they so desire. What if they step off the curb and the child falls to the pavement. Does this mean that because Disney allows them to be carried they have some responsibility for this and can be sued, even if there was nothing that they did wrong except to not stop the parent from carrying their child?

Sometimes I think people get so worried about lawsuits and such they don't see how they are discriminating against others.

Now don't get me wrong, I do think that if a person who is disabled is allowing their child to drive or are acting in a wreckless manner, then yes they should be stopped.

I think it will be a case-by-case basis. I fully intend to get one of those baby-carrying slings for an infant, and one of those "baby-backpacks" that you put on your back for a toddler, and wear it on the front. essentially, i am strapping the kid to me, and I am strapped to the chair, so that child is not going anywhere.

I dont know as driving an ECV with a child on your lap is ever safe, because the child must be between the controls and the driver.

Those of us who are wheeled everyday, whether in Disney or not, come up with ways of making things work, and we will deal with it as we need to.

OLS - No, we are not pregnant yet, but i expect we will be within a couple years My wife is almost 30, so we dont want to wait too long!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

My ECV is almost 200 pounds without me on it (almost 500 with me) and can do 4½ MPH. If I were carrying a child in such as position as that child could press the control bar and they should push it, the ECV could be driven off a curb, into a wall, or crush into someone! In any case, serious injuries to me, passenger and/or pedestrian(s) could happen.

 

[syko]

Officialy you are not allowed to push or pull anything from your wheelchair, but I push a stroller and have never had anything said for the last 3+ years.
If i'm just popping in for a little while, my Dd will sit on my lap.

If Disney want me to stop taking my Dd to WDW by myself then they can let me have a VIP guide for free and they can push her stroller!!!!!

 

[OneLittleSpark]

OLS - No, we are not pregnant yet, but i expect we will be within a couple years My wife is almost 30, so we dont want to wait too long!

If Disney want me to stop taking my Dd to WDW by myself then they can let me have a VIP guide for free and they can push her stroller!!!!!

Hehehe, sounds like a good idea to me

 

[bgohre]

Let me put it in another way: An able bodied person can run around all day long carrying their child if they so desire. What if they step off the curb and the child falls to the pavement. Does this mean that because Disney allows them to be carried they have some responsibility for this and can be sued, even if there was nothing that they did wrong except to not stop the parent from carrying their child?

Sometimes I think people get so worried about lawsuits and such they don't see how they are discriminating against others.

Now don't get me wrong, I do think that if a person who is disabled is allowing their child to drive or are acting in a wreckless manner, then yes they should be stopped.

I was thinking the exact same thing. If someone told me I couldn't carry my daughter I think I might get a little irate.

However, I think in the ECV cases it's the case of a few bad apples spoiling the whole lot. Those folks that follow the rules and drive in a responsible manner needs to say something to those that do not. Because of course, as someone who does not use any mobility device, for me to say anything would turn me into a bigot.

 

[Momelie]

I think for me the one that took the cake was the guy at DHS that was driving his Disney ECV with his wife on his lap! And they were old enough to have 20-something children with them. It was a sight to see...

He kept asking me how much my little personal ECV had "set me back" and if it "kept my dogs from barking at the end of the day."

Sigh......

My disease was diagnosed nearly 6 years ago, and I've been pretty much confined to an ECV at Disney for 5 full years, my own for 4 of those. In the beginning, my youngest was just 6, and probably would have loved to ride on my ECV, but it took about 5 nanoseconds to see just how dangerous it would be with my arthritic hands and her lightning quickness. Bad combination!

I think my biggest complaint with the whole situation is that I can't think of a single instance where I've ever seen a cast member approach and/or remove a double rider from an ECV, or even give a warning. NEVER. And I'm there about 6-7 days a month on the average. You would think in the 5 years that I've actually been paying attention that I would have seen it happen at least once. Has anybody else ever seen it? Am I just always in the wrong place and time? I'm probably oblivious, but I do see some people riding around like that more than once in a whole day, sometimes in more than one park.

Or is this posted regulation a new procedure that will now enable cast members to correct these situations? I was under the impression that the rule had been in place for quite some time, just never enforced.

 

[SueM in MN]

I think my biggest complaint with the whole situation is that I can't think of a single instance where I've ever seen a cast member approach and/or remove a double rider from an ECV, or even give a warning. NEVER. And I'm there about 6-7 days a month on the average. You would think in the 5 years that I've actually been paying attention that I would have seen it happen at least once. Has anybody else ever seen it? Am I just always in the wrong place and time?

I have seen CMs caution people a number of times (we are usually in WDW twice a year for 10-12 days at a time).
Several times I have seen the child get off and then the parent/grandparent put them back on again as soon as the CM had gone out of sight.

 

[Momelie]

I have seen CMs caution people a number of times (we are usually in WDW twice a year for 10-12 days at a time).
Several times I have seen the child get off and then the parent/grandparent put them back on again as soon as the CM had gone out of sight.

Ah! Now THAT (unfortunately) sounds all too much like the typical behavior of the average double rider!

 

[dclfun]

We are at WDW right now and I had my 2 year old grandson by myself in a park on several occasions for short periods of time or riding w/in the resort. He has ridden in my lap since he was old enough to sit independently and knows full well that he cannot touch Grandma's joystick or even squirm around- he is perfectly behaved when he's alone with me. I was given grief only by bus drivers who called managers who then admitted that he was safer on my lap than falling asleep while standing up ( there were no free seats that time) or sitting away from me where he *could* get up and walk around to try and get to me. I didn't want a stranger grabbing him either or being responsible even though another guest offered to watch him. While safety should be first and foremost, there is also common sense. Those of us who live in w/c's and are familiar with our chairs and families, having a child on our lap, esp. when we are the only adult with that child, is the safest thing to do. Those who rent ECV's and as such otherwise have *never* travelled on one with a child would be a little more questionable. Allowing a child to drive an ECV ( or power chair) is absolutely irresponsible and should be stopped immediately by a CM- and that person should be radioed in so that they can be watched and asked to leave the park or turn in the ECV if they continue the behavior and endanger themselves as well as others.---Kathy

 

[peemagg]

I think it does sometimes need to be a case by case basis.

I have been in situations with my young niece and nephew before where the only way for me to keep him under control was to put him on my lap on my scooter. When ever the kids do need to ride with me they are not allowed to touch the controls and they know it. We also are not going at the fast setting. If I did not do this, then I would not be able to do things with them alone. The way things stand right now about riders on scooters and wheelchairs, then no one who is handicapped with small kids could go to the parks or whereever alone with the children. They are forcing us to pay more and bring assistants with us that just are not needed. That is a form of discrimination!
If I want to take my young nieces and nephew to WDW or anywhere else, I shouldn't be forced to bring someone else with me, just because they are afraid of lawsuits.

 

[Schmeck]

If I want to take my young nieces and nephew to WDW or anywhere else, I shouldn't be forced to bring someone else with me, just because they are afraid of lawsuits.

No, but you should bring someone with you if you cannot keep them safe - and riding an ECV or propelling a manual wheelchair with a child on your lap is not safe.

 

[videogal1]

The following official Disney policy concerning wheeled vehicles for people with disabilities was announced on December 11, 2009.

And it further indicates that:

* Devices must not be converted recreational devices. For example, pull wagons or coolers on wheels are not permitted.

Anyone know what a pull wagon is? I've seen the motorized coolers (boy they look uncomfortable!) but a motorized wagon?

 

[Michigan]

* Devices must not be converted recreational devices. For example, pull wagons or coolers on wheels are not permitted.

Anyone know what a pull wagon is? I've seen the motorized coolers (boy they look uncomfortable!) but a motorized wagon?

Child wagons are not permitted because they could tip. Coolers that have rear wheels that are pulled are also not permitted.

 

[aaarcher86]

* Devices must not be converted recreational devices. For example, pull wagons or coolers on wheels are not permitted. Anyone know what a pull wagon is? I've seen the motorized coolers (boy they look uncomfortable!) but a motorized wagon?

Example

http://www.toysrus.com/product/inde...ice=t&camp=PLAPPC-_-PID12891697&KPID=12891697

 

[disneyfan19712006]

I also wanted to say that i am VERY happy that disney reiterated that only ONE person is allowed on a mobility device at a time!! I saw SO many people using their laps as a way to transports multiple children, which is unsafe.

What if you are alone with a child?

 

[Jacqui8374]

There are some ECVS now with 5 wheels the quingo range
Jacqui

 

[cmwade77]

What if you are alone with a child?

It is still unsafe, they are not designed for this.

 

[Mrsjvb]

What if you are alone with a child?

then you make the sacrifice to not go until you can bring a second adult. ECVs are SINGLE RIDER DEVICES period, end of subject.