Parade with EVC and parking it at resort?

[hollygolitely93]

Hi everyone!

We are taking my parents and brother's family to the World late fall. My mother has heart condition. Last year we rented Disney ECV each day in the park and it was so helpful! This year, I am debating renting off site. One advantage is speeding us all up at rope drop but more importantly I saw my mom huffing it from the bus to the gate and if we can help her be more comfy all the better.

We are sating at POR...anyone know where we would park the EVC each night, safely? Bringing it in the room seems bulky and hoping to avoid that. Also, how cumbersome is it getting on and off the bus?

Final question....we are going to NVMCP...last year we watched in a handicap section in frontier land...we want main street this year? Can my mom sit on her scooter while we it on curb on main street?

Thanks!!!

 

[aubriee]

I think it's a good idea to rent from offsite, so your mom can have the ECV for around the resort, at DTD, and to get back and forth from the bus stops to the parks. We always use Walker's Mobility for my mom's and highly recommend them. There are alot of other companies out there though. I know Apple also gets good reviews.

You pretty much have to bring them into the room to charge each night though. I don't know of anywhere you could leave it. You pick them up and drop them off at bell services at the beginning and end of the trip, but I don't think they'd be willing to be responsible for it every night or even if they'd have room to store it for you. Just move the table and chairs over a little and they slide right in there between the table and dresser. Be sure to ask for either the mansions or a first floor room in AB, since the AB rooms do not have elevators. Unfortunately PORS is not the best place to use the buses with an ECV. We stayed there a few years ago with my mom and it was a nightmare. It seems like no matter what time we left the room, every bus already had two ECVs on it, people were sitting in the seats that lift up for ECVs and the drivers did not want to ask them to move, or they'd say the lift was broken. I know every single time we had to sit through bus after bus after bus. That has never happened at any other resort we've ever stayed at. POFQ was wonderful, because it is the first bus stop and she was always able to get onto the first bus, but not at PORS. Most of the new buses you can pull right in, but if you get an old bus with one of the old lifts, you have to back in. Your mom could get off though and another member of the party could get it on the bus for her if she has problems or is nervous. The driver will ask her if she can transfer though, because if possible they want you off the ECV and in a seat because it's safer.

Of course, your mom can sit in her ECV on Main Street (or anywhere else for that matter) for the parade if you don't want to use the handicapped areas. We very seldom use that handicapped area when my mom is with us, because they normally allow just the person in the ECV and one other person in there. If it's just me and her, we sometimes use them, but if my husband is with us, we never do. She always just parks on the edge of the sidewalk and we either sit or stand beside or behind her.

 

[hollygolitely93]

Thank you so much...very helpful!

 

[Bete]

When you rent in the parks you don't have to worry about charging the battery every day. When you rent off site this becomes your responsibility. Most cheaper off site scooter rentals absolutely require you to charge the battery every night. Also, you need to check the battery charge through the day; so, you don't run out of juice. The longer your day at the park the more this can be a concern. It's highly recommended to shut the scooter off every chance you get like parades, shows, live entertainment, fireworks and so forth. Most carry their battery charger with them to the parks in case you need to charge your scooter in the park. It's a long process to charge in the parks, but it can be done in an emergency.

Your mom may need help with the scooter getting it on and off buses if you use them for your travels. They can be hard to position on the buses. Most travel scooters will easily fit into most resort rooms. They are not as big as the ones in the parks. If you get a larger scooter it will be more difficult to get it in and out of the room and bus. I strongly suggest someone hold the resort door getting the scooter in and out of the room. I strongly suggest you or someone else and not your mom get the scooter in and out of the room. Scooters are considered to be a safety hazard if left outside of the room. Also, keep in mind a smaller scooter will not be as roomy or as comfortable as a larger one. You need to decide on a 3 wheel or 4 wheel scooter, too. Most feel a 3 wheel makes turns better and most feel a 4 wheeler is more stable.

Try to look at a map of the sections at your resort and talk to a travel Disney CM and ask them what is the first bus stop at your resort. That will be your best bet for making sure you don't wait as long to get the scooter on a bus. I would pay the extra if you need to get a preferred location; I think it's $15/day. It's best to avoid peak times like leaving the park after a parade or fireworks. You will wait a very long time for the buses at that time. Smaller travel scooters can be broken down into 4 or 5 pieces depending on the model if you go by car.

Based on what you described I think it would be good to have a scooter at all times, not just the parks. Getting an off site scooter has more responsibilities.

 

[Dismom55]

What can we do if bus after bus is unavailable for whatever reason? Are we stuck or can we call someone? This is why I am afraid of renting an ECV, tho I really NEED one on our next trip. I am trying to talk my daughter into staying at POFQ, but we have stayed there already and she wants to stay somewhere different and we can not afford Deluxe.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

will need to take into room at night to charge. is cheaper to rent off site plus you have to get to buses, boat or monrail. if you rent at parks, they can run out of ECVs and you have to use a wheelchair. we stayed at Fort Wilderness and i had no problems with buses either to parks or the campgound buses. just the usual wait for the bus wanted. bus drivers were very helpful getting ECV parked on bus after getting it on the bus. i was not allowed to stay on ECV on the bus but had to transfer to a seat. driver does all the tying down on the bus. i had more trouble at table serve meals than i did on buses.

 

[lanejudy]

What can we do if bus after bus is unavailable for whatever reason? Are we stuck or can we call someone? This is why I am afraid of renting an ECV, tho I really NEED one on our next trip. I am trying to talk my daughter into staying at POFQ, but we have stayed there already and she wants to stay somewhere different and we can not afford Deluxe.

If you have a car (or rental car) you can drive yourselves - parking is free if staying onsite. You always have the option of calling a taxi. It is frustrating and there isn't a good answer. Your best solution would be to stay at another resort. I can understand your DD's desire to try somewhere different, but I think your mom's health is of more importance than simply a desire to stay somewhere different. POFQ is a sister resort to PORS and your DD could still visit PORS and use the amenities (pool, etc.) there with a short walk. What about a value resort - maybe one of the family suites to make it more special? POP and AoA have their own busses (POP doesn't have suites).

 

[Debbie Jean]

One strategy is to get a room closest to the first bus stop on the loop... then you will be on before other ECV's board. Did this at CSR and it worked pretty well.

 

[aubriee]

One strategy is to get a room closest to the first bus stop on the loop... then you will be on before other ECV's board. Did this at CSR and it worked pretty well.

The problem is if they stay at PORS, the bus normally stops first at POFQ. If two ECVs get on at POFQ or if someone sits in those seats where the ECVs park and the bus driver refuses to ask those people to move (which happened alot when we stayed at PORS), then even if you are lucky enough to be at the first stop at PORS, someone with an ECV still may not get on. I know we were in building 18 and used the bus stop at the main building, which was usually the first PORS stop.

 

[Dismom55]

Thanks for all your input, we have settled the issue by deciding to try to get a room at AoA this time around. We have family that will be joining us but will be staying for a shorter length of time with a toddler and want to stay in Mermaid, so we will stay in Mermaid too. That seems to be the best solution, with the ECV the distance from the lobby will not be an issue for me and as stated, one bus stop will make things less of a headache in the long run. The I will worry about multiple stops for the next trip. Maybe by then we will be DVC owners as I do not like driving to the parks, I get lost on Disney property.

 

[WildabouttheMouse]

Hi everyone!

We are taking my parents and brother's family to the World late fall. My mother has heart condition. Last year we rented Disney ECV each day in the park and it was so helpful! This year, I am debating renting off site. One advantage is speeding us all up at rope drop but more importantly I saw my mom huffing it from the bus to the gate and if we can help her be more comfy all the better.

We are sating at POR...anyone know where we would park the EVC each night, safely? Bringing it in the room seems bulky and hoping to avoid that. Also, how cumbersome is it getting on and off the bus?

Final question....we are going to NVMCP...last year we watched in a handicap section in frontier land...we want main street this year? Can my mom sit on her scooter while we it on curb on main street?

Thanks!!!

I broke my ankle 2 years ago and have had trouble walking ever since. Last Jan as I was still in a boot I rented a scooter from Walker. It was wonderful, we stayed at the POP and brought the scooter in the room to charge each night and it did not take up much room even with a family of 4. I would leave it outside when we ate meals in the restaurants and sat on it to watch the parades and fireworks and it was fine. My worse problem was driving it on the buses I would get embarrassed but by the end of the trip I was a pro. We are going back next June and I will be renting again from Walker or Apple. So much better for me with my injury and this time we will be staying at the Boardwalk Villa's which has much more room.