Planning for a relative who doesn't want ECV

[LuvMyEAR]

Wow...that link posted by bopper really hits home! OP - I am really glad your dad has reconsidered his anti-scooter stance. Everyone will have a better trip.

We rented a scooter for my Mom's first trip (at 89!) to WDW. It was marvelous, and she knew she was able to keep up or even walk when she wanted, and one of us would make sure her scooter was waitinf when & wherever she wanted to hop back on. Yes, bless 'er heart, she could hop on and off.

On our most recent trip, DH and I both felt our age and sendentary jobs catching up with us and I tried to convince him that we could share a scooter. That was flatly refused. I did, however, treat myself to one for the MNSSHP (he stayed home that night) as I was particularly tired and sore that day. It was wonderful and I had that smile on my face as I painlessly kept up with two of the most hig energy DGSs that you can imagine. I am usually more concerned about standing than walking, and while I love parades and fireworks, I never get to see them from any decent vantage point as I have to find a place to sit or not watch at all. As all of you know, there are very few places one can sit to enjoy these sights in Disney parks and those that exist either require dinner reservations or considerable time spent in the spot beforehand.

I have reached the point where I could almost cry after waiting in line for an attraction, we are let into another room to spend another 5 - 10 minutes standing for some preamble. Simple benches would be really, really nice! I am sure everyone could get to their feet during the lengthy warnings about the doors opening towards us - LOL.

 

[minkydog]

I understand how your Dad feels. I cried the first time my husband insisted I use one. Admitting you just can't handle distance is a very hard pill to swallow. He just needs to understand that it will make the trip easier for the rest of you. He can carry the bags, water, etc. for all of you in his basket. Also you as a group will be more nimble and the crowds will seem lighter when you are not looking for resting place.

My husband rented me one without telling me. The he insisted we were sharing it. We did, to start with, but then I discovered how much better I felt when I rode. He does still get it sometimes, but less and less often.

This was our experience the last time we went to WDW. I had broken my ankle about 6 weeks before our trip, so I knew I was going to need an ECV. My DH is disabled with lung disease and our youngest son (a healthy size 12yo) was in his wheelchair, so there would be no one to push me around and I knew I couldn't spend a day on crutches.

Well...about 10 days before we left, DH was hospitalized with pericarditis, inflammation of the sac that surrounds the heart. He spent about a week in the hospital and was released a few days prior to our trip. I wanted to cancel, but DH insisted he was okay to walk the parks.

He was not. Just walking around the Poly was a workout. I insisted that he start out the day in the ECV and I would take it later. The very first day, it paid off. We hadn't even made it as far as Walt's statue when DH turned to me and said, "Thank you for making me do this. There is no way I could have walked this far. I feel like now I won't slow y'all down and the kids can have a good time without having to always stop for me to rest."

It wasn't the easiest trip, obviously. We took turns swapping off the ECV. DH needed two rest periods during the day, so he needed a few get-aways (the reason we stayed at the Poly!) The older kids, then 14 & 21, helped push Christian around the parks. And I just did the best I could. We ended up having a great time, despite all our mobility issues, probably because we had that ECV.