please help me show my wife she wont' get flamed for using an EVC

[bzzymom]

My mom has pain in her back, hips, and knees and feet. She can't even carry her groceries in from her car. You can't tell by looking at her. She used to walk the park, stop sit while we went ahead to do an attraction she didn't want to do and catch up with us later. I had a very hard time convincing her to use an ecv, until we were at AK and I told her she had to. She had a great time at the park and now rents one at all the parks, and has more enjoyment of her vacations at WDW. We don't judge people who are in a scooter, we just hope that people who are using them, need them. We have had the unfortunate experience of not having a scooter at MK, and took the last scooter at epcot once.

There are a lot of "cut throat" type people who travel to WDW. They spend every possible second they can in the parks. They feel that they are "cheated" of time by having a scotter or wheelchair load on to the bus. It is such rubbish. That is the very reason why my mom won't rent the ecv off-site. She doesn't want people getting upset with her for the time it takes to get loaded. She also feels bad because the scooters take up seat space.

I am so glad you rented an ecv for your honeymoon. DH and I honeymooned at WDW. We had a a great time. I hope you do too.

 

[mcco5543]

she was reading all the flames here on the boards ..and she was afraid of people thinking those things about her. (sometimes it's hard not to care what people think..she tries not to). She just doens't want anyone to think she'd take advantage of using an assistive device when her own wife has a disability and she has a few hidden medical issues as well. She's trying to take a deep breath, be brave and ignore everyone who is rude like that and just pay attention to all you wonderful Dis'ers~

 

[KPeveler]

unfortunately there are rude people everwhere, but I am glad she is renting an ECV... there may be people who stare or are rude, but dont let that spoil things. i use a cane at age 22 so I get a few looks, but who cares! it means I can get around better, so pooh on them!

 

[mcco5543]

oops i posted the same thing twice..sorry!

 

[HarbinsMom]

I started using a cane around 29 due to debilitating arthritis. I had had it since 16, but underdiagnosed. NOW, I'm on crutches and have been for 6 weeks for my 2nd knee surgery since January. My doctor and physical therapist have told me that I must use a chair for our trip in 18 days. We tried this once and I was so self-conscious, it didn't last throughout the morning. I've resigned myself to the fact I'm going to have to use one, we just haven't decided on on-site rental or off-site. I, too, am not looking forward to the *looks*. I'm fairly young and to look at me without cane or crutches, you'd think that I wouldn't need one, but after a few hours walking the park, I think I'll be glad I caved.

 

[Dis1978]

Just wanted to say that my young son was in a wheelchair on a previous visit to WDW and this time we had to use a GAC for my aspie son. Obviously with autism it is a hidden disorder and people must have wondered why my healthy looking teen was going to the front of the line. However, just wanted to reassure you that we got no nasty looks whatsoever with either child on any of the occasions that we had to use the GAC. So please don't worry about any looks.

Also although my DS felt a little awkward at first, he was much happier using the wheelchair because he could enjoy WDW and not be in pain. There are loads of people in wheelchairs and no one will be looking at you in particular. Everyone is too busy having fun.
Hope you have a great time.

 

[Lillypug]

My OLDEST son has severe CP and uses a chair. My advice to your wife is to go to Disney and ride that ECV and not look back. Have the time of her life and stay away from those stupid flaming posts. Do not even open them. I, myself, stay away from them because it hurts me and I am the type where it would affect my trip reading people's secret thoughts. It seems the intenet seems to give some people a ticket to be rude because of the anonymity of the internet. Most people were kind to us our last trip. We did have one teenager stand with her butt in Noah's face at the parade at MK but after that we went to the w/c seating area where we didn't have to deal with petty stuff like that and had a perfect view without the rude teenager.
In summary:
Don't read those nasty threads. Those posters won't be at WDW breathing down your neck at WDW. Most people who post those things on the internet don't have the cahones to say something to your face. The world is not perfect but the kindhearted people outnumber the nasty people, so don't let the bad apples ruin it for you. You go and get the ECV and have the time of your life with your husband & Make some wonderful memories.

 

[edcrbnsoul]

When we went to WDW in Dec. we never heard nasty remarks and the majority of the people we came across were nice and patient, if the few impatient jerks were there we didn't hear them and could have cared less.


Just an added thought, the newer buses that are lower make the loading time so much shorter and easier we always hoped thats what was coming.

 

[minkydog]

When we went to WDW in Dec. we never heard nasty remarks and the majority of the people we came across were nice and patient, if the few impatient jerks were there we didn't hear them and could have cared less.


Just an added thought, the newer buses that are lower make the loading time so much shorter and easier we always hoped thats what was coming.

And I just wanted to add--when we went we had DH in the ECV and DS12 in his wheelchair. I'm sure there were people who felt unhappy with the loading/unloading,but they kept it to themselves. I just couldn't be bothered worrying about what other people might think.

 

[Joanna71985]

I hope she gets the ECV, and have a great trip. I don't judge people in the chairs because I am so thankful I don't have to use one.

 

[girli565]

My mother was in horrible car accident about 10 years ago, when she was 34, and suffered a severe back injury. She was in a brace for 3 solid months instead of choosing to have surgery which could have possibly paralyzed her, so now she suffers with chronic back, hip and neck pain that make it next to impossible to even grocery shop. She looks perfectly fine to look at her but she's not.

I totally understand your fiance's trepidation because my mom suffers from the same state of mind. She worries what people will say and troops it out while in pain at the parks when she could be in an ECV or even wheelchair which I or my fiance are more than willing to push.

Her worries stem from an incident she had while parking her car in a handicap spot at the grocery store one day. Her doc told her she had to get the permit because she could barely walk from her car to our front door without crippling o ver in pain. Some man at the grocery store tells her that she looks real healthy to be using a handicap spot and then proceeds to berate her everytime she ran into him in the store.

Tell your fiance not to worry!! I'll beat up anyone that looks at her funny!!!

 

[Haley Whippet]

she Rented An ECV!!!



you Guys Are The Greatest!


Thankyou!!!

WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Deb

 

[Kate70410]

I just wanted to take a minute to thank you all for your kind words here. I'm the one that the original post was directed to. My wife and I have been having a discussion about all this since we first starting planning our trip. After reading all this, I'm definitely renting an ECV, from Care Medical after reading rave reviews about them from a poster on this board.

My pride just really gets in the way with all this. I used to be an athlete that could do anything whenever I wanted, and that's just not the case anymore I'm starting to realize. It's hard, especially since I know that not only are my knees bad, I have really bad asthma on top of it all. Actually the asthma has been slowing me down worse than my knees the last few days, I'm guessing because allergy season is in full swing where we live.

I am still a little nervous because with both of us being in a chair, isn't it hard to get around together with the crowds and all?? I just thought that since I'm still able to walk around..albeit slow at times, that I would be the one to do that if it meant a better time for the both of us..

After reading your posts, and really thinking it over, I think that renting the ECV will be a lifesaver for both of us. It's always been hard for me to keep up with my wife..I think this will save us from some of that and save my health in the process which is a win win situation.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks for writing and letting us know what you decided to do.

My suggestions are to practice a little bit first in a non-busy place. You should be able to confidently go straight ahead, turn both directions, back up straight and turning both directions and sort of parallel parking in a spot (you will need that for the bus). If you can get fairly confident doing that when you are in a non-busy place, driving in the parks will be much easier.

And, one more note about something that happens fairly often......
A poster who was injured and needed to use an ECV will write "I used to be one of the people to complain the most about wheelchairs and ECVs, but using one made me see how wrong I was and I will never complain again."
That actually does happen about once every month or so.
So, some of the people who have scared the most people with nasty posts often get a little taste of Karma.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

Glad you decided to rent, I think it will make the holiday easier and more enjoyable for both of you. If you haven't already, you might want to check out the FAQ, as it has lots of information about all sorts of things from boarding buses, to getting onto rides with moving walkways. If there's anything else you think of that you want to know, do just post here and I'm sure you'll get loads of helpful answers.

Please don't worry about using the ECV, or think of using it as giving in or failing. An ECV is just another tool, like a pair of glasses, to help you get past a certain challenge and do what you want to do.

Congratulations to you and your fiancée, I hope you have an absolutely magical Disneymoon!

 

[SueM in MN]

One last hint....
If she is wearing shorts, make sure she remembers sunblock for her legs. They are right out there pointing at the sun when you are sitting in a wheelchair or ECV and are not a part of the body people typically think of getting burnt on. You can end up with a pretty bad burn fairly quickly because that area is usually not receiving direct sun while walking but is while sitting.

 

[Haley Whippet]

One last hint....
If she is wearing shorts, make sure she remembers sunblock for her legs. They are right out there pointing at the sun when you are sitting in a wheelchair or ECV and are not a part of the body people typically think of getting burnt on. You can end up with a pretty bad burn fairly quickly because that area is usually not receiving direct sun while walking but is while sitting.

You are so right! I burnt up my knees last time because I didn't think about extra sunblock..
Deb

 

[Dis1978]

Yes don't forget the sun block, it was boilng hot when we were there last month.
ECVs are great.

 

[KPeveler]

also, i would bring a towel (your own, not from the room in case it disappears) to place over the seat. there are some places that you cannot bring the ECV into, (such as haunted mansion) and when she goes back out to it, she will not be happy to sit on a 400 degree seat, especially in shorts!

i have even heard of people buying a lawn-mower seat cover for $20 from sears...

 

[mcco5543]

oh thanks so much for the sunblock tip and the seat cover tip! I already knew about putting sublock on your legs (
I am a fulltime wheelchair user and have freckles on my knees from the sun! So believe me her legs will be slathered. I never even thought of the seat being leather though. I assumed they'd be cloth. Thanks for the tips! Keep'em coming!