Questions about ECV

[OneBadApple]

Some background first:

We are leaving for WDW next Friday and my dad will probably have to rent an ECV. He is in need of a knee replacement (he already had one done on the other one), has had several back surgeries and most likely has arthritis on his spine.

He can do some walking, but with the amount of walking needed to get around, we all think that it would be best if he rented an ECV. The doctor, however, does not want him to use it all the time. As he feels it is good for him to do some walking. He currently does do some walking at the mall, but cannot do as much as my mom can.

We will be arriving late Friday and leaving early the following Friday. We are renting a mini-van as there are 6 of us.

Now the questions:

Would it be better to rent from Disney or an outside vendor?

If we rent from Disney and what are the chances of one being available later in the afternoon, when we park hop to another park?

If we rent from Disney and park hop do we need to pay again or is it like strollers just one fee per day?

If we rent from an outside vendor, which ones are better?

If we rent from an outside vendor, would we have a hard time getting it into the mini-van?

In either circumstance, what would we do with it when he wants to walk?

One last question, I know that standing around waiting for parades is not going to be good for him, so where would the best places to watch the parades be for someone in an ECV? We plan on seeing both parades at MK, the one at AK and probably the one at DHS.

Sorry for all the questions.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Hi and to disABILITIES!

If you click on where it says "disABILTIES" at the top of this page it will take you to the Index. One of the top items is the "disABILTIES FAQ" which will gives lots of useful information. I will refer to the FAQ in my responses, which will be in blue below.

Or, if you want an easier route, click on the link in my signature.

Would it be better to rent from Disney or an outside vendor? We suggest outside vendors for many reasons. In Post #3 of the FAQ we list several vendors where people have had good results.

If we rent from Disney and what are the chances of one being available later in the afternoon, when we park hop to another park? A lot depends on the crowds. However Disney will not rent out an ECV unless it is fully charged, so there is a delay between returns and re-renting. Many people report it very difficult to rent an ECV from Disney much after 10:30.

If we rent from Disney and park hop do we need to pay again or is it like strollers just one fee per day? It is just one daily fee. When you return it you get back your key deposit; show your receipt at another park and all you have to pay is a new key deposit.

If we rent from an outside vendor, which ones are better? All are basically equal. Randy's requires you to be there at time of delivery, which may be good for a first-time since you will be shown how to take it apart and put it together. The others will leave it at Bell Services; this can help if you will want to go to a Park immediately after arrival.

If we rent from an outside vendor, would we have a hard time getting it into the mini-van? Most ECVs will break down into five or six pieces, with the heaviest at around 40 pounds. However, the standard ones, with batteries, tend to weigh over 150 pounds. You might want to also look at Post #5 in the FAQ.

In either circumstance, what would we do with it when he wants to walk? All ECVs come with a key. Just park it (often at Stroller Parking) and remove the key. Don't leave anything valuable in the basket.

One last question, I know that standing around waiting for parades is not going to be good for him, so where would the best places to watch the parades be for someone in an ECV? We plan on seeing both parades at MK, the one at AK and probably the one at DHS. There are special disabled viewing areas for all of the parades. These allow a person in a wheelchair or ECV to sit up against a rope and other members of the party standing behind them. Note that sometimes, when crowded, there are limits to the party size.

Sorry for all the questions.

 

[OneBadApple]

Thank you for your quick reply. I'm off to check out the FAQs.

 

[jm-mom]

I'll tell you my experience as a knee arthritis sufferer. I've used an ECV my last two trips and will again in a few weeks. I find that I can walk a little but the walking from the value resort bus stops to the park entrance where I could rent an ECV would be too much. So, I"ve rented from Walker each time and have had excellent service. They leave my scooter at my resort at the time I request and pick it up after I leave. Going to and from the parks on the bus was no problem. I had a few "crashes" getting loaded on the bus at first but everyone treated it with humor and the bus drivers themselves couldn't have been nicer. As far as the parades go, I will say I had the best experience with a parade EVER in my scooter. There is wheelchair parking near city hall. I arrived about 30 minutes before parade time and was parked right across the street from where the Spectromagic parade came out onto the street. My husband stood behind me and my girls sat on the curb in front of me and thoroughly being so up close to the gorgeous lights.

Good luck. I love going to Disney World because it is so ECV friendly and have chosen it over other vacation destinations just because of the ease.

 

[tazdev3225]

I'll tell you my experience as a knee arthritis sufferer. I've used an ECV my last two trips and will again in a few weeks. I find that I can walk a little but the walking from the value resort bus stops to the park entrance where I could rent an ECV would be too much. So, I"ve rented from Walker each time and have had excellent service. They leave my scooter at my resort at the time I request and pick it up after I leave. Going to and from the parks on the bus was no problem. I had a few "crashes" getting loaded on the bus at first but everyone treated it with humor and the bus drivers themselves couldn't have been nicer. As far as the parades go, I will say I had the best experience with a parade EVER in my scooter. There is wheelchair parking near city hall. I arrived about 30 minutes before parade time and was parked right across the street from where the Spectromagic parade came out onto the street. My husband stood behind me and my girls sat on the curb in front of me and thoroughly being so up close to the gorgeous lights.

Good luck. I love going to Disney World because it is so ECV friendly and have chosen it over other vacation destinations just because of the ease.

I have to agree. I will need a knee replacement eventually and also have back issues. When I went in 2006 I was bull-headed and only rented from the parks. I was sobbing one night walking from the park exit to the bus stop because of the pain I was in. I was there this year in October and rented fro Walker Mobility. The scooter was there at my hotel waiting for me. When I called because there was a problem they were extremely helpful. I did have a few issues getting on the bus at first but as was stated the drivers are very helpful. The best thing was that I was able to enjoy my trip because I wasn't in pain. I will definitely go this route again next year when my DH and I go down next year.

 

[OneBadApple]

Thanks for all the replies. We are seriously considering renting from Walker. In fact I emailed them on Friday and someone (I believe one of the owners) called me personally. We just need to figure out if it will fit in our rental. We think we will be able to remove one of the seats and put the ECV in that spot without having to take it apart.

tazdev3225. my dad is pretty bull-headed so I'm surprised he agreed to using an ECV.