Scooters and parking trams....

[Laurabearz]

Hi! Couple of questions for all you experts....

We are headed to the World in a couple of weeks with our 80 + year old grandfather..... We plan on driving to most parks and do not have the hang tag for handicaped parking.... he has the plates, just not the tags, and besides that there will be two cars full of family memebers so one tag wouldnt do us any good (the second car ar WDW newbies/scared and want us there with them at all times......

Sooooooooo Can we get the scooter on the parking tram? Do we need to disasemble it?

Or is there a way we can drop pops off and go back and park.....

Thanks bunches!!!!!!!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Since the Orange County Police will often check the Medical Parking they will ticket any vehicle without HP plates or hang tag. Normally even without a tag you can ask the parking attendents to allow parking near to the tram.

I would NOT suggest taking the ECV on a tram. Even taken apart it would not easily fit and there are five pieces, two of the (the seat and the base) are large and cumbersome and all are heavy (two batteries and the base, while the motor/rear wheels is 39 pounds).

If you want to drop someone off you would then haved to go all the way through the exit and back through the toll plaza.

My recommendation, considering the circumstances, would be to have your Grandfather drive the ECV from parking to where the trams let off and then meet everyone else. Likewise, he could drive directly back to the car. I would suggest that you have one healthy (and fairly young) person go along with GF in case there may be any problems.

 

[SueM in MN]

No, a scooter can't go on the trams. The car that has the scooter in it won't have a problem parking. Tell the the parking lot CMs that you have a scooter and they should direct your car to an area near the front of the parking lot on the end that they save for just that sort of situation. You also might want to check with his state about a parking permit. Even though he has handicapped plates on his car, some states will allow him to also have a portable handicapped parking tag. The other car is not going to be able to park with you, whether it is in handicapped parking or close up to the front. The number of spots is limited.

There are drop off points at the parks. I have seen the ones at Epcot and AK. I think the area at MK is at the TCC. I am not sure where the drop off is at the Studio, but if the others have one, they should too.

The monorails, most of the boats and almost all the buses are equipped with lifts/ramps and tiedowns for wheelchairs and scooters. So, you could take WDW transportation if you are on site. That does make it easier if part of your party gets tired and wants to go back to the hotel before the rest are done. Or, if part of your party is ready to go earlier in the morning than the rest.

2 way radios (walkie talkies) would be very helpful to your party. If you are driving, the lead car can give instructions to the other car ("We're making a right turn at the next light"). Even if you plan to stay together, we have found it's hard with a large group. Someone may not want to do a ride the others want to, or be tired and want to sit for a while, bathroom breaks, etc. It also would be helpful getting your 2 cars full of people back together after you have parked. The biggest hint I have is to make sure you agree on what the "front" side of things is. I have wasted a lot of time waiting on the "front side" of Spaceship Earth, while he waited at the "other" front side (which I consider the back). Radios are helpful with that since if you don't see each other, you can describe what you can see from where you are.

 

[Laurabearz]

Thanks so much for your replies! I kinda figured it wouldnt be posible.......

As for the two way radios..... we have those already. Our party will be splitting off a lot since one of the kids (11) has Downs and will not go on a lot of the attractions.

Thanks again for your help.