Solo Traveling with ECV

[scdak]

I can't give you a lot more information about doing a solo trip using a ECV but I can tell you from personal experience using a walking boot recently on my trip there and from my best friend having had a nonwt bearing cast then walking boot - you won't want to walk the distance you would need to walk in Disney in a walking boot esp after having had the fracture/surgery. Even walking in the queues can be daunting because they dont seen so long when you are able bodied but they are LONG when you are clunking along with the boot! Use the ECV up to the point where they have you park it, there are a few attractions where they will move it but other times it will be right where you left it. They will move it by putting it in manual mode so you should take your key with you.

As far as being difficult to drive, not really, if I can do it anyone can do it Keep it slow until you are familiar with it, remember they don't stop on a dime so stopping requires a little advanced planning - not that it matters to the people that walk right in front of you! I can say that in 14 days of using one in September I didn't hit a soul but came close a few times but not due to my stupidity! Others have suggested trying one out at a grocery store, Walmart etc but I didn't do that since I didn't plan on using one until a few days before my trip, plus the ones at the stores are much larger and I imagine not as easy to drive as the smaller ones at WDW or from an off site vendor.

Lastly, as your MD said, the detectors there should not be an issue but mentioning it to the CM won't hurt, at worst you would have a handheld wand run over your ankle region if the regular detector is set off as you go through it. I am sure that it was a hilarious sight for others to see my best friend being told to stand on one foot (had her non weight bearing cast on at the time) so she could have a wand used over her entire body at an airport - neither one of us would ever be called tiny by any means, and she wasn't allowed to touch anything as she stood there like a stork swaying to beat the band trying to keep from falling down - I was on the other side of security and I was laughing so hard it was making her laugh which increased the swaying!

 

[lanejudy]

about the going on a ride that you have to transfer to a wheel chair if you are alone and can not push the wheel chair ( I know for sure at space mountain ) they will push you though the line and back out for your.

Not to negate this poster's experience... but I most often hear the exact opposite -- CMs will NOT assist in pushing a manual wheelchair at rides requiring ECV users to transfer to a wheelchair. One must self-propel through the line or ask another guest for assistance if you do not have someone traveling in your own party. I would not expect to have a CM offer to push.

OP: Depending on when your cast is removed and you begin to use the walking cast, that may help you determine how much walking you'll be ready to do. If that may occur in the next week or so, you'll have several weeks of walking to see how it goes. If you don't start using the boot until late February, then you'll definitely want to use an ECV. I suggest trying one out at your local grocery store or big box store if you've never used one; the off-site rentals in Orlando tend to be easier to maneuver but those will give you an idea.

Good luck with your recovery and enjoy your vacation!

 

[stitchlovestink]

Not to negate this poster's experience... but I most often hear the exact opposite -- CMs will NOT assist in pushing a manual wheelchair at rides requiring ECV users to transfer to a wheelchair. One must self-propel through the line or ask another guest for assistance if you do not have someone traveling in your own party. I would not expect to have a CM offer to push.

OP: Depending on when your cast is removed and you begin to use the walking cast, that may help you determine how much walking you'll be ready to do. If that may occur in the next week or so, you'll have several weeks of walking to see how it goes. If you don't start using the boot until late February, then you'll definitely want to use an ECV. I suggest trying one out at your local grocery store or big box store if you've never used one; the off-site rentals in Orlando tend to be easier to maneuver but those will give you an idea.

Good luck with your recovery and enjoy your vacation!

I have traveled solo MANY times!! DD was busy working so I had to entertain myself. I have been escorted by a CM MANY times thru the lines as I cannot self propel. So I can assure you it DOES happen. Maybe it depends on how you ask, but I have received that courtesy many many times. So it does happen.

 

[gap2368]

Not to negate this poster's experience... but I most often hear the exact opposite -- CMs will NOT assist in pushing a manual wheelchair at rides requiring ECV users to transfer to a wheelchair. One must self-propel through the line or ask another guest for assistance if you do not have someone traveling in your own party. I would not expect to have a CM offer to push.


Good luck with your recovery and enjoy your vacation!

I was very surprised when they offered this to me at space mountain the first person that did it was a normal CM he said yep we do it here all the time since the line is so long and very hilly the second one was a manager I asked him about it he said the same thing then he had to stop pushing me to answer a call that came in he said some kind of code ( like 470 some numbers) I asked him ha that was he said that is the code for helping with a wheel chair guest then on another trip I was someone ( a CM in the strip uniform ) with a guest and he said in the ear pice the same code they use for wheel chair guest. So at some attraction they can push you out of them but can not go any to another one with you

 

[elmoandzoey]

Stefe, get the ECV! I broke my ankle end of August and was 8 wks non-weight bearing, then 6 wks partial weight bearing with a walking boot. Trust me, when you get ouf the walking boot, it's not like you'll just run off without crutches! It's different going from full weight bearing to full weight bearing in a walking boot (been there, done that too) than from non-weight bearing to partial (or even full) weight bearing in a boot. I have quite some metal in my ankle as well and while I can happily say that I am usually in no pain, I still require crutches to walk because I limp if I walk without. Due to all the metal and not being able to move the ankle for the better of 3 months, movement in my ankle is still impaired.

I have also flown with the boot and my plate and screws have not set off the metal detectors at the airport. I do have something that's called "implant passport" which states that I have metal implants in my ankle - just in case I do set off the alarm somewhere.

 

[jdb in AZ]

I have also flown with the boot and my plate and screws have not set off the metal detectors at the airport. I do have something that's called "implant passport" which states that I have metal implants in my ankle - just in case I do set off the alarm somewhere.

DH's artificial knees set off the alarm every time. TSA never asks for the "implant passport" -- they're really not worth the paper they're printed on. TSA just brings out their wand to see where the metal is, or sends him through the full-body x-ray chamber (or whatever they call it.)

 

[elmoandzoey]

DH's artificial knees set off the alarm every time. TSA never asks for the "implant passport" -- they're really not worth the paper they're printed on. TSA just brings out their wand to see where the metal is, or sends him through the full-body x-ray chamber (or whatever they call it.)

I don't live in the US; I live in Europe and it's a bit different here. I know TSA can't ask you for your illnesses hence I get where such a passport would not be necessary because by law they can't really ask for it. There isn't such a law here in Europe so you may very well be asked to show proof. Fully-body scanners are not as common as they are in the US due to legal issues which are still being resolved in quite a few countries. So I rather have that piece of paper with me in case I set off the alarm anywhere, and not just at the airport ;-)

 

[bopper]

You can always do a hybrid of ECV and walking...use the ECV to get from land to land (or ride to ride at Epcot) and then walk around locally in that area.

 

[Stefecatzz]

Thank you all for your tips & advice! I will definitely be working with my doctor before I go to make a decision on what the plan will be, ECV or not.

It's nice to know that for the most part, I will be able to enjoy the parks w/out having to miss out on much. My hope is that I'll be able to park the ECV at the entrance to the attraction & walk w/the boot through the queue w/out having to use a wheelchair. I do have experience walking around the parks w/a boot a few years back when I sprained my left foot muscles which took several months to heal. I do not remember having a hard time then walking all over the parks w/the boot but that was a totally different injury so I'm trying not to compare them.

My other question was about the rental companies for the parks. I know every person will have their own preference & opinion but am also curious to hear what company is used the most that delivers to the resorts. I've read about Walker quite a bit & that you can pick the ECV up & leave it at bell services when you're done at check out.

What about the battery life on a typical, standard ECV rental? Again, I have zero experience using them so have no clue how to measure this. I think I read on at least one company's site that a standard ECV battery lasts about 8 hours. But I am usually out the door in the AM, head to a park, hop to another park mid-day & stay there til close (sometimes way more than 8 hours), w/plenty of breaks & rests throughout the day lasting anywhere from 15-30+ minutes. Will I need to charge it at the parks? Will I even be able to do so if I needed to? Or do they generally last all day/night before having to be charged overnight for the next day?

What boats can I take them on, if any? I am assuming they're fine to take on the large resort boats like the one I've been seeing lately that goes to FW from MK that is at least twice as large as those small resort boats & covered on all sides similar to a Friendship boat? I would also think maybe they would be alright on the Friendship boats that go from Epcot IG to HS? But I don't remember ever seeing someone get on one before in all the times I've taken a Friendship boat..

 

[lanejudy]

@Stefecatzz Post #2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread has a list of vendors. Walker's is not a "featured" vendor who is allowed to utilize Bell Services but they will meet you personally for pick-up/return and they do get positive feedback from many DISers.

An ECV with a good battery should last a full day in the parks. It is recommended to turn it off if you are just sitting (rests, meals, parades, etc.). You'll want to give it a full overnight charge each night.

Friendship boats and the larger "Cruiser" resort boats are fine. There are also smaller "Launches" from the MK resorts which do not accept ECVs. There may be rare times when the water levels are low impacting whether boats can accommodate ECVs, but I believe this doesn't happen often. Post #8 of the FAQs thread has more info about the boats and other transportation.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Stefecatzz]

@Stefecatzz Post #2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread has a list of vendors. Walker's is not a "featured" vendor who is allowed to utilize Bell Services but they will meet you personally for pick-up/return and they do get positive feedback from many DISers.

An ECV with a good battery should last a full day in the parks. It is recommended to turn it off if you are just sitting (rests, meals, parades, etc.). You'll want to give it a full overnight charge each night.

Friendship boats and the larger "Cruiser" resort boats are fine. There are also smaller "Launches" from the MK resorts which do not accept ECVs. There may be rare times when the water levels are low impacting whether boats can accommodate ECVs, but I believe this doesn't happen often. Post #8 of the FAQs thread has more info about the boats and other transportation.

Enjoy your vacation!

Thanks for the info about the thread! I feel a lot better now about a solo trip w/an ECV!