Thoughts from our February trip...

[mamabunny]

This isn't a true trip report - more like a collection of observations from our trip last month. It's taken me that long to kind of mentally process everything!

I have spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, and osteoarthritis from L1 all the way down. I also have a knee that *really* needs to be replaced, but I'm trying to put that off until I can get a few other things under control.

Prior to this last trip, I purchased a TravelScoot. We were fortunate - I was able to find a used one that came with 2 lithium-ion batteries, battery bag, etc. We purchased a second charger, so that at the end of a busy park day I could charge both batteries at once overnight at the Resort. I named my scooter Angus, because like his namesake - Angus, Princess Merida's horse - my scooter always brings me home safely at the end of every adventure!

We flew in to and out of Orlando (using American Airlines) with connecting flights at DFW and had no problems at all with the TravelScoot. We made sure we arrived plenty early enough that TSA could take it's time with the scooter and the batteries. Once we cleared TSA, I was able to drive it down to the gate for every flight. I had to remove the battery, and carry it on board in the bag with the spare battery and charger. I always approached the desk as soon as I saw a gate agent starting to work the flight, to let them know that I was there, that I needed a gate check for Angus (my scooter), and to allow them to visually inspect the scooter and battery if they wanted to. The gate crews loved Angus, because he is so lightweight (only 35 pounds without me, and very compact!) and they could easily manage him.

Disney's Magical Express was also a very smooth process - we had called ahead to let them know about Angus, and they had a coach with a lift waiting for us. I can't climb stairs right now at all, so I had to ride on Angus up the lift onto the bus. DME busses use a very different lift system from the regular internal park transportation system. You back the scooter on to a platform that then lifts you all the way up to the floor level of the bus. Doesn't sound too bad (and looks fine from the ground!) but I have to confess that I was glad not to spend too much time up there in the air on that platform! DME drivers were awesome, and very helpful both coming and going.

Park buses - no problems. Because Angus is so quick and light, the drivers all loved him, and it took far longer to lower the ramp and put the ramp away than it did to actually deal with Angus.

Boats - problems, but we found ways around them. Our one issue was coming out of Trail's End Buffet at Fort Wilderness Campground late at night, and finding that the bigger boats back to MK had been shut down for the night. My daughter had a tiny panic attack, because the only way we were going to be allowed on the smaller boats back to MK was if we took Angus apart (or in his case, removed the seat & battery, and folded him). Since I couldn't make the step in to the boat safely, we had to find another way. We went back up to the restaurant and our server told us to go down to the bus stop, and wait for the buses that would be coming to pick up the folks from the last show at Hoop Dee Doo. We got down there, and only had to wait a couple of minutes (luckily, because it was COLD) and we boarded the proper bus, and waited for the folks from Hoop Dee Doo. Moral of this story: There's almost always an alternate way around at WDW.

We stayed at POFQ, and so used the boats between DTD/Disney Springs and POFQ a lot. No problems there at all, no problems when visiting Boardwalk, Yacht Club, or taking the ferry from TTC.

Monorail - again, no problems. We didn't get to ride it as much as we would have liked; it was shut down for one of the days we were there, but no problems. One tip for new/temporary ECV drivers: if you are going to sit on the ECV while the monorail (or tram/train/boat/etc.) is in motion, be sure to park perpendicular to the direction of travel, and apply brakes if you have them. Much, much safer - twice we saw people who insisted on "backing in" in the HA cars on the Monorail, and they spent the entire ride trying to hold on to the pole and not roll around as it started and stopped.

Rides/Shows/Attractions - We couldn't do POTC at MK. It was the only time that I got super upset on the trip, but I hitched up my big girl panties, and went on. No wheelchairs were available at all, and so I couldn't ride, since I can't stand or walk very far at all right now. Same issue occurred later the same day at Buzz Lightyear at MK. I still don't know where all those wheelchairs went to that day... Weird. We asked CM's to see if they could find any, but in both cases they were zero help, and clearly didn't care to help either. A new group of CP kids had just arrived (we saw several "orientation walks" that day), and there were tons of "Earning My Ears" ribbons on CM badges everywhere. I guess a few of them didn't get the memo about being there to actually be helpful to guests.

Parks - overall, OK. I did get "body slammed" two different times by people who were texting and walked right in to me and Angus despite my best efforts. We had a few instances where my daughter had to walk ahead of me to help clear a path when things got busier in the middle of the day, but for the most part it wasn't too bad. Other guests seemed to be more aware, more accepting and more tolerant of ECV's than on previous trips. One thing that I did prior to leaving on the trip was to put undercarriage lighting, along with a headlight and taillight on to Angus. In addition to looking pretty cool, it also gave me that extra bit of visibility at night to help avoid issues. (I was *super* careful with my lights, to make sure they were mounted and aimed low to the ground, and would not shine into the eyes of children in strollers. They are basically captive, and can't get away from things like lights that shine right in their eyes. /end Mommy rant!)

If you are planning on taking your own personal ECV (and not using a rental) I would advise knowing in advance about how long/far your battery will last, and then deduct about 20% from that figure to allow for ramps and hills. Probably the most epic ramp "system" we encountered was at the Beauty & The Beast live show at HS - my daughter joked that they could sell tickets just to that little "adventure" all on it's own! Very prettily landscaped (of course!) but a LOT of switchbacks and steep hills on that one! Jungle Cruise is also a very steep hill (but a VERY cool HA ride vehicle!) and of course AK has all kinds of hills. Because I had the backup battery, I didn't feel compelled to plug in to charge when we stopped for snacks or meals, otherwise, I probably would have. Even though I'm a 3L (Lovely Large Lady), Angus still went a full 12 hours every day on just one of his batteries!

The HA stalls in the ladies bathrooms were all wonderful too. It was so nice to have the sink available right there, and because Angus is so nimble, I could almost always easily make a u-turn to get back out if I parked properly going in. Twice I encountered groups of people using them (once a large family of girls and women, and another time a group of cheerleaders) but luckily most of the time I didn't have to wait at all.

The Resort - sadly, this was the first trip where we had some serious maintenance issues with our room. Despite reporting them daily to the Concierge, they were never resolved. As I noted above, we stayed at POFQ in an accessible roll in shower room. (Bldg 4, Room 4146, not a corner room as we had specifically requested) Overall, POFQ is actually pretty easy to get around, simply due to it's smaller size and the way everything is laid out. Most of the CM's we dealt with were pretty great - we did encounter one who clearly forgot her Magic that day, and was pretty grumpy I was surprised to learn that the laundry no longer took quarters, and had to go back to the room to get my credit card.

Overall, it was a great trip despite some issues. We stayed 6 days, came home with a suitcase full of "goodies", over a thousand personal pictures, more than 200 PhotoPass pictures, and a ton of great memories. And Angus performed like a champ!

I don't blindly advocate for everyone to use an ECV - but without mine, this trip simply would not have been possible. I decided that I was going to use Angus as a *tool* to do what I wanted to do, not make a big deal out of it, and go on. We were there to celebrate my daughter's 21st birthday, and she had a great time - and so did I.

Thanks to everyone here - especially Sue and all of the moderators and regulars who contribute their time and knowledge. I really do appreciate it. I don't know when we will be able to travel to WDW again, but I hope to continue to be a part of this community, regardless.

 

[Random Ninja]

Sounds like you had a great trip aside from the maintenance issues. Did you call the problems in or report in person? I'm surprised that the issue was never resolved during your trip. You might want to send an email to Disney and tell them about your room troubles. It won't make any difference for your trip but it might make a big difference for the next guest.

I'm really glad to hear that other guests are starting to notice ECVs more now. That's a positive sign.

 

[mamabunny]

@Random Ninja: I was so very pleasantly surprised by the other guests acceptance of ECV's in general; the last time we were at WDW (3 years prior) we experienced open, direct hostility from other guests. Although I did notice on this trip that strollers actually outnumbered the ECV's during our visit, so maybe that's partly why?

Regarding the room issues - yes, we actually reported it (in person) at the Concierge Desk every morning before leaving for the parks. (And again on the the day we left). My daughter (who planned, and paid for her birthday trip herself!) actually did email Guest Relations about it, but only received a generic reply.

The irony was that POFQ had never looked better OUTSIDE the room. Fresh paint, clean and sparkling, just as you would expect a Disney property to be. For many Disney visitors, their room at the resort is often just a place to sleep, shower, change clothes and leave souvenirs... But for our family, and many others here within the DISabilities community) we require that "respite space" daily, and often spend a fair amount of time in the room. So, it's more noticeable to me than perhaps the average traveler, I suppose.

Regardless of how much or how little it is used, we still expected it to be cleaned daily, and to have maintenance issues addressed reasonably promptly. I'm not going to be that person who dramatically pronounces that "I will never go to Disney World again!!!" because I know it's not true LOL. I'm hopeful this was just an aberration in the system, and that we won't see more reports of poor maintenance cropping up.

 

[ttintagel]

Rides/Shows/Attractions - We couldn't do POTC at MK. It was the only time that I got super upset on the trip, but I hitched up my big girl panties, and went on. No wheelchairs were available at all, and so I couldn't ride, since I can't stand or walk very far at all right now. Same issue occurred later the same day at Buzz Lightyear at MK. I still don't know where all those wheelchairs went to that day... Weird. We asked CM's to see if they could find any, but in both cases they were zero help, and clearly didn't care to help either. A new group of CP kids had just arrived (we saw several "orientation walks" that day), and there were tons of "Earning My Ears" ribbons on CM badges everywhere. I guess a few of them didn't get the memo about being there to actually be helpful to guests.

So glad to hear that most of your trip went well!

Unfortunately, we've also had problems with unhelpful/uncaring CM's at PotC before. When the exit speedramp was broken, one young man told us he wasn't allowed to use the elevator to send disabled guests back up to the surface, and we'd have to just get up the ramp as best we could. After trying and failing, we came back down and insisted on talking to someone else, who acted like he was doing us The World's Biggest Favor by using the elevator.

And at another ride where you have to switch to a manual (darned if I can remember which one it was) they also didn't have any, and said there wasn't anybody they could call to bring one from another location. When we asked if the chairs assigned to the ride were all in use, she said, "No; people just walk away with them." It's hard for me to believe they don't have some kind of system in place whereby a floating CM can bring a spare chair over when needed, but the company's been cutting back on staffing levels like crazy. I was walking on that trip, so I went over to another ride where there were plenty of wheelchairs, grabbed one, and brought it over for the person who needed it, and returned it afterwards.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Thank you mamabunny for your report. It was well written and helpful. I hope I can find it again if/when I need it. You gave good travel tips.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Thanks so much for your report, mamabunny. I also have the 3 things you mentioned-spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, and osteoarthrits. So far I've been gritting my teeth through the pain and like a dummy, refusing to rent an ECV. You're report gives me thought that I really should do it.

 

[mamabunny]

@ttintagel: I'm actually glad to know it wasn't just me... LOL By the time we got around to Buzz Lightyear, and there were no chairs *there*, I was starting to think maybe it *was* me, and Karma had waited until I got to MK to teach me a lesson!

@wishicouldgomoreofte: I'm glad it was helpful! One more tip - as I was getting ready for this trip, I actually kept a document on my desktop. Each page of that document was about different tips or tricks I wanted to remember. So, I would copy and paste like crazy, but it kept everything organized for me, and I didn't have to try and remember where I found something, or who posted it!

@Simba's Mom: I'm really sorry to hear that you have those same issues. I will certainly encourage you to rent an ECV before the next trip, if for no other reason than I was amazed at how much easier the ECV made everything for our entire family, and it meant that we could keep going all day! I was no longer slowing us down, needing to stop and sit all the time, and going back to the room so much earlier than I wanted to.

I thought that getting an ECV meant that I was weak-willed, or that others might see me as lazy. I had to turn my point of view around, and realize that first of all, I will never see those people at WDW again, so who cares WHAT they think, and secondly (and most importantly) I have to view the ECV as a TOOL. It's not a toy, it's not a cop-out, it's very simply a tool. We would never condemn a person who required glasses to see, a hearing aid to hear, or a prosthetic to replace a missing limb. Those tools are all used every day worldwide by millions of people; therefore, I can - and should! - use an ECV to prolong the time (now precious, and dwindling) that I can walk.

That's me, my thought process.

If you decide to use an ECV, remember to practice first - some of the best advice I've ever seen here is to practice at Target/Wal-Mart/grocery store, etc. with the big, lumbering ECV's. If you can master one of those, you'll be fine with a rental.

Personally, if you are planning on renting, and are going to be there more than one day, I would rent from a local vendor, and not rent park-to-park from WDW, simply because by day 3 you are losing money. Also, we did so much more stuff (think Downtown Disney/Disney Springs - it's HUGE too!) after we left the parks and-between, and I really was glad to have an ECV at my disposal every where we went.

I've purchased my ECV, and Angus happily waits in the back of my car for our next great adventure. My family - once getting past the shock of realizing that I really did NEED to use an ECV more often than they realized - has been thrilled, because I am back to my "old self", ready to go and do things again!

I hope that whatever happens, you find a way to have the best time on your next trip!

 

[JennyDrake]

I really enjoyed your TR and your bright outlook on life! And the name of your ECV! I wish you many, many more happy trips.

 

[mamabunny]

@JennyDrake - Awwwww! Thank you so much! I hope your next trip is as Magical as it can be!

 

[Betty Rohrer]

mamabunny, may you and Angus have many more adventures. you made me feel better that I have made the right choice of using an ECV when I need to

 

[mamabunny]

Thank you Betty! I wish you many wonderful adventures on your ECV too!

 

[Glittercat]

@mamabunny thank you for posting your experience and advice. I'm facing the facts and realize if I'm ever going to paint again I'm going to have to give up my manual chair. Currently kind of overwhelmed but your post really helped, so thank you kindly.

 

[mamabunny]

I know how tough this is for you, and I can tell you have fought hard to keep your manual chair.

But think about what you *gain* by switching to an ECV. Let's talk about the positive aspects of this decision: What will the positive impact of this be? Focus on that - because you really haven't "lost" anything by going to an ECV; you have simply changed your *MODE* of transportation!

(((hugs!)))

 

[disneyseniors]

This isn't a true trip report - more like a collection of observations from our trip last month. It's taken me that long to kind of mentally process everything!

I have spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, and osteoarthritis from L1 all the way down. I also have a knee that *really* needs to be replaced, but I'm trying to put that off until I can get a few other things under control.

Prior to this last trip, I purchased a TravelScoot. We were fortunate - I was able to find a used one that came with 2 lithium-ion batteries, battery bag, etc. We purchased a second charger, so that at the end of a busy park day I could charge both batteries at once overnight at the Resort. I named my scooter Angus, because like his namesake - Angus, Princess Merida's horse - my scooter always brings me home safely at the end of every adventure!

We flew in to and out of Orlando (using American Airlines) with connecting flights at DFW and had no problems at all with the TravelScoot. We made sure we arrived plenty early enough that TSA could take it's time with the scooter and the batteries. Once we cleared TSA, I was able to drive it down to the gate for every flight. I had to remove the battery, and carry it on board in the bag with the spare battery and charger. I always approached the desk as soon as I saw a gate agent starting to work the flight, to let them know that I was there, that I needed a gate check for Angus (my scooter), and to allow them to visually inspect the scooter and battery if they wanted to. The gate crews loved Angus, because he is so lightweight (only 35 pounds without me, and very compact!) and they could easily manage him.

Disney's Magical Express was also a very smooth process - we had called ahead to let them know about Angus, and they had a coach with a lift waiting for us. I can't climb stairs right now at all, so I had to ride on Angus up the lift onto the bus. DME busses use a very different lift system from the regular internal park transportation system. You back the scooter on to a platform that then lifts you all the way up to the floor level of the bus. Doesn't sound too bad (and looks fine from the ground!) but I have to confess that I was glad not to spend too much time up there in the air on that platform! DME drivers were awesome, and very helpful both coming and going.

Park buses - no problems. Because Angus is so quick and light, the drivers all loved him, and it took far longer to lower the ramp and put the ramp away than it did to actually deal with Angus.

Boats - problems, but we found ways around them. Our one issue was coming out of Trail's End Buffet at Fort Wilderness Campground late at night, and finding that the bigger boats back to MK had been shut down for the night. My daughter had a tiny panic attack, because the only way we were going to be allowed on the smaller boats back to MK was if we took Angus apart (or in his case, removed the seat & battery, and folded him). Since I couldn't make the step in to the boat safely, we had to find another way. We went back up to the restaurant and our server told us to go down to the bus stop, and wait for the buses that would be coming to pick up the folks from the last show at Hoop Dee Doo. We got down there, and only had to wait a couple of minutes (luckily, because it was COLD) and we boarded the proper bus, and waited for the folks from Hoop Dee Doo. Moral of this story: There's almost always an alternate way around at WDW.

We stayed at POFQ, and so used the boats between DTD/Disney Springs and POFQ a lot. No problems there at all, no problems when visiting Boardwalk, Yacht Club, or taking the ferry from TTC.

Monorail - again, no problems. We didn't get to ride it as much as we would have liked; it was shut down for one of the days we were there, but no problems. One tip for new/temporary ECV drivers: if you are going to sit on the ECV while the monorail (or tram/train/boat/etc.) is in motion, be sure to park perpendicular to the direction of travel, and apply brakes if you have them. Much, much safer - twice we saw people who insisted on "backing in" in the HA cars on the Monorail, and they spent the entire ride trying to hold on to the pole and not roll around as it started and stopped.

Rides/Shows/Attractions - We couldn't do POTC at MK. It was the only time that I got super upset on the trip, but I hitched up my big girl panties, and went on. No wheelchairs were available at all, and so I couldn't ride, since I can't stand or walk very far at all right now. Same issue occurred later the same day at Buzz Lightyear at MK. I still don't know where all those wheelchairs went to that day... Weird. We asked CM's to see if they could find any, but in both cases they were zero help, and clearly didn't care to help either. A new group of CP kids had just arrived (we saw several "orientation walks" that day), and there were tons of "Earning My Ears" ribbons on CM badges everywhere. I guess a few of them didn't get the memo about being there to actually be helpful to guests.

Parks - overall, OK. I did get "body slammed" two different times by people who were texting and walked right in to me and Angus despite my best efforts. We had a few instances where my daughter had to walk ahead of me to help clear a path when things got busier in the middle of the day, but for the most part it wasn't too bad. Other guests seemed to be more aware, more accepting and more tolerant of ECV's than on previous trips. One thing that I did prior to leaving on the trip was to put undercarriage lighting, along with a headlight and taillight on to Angus. In addition to looking pretty cool, it also gave me that extra bit of visibility at night to help avoid issues. (I was *super* careful with my lights, to make sure they were mounted and aimed low to the ground, and would not shine into the eyes of children in strollers. They are basically captive, and can't get away from things like lights that shine right in their eyes. /end Mommy rant!)

If you are planning on taking your own personal ECV (and not using a rental) I would advise knowing in advance about how long/far your battery will last, and then deduct about 20% from that figure to allow for ramps and hills. Probably the most epic ramp "system" we encountered was at the Beauty & The Beast live show at HS - my daughter joked that they could sell tickets just to that little "adventure" all on it's own! Very prettily landscaped (of course!) but a LOT of switchbacks and steep hills on that one! Jungle Cruise is also a very steep hill (but a VERY cool HA ride vehicle!) and of course AK has all kinds of hills. Because I had the backup battery, I didn't feel compelled to plug in to charge when we stopped for snacks or meals, otherwise, I probably would have. Even though I'm a 3L (Lovely Large Lady), Angus still went a full 12 hours every day on just one of his batteries!

The HA stalls in the ladies bathrooms were all wonderful too. It was so nice to have the sink available right there, and because Angus is so nimble, I could almost always easily make a u-turn to get back out if I parked properly going in. Twice I encountered groups of people using them (once a large family of girls and women, and another time a group of cheerleaders) but luckily most of the time I didn't have to wait at all.

The Resort - sadly, this was the first trip where we had some serious maintenance issues with our room. Despite reporting them daily to the Concierge, they were never resolved. As I noted above, we stayed at POFQ in an accessible roll in shower room. (Bldg 4, Room 4146, not a corner room as we had specifically requested) Overall, POFQ is actually pretty easy to get around, simply due to it's smaller size and the way everything is laid out. Most of the CM's we dealt with were pretty great - we did encounter one who clearly forgot her Magic that day, and was pretty grumpy I was surprised to learn that the laundry no longer took quarters, and had to go back to the room to get my credit card.

Overall, it was a great trip despite some issues. We stayed 6 days, came home with a suitcase full of "goodies", over a thousand personal pictures, more than 200 PhotoPass pictures, and a ton of great memories. And Angus performed like a champ!

I don't blindly advocate for everyone to use an ECV - but without mine, this trip simply would not have been possible. I decided that I was going to use Angus as a *tool* to do what I wanted to do, not make a big deal out of it, and go on. We were there to celebrate my daughter's 21st birthday, and she had a great time - and so did I.

Thanks to everyone here - especially Sue and all of the moderators and regulars who contribute their time and knowledge. I really do appreciate it. I don't know when we will be able to travel to WDW again, but I hope to continue to be a part of this community, regardless.

Thanks for the excellent trip report, mammabunny(love the name I had to laugh when you said you had a knee that needed surgery, but you were ignoring it, or something like that. I am doing the same thing and only hope I can make it through the parks this November without needing a cart. I've never used one but sure could use it to be more comfortable. I have arthritis, severe form of fibromyalgia, and bad knees, feet that have tendons that rupture easily. So far, I've walked the parks, but never without considerable pain! I am considering an ECV this time and am glad to hear that people are more accepting of them now. I think that the new dAS policy helped to stop "cheaters" from using them to get "special treatment". Although I don't see how getting on a bus first helps at all - they are the last off at the parks/resorts. Oh well, thanks again for a great report

 

[mamabunny]

Thanks for the excellent trip report, mammabunny(love the name I had to laugh when you said you had a knee that needed surgery, but you were ignoring it, or something like that. I am doing the same thing and only hope I can make it through the parks this November without needing a cart. I've never used one but sure could use it to be more comfortable. I have arthritis, severe form of fibromyalgia, and bad knees, feet that have tendons that rupture easily. So far, I've walked the parks, but never without considerable pain! I am considering an ECV this time and am glad to hear that people are more accepting of them now. I think that the new dAS policy helped to stop "cheaters" from using them to get "special treatment". Although I don't see how getting on a bus first helps at all - they are the last off at the parks/resorts. Oh well, thanks again for a great report

Thanks for the Thanks!

I vote you grab an ECV, and don't look back! Seriously - it has made such a difference in my enjoyment of the parks. Because I am not in constant, crushing pain, desperately searching for a bench all the time, I actually *enjoy* myself now! (Plus, the benches seem to be fewer, and further between, but that - as the old saying goes - is another topic for another day!)

I think that the DAS refinements have helped somewhat, but more than that, I believe that because Disney has done such a great job of mainstreaming the vast majority of everything in the parks, there is no longer any incentive to rent a scooter or a wheelchair if you don't really need one. That has cut down on a lot of the abuse that we saw for years, and by extension, a lot of the tension.

Remember to practice driving an ECV at the store (Wal-Mart, Target, Lowes, grocery store, etc.) and that will help a great deal. If you can drive one of those big old lumbering beasties at all, a rental ECV will be a breeze by comparison!

I hope you have all the Magic your heart wishes for on your next trip!

 

[disneyseniors]

Thanks for the Thanks!

I vote you grab an ECV, and don't look back! Seriously - it has made such a difference in my enjoyment of the parks. Because I am not in constant, crushing pain, desperately searching for a bench all the time, I actually *enjoy* myself now! (Plus, the benches seem to be fewer, and further between, but that - as the old saying goes - is another topic for another day!)

I think that the DAS refinements have helped somewhat, but more than that, I believe that because Disney has done such a great job of mainstreaming the vast majority of everything in the parks, there is no longer any incentive to rent a scooter or a wheelchair if you don't really need one. That has cut down on a lot of the abuse that we saw for years, and by extension, a lot of the tension.

Remember to practice driving an ECV at the store (Wal-Mart, Target, Lowes, grocery store, etc.) and that will help a great deal. If you can drive one of those big old lumbering beasties at all, a rental ECV will be a breeze by comparison!

I hope you have all the Magic your heart wishes for on your next trip!

I think you've managed to change my mind on the ecv for our next trip I did have to use walmarts and targets carts following surgery and you are right, they are big old lumbering things. So I have decided to go with comfort and try to forget the stares, looks, groans when I use the cart.

 

[Glittercat]

I also have a knee that *really* needs to be replaced, but I'm trying to put that off until I can get a few other things under control.

When do you think you'll get the replacement? *wishing you lots of luck*

I purchased a TravelScoot. We were fortunate - I was able to find a used one that came with 2 lithium-ion batteries, battery bag, etc. We purchased a second charger, so that at the end of a busy park day I could charge both batteries at once overnight at the Resort. I named my scooter Angus, because like his namesake - Angus, Princess Merida's horse - my scooter always brings me home safely at the end of every adventure!

Angus seems like such a valiant steed!

The gate crews loved Angus, because he is so lightweight

Oh that is nice.

Once we cleared TSA, I was able to drive it down to the gate for every flight. I had to remove the battery, and carry it on board in the bag with the spare battery and charger.

Did they bring out the aisle chair to put you in? Or did you have to walk?

Doesn't sound too bad (and looks fine from the ground!) but I have to confess that I was glad not to spend too much time up there in the air on that platform! DME drivers were awesome, and very helpful both coming and going.

Totally understand this feeling but agree the drivers are pretty awesome!

Park buses - no problems. Because Angus is so quick and light, the drivers all loved him, and it took far longer to lower the ramp and put the ramp away than it did to actually deal with Angus.
I still have major WDW bus fear.
Boats - problems, but we found ways around them. Our one issue was coming out of Trail's End Buffet at Fort Wilderness Campground late at night, and finding that the bigger boats back to MK had been shut down for the night. My daughter had a tiny panic attack, because the only way we were going to be allowed on the smaller boats back to MK was if we took Angus apart (or in his case, removed the seat & battery, and folded him). Since I couldn't make the step in to the boat safely, we had to find another way. We went back up to the restaurant and our server told us to go down to the bus stop, and wait for the buses that would be coming to pick up the folks from the last show at Hoop Dee Doo. We got down there, and only had to wait a couple of minutes (luckily, because it was COLD) and we boarded the proper bus, and waited for the folks from Hoop Dee Doo. Moral of this story: There's almost always an alternate way around at WDW.

That sounds stressful but it sounds like you all handled it really well!

We stayed at POFQ, and so used the boats between DTD/Disney Springs and POFQ a lot. No problems there at all, no problems when visiting Boardwalk, Yacht Club, or taking the ferry from TTC.

I really dug the boats as well. People just seemed more relaxed waiting for them, and as only a few are accessible there was a fair bit of waiting so a relaxed attitude was key!

Monorail - again, no problems. We didn't get to ride it as much as we would have liked; it was shut down for one of the days we were there, but no problems. One tip for new/temporary ECV drivers: if you are going to sit on the ECV while the monorail (or tram/train/boat/etc.) is in motion, be sure to park perpendicular to the direction of travel, and apply brakes if you have them. Much, much safer - twice we saw people who insisted on "backing in" in the HA cars on the Monorail, and they spent the entire ride trying to hold on to the pole and not roll around as it started and stopped.

good information!

We couldn't do POTC at MK. It was the only time that I got super upset on the trip, but I hitched up my big girl panties, and went on. No wheelchairs were available at all, and so I couldn't ride, since I can't stand or walk very far at all right now. Same issue occurred later the same day at Buzz Lightyear at MK. I still don't know where all those wheelchairs went to that day...

That bites POTC is terribly hard to get to the accessible area at DL but I had high hopes it was better at WDW. Fiddlesticks. I'm so sorry you missed out on both of those attractions. My hope with magic bands is that along w/ the other data they will have on each of us, they see what works and what doesn't as far as accessible features go.

Parks - overall, OK. I did get "body slammed" two different times by people who were texting and walked right in to me and Angus despite my best efforts. We had a few instances where my daughter had to walk ahead of me to help clear a path when things got busier in the middle of the day, but for the most part it wasn't too bad.

Sometimes they even land smack dab in the middle of your lap, or my lap, lol has happened twice once at MK and the other time at EPCOT.

Other guests seemed to be more aware, more accepting and more tolerant of ECV's than on previous trips. One thing that I did prior to leaving on the trip was to put undercarriage lighting, along with a headlight and taillight on to Angus. In addition to looking pretty cool, it also gave me that extra bit of visibility at night to help avoid issues. (I was *super* careful with my lights, to make sure they were mounted and aimed low to the ground, and would not shine into the eyes of children in strollers. They are basically captive, and can't get away from things like lights that shine right in their eyes. /end Mommy rant!)

It is wonderful to hear/read that things are improving! Those lights sound great, and good point about being aware of where lights are pointed. I'm putting some under the chair this time as well.

The HA stalls in the ladies bathrooms were all wonderful too. It was so nice to have the sink available right there, and because Angus is so nimble, I could almost always easily make a u-turn to get back out if I parked properly going in.

Oh it is treat when the sink is in the restroom as well, and so much safer for all involved!

Overall, it was a great trip despite some issues. We stayed 6 days, came home with a suitcase full of "goodies", over a thousand personal pictures, more than 200 PhotoPass pictures, and a ton of great memories. And Angus performed like a champ!

What were some of your favorite goodies? Do you collect anything in particular? Sounds like overall you had a very positive trip! Any idea when you'll head back?

I've been in my chair so many years at this point that the change is much more challenging than I thought. I've been using the in store carts and I just can't get the hang of it ...turning is fine, waiting is normal, but I'm used to being able to change direction on the fly when something is coming straight at me, and I had panic attacks that as the battery was dying I would not be able to get it back to where you plug them in, or even scoot out of the way of passerby.
I'm decided just getting a 15lbs. lighter manual chair at this point is probably safest option for me, and saving this one for camping and such.

 

[mamabunny]

When do you think you'll get the replacement? *wishing you lots of luck*

Not really sure at this point. I want to try and put if off as long as possible, because the technology continues to improve, albeit slower than I want it to!

Angus seems like such a valiant steed!

Oh, he is! I even have a "plush" Angus toy that we tied to the handlebars for MK day - when we met Merida! - and he shows up in a bunch of our pictures, especially the PhotoPass photos of Merida with BOTH of my Anguses (Angii?) LOL He has truly changed my life for the better!

Did they bring out the aisle chair to put you in? Or did you have to walk?

No, I'm still somewhat ambulatory at this point, so fortunately, I didn't need the aisle chair. I have a collapsible cane that I keep on board Angus to aid me when I have to ambulate!

That sounds stressful but it sounds like you all handled it really well!

The worst part was it SUPER cold that night - so we stopped in at the shop across from Hoop-Dee-Doo/Trails End and bought a couple of throws to help keep us warm! Other than that, it was just another adventure for us! My Mom had ZERO sense of direction, so growing up whenever we would get "lost", she would merrily tell us that "We aren't LOST, we are just having another ADVENTURE!" LOL So, it wasn't really as stressful, as just a bit uncomfortable until the nice, warm bus arrived!

That bites POTC is terribly hard to get to the accessible area at DL but I had high hopes it was better at WDW. Fiddlesticks. I'm so sorry you missed out on both of those attractions. My hope with magic bands is that along w/ the other data they will have on each of us, they see what works and what doesn't as far as accessible features go.

I understand *why* POTC is an issue from a theoretical standpoint. The issue with moving chairs/ECVs through the building, etc.

Having said that... Disney has had plenty of time now - YEARS - to resolve this issue, either with a more appropriate elevator system of some sort, or accessible ride vehicles (like Small World) It is - in large part due to the fact that they have made the rest of the parks so very ADA friendly - that it is so glaringly obvious to me.

I get that WDW (and any business that opens it's doors to the public) has to offer accommodations that are "reasonable" and that they don't have to be exactly what MamaBunny wants - just what is reasonable and practical. BUT when you look at all of the other accommodations that have been made - accessible ride vehicles, ramp systems, elevators, etc. - that populate the vast majority of the parks, it is just so sad to me that this one iconic ride has been left out.

Having said that, Jungle Cruise has an amazing ride vehicle for ECVs/chairs. Small World was an easy transition. I could go on and on - no problems anywhere else...

Oh well. If POTC really is getting refurbed, then there is hope!!!

What were some of your favorite goodies? Do you collect anything in particular? Sounds like overall you had a very positive trip! Any idea when you'll head back?

LOL I collect everything on a trip! But my focus tends to be on the experience at hand, and something that relates directly to that. So, I might save a (clean) paper napkin from a dining event, paper ticket stubs, little bits of ephemera like that. Although, with a good quality camera at hand in my iPhone, I find myself bringing home less and less of those types of souvenirs, because I can just snap a photo of them in the moment! So, from February, I brought home things like: Cheerful fridge magnets from Epcot/Mexico that are brightly painted and make me smile... A fan from Epcot/Japan that has my name on it in Japanese... (and of course, pick-a-pearl!) Because it was our daughter's 21st birthday trip, I brought home a silly little wine "bottle" (empty of course!) that we had purchased at the Boardwalk (kind of a wine-to-go in a small plastic drinking container... not all that good, sadly LOL) I also bought a few new pins for my collection; I'm pretty choosy about those, I only buy pins that really have a special meaning to me, not a true collector like some folks. I also keep an eye out for thimbles, because I have a legendary collection of those, both from my travels and my friends and family members (I have them WELL trained now, to bring home thimbles from every where they go! LOL) We had custom shirts made for this trip our first night at the shop in DTD, and I bought a beautiful scarf at MouseGear, along with a pair of matching charms (one for me, one for DD) for our bracelets. We found an adorable Christmas ornament at the resort shop, and so many silly things, too - like our "goblets" from lunch at BOG, and a particularly memorable popcorn bucket. AND SO MANY PRESSED PENNIES. Pressed pennies from every machine we saw! It's funny, because as a whole, most people would probably look at what we bring home and shake their heads, but every bit of it makes me smile. We actually always pack an extra suitcase *inside* our largest suitcase, because we know we will have that much stuff coming back home with us!

I've been in my chair so many years at this point that the change is much more challenging than I thought. I've been using the in store carts and I just can't get the hang of it ...turning is fine, waiting is normal, but I'm used to being able to change direction on the fly when something is coming straight at me, and I had panic attacks that as the battery was dying I would not be able to get it back to where you plug them in, or even scoot out of the way of passerby.
I'm decided just getting a 15lbs. lighter manual chair at this point is probably safest option for me, and saving this one for camping and such.

Before you give up on an ECV altogether, please remember that the store carts are HUGE and clunky, and typically just worn out. Our local (regional chain) grocery store has one cart that no one ever wants to use, because it just doesn't hold a charge - especially if you dare to put anything at all in that giant basket on the front...

A good ECV - one that is truly an appropriate "fit" for you, will quickly feel as natural as your chair. My ECV can literally turn on a dime (well, the back right wheel can!) and
unless it's just packed wall-to-wall people, any good quality ECV will have the responsiveness you want. And as far as battery power goes... I have yet to see any ECV that is intended for regular, daily use that doesn't have a battery indicator system. You'll know - and have plenty of time - when you need to recharge. Battery life is dependent upon several factors: how much weight the battery must "push" or "pull" (weight of the ECV + rider + any cargo), the ambient temperature (batteries tend to function less efficiently in higher/hotter and lower/colder temperatures) and the grade of the surface (hills/ramps use more power going up - and coming down if the ECV has electronic braking) It's true that I carry a spare battery and an extra charger, but that's a luxury - and a nod to my obsessive need to be over-prepared! A new ECV (or a good used ECV with a new battery) should easily carry you all day long at WDW. Angus - who came with 2 used batteries - carries me all day, every day on one battery. And I'm *not* a lightweight, by any means! I literally had 12 hours in the park on one battery, with Angus fully loaded down (me + all of our shopping parcels, purses, etc.) and we only swapped the battery one time, and that was as a preventive measure.

Perhaps you can visit a local supplier (we have several near our home) and try a few models in person? It might make you feel more comfortable - and certainly more informed - about the decision. I know that a lot of my concerns about using an ECV were nullified after the first time I used a rental at WDW. By the time I purchased Angus, I was comparison shopping for features that were most important to *me*. Our local suppliers are all great about allowing you to "test drive" any of the models they sell, and they can guide you to the ECV that will be the best physical fit for you. It's a big, scary investment - believe me, I know! But it's one that has paid off for me over and over again. On Memorial Day weekend, we were able to go and do things together as a family that I could not have done at all, if I had not had Angus. I know that you are artist - and that you are concerned about your arms, shoulders and hands. Think about your options in that light - that you want to preserve your strength for your art, and your family.

Don't let fear of the unknown change your path. Learn all you can, so that when you make the decision, you will know it's the right one for you!

(((hugs!)))