Two Firsts - Solo and admitting I need ECV

[Tiggerish]

I have the airline tickets for my first solo trip and am coming to terms with the fact that I will enjoy the trip much more if I rent an ECV. I will arrive on mid-day on a Thursday and have to leave on Monday afternoon.

I have a form of arthritis that severely affects the nerves in my feet (and gives me knee, hip & back problems). I have never used an ECV as I am struggling to maintain my walking and standing skills. While I have gotten my walking up to a half mile a day and standing up to a half hour at a time, I am in constant pain.

This is what I need advice on. I am planning to concentrate on just Epcot and MGM.

Should I stay at a moderate resort, use the buses to the parks and rent a Disney ECV at the parks?

Or, would it be better to spend more and stay at the YC or BC or Dolphin/Swan, rent an ECV from an off-site provider and use the walking paths to drive myself back and forth to the parks. Would the ECV have enough battery to power the trip back and forth plus tour the park?

I do not have the confidence to back an ECV unto a bus or drive unto a boat or monorail. (Color me yellow for chicken) Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[tink2dw]

ECV are really easy to use. Much like driving a car.

Go to Walmart or a grocery store that has ECV and try them out.

But remember that those ECV,s will be much bigger,slow and harder to use than a rented offsite ECV. It is better to rent offsite so you have the ECv even at your resort.

There is a list of offsite Orlando rental places. Some one will post it soon.

 

[JudithM]

First, congratulations on admitting your two firsts!

I would definitely rent an ECV from an off site supplier. I'm sure cheshire Figment wil lbe along & share his info about renting off site. Or read other threads here about ECVs & you'll come across his posts.

I started using an ECV at WDW by renting one at the parks. I probably rented from Disney for about four trips. However, renting from Disney presented a few "issues:"

*no guarantee the park will have an ECV regardless of time of day (I was at EPCOT Mother's Day 2002 a half hour after the park opened & no ECVs available at either entrance);

*if you want to park hop there is no guarantee of an ECV at the second park;

*four wheels on a Disney ECV vs. three on off site one (at least the ones I have rented from Walker); three wheels gave me a better turning radius;

*battery holds up a whole lot better on the rented ECV vs. the Disney one; I can tell you where in each of the four parks where my Disney ECV "died;"

*if you rent an ECD you will have it every where you want it - the parks, Downtown Disney, other resorts, etc.


The last several trips I have rented from Walker Mobility & had a very good experience. The ECV has been delivered in a timely manner; the battery has lasted all day & night; the cost is similar to Disney & I have the ECV more than just in the parks; etc.

As for using an ECV - go for it! You have a need & the ECV will make your trip more enjoyable.

On my last trip we stayed at OKW & I used the busses to the parks. I was hesitant, but the bus drivers were so friendly & very helpful.

HAVE FUN!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

As JudithM says, you are much better off renting from off-site than from Disney.

Here are the urls and phone numbers:

Walker Mobility:
1-888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/

RANDY'S Mobility is in Kissimmee 407-892-4777
http://randysmobility.com/

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html

I have used Walker a few times. They will ask for a credit card and charge it the day before arrival. They will deliver the ECV to your hotel bell services before your arrival and pick it up there after your departure. Their rates, especially for longer than a week, are much better than Disney's. Also, their scooters are much better than Disney's. Randy's is the least expensive, but you must be present both when they deliver and when they pick up the ECV.

I know that when I have had late-day arrivals or departures, and gave expected times to Walker, they did not charge me for a full day of arrival or departure. Figure at least an hour from your scheduled arrival time at the airport until you get to the hotel; use that as your arrival time for them.

I thik you have made a very good decision and will find the ECV very useful.

Mike

If you are primarily going to be doing Epcot and the Studio, you might find it most convenient to stay at Beach, Yacht, Swan or Dolphin.

Don't worry about running out of power. All the literature I have seen talks about generally a 25 mile range on a full charge. It only takes a few hours at night to bring back the full charge.

 

[JudithM]

Thanks, Mike! I knew you would post your info here !

 

[videogal1]

Hi
I have used an ECV for almost 6 years and will be spending 18 solo days at DW in January. As I am bringing my own ECV, I don't have to worry about renting one of the ones at the park or from a dealer in the greater Orlando area and, because my first got old and cranky I actually have two scooters...The old one... air-filled tires that are prone to flats, a mere 10-mile range (downhill and with a tailwind), a 16-hour recharge time, and a definite broken-in look, has three wheels and a front-wheel drive (the front wheel pulls the scooter along as the motor is mounted below the tiller). The new one, my little "Cadillac", has solid wheels that wear but don't flat (but also make the "ride" feel like I'm in a buckboard on a rutted road), a 25-mile range, a 6-hour full recharge time, and three wheels with a rear-wheel drive (the motor is in the back) so that the back wheels tend to push the scooter along. I go into this somewhat esoteric discussion of scooter characteristics in response to the following statement, which is useful, but not as much as it could be...

three wheels gave me a better turning radius;

Better than with a four-wheeled scooter (horrors), to be sure, but
only the front wheel drive type of three-wheeled scooter permits a turning radius that even remotely resembles that required for access to a wheelchair accessible stall in a restroom.
Without drive-in stall access, you have to figure out where to park the thing in the rest room (or outside) and then how to negotiate your way to privacy on your own...

So, my suggestion is to track down not just any 'ol ECV but to request one that meets the "footprint" of a manual wheelchair (the ADA standard for accessibility) in size as well as in turning radius. A small three-wheeled scooter with a front-wheel drive.

Which scooter will I take? I haven't decided yet. There are many more issues that give each scooter equal standing in different situations...no room to debate it fully here...I'm still trying to decide if I could possibly avoid the bus lifts and bus schedules and ride the scooter to the park from my off-site condo...EEEEK...Only the brave... and suicidal....
Texas hemi....

 

[Tiggerish]

Thank you all for the helpful information.

I have asked Dreams Unlimited to help me book a room at one of the Epcot resorts and will order a ECV - probably from Walker. One of the goals of this trip is to learn how to get around with an ECV so that I can plan a longer trip with nieces (and their parents) and not have to worry about my inability to keep up.

Maybe I will even work up the courage to back unto a bus with a little experience!

 

[cupcake]

I went with my dh for a business trip -- we stayed at the Swan and I toured by myself with my sccoter (rented from Walker). Taking the boat to MGM is a piece of cake. If you really don't care to try the bus, you can take the monorail to MK via Epcot. I would encourage you, however, to try the buses. Backing up is really not hard. Go in turtle speed and take your time, it is no worse than backing into position at a show. The drivers are very helpful, and an ECV is much easier to use than you think if you have the 3 wheel type. You will be a pro in no time! As anyone here can attest, I am a giant wimp and I got up the guts to try the bus. It made me totally nervous the first time and then I was fine. Really!!!

Note for MGM that for Tower of Terror and the Rock & Rollercoaster, if you are so inclined, you may need to stand. For ToT, I went in thru the fastpass entrance and stood for about 8 minutes total, then needed to walk out. I was very specific with the CM re how long the wait would be. At the Rock & Rollercoaster, the CM would not commit re line length and volunteered to push me in a wc so I could go. I was glad, the line was longer than it looked. So overall, be careful of attractions which require transferring to a wc in terms of planning your day.

Cupcake

 

[videogal1]

Thanks for the bus encouragement, C-cake. I think you've settled the commute question for me. This trip, however, as far as the attractions like TOT go, the ECV won't be the problem...My Service Dog, Cash, will keep me off most of the attractions...I'm not traveling with anyone who could do the baby exchange with me and I'm not inclined to park him with a complete stranger, either....sort of like valet parking a Jaguar or Corvette. So, unless I find a traveling partner before January, I'll be doing only those attractions that will let him ride, too. The other option, of course, is to park him at the kennel...but if I could get around without him I wouldn't take him in the first place...Besides, I think he might enjoy "It's A Small World..."

 

[cupcake]

Sorry, I did not realize you had company! I had to reply to tell you that the most fun days I had by myself were at Epcot & MGM. For Epcot, I splurged and made lunch reservations in the World Showcase (more price effective than dinner). I also got the live entertainment schedule right away and figured out a plan that would allow me to hit everything in a logical way over the course of two days. I basically ate, wended my way between the different shows, and hit highlights of the various pavilions/countries. Because I was by myself, the CMs approached me to chat a lot--very interesting! It was very relaxing, unlike the MK (tight and lots of on & off the scooter) & AK (the shows were great, but I had issues with touring solo w/ and ECV & being able to enjoy the animals). MGM is also great as there are so many shows and the layout is open.

Does Cash mind special effects?

I think you are right to stay at an Epcot resort. The commute is fast, easy and totally non-intimidating for the timid traveller (myself included!). Bc MGM & Epcot are more open and show based, I also think you will enjoy them the most as a solo ECVer. At least I did!

HAVE FUN!!!!!

Cupcake

 

[videogal1]

Hi again C-Cake
Cash surprised me at Halloween this year by calmly standing at the kitchen door and watching the neighbor's million dollar fireworks display tear through the quiet sky. Who woulda thunk it? My other two dogs go into magnificent panic attacks at the sound of a trashcan going bong. I guess his calm and inquiring disposition is one of the reasons Cash makes such a great Service Dog. As for staying at Epcot... Don't I wish! I'm afraid That honor belongs to the author of the post before mine...On this visit I'm using up my last two RCI timeshare weeks in a condo at the Sheraton Vistana Resort....only a mile outside the WDW park, or so they say. I have been trying to find out just exactly how far, and near what kind of roads so I might be able to figure out if it is possible to commute on one of my scooters (that'll determine which one I take) to and from the V. Resort and Downtown Disney and use DD as a transportation jumping off point to the rest of the park. (The V. Resort has a shuttle ($7 round trip) but you have to make reservations 24 hours in advance for a shuttle with a lift...Bah!) The whole reservation thing makes me cranky... I want to be freeeee. How do I know where I want to be in 24 hours? I've done the anal retentive thing (love that planning!) for WDW trips (3) before (This is my first relatively solo trip.) but this time I thought I might, just because of Cash, see the sit-down theater-type shows I've skipped before and, as you did, talk to people (Cash is an irresistable conversation piece, the big schmooser) and make this a different kind of visit. One of the biggies on my list is the new (to me) Animal Kingdom. What was your experience? I think I'll try and take Cash, an ever fearless co-pilot, on the Kilimanjaro Safari ride, as the WDW guide for disabled visitors leaves Service Dog participation up to the CMs hosting that ride. I have heard it's pretty bumpy but Cash's handle harness makes a great shoulder harness/seatbelt for him and he's not likely to fall out...Heaven forbid...! In May I'm going to be staying at the AK lodge in the land portion of the free wheelin' Disney cruise being organized now (and mentioned in a post on this board somewhere) and I am searching everywhere for access tips and do's and don'ts for the AK Lodge and Park.
Any tips?....Thanks again for your already helpful observations...