Update:Help parking when using a ECV

[Belle1997]

I am new to the disability part. Last month I just spent one week in the hospital unable to walk. It is neurological but I have yet to be diagnosed. I am slowly getting my mobility back and use a walker to do my job at work. With a cane I can walk the 200 metre in 8 minutes which is I believe means I do not qualify for a disabled parking sticker here in Ontario. Nor do I really need one as I have a scooter and would never use it anyways as I would feel bad for someone who had to walk or push a chair. He got me one since I do not have the strength or ability to going shopping and any long distant walking like grocery store shopping. There is no guarantee this will not happen again when I could not walk to the bathroom with a walker as I dragged myself.

My big confusion is we will be driving to Magic Kingdom. If I do not have a disabled parking tag where do we park???? I will be on a scooter but my poor Husband will have to walk.

Does he take the tram and I meet him somewhere???Because the tram does not take scooters. Also the ramp up to the Monorail how steep is it. The instructions on my scooter say not to go up a hill more than 12 degree. How can you ever tell what degree a hill is???


Thanks for your help.

 

[SueM in MN]

For parking, you may find that you do need a parking permit at home once you have used the scooter a bit more. The extra space in the parking space makes a difference and in the winter, it becomes hard to drive a scooter or wheelchair in the snow. (I'm assuming that since you live in Canada, you do get snow).

Anyway, for parking at WDW, if you don't have a handicapped parking permit, let the CM at the little booth where you come in know that you have an ECV and don't have a handicapped parking permit. Then, tell each CM that you come to. They actually save spots near the front for situations like that. They may direct you to the handicapped parking area - just park in one of the spots that doesn't have a handicapped sign or blue paint for the spot markers.

There are monorail ramps at the TTC (where you come from the MK parking lot) and at MK. The monorail ramps are quite steep and long. I don't know the incline, but I would hazard a guess that it is probably close to 12. It was designed in the late 1960s and built by 1971, when the park opened. Guidelines for handicapped accessibility have changed a lot since then.
There is also a ramp at Epcot, but it is not quite as steep (it is longer though). There is an elevator at Epcot, but not at MK or the TTC.

You can avoid the monorial ramps by taking the bus to MK if you are staying onsite. The bus delivers you close to the park turnstiles. if you are driving, the boat dock from the TTC is a little bit farther away than the monorail, but you can avoid the ramp by using the boat.

 

[Belle1997]

For parking, you may find that you do need a parking permit at home once you have used the scooter a bit more. The extra space in the parking space makes a difference and in the winter, it becomes hard to drive a scooter or wheelchair in the snow. (I'm assuming that since you live in Canada, you do get snow).

QUOTE]


WOW never thought about that snow. I am such a newbie to this. I never thought about being able to walk in snow now that is a whole different ballgame. I could not walk 200 metres in snow without falling. Thank you for your helpful insight. I will discuss with my neuro or physio my concerns about winter mobility problems. Thanks for your answer it helps me feel a little calmer about going to WDW for the first time needing a scooter. But you know I am so excited as I will beable to enjoy it so much more.

Can not wait

 

[Cheshire Figment]

When are you coming down here? You might want to wait for some information until you are about a month out. That way you will have a better idea of your capabilities and needs.

Don't forget that at disabled hang tag is an insurance policy, to be used when needed. You might mention this to your physician(s) when you discuss with them that you would not be able to walk the 200 meters in eight minutes if there were snow or ice on the ground/sidewalk.

 

[seashoreCM]

If the cast member directs you to the handicapped area, trams don't stop there so your husband who will probably be needed to help unload the ECV will have to walk alongside your ECV. If the cast member directs you to a space on the tram line, you will have to drive the ECV on the automobile lane alongside the tram your husband is in (you can get ahead or fall behind as you choose).

Guest Relations may give you a handicapped placard for use only within WDW ro reduce hassles in the parking lot on succeeding days.

 

[Belle1997]

They will really let me ride behind the tram? Did I read that right. If that is the case then it does not really matter where we park. Yes my DH would have to put the scooter together as I do not have the strenth to that.

Thanks for the info

 

[SueM in MN]

Guest Relations may give you a handicapped placard for use only within WDW ro reduce hassles in the parking lot on succeeding days.

That was true until about 1992. They have not issued handicapped placards for use within WDW for many years. As I mentioned before, there are some spots in the handicapped (they call it "Medical") parking area that can be used without a handicapped parking permit.

It is true that the handicapped parking lots do not have tram service, but the walk from the handicapped parking area at Epcot and the MGM Studio is not very far. The walk from AK is farther than where the tram lets you off, but not not any farther than the bus.

Also, the CMs will direct you to a spot near the front of the regular lot if they know you have an ECV (the front rows are not served by the trams because they are within walking distance of the entrance). They save spots for that purpose. Just let them know that you have an ECV and don't have a handicapped parking permit every time you come to a CM who is directing traffic.
The parking lots are HUGE. If you just park where the CMs direct you (without telling them you have an ECV), you may end up a very long way from the park entrance. You do NOT want to waste your battery power driving that far just to get in and out of the parking lot.

It is not a good idea to drive an ECV in the automobile lane with the trams and the CMs will not direct you to park in the area served by the trams if they know you have an ECV (driving in the tram lane or next to it is an accident hazard).

One other thing to consider is possibly being dropped off by your DH before he parks. Ask the CM where the drop off point is when you enter the lot. Then, you can drive the ECV up to the park entrance and wait for your DH to meet you there.

 

[videogal1]

They will really let me ride behind the tram? Did I read that right. If that is the case then it does not really matter where we park. Yes my DH would have to put the scooter together as I do not have the strenth to that.

Thanks for the info

There is a pedestrian lane marked next to the tram lane that I always ride in...The only dangerous place is where the parking lot edges, tram lane, and pedestrian lane sort of collide and you need to be careful of the traffic. The tram drivers will yell at you if you're driving in the wrong area. I once drove from the outer parking lot (the off-site shuttle dropoff point) and through Epcot to the Beach Club Resort riding my ECV and towing a wagon with my suitcase on it...over hill, over dale with my Service Dog at my side because I couldn't get an accessible taxi to take me. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do...Just watch the traffic..

 

[SueM in MN]

There is a pedestrian lane marked next to the tram lane that I always ride in...The only dangerous place is where the parking lot edges, tram lane, and pedestrian lane sort of collide and you need to be careful of the traffic. The tram drivers will yell at you if you're driving in the wrong area. I once drove from the outer parking lot (the off-site shuttle dropoff point) and through Epcot to the Beach Club Resort riding my ECV and towing a wagon with my suitcase on it...over hill, over dale with my Service Dog at my side because I couldn't get an accessible taxi to take me. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do...Just watch the traffic..

I had originally put information about the pedestrian lanes in my post, but deleted it because I know they are in the front area of the parking lots (where you will usually end up if you get to the parks early or if you tell the CMs you have an ECV or non-folding wheelchair). Using those is not dangerous since it's a lane made for that sort of use.
But, I'm pretty sure those lanes don't extend into the farther out parking lot areas - I just didn't know where they end (which is why I decided not to mention them at all). Do you have any idea?

 

[Belle1997]

I just wanted to thank you all for your support. This is all so new to me. But I am finding the post here in the disablility forum really helpful. Now if I could only find information on accessible excursion for the disney magic carribean St. Thomas St Maarten. Any suggestions thanks

 

[Michigan]

I can give you the accessible information for St. Thomas and St. Maarten.

In St. Thomas there is a company called Accessible Adventure. They only have spots for 2 scooters or chairs that need to be tied down so book them early.http://www.accessvi.com/

In St maarten if your husband can lift your scooter I recommend a private tour with Joyce Prince. She has a mini van and will show you the entire island. By the time you are done with a 1/2 day tour you will know everything there is to know about the island. She has to be booked early because she is very popular. She takes your credit card information but doesn't bill it and at the time of the cruise takes American money. http://joyceprince.com/

Cindy

 

[Belle1997]

Thank you so much. I will tell my Dh I am excited that I can go on a tour. Thanks for you help. Thanks again would never have found this

 

[Michigan]

You need to see if Disney has a manual chair you can take off the cruise. We cruise with Princess and everytime we have been in St. Thomas the Disney cruise has been tendered. If the ship tenders at your ports you may not be able to take and ECV on the tender.

I don't understand why Disney charges so much for their cruises and then doesn't pay for a dock.

 

[Belle1997]

Well I just wanted to thank videogal1 for answering alot of my questions that I had. Nice to have someone who has travelled so much. I feel so much better about flying with my scooter. My Neurologist filled out the form for the handicapped room for the cruise. And wrote I need assistive walking devices and my scooter. I was nevous because this is only the second time I saw him, first being in the hospital 6 weeks ago. I never asked for a form like this. So the bad news he said my spinal tap shows probable MS and I need to buy a walker for work. Though I will probably get it through ADP.Thats what they call it in Canada.

The great news I have a acessible room on the cruise and do not have to worry about my scooter and triping over things in the room due to balance issue and a roll in shower. Sure takes the stress out of the trip. I know I am really new here.I hope to get to know you all very well.This has become one of my favorite boards.

Also I bought the new Passporters Book for special needs and I am finding very helpful. Not just for me but also for my Dh who gets motion sickness on rides. When I am done I a giving to a friend of min who also has disabilites and has never been to Disney who is going in September too.

Thanks again for all you help I am getting excited to go and I only have 3 months to wait ouch Way to long

 

[videogal1]

I had originally put information about the pedestrian lanes in my post, but deleted it because I know they are in the front area of the parking lots (where you will usually end up if you get to the parks early or if you tell the CMs you have an ECV or non-folding wheelchair). Using those is not dangerous since it's a lane made for that sort of use.
But, I'm pretty sure those lanes don't extend into the farther out parking lot areas - I just didn't know where they end (which is why I decided not to mention them at all). Do you have any idea?

The outer parking lots can be a little "old West" when it comes to getting through them. When at WDW I try to take the shortest route from point A to point B and treat it as though I'm traveling through a large mall parking lot. If I have to park the car in a far corner of the local mall, I just unload the scooter (I have a hoist mounted in the back of my Toyota Scion) and cut across the parking lot. The moving cars are large enough for you to see, but you need to remember that the drivers of those slow-moving cars may only see the large objects in the lot (parked cars and trucks) and not a scooter zipping through the parking spaces...If there are a lot of cars circling around in a lot I take a modified direct line...I scurry from clumps of parked cars to other large immovable landmarks like planters (more interesting for Cash, too). At night I would far rather take a shuttle to get to the parks than risk an accident in a dark lot, though...No shuttle? Keep to the perimeter of the lot.

 

[SueM in MN]

thanks for the explanation.