Using an ECV because I HATE walking.

[donkortajr]

A nice walk to me is a leisurely stroll in the evening with a breeze for about 20-30 minutes. Past that, I've never really much like walking, hiking, etc. I have a brother who will backpack across the USA if given the chance. I grumbled all the way thru hiking as a young scout.

I have visited WDW every 2-3 years since it opened. I LOVE Disney but hate the walking for 12-16 hours, trudging with camera, camcorder, etc. I'm 46, overweight, sweat buckets, and have a back that goes out about once a year, but generally in ok health.

On our last trip in October, our family went with another family. First day, first park, first hour, the other mom is telling me how miserable I look. She starts needling I should rent an ECV. Then my own wife says give it a try, so I did.

OMG. They noticed an immediate difference in my personality, and I have NEVER enjoyed WDW more. I saw things I had never noticed before because I was happy going from attraction to attraction rather than grumbling and looking at the ground while walking.

So, I ask, am I alone in being healthy but using an ECV to better enjoy my trip?

Are there others out there like me?

Should I feel guilty?

I am already looking at renting one from an outside firm for our next trip in 15 months.

-Don

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

OK, I'll bite. What is it exactly you are trying to reach by starting this topic?

Should you feel guilty? I'll let you be the judge of that, but can give you some info that might be helpfull;

- those in actual need (versus want) of an ECV and/or wheelchair get bashed more than desired, directly linked at what society sees as "lazy either also or not being fat human being with a Me-First additude". See, they see folks they consider to be in the latter department, and start treating folks in the first department as they see fit the latter department should be treated (which isn't particularly....... nice)

- renting an ECV means the ECV will have to be transported. As soon as you use Disney transportation, you are taking up 1 of the only 2 spots on a Disney bus that can accomodate an ECV or wheelchair. A spot that you choose to use versus somebody else needing to use or not getting anywhere. The same thing goes for the limited spots for those using an ECV or wheelchair during shows etc. etc. But I'm going to assume here you wouldn't even think about using up such spaces, right?

- the things one can chance and one does chance tends to give one more empowerment than taking an easy way out. Grumpiness; one can work on such behaviour and/or ways of thinking. Not being used to the walking? One can start working out months before a trip, slowly building up the distance one can walk. Even only adding 0.1 mile a week, means one can walk a whole mile further within 10 weeks.

- walking 16 hours!? Ehm, hello!? Like that is asking for grumpiness, painfull feet, sweating and a lot of other not nice stuff. Pretty good shot you will enjoy WDW a lot more at a bit more leisurely pace. Take a break of a couple of hours, it'll turn you into a new person.


ECV's aren't what you might think they are. Walking makes you grumpy? What do you think a day of looking at butts might do to you? A day of minding where you are going every minute, every second? Disney means crowds and means A LOT of people not looking where they are going. People darting out in front of you, stopping dead in front of you, young kids jumping out etc. You will be on the look out constantly for these things (either that or bumping into folks a lot!). It consumes more energy than you might think it does. ECV's means being on the look out for a way that'll fit the ECV instead of a quick dart around groups of people. And the list goes on. ECV's are great when one needs one, but besides that? Nah, too big of a pain in the rear if you ask me.

Oh ah, that reminds me; sitting on your rear all day long. Boy, that can become fun if you are not used to it and then go during a hot Florida day.

 

[HardShell]

... What do you think a day of looking at butts might do to you? ...

Depends quite a bit on the specific butts in question now, doesn't it?

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

Depends quite a bit on the specific butts in question now, doesn't it?

Oh definately! I feel like dropping on my knees each time I look at just the perfect nice shaped male butt. Unfortunately, that's a lot less common than thinking 'mwah, a clear view would be a nice chance for a while'.

 

[KPeveler]

You may think that it does not affect anyone but you when you use an ECV when one is not needed, but let me tell you a few things which you may not be aware of...

Only a couple people who use scooters or wheelchair are allowed on an attraction at a time. It does not matter whether a person "needs" it or not - CMs have to treat everyone coming in with a mobility problem or other disability in this way. This means that I routinely have to wait for a ride to cycle two or three times before I get to get on.

When you take a wheelchair spot in a theatre, even if you think there is plenty of room, often there is not. Some theatres (Tiki Room, American Adventure) do not let more wheelchairs into the queue than fit in the theatre. So even though you think there is enough room, because you don't see any more wheelchairs, you may be wrong.

There are extremely limited wheelchair viewing areas, and it would be frustrating for me not to see a parade because someone did not feel like standing.

A lot of us who use wheelchairs in daily life but can still stand up some face a lot of ignorance and discrimination everyday, and I admit a certain amount of frustration with people who have no medical reason to need a mobility device, but "just feel like it."

Should you feel guilty? That is up to you. But please think twice about using an ECV when one is not needed, because you really can make life more difficult for those of us who have no choice.

I do want to say that I think it is poor taste to post a statement like this in a forum full of people who deal with medical problems and other issues every day.

 

[brekin67]

I don't think anyone should rent an ECV just because they don't like to walk and they get sweaty. I am pooh sized, I don't like to walk either and I do not like the heat, so I go in the evening hours and it is not too bad. My mother does have to use an ECV for medical reasons. If she just did not want to walk because she is overweight and sweaty, I would encourage her to start walking to build up her stamina. Don, do you need an ECV or do you just want an ECV? You wouldn't want to hold up people on the bus lines, the ride lines, the parade viewing spots, etc just because you get grumpy in the heat. There are a lot of grumpy, sweaty people walking the world. Could you stay a little longer and not stretch your days into 16 hour walks. Maybe another family member could trudge the camera and camcorder, etc. You said you LOVED Disney, but this is your first time to rent an ECV. We would love to support you in losing weight before your next trip in 15 months and encourage you to extend those leisurely strolls into an hour or so. Build up your stamina, lose the weight, and the sweat might not be a problem. Don, be thankful you have alternatives to the ECV, a lot of folks on this forum do not.

 

[metime]

Having been in the sitaution where I couldn't even sit up and had to lay flat with a catheter in me for a month in unimaginable pain, I can promise that I will never be irritated with being able to walk.

I never thought I would see the day where I feel more physically fit than someone with a fully working body.

I am not sure if that is a testament to how much I have gone through to keep my limited mobility or how much the OP hates walking ( I am thinking the latter).

The way I see it, an ECV is far less enjoyable than walking, but then again I usually don't have a choice when I use one.

Honestly if you would go through all that ( it isn't free or easy to get around in) to avoid the possability of physical activity then I suggest you get one and get real familiar with it because I am guessing it is likely that it won't be long before you physically have to have one.

 

[tarak]

Should you feel guilty? I don't know, do you park your car in handicapped spaces as well because you don't want to walk?
I'm not trying to be confrontational, but as others have posted, there are limited spaces available for those with wheelchairs and ECVs. Taking one up because you don't want to walk is pretty comparable to parking in a reserved spot.
I don't use an ECV and nor does anyone in my family. For that I am grateful. I find it questionable taste, at best, to post your question and comments in this sub-forum.

 

[KPeveler]

Oh yes, I forgot to add one more thing to the list of things you may not realize:

There are two spots on a bus at any one time. Sometimes there are three. If I do not get one of those spots, I do not get on the bus. It may be two buses or more before I get to get on the bus.

 

[metime]

I do want to say that I think it is poor taste to post a statement like this in a forum full of people who deal with medical problems and other issues every day.

I find it questionable taste, at best, to post your question and comments in this sub-forum.

Kpeveler and Tarak I completely agree! I don't think bad taste would qualify as a disability, so I hope that argument is not made on the OP's behalf.

I wonder if the OP ever equated the weight issue as a symptom of hating to walk. I also wonder if the OP hates walking because the only time it seems to be attempted is at WDW or under very specific weather conditions.

 

[peemagg]

It is people who hate to walk and think an ECV is a great way to get around that makes it very difficult for those who actually need one. Quite often they are also the ones who are running people over and giving all of us that use one all the time a bad name.

I agree that this is a very distasteful posting. I can't figure out if you are bragging or looking for someone to justify your using one. If your weight and not liking to walk your only problems, then yes, in my book you should feel guilty. You have issues that you can do something about, but choose not to. To me that is just plain lazy. I know that there are many on here (me included) who wish that they had your problem and can walk, but choose not to. Most of us on here do not have that luxury.

So yes shame on you!

 

[metime]

I have to ask...

Why do you say you are healthy?

If you can't walk for an hour with out looking obviously miserable you are NOT healthy. You aren't even in the ball park of healthy.

You can be healthy and be disabled. You can also be really unhealthy and be fully able bodied, which seems to be the route you are choosing.

I am disabled but I am healthy, I can certainly out walk you.

 

[dclfun]

I don't want to jump on the OP as I'm not sure where he's really coming from but I do want to chime in. During my last few trips where we stayed at the value resorts, I noticed a HUGE increase in the amount of guests using ECV's. They have been rented, although perhaps someone just didn't want to bring their own along on a plane. I have waited, and waited, and waited, to get on a bus and others have also waited behind me. We were late to ADR's, missed out on getting to some attractions, and my family was inconvenienced greatly because I need my w/c. I have not returned to a value resort for this reason and am not sure why the issue proliferates there other than the resorts accommodate so many guests. At first I thought perhaps more people who have disabilities were renting them to enable themselves to enjoy the parks but now have to wonder if it wasn't just people who didn't want to walk. Someone who chooses to use an ECV when they don't need one hurts those of us who have no choice. Bus drivers have to tie down those ECV's too which isn't always easy, and other guests have to wait outside the bus while this is accomplished. I just can't imagine inconveniencing someone else because I don't want to walk. Disney started renting ECV's over at BW, responding to the amount of people who want to rent an ECV and of course there is no medical justification needed to rent one. Some days in the parks it's unbelieveable how many guests are using EVC's. I went to the MNSSP last year and there was virtually a sea of them heading down Main Street. Back to the OP- I'm thinking if you are that miserable, sweating profusely, etc. perhaps you have a hidden medical condition? ---Kathy

 

[Mary976]

I don't have ECV experience, but my DD uses a manual wheelchair. She frequently (both at home and at Disney) mentions the things people have discussed here...looking at people's rear ends all day, having trouble finding curb cuts, people abruptly cutting her off, having people lean on her or ignore her, trouble getting through tight stores and tight crowds, waiting longer for rides, buses, etc.

So, given all those wheelchair (and ECV) related hassles, the fact that the OP is willing to put up with all that suggests to me that he really does have some limitations when it comes to walking. What he should do about those limitations is up to him to figure out. I have also noticed the increase in ECV usage over the years, and I do think ECVs make it easier for people with certain medical issues to have a nice vacation (like someone who can manage their condition at home but can't handle the dramatic increase in walking at Disney). At the same time, if ECVs weren't available, some of the people who use them would probably still go to Disney. Maybe they would have sore feet, maybe they would need to rest more, but they would still go. So yes, some people probably use them more for convenience, but if they are willing to put up with the cost and difficulties of use, then I would imagine they have more going on than just a dislike of walking.

Mary

 

[Leajess99]

See this is why people who truly need them often cannot get them. I deal with pain on a daily basis but I guarantee by the way it sounds I can out walk you because I CHOOSE to walk. I know there are others who need the ECV more than me. Because of people like you (OP), others who need to use the ECV get a bad rap and are often thought of as being lazy overweight individuals. I once had to use an ECV at Walmart because I was hurting very bady from having surgery. The greeter made a rude comment towards me which made my experience even worse. When I returned it I replied to the greeter that I was so sorry I had just had major surgery a week earlier an was in pain but needed groceries. I was not even driving myself because of the surgery.

It just ruins it for those who need the ECVs when inconsiderate people choose to use them even though they have no real medical need for them. There are limited spots on the busses, the rides, and that. I know at our local theme park you would fit right in as the in thing is to rent an ECV so they can get to the front of the lines (main reason i did not go this year) and it really makes it hard for those truly needing it.

Sorry for my rant but seeing people who need ECVs not be able to get them is a big issue for me. My mother gets nasty looks and such as well because she needed an ECV and is overweight but what many do not realize is that her need and overweightness are medical (medicine so messed up her body and caused serious weight gain that she tried so hard to lose but after being hurt at work has not helped her).

 

[merrymac]

Don,
I think you have answered your own question (not necessarily the guilty part) but the part about renting for your next vacation. It seems WDW is disabeling to you if even only temporarily. You should not be that miserable and unhappy in the happiest place on earth. You are probably making your wife and family miserable too. You said renting the ECV last time made an incredible difference and you never enjoyed WDW more. While it would be beneficial to build up your stamina and lose weight, until you are able to accomplish that I see no reason you should not do what it takes to make your vacation enjoyable for you and your family.
Merrymac

 

[SueM in MN]

If you are miserable enough after an hour that your companions are noticing and telling you that you need an ECV, you probably do need one.

Not everyone who needs one has a diagnosed medical disorder, but I would say if you are miserable without one and you noticed yourself that you felt better after using one for a short time, you probably are not in the best of health.

But, just using one out of laziness is wrong.

I am going to close this thread at this time because I think it has been discussed enough.