WC & ECV Enhancement Ideas Please?

[sweetpee_1993]

To my complete and utter shock & delight my parents decided they want to go back to WDW in January 2018. Mom was pretty adamant that she'd never go back since my brother passed away 10 months ago but this weekend while visiting them it came up and there's been a big shift. Mom is ready. Dad is ready. They're both soooooooo excited!

My mother has terrible spinal issues. She gets shots every 8-12 weeks to help manage her pain. Also she has very brittle, weak bones. She actually broke 3 bones in 1 foot walking around Sea World for a single day several years ago. She's used an ECV (rented from Walker) at WDW many times in the past when she would go with my brother. She'll be good to go. My dad has Parkinson's and shuffles. He can't really walk long distances. We're thinking we'll rent him a regular wheelchair because he lacks so much in muscle control & coordination. Don't want any incidents with him losing control of an ECV! Yikes! I did joke about getting some tow straps for Dad.....LOL.....toooootally kidding but a good laugh!

So I'm reading & studying all the logistics for both ECV & WC use around the parks/resorts. I'm thinking way ahead, I know. I like the idea of a plastic shower curtain or waterproof blanket & clothespins to cover during rain. Will absolutely be buying a couple quick-dry shammy type cloths to bring. I'm wondering if there's anything more I can do to make our ECV & WC more personalized. Like cup holders! What about a hook to hang a purse? What if I made some little pouches or pockets that attach to the arms? (Yes, I sew like a champ!) So my question for the experienced users would be what tips for convenience or personalization can you offer? What can I do to make our ECV & WC stand out to find easily?

 

[Kidanifan08]

We were there in July and I needed an ECV due to my ankle fracture 2 weeks prior to arrival. I rented the Companion Tourist Resort from Scooterbug. July is definitely a rainy season and we took tall kitchen bags and 33 gallon garbage bags. The 33 gallon bags fit over the seat. For the ECV, that may be all you need to keep it dry. Fortunately, you will be there in January, which is generally a dryer time of the year. Since we were there over the 4th of July, I decorated my front basket with Red/White/Blue garland, which helped to make it stand out. Fortunately, my son got a toy which had twist ties, so I was able to use those to tie the garland to the basket. I also had Coban and strapped little American flags to the basket, as well. I even had battery-powered lights on the basket! A cupholder would have been nice, but I could not figure out a way to attach one. The pouch/pockets might work well on the wheelchair, but the arms of the ECV flip up to load/unload, so it may not work on the ECV. Have a great trip!

 

[lanejudy]

Oooh, we've had some good suggestions in the past. I'll see if I can dig up some other threads. Since you are handy with sewing, I know some people have made seat covers. Lights in wheelchair spokes or ECV baskets. A scarf or sign.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[mamabunny]

I'm so glad you all are going back! I know it may be hard - our first trip back after my Mom died, I was just a weepy mess, but a *happy* weepy mess! LOL

Since you sew... you could make a "one size fits all" seat covers for both the chair & the ECV - I'm thinking of something that goes just behind the knees, up across the seat itself, then up the seat back, and finally OVER the seat back with some pockets on the back for water bottles maybe! The nice thing about it is you could make it from something washable - like terry cloth, or cute printed cotton - that would also keep the seats from getting too hot if they are parked in the sun! (I hate sitting on a hot plastic seat!)

It's tough to customize a rental; my personal devices have undercarriage LED lighting (I am my own Main Street Electrical Parade LOL) and lots of little "extras" and custom touches just for me. One thing you *could* get is this: Think King Stroller Hook Since it attaches with Velcro, you can you easily attach it to either device, no tools needed!

 

[Dream Finder]

Something else to keep in mind - since you will be there in January - the weather can be a bit cooler. Not a problem to those of us who are ambulatory, but my DH reports that since he's in the ECV, he gets chilled faster. So, a pair of gloves and maybe a lap blanket for each of them. If someone gets cold, it can be a miserable day.
I second the idea of small, battery operated lights. If you are getting a rental, I simply use zip ties to attach them. Oh - and Walker's ECV rentals have cup holders already attached.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Thanks all for the info & ideas! I appreciate it!

 

[Toffeewoffy]

It's not the seat you need to worry about in rain - it's the tiller/electrics. We were there during Gaston and Hermine in August and I just wore my poncho and brought the front of the poncho up and over the tiller so it covered my hands and all the electrics and we were fine (just don't go fast in standing water or go through any deepish puddles).

For storage (and personalisation) I bought a pretty pinks print backpack which hooks over the seat back. The ponchos, fleece for cold evenings, snacks and bottled drinks go in there so there are no heavy bags to carry. I can then keep the front basket for drinks, my handbag and my folding walking stick.

 

[weetot]

I'm so glad you all are going back! I know it may be hard - our first trip back after my Mom died, I was just a weepy mess, but a *happy* weepy mess! LOL

Since you sew... you could make a "one size fits all" seat covers for both the chair & the ECV - I'm thinking of something that goes just behind the knees, up across the seat itself, then up the seat back, and finally OVER the seat back with some pockets on the back for water bottles maybe! The nice thing about it is you could make it from something washable - like terry cloth, or cute printed cotton - that would also keep the seats from getting too hot if they are parked in the sun! (I hate sitting on a hot plastic seat!)

It's tough to customize a rental; my personal devices have undercarriage LED lighting (I am my own Main Street Electrical Parade LOL) and lots of little "extras" and custom touches just for me. One thing you *could* get is this: Think King Stroller Hook Since it attaches with Velcro, you can you easily attach it to either device, no tools needed!

I ordered the stroller hook. What a great item! Thanks for sharing! I've been looking for something to use on my ECV.

 

[SueM in MN]

I thought that the resorts got rid of the courtesy wheelchairs?

I'm a bit confused - the OP mentions that this is the first trip with an ECV. So, is the wheelchair for times when the ECV isn't usable? Because you can use the ECV in the airport, around the resort, and in restaurants. There are some rides where your wife will have to transfer (and they do have wheelchairs there)

The resorts have emergency wheelchairs for people to use in an emergency.
They got rid of the courtesy wheelchairs that people could borrow.
If someone needs one, they need to arrange for one from an offsite company (see post 2 in the disABILITIES FAQs)

I ordered the stroller hook. What a great item! Thanks for sharing! I've been looking for something to use on my ECV.

We have a set of those hooks on our daughter's wheelchair.

 

[mamabunny]

It's not the seat you need to worry about in rain - it's the tiller/electrics. We were there during Gaston and Hermine in August and I just wore my poncho and brought the front of the poncho up and over the tiller so it covered my hands and all the electrics and we were fine (just don't go fast in standing water or go through any deepish puddles).

For storage (and personalisation) I bought a pretty pinks print backpack which hooks over the seat back. The ponchos, fleece for cold evenings, snacks and bottled drinks go in there so there are no heavy bags to carry. I can then keep the front basket for drinks, my handbag and my folding walking stick.

When it's raining *lightly* I will just pop a disposable clear shower cap over my handlebars and another one over the battery area on my personal scooter. I reuse them until they get a hole or tear... at that point, I find they aren't *quite* as waterproof as they were previously! LOL

When it's raining harder, I get serious with the ponchos and do what @Toffewoffy does!

 

[SueM in MN]

When it's raining *lightly* I will just pop a disposable clear shower cap over my handlebars and another one over the battery area on my personal scooter. I reuse them until they get a hole or tear... at that point, I find they aren't *quite* as waterproof as they were previously! LOL

When it's raining harder, I get serious with the ponchos and do what @Toffewoffy does!

I've also seen people use a ziplock bag, about gallon size and zip it partly closed

 

[EmilieK]

Nice ideas, anyone else?

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

I bought a shark lock from SSR gift store. Omg best purchase ever! It is like a little bag that fits on a wheelchair, ECV or stroller. You open it with a combination lock. It is so you can leave a valuable item in there abd go to the bathroom , on a ride etc. I left my wallet in there all the time. I even use it now at home!

I also like the little plushy characters that are keyrings with a plastic clipper. They look cute hanging off your wheelchair.

 

[Bete]

I would get a chair pad for the wheelchair.

Also, I've used glow in the dark tape for the scooter and wheelchair.

We've attached with bungi cords a back pack on the back of the scooter seat.

 

[Simba's Mom]

The ECV I rented from Walker came with a cup holder and I found that little cup holder to be so handy! It also came with a disposable shower cap which I didn't use, because fortunately it never rained.

 

[todd222222]

As far as cup holders we got these on Amazon:

ROBOCUP

We rented the Standard scooter from Buena Vista.

https://www.buenavistascooters.com/rental/standard-scooter/

And attached it to the bar just below the back rest. Trying to link a photo - attached where the red arrow is.

This worked great for us. We have 4 people in our group and had 2 sets of these, one on each side, for 4 cup holders. Had to remove them when getting on the buses as they got in the way, but other than that they were great.