What to expect with an ECV?

[StitchyCamera]

Currently we're going to be visiting WDW in 2 days. My mom severely sprained her ankle about 2 days ago (the day before we headed down to FL, as we're visiting family before Disney). We've reserved an ECV through an external company for the length of our stay, but as this is our first time going to the park with any sort of injury/need for special accomodations, I was wondering what we should expect? Unfortunately, her ankle is in no shape to bear weight, and she'll be in the ECV for our stay. I doubt this will be much of an issue for our room reservations, dining, etc, however I was wondering what impact it would have on our experience in the parks?

Any advice on doing disney with an injury? Hoping my mom can have just as wonderful of a time as we used to =] Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!

 

[SueM in MN]

Only time for a quick note - all lines and attractions are wheelchair accessible and most are ECV accessible. For those that are not ECV accessible, they will have a wheelchair she can transfer to. Ask at the entrance (there will be a sign there that indicates what the access is).

Follow the link in my signature to the disABILITIES FAQs thread and look around. Posts 18-22 on page 2 are about boarding attractions. There are done that will be hard and she will probably need to skip.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

If she is completely non-weight-bearing contact the rental company and ask that they include a crutch holder on the ECV.

 

[JennyDrake]

I have been to WDW 3x as a traveling companion to senior w/ mobility issues who only uses an ECV at WDW (rollator at home).

Here are some of my tidbits:

1. Every attraction is different! ASK the CMs at the front which line to use for an ECV.
2. If she is zero weight bearing, be sure to ask what is involved in transferring (ie are there any steps or does she have to step down into a boat or ride vehicle?) We got into trouble sorta at Backlot Whatever at DHS. We got Miss M UP into the trolley tram (not an easy feat) but did not even consider the BIG step down to get her back out.....
3. Practice with the ECV around the resort before going into the parks.
4. The trickiest park is parallel parking on the bus.
5. Bring a Ziploc bag and ask for ice at any CS if she needs to ice and elevate--as I did on my trip in May post-op. It worked great and CMs were very nice.
6. Do NOT enter the regular queue at Nemo!! It is a narrow, dark, winding NIGHTMARE for someone not accustomed to an ECV.

I know others will point you to the really great info stickies w/more info about tides, transfers, etc.

 

[StitchyCamera]

I have been to WDW 3x as a traveling companion to senior w/ mobility issues who only uses an ECV at WDW (rollator at home).

Here are some of my tidbits:

1. Every attraction is different! ASK the CMs at the front which line to use for an ECV.
2. If she is zero weight bearing, be sure to ask what is involved in transferring (ie are there any steps or does she have to step down into a boat or ride vehicle?) We got into trouble sorta at Backlot Whatever at DHS. We got Miss M UP into the trolley tram (not an easy feat) but did not even consider the BIG step down to get her back out.....
3. Practice with the ECV around the resort before going into the parks.
4. The trickiest park is parallel parking on the bus.
5. Bring a Ziploc bag and ask for ice at any CS if she needs to ice and elevate--as I did on my trip in May post-op. It worked great and CMs were very nice.
6. Do NOT enter the regular queue at Nemo!! It is a narrow, dark, winding NIGHTMARE for someone not accustomed to an ECV.

I know others will point you to the really great info stickies w/more info about tides, transfers, etc.

The ziploc is a great idea thank you! I'm sure she'll appreciate that as she's been stuck on the couch with ice for the past 3 days (poor thing!) =[

Thank you all for the help =] I really appreciate it!

 

[bushdianee]

I used an ecv for the first time last month at WDW. My main concern was trying to avoid people who walk/stop right in front of you. The only ride that we waited longer for was Toy Story Mania. I was in the regular line for most of the time but was then directed to another line which resulted in the rest of my party going on the ride way ahead of me and having to wait for me for at least 15 minutes. I can't speak for transferring as I had the ecv more for breathing issues not physical.

The hardest part for me was loading and unloading it on the buses. Most of the bus drivers were great but there was 1 or 2 who couldn't be bothered to help.

Make sure that the ecv is fully charged the first day. Mine wasn't fully charged and the indicator didn't show it. We were at CBR and it died on the way back to the room after going to Port Royale.

 

[jworkkul]

My experience on the ECV is to expect anything. Mostly---people who cut in front of you and people who suddenly stop in front of you. I try to give myself at least a few yards away from anyone in front of me in case they want to stop. Also, make sure it is recharged every night. Practice at the resort parallel parking. It will come in handy when you get on the buses. What I like about renting from an off site company is that the ECV usually has 3 wheels which makes it easier to steer. You can get around tight turns with a 3-wheeler a lot better than 4. If you are not comfortable trying to park on the bus, let someone else in your party do the parking and then get on the bus afterwards. You will not be sitting on the ECV anyway on the bus. It is recommended that you get off and sit in the regular bus seats.

If you are usually mobile, you may find that sitting on the ECV all day to be trying also. Take a few breaks in your day, get up and walk around. I usually let my daughter take a "turn" at driving the ECV while I "stretch my legs" a little bit. I usually bring a towel to put down on the seat also. Sometimes those seats can get hot.

 

[Bete]

You really have two choices: wheelchair or scooter.

With a wheelchair your mom can relax. She doesn't have the same concerns as with using a scooter. A wheelchair can fit on some rides like Universe of Energy at Epcot, a Small World at Magic Kingdom, Jungle Cruise in MK, The Great Movie Ride in DHS at Disney Hollywood Studios, Safari in Animal Kingdom, for example. These same rides do not except scooters on them. Some rides will allow you to go pretty close to the ride with a wheelchair and then the pusher can bring it to the safe zone. This is less walking for your mom. Also, you don't have to charge the battery on a wheelchair because there is no battery. A wheelchair would probably be more comfortable; because, you can elevate the leg. If your mom can and wants to walk a little to stretch then she can use the wheelchair as a walker. Finally, there would not be any problems with parking it like with a scooter on a bus. The downfall here is that you have to have a pusher for the wheelchair. If you have multiple people to push this might not be a bad alternative for your mom. I was in my early sixties pushing my mom in her 90s in a wheelchair at Disney over a week's time and I lived. It's doable.

With an outside vendor scooter rental you will pay more than for a wheelchair rental. With a scooter you are getting on and off the bus or other transportation and it's not easy to do it. You may need to use elevators at the resort; unless, you get a first floor room. To me it's harder getting on and off an elevator with a scooter than with a wheelchair. You need to recharge it and get the scooter in and out of your room each day. Some rides like Soarin' require you to use an elevator to get on the ground level of the ride to do it. It takes a lot more effort on the part of your mom to use a scooter than a wheelchair; because, she has to drive it.

Either way using a wheelchair or scooter I would concentrate on doing more shows and less rides. Keep in mind for shows, parades, and fireworks that you make sure you shut off the scooter when you are standing still. This will conserve the battery.
Pushing a wheelchair is a lot easier if you do rest periods with shows.

I think you should have your mom try a free scooter at the store like Walmart, Target or wherever and see how she likes it. The scooter you rent will be better and easier than the one at a store. Also, I would approach her on using a wheelchair instead and see what she wants to do.

 

[ttintagel]

She should be fine, especially with you all around to navigate! If she has any trouble getting it on the bus and one of you happens to have better steering reflexes or better peripheral vision, you should feel free to offer to switch for a minute and steer it on for her. The crutch holder is a great suggestion, but the one they gave me didn't hold crutches very well. I'd suggest bringing a couple of bungee cords just in case. Keep an eye on the battery, and when you stop for a rest try to do it near an outlet where you can recharge for a few minutes.

 

[catne]

my suggestion have to do with staying off the shaky rides...speaking from my own experience touring the parks with a sprained ankle several years ago (I actually sprained it at Disney, the first day!)

Anyway, the natural tendency on the more wild rides is to "brace" yourself by planting your feet firmly, and with a severely spained ankle, that automatic maneuver is going to be very, very painful. And some rides you're jerked/shaked around in such a way that it is difficult to favor the sprained ankle. So with that in mind...these are the ones I wished I had NOT gotten onto:

Ex. Everest, Big Thunder Mtn. Railroad, Splash Mtn., Space Mtn, TestTrack, Tower of Terror, Rockin'Roller Coaster, Dinosaur, The Safari.

All were too jerky/shaky and caused a lot of extra pain.

AS for the scooter...I have been using scooters for several years...and if she tries a free on in the grocery store, keep in mind that the ones you rent in Orlando are (1) generally smaller (2) generally much easier to drive & turn (3) go faster. So if she can drive the one in the store, no problem driving the ones in the parks. Other than people walking right in front of you, it's OK. You just have to always be watching where you're going. There is the same problem with wheelchairs (people just don't "see" the vehicle that is below their eye-line height. So the adult sitting is below their sight line, they don't see you whether you're sitting in a scooter or sitting in a wheelchair. The only difference is if you're driving the scooter, you have to pay attention. If someone is pushing you in a wheelchair, you end up HOPING the person pushing is paying attention or you end up running into people anyway!

 

[JennyDrake]

You really have two choices: wheelchair or scooter.

With a wheelchair your mom can relax. She doesn't have the same concerns as with using a scooter. A wheelchair can fit on some rides like Universe of Energy at Epcot, a Small World at Magic Kingdom, Jungle Cruise in MK, The Great Movie Ride in DHS at Disney Hollywood Studios, Safari in Animal Kingdom, for example. These same rides do not except scooters on them. Some rides will allow you to go pretty close to the ride with a wheelchair and then the pusher can bring it to the safe zone. This is less walking for your mom. Also, you don't have to charge the battery on a wheelchair because there is no battery. A wheelchair would probably be more comfortable; because, you can elevate the leg. If your mom can and wants to walk a little to stretch then she can use the wheelchair as a walker. Finally, there would not be any problems with parking it like with a scooter on a bus. The downfall here is that you have to have a pusher for the wheelchair. If you have multiple people to push this might not be a bad alternative for your mom. I was in my early sixties pushing my mom in her 90s in a wheelchair at Disney over a week's time and I lived. It's doable.

With an outside vendor scooter rental you will pay more than for a wheelchair rental. With a scooter you are getting on and off the bus or other transportation and it's not easy to do it. You may need to use elevators at the resort; unless, you get a first floor room. To me it's harder getting on and off an elevator with a scooter than with a wheelchair. You need to recharge it and get the scooter in and out of your room each day. Some rides like Soarin' require you to use an elevator to get on the ground level of the ride to do it. It takes a lot more effort on the part of your mom to use a scooter than a wheelchair; because, she has to drive it.

Either way using a wheelchair or scooter I would concentrate on doing more shows and less rides. Keep in mind for shows, parades, and fireworks that you make sure you shut off the scooter when you are standing still. This will conserve the battery.
Pushing a wheelchair is a lot easier if you do rest periods with shows.

I think you should have your mom try a free scooter at the store like Walmart, Target or wherever and see how she likes it. The scooter you rent will be better and easier than the one at a store. Also, I would approach her on using a wheelchair instead and see what she wants to do.

I'll chime in again. Bete is giving you some EXCELLENT input. As previously posted, I have gone as a traveling companion to a senior w/ mobility issues and we used an ecv from Apple.

This past April, I went post-op, semi-mobile from Achilles repair. Because I was to walk as much as tolerated, we (friend and I) rented a wheelchair from Walker and had a great experience.

I found the wc easier to deal with on the buses than an ecv. I would transfer and we'd collapse the chair. I liked that I could elevate the leg while staying in the chair. Please note that I was not in the chair all of the time (out for from 1-3 hrs at a stretch), so my friend Cathy was not having to push me all day, every day. As Bete said, I think that would be exhausting. But again, I was weight bearing--just gimpy and SLOW. No way in heck would I want to tackle WDW on crutches.