wheelchair or ECV? don't know where to begin!

[cepmom]

hi all
I am a Disney and DIS veteran but this is my first time on this forum. I had an accident a couple of weeks ago; I was running and was hit by a car. Thankfully my injuries aren't as bad as what they could have been. I fractured my wrist, and the cast will come off right before we go to WDW. I just went back to the Dr today for persistant leg pain (stemming from this accident) and discovered that I have a nondisplaced fracture of my fibula too. No cast needed, ice and rest thankfully.

I don't know how I'll be able to handle the walking in Disney with the leg issue. I do not want to reschedule the trip....I need this trip right now!!
I am thinking i might need to get either a wheelchair or an ECV but dont know much about either. pros /cons? Rent from an offsite company? I see that Apple is recommended here. Are they easy to rent from? Our first 2 days we will be in the universal area before we move to the Beach Club...will they deliver in that area too? Sorry for all the questions...i just don't know where to begin!! Thanks for any advice you have.

 

[jdb in AZ]

If you get a wheelchair you'll need somebuddy to push you around. WDW seems flat, but it does have some minor hills. Walking all over WDW in the humid heat is tiring enuff for even a buff DH, without pushing a wheelchair too. An ECV would give you more independence and they're fun to drive. Renting offsite will allow you to keep the ECV with you at the hotel, so you won't have to walk to and from the parking lot and/or stand in line waiting for the bus.

If/when you go to a grocery store before your vacation, you should try driving one of their scooters around the store to get the feel for it. This is best done when the store isn't crowded. 8^)

 

[KPeveler]

Are you going to have a car when you switch between Universal and Disney? If not, you are going to need to make sure the transportation you reserved is accessible (there are accessible taxis but they need to be reserved specially).

I suggest the idea of an ECV - My wife gets tired of pushing me for a day, and I have a very small ultra-light weight wheelchair - it weighs a third of what most rentals do!

Especially with a freshly healed wrist, you are not going to be able to push yourself at all really in a manual wheelchair, and you will really want that level of independence, even if it is just adjusting your view of a parade or getting to a restroom by yourself.

Depending on how you are travelling, that will influence what kind of ECV to rent.

 

[cepmom]

thanks ...I just realized about the wrist being a problem with a manual wheelchair. We will have a car for our entire trip, rented a standard size from Alamo, but I'm sure an ECV and all our luggage won't fit in the trunk. Maybe I should consider getting a minivan?

 

[KPeveler]

thanks ...I just realized about the wrist being a problem with a manual wheelchair. We will have a car for our entire trip, rented a standard size from Alamo, but I'm sure an ECV and all our luggage won't fit in the trunk. Maybe I should consider getting a minivan?

How many of you will there be? Can any of the luggage go in the back seat?

I don't use an ECV or a sedan, so hopefully someone else here will be able to help out with the transport situation.

 

[cepmom]

there's 5 of us, so no luggage in the back seat. thanks for your help!

 

[pbrim]

We will have a car for our entire trip, rented a standard size from Alamo, but I'm sure an ECV and all our luggage won't fit in the trunk.

It depends on how many you are and how much luggage. Will you be able to use the back seat for anything? It may be cheaper to get a larger car with a larger trunk than an SUV or mini-van.

On a recent trip (not disney) I travelled alone with an ECV. I rented a standard size car. There was room in the trunk for the ECV and my luggage (computer bag, backpack, and carry-on) although it was a squeeze.

Do tell the people you rent from that you will be traveling by car and you need to get an ECV that will break down easily. They may be able to give some guidance on the type of vehicle to rent.

ETA: Never mind -- I just saw that there will be 5 of you, so you will probably need an SUV or such. However, one thing to consider: The only time you will really need to have all the people, all the luggage, and the ECV in the vehicle is when you transfer from US to WDW. The ECV will be delivered to and picked up from your hotel, so you won't need to fit everything in going to and from the airport, and you won't be carrying that much to the park. It may be more cost effective to just plan on you and the ECV making the transfer from one hotel to another with an accessible taxi (Mears has them) while all the luggage and most of the people go in the rental car, so you don't pay SUV prices for the whole trip.

 

[cepmom]

ETA: Never mind -- I just saw that there will be 5 of you, so you will probably need an SUV or such. However, one thing to consider: The only time you will really need to have all the people, all the luggage, and the ECV in the vehicle is when you transfer from US to WDW. The ECV will be delivered to and picked up from your hotel, so you won't need to fit everything in going to and from the airport, and you won't be carrying that much to the park. It may be more cost effective to just plan on you and the ECV making the transfer from one hotel to another with an accessible taxi (Mears has them) while all the luggage and most of the people go in the rental car, so you don't pay SUV prices for the whole trip.

this is a great suggestion...thank you! the price for a minivan is double what we have already reserved.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Would it be cheaper to rent a scooter for your stay at Universal, turn it back in, travel with the family to WDW and rent a scooter for your stay there? The cost difference may be less than paying for a taxi to transport the scooter from Universal to WDW.

 

[SueM in MN]

Would it be cheaper to rent a scooter for your stay at Universal, turn it back in, travel with the family to WDW and rent a scooter for your stay there? The cost difference may be less than paying for a taxi to transport the scooter from Universal to WDW.

THere is usually a price break for renting for a longer period, so you would need to take that into account.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

It's worth calling Apple or whatever rental company you use to see if they'd be willing to move the scooter for you. I have no idea if they would, but it seems like it would be a good customer service thing to offer.

 

[cepmom]

thanks again for all the suggestions. Now, as far as using the ECV, most ride lines allow for the ECV to go through the regular line?

small sidetrack....Got into a debate with my SIL yesterday who told me that using a wheelchair or ECV "gets you to the front of the line....no waiting!!"I tried to tell her, no that it didn't work that way but she insisted it did (who is she, questioning my Disney knowledge??)

Anyway, if i don't need the ECV while actually in line, I can just park it outside each attraction right? Is there a special parking area for ECV's? I am walking around fine and using stairs, I just think walking all day around the parks will be a problem.

 

[retired and happy]

Your SIL may have been more correct a few year ago, but most attractions are now mainstreamed and everybody goes through the same line, at least to a point. And I don't recall special ECV parking outside attractions, just put it with the strollers. Keep in mind that CM's will likely move it as they reconfigure stroller areas.

 

[KPeveler]

Yep, you take the ECV in almost all lines. there are a few that will ask you to transfer to an available park wheelchair for the queue - I believe RnR, ToT, and POTC do this. They will provide the wheelchairs right there, so you can have someone push you for just that part of the queue.

But in general, the lines are mainstreamed, so you will wait in the regular line. there are a few where you will wait in a different place. Be aware that sometimes this line can even be longer than the regular line. Most rides have a limit to the number of wheelchair/ECV/mobility challenged guests that it can accommodate, for evacuation safety reasons. This is what may make a wait longer. In general, though, the few rides that are not mainstreamed - the wait is almost always the same.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Hey, let us know how this all works out, because others will be following in your foot steps, er, ECV wheel tracks. 8^) DH and I both rent ECV's when we do Disney, plus I really want to see the Harry Potter stuff at Universal next time we're in Florida, and we'll also need ECV's there. We have a lotta logistics to work out, since we usually rely on public transportation and don't rent a car.

 

[SueM in MN]

You can find out more information about touring WDW with an ECV in the disABILITIES FAQS thread. Post #1 of that thread is an index that tells which post has which information.
One of the posts on page one of the FAQs thread has information about the ride ‘Mobility Entrances” from the WDW park Guidebooks for Guests with Disabilities. In most cases, the instructions say to enter thru the regular line.

On page 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread, there is a post about touring WDW with an ECV or wheelchair for each park. THose posts list attractions that have a special wheelchair accessible ride car (not ECV accessible) and give some information about the transfer.

You can find the disABILITIES FAQs thread near the top of this board or follow the link in my signature.

 

[cepmom]

thanks SueM...lots of great info. I will definitely report back on how this all worked out for me

 

[SueM in MN]

thanks SueM...lots of great info. I will definitely report back on how this all worked out for me

You’re welcome. I’ll be anxious to hear how things went for you.

 

[cepmom]

just got off the phone with Alex at Apple scooters...reserved my scooter and they will transport it from one hotel to the next for us!. Now we may need something for DD also, she just sprained her ankle and is using crutches at the moment...when it rains, it pours

thanks for all the input!

 

[jdb in AZ]

just got off the phone with Alex at Apple scooters...reserved my scooter and they will transport it from one hotel to the next for us!. Now we may need something for DD also, she just sprained her ankle and is using crutches at the moment...when it rains, it pours

thanks for all the input!

Wow! What great customer service! Hope your DD heals quickly. Did she get jealous of your "royal carriage" (a WDW term for an ECV) and decide she needs one too? 8^)