Wheelchair rentals in WDW

[devalsam]

Can someone give me some info on wheelchair and/or ECV rentals in WDW? My mom will be traveling with us in November and mentioned yesterday that she thinks she'll need a wheelchair for the week. She has MS and has difficulty walking for long periods. Can anyway point me in the right direction? Which would be better, the wheelchair or ECV? What do they cost? TIA!

 

[CarolinaMomOf3boys]

Can someone give me some info on wheelchair and/or ECV rentals in WDW? My mom will be traveling with us in November and mentioned yesterday that she thinks she'll need a wheelchair for the week. She has MS and has difficulty walking for long periods. Can anyway point me in the right direction? Which would be better, the wheelchair or ECV? What do they cost? TIA!

Here ya go!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=595713

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Wheelchairs - Assuming you are staying on-site
. . . get the wheel chair at the resort, not at the park
. . . you can use it at the resort, on the buses, at the parks
. . . THERE IS NO CHARGE

2) ECV's
. . . off-site people rent them less than Disney
. . . they are delivered to your resort before you get there
. . . they pick them up when you lave for home
. . . you get to use them at resort, on buses, in parks

 

[d1gitman]

Can someone give me some info on wheelchair and/or ECV rentals in WDW? My mom will be traveling with us in November and mentioned yesterday that she thinks she'll need a wheelchair for the week. She has MS and has difficulty walking for long periods. Can anyway point me in the right direction? Which would be better, the wheelchair or ECV? What do they cost? TIA!

for a wheel chair or ECV, you will definitely want to rent from an offsite source, they are MUCH cheaper in cost. personally , i would recommend the ECV. Also, wheelchair and ECV rentals at WDW are at the parks only and are first come first serve basis. not sure if it is still true since the price hikes, but they rented out quickly when my mom needed one 3 yrs. ago on our trip.

wdw is $45 day for ECV rental with a $20 refundable deposit = $305 wkly.

wdw is $10 day for wheelchair rental

mobility equipment rentals is $150 1 week and $100 for second week for ECV.

also, they deliver to your resort so you can use it from the resort to the bus to the parks. WDW is also very accomodating for ECV and wheelchair users on the buses. first on, last off. the entire party gets to go on first with the ECV user. since it takes only a minute for a bus to empty out, getting off last is no issue. some attractions at the parks have accomodaitons for wheelchair and ecv users, and their party, to go in a special line to get in the attraction.

 

[CarolinaMomOf3boys]

for a wheel chair or ECV, you will definitely want to rent from an offsite source, they are MUCH cheaper in cost. personally , i would recommend the ECV. Also, wheelchair and ECV rentals at WDW are at the parks only and are first come first serve basis. not sure if it is still true since the price hikes, but they rented out quickly when my mom needed one 3 yrs. ago on our trip.

wdw is $45 day for ECV rental with a $20 refundable deposit = $305 wkly.

wdw is $10 day for wheelchair rental

mobility equipment rentals is $150 1 week and $100 for second week for ECV.

also, they deliver to your resort so you can use it from the resort to the bus to the parks. WDW is also very accomodating for ECV and wheelchair users on the buses. first on, last off. the entire party gets to go on first with the ECV user. since it takes only a minute for a bus to empty out, getting off last is no issue. some attractions at the parks have accomodaitons for wheelchair and ecv users, and their party, to go in a special line to get in the attraction.

Is that the name of the company? Mobility Equipment Rentals? Are they listed like that in the phone book?

Thanks!

 

[CarolinaMomOf3boys]

we just signed up with Walker Mobility, didnt want to take a chance of Disney not having anymore Electronic Scooters, and they charge $30/day

 

[kaytieeldr]

Look here http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=595713 - especially post number 2, which provides detailed information about wheelchair/ecv rentals, but actually the entire FAQ is very helpful!

 

[Mickey527]

A few more plusses about renting off site.
the ECV goes much faster than the ones at WDW. I think they have them set at about 2 MPH at WDW. I walk much faster than that and I have to slow down for my friend in the DISNEY ECV.
You are not allowed to sit your grandson on the ECV if you rent it from Disney. We have had a few CM's tell us that when my friend carried my sleeping 18 month old grandson so I didn't have to. We didn't have the stroller because he walks great and figured he could go on the ECV. When we rented my grandson sat right on my friends lap and (drove). He didn't steer, we just told him he was in case anyone thought I was a poor grandparent.
On the downside, being pushed to the front when getting on the busses. I don't think anyone should get ahead of others just because they have an ECV. When we go I get in the line with others and he waits behind until I am close to the front, then he gets in the area for the ECV. If I am not close to the front of the line we let others pass us and get on the next bus. We have had bus drivers tell us to come ahead but we wait our turn as we should. Unfortunately some people use the ECV as a way to get ahead in all lines including the bus.
These next two are trivial but funny.
Many people walk in front of the ECV and cut in front just to get ahead. They don't realize how hard it is to stop those things. We wait our turn and don't push ahead, but hate when others hop in front. It's like they are doing Disney commando and need to run to see anything.
You will be ignored when sitting on an ECV. I have had CM's ask me if my friend can walk a short distance. "Ask him" Or they yell at him "Can you walk a short distance?" He's not deaf, he can't walk.....

 

[d1gitman]

Is that the name of the company? Mobility Equipment Rentals? Are they listed like that in the phone book?

Thanks!

surf the web for Orlando Scooter Rentals and you will find a few of the places. My mother had rented from Walker Mobility last year and the year before.

 

[d1gitman]

...You are not allowed to sit your grandson on the ECV if you rent it from Disney. We have had a few CM's tell us that when my friend carried my sleeping 18 month old grandson so I didn't have to. We didn't have the stroller because he walks great and figured he could go on the ECV. When we rented my grandson sat right on my friends lap and (drove). He didn't steer, we just told him he was in case anyone thought I was a poor grandparent. interesting, they wouldn't let our DS ride on teh ECV with grandma even though it was an offsite rental.
On the downside, being pushed to the front when getting on the busses. I don't think anyone should get ahead of others just because they have an ECV. When we go I get in the line with others and he waits behind until I am close to the front, then he gets in the area for the ECV. If I am not close to the front of the line we let others pass us and get on the next bus. We have had bus drivers tell us to come ahead but we wait our turn as we should. Unfortunately some people use the ECV as a way to get ahead in all lines including the bus. i think WDW allows mobility assisted peopleto board first for logistical reasons. i also think they have the party wiht the mobility assisted person board with them to allow them to stay together as a group. i find WDW is very accomodating to groups and families, not as a free pass, but to make sure the group or family doesn't have any seperation anxiety so they can enjoy their vaca. our trips prior to my mother coming and using an ECV, i never had any issue wiht a mobility assisted person and their entire party being allowed to board first. besides, they have to debark last, so in the end, its "fair" ...

JMHO

 

[jls886]

I think we rented one for my mom from Buena Vista Scooters (or something like that). We have always rented off-site and found it much more convenient. Also, not a lot of people know this, but when you go to the parks go to "city hall" or the equivalent in each park and tell them you have someone in your party using a scooter. They'll give you a pass and also a book that tells you where all of the handicapped entrances are.

 

[rach2674]

I'm thinking of renting one for our trip the end of August. I'll be 7 months pregnant and while I'm not handicapped, I know the heat and all the walking will really do me in. I'm guessing I can just park it somewhere and then stand in line. I'm just going to rent it at Epcot since I will only need it while we're in the park for the day. I'm assuming if we leave the park and come back later they can give me some kind of pass to let me get one again without paying another fee, but I'm not sure. I remember the last time I did a park in the summer while I was pregnant. I almost passed out from the heat. I will definitely be keeping lots of water and fans on hand this time!

Rachel

 

[Cheshire Figment]

If you go to the disABILITIES Forum and look at the sticky post disABILITIES FAQs you will find several posts dealing with ECVs. Post #2 deals with rentals and locations where people have had a lot more good experiences than the rare bad ones, Post 4 seals with ECVs and Disney transportaion, and #5 deals with ECVs and cars.

You can get directly to the disABILITIES FAQs by clicking on the link in my signature.

And, by the way, it is unsafe to have children riding along on any ECV. All they have to do is accidently hit the control lever and 400 pounds of scooter plus riders can smash into someone or a wall at up to 5 miles per hour.

 

[SueM in MN]

I think we rented one for my mom from Buena Vista Scooters (or something like that). We have always rented off-site and found it much more convenient. Also, not a lot of people know this, but when you go to the parks go to "city hall" or the equivalent in each park and tell them you have someone in your party using a scooter. They'll give you a pass and also a book that tells you where all of the handicapped entrances are.

The book is the WDW Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities and there is one for each park. There is a link to the text for each park's guidebook in the disABILITIES FAQs thread, in post #3 (a link to the disABILITIES FAQs thread is already posted in this thread several times).
AK and the Studio were built with what are called "Mainstream Lines". This means the regular line is wheelchair/ECV accessible and people using them wait in the regular line with all the other guests.
MK and Epcot have converted most of the new or renovated attractions to Mainstream access, but a few attractions were not able to be converted and do have a handicapped entrance. You do not need any special card or pass to use the handicapped entrance with an ECV or wheelchair; the CM at the attraction will see the wheelchair/ECV and route you to the accessible entrance.
The 'pass' mentioned is called a Guest Assistance Card and there is more information about Guest Assistance Cards in post #6 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread. It says right on the card that it is not meant to shorten or eliminate waits in line. Most people using a wheelchair or ECV don't need a Guest Assistance Card unless they have needs that are not met by using the ECV in line. The card is meant for advising CMs about needs that are not readily visible, so someone with additional needs might be helped by a Guest Assistance Card.

And, by the way, it is unsafe to have children riding along on any ECV. All they have to do is accidently hit the control lever and 400 pounds of scooter plus riders can smash into someone or a wall at up to 5 miles per hour.

It is not safe for children to ride on an ECV. I have seen a number of really close calls where the child was pointing at something and hit the driver's hand, pushing the scooter out of control.
The rental agreement from most of the companies actually has a clause that says the renter agrees to not allow anyone younger than 18 drive the scooter and not allow any passengers. WHen you sign the rental agreement, you are agreeing to that.
If you google the instructions/owner's guide for any scooters, you will find a caution not to allow any passengers. Besides the dangers, I would be concerned about liability for doing something that is listed as a caution by the manufacturer.

The resorts may have wheelchairs to loan, but there is no guarantee there will be any when you get there or that any they have will be in good condition. People recently have posted the ones they got were not in very good condition.

For which is better, a wheelchair or ECV, there are a lot of factors to consider.
An ECV gives a lot more independence and no one will have to push it, but some people don't feel comfortable using an ECV and are willing to give up some independence for not having to worry about steering.
For your mom, some things to think about would include:

• Does she have any problems with vision that would make it difficult for her to drive an ECV?
• Does she have any problems with concentration that would make it difficult or more tiring for her to drive an ECV?
• Does she have any numbness or weakness in her hands that might make it hard for her to grasp the controls and drive the ECV?

Hope she has a good time, whatever you choose.

 

[kaytieeldr]

For the record, it's not just children. I have seen at least two incidents in the last two years of two ADULTS riding on one ECV.

As Sue points out, your agreement with the rental agency indicates that only ONE person will be on the ECV at any time. While Disney may not own the offsite ones, they're still aware of the potential safety issues involved in any misuse, intentional or otherwise.

 

[Belle1962]

You are not allowed to sit your grandson on the ECV if you rent it from Disney. (note bolding is mine) We have had a few CM's tell us that when my friend carried my sleeping 18 month old grandson so I didn't have to.

The offsite rental companies include a clause in their lease that you are NOT allowed to carry anyone (i.e. child) on the ecv with you. I have seen Disney CM's stop people in offiste ecv's and ask them to remove the child.