where do you leave ECV while on rides?

[jm-mom]

I totally agree with what others have said, stay on the scooter as long as you can. Many of the wait times can be deceptively long or the waiting area a longer walk than you expect. I have bad knees and can't stand for very long so I took my scooter into just about every line. Every single time the cast member saw me coming and directed me where to go and could not have been nicer. I have the full ability to get on and off every ride, I just can't walk or stand for long periods. The scooter was a lifesaver! In some cases it allowed us to avoid a long wait in line although I think that is not the standard practice anymore. There were plenty of times I was able to take my scooter to the front of the line and then had to wait there several minutes. Thankfully I had my seat to sit in! When using the scooter bring your family members with you if you enter a ride through a wheelchair area. The castmembers will ask you if you are with anyone and they totally expect there to be others with you and are very nice about letting the entire party on the ride at the same time. Also when waiting for Disney buses, take your whole party with you to the wheelchair appointed waiting area. The bus drivers will always load scooters and wheelchairs first followed by the families that belong with those people. If you roll up to a very, very long line at the end of the day, you will still be put on the bus first. I considered it one of the "perks" of scooter use although I have been met with a few unhappy looks by those that sprinted to the bus after the fireworks only to be told they have to wait for me. I just ignore it and do what I'm supposed to do.

Have a great trip. Scooter use has made the trips possible for me and the Disney folks were all very, very nice and helpful.

Garland

 

[SueM in MN]

In some cases it allowed us to avoid a long wait in line although I think that is not the standard practice anymore. There were plenty of times I was able to take my scooter to the front of the line and then had to wait there several minutes.

AK and the Studio are pretty much totally accessible lines (called Mainstream Lines) where people with wheelchairs and ECVs wait in the same line as everyone else. As they renovated or added attractions at MK and Epcot, they made the lines Mainstream as much as possible.
There are very few attractions where there is a wheelchair entrance or where you end up waiting less than other people.

When using the scooter bring your family members with you if you enter a ride through a wheelchair area. The castmembers will ask you if you are with anyone and they totally expect there to be others with you and are very nice about letting the entire party on the ride at the same time. Also when waiting for Disney buses, take your whole party with you to the wheelchair appointed waiting area. The bus drivers will always load scooters and wheelchairs first followed by the families that belong with those people. If you roll up to a very, very long line at the end of the day, you will still be put on the bus first. I considered it one of the "perks" of scooter use although I have been met with a few unhappy looks by those that sprinted to the bus after the fireworks only to be told they have to wait for me. I just ignore it and do what I'm supposed to do.

Have a great trip. Scooter use has made the trips possible for me and the Disney folks were all very, very nice and helpful.

Garland

Just a little addition:
A 'party' usually is considered to be a total of 6 people (5 plus the person using a wheelchair or ECV). If you have a party larger than that, the 'extra' people may be asked to wait somewhere else.
There are some attractions with a very small wheelchair accessible area, where you will be asked to split into smaller groups (like possibly one or 2 people stay with the person using the wheelchair/ECV). This is especially likely in shows. They often have a row of wheelchair/ECV seating with only one seat for a 'companion' for each wheelchair spot. The rest of your party would usually be directed to sit in the sit in front of the wheelchair row.

Boarding the bus first with a wheelchair or ECV is not really a 'perk'; it's the way that makes the most sense. There are only 2 ECV/wheelchair spots on each accessible bus. Putting the wheelchairs/ECVs on first makes getting them on much easier, faster and safer to both the person using the ECV and the other guests. I'm kind of making the distinction that it's not a 'perk' because some people feel bad about getting a 'perk' like that.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I have never had to use an ECV, but feel I will probably need one this trip. I have fibromyalgia and a lot of walking not only hurts, but leaves me exhausted. What do I do with the ECV when I go on a ride? I know people leave wheelchairs and stollers outside, but I wouldn't feel safe leaving an ECV. I know this may seem like a silly question, but I can walk some.....just not everyday.... all day.

 

[SueM in MN]

If you haven't read it, you might want to look at this thread, which is pretty much on the same subject.

Basically, you can choose to park the ECV outside the rides in the stroller parking area it you want to. Especially for the attractions with moving walkways, you may want to bring it into lines with you. There are very few attractions where you would not be able to bring it in and use it thru the whole line.