ECV Question for Disabled Mother (Restaurants, Rides, etc.)

[ttintagel]

I just wanted to add a little caveat based on my own experience. While attractions that require you to transfer to a manual wheelchair do have manual wheelchairs for you to use, there is no guarantee that one will be available at the exact time you happen to be there. Sometimes they're all already in use, and sometimes other guests walk away with them. You may have to wait for one to become available.

 

[Oldie13]

Actually, if you search around this area, you will see that we take pictures of bus lifts, boat ramps, ride vehicles, attraction seating, accessible Minnie Vans, roll-in showers, and yes, even elevators.

We take pictures because being able to see - with a picture that depicts a mobility device with its user - can tell us lots of information at a glance about what to expect.

It can be important information for our friends here, even if it seems like a simple thing to folks who are never around mobility devices. Because your Mom used a scooter, I’m willing to bet you have learned a lot of things about WDW that might surprise someone who has never accompanied a loved one with a mobility device. If your Mom will need to use a scooter the next time she visits WDW, just knowing where that elevator is makes your trip a tiny bit easier. Knowing how many people will fit, makes your trip a tiny bit easier. Add that up multiple times a day for things like ramps, bathrooms, and yes, elevators, across your trip at WDW, and it takes a bit of stress away from what can be a stressful experience for everyone who travels with your Mom.

My family experienced this learning curve when I had to start using a scooter at WDW. We learned pathways to elevators and ramps, companion restrooms and accessible seating, among other things. And everything that we learned like that made our next trip a little easier, and a little less stressful because we knew what to expect.

We all freely share that info here; there’s no gatekeeping on that kind of information.

Thanks for the information about the elevator; just posting it means someone else who is searching for that very information might find it.

Nope, it’s not that deep. We figure it out as we go.

 

[Oldie13]

@Groot asked a simple question. There's no need for an attitude in your response since there wasn't any attitude in Groot's question. People take pictures of all kinds of things at Disney. All you had to say was that you didn't take a picture.

Actually, I took it as meaning they didn’t believe me because I didn’t have a picture to prove it.

 

[Candlelady]

(snipped the original quote)
You can get a portable travel wheelchair which is more light weight and is under 20 pounds. Most of them have a 300 pound weight limit. If you need a bigger, heavier wheelchair then it will weigh more.

As someone who utilizes a travel wheelchair for DH in the airports, I wouldn't use anything but an EVC or a full size wheelchair in the parks. Much more difficult to maneuver, are uncomfortable for long periods, and the occupant can't really roll themselves around due to the small wheels. The only time we use it at Disney is if we use their transportation to a restaurant or we have a car. We found out the hard way it was awful in Disney Springs.

 

[HopperFan]

There is? Do you have a pic?

It’s been there for years. Maybe because it’s walled off most don’t notice. Before that you were brought in side door.

 

[Groot]

It’s been there for years. Maybe because it’s walled off most don’t notice. Before that you were brought in side door.

View attachment 820530View attachment 820531

Yeah, so like a standard stairlift. Makes sense that it’s not noticeable since it blends in so well. Never noticed it before or gave it a second thought because there’s a dedicated handicap dining area downstairs- or is this in the sit down restaurant?

 

[HopperFan]

Yeah, so like a standard stairlift. Makes sense that it’s not noticeable since it blends in so well. Never noticed it before or gave it a second thought because there’s a dedicated handicap dining area downstairs- or is this in the sit down restaurant?

This is in the lobby of LTT (TS) and to get to any dining you have to go up a few steps.

There is an accessible door on the side that goes straight into dining areas.

You might be thinking Columbia Harbor. It has an elevator but not sure they allow guest use anymore.

 

[snowwite]

Gold Mobility had the attachment.
I do remember that at Hollywood Brown Derby there are stairs between the hostess stand into the restaurant. So the server took me outside and around to a different door to go into the restaurant.

Did you have to leave ECV outside or were you able to drive it in?

 

[Simba's Mom]

We had to go outside and to a separate entrance with no stairs so I could drive my ECV to the table.

 

[SueM in MN]

Yeah, so like a standard stairlift. Makes sense that it’s not noticeable since it blends in so well. Never noticed it before or gave it a second thought because there’s a dedicated handicap dining area downstairs- or is this in the sit down restaurant?

This is at Liberty Tree Tavern. As HopperFan mentioned, the dining area is about 3 steps up from the lobby.
It's not a stairlift (where people need to transfer to the chair of the lift). It's a platform lift. A door opens and you drive the mobility device unto the flat platform. The door is closed and the platform moves to the next level, the door opens and the passenger drives out.

This is in the lobby of LTT (TS) and to get to any dining you have to go up a few steps.

There is an accessible door on the side that goes straight into dining areas.

You might be thinking Columbia Harbor. It has an elevator but not sure they allow guest use anymore.

this! We've used the platform lift at LTT.
We've also used the elevator to get to the second floor of Columbia House, but the last time was a long time ago. It's very small and you had to go backstage into the fringes of the kitchen to use it. So, I'd be very surprised if they still use it.

We had to go outside and to a separate entrance with no stairs so I could drive my ECV to the table.

This is at Liberty Tree Tavern, correct? I'm surprised they didn't add that a long, long time ago

 

[tinkerbelletreasure]

I use an electric wheelchair. Most of the time if it requires transferring, they have a chair available for you. And they are fairly wide. Definitely note on reservations if you are planning on needing wheelchair accommodations. I have a lot of trouble navigating Docking bay 7 and Pecos Bills in a chair. I really don’t recommend trying to use an EVC in either one. And even noting needing accommodations doesn’t always mean they will pay attention. I was at Rose and Crown and they asked me if I could park my chair and transfer to a chair, which I was willing to do, but then they proceeded to sit us at a table down a short flight of stairs. I was too embarrassed to speak up, so I just went with it, but I was basically stuck down there and my husband almost had to carry me back up the steps when we were done. I ended up filling out a complaint form over that because when I agreed to park my wheelchair, they never mentioned stairs.

 

[snowwite]

I use an electric wheelchair. Most of the time if it requires transferring, they have a chair available for you. And they are fairly wide. Definitely note on reservations if you are planning on needing wheelchair accommodations. I have a lot of trouble navigating Docking bay 7 and Pecos Bills in a chair. I really don’t recommend trying to use an EVC in either one. And even noting needing accommodations doesn’t always mean they will pay attention. I was at Rose and Crown and they asked me if I could park my chair and transfer to a chair, which I was willing to do, but then they proceeded to sit us at a table down a short flight of stairs. I was too embarrassed to speak up, so I just went with it, but I was basically stuck down there and my husband almost had to carry me back up the steps when we were done. I ended up filling out a complaint form over that because when I agreed to park my wheelchair, they never mentioned stairs.

That’s terrible. Common sense should have told them that steps would be difficult if not impossible!

 

[Lewisc]

That’s terrible. Common sense should have told them that steps would be difficult if not impossible!

Many people rent scooters at Disney. They can walk, but not Disney distances (6+ miles per day).

Guests need to be honest when asked about transferring. How far can you walk? How many steps?

 

[mamabunny]

Many people rent scooters at Disney. They can walk, but not Disney distances (6+ miles per day).

Guests need to be honest when asked about transferring. How far can you walk? How many steps?

This exactly. If a CM - in any situation - says "Can you walk a few feet?" PIN THEM DOWN AND TICKLE THEM UNTIL THEY TELL YOU EXACTLY HOW MANY FEET ARE A "FEW".

:::ahem::: OK, sorry. Past trauma response. Let's try again: So, sometimes we need to flip the script, and in response to the CM saying "Oh, it's only a few feet!" say something like "I can only walk X many steps" or "I can only walk 10 feet, and I am unable to manage stairs" (whatever is accurate for you and appropriate for that situation). Just be honest - there is no need to exaggerate, because you just want to communicate clearly so that you don't have to walk further than you can manage, or take steps you can't really handle, etc.

Make sure that the CM understands *your* limitations, and let them find a solution for you. If they can at all, they will.

 

[tinkerbelletreasure]

Many people rent scooters at Disney. They can walk, but not Disney distances (6+ miles per day).

Guests need to be honest when asked about transferring. How far can you walk? How many steps?

Except I wasn’t in a scooter. I was in an electric wheelchair which is normally treated differently. I can walk. And I can do stairs sometimes. That particular day, I was having a lot of pain and stairs were not working for me. When I’m asked at a ride, I do answer honestly, and avoid rides that I know I’m not able to do that day.

 

[Lewisc]

Except I wasn’t in a scooter. I was in an electric wheelchair which is normally treated differently. I can walk. And I can do stairs sometimes. That particular day, I was having a lot of pain and stairs were not working for me. When I’m asked at a ride, I do answer honestly, and avoid rides that I know I’m not able to do that day.

I was commenting on the poster who said it should be common sense a person in an electric wheelchair can't do steps.

You just said you can do stairs sometimes.

It's not common sense. The CM has to ask and the guest has to answer honestly

 

[KPeterso]

This exactly. If a CM - in any situation - says "Can you walk a few feet?" PIN THEM DOWN AND TICKLE THEM UNTIL THEY TELL YOU EXACTLY HOW MANY FEET ARE A "FEW".

:::ahem::: OK, sorry. Past trauma response. Let's try again: So, sometimes we need to flip the script, and in response to the CM saying "Oh, it's only a few feet!" say something like "I can only walk X many steps" or "I can only walk 10 feet, and I am unable to manage stairs" (whatever is accurate for you and appropriate for that situation). Just be honest - there is no need to exaggerate, because you just want to communicate clearly so that you don't have to walk further than you can manage, or take steps you can't really handle, etc.

Make sure that the CM understands *your* limitations, and let them find a solution for you. If they can at all, they will.

Very true. At Haunted Mansion at Disneyland, there is not a ton of space in the loading area for wheelchairs and scooters. They ask all parties if they are able to stand about 5 minutes and walk about 50 feet (I think that is the distance they give). Our experience is that those amounts are both way too low. It is usually closer to 10-15 minutes and a lot further with stops and starts in the line. We learned after 1 time only to always bring the wheelchair in because the distance in the past would have probably been ok for my Mom, but it was getting pushed and bumped around as people were shoving through the stretch room and the line post stretch room. I have heard others say that they also felt the characterization of the time and distance was way too low too.