Thank You!

[bairdbeth]

Thanks for all the info available here! I made it through my WDW trip using a ECV for the first time. I rented from Walker and it was ready and waiting for me at Pop Century. I practiced around the resort for a few minutes as suggested and then off to EPCOT as recommended. The first time loading on the bus did not go well It took sevaral times to back up and then many tries at getting on the right spot on the bus. I am sure the guests who were waiting in the hot sun were not happy and I was pretty embarassed. Unloading went much better. EPCOT is a great park to go to at first. There are wide spaces to practice. Going back to Pop I again had trouble getting into the right space. This driver told me he would just lift it into place. Yeah for the bus driver!!! By the third day I got the hang of getting on the bus and did very well! The only other loading problem was on one of the older buses when I had to load first and be in the slot farther forward. The seats are tight and my scooter wouldn't go very far forward. I only lost my DD once. It was at Pop and she went to a cast member like I told her to and I found her. I also only ran into 1 person. A boy stepped right in front of me and I couldn't stop! There were several times I narrowly missed people. I found many helpful guests who held doors open for me as my DD couldn't manage the heavier ones. I also found many rude people who would stand in front of me blocking my view, look at me and walk in front of me anyway and several nasty looks. I sure got a different view of Disney. It took us longer to get around in the scooter than when we had been walking in the past. When it got really crowded it was very hard and slow to get around. Many people acted like I should get out of their way. I also learned that humans do not walk straight. They weave all over the place!I think that all guests and cast members who are at Disney should have to spend 1 day in a wheelchair or ECV. They would definetly have a better understanding of the difficulties involved and maybe would be more aware! Thanks again! Sorry it is so long!

 

[NancyDVC]

bairdbeth
Congratulations on your successful navigastion with the ECV! My best friend has been renting one at the parks for several years and I finally talked her into a weeks rental from Walker on our last trip. It was great. She had the same problems with boarding the buses but by the end of our stay she was a pro!
I agree that folks should spend a day in a wheelchair or ECV. It gives a totally different perspective. I can't believe how many people got annoyed because the ECVs and wheelchairs were loaded first! A man actually was banging on the front doors and then wanted to enter by the rear door before my friend and another gentleman were able to get on!
Maybe we can give people walking lessons so that they don't bob and weave all over the place. Or how about wheelchair/ECV lanes like the bus/fire lanes on city streets? Walk in the wrong lane and you get a ticket!
Do you remember the orange bicycle flags that we used to have on the rear of our bicycles? I think that they might help people see that something was in front of them. I had one man try to run me over (walking) as I walked behind my friend after the fireworks at MK. (I was trying to prevent people from walking into the ECV.) He was annoyed when I said be careful there's a wheelchair here (actually there were 3!). He seemed to think that I was deliberately trying to slow him down!
Take care and don't let the turkeys get you down!

Nancy

 

[SueM in MN]

Glad to hear you had a good time.
I don't know what the answer is to make wheelchairs/ecvs get noticed, but as has been posted before, once you get into a wheelchair or ecv, it's like you have entered the "zone of invisibility."

 

[aimee11621]

We too rented our ECV ahead of time you got to pay for it anyways at the park might as well have it for the whole stay.

However, I would recomend you stay at the contemporary or any resort right off the monorail. Its alot easier to get on the monorail than on the bus.


On the monorail the attendant will pull up a ramp and you just roll right in the no parking required. !!!!


If you call around ahead of the time you should be able to get a comparable rate I know the rates can get high. But the convenience and stress of knowing you don't have to get on the bus is worth it . Any how if you stay at the contemporary you can see the fireworksat the MK from the balconies. while everyone else is fighting to get back to there hotels you are in your room!. The fireworks can also be seen from the 4th floor atrium no need to spend sooo much cash on a room.


By the way we used caremedic.
Efficient and professional !!!
upon check in the evc waiting for us and check out we left it at the bellstand.



While at the CR 7/19/2004 we decided to go to the poly for breakfast on our way back to CR the monorail was brokendown due to a branch on the railway. The attendants had no idea how long it would be. So we took a bus back to the CR it was difficult to manuever even for an old pro. Embarassing to say the least.