wheel chair/ECV question

[andfar]

I am not headed back to the World until August. I know I am early asking this question, but I keep thinking about it and I know you all will have an answer for me.

I talked my folks into joining my family to WDW in 2011. They will only be joining us for 3 days of our trip. My mom's health has been declining slowly over the last 3 years or so. I know she won't be able to walk through the parks for most of the day like we will be doing. I know she will want to try. No way will she rent an ECV and be taking the bus back to the hotel holding up lines of tired people. She would never agree to that. Are there wheelchairs for rent once you get into a park? She might be okay with that. She'd probably ditch it when we want to get on an attraction, just to not draw attention to herself.

Thoughts?

[Shorty82]

Wheelchairs and ECVs are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at all four parks.

Wheelchairs:
$12.00 rental per day (no deposit required)

$10.00 per day for Length of Stay rental

ECVs:
$50.00 per day Rental - $20.00 refundable deposit

There are also numerous companies in the area that rent wheelchairs and ECVs and will deliver to your resort. Check out the DISabilities forum at Disboards, lots of good info on there.

[DDuckLover]

Yep, the above is correct. They also have courtesy wheelchairs in the parking lots that you can use to get to the front gate. If you're staying at a resort, they often have wheelchairs you can use too (I believe you have to put a credit card on file for these if I remember correctly, we used one while staying at BC with my in-laws and did not have my personal w/c yet so we used one of theirs while at the resort).

[darph nader]

Wheelchairs and ECVs are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at all four parks.

Wheelchairs:
$12.00 rental per day (no deposit required)

$10.00 per day for Length of Stay rental

ECVs:
$50.00 per day Rental - $20.00 refundable deposit

There are also numerous companies in the area that rent wheelchairs and ECVs and will deliver to your resort. Check out the DISabilities forum at Disboards, lots of good info on there.

That's cheaper than Disneyland. Not much though. :(

[Cheshire Figment]

You might want to go to http://www.disboards.com and look at the "disABILTIES" Forum, which is about the 17th one down the list.

One of the first items there is the "disABILTIES FAQ" which gives lots of useful information and links. You can scan through for threads which might interest you.

It is a moderated board. Anybody can read anything, but to post you have to register. Also, if you register it will keep track of when you were last on and bold all thread titles that have been created or updated since you were last on and even know which post in each thread you had last seen.

[Zazu]

Yep, the above is correct. They also have courtesy wheelchairs in the parking lots that you can use to get to the front gate.

Which are always at the turnstiles when you arrive and in the parking lot when you leave.

If you're staying at a resort, they often have wheelchairs you can use too (I believe you have to put a credit card on file for these....).

Correct, but availability is spotty, and it's strictly first-come, first-served, unless you're staying Concierge level, in which case you can probably arrange to have one held for you if you call far enough in advance.

My advice is to rent one for Walker Medical or Care Medical (I've used both). It will be at your hotel when you arrive, you leave it there when you depart, and you have it for parks, resort, and transportation.

[I am Sam]

Where are you guys staying? If you stay at an Epcot or Magic Kingdom Resort you only have to board a bus to Animal Kingdom (Ex:Yaght Club to MK; go threw back entrance to Epcot, straight out front entrance, onto monorail, take to TTC and switch to MK monorail.) My husband and I both use electric wheelchairs 100% of the time and find this takes less time for us then waiting for the bus, loading, tying down the chairs, waiting for bus to load, driving there and getting out. Plus no one is getting pissed in the regular bus line that we are "holding" them up. I would recommend renting a EVC from a company in Orlando it's usually cheaper. You could even find out which type you are renting and rent one at home before your trip for your mom to try out to get practice. Best place is a mall 3 weeks before Christmas on a Saturday. You also may mention that it will make your vacation better because you won't be worrying about her as much. You should talk to her about a GAC. This is not a get to cut the line pass but an alternative when the basic doesn't work for her disabilities. Such as at Spaceship Earth where you wait in an air conditioned lounge for your turn to ride. All in all a scooter might be the difference between a great vacation and a pain filled trip that your mom spends most of her time in the hotel room.

[andfar]

We are staying at Saratoga Springs. I have already talked to her about renting an ECV, or a wheelchair. She is SO against it. She keeps telling me that she just needs breaks to sit down for 5 min, then she is ready to go again. I think I will have to rent something for her. It has been over 20 years since she and my dad have been to WDW. They didn't visit EPCOT before either. I don't think they exactly know what they are in for. Or, maybe it is me who doesn't know what I am in for. My dad hates people. Should be interesting. Here is hoping it isn't too busy in August 2011! ;)

[I am Sam]

We are staying at Saratoga Springs. I have already talked to her about renting an ECV, or a wheelchair. She is SO against it. She keeps telling me that she just needs breaks to sit down for 5 min, then she is ready to go again. I think I will have to rent something for her. It has been over 20 years since she and my dad have been to WDW. They didn't visit EPCOT before either. I don't think they exactly know what they are in for. Or, maybe it is me who doesn't know what I am in for. My dad hates people. Should be interesting. Here is hoping it isn't too busy in August 2011! ;)

They sound like my grandparents. We took them to Disney World 9 years ago (grandpa isn't allowed to fly for medical reasons) which is the only reason they haven't been back. Grandma didn't want to be a "bother" by requiring a wheelchair and Grandpa hates people but he hates everyone equally. They hadnt been since the early 80s and had no clue how big it is. We rented them both EVCs and they had a great trip. They still talk about it today. I say rent one from an Orlando company that way she can't refuse to get one like she can at the park.

[Ice Bear]

Please look into the new rules that Disney is enforcing. Wheelchairs and EVC no longer get FOTL access into the buses. They just have to take the "normal" entrance like everybody else and not more than five people. Disney received to much complains about the advantage these people got. The "normal " guests with children had to wait more than an hour although they were first to board because of the EVC and wheelchairs boarding policy.

There was no equal access for WC and EVC, it became an "we are pathetic and need to go first"attitude.
Thank god Disney put and end to this.