Mobility Companies

[travelhunters]

Hi everyone,

I'm so excited - this is my first post on disboards! I've been checking it out for a while, and think it is so great.

I was wondering if someone could help me. My family of 4 is going to be going to the Disney parks, as well as the Universal Parks, and Sea World/Busch Gardens on November 5th. My wife's parents are going with, and my father-in-law will need to use a mobility vehicle due to his bad knees.

My mind is swimming with questions about the mobility vehicles, and I was wondering if someone could recommend some good ECV rental places (outside of the parks). I've read about Randy's and Walker, and was wondering if the ECV's are better at either of them, or if you recommend somewhere else.

Also, we are getting a mini-van. Will the ECV fold up to fit in the very back (behind the third row of seats)?

Thank you so much in advance!!

 

[minnie61650]

have a disability and have rented mine from Care Medical (800-741-2282) and Walker Mobility (888-726-6837) in the past. I would recommend either one.The cost is about $30 a day. The ones at the parks cost $35 a day and are bigger and have 4 wheels kinda like a golf card. They are harder to steer and to control. If she rents from an offsite rental they will deliver the EVC to bell services at the resort. She can use it to go to the pool, and food court as well as the bus stop. If she is not familar with a scooter have her practice at a store before the trip.Walmart and Target as well as several stores have them for customers.
Almost all the Disney buses are accessible. I love using my EVC it gives me more indepence and helps keep my pain to a minimum. I just back my EVC into the room, plug it in and I ready to go to the parks in the morning.
There is a way to disassemble an EVC.
This info is from the Walker website:

Overall Length: 40" or 43"
Overall Width: 22"
Weight of Heaviest Part (Rear Drive Unit): . 38 lbs.
Total Weight (less batteries): 95 lbs.
Maximum Speed: 4.5 mph forward 2.7 backwards
Ground Clearance (with 8" Rear Tires): 3.5"
Maximum weight of operator: 250 lbs.
Seat Height: Manual adjustment: 15"-16"-17"-18"
Maximum Incline: .9 degrees (15%)

 

[SueM in MN]

ECVS need to be partly disassembled to fit into a car or van. Taking them apart allows you to have pieces that are a size and weight that can be lifted into a vehicle.
If you go to the disABILITIES FAQs thread, Cheshire Figment wrote up a set of instructions for taking apart an ECV. Most are fairly similar.

You will find DIS posters who have used and are pleased with all 3 companies that we list on the FAQs thread. Some prefer one or the other, but you probably can't go wrong with any of them.
Randy's requires that you be there for delivery and pick up. Some people like that because it gives and opportunity to look over the ECV while someone from the company is there. They can also explain/demonstrate things to you. Randy's prices are usually also a little less - possibly because they pick up an deliver when the renter is present.

Care and Walker don't require you to be there for pick up or delivery. Some prefer that since it can be delivered to Bell Services at the resort before you arrive. Since it's waiting there for you, you can get going to the parks right away.

If you can get a long wheelbase van (like a Grand Caravan or Grand Voyager, you will have more room. We can get our DD's wheelchair behind the back seat without folding in one of the longer wheelbase vans. In some vans, there is a lot of space between seats, but not a lot behind the back seat. You should also be able to push the 3rd seat forward to make more room behind, but that might impact how many people you can seat (the legroom may be too tight for adults to sit in that 3rd seat, but OK for kids.)

 

[Plannergirl]

I used Randy's in Sept and they were there waiting on us when we checked into the hotel and were very prompt to pick up right before we headed to the airport. The time they took to show us how to take the thing apart and how to operate/what ifs/etc was well worth having to schedule them to meet us.

They were also the only company that seemed to have sun shades for the scooters-15 bucks for a week and money never better spent!

 

[travelhunters]

Thank you so much to all of you for your help! You are just so helpful. We're staying at an off-site vacational rental - at Indian Creek. I would really like to schedule a time for them to come and deliver it to the vacation rental so that they can show us how to work it If not, I suppose they would deliver it to the management company???

I'll have to check on the van we're getting. I know it's a Caravan - but hope it's a grand caravan.

Thanks again for everyone's help. Getting VERY excited now - we leave in just 8 days for the big trip!! I feel just like a kid - it's so hard to wait.

Dean

 

[Ali and boyz]

we used discount mobility www.discountmobilityusa.com. and they were great. using them again next year. our son can't get out of his wheelchair so rented a grand minivan whereby the ramp automatically came doen and we just wheeled him in. they deliver anywhere. this year they picked us up at the airport and droped us off and nect year we are also renting more medical stuff off them and they will deliver it all to our disney resort.

 

[travelhunters]

Thank you all SO MUCH for your help! I'm so lucky to have found this message board, because I just wasn't sure where to turn to for help with this.

Just 4 days and counting!!! Can't wait!

Thanks again!

 

[maroonmom07]

I will be traveling to the World in the spring with a friend who has MS. She really does not want to use an electric vehicle...but said she would consider a SEGWAY. I've seen people on them for tours, but can they be rented and used? If not, what type of vehicle would you suggest for her to try.

Last year she could walk around the park, but she will not be able to do that this year. Thanks so much.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Segways are not certified as mobility vehicles under the ADA. Disney does not allow personal Segways in the parks and the only rentals are for the classes and groups where most of the travel is in Wolrd Showplace befoe it opens to the general public.

Also they can do up to 12 mph while most ECVs are limited to 4.5 mph and the Disney rentals are set to 2 mph.

 

[SueM in MN]

I will be traveling to the World in the spring with a friend who has MS. She really does not want to use an electric vehicle...but said she would consider a SEGWAY. I've seen people on them for tours, but can they be rented and used? If not, what type of vehicle would you suggest for her to try.

Last year she could walk around the park, but she will not be able to do that this year. Thanks so much.

No, they don't allow SEGWAYs in WDW except for the tours and CMs who are using them. If she wants to try the tour, she will need to talk with the CM schedulers about her special needs.
Some people do own their own SEGWAYS and have asked to bring them into WDW. Because SEGWAYS are not listed/authorized as medical equipment, they don't have to let people bring them in (not required to allow it by the Americans with Disabilities Act).

The ECVs that can be rented by the day from the WDW parks are large, slow and cumbersome to drive. The ones rented from the off-site companies are smaller, easier to manouver and more "zippy" to drive. I'm sure some of the DIS posters who rent them will come on with encouragement about renting.