Silly ECV question

[shoppie]

I am going to be doing Disney on an ECV since I am unable to walk more than 100 yards at a time. The ECV i am renting comes apart. So here's my question:

Can I disassemble it to get onto buses & transports so I don't have to mess with the lifts? I will be with 3 strapping old men (shh, don't tell them I said that).

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The rental ECVs break into five parts. The seat; two battery packs; the motor/rear wheel assembly; and the main body which includes the tiller and seat mount. The heaviest part is almost 40 pounds, and the total weight is over 120 pounds.

It is much easier to just use the transport. The monorails and boats (other than the one between WL and MK) are no problem to roll on and roll off. The lift-equipped buses are no real problem either. The only potential difficulty would be the ramp buses, where for safety reasons you must go up backwards.

I would not want to even consider trying to have people carry it onto a bus in pieces.

 

[Eeyore1954]

I agree with CF -- trying to carry the pieces on a bus while riding could present problems, especially if the bus is crowded. It'd be better to ride onto the bus and have the ECV strapped down. Plus you save the time you'd spend reassembling it once you arrive.

 

[Nanajo1]

Don't be intimidated by the lifts/ramps. You will do fine. The bus drivers are very helpful and patient. It would be more of a bother to dissemble the ECV than to load via the lift!
Have a great trip.

 

[JudithM]

Originally posted by Nanajo1
Don't be intimidated by the lifts/ramps. You will do fine. The bus drivers are very helpful and patient. Have a great trip.

I wholeheartedly agree! I had read some not so positive reports here on this bb about using the WDW busses, drivers, etc. whne using the ECV. Last May I tried using the busses for the first time - no big deal! The bus drivers are very helpful & friendly. I have had many drivers tell me to take my time & not worry about the other guests waiting to get on the bus. My husband usually helps me back onto the ramp (since ECVs don't come with rear view mirrors ). Once I get onto the bus, I usually get off & either I or my husband will manually move the ECV into place. With three men, you should be ok.

A few suggestions:

* when waiting for the bus (we stay at OKW), I try to wait near where the back of the bus will stop; when I see a bus, I acknowledge the bus driver with a head shake or wave - this lets the driver know if I want their bus or not;

* once I get ready to put the ECV on the lift, I put it in "turtle" mode, so I won't go backwards fast; plus once on the lift I turn the ECV off

Have fun & enjoy your trip!

 

[Nanajo1]

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[lizdotcom99]

I would never dream of not using one if needed!! I was petrified about taking this trip with an ECV......I even cried about it befroe I left. Now, I sit here wondering...why did I cry!!! ECV's are wonderful and a great way to make you feel empowered when walking is a problem. The bus drivers are the best and I only encountered one time when the bus lift was not working....but a bus was sent back to us almost immediately!!!! I posted my trip reports on the trip report board and I am very happy to say my first trip with an ECV was a great one!!!!! Use those strapping old men for more important things.......

 

[SueM in MN]

Can I disassemble it to get onto buses & transports so I don't have to mess with the lifts? I will be with 3 strapping old men (shh, don't tell them I said that).

As the others said, save your 3 strapping men for better purposes.
They will not allow you to take the ecv apart and carry it on the bus/monorail, etc. It would be much more time consuming and much less safe for everyone for it to be taken apart.

 

[Talking Hands]

Don't take it apart. 99% of the drivers are great. Really! I have been going for 10 years with an ECV or power wheelchair and use Disney transportation almost all the time. Yes I have encountered a few real nasty ones. Very few. But then I am a semi regular who goes multiple times a year (sometimes monthly depending on what's going on around the home front) I'm bound to hit an occasional jerk as often as I visit.

 

[clkelley]

I would not take it apart either. If you are really worried about using the lift you could have one of your companions put the ECV into push mode and just push the ECV onto the lift and then manually push it into place on the bus.

That is what hubby did the first couple of times he rode the busses, but then he got better and better at driving and could get on and off really easy by driving it!

Don't worry about it, everything will be fine!!!

Carol

 

[SueM in MN]

Originally posted by clkelley
I would not take it apart either. If you are really worried about using the lift you could have one of your companions put the ECV into push mode and just push the ECV onto the lift and then manually push it into place on the bus.

That is what hubby did the first couple of times he rode the busses, but then he got better and better at driving and could get on and off really easy by driving it!

Don't worry about it, everything will be fine!!!

Carol

Actually, we saw a couple people push ecvs on when we were at WDW last week.
Practice backing up and movements similar to parallel parking before your first bus trip and I'm sure after the first time, you won't find it hard at all.