Tell me about ECV's

[Nik's Mom]

Hi,
We are thinking of taking my 75 year old mom on our next trip. I'm a little worried that she won't be able to walk that much and was thinking of renting an ECV for her. Is that an acceptable reason, or would that be considered abuse? She looks very young for her age, so I'm prepared for dirty looks. But Mom gets winded and dizzy with very little warning, so I'd feel better if she was in an ecv. She doesn't want a wheelchair (she wants to be in control of where she goes ). I thought an ecv would be a good option. Are they very hard to work? How much do they rent them at the parks?
Thanks!

 

[SueM in MN]

If you haven't already, check out the disABILITIES FAQs thread near the top of the board.
If she's 75, a bit unsteady and gets winded and dizzy unexpectedly, an ecv sounds like a common sense idea. Whether people look at her funny or not doesn't really matter; if she has those problems, she has a right to do what will make her more comfortable and able to get thru the day.

She can probably try one out at a Target or Walmart (or some similar large store). Those are much larger and harder to drive than the ones found at WDW or from one of the off-site places.

 

[msr709]

I would seriously consider renting from one of the off-site places that are suggested in the DISabilities FAQ. I used Walker Mobility last year and they were great, they deliver to the hotel and leave the ECV at Bell Services. This year I'm going solo and I'm trying Randy's Mobility, their policy is that you have to be there to receive the ECV but the advantage is that they show you how to use it, which I feel more comfortable with on this trip since I am going solo (last trip I had 10 relatives with me and relied on the men to put the ECV on the bus and put it in free-wheel when needed). I used to use the ECVs at the park but they are not always available if you change from one park to another, you cannot take the ECV with you. You have to get a new one at the other park and hope that there is one available (which after 12noon is not very likely). At the parks you only pay for the first one and keep your receipt to rent another at a different park if you are park hopping, but again, only if one is available and you can't reserve them. If you get one from the off-site places she will have it all the time and considering the distance from the bus to the entrance and the wait for the bus, it will be a great help to her. Another poster by the name of RaySharpton has a very good report about using an ECV from an off-site which is very informative. Search these threads for posts by him. HTH.

 

[Nik's Mom]

Thanks, SueM and Msr709! I will have Mom test out an ecv at our next shopping trip! And I will check out that trip report. I definitely want to read how other people travel the parks on an ecv.
Thanks, again!

 

[GeorgePA]

Dont feel guilty about renting an ECV. Your mother is in need of it. It is not considered abuse to help some one get around. People rent EVC's fro all differnt kinds of reason so go ahead and rent one and make sure mom has good time. I am a 44 year old man with a sever back in jusry when you look at me you would not know that i can not walk that far. I rented a ECV from Walker MObillity in May and had agreat time