Debating ecv rental, please help

[crc76]

I have a newly diagnosed tibia tumor that is benign, severe arthritis, and I also have a defect in my knee of the cartilage and bone (which will require full knee replacement, but since I am only 42, they want to wait). Sometimes it causes only minor pain, and sometimes it is awful. I have gotten used to normal everyday activities working through the pain, and I am very good at hiding it. Standing still is my worst enemy. I am not looking forward to the stares since I look relatively healthy. How much of a pain is using a scooter around the parks? It is possible to park it and walk some? I am completely on the fence about renting one. I am honestly having a hard time admitting my new limitations. This is our 6th trip, so I fully understand how much walking and standing is involved.

 

[Selket]

I've been renting a scooter for our Disney trips for the last 4 years or so. I have severe arthritis in both knees and both need to be replaced and...like yourself... the doctor wants me to wait until I'm older (which frankly the pain and lack of being able to get around is awful but sure). I suppose long story short ...yes...definitely definitely rent a scooter. Disney is about the only place I can go now and be able to get out every day and enjoy myself and go where I want and be out all day and see and do everything and keep up with my kids. It's very easy to use a scooter in the parks - you can take it almost everywhere including in most ques - and transfer out when you're close to getting on the ride. You can very easily park and walk when you want (I usually park and walk into stores but there are times I've taken it in stores if my knees were super bad). I also park and do some rides (like Buzz) if we have a FP since that's one ride where you have to transfer to a wheelchair. There were times a few years ago that I parked it a good deal and was able to use it just for long distances - especially parks like Epcot. Now however, my knees are much worse so I stay in it more.

Honestly I'd put up with people throwing trash at me on the bus just to be able to have that vacation where I can see and do things. I don't care anymore what anyone thinks. I really can't vacation anywhere else because of the walking - I'm stuck in the hotel room. I've rarely - I honestly can't think of a time when I've had anyone say anything to me about why I'm in a scooter. Worse case scenario you rent it and drive it to the parks and find you don't need it much so you park it and walk. It's really amazing - amazing to be able to go and do what you want and be able to do so much. Rent the scooter.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I have a newly diagnosed tibia tumor that is benign, severe arthritis, and I also have a defect in my knee of the cartilage and bone (which will require full knee replacement, but since I am only 42, they want to wait). Sometimes it causes only minor pain, and sometimes it is awful. I have gotten used to normal everyday activities working through the pain, and I am very good at hiding it. Standing still is my worst enemy. I am not looking forward to the stares since I look relatively healthy. How much of a pain is using a scooter around the parks? It is possible to park it and walk some? I am completely on the fence about renting one. I am honestly having a hard time admitting my new limitations. This is our 6th trip, so I fully understand how much walking and standing is involved.

another bad knee person and yes rent an offsite ECV. there are a few rides that you have to transfer to a wheelchair and a couple that you would not be able to take either, People Mover comes to mind. about the stares how many of those people are you going to see again after you leave Disney? another way to look at using an ECV if you need glasses to enjoy the park are you going to take them off because someone could thinks you shouldn't need them? one thing I have found that has helped me getting on and off most boat rides and some others is a folding cane for balance. ps bet after you use one you will not be going back to going without until replacement happens

 

[crc76]

Thanks for the quick reply! I am definitely more worried about comfort rather than ability. I work on my feet all day (waitress, definitely NOT the best job for my issues, but you do what you gotta do). I do come home 1\2 of my work week and just want to cry. That is what I am trying to avoid while on vacation. Sometimes sitting can be just as bad as standing, so being able to park it and walk when I am comfortable doing so sounds wonderful.

Who do you recommend for a rental company?

 

[crc76]

another bad knee person and yes rent an offsite ECV. there are a few rides that you have to transfer to a wheelchair and a couple that you would not be able to take either, People Mover comes to mind. about the stares how many of those people are you going to see again after you leave Disney? another way to look at using an ECV if you need glasses to enjoy the park are you going to take them off because someone could thinks you shouldn't need them? one thing I have found that has helped me getting on and off most boat rides and some others is a folding cane for balance. ps bet after you use one you will not be going back to going without until replacement happens

Fortunately, I am able to do most things unless it involves a squat (albeit not pain free) and my hubby is excellent about lending a hand when needed.

 

[musicmom3331]

I used an ECV for the first time last summer at WDW due to rheumatoid arthritis. It was the best thing I've ever done, and I wish I had rented one on previous trips. I had been so miserable by the end of the day. There were places I parked the ECV and just walked around the area. I got no stares or "looks".

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Fortunately, I am able to do most things unless it involves a squat (albeit not pain free) and my hubby is excellent about lending a hand when needed.

I felt the same way about hubby helping me out until I tried the cane last trip and it was the best thing I have found for me granted older but still putting off knee replacement and the squatting is my major problem also, ps I work part time in F&B at a small theme park in Pa

 

[gap2368]

I have a newly diagnosed tibia tumor that is benign, severe arthritis, and I also have a defect in my knee of the cartilage and bone (which will require full knee replacement, but since I am only 42, they want to wait). Sometimes it causes only minor pain, and sometimes it is awful. I have gotten used to normal everyday activities working through the pain, and I am very good at hiding it. Standing still is my worst enemy. I am not looking forward to the stares since I look relatively healthy. How much of a pain is using a scooter around the parks? It is possible to park it and walk some? I am completely on the fence about renting one. I am honestly having a hard time admitting my new limitations. This is our 6th trip, so I fully understand how much walking and standing is involved.

So about having a hard time admitting you need a scooter ask your self will it help you have a better vacation my guess is yes. Think of it as needing glasses to see sure you could get by with squenting and have a head ace or you could just get some glasses, or what about hearing aids yes you could ask people to talk louder and miss a few things. These like an ECV or a wheelchair or a roller are tools to help you have a better trip not be in pain it is nothing more nothing less.

You are more then welcome to park whatever you use somewhere and walk. If you have someone else with you over 18 they can take the ECV for you this way if you need it in the line you have it ( I did this for my friend that sitting was a prblem but also walking was a problem and it really helped her out)

having a scooter is a little different if you take the Disney bus you will be the first ones to load and the last one off ( to get on the bus you go up a ramp turn 90 degrees drive straight passed your set ,it will be up, the back in like you are parallel parking. most driver will help with verbal commands like turn a little more ok pull up her things like that some will drive it some)

some people will not see you ( not in a bad way) but they are just too into there vacation so they might ( ok someone will) walk ring in front of you so you do have to be on the lookout no this does not happen all the time mostly it busy time like rope drop or after the fireworks.

Some ride lines are not ECV accessible and you will have to either walk or use a wheelchair ( they will have them for you to use)

some rides you will get a return time to come back later so you could be doing two things at once.

one really good thing about using something when you need it. You can enjoy your time at Disney and not be in pain and I think this makes all the little negative things worth it.


If you are going to walk a line ( leave your ECV somewhere) I would make a little buffer between you and the people in front you of in case the line stop this way you will have some space to walk ( you can walk in place do some hight steps if you can step side to sides


I hope this helped you and I hope you have a great trip


oh and the thinking you are not looking forward to the stars since you look healthy.... remember when I said people might/ will walk in front of you because they are too into there own vacation. well people will not care that you are in an ECV because they are too into their own vacation, and they got rid of the if there is someone in a wheelchair ECV then they use a different entrance and many people thought you got front of the line ( this was not the case) but that is no more most of the time you wait with everyone else so this is really not a thing anymore. I did have one friend that had a guest make a comment about her in a wheelchair she just looked at them and said well you did not look stupid until you opened your mouth so I guess we both hid out disability quite well. that guest said not another word to her. it was so funny

 

[mojo1117]

Thanks for the quick reply! I am definitely more worried about comfort rather than ability. I work on my feet all day (waitress, definitely NOT the best job for my issues, but you do what you gotta do). I do come home 1\2 of my work week and just want to cry. That is what I am trying to avoid while on vacation. Sometimes sitting can be just as bad as standing, so being able to park it and walk when I am comfortable doing so sounds wonderful.

Who do you recommend for a rental company?

We definitely recommend Gold Mobility Scooters for renting an ECV. If you read through the thread on this section about them you'll see that many others also do, and why.

 

[Selket]

Thanks for the quick reply! I am definitely more worried about comfort rather than ability. I work on my feet all day (waitress, definitely NOT the best job for my issues, but you do what you gotta do). I do come home 1\2 of my work week and just want to cry. That is what I am trying to avoid while on vacation. Sometimes sitting can be just as bad as standing, so being able to park it and walk when I am comfortable doing so sounds wonderful.

Who do you recommend for a rental company?

I really do feel for your situation. You definitely want to be able to enjoy your vacation so with the scooter you can plan to park when you feel fine and ride when you don't. I definitely did the park and walk a lot more when my knees weren't as bad - especially in the MK. Now I tend to stay in for ride ques if they are long or just cause my knees are toast. I used to use Buena Vista Scooters since I wanted one that would drop off and pick up at the hotel bell service but the last trip in August I used Gold Mobility and I will use them going forward. Their scooters are just that much better (great condition and lots of features) and the service was fantastic. They have a 7 day minimum I think - but it's less than BVS - if my cost was anywhere similar for a shorter trip than other companies I'd pay more just to have Gold Mobility. I know the Gold Mobility users sound like we've joined a cult - haha! But I think they really are that much better.

 

[gap2368]

Thanks for the quick reply! I am definitely more worried about comfort rather than ability. I work on my feet all day (waitress, definitely NOT the best job for my issues, but you do what you gotta do). I do come home 1\2 of my work week and just want to cry. That is what I am trying to avoid while on vacation. Sometimes sitting can be just as bad as standing, so being able to park it and walk when I am comfortable doing so sounds wonderful.

Who do you recommend for a rental company?

Have you thought about a wheelchair or a roller this will give you something you can push and a set when need be. The down side is most can not self push but if you work in your feet my guess is you could walk a good amount of time and sit ( and have someone in your group push you when you need a break ) a wheelchair work well for this

 

[cmwade77]

Have you thought about a wheelchair or a roller this will give you something you can push and a set when need be. The down side is most can not self push but if you work in your feet my guess is you could walk a good amount of time and sit ( and have someone in your group push you when you need a break ) a wheelchair work well for this

If you have ever tried to push an empty wheelchair you probably wouldn't make this recommendation, that is a pain (although I know there are people who can do it, I am not one), a walker/rollator with a seat could work though, but Disney World is a lot more walking than most people realize. Somewhere around 6-10 miles a day. Yes, it is broken up, but that can be very hard, judging by the OP, I would say an ECV probably is the best option.

Yes, they can be a pain at times and yes, I resisted renting one many times myself, but my knees are finally at a point where I have to at this point. I am trying to get back to where I won't need to, but that is a long road no matter which path I take.

As for what company, I am sure you will get sick of hearing it from people, but still this point I won't ever rent from anybody but Gold Mobility Services at Disney World unless they are sold out for my dates. Seriously, they are that good. Their scooters are in excellent condition and the battery lasts all day. There were a couple of times on our last trip that I was leaving one of the parks and someone was limping along to the bus on the last bar of the battery on an ECV from one of the "featured providers" and they had charged overnight meanwhile mine hadn't dropped even one light and I was the runner for getting return times all day. The only park where mine did drop two lights was Animal Kingdom, but that park is hard on everyone. The other nice things with gold mobility is they have cup holders, fans, cell phone holder, under carriage lights and USB ports to charge your phone. These are overall small things that make things a little easier, but between that and the fact that they replace their fleet every 6 months, which means the ECVs practically look brand new, you end up with ECVs that do get attention, but it is people commenting on how nice the ECV is and forgetting to give dirty looks or make nasty comments about ECVs. Seriously, it was the most pleasant trip we ever had with people in our party in ECVs and on this last trip we had three ECVs in our party. Our only issue was one person wasn't good at driving it, but that's not the company's fault. We did have one issue when entering American Adventure (which we had to enter through the exit due to the elevator breaking just before we arrived) where one of the ECVs refused to move after getting up the hill. I texted Gold Mobilitiy just before the show started, well before it ended they texted back how to fix it and said to let them know if it didn't work and they would be right out with a replacement, but it did work and never a problem after that. As a previous poster said, it almost sounds like a cult at this point, but compare that to Buena Vista scooters who wouldn't do anything for us while in the parks when we had an issue and didn't care that the battery was in such poor condition that it wouldn't even last half a day. And on this last trip all of the other rental companies looked like they had been through the war and back, especially from the featured providers.

So, there is the extrodinarily long winded response as to why Gold Mobility over everyone else.

 

[gap2368]

If you have ever tried to push an empty wheelchair you probably wouldn't make this recommendation,

I have and it worked great the time I needed to I think it depends on how much weigh you bear witch since the op is a waitres and walks at work the OP might do better walking more then siting

 

[Simba's Mom]

If you have ever tried to push an empty wheelchair you probably wouldn't make this recommendation, that is a pain (although I know there are people who can do it, I am not one), a walker/rollator with a seat could work though, but Disney World is a lot more walking than most people realize. Somewhere around 6-10 miles a day. Yes, it is broken up, but that can be very hard, judging by the OP, I would say an ECV probably is the best option.

Please think twice about sitting in a rollator with a seat, unless you've got it backed up against something sturdy that won't move. The medical supply company that delivered my rollator cautioned me about it, and since then I've noticed several times when I, or someone else, has gone to sit on a rollator, even with the brakes on, the rollator slides backwards almost causing the person to fall. It only happened to me once before I learned my lesson!

 

[cmwade77]

Please think twice about sitting in a rollator with a seat, unless you've got it backed up against something sturdy that won't move. The medical supply company that delivered my rollator cautioned me about it, and since then I've noticed several times when I, or someone else, has gone to sit on a rollator, even with the brakes on, the rollator slides backwards almost causing the person to fall. It only happened to me once before I learned my lesson!

Good to know, not something I have done so have no experience with it, but definitely something worth noting.

 

[crc76]

Thanks for all the replies. I have an ortho appointment on Tuesday. If no solution is found for short term, I will be reserving a scooter. Thanks again!

 

[bopper]

Here are top 5 Reasons that people think they shouldn't get an ECV when they should.

I can't drive one. Go to your local Costco/Walmart/Target or other large store. They probably have an electric cart type thing that you could use while shopping. Try it out. I bet you can drive it.

People might think I don't really need it because I can walk. Are these people going to share the pain with you at the end of the day? Do you care what they think? Save your walking energy between rides and use it for lines or getting on the rides. Enjoy your family and your vacation.

It will slow my family down. No, actually it will speed your family up. No more rests because mom is tired. No more going back to the hotel because grandpa is in pain. No more cranky mommy because she tried to walk miles and miles in Disney instead of renting an ECV. You are completely mobile on your own (nobody pushing you in a wheelchair). What's the slow down here?

It's expensive. Um, how much are you spending on this vacation? Don't you want to enjoy it? If money is that tight, take a day off of your trip and spend that money on the ECV so you can enjoy it!

I don't want my kids/family to think I am disabled. You are either temporarily or permanently disabled in some way if you are even asking about this issue...once again, why not make it a better vacation by saving yourself from pain? Nobody is saying you have to confine yourself to a wheelchair permanently or you should not stop trying to get better. If somebody told you to go walk 4 miles, you would think they are crazy. But you are paying for the privilege when you go to Disney to do just that...why not use an ECV to make your family's vacation better?

 

[cmwade77]

Here are top 5 Reasons that people think they shouldn't get an ECV when they should.

I can't drive one. Go to your local Costco/Walmart/Target or other large store. They probably have an electric cart type thing that you could use while shopping. Try it out. I bet you can drive it.

People might think I don't really need it because I can walk. Are these people going to share the pain with you at the end of the day? Do you care what they think? Save your walking energy between rides and use it for lines or getting on the rides. Enjoy your family and your vacation.

It will slow my family down. No, actually it will speed your family up. No more rests because mom is tired. No more going back to the hotel because grandpa is in pain. No more cranky mommy because she tried to walk miles and miles in Disney instead of renting an ECV. You are completely mobile on your own (nobody pushing you in a wheelchair). What's the slow down here?

It's expensive. Um, how much are you spending on this vacation? Don't you want to enjoy it? If money is that tight, take a day off of your trip and spend that money on the ECV so you can enjoy it!

I don't want my kids/family to think I am disabled. You are either temporarily or permanently disabled in some way if you are even asking about this issue...once again, why not make it a better vacation by saving yourself from pain? Nobody is saying you have to confine yourself to a wheelchair permanently or you should not stop trying to get better. If somebody told you to go walk 4 miles, you would think they are crazy. But you are paying for the privilege when you go to Disney to do just that...why not use an ECV to make your family's vacation better?

This is all very true, although I think you missed a couple:
I don't want to admit to myself that I am disabled to the point I need an ECV (temporarily or permanently). This is probably the hardest one to overcome and everyone has to overcome this one in their own way.

I don't need an ECV in my daily life, why should I need one at WDW? Remember that on average people walk 6+ miles a day at WDW, while in your daily life you are probably lucky to hit 3 miles a day and you are doing this day after day, so it adds up more than you may think and that is in addition to all of the standing in lines, getting in and out of ride vehicles, buses, monorails, etc., it all adds up, so while you may not need it in your day to day life, you might need it at WDW.

 

[bopper]

@cmwade77 I think you are very right!

 

[cobright]

A little to unpack here:

1. I am not looking forward to the stares since I look relatively healthy.
2. How much of a pain is using a scooter around the parks?
3. It is possible to park it and walk some?
4. I am completely on the fence about renting one.
5. I am honestly having a hard time admitting my new limitations.

So, taken in order...

1. It feels like more eyes are on you than actually are. Truthfully, most people at WDW are so self absorbed they will walk into you before they notice you are there. If this really bothers you, I have a friend who went through the same thing except in a country where people are far more judgmental and he finally bought a knee brace to wear even though he didn't really need it. Then people would see the brace and know he had a physical impairment and wasn't just being lazy. A silly bit of theater IMO but was useful for him.
2. It's not bad (my account is 2nd hand, but I trust her assessment). There are drawbacks but the alternative is worse.
3. Totally possible. Find ECV parking outside most of the bigger attractions and walk a bit.
4. The price of a rental is generally very modest in the grand scheme of a WDW vacation, so worse case scenario is you're out a couple hundred bucks for something that gives you less benefit than you expected. Worse things happen at Disney (not often but they do). Or go with out and risk slowing the whole trip down or flat out missing out on a lot of fun (fun you've paid a lot to have).
5. That's the tough one isn't it. But imagine someone you love's vision is going, easily corrected but they refuse to get glasses because they don't like the idea of having such a limitation. What advice would you give?