ECV purchase recommendations

[dinna]

Hey all! My dad is currently on the market to puchase an ECV/scooter, and is looking for something with a good battery life, that's sturdy and has a small amount of storage space. He currently has pancreatic cancer, and tires out very easily, along with other mobility issues due to a permanent ostomy. Can anyone recommend good brands/models to check out? We're visiting the parks next year at the end of February, so ideally something that will survive that trek and every day outings without being too large in size or unwieldy. Thanks so much!

 

[mamabunny]

Hi @dinna - Welcome!

I'm sorry to hear about your Dad's diagnosis; my dad fought that battle nearly 30 years ago.

There are generally 3 classes of scooters - ultra lightweight (like the Travelscoot - I own two of these), what most folks think of as a "regular" or "personal" scooter, and then heavy duty (typically includes higher passenger weight limit for bariatric patients).

Most regular and heavy duty scooters break down into 3 to as many as 5 pieces, and the heaviest part usually weighs about 50 pounds (so you have to be able to lift 50 pounds from the ground into the back of the vehicle or the trunk of the car). The ultra lightweights like mine often fold quickly and easily; mine weighs 35 pounds total (without me on it) but it doesn't have armrests or other features that might be important to your Dad.

I would recommend finding out some of the features that your Dad really wants or needs, prioritize those, and then shop based on that list. Amazon alone has a *staggering* array of scooters for sale; if he lives in or near a city that has a medical supply company that sells scooters, he might want to go "test sit" a few, to see how they feel. Folks with longer legs, for example, might find they want a longer seat base, or he may find that a higher seat back is more important for his overall comfort.

There is always a "three wheel vs. four wheel" debate. Here's something I learned recently from an engineer who actually designs scooters for a living. He told me that three wheel scooters are actually no more "dangerous" or unstable than four wheel scooters - if they are designed properly, and ridden as intended. He said that a narrow four wheel scooter can actually be more dangerous than a "standard width" three wheel device when turning sharply. (At this point in the conversation, everything else ground to a halt while a LOT of physics were discussed and there was even some math on a napkin, and I confess that while I understood all of it, I'm not near qualified to explain it in a cogent fashion in this forum LOL) Regardless, the take-away from the conversation was this: 3 wheels or 4 wheels are less important than most of us believe when it comes to safety. Safety is the responsibility of the driver.

As an FYI, Disney will not allow multi-passenger scooters (one person, one seat per unit) and they will not allow anything to be towed by the scooter. There are now some "scooters" that are actually the size of a small golf cart, and the manufacturer of my ultra light scooter actually has created a tow-behind seat; both are not allowed to be used anywhere at Disney World. Additionally, the size of the scooter is important, but as long as it fits in the "Disney box" - The rectangle, painted white, on the ground at Resort bus stops - there should be no problem. The maximum allowable size (the size of the box) is 36 inches wide by 52 inches long

Typically, if he practices good battery management, there should be no problem in going all day at WDW. He will need to make sure that he charges his battery completely, overnight, every night. If he will simply turn off the scooter any time he doesn't move for more than 20 to 30 seconds (so, when the line stalls, or if he is watching a parade or fireworks show, or if he is eating, etc.) that will go a long way towards maximizing his battery life.

There will be other folks come along with specific model recommendations as well. Just remember to judge each model you and your Dad look at based on what is right for him, and no one else.

I hope you all have the best possible trip in February! It's one of my favorite times of the year at WDW!

 

[arminnie]

I bought an inexpensive ECV on Amazon two years ago. Here's a thread where I post the pluses and negatives of this unit. https://www.disboards.com/threads/buying-a-budget-ecv-the-good-bad-and-the-ugly.3651648/

The biggest issue is the lack of suspension. This does not bother me at Disney - but limits some sidewalks at home that are very uneven. I don't think this battery would hold up to a 12 hour day - but then neither can I.

We have traveled thousands of miles by car with this unit in a Honda Odyssey van. As it weighs less than 100 pounds my DH usually did not take it apart to transport it. I just got my new van with lift today so I haven't used it yet.

 

[dinna]

Thanks so much for all the info! We're still shopping around, but this thread has already helped immensely. We've decided that a collapsible scooter might be the best option, as they travel fairly frequently and the ability to break it down would be super handy. I'll let you all know once we find a good model and what our thoughts are!

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I agree, it is important to know what he really wants/needs.

I wanted 3 wheels, so I could turn quickly in line. I also wanted a really, really, really, long battery life. And I wanted one that allowed me to have various positions for my legs/feet. With my disease, I need to make sure I don't get too stiff.

For me, a Buzzaround EX made the cut. And that is what we bought.

 

[shoes99]

I bought an inexpensive ECV on Amazon two years ago. Here's a thread where I post the pluses and negatives of this unit. https://www.disboards.com/threads/buying-a-budget-ecv-the-good-bad-and-the-ugly.3651648/

The biggest issue is the lack of suspension. This does not bother me at Disney - but limits some sidewalks at home that are very uneven. I don't think this battery would hold up to a 12 hour day - but then neither can I.

We have traveled thousands of miles by car with this unit in a Honda Odyssey van. As it weighs less than 100 pounds my DH usually did not take it apart to transport it. I just got my new van with lift today so I haven't used it yet.[/QUOTE}. Thanks for pointing me to this thread.