Ecv riders I hate to get in your business

It is best to ignore, I totally agree with that sentiment and it’s something I try to always do. However, there was one time at the airport while DH (who looks very healthy but is anything but) was waiting in a wheelchair to board the plan with DS and DD and I were waiting in the regular line. DS goes with him because if he collapses he can carry DH, I cannot. DH got out of his wheelchair to walk down to the plane and this guy in front of me made such rude comments and when I saw the look on my daughters face I just about lost it, in a calm way. But I told the guy, “that man is dying, has severe osteoarthritis in both hips, graph vs host disease in his lungs that is slowly killing him, traps CO2 in his lungs and thats not all. He does every thing he can to look strong for his kids and for me, he pushes himself to make every effort to see if it will help improve his health. I and he would gladly give you his ailments and stand in line for hours if we had to than deal with everything he has to deal with every day he is with us, so please, don’t make comments when you don’t know the situation or who’s around you”. I did feel bad for laying into the man but he just wouldn’t stop with the comments. It did shut him up and he was shocked. It is something I do regret doing, I should have moved back a few spots in the line but I do hope it made him think before he just judges people based on appearances.
I would consider that you had taken time out of your busy day to educate the cretin. I'll bet he was a nasty bully who may have learned something that day and I would be so proud of you if you were my spouse or my mom
 
I've been using an ECV since 2013 at WDW. Mostly people have been kind and courteous but IF some people felt the need to belittle me or comment that I don't need a scooter, my response would be "I suppose you're lucky enough to NOT have incurable cancer..have a magical day!" Of course I'd be thinking of all the really ugly remarks I could have made in my head! Bottom line is thank goodness we can still take vacations with our families and Disney makes it possible with ECV rentals. We're going for our annual trip in a few weeks and my ECV is reserved to be picked up at the resort upon our arrival!!! Live for the moment, enjoy the magic of WDW and do your best to ignore others misery.
 
A nice smile and simple "I ride because I love the butt view" followed by for women "Panty lines turn me" ( they might be a bit self conscious the rest of the day) and for men " and I enjoy the front view on men much better". ( it will take them a minute to realize if you are butt level at the back then you are you know where level at the front)
 
Yep, exactly, we were in line for the safari in AK. There was a Little Rock/pavement stone ledge on either side of the walkway. We were closer to one side, the left side. The kids were Kinda chasing each other on the ledge and when they got to us, was using mom's scooter as a handrail. They would get barely in front of us, dart in front of the scooter and back around to do it all again.

Those were the mom's actual words about telling her kids to behave.

Just realized part of the moms quote is messed up. She said "they won't listen to me"

When someone touches my chair, I say, "Please don't touch my chair. It's an extension of my body. Just like you wouldn't lean on my shoulder, you shouldn't lean on my chair. Thank you." Sometimes the tone of voice in which I deliver this little spiel varies :)
 
When someone touches my chair, I say, "Please don't touch my chair. It's an extension of my body. Just like you wouldn't lean on my shoulder, you shouldn't lean on my chair. Thank you." Sometimes the tone of voice in which I deliver this little spiel varies :)

I have been known to tell people to please not touch my personal mobility device, because it's my legs. And I find that not only tone of voice, but the absence or presence of a smile can help with the "impact" of the message. ;)
 
DH and I are getting ready to go to Disney in October with son and his family. DH has COPD and can barely walk a block without having a break. I have developed a bad hip with arthritis. I am trying to convince him to rent a ECV and have considered renting myself one too. Are they hard to navigate? Would 2 ECV take up a lot of room? Where do you charge them while at the park?
 


DH and I are getting ready to go to Disney in October with son and his family. DH has COPD and can barely walk a block without having a break. I have developed a bad hip with arthritis. I am trying to convince him to rent a ECV and have considered renting myself one too. Are they hard to navigate? Would 2 ECV take up a lot of room? Where do you charge them while at the park?

Yay for an October trip! I hope you all have great weather - and really enjoy Food & Wine! :)

Since you have some time, I would recommend "practicing" driving an ECV with one of those giant, lumbering beasties that they have for customers to use at Wal-Mart, Target, Lowes, grocery stores, etc. If you can master one of those, you will have NO problems driving an ECV at WDW! Seriously - it takes less than 10 minutes to master a rental; you will feel like an "old hand" in no time!

When the rentals are delivered, take 10 to 15 minutes at your Resort, and just practice driving around. Find some "curb cuts" (the little ramps from the sidewalk down to the "street" level) and drive up and down those. Practice backing up - and remember that you won't have a "beeper" to let people know, so look over your shoulder! Slowly practice the tightest turns you can - both to the left and to the right, to see how much clearance you need. Practice parking - stopping safely, turning off the scooter and (if present) removing the key, so that you get used to that sequence. And most importantly, practice driving through the food court and/or shop(s) at the Resort, so you have a chance to see how it maneuvers in tight spaces, before you get to the Parks where it can be crowded!

2 ECVs in one Resort room typically is not a problem - if you need to have more space (depending on which Resort you are staying at) you can go to the Front Desk*, and nicely ask them to remove the table and chairs from your room; this should give you more than enough space to park 2 ECVs in your room. Only on the Disney Cruise ships do you park outside your room in a designated "parking zone".

*If you call the Front Desk from your Resort room, it goes to a call center for the Resorts; although they are nice, they are not who you need to talk to. Take the time to travel down to the Front Desk in person - your results will be better.

Your rentals should be delivered with fully charged batteries (don't accept anything less!) and every night, as soon as you get back to your Resort room, plug in the chargers and charge them up overnight while you sleep. In the morning, they should be fully charged, and ready to go all day the next day. If you practice good "battery hygiene" (turn off the scooter any time you are not moving - like watching a parade, taking a break, waiting in a line - any time you won't move for 10 seconds or more!) you should not have to worry about charging your battery during the day.

Be sure to keep the rental company phone number either in your smartphone's address book, or your wallet; make sure you know what their policy is if the scooter has a problem after their regular business hours, who to call, and if there is a special after hours phone number.

Finally, boarding the buses. First of all, most buses at WDW can handle 2 - some can take 3 - mobility devices at a time. First come, first served; if you are traveling with a large group, it may be OK to split up and go on different buses. If you want to wait so that both scooters are on the same bus, be sure to let anyone else with a scooter or wheelchair know that you are not going to board, so they have the opportunity.

At the bus stop, park in the white rectangle painted on the ground at your bus stop if no one else is. This is a visual cue to the driver that he will have a mobility passenger.

When the bus arrives at the bus stop, signal the driver (I usually try to smile and wave, and watch for their acknowledgment) that you want to ride their bus. Wait for everyone to get off the bus - including any one on the bus who is in a mobility device. Remember that mobility devices load first, but get off last, every time. (There can be exceptions to this regarding boats and Monorails, but that's another topic for another day)

When the driver has put the ramp down, you may have to move your scooter to "center up" on the ramp. (They can't always stop the bus with the back door directly across from the box) Be sure to let your driver know that you are a new scooter user, and you will be happy for any tips, help or advice they can offer! Also very important - let your driver know that BOTH of you want to ride, so that if needed, the driver can fold up another section of seats to accommodate a second mobility device :) Some of the buses actually have a center line down the middle of the ramp, but regardless, you just want to aim for the middle, and proceed s l o w l y up the ramp. This is NOT the time to make like Evil Knevil, and try your daredevil driving! Once at the top of the ramp, and fully inside the bus, you will turn to the right, and then follow the driver's instructions for parking. One scooter will park "forward" and one will park directly across from the ramp.

You have the option to sit ON the ECV during the bus trip, or sit in a regular seat. That is entirely at your discretion; you will find people with strong opinions regarding both options! ;)

When you arrive at your destination, everyone who is walking will get off the bus. The driver will then close the front doors, come back to the back door, and "kneel" the bus, to get it closer to the ground. Then s/he will open the back door, and deploy the ramp. Once the ramp is down, the driver will help you get the scooter turned around to go down the ramp. Take your time, and listen to their coaching - they do this all day long, and are experts at getting scooters (and other mobility devices) on and off the bus like a champ! :) Again, this is NOT the time for speed; once you are ready, proceed s l o w l y down the ramp, and DO NOT TURN YOUR WHEELS UNTIL THE BACK WHEELS ARE ON THE GROUND AND THE REAR OF THE SCOOTER HAS CLEARED THE RAMP. And go have fun!!!

:::Whew!::: That's about it. Seriously. After a round trip to the Magic Kingdom, you will both be old pros!

Enjoy your trip! :)
 
Yay for an October trip! I hope you all have great weather - and really enjoy Food & Wine! :)

Since you have some time, I would recommend "practicing" driving an ECV with one of those giant, lumbering beasties that they have for customers to use at Wal-Mart, Target, Lowes, grocery stores, etc. If you can master one of those, you will have NO problems driving an ECV at WDW! Seriously - it takes less than 10 minutes to master a rental; you will feel like an "old hand" in no time!

When the rentals are delivered, take 10 to 15 minutes at your Resort, and just practice driving around. Find some "curb cuts" (the little ramps from the sidewalk down to the "street" level) and drive up and down those. Practice backing up - and remember that you won't have a "beeper" to let people know, so look over your shoulder! Slowly practice the tightest turns you can - both to the left and to the right, to see how much clearance you need. Practice parking - stopping safely, turning off the scooter and (if present) removing the key, so that you get used to that sequence. And most importantly, practice driving through the food court and/or shop(s) at the Resort, so you have a chance to see how it maneuvers in tight spaces, before you get to the Parks where it can be crowded!

2 ECVs in one Resort room typically is not a problem - if you need to have more space (depending on which Resort you are staying at) you can go to the Front Desk*, and nicely ask them to remove the table and chairs from your room; this should give you more than enough space to park 2 ECVs in your room. Only on the Disney Cruise ships do you park outside your room in a designated "parking zone".

*If you call the Front Desk from your Resort room, it goes to a call center for the Resorts; although they are nice, they are not who you need to talk to. Take the time to travel down to the Front Desk in person - your results will be better.

Your rentals should be delivered with fully charged batteries (don't accept anything less!) and every night, as soon as you get back to your Resort room, plug in the chargers and charge them up overnight while you sleep. In the morning, they should be fully charged, and ready to go all day the next day. If you practice good "battery hygiene" (turn off the scooter any time you are not moving - like watching a parade, taking a break, waiting in a line - any time you won't move for 10 seconds or more!) you should not have to worry about charging your battery during the day.

Be sure to keep the rental company phone number either in your smartphone's address book, or your wallet; make sure you know what their policy is if the scooter has a problem after their regular business hours, who to call, and if there is a special after hours phone number.

Finally, boarding the buses. First of all, most buses at WDW can handle 2 - some can take 3 - mobility devices at a time. First come, first served; if you are traveling with a large group, it may be OK to split up and go on different buses. If you want to wait so that both scooters are on the same bus, be sure to let anyone else with a scooter or wheelchair know that you are not going to board, so they have the opportunity.

At the bus stop, park in the white rectangle painted on the ground at your bus stop if no one else is. This is a visual cue to the driver that he will have a mobility passenger.

When the bus arrives at the bus stop, signal the driver (I usually try to smile and wave, and watch for their acknowledgment) that you want to ride their bus. Wait for everyone to get off the bus - including any one on the bus who is in a mobility device. Remember that mobility devices load first, but get off last, every time. (There can be exceptions to this regarding boats and Monorails, but that's another topic for another day)

When the driver has put the ramp down, you may have to move your scooter to "center up" on the ramp. (They can't always stop the bus with the back door directly across from the box) Be sure to let your driver know that you are a new scooter user, and you will be happy for any tips, help or advice they can offer! Also very important - let your driver know that BOTH of you want to ride, so that if needed, the driver can fold up another section of seats to accommodate a second mobility device :) Some of the buses actually have a center line down the middle of the ramp, but regardless, you just want to aim for the middle, and proceed s l o w l y up the ramp. This is NOT the time to make like Evil Knevil, and try your daredevil driving! Once at the top of the ramp, and fully inside the bus, you will turn to the right, and then follow the driver's instructions for parking. One scooter will park "forward" and one will park directly across from the ramp.

You have the option to sit ON the ECV during the bus trip, or sit in a regular seat. That is entirely at your discretion; you will find people with strong opinions regarding both options! ;)

When you arrive at your destination, everyone who is walking will get off the bus. The driver will then close the front doors, come back to the back door, and "kneel" the bus, to get it closer to the ground. Then s/he will open the back door, and deploy the ramp. Once the ramp is down, the driver will help you get the scooter turned around to go down the ramp. Take your time, and listen to their coaching - they do this all day long, and are experts at getting scooters (and other mobility devices) on and off the bus like a champ! :) Again, this is NOT the time for speed; once you are ready, proceed s l o w l y down the ramp, and DO NOT TURN YOUR WHEELS UNTIL THE BACK WHEELS ARE ON THE GROUND AND THE REAR OF THE SCOOTER HAS CLEARED THE RAMP. And go have fun!!!

:::Whew!::: That's about it. Seriously. After a round trip to the Magic Kingdom, you will both be old pros!

Enjoy your trip! :)
Thank you so much for all this info!! We will be staying at a 2 bedroom condo outside the resort, so we should have plenty of room. I really appreciate all your help.
 
I just ask the Bus Drive if he would park the scooter for me. They really will be more hat happy to do that to save them time and trouble
 
I just ask the Bus Drive if he would park the scooter for me. They really will be more hat happy to do that to save them time and trouble
Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't.

I've had bus drivers more than willing to park it. And some won't touch it until they are strapping it in.

It all depends on who it driving the bus.
 
Yay for an October trip! I hope you all have great weather - and really enjoy Food & Wine! :)

Since you have some time, I would recommend "practicing" driving an ECV with one of those giant, lumbering beasties that they have for customers to use at Wal-Mart, Target, Lowes, grocery stores, etc. If you can master one of those, you will have NO problems driving an ECV at WDW! Seriously - it takes less than 10 minutes to master a rental; you will feel like an "old hand" in no time!

When the rentals are delivered, take 10 to 15 minutes at your Resort, and just practice driving around. Find some "curb cuts" (the little ramps from the sidewalk down to the "street" level) and drive up and down those. Practice backing up - and remember that you won't have a "beeper" to let people know, so look over your shoulder! Slowly practice the tightest turns you can - both to the left and to the right, to see how much clearance you need. Practice parking - stopping safely, turning off the scooter and (if present) removing the key, so that you get used to that sequence. And most importantly, practice driving through the food court and/or shop(s) at the Resort, so you have a chance to see how it maneuvers in tight spaces, before you get to the Parks where it can be crowded!

2 ECVs in one Resort room typically is not a problem - if you need to have more space (depending on which Resort you are staying at) you can go to the Front Desk*, and nicely ask them to remove the table and chairs from your room; this should give you more than enough space to park 2 ECVs in your room. Only on the Disney Cruise ships do you park outside your room in a designated "parking zone".

*If you call the Front Desk from your Resort room, it goes to a call center for the Resorts; although they are nice, they are not who you need to talk to. Take the time to travel down to the Front Desk in person - your results will be better.

Your rentals should be delivered with fully charged batteries (don't accept anything less!) and every night, as soon as you get back to your Resort room, plug in the chargers and charge them up overnight while you sleep. In the morning, they should be fully charged, and ready to go all day the next day. If you practice good "battery hygiene" (turn off the scooter any time you are not moving - like watching a parade, taking a break, waiting in a line - any time you won't move for 10 seconds or more!) you should not have to worry about charging your battery during the day.

Be sure to keep the rental company phone number either in your smartphone's address book, or your wallet; make sure you know what their policy is if the scooter has a problem after their regular business hours, who to call, and if there is a special after hours phone number.

Finally, boarding the buses. First of all, most buses at WDW can handle 2 - some can take 3 - mobility devices at a time. First come, first served; if you are traveling with a large group, it may be OK to split up and go on different buses. If you want to wait so that both scooters are on the same bus, be sure to let anyone else with a scooter or wheelchair know that you are not going to board, so they have the opportunity.

At the bus stop, park in the white rectangle painted on the ground at your bus stop if no one else is. This is a visual cue to the driver that he will have a mobility passenger.

When the bus arrives at the bus stop, signal the driver (I usually try to smile and wave, and watch for their acknowledgment) that you want to ride their bus. Wait for everyone to get off the bus - including any one on the bus who is in a mobility device. Remember that mobility devices load first, but get off last, every time. (There can be exceptions to this regarding boats and Monorails, but that's another topic for another day)

When the driver has put the ramp down, you may have to move your scooter to "center up" on the ramp. (They can't always stop the bus with the back door directly across from the box) Be sure to let your driver know that you are a new scooter user, and you will be happy for any tips, help or advice they can offer! Also very important - let your driver know that BOTH of you want to ride, so that if needed, the driver can fold up another section of seats to accommodate a second mobility device :) Some of the buses actually have a center line down the middle of the ramp, but regardless, you just want to aim for the middle, and proceed s l o w l y up the ramp. This is NOT the time to make like Evil Knevil, and try your daredevil driving! Once at the top of the ramp, and fully inside the bus, you will turn to the right, and then follow the driver's instructions for parking. One scooter will park "forward" and one will park directly across from the ramp.

You have the option to sit ON the ECV during the bus trip, or sit in a regular seat. That is entirely at your discretion; you will find people with strong opinions regarding both options! ;)

When you arrive at your destination, everyone who is walking will get off the bus. The driver will then close the front doors, come back to the back door, and "kneel" the bus, to get it closer to the ground. Then s/he will open the back door, and deploy the ramp. Once the ramp is down, the driver will help you get the scooter turned around to go down the ramp. Take your time, and listen to their coaching - they do this all day long, and are experts at getting scooters (and other mobility devices) on and off the bus like a champ! :) Again, this is NOT the time for speed; once you are ready, proceed s l o w l y down the ramp, and DO NOT TURN YOUR WHEELS UNTIL THE BACK WHEELS ARE ON THE GROUND AND THE REAR OF THE SCOOTER HAS CLEARED THE RAMP. And go have fun!!!

:::Whew!::: That's about it. Seriously. After a round trip to the Magic Kingdom, you will both be old pros!

Enjoy your trip! :)


That is some wonderful information. Thank you for taking the time to type all that out :)
 
I am now really old (70) so most people expect me to be pathetic, old, and unable to move. But even when I was much younger (50s), very active and spry I was often surprised by how many people offered to help me get up when I sat on the ground. I was not offended even though I did not need the help. I just thought it was nice that people wanted to offer.
 
And the very few times I have encountered stupidity in human form, I just smile even bigger, and give them a good 'ol Okie "Bless your heart" (and we all know what *that* means, don't we?) and I go on.

OFF TOPIC - That's the punch line to one of my favorite jokes! The ol' finishing school one. LOL
 
1) When I use an ECV, my crutches are usually bungee-corded to the front basket.
2) I overheard such a comment about my ise of an ECV.
3) I slowed down an dlet the person pass.
4) Then, when the foot traffic got heavy, I accidentally drove into the back of their leg.
5) I excused myself saying that, "Sorry, I am handicapped."
6) MAYBE they got the point.
 
1) When I use an ECV, my crutches are usually bungee-corded to the front basket.
2) I overheard such a comment about my ise of an ECV.
3) I slowed down an dlet the person pass.
4) Then, when the foot traffic got heavy, I accidentally drove into the back of their leg.
5) I excused myself saying that, "Sorry, I am handicapped."
6) MAYBE they got the point.

Wow! And I would have made sure to find a castmember and point out the person who deliberately assaulted me. Having a disability doesn't give you the right physically assault someone.
 
1) When I use an ECV, my crutches are usually bungee-corded to the front basket.
2) I overheard such a comment about my ise of an ECV.
3) I slowed down an dlet the person pass.
4) Then, when the foot traffic got heavy, I accidentally drove into the back of their leg.
5) I excused myself saying that, "Sorry, I am handicapped."
6) MAYBE they got the point.

Hmm...one person in this story was rude. The other peformed a criminal action (assualt). Is the point that you acted like a jerk? Because that's the point that I would have gotten if I had witnessed the incident.
 
1) When I use an ECV, my crutches are usually bungee-corded to the front basket.
2) I overheard such a comment about my ise of an ECV.
3) I slowed down an dlet the person pass.
4) Then, when the foot traffic got heavy, I accidentally drove into the back of their leg.
5) I excused myself saying that, "Sorry, I am handicapped."
6) MAYBE they got the point.
You are a cast member. I think it is time to hand in your blue ID if you have not already with the last 2 post on the DISABILITY board I think it is time. I know you were not working but what you said to the man in the restroom was beyond uncalled for and the hurting someone. You really need help my friend after you turn in your blue ID
 

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