My husband and I have used scooters. It saved us and allowed us to have fun without worrying and being sore. Everyone accommodated us at Disney. We would jokingly try to hit people - of course we never did. Everyone laughed. We rented one for each of us for the 2 weeks and it was reasonable, and we had them all the time. All the Disney transport allowed them and even the local taxi allowed them.
Thank you for the finger wagging commentary. I have stage 4 cancer and don't outwardly appear to have a need for an ECV and I can manage small to medium distances aka a trip to Target or Walmart however, an entire day in a park would not be possible without an ECV. I also appreciated the info on using an ECV in queue. Armed with that info there is no need for DAS for me. Thank you!
The last two times I visited the parks i have rented an ECV. I have rented and ECV from the park to using an outside company. I have had nothing but a great experience using one while staying on property. Their transportation makes it easy to use one when visiting.
Thank you for your videos. They are very informative. I'm going in December and planning to use an ECV. I'm not a driver, so I'm pretty nervous about that. Using Scooter Bug services.
You're very welcome! We're glad that you find them informative and [hopefully] helpful! 😄 The most important thing to keep in mind is that you can ABSOLUTELY take your time both when learning how to operate your scooter and move through the parks. We know how difficult and intimidating it can seem to navigate the parks with a mobility device for the first time, but YOU'VE GOT THIS! 😄❤️ We hope you have an amazing trip!
My 2 cents on ECV use: 1) If you're in the parks and around someone with an ECV, give them some space! I know the parks are crowded, and we all like to get up close if possible, but these are still vehicles and they need space - and the people using them deserve basic respect and decency from those around them. 2) If renting an ECV for the parks when you don't regularly use them, PLEASE familiarize yourself with the controls, necessary turning radius, response times, etc! Take some space to test it out and understand it, and do not let members of your party drive your ECV if they do not understand these either, especially children. I have had a number of negative experiences around ECV users who were not familiar with the controls, or who allowed the children in their party to treat it like another fun attraction. This is perhaps another "pro" to renting one from a third party vendor, it is much easier to find empty space at the resorts to test out your ECV than it is in the parks.
As someone who has needed one for 20 years, I wholeheartedly agree with both items. 1) I have NEVER hit anyone with my mobility device UNLESS they literally jumped in front of me. I actually had an adult jump over the right tire of my ecv once. Unfortunately he wasn’t as quick as he thought and got his ankle clipped. Then had the nerve to insinuate I was at fault. 2) if it’s a Disney ecv, you sign an agreement that no one under a certain age will use the device. Unfortunately people with me have been injured by novice operators and my family is quite aware of proper protocols around mobility devices.
I really appreciate your disclaimer about those who may need an ECV at WDW but not necessarily in their daily lives. I am a Marine Veteran, until I aged and injured my leg 10 years ago, I never rented an ECV at WDW or Disneyland, there was no need to. I do not need one in my daily life where I sit in front of a computer for 50 hours a week. At Disneyland? Yes, I need it and I have already booked Scooter Bug for our trip in October to WDW. There is no way that I can walk more than a mile now, even on a good day. My biggest worry for the upcoming trip is whether it will be an issue using Disney transportation at WDW as I did not need one when we went 13 years ago.
As someone who has rented an ECV both from Disney at the parks, and has also rented from an outside company, I found that it was more cost effective to rent from an offsite company that we could transport it with our own car rental. It's just really important to do your research to fin a company that has a good reputation and very good customer support services just in case. It's also to remember that not all ECVs work the same. 4 wheeled ones tend to be more stable and durable, 3 wheeled ones tend to be able to navigate turns better and are more agile. Even if you're using a 3 wheeled one, not all ride lines are equally accessible or easy to navigate. It can take practice.
I have developed lymphedema in my legs within the past two years. My left leg is extremely swollen almost all the time. It was really bad last July when I visited WDW for a week. I rented an ECV for the first time ever from a third party company (Buena Vista Rentals). They were great! On time and the ecv was clean and worked perfect! Their worker was polite and showed me how to operate it. Disney was great with accommodating my needs with the ecv. The only issue I had was that some guests were very rude. I'm not just talking about just guests cutting me off in front of me, but as an example, I was staying at the Contemporary Resort and on one occasion, was waiting on an elevator and I let everybody in that lobby go ahead of me into several different elevators so I wouldn't hold them up. When there was nobody else left, I pulled up to the next elevator that was coming and when the doors opened, a middle aged woman came running past me and cut me off as I was entering the elevator. I stopped as I was shocked and the man she was with came up from behind me and apologized. I let him go and told him I would wait for the next elevator. I had many guests treat me rudely like that through the week, and for a person who had never needed to use an ecv or wheelchair before, I suddenly realized how challenging their world must be every day. I think everything you said in your video is accurate, and I truly appreciate you doing a video with this topic. And I really want to emphasize that Disney does an incredible job of accommodating people in need like this.
I'm sorry to hear that you had that experience, but I'm in no way surprised. People can be. . . . . well. . . . . . "inconsiderate" doesn't even really say it. That said, I'm glad that you shared your experience, 'cause this is something that I definitely think needs to be discussed in the future and I'm happy you put a reminder in here for me. Also, I'm so glad to hear that you found Disney did a good job with the accommodations. That's always something I'm happy to hear. 😄
I have been impaired for over two decades. As a general rule I find most people want to do what’s right but most have no idea what that means. 1 give me the space to operate safely. These devices don’t have brakes. I cannot stop on a dime. 2 don’t lean on my device, or even touch it. It’s part of my body. Don’t do anything to it that you won’t do to a complete stranger 3 talk to me. Not my attendant or family member. 4 realize that even with my device it takes me much longer to enjoy the park. Accommodations can frequently add quite a bit of time to my wait. I’m not jumping the line, just evening up the playing field. I could list more but the above are probably the most important
For the question of renting FROM Disney, do I have to turn in the ECV at MK to go to Epcot or can I take a single ECV to all the parks? Is it difficult to get the ECV on the buses/boats/skyline? Also, Can I take the ECV from MK to Disney Springs? or is that considered off park.
Great questions! 1. If you're renting an ECV from Disney, it may NOT be removed from the destination that it has been rented at. In other words, if you start your day at MK and plan to hop over to EPCOT, you'll have to turn it in at MK when you leave MK and inquire about whether or not one is available for you over at EPCOT once you arrive there. That said, you DO NOT need to pay at each separate park for a new ECV. You'll pay once and then you can "transfer" your rental to the next destination. Of course, there are still a limited number of ECVs available at each park. . . . but the process is still what it is. [NOTE: This is ALSO the same process for wheelchairs and strollers.] 2. For the most part, it's pretty easy to get an ECV loaded up into Disney Transportation. The most complex mode of transportation to navigate is Disney Buses because they are so tight, but drivers do a great job helping ECV users navigate the space. Sometimes they'll even take the wheel themselves and guide you in, which is a huge help for those who are a bit timid trying to make it work. All other modes of transportation at Walt Disney World are incredibly easy to load and unload from as they have wide entrances and make use of ramps that will make loading and unloading super easy. Also, for the Disney Skyliner, they have separate loading areas for those with mobility needs and/or will stop the Skyliner completely to aid in the loading/unloading process. 3. Like I mentioned, you can't bring an ECV between destinations/parks HOWEVER you can absolutely rent an ECV [wheelchair or stroller] from Disney Springs! This of it like a 5th "park". . . the process is exactly the same and you can transfer your rental from elsewhere to Disney Springs as well. I hope this answers your questions! Thanks so much for asking them. I'll be sure to include them in our next discussion about ECVs 'cause I'm sure the answers will be helpful to others too! :-)
just chiming in, here - don't rent an ecv from disney, unless, you get to a park, and part way through the day, you realize you need one. if you think you will need one, before your trip, rent and reserve one from one of the third-party ecv rental firms. they will deliver the unit to the bellhop at your hotel, and then you have it for your entire stay. it's also much less expensive. also, make sure you consider what you are planning to do: if you are going to maybe use uber/lyft at some point, during your stay, go for the smaller/"mobile" unit. they can be disassembled and assembled very quickly, and they fold up small enough to fit into the trunk of the smallest rideshare vehicles.
@@MissMyMusicAddiction Chiming in here on your chime in. lol I agree with everything you're saying here with one exception. . . . delivery to bell services. Third party companies [with the exception of Scooterbug, which is partnered with Disney] require you to be present at pick up and drop off of the scooter/wheelchair/stroller or whatever. This is due to Disney's policy that no longer permits this type of drop off to happen. . . . whether or not some companies have found a loophole to that I have no idea. Every company we've ever worked with has made it clear that you NEED to be there for drop off to happen. 🙂
@@2foolishmortals ah. ok, i forgot, thanks for the correction. the last times we needed an ecv, we were at non-disney hotel - once at swan, the other at wyndham at the springs. in both cases, there were no issues - but those are not disney-owned hotels...
This is helpful. I've seen vlogs on gluten free and allergies, but could you do a vlog on what to eat that is very low sugar or no sugar - I can't eat sugar and can't find content on this. I love treats, and am going to feel sad when my family is having a yummy treat and I can't. This is for Universal and Disney. Thank you
Hey there! Welcome to the channel. We're glad that you found this video helpful. Also, I wanted to let you know that we're going to be scratching the surface on the no/low sugar options available at Disney later on this coming weekend. . . . so be sure to keep an eye out! This is a topic that we'll be revisiting in the future as well, but I wanted to start the conversation! See you then. 😊
booooooo get yourself and russ into ecv's and do a demo ooh! video idea! ecv jousting with pool noodles along the water at crescent lake! you could mix in super soaker fights, too! BTW, the biggest challenge we have had with an ECV is with crowd interaction, especially strollers, especially after fireworks. it's dark. no one is watching for you. people cut in front, all the time. folks with strollers have no idea how much space they take up, especially when they start turning. if we're renting a wheelchair, we just do it at the park, because it's so cheap, and when you leave you can just take it with you to wherever you are going (parking lot, your resort, if you're on property, etc.) if you choose this option, and you're in the parking lot, you just leave the wheelchair in the parking lot, where your car was. if we're renting an ecv, we go third party - much cheaper, and you have it for your entire trip. most of the rental firms will deliver to your hotel (if you're at a hotel). if you're airbnb'ing it, you will probably have to pick it up from them. charging has never been a problem. if you think the charge is getting low, ask a CM where you can charge. there are lots of locations, everywhere. we have never run out of juice. some of the ecv's are _more_ portable. they disassemble, quickly, into four pieces, and will fit into even the smallest uber trunk. we also had a great experience with a third party when we had an issue with an ecv dying. we were waaaaaaaaaaay back in world showcase. their staff delivered a replacement unit to us, in the park, where we were, about 20 minutes later, and took the broken unit out.
We'll have a demo for you all soon enough! Especially with some of the upcoming plans with family on the horizon. No jousting though. Sorry to disappoint, but we're both far too competitive to get tangled in that type of mess. . . . Yes! You know, as soon as you said this I was like "of course"! My brain was so focused on stationary/physical obstacles like the size of halls and whatnot that I wasn't thinking in this particular direction, so I'm glad you mentioned it!
Just another chime in for consideration. I rented an ECV from a third party vendor and went through three units before getting one that worked correctly. I need one at home also and found that I could purchase one that broke down into four pieces, fit in the trunk and cost less than the amount of renting three times at the parks. I have also found that most times, the cast members will send you thru the lighting lane or a back side entrance. Warning, be careful going into haunted mansion. The entrance is bright daylight and pitch black inside with a doorway about five feet in. My wife broke her glasses on the edge and she was walking! Thanks
My experience is that wheelchair rentals from Disney don’t leave the park, so I am surprised that you were able to get to the parking lot with one. Maybe something has changed?
Knee scooters, like those mobility devices, are allowed at Walt Disney World for those who need them to get around. However, you are unable to rent a knee scooter from Walt Disney World directly. You'll need to seek out a third party company or purchase your own and bring it with you find yourself needing it during your visit.
My husband and I have used scooters. It saved us and allowed us to have fun without worrying and being sore. Everyone accommodated us at Disney. We would jokingly try to hit people - of course we never did. Everyone laughed. We rented one for each of us for the 2 weeks and it was reasonable, and we had them all the time. All the Disney transport allowed them and even the local taxi allowed them.
Thank you for the finger wagging commentary. I have stage 4 cancer and don't outwardly appear to have a need for an ECV and I can manage small to medium distances aka a trip to Target or Walmart however, an entire day in a park would not be possible without an ECV. I also appreciated the info on using an ECV in queue. Armed with that info there is no need for DAS for me. Thank you!
Golden mobility is another great company that will bring the Scotter to your resort . Price is very reasonable.
We have used Golden Mobility in the past as well and have had a good experience both times.
Such needed information
Great Job .😊
Thanks a lot 😊
The last two times I visited the parks i have rented an ECV. I have rented and ECV from the park to using an outside company. I have had nothing but a great experience using one while staying on property. Their transportation makes it easy to use one when visiting.
Thank you for your videos. They are very informative. I'm going in December and planning to use an ECV. I'm not a driver, so I'm pretty nervous about that. Using Scooter Bug services.
You're very welcome! We're glad that you find them informative and [hopefully] helpful! 😄 The most important thing to keep in mind is that you can ABSOLUTELY take your time both when learning how to operate your scooter and move through the parks. We know how difficult and intimidating it can seem to navigate the parks with a mobility device for the first time, but YOU'VE GOT THIS! 😄❤️ We hope you have an amazing trip!
My 2 cents on ECV use:
1) If you're in the parks and around someone with an ECV, give them some space! I know the parks are crowded, and we all like to get up close if possible, but these are still vehicles and they need space - and the people using them deserve basic respect and decency from those around them.
2) If renting an ECV for the parks when you don't regularly use them, PLEASE familiarize yourself with the controls, necessary turning radius, response times, etc! Take some space to test it out and understand it, and do not let members of your party drive your ECV if they do not understand these either, especially children. I have had a number of negative experiences around ECV users who were not familiar with the controls, or who allowed the children in their party to treat it like another fun attraction. This is perhaps another "pro" to renting one from a third party vendor, it is much easier to find empty space at the resorts to test out your ECV than it is in the parks.
As someone who has needed one for 20 years, I wholeheartedly agree with both items. 1) I have NEVER hit anyone with my mobility device UNLESS they literally jumped in front of me. I actually had an adult jump over the right tire of my ecv once. Unfortunately he wasn’t as quick as he thought and got his ankle clipped. Then had the nerve to insinuate I was at fault. 2) if it’s a Disney ecv, you sign an agreement that no one under a certain age will use the device. Unfortunately people with me have been injured by novice operators and my family is quite aware of proper protocols around mobility devices.
I really appreciate your disclaimer about those who may need an ECV at WDW but not necessarily in their daily lives. I am a Marine Veteran, until I aged and injured my leg 10 years ago, I never rented an ECV at WDW or Disneyland, there was no need to. I do not need one in my daily life where I sit in front of a computer for 50 hours a week. At Disneyland? Yes, I need it and I have already booked Scooter Bug for our trip in October to WDW. There is no way that I can walk more than a mile now, even on a good day. My biggest worry for the upcoming trip is whether it will be an issue using Disney transportation at WDW as I did not need one when we went 13 years ago.
As someone who has rented an ECV both from Disney at the parks, and has also rented from an outside company, I found that it was more cost effective to rent from an offsite company that we could transport it with our own car rental. It's just really important to do your research to fin a company that has a good reputation and very good customer support services just in case.
It's also to remember that not all ECVs work the same. 4 wheeled ones tend to be more stable and durable, 3 wheeled ones tend to be able to navigate turns better and are more agile.
Even if you're using a 3 wheeled one, not all ride lines are equally accessible or easy to navigate. It can take practice.
Fantastic points! Thanks so much for sharing your experience and insight. 😊
I’ve used Randy’s Mobility and Disney. Prefer Randy’s because I have it to get back to my room.
I have developed lymphedema in my legs within the past two years. My left leg is extremely swollen almost all the time. It was really bad last July when I visited WDW for a week. I rented an ECV for the first time ever from a third party company (Buena Vista Rentals). They were great! On time and the ecv was clean and worked perfect! Their worker was polite and showed me how to operate it. Disney was great with accommodating my needs with the ecv. The only issue I had was that some guests were very rude. I'm not just talking about just guests cutting me off in front of me, but as an example, I was staying at the Contemporary Resort and on one occasion, was waiting on an elevator and I let everybody in that lobby go ahead of me into several different elevators so I wouldn't hold them up. When there was nobody else left, I pulled up to the next elevator that was coming and when the doors opened, a middle aged woman came running past me and cut me off as I was entering the elevator. I stopped as I was shocked and the man she was with came up from behind me and apologized. I let him go and told him I would wait for the next elevator. I had many guests treat me rudely like that through the week, and for a person who had never needed to use an ecv or wheelchair before, I suddenly realized how challenging their world must be every day. I think everything you said in your video is accurate, and I truly appreciate you doing a video with this topic. And I really want to emphasize that Disney does an incredible job of accommodating people in need like this.
I'm sorry to hear that you had that experience, but I'm in no way surprised. People can be. . . . . well. . . . . . "inconsiderate" doesn't even really say it. That said, I'm glad that you shared your experience, 'cause this is something that I definitely think needs to be discussed in the future and I'm happy you put a reminder in here for me. Also, I'm so glad to hear that you found Disney did a good job with the accommodations. That's always something I'm happy to hear. 😄
I have been impaired for over two decades. As a general rule I find most people want to do what’s right but most have no idea what that means.
1 give me the space to operate safely. These devices don’t have brakes. I cannot stop on a dime.
2 don’t lean on my device, or even touch it. It’s part of my body. Don’t do anything to it that you won’t do to a complete stranger
3 talk to me. Not my attendant or family member.
4 realize that even with my device it takes me much longer to enjoy the park. Accommodations can frequently add quite a bit of time to my wait. I’m not jumping the line, just evening up the playing field.
I could list more but the above are probably the most important
For the question of renting FROM Disney, do I have to turn in the ECV at MK to go to Epcot or can I take a single ECV to all the parks? Is it difficult to get the ECV on the buses/boats/skyline? Also, Can I take the ECV from MK to Disney Springs? or is that considered off park.
Great questions!
1. If you're renting an ECV from Disney, it may NOT be removed from the destination that it has been rented at. In other words, if you start your day at MK and plan to hop over to EPCOT, you'll have to turn it in at MK when you leave MK and inquire about whether or not one is available for you over at EPCOT once you arrive there. That said, you DO NOT need to pay at each separate park for a new ECV. You'll pay once and then you can "transfer" your rental to the next destination. Of course, there are still a limited number of ECVs available at each park. . . . but the process is still what it is.
[NOTE: This is ALSO the same process for wheelchairs and strollers.]
2. For the most part, it's pretty easy to get an ECV loaded up into Disney Transportation. The most complex mode of transportation to navigate is Disney Buses because they are so tight, but drivers do a great job helping ECV users navigate the space. Sometimes they'll even take the wheel themselves and guide you in, which is a huge help for those who are a bit timid trying to make it work. All other modes of transportation at Walt Disney World are incredibly easy to load and unload from as they have wide entrances and make use of ramps that will make loading and unloading super easy. Also, for the Disney Skyliner, they have separate loading areas for those with mobility needs and/or will stop the Skyliner completely to aid in the loading/unloading process.
3. Like I mentioned, you can't bring an ECV between destinations/parks HOWEVER you can absolutely rent an ECV [wheelchair or stroller] from Disney Springs! This of it like a 5th "park". . . the process is exactly the same and you can transfer your rental from elsewhere to Disney Springs as well.
I hope this answers your questions! Thanks so much for asking them. I'll be sure to include them in our next discussion about ECVs 'cause I'm sure the answers will be helpful to others too! :-)
just chiming in, here - don't rent an ecv from disney, unless, you get to a park, and part way through the day, you realize you need one. if you think you will need one, before your trip, rent and reserve one from one of the third-party ecv rental firms. they will deliver the unit to the bellhop at your hotel, and then you have it for your entire stay. it's also much less expensive.
also, make sure you consider what you are planning to do: if you are going to maybe use uber/lyft at some point, during your stay, go for the smaller/"mobile" unit. they can be disassembled and assembled very quickly, and they fold up small enough to fit into the trunk of the smallest rideshare vehicles.
@@MissMyMusicAddiction Chiming in here on your chime in. lol
I agree with everything you're saying here with one exception. . . . delivery to bell services. Third party companies [with the exception of Scooterbug, which is partnered with Disney] require you to be present at pick up and drop off of the scooter/wheelchair/stroller or whatever. This is due to Disney's policy that no longer permits this type of drop off to happen. . . . whether or not some companies have found a loophole to that I have no idea. Every company we've ever worked with has made it clear that you NEED to be there for drop off to happen.
🙂
@@2foolishmortals ah. ok, i forgot, thanks for the correction. the last times we needed an ecv, we were at non-disney hotel - once at swan, the other at wyndham at the springs. in both cases, there were no issues - but those are not disney-owned hotels...
@@MissMyMusicAddiction No problem at all, just wanted to make sure the detail was included for any who might stumble into this. 🙂
This is helpful. I've seen vlogs on gluten free and allergies, but could you do a vlog on what to eat that is very low sugar or no sugar - I can't eat sugar and can't find content on this. I love treats, and am going to feel sad when my family is having a yummy treat and I can't. This is for Universal and Disney. Thank you
Hey there! Welcome to the channel. We're glad that you found this video helpful. Also, I wanted to let you know that we're going to be scratching the surface on the no/low sugar options available at Disney later on this coming weekend. . . . so be sure to keep an eye out! This is a topic that we'll be revisiting in the future as well, but I wanted to start the conversation! See you then. 😊
What are the positive and negatives of a ecv
booooooo
get yourself and russ into ecv's and do a demo
ooh! video idea! ecv jousting with pool noodles along the water at crescent lake! you could mix in super soaker fights, too!
BTW, the biggest challenge we have had with an ECV is with crowd interaction, especially strollers, especially after fireworks. it's dark. no one is watching for you. people cut in front, all the time. folks with strollers have no idea how much space they take up, especially when they start turning.
if we're renting a wheelchair, we just do it at the park, because it's so cheap, and when you leave you can just take it with you to wherever you are going (parking lot, your resort, if you're on property, etc.) if you choose this option, and you're in the parking lot, you just leave the wheelchair in the parking lot, where your car was.
if we're renting an ecv, we go third party - much cheaper, and you have it for your entire trip. most of the rental firms will deliver to your hotel (if you're at a hotel). if you're airbnb'ing it, you will probably have to pick it up from them.
charging has never been a problem. if you think the charge is getting low, ask a CM where you can charge. there are lots of locations, everywhere. we have never run out of juice.
some of the ecv's are _more_ portable. they disassemble, quickly, into four pieces, and will fit into even the smallest uber trunk.
we also had a great experience with a third party when we had an issue with an ecv dying. we were waaaaaaaaaaay back in world showcase. their staff delivered a replacement unit to us, in the park, where we were, about 20 minutes later, and took the broken unit out.
We'll have a demo for you all soon enough! Especially with some of the upcoming plans with family on the horizon. No jousting though. Sorry to disappoint, but we're both far too competitive to get tangled in that type of mess. . . .
Yes! You know, as soon as you said this I was like "of course"! My brain was so focused on stationary/physical obstacles like the size of halls and whatnot that I wasn't thinking in this particular direction, so I'm glad you mentioned it!
Just another chime in for consideration. I rented an ECV from a third party vendor and went through three units before getting one that worked correctly. I need one at home also and found that I could purchase one that broke down into four pieces, fit in the trunk and cost less than the amount of renting three times at the parks. I have also found that most times, the cast members will send you thru the lighting lane or a back side entrance. Warning, be careful going into haunted mansion. The entrance is bright daylight and pitch black inside with a doorway about five feet in. My wife broke her glasses on the edge and she was walking! Thanks
My experience is that wheelchair rentals from Disney don’t leave the park, so I am surprised that you were able to get to the parking lot with one. Maybe something has changed?
@@rvmush3883 maybe. You might not be able to take ECV's out, but you can definitely take wheelchairs out.
is there anything besides a wheelchair or ECV?
Walt Disney World offers ECVs, wheelchairs and strollers for guests to rent at their parks.
where can i get a knee scooter? allowed?
Knee scooters, like those mobility devices, are allowed at Walt Disney World for those who need them to get around. However, you are unable to rent a knee scooter from Walt Disney World directly. You'll need to seek out a third party company or purchase your own and bring it with you find yourself needing it during your visit.
@@2foolishmortals how would I know if it would work for me
Do you know of any companies that I could rent one?
@@annlavine3576I would call Randy’s Mobility or another provider and ask them about specifics.