ECVs on upper floors of Pop

musicmom3331

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jan 15, 2011
I'm thinking I want an upper floor for our stay at Pop Century because it would be quieter. Has anyone had any issues with ECVs and elevators?
 
No issues. Never encountered an out of service elevator at Pop, and there are two in each building. Elevators are plenty big. What specific issues concern you?
 
The only time it would be a problem would be if there was a power outage?

I wonder about that also. I was so surprised to find HA rooms on upper floors, when I got assigned to one at POR. Aren't you kind of stuck if the electricity goes out?
 
Technically. However, How often and for how long has power gone out at any or all WDW resorts?
 
Technically. However, How often and for how long has power gone out at any or all WDW resorts?
This is true even when a hurricane Jen though I do not think Disney listen power and if they did it was not for long.
 


During hurricanes Orlando people go to Disney hotels because they have power lol.
Usually the loss of power during storms is because tree limbs fall on the power lines. Most of the power lines at Disney Are underground.
 
During hurricanes Orlando people go to Disney hotels because they have power lol.
Usually the loss of power during storms is because tree limbs fall on the power lines. Most of the power lines at Disney Are underground.
Yes I am close enough to Disney to have thought long and hrs in this one last year ( or maybe the year before) I had no power for 5 days told my self next time I would go to Disney then that one hit Disney and I was there then deceed to leave before she hit and go to family in north GA. Disney is one of the safest places to be in a harrican
 
Well, we had the power go out once on one of our trips - never found out why, but it was down for a few hours. We were at Pop Century, while they were building over at AoA, so it was a few years ago.
 
I wonder about that also. I was so surprised to find HA rooms on upper floors, when I got assigned to one at POR. Aren't you kind of stuck if the electricity goes out?
In many states elevators are required to have backup generators, especially if there are ADA rooms on the upper floor(s) of the building. Admittedly, I am not positive about Florida's laws on this, but it would make sense to me, as it would be a safety issue during a fire as well.
 
In many states elevators are required to have backup generators, especially if there are ADA rooms on the upper floor(s) of the building. Admittedly, I am not positive about Florida's laws on this, but it would make sense to me, as it would be a safety issue during a fire as well.
pretty sure this is a law in FL as there is a building in my town in FL that had to add temporary generators just because they were doing some work on the main ones and they had to have ways for the elevators to work if the power went out. also, they would call the fire department for help if need be
 
I can’t speak to FL specific requirements, but I believe standard building code exempts emergency elevator egress for buildings with just the first 3 floors having accessible rooms. To my knowledge, POP does not offer wheelchair accessible rooms on the 4th floor. That doesn’t mean WDW resorts don’t have back-up emergency power for their elevators, just that it may not be required.

Maybe someone else has more in-depth knowledge of such code requirements.
 
Maybe someone else has more in-depth knowledge of such code requirements.
Oh here we go...
Here's a couple links from a good source on the subject (all with building code references)
The first deals with ADA requirements for elevators and when those requirements can be deviated from. The second is all about how to provide an ADA accessable means of leaving the building in an emergency.

This last one is kind of funny for most people to get their head around. It comes from how big buildings like a hotel have to be built. In short, they have to be built so that you really don't have to worry about fires. If my next door neighbor douses himself with gasoline and lights it up to protest the latest raise in ticket prices, building codes say that the fire must take no less than 45 minutes or so to spread into my room. Furthermore, the building codes specifies that the sprinkler system be able to put that fire out within 15 minutes.

In the event of a fire, they don't want people using elevators anyway. With a Hotel like Pop, with outdoor mezzanines, someone in a wheelchair would be expected to stay in their room if the fire is elsewhere and there is no smoke or exit their room and stay on the mezzanine until the fire is put out or help arrives.

For a non-fire related evacuation emergency (zombies ... or ... meteor?) a building must either have backup power for the elevators or provide what's called 'Areas of Refuge' for mobility challenged occupants. AoR are designated places that will not block the egress of the abled (convenient for us abled) and provides an emergency phone so they may call for assistance.

As in most cases, I suspect Disney goes overboard and provides backup power for their elevators even though it's not required but I don't know that for certain.

What I do know is that I am a person who worries about and plans for any potential emergency and knowing what I know about how hotels and apartments are built, I don't worry about fires. Once you rule fires out ... reasons you may have to bail in a hurry become pretty darn rare.
 
We've been told to shelter in place at ASM because there were tornado warnings. While I know the buildings are concrete, and built to a certain standard, I'd still not want to be trapped on the top floor of an exterior hallway hotel when a tornado came through.
 
We wanted the quietest, least crowded area possible, so we requested the 1950s section and were put on the second floor. We found that the scooter fit very nicely in the room once we start the chairs on the table. The balcony walkways were plenty wide enough, and I don't think we had to wait even once for a full elevator.

The 1950’s was just as quiet as we’d hoped, without clogged walkway or little kids running around the main pool. The bowling-pin shaped quiet pool was lovely and relaxing, without crowds.

This was the week *after* American Thanksgiving, with no more than medium crowds in most places.
 
The only negative experience we had with an ECV at Pop was while we were going back to our rooms the first time day after checking in.

There was an entire family (Dad, Mom, and four little kids ranging from what looked like three/four to seven/eight) all piled on to one standard ECV, tooling around and around the small pool at top speed.

With his wife standing in front of him, I didn't see how the husband was able to see where he was driving, and one kid was hanging off the side so precariously I was sure he was going to fall off or be knocked off.


Besides getting upset when parents generally put their kids in danger, it bothers me when people make those of us who need mobility equipment look bad by misusing it and risking injury to riders and bystanders, because that just gives anti-disability-accommodation weasels more fuel for their fire.

/climbs down from soapbox, straightens mouse ears
 
It takes longer to get your scooter to the ground floor and up again. Sometimes you have to wait for the elevator if the first one is crowded.

I found it a little harder to get the scooter in and out of the room. It's a little bit of a tighter squeeze. You have railings that limit your space.

None of this is horrible, but it's a consideration and I'd rather be on a ground floor.

Get a farther away building from the food court and you should have it quiet on the ground floor. Stay away from the buildings that are near the pools.
 
During hurricanes Orlando people go to Disney hotels because they have power lol.
Usually the loss of power during storms is because tree limbs fall on the power lines. Most of the power lines at Disney Are underground.

They also have huge backup generators.
 

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