parking vs disney transportation-with wheelchair

[scottibb]

Hello-I have never parked a car at Disney but I am considering it. We are staying at Port Orleans Riverside, and parking is included. We would have to pay to upgrade to priority parking at the parks for the closer parking, but I am fine with that. My semi dilemma is that I like to rope drop and be there as early as possible, but I have serious issues with walking and rent an ECV basically as soon as I can (or after first rope drop ride). I could rent an ECV for my whole trip, but then I am concerned we would have to wait for another bus at the hotel if there are more than 2 waiting. On previous trips the walk from the gates to the bus after returning my ECV have been brutal (and we do it twice bc we park hop at least once per day).

So if I get a car, is the preferred parking closer than the bus? Also I could probably have a family member drop me as close as possible to the gate. Also I thought that they let Disney transportation in earlier than they allow cars for early entry? Is that true? I'm just trying to figure out what will be best for my feet and back but also appease my neurotic rope dropping-ness

 

[SteveMouse]

For the MK, personal vehicles patk at the TTC and you take a monorail or ferry around/across the water. There is nog a hige difference in distance between the bus depot, the monorail station, the ferry fock, and the park gates.

You could rent an ECV from a third party provider and carry if in your car. There are collapsible models. Vendors can meet you at your hotel to dtop one off /pick it ip. A vendor called Scooterbug can drop them at a Disney hotel bell stand (and pick ip from them).

 

[TinkerPan]

Do you have a wheel chair or access to one? We used my husband's wheel chair from our car to park entrance then rented an ECV. Disney will store your wheelchair. You could also easily take the wheelchair on Disney buses.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Hello-I have never parked a car at Disney but I am considering it. We are staying at Port Orleans Riverside, and parking is included. We would have to pay to upgrade to priority parking at the parks for the closer parking, but I am fine with that. My semi dilemma is that I like to rope drop and be there as early as possible, but I have serious issues with walking and rent an ECV basically as soon as I can (or after first rope drop ride). I could rent an ECV for my whole trip, but then I am concerned we would have to wait for another bus at the hotel if there are more than 2 waiting. On previous trips the walk from the gates to the bus after returning my ECV have been brutal (and we do it twice bc we park hop at least once per day).

So if I get a car, is the preferred parking closer than the bus? Also I could probably have a family member drop me as close as possible to the gate. Also I thought that they let Disney transportation in earlier than they allow cars for early entry? Is that true? I'm just trying to figure out what will be best for my feet and back but also appease my neurotic rope dropping-ness

Remember that having an ECV at your first park doesn’t guarantee you one at your second park. I would look at offsite rental that can taken apart and placed in trunk of your car. Last I knew Disney transportation could arrive first

 

[scottibb]

Do you have a wheel chair or access to one? We used my husband's wheel chair from our car to park entrance then rented an ECV. Disney will store your wheelchair. You could also easily take the wheelchair on Disney buses.

That is a very interesting idea. I will look into that.

 

[scottibb]

Remember that having an ECV at your first park doesn’t guarantee you one at your second park. I would look at offsite rental that can taken apart and placed in trunk of your car. Last I knew Disney transportation could arrive first

Yes we have had that issue. Luckily I have a teen boy that is happy to push me around while we wait for an electric if needed. thanks

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Yes we have had that issue. Luckily I have a teen boy that is happy to push me around while we wait for an electric if needed. thanks

I wasn’t that lucky. Husband was dealing with special needs grandson so I had to wheel myself been offsite since

 

[Bound4DisneyWorld]

My wife has lupus and we bring her handicap tag and use an ECV rented from an offsite company (we use ScooterBug since they’re the only company that can drop off and pick up at bell services without someone on the reservation being there).

We rent the lightweight ECV because it is truly lightweight. The battery pack is heavy at about 50 lbs, but the rest is very easy to get into the car.

Might be worth talking to your doctor about a handicap tag, even if just for a temporary one for your trip. It will save you the upgrade on the preferred parking (as a resort Guest, they only charge the difference between standard and preferred). The only park where this can be problematic is Magic Kingdom. It is as close as possible to the Ticket and Transportation Center, but it’s still a hike. If you have your own ECV, it won’t be a problem. I can’t find maps of where the preferred spots are, but if it’s anything like the handicap spots, it will be a walk. It’s not a problem if you have an ECV or wheelchair, but if not, it is long. And if just gates to bus is challenging for you, the walk to handicap (or preferred if it is close to handicap spots) parking will be completely unmanageable. Handicap parking is not serviced by tram, and I would assume preferred parking is also not serviced by tram.

I’ve got a screenshot attached. Handicap spots are circled in blue. Walk to security is the red line. It doesn’t look bad when zoomed out as far as it is, but at the end of a long day, for a relatively healthy guy, it seems interminable. And that’s if you’re walking from spots closest to the walkway. At the end of those spots, it’s even worse. And - the line is only to security. You still have to get to the monorail or ferry. There are limited wheelchairs available to rent at the Ticket and Transportation Center, but no ECVs. You can only rent ECVs at Magic Kingdom.

Hope this helps.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

My wife has lupus and we bring her handicap tag and use an ECV rented from an offsite company (we use ScooterBug since they’re the only company that can drop off and pick up at bell services without someone on the reservation being there).

We rent the lightweight ECV because it is truly lightweight. The battery pack is heavy at about 50 lbs, but the rest is very easy to get into the car.

Might be worth talking to your doctor about a handicap tag, even if just for a temporary one for your trip. It will save you the upgrade on the preferred parking (as a resort Guest, they only charge the difference between standard and preferred). The only park where this can be problematic is Magic Kingdom. It is as close as possible to the Ticket and Transportation Center, but it’s still a hike. If you have your own ECV, it won’t be a problem. I can’t find maps of where the preferred spots are, but if it’s anything like the handicap spots, it will be a walk. It’s not a problem if you have an ECV or wheelchair, but if not, it is long. And if just gates to bus is challenging for you, the walk to handicap (or preferred if it is close to handicap spots) parking will be completely unmanageable. Handicap parking is not serviced by tram, and I would assume preferred parking is also not serviced by tram.

I’ve got a screenshot attached. Handicap spots are circled in blue. Walk to security is the red line. It doesn’t look bad when zoomed out as far as it is, but at the end of a long day, for a relatively healthy guy, it seems interminable. And that’s if you’re walking from spots closest to the walkway. At the end of those spots, it’s even worse. And - the line is only to security. You still have to get to the monorail or ferry. There are limited wheelchairs available to rent at the Ticket and Transportation Center, but no ECVs. You can only rent ECVs at Magic Kingdom.

Hope this helps.

At MK no trams from the handicapped parking area unless that has changed and it is a hike to the Ticket and Transportation Center. Have never been lucky to find a wheelchair in the corral to use to the gate

 

[HopperFan]

At MK no trams from the handicapped parking area unless that has changed and it is a hike to the Ticket and Transportation Center. Have never been lucky to find a wheelchair in the corral to use to the gate

And I don't think the trams will stop at the Preferred Parking area since they can walk. If walking is an issue you are almost better off in regular parking then taking the tram all the way to TTC.

 

[Bound4DisneyWorld]

At MK no trams from the handicapped parking area unless that has changed and it is a hike to the Ticket and Transportation Center. Have never been lucky to find a wheelchair in the corral to use to the gate

Thanks for confirming.

 

[brockash]

Hello-I have never parked a car at Disney but I am considering it. We are staying at Port Orleans Riverside, and parking is included. We would have to pay to upgrade to priority parking at the parks for the closer parking, but I am fine with that. My semi dilemma is that I like to rope drop and be there as early as possible, but I have serious issues with walking and rent an ECV basically as soon as I can (or after first rope drop ride). I could rent an ECV for my whole trip, but then I am concerned we would have to wait for another bus at the hotel if there are more than 2 waiting. On previous trips the walk from the gates to the bus after returning my ECV have been brutal (and we do it twice bc we park hop at least once per day).

So if I get a car, is the preferred parking closer than the bus? Also I could probably have a family member drop me as close as possible to the gate. Also I thought that they let Disney transportation in earlier than they allow cars for early entry? Is that true? I'm just trying to figure out what will be best for my feet and back but also appease my neurotic rope dropping-ness

I'd really just rent a scooter for the whole trip and use Disney transportation. We find this is by far the easiest and also the best way to get to rope drop asap. My mom rents a scooter and we very rarely have had to wait for a 2nd bus. - The current buses hold 2 scooters (although I feel like I may have read they may be changing buses soon?)