ShadowWind
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2004
I thought I'd share a few things I've noticed/discovered from my trips to WDW using an ECV.
1> Speed - Usually ECV's that you rent have a speed control on them besides the throttle hand bar. When trying to fit into very tight places, do not forget to turn this down. This is especially true on the Disney Buses. It is much easier to get into the spot that they need you to be in if you do so. NOTE: You may have to put it back up a bit to get it up the ramp though.
2> Getting off of it - I learned the hard way never to get off of it without unplugging the key. It usually has a warning on it, but the first one I rented didn't. Not sure whether Disney's do or not, though Disney's are far less likely to hit your leg against the throttle as some outside scooters are.
3> Port Orleans Riverside's bridges are very nasty about shaking you up badly when driving over them with an ECV. I was practically shook out of my boots each time I had to cross them, no matter what speed I tried. Also at POR, the Alligator Bayou is very difficult to maneuver around the building especially if you are a newbie at driving an ECV. They have no barrier between you and one foot drop. By getting the EcV too close, you could concievably tip it. Also the Alligator Bayou has no elevator and it seems like only one ramp per building. I highly recommend (despite the bridge) getting a room in the Mansion portion which I found to be a whole lot safer and more accessible in an ECV. Another thing is if you are travelling alone, or both members of your party are in an ECV, it can be difficult to click the buttons at POR. They also didn't tell me where they were. If I hadn't talked to one of the luggage people, I probably wouldn't have known either. This is the same at most resorts. I was thrilled that POP Century actually had automatic doors for their lobby which had connections to everywhere you wanted to go in the hotel. Made life a lot easier. I seem to remember the All-Stars also having automatic doors. The Yacht and Beach Club have the push button doors and I was told that Coronado Springs did too.
4> POP Century, though, unless the room is specifically designed to be a handicap room (which didn't work for me, as I have to soak my muscles in the evening in a tub, rather than a shower), can be quite small. They say they are the smallest on the property I have been told that you can leave the ECV's outside (as long as you take the key), but they have to be charged. Disney will charge them in the luggage area for you, and they were very nice in giving me a ride back to my room, but I had to walk over and get it in the morning, which for me was quite a struggle. The next night I found out that if I moved the table toward the television that it would fit in the room if I came straight in, front pointed toward the door. It can then be charged in the room, which worked out much better. Like everything, it takes a bit of practice, but it can be done. Do not try to back it in.
5> It's cheaper and better to rent off property if you can for the pure sake of convenience. As many have said in these threads, the parks often run out of them early (especially AK) and so it's not a given that you can get one, even if you are transferring from one park to the other. The outside rental also allows you to use it in the minor parks, resorts, and any off property events you want to go to.
6> Speaking of Off Property, Mears runs 3 wheelchair and scooter accessible vans around town. They can take you basically where you need to go. I have found the drivers to be quite nice and very accomodating in getting the scooter installed (either riding it in and then riding in it) or sitting in a seat and just transporting it. The cost is the same as the standard cab, though getting them is a bit longer wait (around 20 minutes on average). The number is 407-699-9999. One of my favorite cab drivers is a nice lady that works nights named Angela in Cab 650. She is very honest and won't give you the run around or try the tourist trap on you. I had a bit of fun with her, as she'd just learned how to load the scooter and I was her first customer, so I gave her some tips.
7> A scooter can die if it gets wet and the batteries can be used up more in wet weather.
Well that's about all the tips I had. I rent my scooter generally from AA Tourist Rental in Kissimmee, which I found to have great prices and fast service when my scooter died. He also had scooters on very short notice if you need them. His also have covers that you can attach that will keep the sun off of you, which is great in the summertime. I did noticed that he wasn't mentioned, is there something I should know?
1> Speed - Usually ECV's that you rent have a speed control on them besides the throttle hand bar. When trying to fit into very tight places, do not forget to turn this down. This is especially true on the Disney Buses. It is much easier to get into the spot that they need you to be in if you do so. NOTE: You may have to put it back up a bit to get it up the ramp though.
2> Getting off of it - I learned the hard way never to get off of it without unplugging the key. It usually has a warning on it, but the first one I rented didn't. Not sure whether Disney's do or not, though Disney's are far less likely to hit your leg against the throttle as some outside scooters are.
3> Port Orleans Riverside's bridges are very nasty about shaking you up badly when driving over them with an ECV. I was practically shook out of my boots each time I had to cross them, no matter what speed I tried. Also at POR, the Alligator Bayou is very difficult to maneuver around the building especially if you are a newbie at driving an ECV. They have no barrier between you and one foot drop. By getting the EcV too close, you could concievably tip it. Also the Alligator Bayou has no elevator and it seems like only one ramp per building. I highly recommend (despite the bridge) getting a room in the Mansion portion which I found to be a whole lot safer and more accessible in an ECV. Another thing is if you are travelling alone, or both members of your party are in an ECV, it can be difficult to click the buttons at POR. They also didn't tell me where they were. If I hadn't talked to one of the luggage people, I probably wouldn't have known either. This is the same at most resorts. I was thrilled that POP Century actually had automatic doors for their lobby which had connections to everywhere you wanted to go in the hotel. Made life a lot easier. I seem to remember the All-Stars also having automatic doors. The Yacht and Beach Club have the push button doors and I was told that Coronado Springs did too.
4> POP Century, though, unless the room is specifically designed to be a handicap room (which didn't work for me, as I have to soak my muscles in the evening in a tub, rather than a shower), can be quite small. They say they are the smallest on the property I have been told that you can leave the ECV's outside (as long as you take the key), but they have to be charged. Disney will charge them in the luggage area for you, and they were very nice in giving me a ride back to my room, but I had to walk over and get it in the morning, which for me was quite a struggle. The next night I found out that if I moved the table toward the television that it would fit in the room if I came straight in, front pointed toward the door. It can then be charged in the room, which worked out much better. Like everything, it takes a bit of practice, but it can be done. Do not try to back it in.
5> It's cheaper and better to rent off property if you can for the pure sake of convenience. As many have said in these threads, the parks often run out of them early (especially AK) and so it's not a given that you can get one, even if you are transferring from one park to the other. The outside rental also allows you to use it in the minor parks, resorts, and any off property events you want to go to.
6> Speaking of Off Property, Mears runs 3 wheelchair and scooter accessible vans around town. They can take you basically where you need to go. I have found the drivers to be quite nice and very accomodating in getting the scooter installed (either riding it in and then riding in it) or sitting in a seat and just transporting it. The cost is the same as the standard cab, though getting them is a bit longer wait (around 20 minutes on average). The number is 407-699-9999. One of my favorite cab drivers is a nice lady that works nights named Angela in Cab 650. She is very honest and won't give you the run around or try the tourist trap on you. I had a bit of fun with her, as she'd just learned how to load the scooter and I was her first customer, so I gave her some tips.
7> A scooter can die if it gets wet and the batteries can be used up more in wet weather.
Well that's about all the tips I had. I rent my scooter generally from AA Tourist Rental in Kissimmee, which I found to have great prices and fast service when my scooter died. He also had scooters on very short notice if you need them. His also have covers that you can attach that will keep the sun off of you, which is great in the summertime. I did noticed that he wasn't mentioned, is there something I should know?
