Wheelchair/Scooter/ECV FAQ

If you would like to submit an article on touring WDW with special needs,
please email deb@allearsnet.com to discuss.

compiled by Beth Floro

Beth's "credentials"
Renting Wheels
Frequently Asked Questions
Information & Reports Links

Beth Floro graciously compiled questions and answers to the most frequently asked questions about renting and using assistive devices in the parks.

The ECV for Rent at WDW Theme Parks

For another angle Click Here.

My "credentials":

I visited WDW healthy 2/92, 2/93, and 2/94. Had to use the scooter 2/96, 3/97 (solo visit) and 7/97. Healthy Hubby and kids make up the party. We also scootered at Disney*Land* w/o kids, 9/96.

I have a back problem (Degenerative Disc Disease) which affects my walking and energy level. At the time of the first scooter visit (2/96) I could walk short distances with a cane, and could stand for only a few minutes at a time. By the latest visit (7/97) I was able to handle much more, though I still have to save steps where I can.

I am *not* an expert on wheelchairs or scooters. I don't use them in my everyday life at home. As I started posting comments about using wheels at WDW, people started writing to me with questions. I compiled the answers and sent them to Deb Wills. The rest, as they say, is history...

I am not affiliated in any way with the Walt Disney Company or Care Medical.

Renting wheels:

There are at least two companies in the Orlando area that rent medical supplies, including wheelchairs and ECVs. The one I use is Care Medical (www.CareMedicalEquipment.com) Their daily rates are the same as Disney, but they give you a break on weekly rentals. I'm sorry, but I don't have the name of the other company. I prefer the independence of driving myself in a scooter to being pushed in a wheelchair. I realize that not everyone has that option.

The Advantages to renting from an outside company include:

- You can have the scooter anywhere you go; minor parks, off-site, at the resorts, etc.

- The scooter is available whenever you need it, not just during park hours.

- You are assured of having wheels even when the parks have run out.

- You can get a vehicle that meets your specific needs (one that will disassemble to fit in a car trunk, or one that will accommodate a heavy person for example). Disney parks scooters are "One Size Fits All".

- Variable speeds - Disney scooters are set at "slow".

Disadvantages include:

- You must transport the scooter. That can mean waiting for a WDW van or accessible bus, dealing with ramps to the monorails and boats, or getting the scooter into and out of your own car/van under your own power.

- Rental scooters are like rental cars. They are most often driven by people who are unfamiliar with them, and they get a lot of rough usage. They can have mechanical problems and leave you stranded. Care Medical has always been great about replacing a defective machine for me - but I only know that because I've *had* a couple of defective machines.

Guest Note: We picked up my electric 3 wheel scooter, which we rented from Care Medical. We decided to get the "deluxe" model this time, which has better cushioning on the seat and arm rests and has nice cloth material instead of the vinyl. It has much more leg room, and the basket on the front seemed to be larger. My husband's backpack fit nicely into it. It also seemed to hold a charge longer than the other one. At $40.00 a day, it was worth it. (Marie Kuhn, 1999)

Frequently Asked Questions

*** Where can I rent an ECV or wheelchair at Walt Disney World? And how much does it cost?

Prices current as of 4/6/08:

-- Wheelchairs: $10 per day rental (There is a $100 deposit charged to your credit card per unit rented.); $8 per day Length of Stay rental

-- ECV Rental: $45 per day, with a $20 refundable deposit ($100 at Downtown Disney)

You must be 18 years old or older to rent ECVs.

Disney has a Length of Stay rental ticket for strollers and wheelchairs. With the Length of Stay rental, you make a one-time payment for as many days of rental that you will need. Upon visiting a theme park, show your receipt at the stroller/wheelchair rental location and you will be directed through the queue with little or no wait. There is a slight discount when purchasing the Length of Stay rental ticket. The Length of Stay option is NOT offered during peak attendance times, however, such as Christmas.

In the Magic Kingdom:
-- Mickey's Gift Station at Transportation and Ticket Center (limited quantities)
-- Wheelchair shop to the right of MAGIC KINGDOM entrance (also rents ECVs)

** I'm using an ECV for the first time. Any advance planning I can do to make the trip easier... any strange pitfalls I should be aware of?

#1) PRACTICE.

Check your area for places that have rental scooters (malls, large grocery stores, medical supply rental companies). If a friend has one, borrow it and ask for their tips. Practice backing up, turning sharp corners, and parallel parking. Especially helpful to me was learning how to deal with swinging doors (ram them - gently, of course!), an elevator (drive in, back out) and a table (pull along side, release the seat lock and turn it to face the table).

#2) LEARN HOW TO BACK UP.

It is an invaluable skill for getting onto a ramp or into a parking space.

#3) TAKE THE KEY *OUT* OF YOUR ECV EVERY TIME YOU STOP.

This will do two very important things:

- It will save your battery charge.

- It will keep you from going *flying* if somebody accidentally touches the "gas". Scooter controls are on the handlebars. You may find yourself zooming forward (or *backward*, which is worse!) if someone - and it doesn't have to be the driver - touches the control.

#4) BRING YOUR OWN KEYRING.

I use a plastic coil-type wrist band with a large cartoon character on it. I slip it over my wrist whenever I leave the scooter. It helps me keep track of the key, and it makes it easier to find the key if I set it down.

#5) PREPARE YOURSELF MENTALLY.

- For others:

If you don't usually have wheels, you may feel uneasy about using a scooter or chair. You may imagine that people think you are faking an illness or injury - especially if you "look OK" and are able to leave your chair or scooter and walk around. You may want to prepare an answer "just in case"; though I have found that looking people directly in the eye and giving them a big *smile* wards off any problem with adults. If a child asks me, "What's wrong with you?", I answer "I hurt my back and it's hard for me to walk a lot." You alone must decide what information you want to share.

- For yourself and your family:

Be realistic. Even if you feel pretty good, you may not be able to handle the physical demands of a day at a theme park. I have to remind myself that I can do a certain amount on my own two feet, or I can do a whole lot *more* if I use the wheels. Don't let pride wear you out.

#6) MENTION THE SCOOTER/CHAIR WHEN YOU MAKE HOTEL RESERVATIONS.

Even if you don't need a handicapped *room*, be sure to mention that you will have a scooter or wheelchair - and specify *which*. We've been assigned a second floor room in a place that didn't have an elevator; someone else was assigned a room where she couldn't get the scooter through the door (a wheelchair would have fit).

#7) A WELL-PLACED TOWEL IS A DEFINITE MUST

One major tip overlooked on your site is the placing of a towel or other absorbent material on the seat and/or seatback for comfort. As anyone who has sat on a plastic surface in hot, humid weather will tell you, standing up without leaving a few layers of epidermis on the seat is next to impossible. (Beth Christie)

** Is it a real inconvenience to ride around in a scooter all day? Would it really be realistic to plan WDW as our big vacation?

I think it is much more *convenient* than an inconvenience! If you go at a busy time, it is a pain to drive in the crowds. If you are traveling alone, it can be a bother to deal with doors and counter service restaurants, etc. But yes, it *is* realistic to plan a WDW trip on wheels.

You may have to plan on going slower and doing less. You may have longer waits for accessible transportation. Know your physical capabilities and limitations, study the layout of the parks, become familiar with the attractions and decide what you want to see and do, and then *go*!

** You said in one trip report that the battery died... (and) the WDW scooter rental will recharge your personal scooter for free. Can you get your scooter recharged other places too? Did you ever try to recharge while eating? How long does the battery hold a charge? Should we plan to stop a couple of times during the day for recharging? Doesn't recharging take a long time? I thought it was an overnight thing.

A lot depends on the size and type of scooter, and how fast you drive. WDW scooters are large, 4-wheeled machines, and they seem to run all day with no problem (remember, they only operate at slow speed). I rent a small, 3-wheeled type that can be taken apart and stowed in a car trunk. Those batteries seem to last about 6 hours when fully charged. Remembering to take the key out whenever you stop, and driving slowly will stretch your "mileage".

I don't think you need to worry about recharging it during meals. I have not tried recharging in the parks; though I did start wondering about that on my last trip. Unless there is something wrong with the machine, it will not just *stop* and leave you sitting. (I had a "lemon" of a scooter that time, and when I called Care they replaced it within a few hours.) There is a charge indicator guage on the controls, and when it gets into the "yellow" zone and starts to run slower you need to start thinking about plugging in.

Overnight (4-6 hours) will fully recharge the batteries. As little as 1/2 hour will get you back on the road. If you need to take a break during the day, just plug it in then and you'll both be ready to go later on. If you're able to be out and about all day long, plan to park your buggy someplace near an outlet while you are at a meal or show.

** We will have a minivan. Is the scooter difficult for a single (non-disabled) adult to maneuver in and out of the van?

Difficult, but not impossible. You can disassemble the scooter and lift the pieces in one by one. The seat comes off, the steering mechanism folds down, the two batteries come off, and on some models the chassis can be separated into two parts. Each piece can weigh around 20-35 lbs. I won't tell you that it would be easy, just possible. You can lift the whole thing into the back of the van - though this would certainly take two strong people.

When we had a rental van, we would remove the batteries (they are the heaviest part) and lift the rest into the cargo area. When we had a car, we took off the seat and the batteries, folded down the steering column, and lifted the chassis into the trunk. Each time it was accomplished by an adult male and a young teenager.

** When we were in WDW last, the monorail did not seem too scooter-friendly. How was your experience?

I have an awful time backing down the ramp to get *off* the monorail. The ramp is just barely wide enough for the scooter. I have no trouble driving straight up and getting on, but when it comes time to get off, I get flustered - and I've been doing this for 4 trips now! Advice? Practice backing up in a straight line, drive slow, and let people help "spot" for you.

** Did you take (the rental) with you to the parks on this last trip, or did you rent a WDW scooter inside the park again?

Both. If we knew we were going to park-hop, we took the scooter since the parks run out of rental units early in the day. Only the three main parks have scooters to rent, so when we went to Pleasure Island and the Marketplace, we took ours. Sometimes the hassle of transporting it seemed too much, so we would rent one at the park - yes, we know we were paying "double". Sometimes we rented a regular wheelchair.

I felt well enough to walk around Blizzard Beach (though it is quite accessible), so we did not take it there. It is also handy to have if you plan to go off-site (SeaWorld and Universal also rent scooters).

I did use it every day, to get around at the resorts - it's a wonderful thing to have when it's time to do the laundry, and I found a place to recharge it while I waited for my wash! There was one afternoon late in our trip when the rest of the family was footsore and exhausted, and I had enough energy (and batteries!) to keep going and shop my way around World Showcase alone. :-)

** How do you deal with parking lot trams (TTC, Epcot, Studios...) when you arrive by car?

I have a handicap hang-tag (placard) for my car at home. I bring it with me to WDW, and we use it in our rental. That lets us park in the HC section. That puts you right up close at MGM and Blizzard Beach, as close as you're going to get with *any* form of Disney transportation. I honestly don't remember the Epcot situation, because we've been at the Beach Club our last 2 trips and you're "at" Epcot already.

The Magic Kingdom is a problem. The HC parking lot is not very close to the entrance gates, and there is no transportation. There *is* a little sign saying "There aren't any trams. Have a nice day." (well, something like that...) You have to walk quite a ways to get up to the rental counter. I've done it, but I send The Mr. on ahead to start filling out the paperwork for me. He's usually got it all done by the time I get there. (And I'm usually beat.)

If you park in the regular lot, you could end up being a *long* way from where the trams stop.

WITH your own wheelchair (you can rent from CARE Med or from WDW *resorts*), if you can step onto the tram, just fold up your chair and board with everybody else. It's no worse than a stroller, honestly! (Aside: I'm a Mom, and I cannot *believe* the size of the *chariots* that some people drag around with them!)

WITHOUT your own chair, I'd tell the Parking Lot CMs that you need to be on the end of the row near a tram stop, and *why*.

Of course, if you have the ECV, you just drive, and you can take a regular wheelchair on any monorail or bus (and most boats).

** When we rented a chair at WDW it was often "missing" after we came out of a ride. Any good anti-theft meaures you know of?

Hmmm... I've never had that problem. I usually have a scooter, and though you can *move* it w/o the key, it isn't very appealing to *steal* if you have to push it. Never had a standard chair disturbed.

Three things come to mind - one is to remember that cast members sometimes move chairs & strollers while you are on the ride. I'd ask the CM where it might be - with a big smile and my "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for this apparent screw-up" tone of voice, of course. ;-)

The other thing I heard on RADP was that people with really expensive strollers sometimes bring bike locks. There is some controversy about it; fire laws and all.

Lastly, (another a stroller trick) hang something noticeable and unappealing on the chair. One of the guidebooks even gives directions for making a fake "dirty diaper" with rootbeer! That way someone is less likely to make the honest mistake of grabbing the wrong one - and might just think for that split second before making the dis-honest mistake.

Deb Adds: (9/97) -- RADPer Linda sent me information she obtained when inquiring about a wheelchair at the resort she was staying in. Disney informed her that wheelchairs are available for your entire length of stay. If you would like to make arrangements, please call the front desk at four to five days prior to your arrival. There is no cost to rent a wheelchair from the resorts, however, a credit card number will be required.

In addition to the resort hotels, wheelchairs are also available at the theme parks. Wheelchairs may be rented in each of our three theme parks (at the designated stroller/wheelchair rental location) for >$5 per day, plus a $1 refundable deposit. Should you wish to visit more than one park in a given day, simply retain your wheelchair receipt and present it at the second park to obtain another wheelchair at no additional cost. Your $1 deposit will be returned when turning-in your wheelchair at the last park visited.

ECVs (or motorized wheelchairs) can be rented at the parks for $30.00 with a $10.00 key deposit. You should note that ECV availability is limited...and if you are not at the park in the morning and it's crowded, there is no guarantee one will be available for rent.

Mark Adds: (1/98): I traveled with my son and wife, both of whom are disabled. We were in room 1020 (with disabled-equipped bathroom), which is down beyond the Roaring Forks snack bar. The room was a bit smaller than what I expected, but if I compare it to most rooms I've encountered in national park lodges, it was roomy and well- equipped. The location was quite good, as we were fairly central to the boat dock, pool, and lobby area. We had a "woods view", which was actually quite delightful. Our patio overlooked a small pond (which attracted cranes and ducks), and provided a quiet area to retreat to after busy days at the theme parks. We found the Disney transportation to be very reliable and accommodating. We had no trouble getting the wheelchair and electric scooter into the boat to the Magic Kingdom (even though there was a sign warning that changes in the level of the lake may make it inaccessible to wheelchairs), and every bus that we encountered was equipped with a wheelchair lift.

Good luck & God bless to all of you - Beth Floro

Where to find information/reports on wheelchair/scooter/electric convenience vehicle (ECV) touring:

Doris Burns offers her February 2001 experience and tips for touring Epcot in an ECV.

Lisa Pooh's August 2000 Report highlighting Ft. Wilderness and Disney transportation

Glenda Bowen's April 2000 Report of WDW and Ft. Wilderness

Karen and Joseph Plescia visited WDW in December 1999 and stayed at the Wilderness Lodge. They encountered some problems....read their report to learn more.

Marie Kuhn shares her experiences after 8 days at the All Star Resort and touring the Disney Parks

Questions about Mobility at Disney's New Animal Kingdom? Read gardenia's mobility report!

Questions about the accessibility of the Ft. Wilderness Homes? Check out the Fort Wilderness Fact Sheet

Disney's Official Web Site - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/waltdisneyworld/index

Two reports: "Touring WDW in a Scooter - Part I" and "WDW From the Wheelchair Perspective - Part II"

Disney pamphlet "Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities" - ( DL or WDW )

Peter Smith's book Handicapped in WDW: A Guide for Everyone (c. 1993). The general info is good, though the ride specifics are dated.

Rec.Arts.Disney.Parks (RADP) and Alt.Disney.Disneyland (ADD) regulars.

This FAQ is authored Beth Floro, edited by Deb Wills and copyright 1997-2005. Please note this information is subject to change without notice. Please call WDW direct or visit their web pages to confirm before your visit. The author of this document/website shall not be held liable for any information (valid or invalid) presented here and are not employed by nor represent the Walt Disney Company in any manner. This FAQ may be reproduced for your personal use only provided the entire document (including this copyright section) is copied along with it and the document is not altered in any way; however it may not be reproduced on another website/internet site without expressed written permission. This document may not be sold or used in any publication that is for sale without permission of the author. All rights are reserved by the author. Walt Disney World and its theme parks, events, attractions and area names are trademarks of The Walt Disney Company.