What is going on with ECV - policy change Nov 1. 2012

[lanejudy]

Originally Posted by peemagg

I think they have Walker confused with Randy's. Randy's is the one that has always met with the customer before turning over their scooter.

Ah, thank you...I was confusing Walker with Randy's. Thanks for the clarificaiton. Please disregard my prior post. Not sure why Walker wouldn't be preferred as I know they are well-regarded. Maybe they'll be added to the list at some point.

[mommom2]

Originally Posted by Disneypubgal

Just received a call from my ecv rental guy about my Feb 2013 trip and he said he can no longer drop ECV off with bell hop prior to my arrival (flight gets in at MCO at 6pm)... that we would have to wait until the next day for it to be dropped off!!

He said that Disney will only allow certain providers to drop off day of and that the others needed to give scooter directly to guests.... This is not fair!! Especially for guests arriving late in the day!

Call BW this morning and was told that if utilized a Disney sponsored provider that I could have scooter dropped off and stored with Bell service until we arrive. The approved provider is considerably more expensive!

Same happened to me for November. Using Disney approved provider is costing me LOT more, even with 10% discount!!

[Checkers]

Have read this thread with great interest as my DH uses a scooter when we are at WDW. He cannot walk long distances as he has breathing problems as well as arthritic knees. We have always rented from Apple and I am relieved it is on the approved vendor list. We have always tipped bell services for their service and are glad to do so. Thanks to all who posted their findings and will be looking for the new Sticky on this (thanks, SueM). Our next visit is in mid-Dec.

[Andianna]

Thanks Sue for the info you give on this site. I had reserved two scooters from a non-Disney approved scooter vendor. I called Apple and asked a few questions because the other vendor discontinued carrying the go go lite scooters and Apple carries them. We prefer them over other models. I spoke with Alex who informed me that they had to go through an intense evaluation from Disney for almost a year to become an approved provider. Which I thought was very interesting. We did book from them as they had our preferred choice of scooter and we found the price equal to the other vendor. The other vendor did offer to upgrade us to another model at a reduced price however we preferred to have our scooter waiting for us versus setting up a meet and greet to receive our scooter and another to return it.

[SueM in MN]

Originally Posted by Checkers

Have read this thread with great interest as my DH uses a scooter when we are at WDW. He cannot walk long distances as he has breathing problems as well as arthritic knees. We have always rented from Apple and I am relieved it is on the approved vendor list. We have always tipped bell services for their service and are glad to do so. Thanks to all who posted their findings and will be looking for the new Sticky on this (thanks, SueM). Our next visit is in mid-Dec.

I added the information about the new ECV/wheelchair policy to post 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.

I will also add a link to this thread in the same place.

[heartpooh]

I have rented a scooter since 2008 from Scooter Vacations. I rent the dream and some of the bus drivers have been very rude about me using the bus. I can get it on the bus with no problem, especially the newer busses you just have to drive up the ramp. Does the policy say that we can't use the dream anymore?!?! I am confused because it is not a model you can transport n a car?!? I love this particular scooter because I am a big gal (over 6 foot tall) and the regular scooters cramp my legs up
I am going to be so disappointed if I can't use this scooter model anymore...

[SueM in MN]

Originally Posted by heartpooh

I have rented a scooter since 2008 from Scooter Vacations. I rent the dream and some of the bus drivers have been very rude about me using the bus. I can get it on the bus with no problem, especially the newer busses you just have to drive up the ramp. Does the policy say that we can't use the dream anymore?!?! I am confused because it is not a model you can transport n a car?!? I love this particular scooter because I am a big gal (over 6 foot tall) and the regular scooters cramp my legs up
I am going to be so disappointed if I can't use this scooter model anymore...

You can use it, although it is big and is actually larger than the ramps, lifts and securement devices on some of the buses were designed for.

The biggest issue was the lift buses - it was not supposed to be on those at all because of the size and weight. Both were more than the lift could handle. Those buses are old and are being phased out, so you may not run into them often.
There are different designs of ramp buses and it may not fit on all of them. If the bus that comes is a lift bus or the scooter won't fit, ask the driver to call for another bus that it will fit on.

One of the reasons that some drivers don't like the Dream scooter was the instructions the company gave for using it on buses.
For the buses with lifts, the instructions said to back up until you hit the back of the lift. THen stop and turn the front wheel sideways to fit inside the box. I have heard that doing this was damaging the lifts (which were already old). Because of the size, it may also prevent another ECV or wheelchair from being loaded, when the bus would otherwise hold a total of 2 or 3.

[lanejudy]

Originally Posted by heartpooh

I have rented a scooter since 2008 from Scooter Vacations. I rent the dream and some of the bus drivers have been very rude about me using the bus. I can get it on the bus with no problem, especially the newer busses you just have to drive up the ramp. Does the policy say that we can't use the dream anymore?!?! I am confused because it is not a model you can transport n a car?!? I love this particular scooter because I am a big gal (over 6 foot tall) and the regular scooters cramp my legs up
I am going to be so disappointed if I can't use this scooter model anymore...

There is nothing in the new policy banning use of this scooter, however I believe it is an over-sized scooter based on the regulations of what fits on a bus. There is a sticky at the top of this forum about policy for scooters and wheelchairs on buses. They must fit inside the 30" x 48" box. That's why you've had trouble with the buses.

[SueM in MN]

Originally Posted by lanejudy

There is nothing in the new policy banning use of this scooter, however I believe it is an over-sized scooter based on the regulations of what fits on a bus. There is a sticky at the top of this forum about policy for scooters and wheelchairs on buses. They must fit inside the 30" x 48" box. That's why you've had trouble with the buses.

Yes - there are boxes painted at all the resort bus stops that show the 'box' the scooter need to be able to fit into.

lanejudy is correct - there is a sticky at the top of this board about the policy for ECV size. That is not a new policy; if I remember correctly, it's about 2 yrs old.

[SueM in MN]

Here's more information about the Dream Scooter - from the manufacturer
http://www.evrider.com/sport-rider-e...c-scooter.html

That website used to say that they were called the Metro because they were perfect for getting around town and fitting on buses, subway trains, etc.
The company that makes them removed that information about 2 years ago and I believe they now call them "Community Mobilizers".

The company that rents them at Orlando makes some modifications to them - I think they made the basket smaller and added tie down points.

The weight is still a consideration. The device itself weighs a lot more than most scooters (410 to 430 pounds). Add the weight of the driver plus the things being carried and it is easy to get up higher than the weight the ramps and tiedown points on the bus are rated for.
Some of the ramps are rated for 700 pounds, so it is easy to see how the Dream with a rider can get much heavier than that.

[Ali and boyz]

can I ask is it just ECV's that comes under the new policy or does it also affect say hoyer lifts. read on another forum all medical equipment so panicing a bit

[SueM in MN]

Originally Posted by Ali and boyz

can I ask is it just ECV's that comes under the new policy or does it also affect say hoyer lifts. read on another forum all medical equipment so panicing a bit

Well, the most frequent rental place people used for other medical equipment was CARE, which is one of the preferred providers according to everything I have read, so if you use CARE, it would not matter anyway.

The information I had been given by some inside sources just included wheelchairs and ECVs. I have not heard anything beyond those items. (Although I have heard that strollers will eventually be included).

Even if it is other medical equipment, it's not that they can't come onto Disney property, it's just that they will need to arrange for pick up and delivery.
For bigger things, like hospital beds, they had to work through Housekeeping anyway, so probably would just continue that.

[going/again]

Originally Posted by disney david

This has nothing to do with customer service Disney dose not have to let any company on their property. Yes as other said it a little about money but mostly about security and not having to have their cms deal with it since they not making any money off it. Disney is private property so yes they can basically tell you who you can order from all their saying is the other company can't drop off and have bell services hold them. Their not stopping them from making delivers directly to the guest.

Mostly about Security? in what way as anyone can get on to any Disney property.

[cmwade77]

Actually, I think this is more about liability than anything else. I know this example is in California, but it still applies.

We went to PCH Grill at Paradise Pier hotel for dinner last might and were say by the supervisors for guest relations. They were dealing with an issue where a broke off the key to a privately owned ECV when bringing it back to the person on a ride and couldn't figure out the manual release. It became a huge mess that they spent probably about 45 minutes coordinating with various departments to fix. So my guess is that these preferred vendors may need to provide operating instructions to Disney for the models they rent, maybe even give some training on them. It sounded like they were mostly concerned about getting the guests ECV back to their vehicle, but that Disney was going to have to pay all repair costs, including if they broke it any further.

Avoiding situations like this is what actually makes the most sense as to why they would implement this kind of policy.

[disney david]

Originally Posted by going/again

Mostly about Security? in what way as anyone can get on to any Disney property.

Yes your right but this will limit it and lays I out what will happen if Disney catch their employees where they shouldn't be.