MK: Where do you pick-up a 1-day wheelchair ECV?

[4kids4karen]

Just preparing for our trip Monday. It's a 1 day trip, driving over from Tampa for the day, trying to get there are rope drop, hoping to stay all day. Where do you pick up the ECV / wheelchairs (if available, hoping so)? Is it inside MK or at the transportation center before getting on the monorail/ferry?

DH has a medical issue flare up where he can't put weight on one leg, was using an all terrain knee scooter and now his knee issue has flared up. I have ordered crutches from Amazon that will hopefully be here before our 1-day trip.

Trying to figure out logistics of from the car, to the location where we need to get the ECV or wheelchair. Also, need to mentally prepare DH for how long he will have to use the crutches to get to the ECV/wheelchair.

This is a big trip that we were able to snag only 1-day at MK with his great nieces (who are flying in from out of state) so cancelling is not an option. DH doesn't mind missing out on rides, but wants to be there with his niece and great nieces.

We don't have a vehicle that we can rent one here and transport, we would have to rent a vehicle to make that happen.

 

[gap2368]

Right when you enter the MK on the right just before going under the train station



If parking in the handicap/ medical over flow lot. they do some times have wheelchair available so you cn get to the gate for a wheelchair

 

[lanejudy]

You might consider dropping him off at the TTC (with others?) and then swinging back around to park and meet up in the park or entrance area. There currently are no trams servicing the parking lot. There might be a wheelchair to borrow to get from HA/medical parking to the entrance, but that can be hit or miss.

 

[Koda]

Does the wheelchair rental place open up before park opening? So if we get there early enough, we can get the wheelchair and be in the park in a timely manner?

 

[Lewisc]

Does the wheelchair rental place open up before park opening? So if we get there early enough, we can get the wheelchair and be in the park in a timely manner?

As per a PP the place that rents scooters, ECV etc is inside the MK gates. You have to be physically in the park.
A long shot. Call scooterbug and see if you can reserve a scooter for pickup at a hotel.

 

[Selket]

Any chance you could borrow or rent a regular wheelchair from your hometown? You could put it in the trunk and park at the TTC and use it to get to the ECV rentals inside the park. You could park your borrowed/rented WC somewhere with other parked ECVs/WC/strollers for the day. This would save him some walking and you'd be sure to have a transport WC roundtrip to your car.

There are portable ECVs that are possible to break down and put in the trunk of the car - I don't know if there are any health issues that would make it difficult for you both to do that. You'd have to find a place to rent it in your hometown I think so you have it for the drive over to Orlando. The batteries for those may work longer the lighter weight the person is (I was told over 200lbs they don't recommend a portable at the time I rented one). YMMV on that one - but it would mean you could have to recharge it during the day.

 

[lanejudy]

Does the wheelchair rental place open up before park opening?

The wheelchair/ECV/stroller rental is open as soon as guests are allowed to enter the park. That is typically before official park opening time, but know that “rope drop” procedures have varied recently with guests held at certain locations before the rides. How long it will take depends on how many others want to rent that morning as well.

 

[4kids4karen]

I rented a push one here near my home in Tampa. I am not sure I want to park the rental one in a stroller parking area ALL day since if it disappears I will have to then buy it from the rental company.

 

[mamabunny]

I rented a push one here near my home in Tampa. I am not sure I want to park the rental one in a stroller parking area ALL day since if it disappears I will have to then buy it from the rental company.

Don't worry. It won't disappear. With all the rental ECVs our friends here in this little corner of the DIS use, you would think that - by now - someone would have had one stolen.

Nope. In all the years I have been (first lurking, now active) here, there has been exactly *1* case of "mistaken identity" where another ECV rental user accidentally took someone else's ECV. That's probably mostly because virtually all rental ECVs are keyed the same...

You can solve the problem of someone grabbing the wrong wheelchair by simply tying a length of bright, colorful ribbon onto one or both of the handlebars. Or, pop a Disney beach towel over the seat. Or string battery-operated lights on it. Shoot, just put a few colorful hair "scrunchies" on the handlebars, and call it good.

Remember that Cast Members *might* have to move the wheelchair around as they work to keep walkways and areas clear and tidy. That's another bonus to have a brightly colored ribbon or scrunchies on your handlebars - you can ask a CM "Hey, did you see the wheelchair with the BRIGHT green & yellow striped ribbon anywhere?" It makes it easier for them to remember.

Thousands of mobility devices are used all over WDW every day, with no problems

 

[Selket]

I rented a push one here near my home in Tampa. I am not sure I want to park the rental one in a stroller parking area ALL day since if it disappears I will have to then buy it from the rental company.

You said you were going on Monday so maybe you're already there today. Some rental companies (well all the ones I've every tried) would sell you insurance if it's stolen. For a manual WC I'd think it wouldn't add much $. That's just FYI when you go next time! Perhaps you're going to still rent the ECV and push your rented WC with you to different lands as you goo which isn't a bad idea since some rides you need to transfer to a WC anyway...plus it can hold all the shopping! Hope you have a great day!

 

[Spanky]

You could also try valet parking at the contemporary hotel. It is a much shorter walk to the entrance

 

[mamabunny]

You could also try valet parking at the contemporary hotel. It is a much shorter walk to the entrance

Pretty sure you can't just park at CR - even Valet parking - anymore. You have to have either a hotel reservation or a dining reservation, last I heard. Anyone else experience anything different recently?