Please help w/renting ECV outside the parks

[DisneyObsessed]

I was going to rent 2 ECVs from Randy's Mobility in 2 weeks when we go to WDW. However, I'm hearing that I need to rent a different car from what I have reserved to fit them. Does anyone have experience with the "take apart" models, and how much room they take up? I need to know if I can fit my 2 kids (12 & 9) in the backseat of an Intrepid with part of the ECV. My father will have a smaller car but with only 2 people so he should be able to fit one in his car. I would really appreciate any help with this. Dad's getting nervous, seeing $$$ going higher.

 

[Puffy2]

Where are you staying? Of course if it's on site, you can have the ECV delivered to the hotel and picked up from the hotel.
But you probably know that.
I would call the ECV company and ask them how much room you need - they would know best.

 

[DisneyObsessed]

Hi. I'm having the ECVs delivered to our off site hotel, but I'm wondering about going to and from the parks each day. I was wondering if anyone out there had any personal experience with these.

 

[sweetp0618]

Dawn,

I apologize for not responding to your questions earlier. I think you've gotten the info you need from others, and I think you'll be glad to have rented the ECVs. My only concern since you are staying off-site is the need to disassemble and reassemble the carts. In our collective opinions they are very heavy even when taken apart piece by piece. Please make sure that you have someone with you who has good lifting capacity (it's a lot harder to get 40lbs. from the ground to the trunk than you would think). We tried to take it in the car with us once, but no one in our group was able to comfortably lift the parts into the trunk (bad backs, injured or too young). If you can lift the pieces into and out of the trunk you'll be fine. The other option is to check with your hotel to find out if their transportation to the parks will accomodate guests in wheelchairs or if they can recommend a way to get your family and carts to the parks without assembling/disassembling twice or more times a day. Since we were on-site my Mom was able to drive the ECV right onto Disney buses, monorails, boats, etc. with no problems. I don't know what your situation is, but if at all possible you may want to look into staying on-site. We stayed a couple of days at ASMo and they were wonderful to us. We didn't have to worry about first floor accommodations because there are elevators in every building. They also lent us a regular wheelchair (after leaving a cc deposit) for the week that we used to go to dinner and shopping.

Best of luck to you and happy planning!

Patti
sweetp0618

 

[DisneyObsessed]

Hi Patti and thanks for your reply. $$$is a big option since Dad is paying for this whole trip for 6 of us. Staying on site is not going to happen. (darn) We would have to take these apart each pm and put them back together each am to go to the parks. We had somewhat of a situation last year with the buses from the hotel, so driving to the parks is the way it will be. I do have my husband who can do the lifting. He might not be too thrilled about it. AT this rate, I'm really going to have to weight my options. Either we spend more $$ on a larger car to accomodate these, or we spend the extra $$ on renting them at the parks each day. It comes out to about the same amount. I guess the advantage of not having to worry if the parks are out of the ECVs would be a relief. I just didn't know how squished my kids would be in the back seat trying to share their seat with this piece of equipment. <IMG SRC="/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif" alt="confused">

 

[mhopset]

I don't think you will have to much trouble taking the ECV apart and puting it in the trunk. I know my ECV you cant put together in about 3 minutes. Believe it or not it fits in the trunk of a car better than it fits in my Ford Explorer.

 

[SueM in MN]

You could ask the company you are renting it from what the dimensions of each part are when it is taken apart. Then go to a car dealer of the type of car you are renting and see how the pieces will fit. You might also need to think about how well the pieces will stay in place in the back seat with the kids sitting next to it.

SueM in MN
Co-Moderator of disABILITIES

 

[DisneyObsessed]

Thanks all. I did call the company and they thought it would be uncomfortable. So Dad bit the bullet and we changed our reservation to a minivan. Now we'll be sure.

 

[SueM in MN]

Glad to hear that. You will all be more comfortable that way. When you pick up the van, if it is a Chrysler van, you can ask for a Grand Voyager. It's a bout 15 inches or so longer than a regular Voyager and will give you more room in the back portion.

SueM in MN
Co-Moderator of disABILITIES