What You Need to Know about Using a Wheelchair or ECV

When planning your trip to Disney, considering how you will adventure across the parks with a disability or injury can be a challenge. When thinking about using a wheelchair or ECV (Electric Conveyance Vehicles) there are many questions you may have. Do you want to bring your own or rent? Should you rent directly from Disney or an outside company? Will I be able to use Disney’s Transportation services? Here is some great information that can help you in deciding if using a wheelchair or ECV is right for you.

Should I rent a wheelchair or ECV?

When you are planning on spending the day at Disney parks one thing you can guarantee is you will be covering miles across the parks. You can easily walk over 20,000 steps in a day at Walt Disney World, which can equal out to over 10 miles. If walking can be a challenge for you, thinking about all the walking can be concerning. Here are some reasons you may want to rent a wheelchair or ECV:

  1. You have difficulty walking long distances
  2. You have a hard time standing for long periods of time
  3. You tire easily
  4. You have a hard time dealing with the Florida heat
  5. You have an injury that makes it hard to walk

Many people have a hard time deciding whether they want to use a wheelchair or ECV when going to Disney, but if you are dealing with anything that can make your day at Disney a little harder, it may be a good idea for you to rent one.  Renting a wheelchair or ECV can help you preserve energy and lessen pain to be able to make sure you don’t miss those magical Disney Fireworks!

Should I rent from Disney or use an outside vendor?

There are many factors that come in to play when deciding on whether to rent your wheelchair or ECV from Disney directly or from an outside vendor. Here is a great list of pros and cons you may want to consider before choosing which one you are going with.

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Renting from Disney Directly

Pros:

  • Renting from Disney, you do not have to worry about traveling to Florida with a wheelchair or ECV. Typically, it can be a real space saver when traveling. Whether flying or driving, you won’t have to worry about packing your device.
  • You do not have to transport your wheelchair or ECV from place to place. When renting from Disney, you will rent your device and when leaving the park, you will return it to where you rented it. If you are park hopping, you can go to the next park and show your receipt from that day, and they will give you another wheelchair or EVC at that park.
  • You can rent for the day or for the length of your stay.  When you are renting a wheelchair, you can save $2 a day by renting for the length of your stay.

Cons:

  • You must walk from the parking lot to the parks. Disney does offer complimentary transportation wheelchairs near parking lots and at the bus stops, but they can be hard to find and are not guaranteed to be available.
  • You cannot book ahead of time. Renting from Disney is a first-come, first-serve process, and you are not guaranteed availability.

Walt Disney World Pricing

ECVs:

Walt Disney World Theme Parks

  • $50 a day plus a $20 refundable deposit

Walt Disney World Water Parks and Disney Springs

  • $50 a day and a refundable $100 deposit is required at this location

Wheelchairs:

Walt Disney World Theme Parks

  • $12 a day
  • $10 a day if your rent for the length of your stay

Walt Disney World Water Parks and Disney Springs

  • Daily $12 with a refundable $100 deposit

Renting a Wheelchair or ECV from an Outside Vendor

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Pros:

  • You can take your wheelchair or ECV with you at any location on your vacation. If you are going to be visiting other areas in Central Florida, this may be the way you will want to go.
  • When you are renting from an outside vendor, you can plan and even have your device delivered to your hotel. They can also come pick it up at the end of your stay.
  • You can guarantee you will have a wheelchair or ECV and not have to worry about the Disney Parks running out.

Cons:

  • You will have to transport the wheelchair or ECV to each park. It can be difficult to transport a device from park to park and time consuming. This is something you may want to think about before renting from an outside vendor.
  • If you are renting from as outside vendor, you will have to make sure the wheelchair or ECV is within Disney’s maximum sizing for wheelchairs and ECVs.
  • You will have to store your wheelchair or ECV in your resort room. Disney Resorts do not allow you to leave them in the halls.

What Outside Vendor should I use?

There are many different businesses in the Central Florida area that offer wheelchair and ECV rentals. When looking for a rental service, make sure you ask yourself these questions:

  1. What is the price? Will it be cheaper to rent from Disney?
  2. Will they deliver the device to my hotel?
  3. Do they have the type of device I am looking for?
  4. Do the wheelchairs they offer fold up easily and travel well?

ScooterBug Rentals

Disney’s preferred vender they recommend using is ScooterBug Rentals. ScooterBug offers ECV, Wheelchair, and Stroller rentals. You can book your rental ahead of your visit so you can guarantee what you need is available.

Read More: Guide to Finding Turkey Legs at Disney World

They also offer delivery right to your Walt Disney World Resort. ScooterBug pricing starts out at $30 a day for ECV rentals and $12.50 a day for wheelchairs. This can be very convenient, as you do not have to wait in line at the parks for rentals or worry about returning them on your way out.

Buena Vista Rentals

Buena Vista Rentals is a local Equipment Rental Company that also rents out ECVs, wheelchairs and strollers. They have a 3-day minimum on rentals and can be a bit pricier, but they do offer many discounts and coupons, such as 10% off if you pick up the equipment yourself. They have a larger selection to choose from then most companies and deliver to Disney Resorts.

What do I need to know about using a Wheelchair or ECV at Walt Disney World?

Before you decide to use a wheelchair or ECV at Disney, here is some key information you will need to know:

  • You can bring your own, but it must be withing the 32’ x 52’ maximum size for use on the Disney Transportation System.
  • Wheelchairs and ECV’s are rented on a first-come, first-serve basis.
  • You must be 18 years old to rent a wheelchair or ECV and a photo ID is required.
  • You can transport your device from park to park using Disney Busses, Disney’s Monorail Services, and select Watercraft.
  • ECVs have a weight limit of 450 pounds.
  • Wheelchairs have a weight limit of 350 pounds.

Where can I rent a wheelchair or ECV from Disney?

If you are wanting to rent from Disney, each Disney Theme Park has a rental area conveniently located by the entrance of the park. This makes renting quick and easy to get to on your way in and out of the park. Before you leave the park, you will return your wheelchair or ECV rental from where your rented it. 

Can I take my rental on any attractions?

If you are using a wheelchair or ECV at Disney it is important that you know some of the attractions, you must transfer from your wheelchair/ECV to the ride vehicle. If that is something you are unable to do, here are just a few of the attractions you can remain in your wheelchair or ECV on:

Magic Kingdom

  • Jungle Cruise
  • Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
  • Country Bear Jamboree
  • Raft to Tom Sawyers Island
  • The Hall of Presidents
  • Liberty Square Riverboat
  • Mickey’s PhilharMagic
  • Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress
  • Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor

EPCOT

  • Advanced Training Lab
  • The Seas with Nemo & Friends
  • Journey into Imagination with Figment
  • ImageWorks- The “What If” Labs
  • Mexico Folk Art Gallery
  • The American Adventure
  • Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

  • Muppet Vision 3D
  • Voyage of the Little Mermaid
  • Fantasmic!
  • Star Wars Launch Bay
  • For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
  • Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

  • Tree of Life Garden
  • It’s Tough to be a Bug!
  • Festival of the Lion King
  • Dino-Sue
  • Finding Nemo- The Musical
  • Wildlife Express Train
  • Conservation Station

Disability Access Service (DAS)

Disney really does an amazing job at accommodating all guests and their needs. Disney also provides the DAS (Disability Access Service) program, which provides assistance for guests and their families with disabilities to navigate more easily throughout the parks. If you have a disability that prevents you from standing in line or traveling throughout the parks, you can pre-register with them ahead of time. They offer many ways to help you enjoy your day at the parks.

Planning your perfect trip to Walt Disney World can be something fun and exciting. We hope this guide has given you all the information you need to make a great decision on what will work perfectly for you on your next Disney Vacation. So, which will you be choosing, wheelchair or ECV? Renting from Disney or an outside vendor? Drop us a comment and let us know what you are planning and what worked well for you!

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