ECV users - favorite Deluxe? Favorite Moderate?

[ofcabbagesandkings]

Our next trip might include a family member who would require an ECV due to an old car accident injury. Looking at rack rate prices, since we'll be footing the bill for two rooms we might go with a moderate, unless I can get a great deal on a deluxe room. I'm guessing folks might say the best deluxe with an ECV is the Poly for monorail access, and possibly Caribbean Beach for Skyliner, but if I'm wrong and there are resorts that you would recommend (or avoid) please let me know! TIA and Happy Holidays!

 

[dreamer17555]

The Poly longhouse elevators are rather small and if not used to an EVC can be tricky. I think Yacht\ Beach are lovely and EVCs work well with friendship boats but the rooms can be cramped with an EVC. We had a very large standard room at Boardwalk that fit an EVC easily but I’m pretty sure it was an oversized room- not normal

 

[eeyoreandtink]

I have only stayed at the pop with a ECV, but my best advice would be to request a ground floor room wherever you are and note that you have party member with an ECV when making the request. So much easier than using the elevator, particularly at moderates where you can just roll out of your room and into the sidewalk.

 

[pearlieq]

We had our easiest ECV experiences at BLT and French Quarter. Having a smaller scale resort made for quicker trips for food/recreation/transport with less chance for obstacles and fatigue/frustration. The new tower at Coronado might be nice too, especially given that it should have many and big elevators since it's new construction, but we haven't tried it yet.

Polynesian wasn't bad either, but we usually took the walking path to the TTC instead of getting the monorail at the GCH. We found the ferry to be easier and calmer for getting to MK and eliminating the transfer to the EPCOT line made for a smoother trip. Plus the elevators at the GCH are small and few for the amount of traffic they're expected to carry.

Our worst experiences were at Boardwalk Villas and the Beach Club. The problem there was looooooong hallways with plush carpet. It felt like forever to get to anything and it killed the ECV batteries like nobody's business.

 

[mamabunny]

Ordinarily, I would advocate for POR/POFQ in the Mod category, with an edge to POFQ due to the overall smaller size of the resort grounds. But, that's not an option to book right now so...

I would actually propose that (depending on the number of people in your party) a FW cabin might actually be a good option. There are FW cabins with ramps to the deck, and roll-in showers if needed, and there is more than enough space to park an ECV inside and charge it up every night. Although you have to take a bus to get to the main transportation hub at FW, we *always* enjoy our stays there. Everyone is so friendly, and we love the walk back through the loop at night when all of our neighbors are sitting out on their decks, waving and hollering "Hi!"

In the Deluxe category, I would suggest WL - again, a smaller (footprint) resort, and we have found that we rarely have to worry about not having enough "spots" on the buses to load an ECV, unlike some Mod resorts where there are multiple bus stops, and you may have to wait for 2 or even 3 buses to get a mobility device boarded. WL also has boat service to MK which is (typically) accessible with a mobility device as well.

I've been using mobility devices at WDW for many years now - Feel free to come and visit us over on the DISabilities forum here at the DISboards - we can answer any questions your relative may have about using an ECV at WDW

 

[Shellyred8]

I would vote for BLT, if budget allows. The elevators are big there and there are more of them than in most other places. There are two sets of elevator banks and each bank has 3 elevators. You can walk/roll to MK or take the monorail.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The BLT studio will be really small. You'd need a two bedroom and leave it in the living room or entry way.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

What about Swan and Dolphin? It just occurred to me that we could use points to book there and still be walking/boat distance to Epcot and HS.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

Ugh I just saw that the Swan and Dolphin switched to Mears buses instead of the regular WDW buses, and only 10% of Mears buses are wheelchair/ECV accessible. I guess we could walk to the Yacht club's bus stop if they're not going to be checking magic bands to make sure you are a Yacht club guest (which, given that people use WDW buses to dine at different resorts, wouldn't make sense, but you never know).

 

[mamabunny]

Ugh I just saw that the Swan and Dolphin switched to Mears buses instead of the regular WDW buses, and only 10% of Mears buses are wheelchair/ECV accessible. I guess we could walk to the Yacht club's bus stop if they're not going to be checking magic bands to make sure you are a Yacht club guest (which, given that people use WDW buses to dine at different resorts, wouldn't make sense, but you never know).

Yeah... you *could* but that might get real old before the end of the trip.

Also, not sure where the Swalphin buses are dropping off/picking up at the Parks right now? I don't know if they have still have a "gate" like regular Disney Resort Hotels, or if they are out on the tarmac...

There is no "perfect" hotel at WDW, because they all have different things that make them compelling to different people. A great example is Boardwalk, Yacht & Beach - I adore the theming there, and have spent many happy hours at Boardwalk especially, but as @pearlieq said above, the long hallways with thick carpeting causes mobility devices of all kinds (motorized or self-propelled) to struggle. But I will still happily stay there... because at the end of the day, I will be at Disney World. And even the worst day at Disney is better than any day *not* at Disney!

It's easy to get overwhelmed with choices when looking at Resorts, and when you are traveling with a mobility device it can feel like a whole new wrinkle.

One last thought from me - there are some other "interesting" choices at WDW for your group. One is the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs - they are charming, and full of Disney history, and truly a unique experience.

The other is the AOA Family Suites. They are heavily themed, but offer two Value hotels rooms as one suite, and probably the biggest bonus in my mind - *2 bathrooms*! They are actually about the same square footage as the FW Cabins, and you have the Skyliner near by.

Do let us know what you decide to do, but I'm sure that wherever you stay, you will still have a Magical vacation

 

[rtilner]

Which ever hotel you choose request a ground or first floor room.

 

[olwyngdh]

As an ECV user who now has a husband that also uses one I would never stay at any resort that has multiple bus stops because the chance that you can not get on a bus is way too high. My inlaws used to stay at CBR and often had multiple busses that could not take them because of the ECVs. Our preference is Pop Century, ground floor. Yes, the rooms are smaller, but with the configuration now of the table bed and the move to queen size beds as well as the skyliner there isn't another resort that can offer the convenience or bang for the buck.