Help: Getting on and off monorial (and launch) with ECV...

[Puffy2]

I've heard some say they wished they backed the ECV on the buses first instead of driving on straight - can anyone give advice about this witht the monorail or launches? We'll be at the Poly and going to MK and Epcot.
From what I rememeber, it may be best to back on at the Poly in order to drive straight off at the MK, but drive straight on at the MK to go back to the Poly (and drive straight off). Is this right??? I have no clue about Epcot.
Know it's picky info but does anyone have any advice?
What about the launches from Poly to MK? Never used them.

 

[SueM in MN]

The only part I can help you with is a little about the motor launches. There are times where the water level is too high or too low for an ecv to go on the motor launches. The level of the dock compared to the boat level may be too high or low for an ecv or wheelchair to get on the boat.
This is more a problem in the big lake by MK (BAY LAKE) than it is on the waterways in other parts of the parks. My understanding is that they can control the level of the other waterways thru use of small dams, etc, but the level of Bay Lake is more up to nature.
We have taken my dd's wheelchair on all the boats at WDW at various times and think you would be best pulling on to the boat so you can see where you are going. Most of the boats appear to have ample room for turning once you are on so you can pull straight off too.

SueM in MN
Co-Moderator of disABILITIES

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[Pat]

I head into the monorail. The ramp heads up and it would be harder to back up a hill. You do have to pull into a special space. Then, when we stop, most of the time I have someone watch me back off, although I can do it myself as I have done it so many times. The first time is the scariest - then it becomes pretty easy as you realize you have some control and you won't fall off the ramp.

The boat assessibility to MK does depend on the height of the water. If the boat can be used, we like to use it as there is a lot more room.

Pat

 

[Puffy2]

Pat, Is there anything "scary" about going down the ramps at the monorail stations?

 

[SueM in MN]

The monorail ramps to get into and out of the station at MK are very steep. My dd is somewhat uneasy about going down thenm in her wheelchair.È

SueM in MN
Co-Moderator of disABILITIES

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[Puffy2]

Sue, it is still safe isn't it, to ride the ECV down the ramps at the MK - scary maybe but doable??

 

[SueM in MN]

People do it and i'm sure it is safe. I am the kind of chicken who goes down hills on my bicycle with the brakes on. i'm sure you will get comments form people who use ecvs on these ramps that will ease your mind.

SueM in MN
Co-Moderator of disABILITIES

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[Michigan]

A manual chair would tip before an EVC would and my girls do fine going down in their chairs. However it would be great if they would put an elevator or lift at the MK station.

A Bigger problem then the hill will be getting a CM to put the ramp down for you to get on the monorail. We rode it twice during our last 11 day trip. The first time, the CM put it down no problem at the TTC but no one was there to put it down when we got to MK so I bumped the girls off. Going back from MK to TCC there was no CM to help at either station. The second time at the TTC even though the first people waiting for the monorail was my family with 2 wheelchair and another family with a power wheelchair, the CM left us waiting there because a woman I would say was in her late 30's told the CM she would just die if she didn't get to ride in the front car so off they went. I once again bumped by kids up and the family in the other wheelchair car got the ramp themselves so the power chair could get on. If we hadn't taken matters into our own hands we would have been left at the station.

I think Wheelsie had the same problem because we were talking about it at the DIS meet.

My advice to you is be sure you have someone with you that can get the ramp off the side of the fence next to the wheelchair car on the monorail or you won't get on with an EVC.

 

[Puffy2]

I noticed this my last stay. Sometimes there was an attendant and sometimes there was not. I asked a guy at the Poly what do you do and he told me "tell the attendant at the station where you get on where you will be getting off and they radio ahead to the next attendant that you will need help getting off". They should watch out for this sort of thing more.
Can you move an EVC without driving it??

 

[lisapooh]

Yes you can push the ECV. There is a latch that discconnects the drive apparatus that you need to move so you can do this. On my old ECV it was in the back under the cover. On my Jazzy power chair it is in the front and is 2 levers that can be turned. One for each side.
Getting on monorails. Drive straight on, back off, Boats of accessible the same. Buses back on, forward off.
Not all boats are accessible. MK is the big problem.

For my Jazzy forward on and turn around in the monorail and you can go forward off! Bus back on only so the driver doesn't catch your toes with the lift but either way works.

Pooh

 

[Puffy2]

Pooh,
Would you suggest then, forward on at the MK monorail, try to turn it around and forward off? Are the ramps (leading down to the park entrance) at the MK too steep or did you do ok with the ECV?Puffy

 

[lisapooh]

Forward onto the monorail then back off. AN ECV can't do what my Jazzy can. Jazzy is a power wheelchair not an ECV. No problem with the ramps at all at MK and EPCOT. It goes up and down just fine. If it is crowded going from MK to TTC just take the resort monorail instead of the express.

Pooh

 

[Pat]

Once you are on the monorail with the ECV, there is not enough room to turn it around. I head in on the monorail and then back off. I am almost always with someone so they can make sure a CM puts out the ramp. They also make sure I am headed straight back. If you head on, just put it in reverse and you will go back the way you came on. If it looks like you might not be headed straight, your extra person can warn you to straighten things out. That is usually not a problem.

Yes, the ECV's can be moved without the power. We pushed mine all the way in from the parking lot at Epcot to the entrance. We had plugged in the battery in our house the night before. For some reason, I had taken out the key and put it in my bedroom. I forgot the key the next day. Once we got to the parking lot and my son-in-law got the ECV all hooked up, no key. We pushed the ECV (with me walking) into the park while my son-in-law very graciously went back to the house for my key. The rest of my family started on their Epcot adventure while I waited for my key. Once I got the key, we hooked up with the rest of them via our two way radios.

I find that I head onto the boat and then either head out or back out, depends on what boat and which way we land.

The first time I went down the ramp I was a little bit aprehensive, but once I found out it was easy, it was no problem. I even did the jaunt with just one of the grandchildren.

Just one more piece of advice. The first year I used one, once in a while the connection would come loose, and I would stop. Once my son-in-law showed me what to do, I was on my way again. The next year I did not have that problem.

Pat

 

[Puffy2]

Pat, what connection? and thank you for all the info.