I vote for the
ECV. Here's why:
- First of all, no one has to push you.
You are also free to go where/when you please, so if you are an early riser, and like to get over to the QS at your Resort for that first cup of coffee... away you go!
- You will find that an ECV will likely have a better cushioned and supported seat for your back. Wheelchairs have a "sling" seat, and that could actually cause you more discomfort without the addition of a thick gel cushion. Gel cushions are great, but in the summer heat, I'm not sure how comfortable that would be, and if it would lose some of it's supporting ability.
- You wlll be able to drive the ECV through almost every queue at WDW, and through nearly everywhere else. There are a few rides: POTC and Buzz at MK come readily to mind - but overall, anywhere you can walk, you can ECV.
A few quick tips:
- 3 wheel or 4 wheel is a personal preference. My personal device is 3 wheel - it is much more nimble, and I can turn on a dime. Some folks around here think that 3 wheels are too "tippy"; I have never personally had that problem, but YMMV. 4 wheels do tend to have better seats, and that may be the deciding factor for you - you need a good seat bottom on whatever device you rent.
- take along a brightly colored bandana to tie onto your rental ECV; it will allow you to find it quicker in a sea of similar devices.
- grab a towel from your Resort room to cover the seat whenever you park it - black vinyl gets HOT in the Florida summer sun! Some
ECVs have seat backs that can be folded down; ask your rental representative.
- Be sure to take along the phone number and other pertinent info for your rental vendor in the contacts on your phone - that way if there is a problem, you can call them.
- Meet the rental vendor at your Resort, and ask about any special features, or how-to's they have for the device.
- Take a bit of time (15 minutes or less is usually all it takes) at the Resort to practice driving your rental. Go up and down curb cuts, make tight turns, practice backing up and parallel parking.
- When it is time to board the bus, look for the white painted rectangle on the ground at the bus stop. Park in that box (or behind it/beside it if there is another person there already). When the bus comes, if it is NOT your bus, let the drive know by shaking your head, and if it IS your bus, give them a smile and a thumbs up!
- Board the bus by driving STRAIGHT up the ramp, slowly. Tell the driver it's your first time driving the ECV on to the bus, and they will be helpful and guide you through the process. Once you are at the top of the ramp, inside the bus, you will turn RIGHT, and then basically back into - or parallel park - in the space the drive indicates. It's not hard, and you will get the hang of it quickly, I'm sure!
- In the parks, just watch out for little kidlets who don't understand the laws of physics, and that you can't stop on a dime. They have a tendency to dart right out in front of ECVs. Larger size adult humans also have a tendency to walk either right in front of you, or sometimes, literally INTO you - so flanking your family around you as a "buffer" in crowded areas will be helpful. People don't really do it on purpose - everyone at WDW is on *their own vacation*, and so they are typically just quite self-absorbed.
- There's TONS more advice, but probably the greatest tip I can give you is this: Just remember that you are using that ECV as a tool, nothing more. Your current situation with your back is what we around here call an "invisible disability" - people can't see that you have a problem. That's OK, just focus on having fun with your family! The ECV will take you much further every day than you can go on your own, and it will allow you to keep up with them easily.
Best wishes for a great trip, and speedy healing!
