What can I tell you? WDW is a lot bigger and has more parks. As a result, there IS a lot more “traveling” to do. At the same time, though, while things are DIFFERENT, I would not necessarily say that they’re better OR worse at DL vs WDW. I’m not completely certain, but, from what you said in your post, I would presume that you have your own ECV. Since you do, chances are very good that you’re VERY familiar with its capabilities and can control it well. That’s a major advantage for you, since you’ll have an excellent idea as to where it will/won’t fit, where someone who does not have their own and does not use one regularly may not have the necessary expertise to make such judgements without experimentation.

I would say that WDW may be a DIFFERENT experience than you’re used to at DL, but not necessarily a reason to not visit; in fact, I would say the differences in experience (not in terms of the ECV, but in terms of the actual available experiences, rides, and attractions) are what makes visiting MORE worthwhile. Should you be prepared for things not being identical with what you’re used to? Yes. Are there some strategies for improving your touring experience at WDW? Yes, hopefully they’re listed fairly clearly in the article. Are there a few things you should be prepared you CAN’T do if you can’t stand/walk? Yes, a couple. Is there anywhere you probably can’t eat? Yes, Liberty Tree Tavern especially comes to mind, as it requires you to climb a few steps inside the restaurant. But, should you throw in the towel? Not unless you really don’t want to see what WDW has to offer. If you DO want to see what’s available, plan for it & go for it! I doubt that you’ll regret it.

If you have any other questions, please let me know. I’m happy to help if I can! & if you’ve got specific questions you’re not comfortable with asking on here, feel free to click the link with my name at the top of the article & I’ll see what I can do.

We are staying at Port Orleans Riverside
We hope to do MVMCP on Monday December 6th

Holly

I completely understand what you’re saying about not wanting to deal with some of the hassles. First, though, let me say that the monorail is really NOT a hassle at all, other than making sure that the Cast Member remembers to put the ramp down to keep him from taking one giant bump for his rear-end .

To hopefully better answer your question, let me ask, where is it that you’re staying during that time period? Because, depending on where you’re staying, it may make a difference in terms of how much hassle you will/won’t be having to deal with.

Not knowing that, I’ll try to give a semi-generic answer. The crowd calendar seems to be showing 4’s to 7’s, other than December 5 itself. So, theoretically, you should be semi-ok for ECV’s. The one thing is, I would say that’s the case IF you plan on getting to the parks early. If it’s later on, then I can’t say with any degree of reliability. Additionally, there are plenty of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Parties that week (5 I think), plus, it’s also Pop Warner during that time. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the retired grandparents will be down to see their kids in Pop Warner, and if their kids are eliminated early or aren’t playing, they’ll probably be touring the parks. Of those, some will need ECVs, which will reduce the availability, especially if you’re coming to the parks a bit later.

Also keep in mind, if you’re going to MVMCP but will be touring another park earlier in the day, it’s quite possible that you’ll find that the ECVs aren’t available until sometime during the party itself. Be prepared for that possibility and plan accordingly.

So, what’s my general suggestion to consider? If you’re staying at a Deluxe on the monorail, I think you’ll find it fairly easy to manage an ECV on & off the monorail if you go to the Magic Kingdom &/or Epcot. Also, keep in mind, if you’ve got Park Hoppers and YOUR legs are up to it, you can always monorail to Epcot, walk through the park & the international gateway, and then take the boat to the Studios. He’ll find the boats at the Epcot resorts a breeze to handle, trust me.

If you’re staying at the Boardwalk, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Swan, or Dolphin, you’ll be able to use the boats to get to Epcot & the Studios, could use the same strategy to get to the Magic Kingdom, or you could manage the buses from any of those hotels to get to the Magic Kingdom. The bigger “hassle” is waiting for the bus, in my opinion, than in getting the ECV on or off. Plus, depending on his mobility, he may be able to reasonably get off the ECV before it’s loaded, get into the bus, and have the bus driver get the ECV on/off. For that, I can’t guarantee that all of the bus drivers will be willing to do this, but, most are. Also, you could always call the main WDW Resort phone number (407-824-2222), ask for a Transportation Supervisor, tell them that you’re considering getting an off-site ECV but your husband’s concerned about getting it on/off the bus, and ask them if their drivers would take care of the loading/unloading while he walks on/off the bus, while not on the ECV. They should be able to answer.

If you’re not staying at any of these listed hotels, yes, there’s more of a hassle to deal with the ECV, because you might have to wait for a bus to arrive that isn’t already loaded in such a way to keep you from being able to have the ECV loaded. If he’s unwilling to deal with the hassles of the ECV at those places, then about all I can suggest is that you should try to plan to arrive early and STAY, because they will not hold the ECV for your return, nor will they allow an unattended ECV to “just sit there” for several hours while you’re perhaps out of the park, hoping to recollect it upon your return. After a while, they WILL move it back to the main ECV area.

If you have any other questions, please let me know. If you want to let me know what hotel you’re planning on staying at, I’ll see if I can help pin down things with a bit more specifics. Whatever you do, enjoy the trip!

My husband does not want to deal with an ecv on the buses and monorails etc
we are going December 5 to 13th and want to rent inside the
parks
I saw your note about June – do you think it will be easier or harder to rent in the park during our timeframe?
thanks for your help
Holly

I’ve double checked with WDW to make sure that this information is 100% correct. Wishes cruises ARE accessible, with one specific exclusion. DO NOT book a Wishes Cruise to leave from the Grand Floridian. The Grand Floridian Wishes Cruise is not accessible, but the other locations are. To book a Wishes cruise, you can call (407) WDW-PLAY (407-939-7529). DO let them know that you’ll have a wheelchair, that will make things easier for everyone.

Any other questions, ask away! That’s what we put this here for!

I have an eight year old in a wheelchair. I have been trying to find out if any of the wishes cruise boats are accessible. Any ideas?

Thanks,

I would not leave things unattended, any more than I’d leave things in a stroller. People can WISH the best at WDW, but unfortunately, you don’t always get the best from everyone, even at Disney.

Any other questions, please, ask away!