Hi Robin,
Thank you for stopping by planDisney with your wheelchair and mobility question. It looks like you will be embarking on your Walt Disney World vacation in just a couple of days, how exciting!
Although I do not know the exact distance from your Disney Resort hotel bus drop off/pick up location to the entrance of EPCOT, I do know that it is a long enough distance that if you have mobility issues you should consider renting a wheelchair or ECV for usage outside of the Disney Parks and Disney Springs, not just inside of these locations. The rentals of manual wheelchairs or Electric Conveyance Vehicles (ECV) inside of the theme parks and Disney Springs are quite handy, but these devices are unable to be taken outside of the theme park or Disney Springs. Here is a link for
Wheelchair Rental Inside the Disney Parks and Disney Springs and here is a link for
ECV Rentals Inside the Disney Parks and Disney Springs. In both cases the rentals are on a first-come, first-serve basis and the devices remain inside the Disney theme parks or at Disney Springs.
Guests who wish to utilize wheelchairs or ECV's outside of the theme parks and Disney Springs should consider renting from a local company.
Scooterbug is the Preferred Provider for Wheelchair and ECV Rental for Walt Disney World. One of the great things about this option is that your Disney Resort hotel Cast Members will work directly to manage your delivery and the return of any rental items from this company. Unlike other outside vendors, you do not need to be present when Scooterbug delivers your equipment!
My own Mother has mobility issues and as a Physical Therapist I explained to her why I recommended for her to rent a scooter while on vacation, even though she doesn't use one regularly in her daily life. I told her to think about her mobility level as monetary units. If she normally has "$100 of energy" for the day, she could easily spend half of her energy just on transportation from one attraction to another. That would leave her with very little "energy money" for the fun stuff! When she realized she could extend the amount of time she spent out and about having fun, and and especially not in pain, she became a scooter's biggest fan. Having a scooter also made it hard for her to overspend her abilities. Sometimes it's just so much fun to keep going but you always end up paying the bill the next morning. But luckily scooters have rechargeable batteries - knees do not.
I hope this information helps you with your rental decision, Robin. Here is another link you might find useful during your trip:
Services for Guests With Mobility Disabilities. Finally, do not worry - if you try renting a device inside the theme parks but then change your mind and want one for usage outside of the theme parks, you can still call Scooterbug and have an ECV or wheelchair delivered to your Disney Resort hotel.
Have a Magical vacation!
Brenda