scooter tips and etiquette?

[cyndiella]

For the first time in 25 visits to WDW I will need to rent a scooter for mobility issues for our next trip. I can walk some (like from our room to the buses, from the buses to the park, in the que lines) but the long 10 miles a day trips are no longer possible for me. We are staying at POP and will have 4 park days and 1 rest/resort hopping day so 5 days in all.
Would renting in the parks be a good choice? What are the advantages or disadvantages of this?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of renting from Walker Mobility or Gold Mobility?
What else do I need to know? thank you for your input!

 

[skellinton]

Price is a big advantage if you use one of the offsite companies. Time saved every day is another big advantage. Scooter quality is a third big advantage.
The only disadvantage I think of renting ahead of time is it sometimes the bus will be full of other scooters before you can load and you may have to wait for another bus. Sometimes getting on the sky bucket can be slower with the scooter. typically, that was only a problem at the end of the evening for my aunt and it really wasn’t that big of a problem but just something to be aware of.
‘My aunt absolutely has to use one, but even if she didn’t, we would’ve rented offsite.

 

[gap2368]

pros.
cheaper to rent off site. I think parks rentals are about $50 a day with golds being about 200 a week.
you have it all the time. you may think you can walk from the park to the buss stop and from the buss to the park, but what after a day of doing all the park waling like the ride lines that to not let ECV in them. I ended up doing more walking then I though I would when I went

conns
you might have to wait another bus but in my 6 day trip I only had too once and the bus came pretty quick and I left pretty close to after fierworks


I rented from golds and loved it they were great

 

[disney-inspired]

For the first time in 25 visits to WDW I will need to rent a scooter for mobility issues for our next trip. I can walk some (like from our room to the buses, from the buses to the park, in the que lines) but the long 10 miles a day trips are no longer possible for me. We are staying at POP and will have 4 park days and 1 rest/resort hopping day so 5 days in all.
Would renting in the parks be a good choice? What are the advantages or disadvantages of this?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of renting from Walker Mobility or Gold Mobility?
What else do I need to know? thank you for your input!

Would renting in the parks be a good choice? What are the advantages or disadvantages of this?
I emphatically say NO! it's so much more expensive than renting from outside company.
Only advantage is that you wouldn't have to load the scooter into the bus/monorail/boat back to your hotel.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of renting from Walker Mobility or Gold Mobility?
Huge advantage is the pricing - much more affordable and the scooter quality is better too. I recommend Gold Mobility as they have great customer service. Disadvantage is needing to load it on/off your transportation to the parks unless you're at an Epcot resort (which was amazing) and you'd have to store it in your room.

What else do I need to know? thank you for your input!
Remember to charge your scooter EVERY night and don't leave it in the hallway or unattended overnight.
If you subscribe to Gold mobility's newsletter they often provide a discount code when booking. The ECV also comes with a phone holder (I found it very handy).

 

[Betty Rohrer]

For the first time in 25 visits to WDW I will need to rent a scooter for mobility issues for our next trip. I can walk some (like from our room to the buses, from the buses to the park, in the que lines) but the long 10 miles a day trips are no longer possible for me. We are staying at POP and will have 4 park days and 1 rest/resort hopping day so 5 days in all.
Would renting in the parks be a good choice? What are the advantages or disadvantages of this?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of renting from Walker Mobility or Gold Mobility?
What else do I need to know? thank you for your input!

biggest con for park rental is what would be your plan if they are out when you arrive? biggest advantage to offsite rental is you have it when you arrive at park no worries about if one is available when you arrive plus they cost less

 

[VicarJT]

Walker is a fantastic company. We rented from them from 2015 through last year as my spouse has the same issues that you have. Last year we finally bought a used scooter from them and it’s been running as beautifully as the ones we’ve rented in the past. BTW, when we had dinner reservations or were concerned about full busses, we took a Minnie Van. Expensive yes, but when heading back to our resort from a dinner at another resort, it was a real gift.

 

[Lewisc]

BTW, when we had dinner reservations or were concerned about full busses, we took a Minnie Van. Expensive yes, but when heading back to our resort from a dinner at another resort, it was a real gift.

Alternatively take a mears wheelchair taxi van. Scooter drives up a ramp. Same price as regular Mears taxi. Less then half the price of a MV

 

[jo-jo]

Alternatively take a mears wheelchair taxi van. Scooter drives up a ramp. Same price as regular Mears taxi. Less then half the price of a MV

I didn’t know about this. We didn’t have an issue with having to wait several buses, but this is great information to tuck away.

 

[CaroleA]

If you want to do rope drop, you will get held up waiting to rent a scooter inside the park. Also, if you leave in the middle of the day there is no guarantee you will be able to get one upon your return. These are the reasons I am renting from Scooterbug this trip. They will leave the scooter at bell services at our hotel. I hate hate hate having to get the scooter onto the bus, but I don't want to hold my family up on precious park time. I like the idea of the Mears wheelchair taxi, will definitely look into this

 

[Betty Rohrer]

If you want to do rope drop, you will get held up waiting to rent a scooter inside the park. Also, if you leave in the middle of the day there is no guarantee you will be able to get one upon your return. These are the reasons I am renting from Scooterbug this trip. They will leave the scooter at bell services at our hotel. I hate hate hate having to get the scooter onto the bus, but I don't want to hold my family up on precious park time. I like the idea of the Mears wheelchair taxi, will definitely look into this

the one thing to check about Mears taxi is where they drop off for MK if doing rope drop. if I am right they drop off at TTC not the main gate like buses or Minnie Vans

 

[Lewisc]

the one thing to check about Mears taxi is where they drop off for MK if doing rope drop. if I am right they drop off at TTC not the main gate like buses or Minnie Vans

They drop off at the TTC. Taking the boat or monorail to the MK isn't as bad as some posters think. The wild card is potentially longer security lines at TTC vs MK.

 

[LoveToDisney]

We have used the Mears ADA taxi to get back to our resort when we have eaten at another resort restaurant and don’t want to hop a couple of buses to get back to our resort. We have also used the taxi to return to the airport. They will drive your ECV up the back ramp for you and tie it down so you can sit in a regular seat which is nice. We tip more since there’s more “load” time than a regular guest and I want the driver to know how much I appreciate their help.

 

[R&RsMom]

Another disadvantage of renting in the parks is that if you leave and come back, they are likely not to have any ECVs for you, even though they do not charge you again. This was my experience in early December, when it was not super crowded. At morning arrival, no problem getting an ECV, and it really did not take long. Park hopping: nothing available and at one park, a 23-person wait list.

 

[Jake]

Also if you rent from a company. You have the scooter 24/7. You can used it to go to Disney springs. Around the resort.

 

[maryblanchard49]

Pro of renting from an outside company is you have the scooter the entire time which comes in handy for park hopping and at the resorts too I rented from Walker Mobility twice now and their scooters are Fantastic! No issues, drives in the rain, long battery life and great customer service.

 

[CDNPadawan]

For the first time in 25 visits to WDW I will need to rent a scooter for mobility issues for our next trip. I can walk some (like from our room to the buses, from the buses to the park, in the que lines) but the long 10 miles a day trips are no longer possible for me. We are staying at POP and will have 4 park days and 1 rest/resort hopping day so 5 days in all.
Would renting in the parks be a good choice? What are the advantages or disadvantages of this?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of renting from Walker Mobility or Gold Mobility?
What else do I need to know? thank you for your input!

I stayed at Pop Century this February with a mobility scooter I rented from an offsite company Scooter Orlando. I went this route as I am a large guy and they offered a scooter to fit me. We were able to store the scooter inside our room mind you the murphy bed needed to be raised up for the scooter to enter. We stored the scooter against the window by the door and it allowed enough space for the door to open and to get around the room with the bed down.
I had apparently rented the Cadillac of scooters as it was 3 inches too long to fit on the Minnie Van lifts. Riding the skyliner was no issue and once I got used to making the tight turns to dock the scooter on the busses everything worked nicely. I found that I rarely had to wait for a spot on a bus only needing to do so twice in the 10 days we were there.
My only tip for you inside the parks is keep that throttle dial low. I only ever went about 35% speed this was a decent speed to move with the flow of the crowds and allows me to stop instantly by releasing the throttle when people just stepped out in front and stopped. Hope you have a great trip!

 

[cyndiella]

"My only tip for you inside the parks is keep that throttle dial low. I only ever went about 35% speed this was a decent speed to move with the flow of the crowds and allows me to stop instantly by releasing the throttle when people just stepped out in front and stopped. Hope you have a great trip!"

Good to know! I have never driven a scooter and was thinking maybe I should practice on a grocery store scooter before I go to Disney! Thanks for the tip!

 

[BigOnDis]

For the first time in 25 visits to WDW I will need to rent a scooter for mobility issues for our next trip. I can walk some (like from our room to the buses, from the buses to the park, in the que lines) but the long 10 miles a day trips are no longer possible for me. We are staying at POP and will have 4 park days and 1 rest/resort hopping day so 5 days in all.
Would renting in the parks be a good choice? What are the advantages or disadvantages of this?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of renting from Walker Mobility or Gold Mobility?
What else do I need to know? thank you for your input!

So this was my exact dilemma when we went this past March. Mine was a little different in that i was only doing three park days out of the six day trip. I REALLY did not want to have to park the scooter on the bus. I ended up renting in the parks and here are my experiences. I had no problem getting a scooter as long as I went at opening and even then, they had plenty. One the day we went to EPcot and went back to EPCot that evening they held it for me, with the caveat that if I didn’t come back I would lose my deposit. That worked out well. On the other two days when we park hopped to other parks, they did not have one readily available for me, although they did about an hour later, but by then I had already walked away and wasn’t walking back.

There were other times when we were just at the resort walking around that it would have been nice to have a scooter, but I made it work and just rested when I needed to.

If I was planning on park hopping every day at the parks, I would rent from offsite. if I was doing the same park all day or going back to the same park, I would consider renting at the park again.

I agree with the previous poster about going slow and watch for people stepping out if front of you. And if you are ever concerned about where you can and can’t use the scooter or where to park, ask a cast member, they are so helpful. One even carried my tray of food over to a table for me so I could park the scooter.

 

[cyndiella]

So this was my exact dilemma when we went this past March. Mine was a little different in that i was only doing three park days out of the six day trip. I REALLY did not want to have to park the scooter on the bus. I ended up renting in the parks and here are my experiences. I had no problem getting a scooter as long as I went at opening and even then, they had plenty. One the day we went to EPcot and went back to EPCot that evening they held it for me, with the caveat that if I didn’t come back I would lose my deposit. That worked out well. On the other two days when we park hopped to other parks, they did not have one readily available for me, although they did about an hour later, but by then I had already walked away and wasn’t walking back.

There were other times when we were just at the resort walking around that it would have been nice to have a scooter, but I made it work and just rested when I needed to.

If I was planning on park hopping every day at the parks, I would rent from offsite. if I was doing the same park all day or going back to the same park, I would consider renting at the park again.

I agree with the previous poster about going slow and watch for people stepping out if front of you. And if you are ever concerned about where you can and can’t use the scooter or where to park, ask a cast member, they are so helpful. One even carried my tray of food over to a table for me so I could park the scooter.

good information, thanks

 

[h&D3]

I have some questions for all of you..... The last time we were at WDW, I rented a scooter in the park due to my bad knee.

My knee has gotten worse and I plan on getting a scooter again for this trip. (I'd never make it from the parking lot to the TTT without my knee giving me a ton of pain - and I'd be miserable the rest of the day.) So I was planning on renting a scooter so I had it the entire trip vs just getting one at the parks for this reason.

The more I think about doing this, the more questions come up.

We drive back and forth on our own to the parks. Ever since the kids were little we did this so we didn't have to wait for the bus transport. It was and is just easier for us to do this. - and we'll do it again this trip. (I have an AP so parking costs are covered - so that's another reason we just drive ourselves)

1.) Do the scooters come apart to load them into a vehicle? We'll probably be getting a minivan or a larger SUV to rent for our entire trip. How do you transport them back and forth? Can we get a ramp or something to make it easier to get it in and out of the vehicle? (And if so, would that be from the scooter place or the car rental company?)

2.) Battery life: How long does the battery last before you have to recharge it? Not that I'm going to be zipping around at top speed, but I'm a sightly Pooh-sized gal and I know the more weight on the scooter, the more the battery has to work. Thus draining it quicker.

3.) Are there places in the parks where you can charge them if needed? I've always rented a scooter right from Disney so I never had to worry about this. Then again, I've used them at the parks and never had to worry about charging. If it would have died in the park, I'm AT the park so they could just swap it out.

4.) Did you get any "add-ons" for your scooter that you are glad you did or were there things you did, but wish you didn't? (canopy, basket, cover for the electronics)

What other things should I know, or are there other tips you can pass along?

Thanks in advance!
~D