Would you share your opinions about your own travel scooter, please

[Bete]

For those who took the plunge and bought your own travel scooter would you share the kind you got and are you satisfied with it.

I'm looking at scooters that breakdown to smaller, lighter components and has a total weight of less than 125 pounds including the batteries. Another restriction is that it needs to be for 275 pounds at a minimum weight capacity for the scooter.

Right now, I'm leaning towards Pride Mobility's GO-GO Elite Traveller plus scooter (weight capacity of 300 pounds). I was able to play with one and break it down and put it in my car, etc. and it seems pretty idiot proof; so, I like it.

I would love to hear about this exact scooter, but I welcome all comments about any of these travel scooters.

I'm particularly concerned about driving range (how far you can go on one charge) and how it reacts to cold and/or rain.

I think the best comments come for those who use these scooters; because, you have the real scoop on this situation. TIA

 

[peemagg]

The scooter you are looking at is the one that I have and love it. I even took it and used it in Disney this past month. I find it very comfortable for longer times of needing it, and the whole time I used it in Disney, the battery hardly ever moved off of the full charge mark. I have the baskets for the front and back and the cane holder for it. I had the cup holder, but the first time I used it, I forgot that it was in use and caught it on something and it was destroyed. My fault, but not a good design. I don't recommend that option.

The scooter I highly recommend! It has worked great for me!

As you said it does break down easily and goes in the trunk without taking up a lot of room. Quite often if we are using our van, I don't even break it down. I remove the battery and drop the tiller down as far as I can with the seat on it and lock the front wheel. Then my mother ( age 65) and myself lift it into and out of the van that way. My Mom takes the front end of scooter and I lift the heavier rear end of the thing. We can do it without too much effort. I have even been known to be able to take it out of the van in this set up by myself, but I wouldn't recommend it too much.

 

[mechurchlady]

I would not worry about range a most will do 10 to 20 miles without a charge. I did DLR twice in a row. I had to wait for the bus two go about .3 miles out of my way to let the Korean seniors off the bus then I could get off. That was a long way on one charge with two parks and another .3 mile drive on top of that.

You can always park and recharge at restaurants and shows for example or leave the scooter at the ECV rental places in the parks where they will charge it for you.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The smaller ECVs (the ones with the battery packs instead of two separate batteries), such as the Go-Go series, tend to have a maximum range of ten miles when the batteries are new. As they get older the range will drop.

My back-up scooter is a Go-Go (used to be Judy's) and last year a friend visited from out of state who needed an ECV. After about six hours in Epcot it needed to be recharged. We were near Nemo when it completely died, and the nearest available outlets I knew about were in teh bulding near the Character Connection. We put it in freewheel and I pushed it the distance with my Celebrity-X. When we got it into the bulding we put it on charge for about a half hour and then left the park.

 

[Bete]

The smaller ECVs (the ones with the battery packs instead of two separate batteries), such as the Go-Go series, tend to have a maximum range of ten miles when the batteries are new. As they get older the range will drop.

My back-up scooter is a Go-Go (used to be Judy's) and last year a friend visited from out of state who needed an ECV. After about six hours in Epcot it needed to be recharged. We were near Nemo when it completely died, and the nearest available outlets I knew about were in teh bulding near the Character Connection. We put it in freewheel and I pushed it the distance with my Celebrity-X. When we got it into the bulding we put it on charge for about a half hour and then left the park.

I've been told by Pride that if there's non use of the scooter you need to charge the battery pack at least once a week to help the battery stay good. We will not need a scooter everyday. It's a more for convenience for vacation, right now. There may come a time when we need a bigger and stronger one. I'm doing this scooter; because, in three average trips for us to Disney the scooter will be break even on cost for us compared to renting at Disney. A new set of batteries goes for about $125; so, I'm prepared to do this when the time comes, but I hear you and thank you for the input.

I appreciate hearing about the driving range being reduced after a time with this scooter. I'll be keeping pretty good track of it all. I'll be doing a pedometer while my hubby uses the scooter. I'll keep track; so, I think I will know when this will be happening with the driving range. Also, I'm happy that Disney will allow us to charge scooters in their parks. It's not a perfect world with travel scooters, but I would think they are all about the same for the money.

 

[matthew&haleysmom]

We just bought my mom the same scooter that you asked about. My mom loves it. We went to Washington, DC and she was able to use it all day. I really like how it breaks down easily because I have to put it in my SUV. We are going to WDW next week and I am hoping the batteries will last for the day. Then, we will charge the batteries at night.

My mom does not use it daily. She needs it when a fair amount of walking is involved.

 

[Bete]

We just bought my mom the same scooter that you asked about. My mom loves it. We went to Washington, DC and she was able to use it all day. I really like how it breaks down easily because I have to put it in my SUV. We are going to WDW next week and I am hoping the batteries will last for the day. Then, we will charge the batteries at night.

My mom does not use it daily. She needs it when a fair amount of walking is involved.

We want to go there next year and if you visited the Lincoln Memorial were you able to use the scooter there? Any other hints around that area I would appreciate like where you could not use the scooter. TIA

 

[bidnow5]

I have 2 scooters and old Pace Saver Plus that will go 2 days in Disney and a Pride Sonic that is only a couple of years old but I don't bring it to Disney I am at the upper end of the weight limit and even small slopes drag the battery down it only lasts a few hours at the local flea market we do. So I wouldn't recommend it unless you are well below the recommended weight

 

[Bete]

I have 2 scooters and old Pace Saver Plus that will go 2 days in Disney and a Pride Sonic that is only a couple of years old but I don't bring it to Disney I am at the upper end of the weight limit and even small slopes drag the battery down it only lasts a few hours at the local flea market we do. So I wouldn't recommend it unless you are well below the recommended weight

I'm going to have to hope that the newer, Pride models now are a little bit better. My hubby will be about 85% percent of the weight capacity of the one we want to get. There's one that's a little bit better capacity where he would be about 80% of the weight capacity; so, I may consider it instead. I guess he will have to walk (he can do short distances) for the slope areas of the park and I'll ride it up. I will watch the battery gauge closely. If need be we will do a rental. I'm looking at three trips breaking even with this scooter; so, I'm not expecting miracles. I'm going to call Pride for recommendations, too. They have different models; so, hopefully, I can find something that will be right for us.

I looked at the Pacesaver models, too and it's a bit big for us and heavier; so, I'm not sure it's for us, either. I will look at more scooters, now with regard to weight capacity and driving range with battery. Thanks for the info.

 

[matthew&haleysmom]

We want to go there next year and if you visited the Lincoln Memorial were you able to use the scooter there? Any other hints around that area I would appreciate like where you could not use the scooter. TIA

We loved DC! It was pretty scooter friendly. You can take an elevator up to see the Lincoln Memorial. This was my favorite site.

The subway entrances and exits that are accessible are not always near the regular entrances/exits. This was a pain. We learned that people like to pee in the subway elevators! My kids were not pleased with that.

All of the museums were easily navigated. We live about 3 1/2 hours away from DC and plan on traveling there at least year.

 

[mechurchlady]

I would not worry about the gages as there are many factors to affect battery length like weight, speed and hills. Weight should not be a problem and I often go near the weight limit probably for my ECV as I carry a lot of stuff.

Many tourist areas are ECV friendly and if you check them out online you will find some wonderful places to go.

http://www.nps.gov/pub_aff/access/index.htm
That is the National Parks Service accessibility page with information on lots of things.

http://www.nps.gov/pub_aff/access/opportunities.htm
Some things are not listed like museums as they have to be accessible.

When asked about proving that one is disabled I mention the NPS free pass. NPS gives those with disabilities a free life time pass but the guest has to prove that they are disabled and it is really easy to do. They can ask for proof because they are giving something above and beyond what other guests get.

http://www.nps.gov/pub_aff/access/access_pass.htm
Free pass if you have breathing, learning, hearing, visual, and mobility limitations.

 

[Bete]

Pride Mobility to get some questions answered. I'm posting in case others have the same issues in deciding what to buy.

Portable, smaller travel scooters (total weight with battery not more than 125 pounds) are not going to compete with mid size or larger scooters; you can't expect that-it's apples and oranges. With that said, their spokesman stated that to maximize the driving range (important criteria for me) of these smaller scooters you need to be at least 30 pounds under the weight capacity listed of the scooter (this includes yourself and whatever you would be carrying with you on it) and preferably 50 pounds under the weight capacity for the best performance. Obviously, the lighter you are the better this deriving range becomes. In most cases as the scooter and battery get older you will not be able to get perfect results. In this class of scooters Pride's GO-GO plus scooter rated for 300 pounds has the best driving range at 13 miles from my research. This range doesn't factor in inclines which also affects your driving range on one battery charge. These smaller scooters do not perform well on inclines, but that's basically true of other makes of these same scooters, as well. I'm not an expert; so, everyone needs to formulate their own opinion by doing research, etc. that fits your particular use of these kinds of scooters.

There are other factors that enter into the driving range, too like the life of the battery, the terrain you travel on, etc. I think you have to be realistic with this choice realzing that this kind of scooter will not last a lifetime. Maintaining a charge on your battery is important, too even when it's not in use (usually done on a weekly basis if it sits idle).

 

[bidnow5]

I am thinking about getting a Travelscoot with 2 battery packs they are by far the lightest scooters with the standard battery it weights 50 pounds total and folds into a small carry bag.

They have a Lithium-Ion battery for $600+ extra that brings the total weight down to 35 pounds. There are some drawbacks like no reverse but at 50 pounds it isn't hard to push it back with your feet.

It has a 320 pound seat capacity. At around $1,400 plus $175 for the extra battery pack I think it looks promising I am trying to find someplace to try one out to make sure

 

[Bete]

I am thinking about getting a Travelscoot with 2 battery packs they are by far the lightest scooters with the standard battery it weights 50 pounds total and folds into a small carry bag.

They have a Lithium-Ion battery for $600+ extra that brings the total weight down to 35 pounds. There are some drawbacks like no reverse but at 50 pounds it isn't hard to push it back with your feet.

It has a 320 pound seat capacity. At around $1,400 plus $175 for the extra battery pack I think it looks promising I am trying to find someplace to try one out to make sure

Here's the deal on the travelscoot: On a standard battery the range for this scooter is 8 miles on one charge for someone who weighs 180 pounds or less. At maxed weight of a person this is reduced to 5.5 miles on one charge. This info is on the site. With a spare battery, you do better, obviously. Second, there's no platform on the wheel base other than two steel arms which to me would seem uncomfortable while driving it to keep your legs steady there; this is just my opinion though. I think this scooter is meant for shorter distances, here. This scooter is not with keyed ignition which to me lacks a lot of security; since, it's so light it could be easily stolen (I suppose you could lock it up like a bike, but that's an extra step to do all the time). You already stated yourself the drawback about not being able to go in reverse. If you plan to use it for mostly shopping purposes and such and you are with/on the scooter every minute then I see this as a good scooter.

This all goes back to what you want and need a lighter weighted scooter for. I did hear one good story of a petite older woman using this scooter at Disney World for a week, but she did admit she was always scared about it getting stolen. It did not get stolen; so, she was a happy camper.

Finally, I think you may be hard pressed to get a live demonstration of this scooter. My best advice is to call the inventor (you will probably get his answering machine, but he's very good about calling back) and ask him when he will be doing a show. I know he travels around the country and even out of the country with regard to his scooter. You may be able to catch one of his shows; you never know; unless, you ask.

 

[matthew&haleysmom]

One thing I just thought about is that my mom & I debated about going with the 3 or 4 wheel pride go go. I found a medical supply center near us and I had my mom try out both. She really wanted the 4 wheel scooted until she tried the 3 wheel one. You might want to see how you fit into one before buying. Also, I needed to make sure that I would be able to easily pick up the pieces of the scooter prior to purchasing one. Once we figured out the best fit for my mom, we ordered on on-line.

 

[elizbbw]

Bete,

I have a TravelScoot and am very satisfied with it. I have good basic mobility, but have difficultly walking distances or standing for long periods of time. The TravelScoot serves my needs perfectly.

With the lithium ion battery option, my scooter weighs a total of 35 lbs. It folds up like an umbrella and fits great in the trunk of my Toyotal Camry. The advantage to me is that it's light enough so I can lift it by myself. I don't need a special vehicle or a lift, and it supports my weight (400+ lbs).

With a 180-lb person, the range is about 8 miles. You can easily double that by stacking two batteries on the TravelScoot. With 2 lithium ion batteries the total weight is about 41 lbs.

I don't know how it reacts to cold (I live in Louisana), but I wouldn't want to use it in the rain.

I have a blog about my experience with the TravelScoot. Several others also follow the blog and post about their experiences as well. You might find some helpful information there.

I haven't posted enough messages in this forum to be able to post a link, but my blog is at mytravelscoot(dot)blogspot(dot)com

Best wishes!

Elizabeth

For those who took the plunge and bought your own travel scooter would you share the kind you got and are you satisfied with it.

I'm looking at scooters that breakdown to smaller, lighter components and has a total weight of less than 125 pounds including the batteries. Another restriction is that it needs to be for 275 pounds at a minimum weight capacity for the scooter.

Right now, I'm leaning towards Pride Mobility's GO-GO Elite Traveller plus scooter (weight capacity of 300 pounds). I was able to play with one and break it down and put it in my car, etc. and it seems pretty idiot proof; so, I like it.

I would love to hear about this exact scooter, but I welcome all comments about any of these travel scooters.

I'm particularly concerned about driving range (how far you can go on one charge) and how it reacts to cold and/or rain.

I think the best comments come for those who use these scooters; because, you have the real scoop on this situation. TIA

 

[Momelie]

I have a Golden Buzzaround Lite. It breaks down into 4 pieces and the heaviest is around 20 pounds. The entire reason we got this model is so that I could (if needed) assemble it myself, and I can do so, even with a damaged SI joint.

I greatly, greatly agree with the people who told you that the little scooters and their range are like apples and oranges compared to the bigger ones. I cringe when I hear people say that all the rentable scooters can go a whole day on a single charge - the Pride Go-Go, my Buzzaround and a few other models certainly won't, LOL! Especially if you are over, say, 150 pounds. You really do sacrifice the length of charge for the portability and ease of steering. For me, however, its a worthwhile tradeoff not to have to have a special carrier for my car (I don't use it daily), and to be able to maneuver tight corners, etc.

The good news on that, though, is that there are plug-ins available nearly everywhere you look! Every time I sit for a few minutes, I top it off, and always while I'm eating lunch or dinner. Doing this, I've never had a problem having plenty of juice to make it up the monorail ramp at the end of the day.

Let me know if you need to know exactly where some plug-ins are located. After a couple of years of this, I think I know almost all of them, LOL! I wonder if there are enough "mini scooter users" here to make a list of them?

 

[Bete]

The good news on that, though, is that there are plug-ins available nearly everywhere you look! Every time I sit for a few minutes, I top it off, and always while I'm eating lunch or dinner. Doing this, I've never had a problem having plenty of juice to make it up the monorail ramp at the end of the day.

Let me know if you need to know exactly where some plug-ins are located. After a couple of years of this, I think I know almost all of them, LOL! I wonder if there are enough "mini scooter users" here to make a list of them?

I really love how you say it like it is at the parks.

I would greatly appreciate some hints for the plug-ins for charging at all the parks. I figured you could go to the scooter rental locations, but it sure would be nicer to do it while eating, etc. We will be doing more quick service places to eat; so, I hope you can give some hints in that direction. I would feel a lot more secure knowing some plug-in locations before we go. I'm in a particularly vulnerable position; because, we have two scooters to deal with at the same time. Our scooter will be new and we are getting the heavy duty model which gives us a slightly better charge capacity, but I still feel uncomfortable. The other scooter is old and I'm afraid the person will not be prepared about all of this; because, it's a loaner from a niece for her to use.

Do you ask to plug your scooter in or do you just do it? How do you look for outside plugs? Is there a good clue on this? Do stores let you do a charge inside? What about outside vendor booths? I'm sure the best spots will be by buildings, right?

I would especially like to know a hook-up in the Land Pavillon in Epcot. I think we will spend a longer time in there eating and enjoying the attractions there; so, this would be a good place to charge up for that park.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

If I feel my ECV needs charging I wil look around, especially on walls near restrooms. I will just park next to an outlet, take the key out, and plug the charger into the outlet. Then I will get my food and go eat. As long as you do not actually park in the middle of an aisle, just against a wall, there should be no problem. And my ECV has never been disturbed.

 

[Momelie]

In the Land, my favorite spot is at the bathrooms near Soarin', right between the women's restoom and the companion is one with 2 plug-ins. There are also many outlets in that big space where the Soarin' fastpass machines are located. Just look at the walls, just below knee level (well, my knee level, but I'm pretty short).

I also like the ones on the second level, in the elevator/bathroom lobby by Garden Grill. More room, and you can avoid crowds.

There are also a couple just as you go into the Land on the columns where you look out onto the dining area - I don't really recommend using these unless you are able and prepared to do a LOT of walking. Also the ramps are OK going down, but getting back up can be challenging!

As far as dining goes, I don't do many counter service places, but I can tell you that Cosmic Ray's has several in the bottom seating area, just look around the walls and the columns. There's a good place outside the bathroom next to Auntie Gravity's smoothie stop. At Epcot, the only counter services I'm familiar with are in China (on the walls that separate the order area from the dining are) and France (after you exit the Patisserie, go into the shop that's to your left, at the back of the walkway, and there will be an eating area to your left, with ice cream tables and chairs, the plugs are on the far left wall, toward the front of the building). At Chefs de France, there is only one plug, if you are standing at the podium, facing the restaurant, look to your left, on the outside wall of the restaurant under the windows, just behind the benches. Its hard to find, but there is one there. This is one of the few where you will have to take the battery out of the scooter, and put it with the charger all by itself. Most of the rest of the places you can just keep it in the scooter, and plug it up. Plaza Restaurant is another where you have to take it out.

Norway has many outlets, my favorites are just behind the Fastpass machines.

When you go to the Sea, for the Nemo ride, you ride through the line, and park the scooter outside the exit of the ride... when you go out to park, look at the next little cubby up from the one across from the exit, to the right, and it will have an outlet in there. This way, you can be charging while you ride Nemo and/or go through the Sea. This building has very convenient elevators, and plenty of places to sit while going through, so its a good place to charge.

Now that I'm telling all my secret places........ I hope there will still be plugs available for me, LOL! If you see a little red scooter with a tropical flower sticker on the battery, and "Mom's Vroomy Thing" in Disney stickers, please make a place for me!

Let me know if you need any more locations - if I don't know them off the top of my head, I'll be there this weekend and can find them for you.

Oh, and I never go in stores and plug in. Something about it just doesn't seem right - I always use an outdoors, out of the way place. Well, outside the bathrooms isn't out of the way, but I'm not interfering with lines or people wanting to get merchandise, etc. if you KWIM.

Hope you have a wonderful trip!