Scooter rentals now TARGETING the lazy!! (LONG)

[flortlebap]

For many of them, it is either purchase a scooter or stay at home.

It is perfectly possible to be fat but fit. What I object to is the fat, LAZY types. Same as I would object to any thin, lazy types, but I have yet to see a thin person taking the lazy way out and renting a scooter just for the priveleges.

And I certainly object to being made to wait 2 hours when it seems the lazy overeaters get rewarded for it by boarding the buses first... what's wrong with them waiting in line like everybody else? I have no problem with *real* disabilities and wheelchair bound folks... but this really gets my goat. It's no wonder obesity is such a problem if people are actively encouraged to do less and less exercise.

Without meaning to sound overly harsh, perhaps if your friends need a scooter to get about because of their weight it would do them good to do a bit of walking for once, then they could drop the weight and not be judged as lazy by using the scooters... but obviously if they need it for genuine medical reasons then that is another matter.

But I'm from the UK and maybe we do things differently here?

 

[moonvine]

Without meaning to sound overly harsh, perhaps if your friends need a scooter to get about because of their weight it would do them good to do a bit of walking for once, then they could drop the weight and not be judged as lazy by using the scooters... but obviously if they need it for genuine medical reasons then that is another matter.

Um, well, if a person chooses to judge another person for any reason, it seems to me that the problem lies on the part of the judger, not the judgee. I try to live and let live, and not try to figure out if a person in a scooter/wheelchair/whatever is there for a "legitimate" reason or not.

Most of my fat friends are medically unable to walk long distances. Their scooters have made the difference to them between being stuck at home doing nothing and being able to get out and participate in and enjoy life. So although I do not use scooters, I am very grateful for them because they have made such a huge difference in the lives of some of my friends.

 

[flortlebap]

Just out of curiosity I guess... but how many of the obese people on these ECV's are obese through genuine problems (ie thyroid problems, diabetes, other genetic disorders) and how many are obese through over eating and lack of exercise? If it's self inflicted I see no reason for them to be rewarded for making bad choices...

but of course, that's very un-Disney of me

 

[SueM in MN]

I don't know how they handle truely disabled people on scooters as far as lines. Do they go in a special entrance therefore not having to wait in line with others? Maybe this guy is using the scooter not only because he doesn't want to walk but also because he wants to avoid the lines??? It's simply disgusting to me.

Annie

AK and the Studio were built with what are called 'Mainstream Lines'. These are lines where the regular line is wheelchair/ECV accessible and a person using a wheelchair or ECV waits in the same line with everyone else.

Here's what it says in the official WDW Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities about Mainstream Lines and the list of attractions with Mainstream Queues:

The Walt Disney World® Resort strives to provide mainstream access whenever possible; that is, all Guests utilize the main entrance to the attraction. However, accessibility varies from attraction to attraction within our Parks. The Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities and Park Guidemaps use symbols to indicate boarding procedures for each attraction. In addition, Guests should contact a host or hostess at each attraction before entering.
Attractions providing mainstream queue access include the following. As you can see, most of the lines are Mainstream Queues:

Magic Kingdom® Park
Ariel's Grotto
Astro Orbiter
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Donald's Boat
Judge's Tent
Mickey's Country House
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Mike Fink Keelboats (seasonal)
Minnie's Country House
Pirates of the Caribbean
Space Mountain®
Splash Mountain®
Stitch's Great Escape!™
The Barnstormer at Goofy's Wiseacres Farm
"The Enchanted Tiki Room Under New Management"
The Hall of Presidents
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
The Timekeeper (seasonal)
Tomorrowland® Indy Speedway
Toontown Hall of Fame
Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress (seasonal)

Epcot®
FUTURE WORLD
Imagination!: All Attractions
Innoventions East
Innoventions West
Mission: SPACE
Test Track
The Living Seas: All Attractions
The Land: All Attractions
Universe of Energy: "Ellen's Energy Adventure"
Wonders of Life: All Attractions (seasonal)

WORLD SHOWCASE
China: "Reflections of China"
France: "Impressions de France"
FriendShip Boats
Norway: Maelstrom
The American Adventure: "The American Adventure"

Disney-MGM Studios
Disney-MGM Studios Backlot Tour
Fantasmic!
Lights, Motors, Action!™ Extreme Stunt Show
Muppet*Vision 3D
Playhouse Disney - Live On Stage!
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster® Starring Aerosmith
Sounds Dangerous - Starring Drew Carey
Star Tours
The Great Movie Ride
The Magic of Disney Animation
"The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™"
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
Walt Disney: One Man's Dream
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire - Play It!

Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park
Caravan Stage: "Flights of Wonder"
DINOSAUR
Grandmother Willow's Grove: "Pocahontas and Her forest friends"
It's Tough To Be A Bug
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Lion King Theater: "Festival of the Lion King"
Maharajah Jungle Trek
Primeval Whirl
Theater in the Wild: "Tarzan Rocks!"
The Boneyard
TriceraTop Spin

 

[the john]

thats wrong

 

[Fly me with Balloons]

I did not read all of this just a sampling as this subject is touchy for me.

Yes, we all hate to see the system abused but please remember, SOME PEOPLE HAVE CONDITIONS THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO WALK NORMALLY FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME, EVEN RUN OR JUMP, but can NOT walk long periods as needed in Disney. Others may be fine one day and in great pain another day.

Disney rented ECV's are SLOW and a real pain, honestly I can't see why anyone woud rent one that doesn't need one, it takes you so much longer to get anywhere and a lot of people really don't like people who are on them.

MOST people on ECV's WANT to go in the regular lines, and do NOT want special treatment. Unfortunately most lines at the buses REQUIRE you to go to a different line. Just remember that line does not always go faster than yours, it might take longer.

Fat people on ECV's? Maybe they are not riding them because they are fat and lazy. Just maybe they are overweight because they have medical conditions that limit their ability to exercise?

Just a few thoughts to please keep in mind, ok?

Then, we aren't talking about them, are we?

 

[BonnieA]

Same as I would object to any thin, lazy types, but I have yet to see a thin person taking the lazy way out and renting a scooter just for the priveleges.

Well I have. Last May I watched 5 (count em - 5), physically fit looking, young adult men - college aged, riding in 5 scooters, chasing each other, doing figure 8's, laughing and clowning, right in front of the Canadian pavilion at Epcot.

 

[moonvine]

Just out of curiosity I guess... but how many of the obese people on these ECV's are obese through genuine problems (ie thyroid problems, diabetes, other genetic disorders) and how many are obese through over eating and lack of exercise? If it's self inflicted I see no reason for them to be rewarded for making bad choices...

Perhaps you could bring this up with Disney. You could institute a "need" test, requiring a complete medical history, for the past 20 years or so, so that someone could be the judge of who was fat due to "a genuine problem."

While you are at it, make sure that you institute a "need" test for wheelchair bound folk as well. No wheelchairs for those who dove into a pool that was too shallow, or got hit by a car after crossing the street without looking both ways. That's their own fault, after all! Only the "good" wheelchair bound folk and the "good" fat folk will be able to make use of the services! Everyone else has to stay at home. No soup for them!

Somehow I don't think Disney would go for this. But feel free to approach them with it. I think I prefer it the way it is now.

 

[HollisterSweetie]

We ran into an elderly gentleman pushing his wife in a wheelchair at Animal Kingdom last week. We were going into the Lion King Show and I saw how exhausted this man looked. I told him it would be easier to get an ECV. He said he thought so too, but they were all out when he came into the park. While waiting for the show to begin we saw two ladies riding in on ECVs. The had a little girl with them. You should have seen the way they both RAN up to talk to a CM to try to get the little girl to participate in the show. There was no hesitation whatsoever. It just broke my heart for the elderly gentleman. I know people look perfectly healthy and have disabilities, but these two ladies sure could sprint when they wanted to.

Unfortunately, if you really need the scooter, you need to rent from an outside source or you risk them being gone.

That's just sad.

 

[HollisterSweetie]

I know someone who rented an ECV on their recent trip to WDW because they had a back injury while at the parks and could barely stand up straight, let alone walk all day. However, this person is going back to the parks very soon, and is fully intending to rent an ECV again, because they "hate walking around when it's hot." I kid you not. This person is quite overweight, but is perfectly capable of walking around all day, they just don't feel like it (in their own words, I am not making assumptions here). That, to me, is just terrible.

This makes me sick. If my mom can do it in the middle of June, 1 week after having chemo...ohh i'm just going to stop there.

 

[Chuck S]

Our gov't could control this very easily by simply reclassifying all scooters as "medical mobility devices" and requiring a prescription before one could be sold or rented. Most folks are too lazy to push a manual wheelchair around all day, unless there truly is a medical need for it..but the scooters are another story.

BTW, the gov't, through the ADA, also prevents rental places from questioning the riders to see the nature of their disability. Basically all they can do is ask if they need one...and you know how people are. You see, the ADA, while doing much, much good, also has problems. It was written thinking people are basically honest, and to protect the privacy of the disabled. Times have changed.

 

[waltfan1957]

Oh what a sore subject! I sympathize with the people who really need these things but the those who take advantage are horrible! While we were waiting for the bus last month, from Poly to A.K., there were two women on scooters along with their families. We had been waiting for a while when they all arrived at the bus stop. One of the women proudly announced to the group "It won't take us long to get a bus. We get to go first on these things!" And sure enough, when the bus arrived they boarded first along with their whole traveling party and we got to wait even longer for a bus! Now believe me, I am a thoughtful person but the "go to the front of the line mentality" just because someone is on a scooter should really be reconsidered. My mom has severe foot pain from time to time but is offended if we suggest using one of those things. Hope I didn't offend anyone but I'm just sick of lazy people and those who think they deserve special treatment because they use a scooter.

this is wdw policy to load wheelchairs and scooters first, its for safety reasons

 

[SueM in MN]

I was at WDW last May and was furious after seeing someone on a scooter cut a very long bus line - this made the line move even slower since the bus driver had to assit her on the bus - low and behold, when she got on the bus - she had no problem getting out of her scooter and walking over to a seat that could have been given to someone else ....to make matters worse - she had her whole family cut the line with her (there were probably 6 of them all together)....

While this would not upset me if the person had a "legitimate" disability - this was simply outrageous...

?How does anyone know by looking what is a "legitimate" disability?
What about this poster's sister?

My Younger sis 15, had injured her knee and had a brace 3 days before we left for our Disney Trip in April. She didn't want to cancel so we got her a wheelchair and pushed her around. She herself felt bad because people were giving myself and her dirty looks. She did have a brace on her knee and could not walk for more than getting on and off the bus really, even going to the bathroom for her was difficult and she did not use the handicapped one either.

Sounds "legitimate" to me, but it also sounds like a situation where people looked at her and saw
young healthy looking person + wheelchair = cheater

• Did a friend's son have a "legitimate" disability when he was about 9 and his parents rented a wheelchair for him at WDW?
  He could walk around. He could even run. He mostly did not want to sit in the wheelchair, so sometimes his brother (who would have been 6 or 7) got tired and sat in the wheelchair. Sometimes the parents put their stuff in it and pushed that around His parents noticed some people looking at the wheelchair as they pushed it around the parks.
  He didn't look disabled, but he had a congenital heart condition and wasn't expected to live past his early teens. On morning, just after his 18th birthday, his mom thought he had overslept and went to wake him to go to work. He wasn't asleep. He had died during the night.
• What about my FIL?
  He was a bit overweight, but dieted to get his weight down. About 18 years ago, his doctor had told him he really needed to get his hips and knees replaced. He worked hard to get himself in shape for surgery and just before he was ready to do the first surgery, one of his friends died from complications after a hip replacement. He was not too keen on doing the surgery after that.
  He walked at the parks because he was afraid of people looking at him and judging him. He paid for that in pain - after a day at the parks, he had a night of painkillers and ice on both knees. He paid also by not being able to see a lot at the parks. He only went a little ways in and then rested on a bench.
  Three years ago, he finailly decided to rent a scooter at Epcot. He thought it was great and said later it was the first time in 15 years that he wasn't in intense pain at the end of a park day.
  He continued to rent a scooter (but only at Epcot and MGM; he felt those were the best parks to use one at because they were less congested than MK). I wish he had started using an ECV 15 years ago. We would have a lot more happy memories of going to the parks with him if he had. He died in June (unexpectedly), so I'm at least happy we had the last 3 years of knowing he was not touring in pain.
• What about my youngest DD?
  From some of the comments we've overheard people make, they didin't think she looked like someone with a legitimate disability. In her case,
  young healthy looking person + sitting on a bench + wheelchair next to her + swinging her leg = cheater
  and they had no problem saying it loud enough for her and us to hear them.
  But, although she loked like someone without a legitimate disability to them, she has been considered permanently disabled since she was 3 years old with moderate to severe Cerebral Palsy. She can't walk, stand or even transfer herself, so where do people get off deciding for themselves that she is not "legitimately" disabled?

Here's a link to a thread about using a wheelchair at Epcot from the viewpoint of someone who never thought they would need one.
While it is disturbing that it has become fashionable to use ECVs for choice/laziness rather than necessity, it is more disturbing to me that people feel this gives them the right to judge other people and decide who is using one because they are lazy or because they are fat.
And it really bothers me that many people think by questioning and pointing out the people they think are not "legitimately" disabled, that they are somehow "protecting" the people with "legitimate" disabilities.
All they are doing is making the people with real needs afraid to use an ECV or wheelchair because they are afraid of what other people might think or say.

And, the people who are using them because out of choice/convenience rather than necessity might find out some inconvenient things associated with not exercising. The hospital I work at has had several patients in the last year who had planned surgery that they should have recovered from quickly. But because they were so deconditioned by using ECVs, they ended up with all sorts of complications. So, using one when you don't need one can be its own punishment.
So, to quote Thumper's mom,
"if you can't say somethin' nice, don't say nothin' at all."

 

[dvcgirl]

I have to say that as a fat person, I am glad there are going to be other fat people in the park when I go. It is always nice to not be the only one. Disney is pretty much known as a fat friendly destination, and since there are lots of fat people in the U.S., making themselves fat friendly is a good business decision on their part, as far as I am concerned.

I do not have a scooter, but lots of my fat friends do. For many of them, it is either purchase a scooter or stay at home.

I'm really sad to see the amount of anti fat bias there is on these boards.

Fat people are just people. We aren't necessarily lazy, though certainly some of us are.

By the way, I don't have a problem being fat. It is just the size I happen to be. If others have a problem with it, well....I am not sure what to say there. Seems a waste of their time to me.

I meant no disrespect to anyone in my post. I was mostly just commenting on the state of our nation with respect to our obesity problem. It's a worrisome trend, and with a full 50 cents of every dollar spent on food in this country now spent at restaurants I don't see it getting better. Portion sizes are out of control, at just about every restaurant in the country (WDW included). The food industry now loads up many foods with high fructose corn syrup and trans fats, and this stuff is just deadly to our bodies over time.

Our children today may actually be the first generationg that will not outlive their parents, even with far less smokers now, and all of our medical technology. We have kids today....*kids*, with Type II diabetes and fatty livers. There is positively no excuse for that. And we're going to have more and more adults end up with Type II diabetes at younger and younger ages.

I have obsese people in my family and it has been sad to watch the unfolding of their lives. We already lost one Uncle at age 53. He had so many medical problems that I couldn't possibly list them all. His brother, my other Uncle is also obese, about 350 lbs I'd say. He's 42 and unless he decides to do something about his weight, he will not outlive his brother. So, this issue is something that has touched my family.

 

[Melwood23]

In Dec 2002, I had to rent one for like 2 hrs, (I just remembered the day I rented it was when ABC was filming the Christmas Parade) while at MK, due to some major blisters on both feet(long story involves a shoe blow out), plus my left knee was hurting because I had been walking odd for 2 days because of the blisters and I felt guilty even then. But will say that using that scooter for the couple hours, then spending the evening at Epcot just sitting for 4 hrs, waiting for Illuminations, did a world of wonder. Feet were much better the next day.

Now when I go to Key West I love to rent scooters!!!...but right kind

 

[waltfan1957]

I commend you for using the busses in this manner but in my two trips I haven't seen anyone else do this. It has always been that people in EVC or wheelchairs wheel up to the front and load on the next bus. They never waited in line.

As to the original topic, it is a shame that people take advantage of this service. Obviously it is not the intended purpose of the rentals and these lazy people should be ashamed of themselves.

they are told to go to the wheelchair loading area by disney if this offends you, you need to take this up with disney

 

[flortlebap]

Perhaps you could bring this up with Disney. You could institute a "need" test, requiring a complete medical history, for the past 20 years or so, so that someone could be the judge of who was fat due to "a genuine problem."

While you are at it, make sure that you institute a "need" test for wheelchair bound folk as well. No wheelchairs for those who dove into a pool that was too shallow, or got hit by a car after crossing the street without looking both ways. That's their own fault, after all! Only the "good" wheelchair bound folk and the "good" fat folk will be able to make use of the services! Everyone else has to stay at home. No soup for them!

So you think it's fair for fat lazy people to pretend to be disabled and get all the priveleges?

Frankly I find it pathetic. Clearly your fat friends are more in need than people like my MIL who has a brain tumour, was partially paralysed and is recovering from it but STILL manages to walk around the parks and wouldn't dream of hiring a scooter because guess what - SHE ISN'T DISABLED and wouldn't pretend to be so. Your fat friends can go on a diet or do some exercise - my MIL cannot force her body to reject a tumour...

And since when did I say anything about means testing for wheelchair folk?! If they have a genuine disability then that's what the facilities are there for. However I refuse to condone the facilities being abused by the lazy, obese folk.

 

[chirurgeon]

To be honest, I haven't read most of this thread. I have already reserved my scooter for my trip this coming December. And I'm feeling guilty. I mentioned this to my friends at work and they looked at me like I was insane. So if you see me going to the handicapped entrance of a ride that can't have an ECV in the queue and you see me jump up eagerly and get on the ride, don't think badly of me. Think about the fact I will be one chemo treatment away from ending six months of chemo following the removal of my cancer (they got it all thank God.) I am just afraid the chemo will have reeked havoc on my stamina and I will not be able to enjoy my Celebration the Chemo is Over Trip. Yes I know I will have one more after I get home but my schedule got pushed back. If not for this, I would not have even thought about using an ECV, OK, I might have thought about it, but wouldn't have done it. How else could I try to keep off the weight from all that good dining?

These people should be grateful they don't need a mobility device to enjoy the Happiest Place on Earth. We just have to remember that one cosmic equalizer, KARMA. At some point they will learn the error of their ways.

 

[RockyMtnMaria]

Oooh thank you for having the courage to post this. I thought we were the only ones enraged by scooter and wheelchair abuse. I have been run down by more wheelcahirs and scooters in WDW than I care to mention! ...and most of the time an hour or so later I will see that person walking and another family member riding! Or the wheelchair is used as a "shopping cart" to wheel around bags, ETC.! Except when it is time to get in line then someone "convienently" can't walk! ARRRGGGHHH!

...and while boing politcally incorrect....the same goes for strollers!!!! If I get rammed by one more stroller schlepping around a 10 year old........

You will probably see me doing exactly this if you happen to be there at the same time as me in Sept. I cried myself to sleep several times before I came to this decision. It is going to be very HARD for me to get on a scooter for the first time in my life, but I know that if I don't, I will be back in the hotel room alone for most of the trip. And yes, I can walk, and yes I plan to as much as I possibly can. But I can't do more than one day in a row, without spending several days in bed afterwards. Planning this Disney trip made me face for the first time that my unwillingness to rent a scooter was causing me to sacrifice time with my family.

You will probably also see me trading the scooter off with a family member. My MIL is trying to avoid back surgery and is in a lot of pain. She also looks very healthy. It wouldn't be good for either one of us to ride all the time, and trading off will be the ideal situation for both of us. I also expect that we will park and stand in the regular line. We plan to rent in the park, despite the higher rates there, to avoid the bus issues you've described. You might also see us walking around Downtown Disney instead.

Not all people need ECV's all the time. Disney is an extreme trial to the body, and just a little help can go a long way. Just know that if my children were in trouble, I'd jump off the scooter and run and pick them up. But you probably wouldn't be around to see me crying in pain later.

If you happen to see me walking all day, you DEFINITELY won't see me later when I am alone in the hotel while the rest of my family are enjoying the parks without me.

You'll probably reply saying that I am not one of the people abusing the system. But I'll be doing the same things people criticize. And hearing and reading these types of comments (I wish this was the first time!!!) makes it very hard to rent that scooter! I'm just tired of being left behind and missing those special once in a lifetime moments with my husband and children.

BTW, I am in my early 30's and my autoimmune disease is not visible.

As for strollers. I have an 8yo who is the size of an 11yo. We don't plan to let him ride, but I don't know how he is going to do all this walking either. He would have been fine for most of his life, but currently is on 4 meds just to keep him from going into anafalactic shock. He gets asthma attacks on a whim now, and went from skinny to chunky last winter when this all started. People will probably think he is a lazy child who eats chips and plays video games all day. Just take a look at the rest of my children, and it will be clear it isn't true.

We are always told we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. And we should always give others the benefit of the doubt.

 

[RockyMtnMaria]

Then, we aren't talking about them, are we?

Unfortunately, some of the comments here ARE talking about "them". Thank goodness not all the comments are that way!