Any solos with scooters?

[Simba's Mom]

Have any solos at WDW used a scooter? Have there been any special problems being alone? For example, one of my fears is getting to a door and not having anyone to open the door for me. And trying to navigate thru ordering and picking up my food at CS restaurants. So do I have legitimate fears?

 

[chirurgeon]

I have traveled solo twice before using an ECV. Sometimes I had to open doors on my own. If it was a door that needed to be pulled, I just made sure the speed was way down on the ECV and grabbed the door and backed up as I held onto the door. If you don't use an ECV at home it takes a day or so to get yourself oriented with how to use the ECV. Generally I haven't had any problems as a solo using an ECV.

 

[Bete]

There really are not that many doors you have to worry about. I've used a scooter for years and I haven't had any issues this way.

You can park your scooter and go into restaurants without it. Just make sure you take your key with you.

 

[Gilrond]

Have been solo with ECV x 3. There are a few doors in MK (Cosmic Rays comes to mind) that are manual, at least as of this past December. I have generally been fortunate in having people help me with the doors. I use a small ECV and can reach the front which makes things easier. In tight spots, I always welcome help because it is faster for everyone. I manage my office door daily but it doesn't have the crowd factor of Disney.

The counter service queues are too tight for turns but I have always found CMs and sometimes other guests to offer help every time. (I can walk with cane but can't really carry a tray in one hand.

The attractions that require transfer to manual wheelchair for extensive distance like Enchanted Tales with Belle can be difficult if you don't have enough upper body strength. I would never have gotten up the slight hill at the exit without the help of another guest.

 

[Tiggerish]

I have been solo with ecv multiple times and at first I did worry about how to open doors, etc. What I have discovered is there are only a few places that do not have automatic doors and when that happens the most likey scenerio is a friendly stranger will rush to help. It must be something about Disney because I seem to encounter more helpful people there than anywhere else.

For counter service restaurants, there is usually a line marked for handicapped that is more accessible. After ordering or when being handed my tray, I am usually asked if I would like some one to take it to a table for me.

At first I would say no because I can manage and am quite independent. Howver, once a nice young man leaned over the counter and whispered to me that it would be a nice break for him to carry the tray. When he brought the tray out to me and we traveled together to find a table, he explained that bringing out of tray gives them a nice change in their routine and from his manager, they get good feedback for being "guest friendly".

Now a word about opening hotel room doors. First, turtle speed is your best friend. Second, get the ECV lined up at the correct angle to the door opening and then, unlock the door (magic band or key card) and push the door open with the scooter. For doors that open out (think exiting room), the advice chirurgeon gave is exactly right.

You can do this and you will meet some very nice people.

 

[Piper]

I use an ECV in everyday life and open doors on my own all the time. The only time it bothers me is when I have a rheumatoid arthritis flare up in my shoulders. Then it is painful, but usually doable. I just got a cortisone shot in my shoulders so I should be good for a couple of months!

 

[Simba's Mom]

I have been solo with ecv multiple times and at first I did worry about how to open doors, etc. What I have discovered is there are only a few places that do not have automatic doors and when that happens the most likey scenerio is a friendly stranger will rush to help. It must be something about Disney because I seem to encounter more helpful people there than anywhere else.

For counter service restaurants, there is usually a line marked for handicapped that is more accessible. After ordering or when being handed my tray, I am usually asked if I would like some one to take it to a table for me.

At first I would say no because I can manage and am quite independent. Howver, once a nice young man leaned over the counter and whispered to me that it would be a nice break for him to carry the tray. When he brought the tray out to me and we traveled together to find a table, he explained that bringing out of tray gives them a nice change in their routine and from his manager, they get good feedback for being "guest friendly".

Now a word about opening hotel room doors. First, turtle speed is your best friend. Second, get the ECV lined up at the correct angle to the door opening and then, unlock the door (magic band or key card) and push the door open with the scooter. For doors that open out (think exiting room), the advice chirurgeon gave is exactly right.

You can do this and you will meet some very nice people.

Thanks. I agree, now that you mention it, that sometimes it does seem like there are more helpful people at WDW. When I was there with my 80 yo mother, everyone rushed to offer her a seat. Then I often got another offer of a seat near her "So she won't be alone." And thanks for the tip about allowing CS CMs to be "guest friendly". I'd probably figure they were just offering to be helpful, and insist "No, thanks-I'll manage". But I'll take the help now.

 

[dawnhaze]

Generally, in CS restaurants, if you ask for assistance when you order and/or pick up your order, a CM should be able to carry your tray to a table for you. I try to eat CS at off-peak times, so it's less busy and someone might be more readily available to help.

A large majority of the doors at WDW are automatic or have an alternative that is, and there are indeed a lot of people willing to hold a door for you. The hotel room doors presented a challenge since they're heavy and don't prop open easily, but it's manageable once you figure out the process. Personally, I got pretty good at opening doors on the ECV after a week.

I'd say the hardest part of my solo trip was, as a PP mentioned, attraction queues that require a transfer to a manual chair. I can't self-propel in a wheelchair on any sort of incline or for any significant distance - I became a hazard in the POTC queue the only time I ever tried, and ended up limping through queues on my cane after that. Unfortunately, the only solutions to this issue seem to be scheduling FP+ specifically for rides where this is a problem (if you can stand through the FP line) and/or reliance on the kindness of random strangers.

 

[POOHsie]

There's certain rides I won't go on solo, after dismal experiences.
*__Splash Mountain is too difficult to get out of, as is Rock 'N Rollercoaster. I need a hand and Disney CMs aren't allowed to help.
*__Pirates: You have to transfer to a wheelchair. There is a wooden post or gate that can be grabbed while exiting the boat, so it's doable solo. There's an elevator in the exit area. However there was a recent post of a person using crutches not allowed to use the elevator (WHY?). There's an incline at the exit and it's too difficult for solo wheelchair user or person on crutches. Insist on using the elevator.
*__BTMRR: For years, when explaining my need for my scooter at the ride car upon ride finish, they would have it there. Then a few years ago, they didn't bring me my scooter. In simplest terms, BTMRR has two start/finish tracks. You start on one track and end at second track. By riding again in your same seat, you start at the second track and end at the first track. In this way, I got back to my scooter. Now, when I recently went solo, they didn't do that, either. They didn't bring me my scooter at the ride finish. They didn't have me ride again, to get back to where my scooter was. They gave me a wheelchair and left me to exit on my own. The incline to the exit was too difficult to handle solo and a kind stranger helped. There was another incline to reach the original place I parked my scooter. I made it there, with much difficulty. If this is the new BTMRR handicap assistance, it's too much to handle solo.
*__MK Little Mermaid: Transferred from my scooter to a wheelchair. At start of moving ramp to get into ride vehicle, the CM insisted I had to get out of WC and walk on moving ramp to get in ride vehicle. I CAN'T WALK! The CM insisted I had to! Another CM slowed the ramp and pushed the WC to the ride vehicle, and that was good. This second CM slowed the ramp and brought WC to me at ride exit.
*__Great Movie Ride. I explained I needed my scooter brought to me upon exit. At exit, my scooter wasn't there, so I sat in ride vehicle twiddling thumbs. After awhile a different CM came over, asking what was wrong. I said I needed my scooter brought over. They retrieved my scooter but why did I tell them my needs at the ride start, and they completely forgot them at ride exit?
*__Kilamanjaro Safari: Same as Great Movie Ride. I told them I needed scooter brought to me at ride exit. When ride was over, there was no scooter. The CMs there were different ones from when I started the ride, and I had to explain my request again.
*__Spaceship Earth. You transfer to a wheelchair. One time (but not other times) the CM wouldn't let me go up the ramp in the wheelchair solo. I was turned away from the ride. Turns out he had his own rules. You are allowed to do it solo.

At the CS restaurants, there are handicap-accessible lines as others have mentioned. They are usually always the last one on either the right or the left. The lines in-between have railings and dividers, and no way you could turn your scooter around after getting your food. It's best you know this now, so you don't find yourself trapped and have to back out of a line, along with a bunch of people behind you. Two incidents come to mind.
*__Restaurantosaurus at AK. I was greeted by a gatekeeper who directed me to the line she selected. Sounds good, except she chose one of the middle lines for me in my scooter. When she started helping the person behind me, I scooted to the handicap line at the far end. I could hear her yapping at me, blah, blah. But I knew better, and she should have known...
*__Casey's at MK. Small place but the same set-up with rails and dividers boxing you in. I went to the end of the counter and tried to order. NO! That's not open! "Well, the other lines aren't accessible," I said. With a Sheesh! and rolling eyes, I got waited on, but was made to feel like a troublemaker instead of a person needing assistance.

To summarize, some rides are too difficult for a solo scooter user. Some are difficult but not impossible. The remainder are OK. In my experience, Disney CMs used to be more helpful than they are today. It's up to you, the solo scooter user, to learn what should be expected from Disney staff and to stand (sit) your ground when you are mis-directed. You don't have to accept what they say is Gospel, if you are knowledgeable.