Anyone have their power wheelchair or scooter stolen at the theme parks?

[FrankDIS72]

I used to have a bike when I went to college. I found out the hard way if the item wasn't locked down on the bike, someone would steal it. I had a bicycle cyclometer on my bike. I parked and locked my bike for class. After class, I found out someone had taken it. Another time someone took a bag with a spare tire tube and tire changing tools off my bike. I even got a water bottle stolen! Imagine that, someone took a $3 water bottle! I hope he drank the same water I did and got all my nasty germs!

I was shopping for a power chair or scooter to go on my next trip to Orlando. I plan on visiting the major theme parks -- Disney, Universal, Busch Gardens, Sea World, and maybe even Gatorland and Kennedy Space Center! I have narrowed it down to a few. All of these power chairs are portable and foldable. They show how easy it is to remove the joystick and batteries. I like the ease of use, but it got me thinking: what if someone stole the joystick and batteries? The joystick and batteries are pricey from $200-$400. I can imagine someone taking a battery and selling it on the black market. Also, I don't see a key for these wheelchairs, only the scooters. I imagine someone can just drive off with it.

I am a bit paranoid, but after my experience with my bike at college, I learned to lock everything down or take it with you if you want to keep it. So has anyone had problems with stolen items off your power wheelchair or scooter? Has anyone ever stolen the whole thing? If it was stolen, what did you do?

Personally, I think anyone that steals from the handicapped is a scumbag. But I've seen it happen. also, I wonder how the thief would answer when the judge asks why he decided to steal from a handicapped man.

 

[Evita_W]

I'm sure it does happen, but the vast majority I think is simply mistaken identity on the scooters. So it is best to have some sort of identifying mark like a specific color ribbon, etc.

If someone doesn't have a key, they would have to push the chair, which should draw attention of security to find out what is wrong.

Some rental companies are working on more secure solutions than keys like having to use an RFID card, such as your park tickets or magic band (with other options available) to turn on the scooter. And some rental companies are putting devices to assist in recover upon theft as well as providing theft insurance.

So in short, I would find a company that provides theft insurance and I wouldn't take my own device.

I know there are some foldable models of scooters as well as some wheelchairs that use keys.

 

[mamabunny]

I'm sure it does happen, but the vast majority I think is simply mistaken identity on the scooters. So it is best to have some sort of identifying mark like a specific color ribbon, etc.

If someone doesn't have a key, they would have to push the chair, which should draw attention of security to find out what is wrong.

Some rental companies are working on more secure solutions than keys like having to use an RFID card, such as your park tickets or magic band (with other options available) to turn on the scooter. And some rental companies are putting devices to assist in recover upon theft as well as providing theft insurance.

So in short, I would find a company that provides theft insurance and I wouldn't take my own device.

I know there are some foldable models of scooters as well as some wheelchairs that use keys.

@FrankDIS72 - In all of the years I have been hanging around here (including a loooooong extended period of time where I was lurking before joining the DISBoards) I have seen exactly *1* case where a rental scooter was "stolen". And even that wasn't "stolen" - it was, as my friend @Evita_W said, a case of mistaken identity! Since so many of the rental ECVs look similar, someone had sat down, put their key into the ECV, and driven off without checking to make sure it was the one they had actually rented. (ECVs are keyed with generic keys that can be purchased on the aftermarket - they aren't much of a theft deterrent, really, as you can guess!)

The outcome of that was that the person figured out they had grabbed the wrong scooter, and eventually it was all sorted. It was a bit disconcerting to the other person who had rented the scooter in question, but luckily all was well that ended well.

That's pretty much it.

There have been a few similar cases of strollers that look identical being taken, and it could happen to those classic black-and-chrome rental wheelchairs easily too. That's why here in our little corner of the DIS, we recommend that you tie a brightly colored bandana, or a length of fun, brightly colored/patterned grosgrain ribbon onto the handlebars or somewhere easily visible on any mobility device. It not only helps "mark" the item as "mine/not yours" but it makes it easier if you have to enlist a cast member to help you search for your device because it got moved while you were riding the Haunted Mansion; saying that you are looking for the wheelchair with the bright green bandana on it makes it a bit easier to spot in veritable sea of devices!

There *have* been reported sighting of SQUIRRELS at WDW who would pilfer small items from the baskets of ECVs and strollers - so you have been warned. Take everything in your basket with you, lest the squirrels grab your goods! In all seriousness, never leave *anything* on any mobility device when you walk away from it - that's just common sense. Even if no one pilfers anything, little kids have been known to play with stuff that doesn't belong to them (and there are a shocking number of parents who seem to turn off their brains when they arrive at Disney World...) and just for peace of mind - take it with you.

The main reason I don't worry about theft at WDW is because when you look at the cost of a ticket for a single day, most of the kind of people who would steal a mobility device to resell on Craigslist or at the flea market aren't going to pony up for a ticket to WDW. They can steal other stuff for free at other places, and don't have to deal with security checkpoints, crowds, not to mention to long schlep to/from their vehicle with a large, stolen object...

I take my own devices to WDW, and I have (in the past, before I required full time use) allowed CMs to park them, and move them, and when I came out of the ride/show/attraction/meal, I have always found it to be just fine, untouched. Famously, my little Travelscoot (named Angus) has spent many happy hours at WDW, and a whole bunch of them parked outside of different places, and no one has ever messed with him! Only once did I come out to find a person who had decided to sit on him, and when I pointed out that they were sitting on my device, they were super embarrassed and left right away.

I had more problems with people putting their feet on him when he was parked on the bus, than I did with leaving him parked around at WDW!

The one exception to this is Disney Springs - it is free, and open to the public, and theft of a device there would be much, much easier and quicker than it would be at the Parks. At Disney Springs, I am much more careful - but then again, there are fewer reasons for me to park my device there. If I had to park my Fold & Go chair and leave it out of my sight at Disney Springs, I probably wouldn't do anything more than "pop" the batteries so that it rendered it useless; most people don't know where the batteries are on a chair like that, and wouldn't know to pop them back in. The joystick is of no value to anyone who doesn't own a F&G chair, because they are programmed specially for F&G.

You will notice that taking a chair all the way to your table at most dining venues at WDW is much easier to accomplish than taking an ECV. The exception to that was my Travelscoot, because I could drop the handlebars, and roll up under the table, and sit on it instead of a chair.

So, TL;DR - it's fine. Don't worry. And let us know if you have any other questions about using a mobility device at WDW.

 

[DisneyOma]

Wasn't there a big stroller theft at WDW? Some woman would come in, walk out with a stroller, sell it online?

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-mom-steals-stroller-disney-20170517-story.html
Reported that she had other items listed as well, expensive diaper bags, etc.

 

[bluecruiser]

I use an app that helps you keep track of your keys, purse, really any item, to also keep track of my Fold&Go wheelchair at Disney. It's called Tile, but I'm sure there are other similar devices out there. This helps when your wheelchair is moved (or stolen) and you're trying to find it.

Tile sells small devices that you can place/hide on your items, and then you use the Tile app to locate them when needed.

There are a couple caveats - the battery life of each Tile device is limited - they say 3 years but in use I've found it to be less. So you need to replace them periodically. Also, the Tile app nags you to turn on Bluetooth, background refresh, always-on location access, and leave the app running all the time. This is because if you mark your item as lost, every phone running the Tile app can anonymously help you find your item. To save my phone's battery life, I only turn on all-the-time location access and background refresh (and leave the app running) when I'm on a Disney trip. And I keep a FuelRod phone charger with me all the time.

None of this will prevent your wheelchair from being stolen, but it will help you find it if it does.

Another thing I did was to get insurance coverage for my wheelchair. This gives me more peace of mind that if it gets stolen at least I'm covered. My insurance cost is $112 per year, based on the purchase price of my Fold&Go.

 

[Ninjagrrl]

Yes the stroller theft ring was real - they were stealing high end strollers like Bugaboo.

I'd say it's rare, but does happen. My son has a custom wheelchair/stroller hybrid that is transit ready and everything. I would not be able to get a new one easily if it was stolen. That said, I don't really worry too much about leaving it to board rides, bc the CM usually moves it to another area at the exit seperate from the parking areas and it's usually always in view of a CM.
When we go into restaurants however, we often ask if we can bring it in and leave it someplace out of the way, because it's not table height and we have to transfer him to a highchair. I've never gotten any pushback on it. I'm just wary of leaving it outside unattended for an hour or more.

 

[cobright]

I like the ease of use, but it got me thinking: what if someone stole the joystick and batteries? The joystick and batteries are pricey from $200-$400. I can imagine someone taking a battery and selling it on the black market. Also, I don't see a key for these wheelchairs, only the scooters. I imagine someone can just drive off with it.

Until the pandemic hit, my friend and I would hit the parks for a long weekend about once or twice a month. Her powerchair is highly customized and if parted out on ebay would easily bring in $15-20k. Leaving it unattended within the parks isn't something we worry about at all.

There was one case not long ago where a woman tried to make off with an expensive stroller, but the reality is that stealing a powerchair out of a WDW park is nutso risky.

Imagine being a thief... you want a lucrative score... so you ... pay $100 for admission to a park where your identity is verified upon entry? Then you walk through the park, an area that competes with a Vegas Casino of the most hidden cameras per sq. ft. until you see a nice expensive chair without anyone in it. Maybe you do it right and follow one of these chairs until it gets parked out front of a restaurant or attraction that takes a while, but either way you don't really know how long it will take for this theft to be noticed. What you do know is that exiting the park in this chair will involve a walking pace ride back through all those cameras.

And sure, just pilfering some items is possible, but again the risk is enormous and you're paying a lot just to be in the park just to cut the trip short by trying to nonchalantly walk out of it with a wheelchair battery?

If you're concerned, leave a cellphone in the powerchair with location sharing turned on. Sometimes CMs will move the chair so set an alert if the chair moves more than 100 feet or whatever. We did this the first year or so and gave up because nobody was messing with our stuff.

Also, see if your homeowners or renters insurance will cover the powerchair against theft.

 

[Groot]

I’d definitely look into insurance for theft protection for your chair. If someone STEALS your personal mobility device, be it a scooter, powerchair, or even a manual chair, they‘re basically stealing your legs. And if the theif is really brazen, they will look for the override switch(es) on the powerchair/scooter.

 

[Lizgistix]

We've had a rented ecv from Disney disappear after we disembarked from Jungle Cruise. We notified a cast member and a replacement was sent out. We were also given a no strings for our inconvenience but never used it.

Haven't had anything stolen from the basket of our ecv but when getting into a line, we don't leave anything worth stealing behind.

 

[DisneyOma]

Until the pandemic hit, my friend and I would hit the parks for a long weekend about once or twice a month. Her powerchair is highly customized and if parted out on ebay would easily bring in $15-20k. Leaving it unattended within the parks isn't something we worry about at all.

There was one case not long ago where a woman tried to make off with an expensive stroller, but the reality is that stealing a powerchair out of a WDW park is nutso risky.

Imagine being a thief... you want a lucrative score... so you ... pay $100 for admission to a park where your identity is verified upon entry? Then you walk through the park, an area that competes with a Vegas Casino of the most hidden cameras per sq. ft. until you see a nice expensive chair without anyone in it. Maybe you do it right and follow one of these chairs until it gets parked out front of a restaurant or attraction that takes a while, but either way you don't really know how long it will take for this theft to be noticed. What you do know is that exiting the park in this chair will involve a walking pace ride back through all those cameras.

And sure, just pilfering some items is possible, but again the risk is enormous and you're paying a lot just to be in the park just to cut the trip short by trying to nonchalantly walk out of it with a wheelchair battery?

If you're concerned, leave a cellphone in the powerchair with location sharing turned on. Sometimes CMs will move the chair so set an alert if the chair moves more than 100 feet or whatever. We did this the first year or so and gave up because nobody was messing with our stuff.

Also, see if your homeowners or renters insurance will cover the powerchair against theft.

Locals get a discount on an annual pass - and one good sale of a stolen item covers most of it. It's not $100 a day.

Also, leaving a cellphone to track an item is ludicrous, IMO. A PP suggested a Tile.

 

[Euby]

The most likely scenario is that it will get relocated by a cast member. I parked my ECV outside of Pooh (where a cast member told me to) and when I got off the ride it was gone. My niece and a cast member went to look for it. We had a lime green Frog Tog cooling towel draped on the basket, so it was identifiable. They found it over by Dumbo. It had been moved by a different cast member.

That's the only time that I've come out of a ride, shop, or restaurant, to discover my ECV was not where I left it. The company that I rent from now actually has their scooters individually keyed, so it's not likely to be driven off in a case of mistaken identity. Plus I trick out my scooter when at the parks.

 

[cobright]

Also, leaving a cellphone to track an item is ludicrous, IMO. A PP suggested a Tile.

A cell phone will do everything the tile will and then some. Namely, the tile won't alert you that it's moved unless you were within bluetooth range to begin with. An old cellphone can be connected to the parks WiFi service or reactivated on the mobile network and can transmit its current location. More than that, a cellphone can be set to activate if jostled and send it's current location. Even record video and ambient audio to cloud storage.

But mostly I recommend using a cellphone because, most people have an old cellphone in a drawer somewhere and Tile's cost money.

 

[Evita_W]

A cell phone will do everything the tile will and then some. Namely, the tile won't alert you that it's moved unless you were within bluetooth range to begin with. An old cellphone can be connected to the parks WiFi service or reactivated on the mobile network and can transmit its current location. More than that, a cellphone can be set to activate if jostled and send it's current location. Even record video and ambient audio to cloud storage.

But mostly I recommend using a cellphone because, most people have an old cellphone in a drawer somewhere and Tile's cost money.

The difference is a tile won't need recharging during the trip, a cell phone will. Additionally you can hide the tile in far more places since it is so much smaller physically.

 

[Lilsia]

The difference is a tile won't need recharging during the trip, a cell phone will. Additionally you can hide the tile in far more places since it is so much smaller physically.

Not to mention that they can turn off the cell phone, take out the sim card, oh and it costs a small fortune compared to a tile. Who in their right mind would use a cell phone as a gps device? LOL

 

[Groot]

A cell phone will do everything the tile will and then some. Namely, the tile won't alert you that it's moved unless you were within bluetooth range to begin with.

Anyone got a better suggestion than a Tile?

 

[cobright]

The difference is a tile won't need recharging during the trip, a cell phone will. Additionally you can hide the tile in far more places since it is so much smaller physically.

If only ECVs had an enormous (by cellphone standards) power storage device built into them right? But seriously, once you are 100 feet away from it, how is that Tile going to help you? There is maybe a fraction of a prayer that it comes within range of someone else who runs the Tile app AND who hasn't done the smart thing of turning their personal phone's location sharing off.

Not to mention that they can turn off the cell phone, take out the sim card, oh and it costs a small fortune compared to a tile. Who in their right mind would use a cell phone as a gps device? LOL

Cellphones are the most commonly used gps device on the planet. Nearly everyone using a gps navigation system these days is using their phone to do it.

In the time it takes a thief to rummage through the storage of an ECV or powerchair and find the cellphone, that cellphone has alerted the chair owner that the chair has been moved. The phone will then update the owner of its exact location (heading and speed as well) and save any audio and video it can get to the cloud.

In practical terms, if the owner receives an alert that their ECV has been moved, the owner can find out within moments if it is just being moved by a CM or if there has been an attempt to steal the ECV (CMs would not rifle through the ECV and turn off a stored cellphone). In a place like WDW, this means you are certain to be able to alert a CM while the ECV is still inside the park and have security stop the thief at the park exit.

A Tile costs between $20 and $30 (or $70 if you want a limited edition). An Android smartphone on a prepaid pay as you go carrier costs about $25 on the low end but you can often get them even cheaper. Around the holidays there are usually a couple available for $10. Inexpensive android tablets are also available that will do the same thing (but without the option to use the mobile data networks) and can be found for less than $30.

So ... not anything near a "fortune" compared to a Tile. Really, just about the same price, for a tool that will actually put you in a better position to recover your property in the unlikely event of an attempted theft.

Most ECVs cost at least a couple grand, some mobility tech costs a great deal more than that. Even fully depreciated, an ECV or powerchair still represents the priceless value of mobility for someone who needs them. Who in their right mind would quibble over the extra $10-20 it takes to really keep it safe?

 

[Evita_W]

If only ECVs had an enormous (by cellphone standards) power storage device built into them right? But seriously, once you are 100 feet away from it, how is that Tile going to help you? There is maybe a fraction of a prayer that it comes within range of someone else who runs the Tile app AND who hasn't done the smart thing of turning their personal phone's location sharing off.



Cellphones are the most commonly used gps device on the planet. Nearly everyone using a gps navigation system these days is using their phone to do it.

In the time it takes a thief to rummage through the storage of an ECV or powerchair and find the cellphone, that cellphone has alerted the chair owner that the chair has been moved. The phone will then update the owner of its exact location (heading and speed as well) and save any audio and video it can get to the cloud.

In practical terms, if the owner receives an alert that their ECV has been moved, the owner can find out within moments if it is just being moved by a CM or if there has been an attempt to steal the ECV (CMs would not rifle through the ECV and turn off a stored cellphone). In a place like WDW, this means you are certain to be able to alert a CM while the ECV is still inside the park and have security stop the thief at the park exit.

A Tile costs between $20 and $30 (or $70 if you want a limited edition). An Android smartphone on a prepaid pay as you go carrier costs about $25 on the low end but you can often get them even cheaper. Around the holidays there are usually a couple available for $10. Inexpensive android tablets are also available that will do the same thing (but without the option to use the mobile data networks) and can be found for less than $30.

So ... not anything near a "fortune" compared to a Tile. Really, just about the same price, for a tool that will actually put you in a better position to recover your property in the unlikely event of an attempted theft.

Most ECVs cost at least a couple grand, some mobility tech costs a great deal more than that. Even fully depreciated, an ECV or powerchair still represents the priceless value of mobility for someone who needs them. Who in their right mind would quibble over the extra $10-20 it takes to really keep it safe?

Actually, tiles are usable at very large distances thanks to its vast network of people who use them and have the help others find their tiles. The nice thing about this is you don't need any internet plan for it to work, except on the device you are using to find the tile, but not for the tile itself, with a cell phone you would.

I really wouldn't rely on a phone, those are harder to hide and people will likely steal the phone.

 

[lanejudy]

This has been an interesting discussion, but I think we've gotten well away from the original questions:

So has anyone had problems with stolen items off your power wheelchair or scooter? Has anyone ever stolen the whole thing?

Items get stolen from strollers/scooters/wheelchairs. As much as we'd all like to think WDW is a magical place away from reality of the world, it isn't. The basic rule of thumb: never leave anything of value behind when you leave your device. If you'd be upset to lose it, carry a bag and take it with you.

Whole devices stolen - I'm sure it happens but it's not particularly common. Thousands of people bring strollers, wheelchairs and ECVs into the parks every day and only occasionally does one completely go missing. Most often, it has been moved by a CM; which is why we recommend folks tie a scarf or something easily identifiable on their device. Park-rental wheelchairs may get taken by someone who doesn't realize they aren't available to all (or who just figures the renter can get it replaced). You cannot lock your mobility device to anything else (i.e., a bench or post, etc.), they will cut it. You can lock the wheels to another part of the chair making it difficult but not impossible to move. However, if you are really concerned about theft, the best option is to keep the device with you all the way to ride loading.

In all my years on DISboards I don't recall any reports of a personal wheelchair or scooter being stolen.

 

[Starwind]

And don't forget the wildlife helping themselves to the contents left in strollers and ECVs while the humans are elsewhere. The squirrels are particularly crafty and are able to open and *close* many kinds of containers - I've watched them do it. You may not even realize they have been "exploring" your things as they don't necessarily disturb much.

(as an aside if you are ever taking a break at WDW, the animal life is rather fascinating to watch....)

 

[Betty Rohrer]

And don't forget the wildlife helping themselves to the contents left in strollers and ECVs while the humans are elsewhere. The squirrels are particularly crafty and are able to open and *close* many kinds of containers - I've watched them do it. You may not even realize they have been "exploring" your things as they don't necessarily disturb much.

(as an aside if you are ever taking a break at WDW, the animal life is rather fascinating to watch....)

so true it can be a show in its self and they seem to love baby puffs from what I have seen