Bus question with a scooter...

[BabyFu18]

So this is something I've never seen done at WDW so I thought I would ask, if you have a small foldable scooter can you fold it and carry it onto a Disney bus?

My mom has a small travel scooter, it folds all in one piece and can be wheeled places (like a small suitcase) I thought folding the scooter and wheeling it onto the bus would be a good option if another ECV is already on the bus. I am in a manual wheelchair and will not be able to transfer out of my chair so if you can only get two mobility devices on a bus, that could cause issues for us (though we will wait for a different bus if we need to so we can all travel together).

I've just never seen anyone at Disney do this, carry their scooter on the bus folded and then take a seat on the bus (instead of staying seated in the unfolded scooter) it probably would take up less space than most baby strollers so I don't see why it would be a problem, but I thought I'd ask about it anyway.

Thanks for any info!

 

[gap2368]

I am going to take a guess ( and this is just a guess) if it is the same size as a stroller would be folded they might let you but I can see then making you go thought the back door if your mom or someone can hold it folded I think you could hold it like you hold a stroller but this is just a guess.

 

[BabyFu18]

Yeah mom would have to go through the back door/ramp part of the bus because her knees are so bad, but someone else in our party can either wheel the scooter on the bus or even carry it on the bus if need be (it only weighs around 50lbs). She can drive the scooter on the bus and leave it open, I just figured folding it up would make more room on the bus for other passengers aswell as another ECV that cannot fold.

Thanks for response, I don't think we will have any issue if she decided to fold the scooter and bring it on board, I just thought I'd ask if anyone has seen this done or not. Most of the scooters I see around WDW are very large, but hers is an automatic folding scooter and it is compact and meant for easy traveling so it seems like if space is limited on the buses maybe folding her scooter would be in everyone's best interest (when possible).

 

[mamabunny]

If I were in your shoes, I would ask the Bus Drivers directly.

I believe that they would probably need to tie the scooter down - first because 50 pounds is kind of heavy to have someone try to hang on to while the bus is in motion - and second because it does have a battery, so they may be required to tie it down regardless of whether it is folded or not.

Calling Disney to ask probably won't net you an accurate response, as most of the CMs on the phone are located at call centers, and often don't have access to that kind of very specific information.

I would plan on it being required to be tied down, and then ask the Bus Drivers at WDW directly.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

I like mamabunny's advice

 

[SueM in MN]

I agree with mamabunny.
I have seen those kinds of scooters in the parks, but never on buses. They are designed to be light and easy to transport in a car trunk. Some of the strollers are very large when folded (some folded ones are literally as big as my daughter's wheelchair with her sitting in it). Even though they are big, most would not be 50 pounds.

Before putting it on the bus and possibly tying it down, I would contact the company that makes it for advise on whether to do it and where it might be safe to attach the tie down hooks to the ECV. It's very possible it can't be tied down securely and/or without damage because the frame is very lightweight and made to fold. The tie down hooks are heavyweight and are pulled tight during the tie down process.
Doing that is likely to put stress on joints and parts of the frame that are not built to handle it; it could pull apart the joints or bend the frame pieces. I have heard of that happening when people who were using a regular stroller as a wheelchair had it tied down on the bus.
If your family is planning on mostly taking buses, it might be easier and safer for her to rent an ECV instead of using her own folding one.

 

[gap2368]

yes I agree with mama bunny as I did not know it weighed that much a stroller dose not weight that much.

 

[BabyFu18]

Okay thanks guys we will call the manufacture of the scooter and if it can't be tied down we just won't use Disney buses. I know mom doesn't want a big scooter that's why she got a small little fold up one so its easier for her to maneuver and she feels comfortable on it, if we need to we will just use our own car or taxis to get where where we need to go. If the manufacturer says it can safely be tied down then we will ask the bus driver first and see what they say on if she needs to leave it unfolded or folded.

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

The scooter sounds interesting. What is the brand/make of it? Thanks!

 

[BabyFu18]

The scooter sounds interesting. What is the brand/make of it? Thanks!

It's a Solax Mobility Genie+ Automatic folding scooter, and just for anyone who might be interested I did call the manufacture and they told me the scooter was sturdy enough to be tied down on buses without an issue so that's good to know!

 

[SueM in MN]

Did they tell you what the tiedoen points would be?
That is very important. It needs to be a sturdy part of the actual frame, not s part that is bolted on or has a hinge to fold.
Choosing the wrong spot could cause damage.
We mark the correct spots on our daughter's wheelchair with bright colored tape (we've also used bright ribbon in the past).
It's much easier to say to the bus driver, 'you can attach the hooks anywhere that has pink tape,' than 'you can attach on the horizontal pipe on the back.

Even if it is tied down, riding on an ECV in the bus is not recommended. They are too top heavy and easy to tip over.

I would still recommend folding it and holding onto it on the bus if possible - there is probably less chance of damage that way.

 

[Toffeewoffy]

From experience, they don't want you sitting on the scooter while it's tied down and the bus is in motion. They expect you to sit in the priority seats next to the tie-down points.

And we went on quite a few buses which could take 3 scooters to and from the parks - they are the newer ones. The bendy-buses will take up to 4.

Edit: I've just looked at the Solex on line. How cute is that! It still takes up a fair bit of room, though, and there's no way there'd physically be room for it on a bus even folded. You may as well get on at the ramp entrance and have it tied down properly. Incidentally, those folding double buggies are huge and really don't fold down very small. The number of dads we've seen completely blocking the aisle taking up the room of 3 people beggars belief.

 

[mamabunny]

Did they tell you what the tiedoen points would be?
That is very important. It needs to be a sturdy part of the actual frame, not s part that is bolted on or has a hinge to fold.
Choosing the wrong spot could cause damage.
We mark the correct spots on our daughter's wheelchair with bright colored tape (we've also used bright ribbon in the past).
It's much easier to say to the bus driver, 'you can attach the hooks anywhere that has pink tape,' than 'you can attach on the horizontal pipe on the back.

Even if it is tied down, riding on an ECV in the bus is not recommended. They are too top heavy and easy to tip over.

I would still recommend folding it and holding onto it on the bus if possible - there is probably less chance of damage that way.

I am fortunate that my personal devices are designed in such a way that the entire frame (which is exposed) can theoretically be used as a tie-down point. But I did check with the manufacturer prior to my first trip to WDW just to be sure. I'm totally stealing your idea for our next trip!

Marking those approved tie-down spots with the brightly colored tape or ribbon is a fantastic idea - thank you for sharing that!

 

[BabyFu18]

Wether the bus drivers want the scooter folded or unfolded, mom will not be riding on the scooter while on the bus, of course she will sit in a seat that is nearby. If the scooter is allowed to be folded hopefully it can still be tied down, if it needs to be unfolded for that we can do that too. So we are just going to go by whatever the bus driver says as far as what to do once she gets on the bus, and go from there.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I would ask this question on the Transportation Board. There are a couple of bus drivers that may be able to advise you

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

It's a Solax Mobility Genie+ Automatic folding scooter, and just for anyone who might be interested I did call the manufacture and they told me the scooter was sturdy enough to be tied down on buses without an issue so that's good to know!

Thanks!

 

[BabyFu18]

I'm here at WDW now and each time we've taken the buses we've asked if its okay if we fold the scooter and take it on the bus that way and so far every bus driver we've encounter has said yes.