First Time Using Mobility Scooter - Disneyland

[disneymum58]

My trip in September will be my first time using a mobility scooter. I think I have DCA figured out but I'm not sure how things work at Disneyland. I know I can request a return time, but what is the procedure for each ride when returning? Is there a guide that explains this? I can walk short distances.
I like to be at the rope for rope drop. Should I re-evaluate doing this? I envision myself trying to move among those "running" to their first attraction.

 

[disneychrista]

You should be fine in a scooter at rope drop. Just be cautious of those around you.

Some attractions will give you a return time, others you just go in the normal line. Always talk to the cast member at the entrance and they will guide you. Haunted Mansion, It's a Small World, Mickey & Minnies all had us going in the regular line. I assume Rise & Millenium Falcon would as well but we didn't go on those. Most Attractions will have you go through the exit to board the attraction.

 

[Wesley815]

Apologies if sounds silly but practice 'driving' in quiet/open areas before entering busy park queue lines or walkways. Every scooter has different stopping distances and turning radius (even those from Disney that look identical) due to many factors like battery charge, weight, etc.

Curbs and train tracks along Main Street important to keep extra eye on too.

 

[BriannaRuth]

I rented one when I sprained my ankle a few years ago. They're pretty easy to navigate. Biggest thing to watch for is all the people who will come to a sudden dead stop right in front of you, or run across the path right in front of you.

Just ask at each attraction what the process is. They'll either tell you where and when to return (time linked to your ticket) or they'll tell you if you can go in through the regular line.

 

[disneymum58]

Apologies if sounds silly but practice 'driving' in quiet/open areas before entering busy park queue lines or walkways. Every scooter has different stopping distances and turning radius (even those from Disney that look identical) due to many factors like battery charge, weight, etc.

Curbs and train tracks along Main Street important to keep extra eye on too.

Not silly at all! This is my plan. If anyone sees an "old" lady doing circles in the Pixar hotel lobby, that will be me. Lol

 

[crystal1313]

My trip in September will be my first time using a mobility scooter. I think I have DCA figured out but I'm not sure how things work at Disneyland. I know I can request a return time, but what is the procedure for each ride when returning? Is there a guide that explains this? I can walk short distances.
I like to be at the rope for rope drop. Should I re-evaluate doing this? I envision myself trying to move among those "running" to their first attraction.

My husband had a scooter a couple years ago after having knee surgery. You ask at each ride and they will tell you the procedure. They direct you exactly what to do and all the cast members are so friendly and accommodating. I would also email Disney and ask. I emailed before our trip and they actually called me to explain things.

Here is a link. Read about the location return service and it lists all the attractions at Disneyland you can do that for.

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/accessing-attractions/

When you get a return time, it will pop up on your app like a lightning lane. Hope that helps!! And have fun trip!

 

[LKing]

Biggest thing to watch for is all the people who will come to a sudden dead stop right in front of you, or run across the path right in front of you.

That happens whether you are in an ECV or on foot!

 

[Hobbes]

Just be careful steering through switchbacks in queues! I used a scooter for the first time on my last visit, and mostly parked up and walked through the attraction queue if it wasn't long. But in a mad moment I decided to try and drive the scooter through the queue for Incredicoaster...Turning a 180 degree corner, I managed to beach the scooter on the kerb, with 2 wheels off the ground and my hand wedged between the scooter and the wall. Luckily, a bunch of big burly men were behind us in the line, and between them they physically lifted me and the scooter off the kerb. I was so embarrassed, I drove away without even thanking them properly, so if by any chance any of them see this, the dumb Brit on the scooter says Thanks!!

 

[BriannaRuth]

That happens whether you are in an ECV or on foot!

True! But it's harder to stop in time to avoid hitting them if you're in a scooter.

I'd recommend leaving some extra space between the scooter and the people in front of you, but that can be really hard to do when it's crowded because people see there's room and cut in front of you.

This happened to me when I had my scooter. I was just going along minding my own business when a guy came RUNNING out of one of the stores in DTD like he'd just stolen something, only he was on his phone at the same time and didn't look where he was going. He wiped out by running into the front of my scooter. Luckily several people saw that it was his fault or I'd probably have ended up as a Karen on TikTok!

 

[gardenrooms]

I had to have a scooter for the first time on our last trip. The CMs are all wonderful. They said to look for the red umbrella at each ride to arrange return times, and there was only 1 ride of the ones we went on (I cant recall which) that did not, in fact, have a red umbrella associated with it.

Yes, the Star Wars rides' lines you can drive through and all the rides in CA. I had no problem with the turns. The one ride that may be problematic is Space Mountain. On our prior trip they asked if I could do stairs and I said I'd prefer not to but they explained that would mean I might have to wait a long time the way it was set up, so I did the stairs so my family did not have to wait. And even before that trip, they asked if I could get in and out of the cart in some number of seconds and I said yes because based on a prior experience, when the CMs decided I would need more time without asking me (and I didn't at the time), they had put me in a handicap cart on a siding and waited till it filled up before sending it off, so the rest of my group was long gone! This last trip, I just skipped the ride (and was able to interact with a cute little robot, H.E.R.B.I.E., outside).

It sounds like you are staying on property so there is only one scooter rental place they allow to deliver the scooter to your hotel's bell service, which is a big plus so it can be there waiting for you. Hopefully they allow you to leave it with the bell service for pick-up, too.

While the CMs were wonderful, I can't say the same for park visitors. So many of them act like you are invisible, cutting in front of you at every opportunity, so I was forever being separated from my group, while others DO see you and decide you are the perfect person to cut in front of because they feel you should stop for them since they are more important than you My next time in the parks without a scooter I will be sure to be more respectful of people in scooters as long as they are are moving with the speed of the walkers and not faster, which is what I tried to do. I especially disliked when a whole wall of visitors going against traffic would walk straight at me (or a whole family) with no place for me to go.

If you like Fantasmic!, the Rancho meal was decent and reasonably priced, and their viewing area was great, good angle and I liked the fact that is was not too deep, so even though I was in the back on my scooter and my family was in the front (on the ground ugh!) I really wasn't too far away. And I had a great view and the most comfortable seat in the house!

Have a wonderful time.

 

[disneychrista]

While the CMs were wonderful, I can't say the same for park visitors. So many of them act like you are invisible, cutting in front of you at every opportunity, so I was forever being separated from my group, while others DO see you and decide you are the perfect person to cut in front of because they feel you should stop for them since they are more important than you My next time in the parks without a scooter I will be sure to be more respectful of people in scooters as long as they are are moving with the speed of the walkers and not faster, which is what I tried to do. I especially disliked when a whole wall of visitors going against traffic would walk straight at me (or a whole family) with no place for me to go.

I will say as to the comment about you being invisible, in a way you are "invisible' because you are not in their line of sight. My mom had this issue a lot and I tried to explain to her that it wasn't necessarily that they were being rude (though some people are just jerks, regardless of being at Disneyland) that they literally could not see her because she was below their sight lines. I try to be very cautious of those in scooters, as well as young children but sometimes you just don't see them. We eventually tied a ballon to the back of the scooter, which helped some. But in the end some people just think they are more important and them needing to get somewhere is just more important than anyone else, so they will dodge and weve cutting in front of everyone.