Has anyone rented the dream scooter?

[gramto2boys]

I talked at length with the owner and this looks and sounds awsome.
I was just wondering how the fit is and if anyone has acually rented it ?

EDITED BY MODERATOR:AS OF MARCH 30, 2010, OVERSIZE SCOOTERS ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED ON THE WDW BUSES. THIS INFORMATION WAS POSTED on April 2, 2010 BY A WDW BUS DRIVER:
" Effective Sat. , March 27, a wheelchair/ECV measurement box will be tested at Disney's Port Orleans (Riverside South) and Disney's Pop Century resorts for apporximately 2 weeks. At those two resorts, guests using wheelchairs and ECV's will need to verify that their wheelchair/ECV is contained within the marked area (footprint is 30" by 48")

If the wheelchair/ECV fits within the measurement box, please load the guest(s) as documented in the Bus Transportation Operations Operating Guide and allow up to five additional guests to board with the guest with disabilities. Direct any additional guests in the party to load in the standard queue.

If the wheelchair/ECV does NOT fit within the measurement box, explain to the guest that the wheelchair/ECV won't be allowed on the bus and a Bus Guest Service Manager will be contacted to provide assistance. Then, contact the Operations Center using your radio to request a GSM response to the location."
End of Quote.
I have been advised by the rental company that the Dream Scooter will fit into the measurement box as long as the front wheel is turned.

It is important to keep in mind that the weight limit for the WDW bus ramps is 600 pounds; the limit for the ramps is 800 pounds according to the bus driver who posted the information. This is for the weight of the ECV/wheelchair, rider and any items being carried.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I looked at the video and it shows the person with a child as an additional passenger. That is unsafe.

 

[SueM in MN]

No one has posted about using one of these scooters.
I watched all of their videos and every single one not only shows children riding on them, but the narration encourages people to let the children ride. That is very unsafe and I (personally) would not be happy with a company that encourages behavior like that, even though they look like the scooters are nice.
EDITED TO ADD:
The information in italics is why we did not previously allow links to this website.
Cheshire Figment was able to talk to the owners earlier this year about our concerns and they subsequently did remove the videos showing children riding as passengers on their ECVs.
We will now allow links to the company, but I wanted to leave the information in the thread to give the history of why we did not previously allow links to be put up.
The company is called Scooter Orlando.

 

[honugirl]

Now that looks like an ECV I'd use! It's got some style! But at $40 a day, out of my price range when we're going to be there for 16 days... Guess I'm just going to have to make do with the extra large bottle of Aleve and a whole lot of ice packs instead.

I do agree about the kids riding on it. Not safe at all. Good thing I travel without them! Ha!

 

[gramto2boys]

yes the video has kids riding on it, yes its unsafe. my question was has anyone rented it, not what they think about a child on it. though that is a good point not safe! I just wanted to know if it fit on busses and or " has anyone rented it" thanks.... Still waiting

 

[Belle1962]

I haven't used this but several things pop into my mind as I watch this:

1. The position of his feet (with and without the child). looks like there is no "resting place" for his feet. I couldn't hold my feet in that position all day.--(it could be his choice to have his legs kinda out straight but I need to adjust my posture several times and sometimes I like my feet to be infront of me)

2. It looked like a very tight fit through the doors in the opening few scenes.

3. You will be totally dependent on Disney buses and boats for transportation. Recent threads have indicated longer than normal waits for buses as more and more ecv and wheelchairs are in the parks and on the buses. If the water is too low, you may not be able to take boat transport and will have to use buses--maybe in a not so direct route. No OPTION to use your own car AT ALL. This does not break apart to go as you please.

4. The man never really leans back in any footage--he seems to be in an upright head not even using the headrest position--that could be uncomfortable after a few hours.

5. Is Disney aware that this company is using so much DISNEY footage in their online advertising and advertising what is againist Disney rules (a child on a scooter--and yes Disney will tell you to take a child off an ecv--even if it is your personal one--I've witnessed it)

6. Is that kid picking his nose near the end?????????

 

[merryweather20]

I to haven't used one, but the foot-print seemed quite a bit larger than a regular scooter when they was a side by side comparison. That would be a pain and make it difficult to maneuver around shops and lines that you would be abloe to with other scooters.

 

[gramto2boys]

you know when I taked to the man on the phone he said that if there was another inch onto this scooter it would not fit on the buses. this to me sounds scary trying to get it on and off a bus. I would worry about that aspect.
As far as Disney, I wonder if they have seen the ad, or what. yeah, kids on scooters no cool!

 

[Schmeck]

I also noticed that the scooter seems to go really quickly - even too fast for use in a pedestrian walking area. Hopefully there is a speed adjustment on it, or else it may be very tricky to keep it in control in crowded areas.

I didn't think it looked all that much larger than the scooters I saw at WDW two weeks ago - do they come with sunshades?

 

[SueM in MN]

It took a little searching, but .....
this appears to be the company that makes the model that the rental company is calling the Dream Scooter.

According to the website, it is 30 inches wide and 60 inches long.
This is the graphic from the ADA Guidelines page.

According to the website, the empty ECV is 297 pounds (which is why the rental company says it is for "on site use only" - it is too big and heavy to get into a van or car for transport). The company that makes it says it is "excellent for transporting in public transportation".
BUT, the ADA definition of a "common wheelchair" includes that a "mobility device does not exceed 30 inches in width and 48 inches in length and does not exceed 600 pounds occupied." That size is the ADA standard for transportation, so that is the size that boats, buses, etc are set to accommodate.
The WDW website and Guidebooks for Guests with disabilities says that "Some motorized wheelchairs and ECVs are too wide or too long for the bus lift. The standard lift size is 32" x 48".

I can tell you from riding on a variety of WDW buses over the years that it would NOT fit on any of the older buses with lifts - 48 inches is the maximum for those. And, I expect it would have problems even on the newer buses with ramps because it is so long. In many of the buses, you just get to the top of the ramp and have to make a quick turn to get into place.
Some of the boats would not be that easy either because they require a kind of sharp turn. You could probably pull straight in and straight out of the monorail.
It would not be allowed in any of the lines that are marked "must transfer from ECV", even though some smaller ones do fit. It also may not fit in some of the lines that are usually OK for ECVs because of the length.

As far as comfort, I agree with the others that the position seems like it would be uncomfortable after a while and there doesn't seem like much room for the feet (or any alternative ways to put them). I noticed that the people seem to be reaching far forward for the handlebars on all the pictures/videos on that rental website. I don't know if that's because the scooters were not properly adjusted for the riders or if it's because they can't be adjusted enough for different riders.

 

[SueM in MN]

I also noticed that the scooter seems to go really quickly - even too fast for use in a pedestrian walking area. Hopefully there is a speed adjustment on it, or else it may be very tricky to keep it in control in crowded areas.

I didn't think it looked all that much larger than the scooters I saw at WDW two weeks ago - do they come with sunshades?

According to the company I think makes them, they will go up to 8 miles per hour. I don't know if the rental company has some kind of control on them that limits the speed, but I also agree that on the video it looked very fast.

 

[SueM in MN]

2. It looked like a very tight fit through the doors in the opening few scenes.

If it is 30 inches wide, that only allows one inch on each side for an ADA compliant door (32 inches wide). Most doors are 36 inches, but still, that only gives you 3 inches on each side.

When you listen to the commentary for the videos from that website (maybe not the "Dream" one, but I listened to all of them), they mention things like "convenience", "be one of the elite", etc. so are maybe not thinking of people using them for anything other than getting from one place in the park to another and then parking.

 

[SueM in MN]

you know when I taked to the man on the phone he said that if there was another inch onto this scooter it would not fit on the buses. this to me sounds scary trying to get it on and off a bus. I would worry about that aspect.
As far as Disney, I wonder if they have seen the ad, or what. yeah, kids on scooters no cool!

THE ACTUAL wheelchair/ ECV "PARKING SPOT" required by the ADA for a bus is 30 inches wide, by 48 inches wide, as shown in this graphic from the ADA Transportation Guidelines.

This means, if the scooter is 30 inches wide and 60 inches long:
- it would be too wide to fit if it was 1 inch wider
- it is 12 inches too long for the space that buses are required to allow for wheelchair/ECV securement on the bus.
There are 2 wheelchair/ECV spots on each bus.
It's maybe possible that an ECV that long could be secured on the bus by taking both spaces for the one ECV, but the tiedown systems are set for up to 2 mobility devices that each fit in one space. Using both spaces for one ECV would mean using the tiedowns in a way they are not set up to be used.

For comparison, here's a picture of a smaller ECV fastened down on a WDW bus with another ECV fastened in front of it.

 

[gramto2boys]

It took a little searching, but .....
this appears to be the company that makes the model that the rental company is calling the Dream Scooter.

According to the website, it is 30 inches wide and 60 inches long. According to the website, the empty ECV is 297 pounds (which is why the rental company says it is for "on site use only" - it is too big and heavy to get into a van or car for transport). The company that makes it says it is "excellent for transporting in public transportation".
BUT, the ADA definition of a "common wheelchair" includes that a "mobility device does not exceed 30 inches in width and 48 inches in length and does not exceed 600 pounds occupied." That size is the ADA standard for transportation, so that is the size that boats, buses, etc are set to accommodate.
The WDW website and Guidebooks for Guests with disabilities says that "Some motorized wheelchairs and ECVs are too wide or too long for the bus lift. The standard lift size is 32" x 48".

I can tell you from riding on a variety of WDW buses over the years that it would NOT fit on any of the older buses with lifts - 48 inches is the maximum for those. And, I expect it would have problems even on the newer buses with ramps because it is so long. In many of the buses, you just get to the top of the ramp and have to make a quick turn to get into place.
Some of the boats would not be that easy either because they require a kind of sharp turn. You could probably pull straight in and straight out of the monorail.
It would not be allowed in any of the lines that are marked "must transfer from ECV", even though some smaller ones do fit. It also may not fit in some of the lines that are usually OK for ECVs because of the length.

As far as comfort, I agree with the others that the position seems like it would be uncomfortable after a while and there doesn't seem like much room for the feet (or any alternative ways to put them). I noticed that the people seem to be reaching far forward for the handlebars on all the pictures/videos on that rental website. I don't know if that's because the scooters were not properly adjusted for the riders or if it's because they can't be adjusted enough for different riders.

you did awsome research, and I am so very happy!! I thought these may be to long for the buses and I am not going to get stuck. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart for doing such a wonderful job of finding this info. you made my life easier by not getting this one.
I believe I am going to try to get to the parks and rent there. I can not walk far, but I am going to do my best. I figure, if I can get up eary and be at the parks first thing in the morning i should be able to rent one there before my back and legs give out.

 

[SueM in MN]

you did awsome research, and I am so very happy!! I thought these may be to long for the buses and I am not going to get stuck. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart for doing such a wonderful job of finding this info. you made my life easier by not getting this one.
I believe I am going to try to get to the parks and rent there. I can not walk far, but I am going to do my best. I figure, if I can get up eary and be at the parks first thing in the morning i should be able to rent one there before my back and legs give out.

If you want to rent from off-site, there are some places that DIS posters have recommended. They are in post #2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.

 

[SueM in MN]

I am updating this with information from another discussion board (not the DIS Boards).
Someone posted on another board that the owner of the company told her that the "Dream Scooter" is exactly 48 inches long and will fit on the Disney buses.

I found a company that manufactures scooters that look to be exactly the same as the Dream Scooter. The manufacturing company lists it as 60 inches long, but the pictures from the rental company look just the same as far as I can see. So, I am not sure what size the Dream Scooter actually is; even though the rental company says it is 48 inches long.

I have decided to add this information to this thread for completeness. Cheshire Figment and I had decided to remove the link to the rental company in the first post and I am asking that no one add it back. Our concern was that the rental company not only shows children riding on the ECV, but encourages it. That is a big safety concern and we did not want to provide a link to a company that promotes unsafe behavior.
EDITED TO ADD:
The information in italics is why we did not previously allow links to this website.
Cheshire Figment was able to talk to the owners earlier this year about our concerns and they subsequently did remove the videos showing children riding as passengers on their ECVs.
We will now allow links to the company, but I wanted to leave the information in the thread to give the history of why we did not previously allow links to be put up.
The company is called Scooter Orlando.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Well, it looks like an accident waiting to happen. I certainly wouldn't use it and definitely wouldn't let mom either.

Suzanne

 

[MELISAZACK]

Okay I know I am going to get flammed for this and I am ready.. but I am just wondering why everyone feels it is so unsafe for the child to ride.
my mom has an ecv bigger than she needs size wise.. but grandchild ride with her all the time - have been for some time - she goes slow with it though..
child sitting with her doesn't impead in the truning or anything.. still within the weight limit of the ECV... so I am not sure what is so unsafe... but I would like to hear your thoughts...

 

[KPeveler]

Okay I know I am going to get flammed for this and I am ready.. but I am just wondering why everyone feels it is so unsafe for the child to ride.
my mom has an ecv bigger than she needs size wise.. but grandchild ride with her all the time - have been for some time - she goes slow with it though..
child sitting with her doesn't impead in the truning or anything.. still within the weight limit of the ECV... so I am not sure what is so unsafe... but I would like to hear your thoughts...

It is unsafe for several reasons First of all, it would be very easy for the child to fall, and falling at a good speed is very dangerous.

Second, it CAN impede turning and stopping, it depends on the person.

Third, a lot of them are not weight rated for an extra 40 lbs at times, and they can become "tippier"

Fourth, and most important, a child can accidentally hit the controls and run into someone or something. I have personally seem this happen TWICE during my last trip to disney (only a 4-day trip!). Once a woman was knocked down when this happened. The kid was just pointing at something, he wasnt misbehaving.

It IS against the rules at disney to have more than one person on a scooter, whether it is a personal one or a rental. If your mom uses it at disney, please be aware that she cannto have the child on her lap. She WILL be asked to remove the child by a CM.

Sue or Cheshire may haev more info on why the rules are what they are, but that is what I came up with off the top of my head!

 

[Belle1962]

Disney rules do not allow for children riding tandem with you on your scooter. While they enforce this rule RELIGIOUSLY with their own scooters, I have also seen them tell other people (with their own scooters) to remove the child (guilty--I am one of them--one and only time DGS tried to ride with me)

There have been reports of:

---children accidently hitting the forward or backward switch and hitting people.

---children catching their feet on store shelves, curbs, strollers, walls as they let their feet hang off

---children falling off a scooter when it comes to a sudden stop (and at Disney there are plenty of sudden stops as people cut you off)

---children causing damage to the scooter when they try to stand on it to get a better view for
parades/shows

---children can block the view of the driver if they make a sudden shift in stance


I am sure there are others.

Bottom line: Disney's parks. Disney's rules.