Motor scooters

[nitrot150]

We are here now and there seems to be a serious abundance of motor scooters. When we went last year there were no where near this many. Anyone know what gives?

 

[minnie mum]

I don't know if you have always gone at the same time every year. Total crowd levels are lower, and I'll take a wild stab that there might be fewer kids around, since school began recently. So perhaps you're just noticing them more. Probably the same number of people in ECVs. Just fewer other crowds (families with young school age children) do 'dilute' them.

Or maybe you're just lucky.

 

[nitrot150]

Well, it is something! We went in may last year and I don't think we saw more than one load up on a bus (took a lot of them too) and this time we have barely hit the busses and there has been one or more on each bus. Crazy, maybe they are having a sale.

 

[mrsksomeday]

People that use mobility devices know that WDW is a wonderful place to go when you have a disability. My boyfriend uses a power wheelchair and we have gone to WDW 12 times because the accessibility is wonderful, the CM's treat him like a person instead of looking down on him for using a wheelchair, and we won't spend our vacation money anywhere else.

Another reason there are so many scooters is that people that could walk fine in their every day life can not walk the 5 -10+ miles a day that you normally walk in WDW. They rent an ECV so they can tour the park without pain and to keep up with their families.

 

[minnie mum]

Well, it is something! We went in may last year and I don't think we saw more than one load up on a bus (took a lot of them too) and this time we have barely hit the busses and there has been one or more on each bus. Crazy, maybe they are having a sale.

I've been going for decades, and find that the number of ECVs waiting for buses can be quite hit or miss. There will generally be more at park opening and closing, just as there are larger ambulatory crowds waiting as well. During "off" times of the day I have often been the only one waiting in my chair at a stop. And still get glared at for making the rest of the folks wait the 2-3 minutes it takes me to load. Sorry if I've inconvenienced you in any way.

 

[BillSears]

Shriner convention?

 

[nitrot150]

Oh, it is no problem, just seemed like a lot more than last time, thought that maybe there was a reason.

 

[babydoll65]

Shriner convention?

LOVE this pic

 

[ruthies12]

Could be because it is September and kids just started back to school. I wonder if more older people go to WDW now because they know there will be less kids? If I was older and didn't have kids that is what I would do. And older people tend to have more problems with mobility, especially for long distances.

 

[POOHsie]

This is a Disney value season for rooms right now, in between summer high rates and end of September -- into October, when rates go up again because of Food & Wine, Columbus Day, Halloween, etc. I think lower room rates, less kids, cooler temps, all converge to make September a time that might be more attractive to visitors with medical conditions, and also seniors/retirees who might not have the physical capacities and/or vacation budgets that they used to have.

 

[teddygurl28]

We are here now and noticed the same thing. We come at the same time every year. Then again I think each September seems more crowded! That being said I see stories on here of people I. Scooters running over them and pushing their way in anywhere-and I have yet to see that. I try to be aware of them and try not to get too close ( so I don't jump in front of them) and everyone seems to have a good time

 

[dpswift]

It is strange. We were there this past weekend and I was thinking the opposite. I did not see nearly as many as in past trips. We usually go this time of year.

 

[pepe of ohio]

We've watched the ECV growth since 1977....back then, you could only rent them at the parks thru Disney... And at a steep price..

As the years wore on, prices came down and off site rentals just about took over the renting... Cheap too which made many people rent them whether they had a physical need or not...

We've overhead many a trip from people, college kids etc that they said we rent them because they are so cheap and we can ride thru the parks with put getting keg tired...it's caught on...like people they bring and rent strollers and have no children....since Disney doesn't allow wagons and wheeled carts... Just as easy to bring a stroller and wheel your crap around than carry it...

Times are a changing ....people read through the lines, find tricks to employ, beat the system, get freebies....

 

[Bagheera23608]

We've watched the ECV growth since 1977....back then, you could only rent them at the parks thru Disney... And at a steep price..

As the years wore on, prices came down and off site rentals just about took over the renting... Cheap too which made many people rent them whether they had a physical need or not...

We've overhead many a trip from people, college kids etc that they said we rent them because they are so cheap and we can ride thru the parks with put getting keg tired...it's caught on...like people they bring and rent strollers and have no children....since Disney doesn't allow wagons and wheeled carts... Just as easy to bring a stroller and wheel your crap around than carry it...

Times are a changing ....people read through the lines, find tricks to employ, beat the system, get freebies....

People like the ones you mention make me think Wall-e was not that far off....

 

[Granny square]

We are here now and there seems to be a serious abundance of motor scooters. When we went last year there were no where near this many. Anyone know what gives?

The population in general is ageing. We've been doing Disney since 1974. My mom is 81 and will be doing Disney in a scooter in nov. The boomers aren't the "sit in a rocking chair" kind if folks.

 

[serenitygr]

We've watched the ECV growth since 1977....back then, you could only rent them at the parks thru Disney... And at a steep price..

As the years wore on, prices came down and off site rentals just about took over the renting... Cheap too which made many people rent them whether they had a physical need or not...

We've overhead many a trip from people, college kids etc that they said we rent them because they are so cheap and we can ride thru the parks with put getting keg tired...it's caught on...like people they bring and rent strollers and have no children....since Disney doesn't allow wagons and wheeled carts... Just as easy to bring a stroller and wheel your crap around than carry it...

Times are a changing ....people read through the lines, find tricks to employ, beat the system, get freebies....

I am sure you are right- I'm no expert by any means, but to me I would think it would be so much easier to get around with out either a stroller or a scooter. When my kids were little, we would rent a couple double strollers (4 children) at our local amusement park, and I was so glad when they outgrew that and could walk around independently. And this Christmas we are coming down with my mom but since she just had knee replacement surgery, there is a chance she may get a scooter some of our park days, and I am already worried how difficult it's going to be to navigate around. I can't imagine someone WANTING to do that if it wasn't necessary.

People do crazy things!

 

[DizBelle]

I'm almost ashamed to say that when I went on a trip with my sister (only 2 years older than me) and niece, that at one point she wanted to not rent a stroller but rent an ECV and put niece on her lap. Needless to say, I put the kibosh on that one....

 

[rock_doctor]

 

[Gracedis1]

And this Christmas we are coming down with my mom but since she just had knee replacement surgery, there is a chance she may get a scooter some of our park days, and I am already worried how difficult it's going to be to navigate around. I can't imagine someone WANTING to do that if it wasn't necessary.

We went last Christmas with my mom who used a scooter for the first time due to needing double knee replacement. It slowed us down a ton. She had to park, transfer, find a way around large crowds, etc. No way would I do it just for "fun". We rented through an off-site company and it was super cheap and convenient - they delivered it to us.

 

[lustergirl]

I am sure you are right- I'm no expert by any means, but to me I would think it would be so much easier to get around with out either a stroller or a scooter. When my kids were little, we would rent a couple double strollers (4 children) at our local amusement park, and I was so glad when they outgrew that and could walk around independently. And this Christmas we are coming down with my mom but since she just had knee replacement surgery, there is a chance she may get a scooter some of our park days, and I am already worried how difficult it's going to be to navigate around. I can't imagine someone WANTING to do that if it wasn't necessary.

People do crazy things!

Try renting a scooter before hand and have your mom practice on it. That would be a must for mom now as well, renting a scooter as she couldnt get around by walking too far.