My NEW Fold and Go Wheelchair is the best investment that I have ever made. Great at Disney and eve

[RaySharpton]

My NEW Fold and Go Wheelchair is the best investment that I have ever made. Great at Disney and everywhere.

I was lucky enough to rent a Fold and Go Wheelchair while at Walt Disney World last June 2018. They brought the rental wheelchair to Disney's Pop Century Resort Lobby where I was waiting and they gave me instructions and answered all of my questions.

They are not a Disney designated or preferred provider, so I had to meet them, but I was happy to meet them. We set a time to meet.

My Medicare Insurance did not cover this product at this time which was a bummer. And I did not need a physician's prescription to rent one nor to buy one. But that was okay with me because it offered me everything that I needed to transport me anywhere I basically wanted to go compared to all other portable, foldable electric wheelchairs. Whether I was at Walt Disney World, at home or by bus, train, subway, airlines.

I wanted a wheelchair that was quality built and that could carry my high weight of 340-pounds.

I also wanted easy access to repair if needed in the future. This is the only company that matched my needs.

I was surprised that the CEO and her employees all used wheelchairs and help design this wheelchair from their experiences using a wheelchair.

The batteries do not have to be removed for airline travel and are actually designed to be part of the wheelchair structure. Instead of my scooter 25-pound gel batteries, they designed the two wheelchair 2-3-pound Lithium-Ion batteries.

The wheelchair quality is remarkable with all of the well-planned features strong welding and strong all-steel alloy tubular design. I can stand on the foot rest it is so strong.

It actually folds to only 13-inches for storage and only weighs 55-pounds.

They just designed so many features that I didn't any think about that made this wheelchair so appealing to me.

The company has information that will help you check with your insurance to see if it will be covered with a physician prescription.

In Atlanta, some sidewalk ramps having a 2-inch or more drop because of new repavement construction of the road and the failure to smooth out the pavement up to the ramp. Next time I might drive up backward since the rear wheels are larger at 12 inches and have the motors attached. I just didn't like the idea of going backward on a crowded and busy city. I was really struggling with the joystick not being used to that situation.

The wheelchair has two rear motors attached to the two rear wheels. I found it interesting when rolling up a sidewalk ramp that was set at another angle to the sidewalk itself. My two front 7" wheels were fighting with my joystick to keep me going straight ahead. I had to turn my joystick toward the direction of the tilted sidewalk. You had to be there.

Honestly, I didn't really need any instructions to use a wheelchair, because I had been reading their websites Frequently Asked Questions and all of their Videos online over the years. So by the time that I had planned my June 2019 Disney Retirement Vacation, I was ready to use it instead of my over a decade old Pride Mobility REVO 3-wheel Mobility Scooter.

Pride Mobility Revo SC63 Scooter
Disassembles: Yes
Transportable/Collapsible: Yes
Foldable: No
Heaviest Piece: 48 lbs.
Each U-1 Battery with built-in compartment 25 Lbs
Weight: 157 lbs.

I just couldn't lift that scooter anymore even after taking it apart. The motor end, the seat, the 2-batteries, and the front steering tiller section were still too heavy to lift separately when taking the scooter apart to put it in the car trunk and to take it out of the car trunk each time. I didn't lift 200 pounds at one time. I am just getting too old to that anymore. Over a decade ago, it was a great find for me to be able to transport and take it apart to fit in my car trunk. I haven't owned a car in years, but that is another story.

I know many casual users of mobility scooters might not adapt very well to using a joystick and to driving an electric power wheelchair. Especially anyone that is using one temporarily at Disney. But for me, it worked out great. I just took it very slow and practiced all over the Disney Pop Century Resort property making turns, backing up, turning in a circle in space and parallel parking that is used in the Disney bus transport and driving around guests.

Edited: I MUST EMPHASIZE THAT USING A JOYSTICK AND AN ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN USING A MOBILITY SCOOTER. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND TO TRY ONE BEFORE RENTING OR BUYING ONE. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS FOR THE CASUAL USER THAT HAS NEVER USED ONE. I THINK THAT MOST ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR USERS WILL AGREE.

I found the lowest speed was my friend when training for days. Although it has five speeds up to 4-mph, I usually set it at the second power level which seemed to be walking speed for most guests around the resort.

It's funny, but the most difficult thing for me to remember was not to reach forward with my right arm because my shirt sleeves would catch on the joystick and move the wheelchair unexpectedly.

For example, approaching the Disney Pop Century Resort elevator button or using my Disney MagicBand to open my door. Sometimes when I leaned forward, my wheelchair lurched forward unexpectedly and my toes got jammed against the wall of the elevator or against my resort room door. OUCH! I can't tell you how many days I did that.

Or leaning forward to clean my Disney refillable mug. Or reaching for anything. I learned to be more careful leaning forward or to just turn off my power if I wasn't moving so I wouldn't accidentally hit my joystick.

I didn't seem to learn my lesson right away either after coming back to my resort room after a long night at the Disney Parks. I jammed my foot again. But after a few days, this old dog did learn new tricks.

I took it slow and made wide turns as I entered the elevators. Turning in one spot using the joystick took a little practice for me. I can make a complete 360-degree turn in one spot with less than a yard of space. I admit, it took a lot of practice, but I got the hang of it.

All of my comments are probably the reasons that most rental scooter users may not do well with an electric power wheelchair and should stick with a mobility scooter. But for me, it is great. I can drive up to the dining table, ride accessible attractions without getting out of my wheelchair, make tight turns. Plus this Fold and Go Wheelchair can climb about twice the inclines than any other mobility scooter or electric power wheelchair. The Lithium-Ion batteries charge in less time and last longer.

Here are a few photos of me at Walt Disney World and the Smokey Mountains:

Smile Ray...you're at the Magic Kingdom.

I love the EPCOT Christmas Tree.

Disney's Animal Kingdom picture perfect.




Disney's Hollywood Studio's new location for the Christmas Tree was very pretty in the lake.

I was showing off my Disney Mickey Mouse Christmas Wreath on the back of my wheelchair. Before I left Disney, they had sold out at DS, MK, DHS.

It was very chilly at the Magic Kingdom with my knit cap and gloves on.


.

 

[RaySharpton]

I have been researching for over two years to find a mobility scooter or electric power wheelchair that would meet my needs.

Originally, I thought that I would have to purchase a mobility mini-van to lift my mobility scooter or drive my mobility scooter into.

But then I found this Fold and Go Wheelchair online.

These are some of the reasons that I finally rented it and finally bought it.

They used to rent by the day, and that is what I did in June 2018.

Now they still offer three ways to rent if anyone is interested.

RENTAL OPTION #1
The best way to TRY before you BUY is with the Rental Program. They offer monthly rentals and provide FREE SHIPPING to and from your door.

Since they are in wheelchairs themselves, as a company they decided not to sell their chairs to dealers, medical warehouses, retail stores, supply outlets or on Amazon.

You can use the rental chair for a month or more to test it out. If you love the chair, you can choose to purchase the rental already in your possession or ship it back and purchase a brand-new chair in the color of your choice.

They will ship out this rental chair the next business day, and your credit card will be billed automatically every month on the day you started renting the chair. They will bill your card every month until you call them to return the chair back to them.

Whether you choose the Regular or Heavy-Duty model size, they will ship you the next available color. You DO NOT get to pick the color of your rental chair. Return Shipping is FREE and EASY, they send UPS to your door with a shipping label to pick up the rental chair. The $200 One-Time Security Fee is non-refundable.

RENTAL OPTION #2
Their RENT-to-OWN Program is very popular with people wanting a monthly payment option. Each rental chair can be rented for a total of 9-monthly payments after which you will OWN the chair. Each rental chair comes with our 3-Year Warranty, which starts the day UPS delivers the chair to your door.

They will ship out the rental chair the next business day, and your credit card will be billed automatically every month on the day you started renting the chair. They will bill your card every month until you make 9 consecutive monthly payments or you decide to return the chair back to them.

At any time during the 9-months you can call them to PAY OFF the rental chair balance and stop the monthly billing. They will give you the discounted purchase price for the rental chair in your possession, and deduct any and all payments you have made to date, including the $200 One-Time Security Fee. This will give you the total payoff purchase price of the rental chair.

Whether you choose the Regular or Heavy-Duty model size, they will ship you the next available color. You DO NOT get to pick the color of your rental chair.

RENTAL OPTION #3
They understand that sometimes you may need a travel electric wheelchair for a brief period of time. They offer their “Get Back on Your Feet” Monthly Rental Program. You can now rent one of their wheelchairs monthly until you no longer need it…CANCEL ANYTIME!!

They will ship out their rental chairs the next business day, and your credit card will be billed automatically every month on the day you started renting the chair. They will bill your card every month until you call them to return the chair back to them.

When you’re finished renting, just put the chair back in its original packaging and CALL them. They will have UPS come to your address, with a pre-printed shipping label to pick up the rental chair. Once they receive the chair they will cancel your scheduled monthly payments.

Whether you choose the Regular or Heavy-Duty model size, they will ship you the next available color. You DO NOT get to pick the color of your rental chair. Return Shipping is FREE and EASY, they send UPS to your door with a shipping label to pick up the rental chair. The $200 One-Time Security Fee is non-refundable.

When I rented the Fold and Go Wheelchair, they brought out a purple colored chair. But when I bought one, I like the color maroon.

Front to Back Length: 38 inches
Front to Back Folded Length: 13 inches
Unfolded Height: 37 inches
Folded Height: 30 inches
Width: 24 inches


Specifications:
•FOLD & GO Electric Wheelchair Weatherproofing System
•Heavy Duty Net Weight with Batteries: 55 LBS
•Heavy Duty Weight Capacity: 365 LBS
•WaterTight Rear Motor Wheels: 250 Watt x2 Brushless
•TSA & FAA Approved Lithium-ion Battery (Airplane Use)
•5-Hour Rapid Global Battery Charger: 100-240V 1.5A 50/60Hz (Compatible Worldwide)
•Heavy-Duty model comes with 2 Lithium-ion batteries (each battery weighs 2 lbs)
•WaterTight Dynamic Drive 360 Degree Joystick Controller
•5-Speed Control Modes: 0.5 MPH, 1 MPH, 2 MPH, 3 MPH, 4 MPH
•Maximum Driving Speed: 4 MPH
•Joystick Quick-Release Connection for Enhanced Security & Travel Ease
•Super Tight Turning Radius: 31.5 inches
•Maximum Ground & Puddle Clearance: 5 inches (with Footrest Folded Up)
•Outstanding Hill Climbing Range: 25° Slope or 46% Grade
•Total Battery Charging Time: 5 hours
•Driving Range: 16 Miles – Includes 2 Batteries
•Seat Width: 18 inches
•Seat Depth: 17 inches
Seat cover can hold up to 18” W x 17” D x 3” Thick
•Armrest to Armrest: 19 inches
•Back Rest Height: 20 inches
•Floor to Seat Height: 19 inches
•Floor to Arm Rest Height: 28 inches
•Rear Wheel Dimensions: 12 inches by 2.5 inches
•Front Wheel Dimensions: 7 inches by 1.75 inches
•No Flat Solid Rubber Tires
•Brake Type: Electromagnetic
•Includes: Charger, Seat Belt, Storage Bag under the seat, and Mini Tool Kit for quick maintenance while traveling.
All the details of our 3-Year Limited Warranty:
•3-YEAR Warranty on Main Frame for Manufacturer Defects
•1-YEAR Warranty on Rear Motor ONLY
•1-YEAR Warranty on the Battery/Cables
•1-YEAR Warranty on the Joystick and Control System (CPU).
•90 DAY limited warranty on the wearing parts, such as the rubber tires, arm rest padding, joystick button covers, joystick control knob.
•30 DAY limited warranty on soft goods, such as a seat cushion and backrest padding, and storage bag.
If your wheelchair has stopped functioning properly please fill out the warranty form. They will help you troubleshoot the problem and ship you the warranty parts.
No Warranty Claim will be accepted for wheelchairs with a bent frame. Bent Wheelchair Parts can be repaired by them but will need to be paid for by the customer.
Any parts under warranty will be replaced and shipped to your door by Priority Express Mail by USPS or UPS Ground.

And it actually folds from front to back to about 13 inches and it is so easy to fold and unfold if I need the space for whatever reason.

Only weighing 55 pounds and folding to 13 inches beat out any mobility scooter or any other folding wheelchair that I researched.

Plus all of the Fold and Go Wheelchair employees use their own wheelchairs and they are made in America and serviced by them in America.

My mobility scooter was made in China and worked just fine. But in order to have repairs done, or worn out wheels changed, etc., I had to find another way to get it fixed.

During my research, I found that many online companies will buy mobility scooters or wheelchairs from other countries. They would place the order when you ordered one. They didn't own the company, they just ordered from a manufacturer who did not repair their own products. So when I wanted to get repairs, I had to go outside Atlanta, Georgia to find someone to repair my mobility scooter at outrageous costs.

Fold and Go Wheelchairs not only make their own wheelchairs, but they will also service them.

When I first received my Fold and Go Wheelchair three days after ordering it, I was surprised by how early I received and how well it was packaged.

This is what I got in my box.

1. FULLY ASSEMBLED colorful new wheelchair. The only thing you need to put on is the joystick, and that takes about 5 seconds.
2. To protect your chair for damage during shipping, they include 1.5 inches of foam lining inside the box on top, bottom and sides.
3. The tubular steel frame and front wheels will also be bubble wrapped for additional protection.
4. Inside the storage bag under your seat is the following: joystick, charger, mini toolkit (for on-the-go fixes), seat belt, and any other accessories you purchased.
5. Batteries are charged so it is ready to drive RIGHT-OUT-OF-THE-BOX!!
6. They are an environmentally friendly company so your “User Manual” will be emailed to you after your order, and/or you can download it from our contact page. But I really didn't need a manual because I had already looked at all of their instructional videos.

.

 

[RaySharpton]

I forgot to mention that it is approved to travel on any airlines without removing the batteries. If I wanted too I could actually store the Fold and Go Wheelchair in the airline's main cabin closet or under the planes storage. I decided that I didn't want to take up all of the room of the closet on the smaller Delta MD-88 closet since it was only about 13-inches wide. I know other flyers like to hang their jackets there.

I do not have to remove the two Lithium-Ion batteries that weigh only 2-3 pounds each. And they designed them to be stored into the all steel metal frame.

I carry this Fold and Go Wheelchair Certificate to the airport in case the airlines have any questions. They call them dry batteries and not wet batteries. My U-1 scooter batteries were called gel batteries, but Delta no longer uses the gel, but dry.

This is my joystick that is waterproof as is the rest of the wheelchair and has a quick release about six inches on the armrest that is easy to disconnect when taking it off for airline travel. I put it in my backpack with my C.P.A.P. machine and other medical supplies when going on board the plane.

 

[RaySharpton]

Edited: I MUST EMPHASIZE THAT USING A JOYSTICK AND AN ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN USING A MOBILITY SCOOTER. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND TO TRY ONE BEFORE RENTING OR BUYING ONE. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS FOR THE CASUAL USER THAT HAS NEVER USED ONE. I THINK THAT MOST ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR USERS WILL AGREE.

 

[RaySharpton]

My Delta Airline trip from home using MARTA train into the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

I've arrived at the airport using the MARTA train. I like that the train station is located inside the airport. My suitcase with my mobility walker attached.

Looking to my left in the same spot as above from my wheelchair is the covered domestic dropoff spot. I took the elevator down and entered the main airport area and I've checked my suitcase in.

On my way from Gate A to Gate B. I love all of the artwork along the way. This covers the whole walkway in the ceiling. The lights change under the leaves with the sound of birds and crickets. Very cool and relaxing.

I unfolded the protective cover that was under my wheelchair seat.

I took off my joystick and placed it on the seat and I unfolded my grocery bag to use while on vacation and attached it to the back. It looks big, but it is empty and takes up less room than the wheelchair's protective cover.

I just took off my joystick and put it into my backpack to carry onboard later and folded my wheelchair up.

I put the protective cover on and placed the wheelchair in freewheel mode for the Delta Airlines to store under the plane.

The large wheel makes for a good leg rest while waiting.

That's my packaged wheelchair getting ready to be loaded on the conveyor belt to store on the plane. Only weighing 55-pounds, the person easily lifted it by himself.

And there it goes. I'm so glad that they didn't drop it. The protective case has two heavy-duty handles on each side for anyone to help lift it up. The top has a handle to hold onto when pulling the free-wheel wheelchair.

Upon arrival, the other person was trying to carry it with one arm while carrying another device. He decided it was too heavy with one hand and decided to come back.

Oh...I see my luggage arriving, too as he about to pick up my wheelchair.

 

[RaySharpton]

I bought some other items for my wheelchair since I use it when traveling outside my home besides on vacation at Walt Disney World.

I used to use a tiller bag for my mobility scooter. I bought this one for my wheelchair that fits on my armrest and is easy to take off for the airport's TSA.

I bought this when I had my mobility scooter, but it works when I am charging my wheelchair, too. I just didn't like to overuse my charger and now my wheelchair only needs to be charged for 7-hours. It works great on vacation, too.

I also wanted a good cup holder that I could put anywhere on my wheelchair and was easy to take on and to take off for various reasons.

I just used my airline wheelchair cover protector and it seems to work great. It fits over the top and under the bottom and uses several heavy duty velco closures. I wasn't sure that it would hold up to lifting by the airline staff, but it never came apart and they liked the strong side handles to lift it up. It also has a handle on top to hold onto when pulling it in freewheel mode.

I don't think that I would ever bring it on board like in the photo even though it might fit. Too many folks like to hang their jackets on the Delta MD-88 plane.

I also like that I can show this copy to any airline employee that is not aware that I don't have to remove the Lithium-Ion batteries whether under the plane or inside the plane.

I really like these hook clamps for various uses since I don't own a car and I travel alone whether on vacation or at home.


.

 

[Bete]

I'm very happy for you.

Thanks for sharing your info.

Scooters are getting better, as well and lighter. There's a scooter with built in GPS; so, it can navigate for you and it's a lightweight like 40 pounds, but it's capacity is 220 pounds. It folds up like a suitcase. I would buy it in a heartbeat, but luckily I can get by a little while longer without it.

 

[RaySharpton]

Thank you, Bete. Built-in GPS is new to me. I saw some mobility rental scooters at WDW with attached fans and tablet/phone holders, too.

I needed this one for the portability when flying and lifting and just all of the features it had. I have never seen anything so well designed and well built. It is so strong. Plus the ability to carry my 340 pounds, the waterproofness, the ability to drive on grass and gravel and climb steep sidewalks and availability for direct service really cinched the deal for me.

Tomorrow I am heading to the beach and fly out. I'll take some more photos.

I'm very happy for you.

Thanks for sharing your info.

Scooters are getting better, as well and lighter. There's a scooter with built in GPS; so, it can navigate for you and it's a lightweight like 40 pounds, but it's capacity is 220 pounds. It folds up like a suitcase. I would buy it in a heartbeat, but luckily I can get by a little while longer without it.

 

[powellrj]

I love it! It looks perfect for my needs!

 

[RaySharpton]

I love it! It looks perfect for my needs!

Hi, powellrj. Do you use an electric wheelchair now? I never used one before renting it to try it out. I have heard so many stories on these disability boards about the learning curve going from a mobility scooter to an electric power wheelchair.

I took those comments into consideration and I wanted to actually try it before buying one.

If you buy one they give you referral business cards that you can put your name on it for a one percent discount of future purchases. I handed a couple out at WDW when the guest talked with me about my chair.

If anyone actually buys one, it would be nice if they would say that I was a referral. My name is Ray Sharpton. Please let me know if this sentence is inappropriate for the forum and I will remove the comment immediately.

Thank you in advance, Ray

 

[arminnie]

Ray - I love your pictures. You are adorable.

This sounds wonderful. I would have seriously considered this over my Whill if I'd known about it. But I am happy with what I have so I am not looking back. Your chair is a great product.

But doesn't it make a difference having a chair vs a scooter. It can be difficult for me to transfer to a chair and back - sometimes the chair has no arms or is not stable. I've also been left stranded at a table when transferring to a chair and my scooter being across the room with no one to retrieve it for me. It's great just being able to motor up to a table and be able to leave when I want. I wanted to kill my husband at a wedding earlier this year. He left me at the table and "disappeared" not answering his cell. I finally got someone to help me to my scooter but then discovered than my DH had taken the key. I was left sitting on my keyless scooter in a corner for about an hour before he showed back up. The man is lucky to still be alive.

My scooter was great when that's what met my needs. But sometimes as we get older or more challenged it's time to upgrade to something more. When I first used a scooter I just needed it for fatigue issues. I could still walk just fine. I had no problem leaving it to get on a ride shop, or use the restroom. I had no problem with taking it apart on my own and putting it in my car and taking it back out.

I now have a degenerative nerve disease that is progressive. Two years ago I could walk 3 miles. A year ago I did not have to have a walker but got one for safety. Now I cannot take one step without holding on to something. But I am thankful that I can still stand up and take a couple of steps while holding on to something.

I know what you mean about the accidentally hitting the joystick. My chair has more of a mushroom button but it has still almost done me in a couple of times. Just a few days ago I almost landed on my rear when I accidentally jostled the controls while sitting back down.

 

[RaySharpton]

Ray - I love your pictures. You are adorable.

This sounds wonderful. I would have seriously considered this over my Whill if I'd known about it. But I am happy with what I have so I am not looking back. Your chair is a great product.

But doesn't it make a difference having a chair vs a scooter. It can be difficult for me to transfer to a chair and back - sometimes the chair has no arms or is not stable. I've also been left stranded at a table when transferring to a chair and my scooter being across the room with no one to retrieve it for me. It's great just being able to motor up to a table and be able to leave when I want. I wanted to kill my husband at a wedding earlier this year. He left me at the table and "disappeared" not answering his cell. I finally got someone to help me to my scooter but then discovered than my DH had taken the key. I was left sitting on my keyless scooter in a corner for about an hour before he showed back up. The man is lucky to still be alive.

My scooter was great when that's what met my needs. But sometimes as we get older or more challenged it's time to upgrade to something more. When I first used a scooter I just needed it for fatigue issues. I could still walk just fine. I had no problem leaving it to get on a ride shop, or use the restroom. I had no problem with taking it apart on my own and putting it in my car and taking it back out.

I now have a degenerative nerve disease that is progressive. Two years ago I could walk 3 miles. A year ago I did not have to have a walker but got one for safety. Now I cannot take one step without holding on to something. But I am thankful that I can still stand up and take a couple of steps while holding on to something.

I know what you mean about the accidentally hitting the joystick. My chair has more of a mushroom button but it has still almost done me in a couple of times. Just a few days ago I almost landed on my rear when I accidentally jostled the controls while sitting back down.

Hi, arminnie. I saw an earlier version of the Whill at a disability convention years ago. It was nothing like I had ever seen before. But I was disappointed when the representative told me the low weight limit at the time. I am sure improvements have been made since then like the Fold and Go Wheelchair that I bought with the Lithium-Ion batteries and weight capacities.

I don't have a key with my wheelchair, but I don't have to leave it as much as I did my mobility scooter. I do remove it when flying to protect it from damage. The rest of the wheelchair is made of very strong steel alloy with visible strong welding. I like that they designed the wheelchair so that the two Lithium-Ion batteries were built into the wheelchair frame with a steel casing. Most people wonder where the batteries are located and don't believe me until I show them by pulling one of the batteries out. I was shocked that it only took about 5-7 hours to fully recharge. I take an electrical outlet timer to plug it in to charge my wheelchair so that I don't have to remember to unplug it. It just turns off the electric charge with the time that I set on the device.

 

[mamabunny]

I agree with our @arminnie - very cute pictures, Ray! I love the idea of hanging the wreath on the back of the seat too!

Question (and I realize you aren't quite done writing everything yet, so I may be jumping the gun a bit) but how was your overall battery consumption while at WDW? Did you find you still had plenty of power at the end of a full Disney Day? Although we try to pace ourselves a bit more these days, it's not uncommon for us to spend 12 hours or more (been known to close Disney Springs on occasion when HOB is really hopping LOL) before we get back to the room to recharge.

And - I love the way it folds, but can you actually lift it in and out of (for example) the trunk of a car? Handling 50 pounds of "live" weight is so different from 50 pounds of "dead" weight (I know you understand that concept) and wrangling something that appears to be slightly larger than an old-school folded lawn chair and weighs 50 - 55 pounds in and out of the back of my vehicle may be more than I can do now. I found myself looking at the pictures of it folded, and wishing it had 360 degree casters, like the newer rolling suitcases - then I could use a single ramp and roll it right up into the back!

 

[powellrj]

Hi, powellrj. Do you use an electric wheelchair now? I never used one before renting it to try it out. I have heard so many stories on these disability boards about the learning curve going from a mobility scooter to an electric power wheelchair.

I took those comment into consideration and I wanted to actually try it before buying one.

If you buy one they give you referral business cards that you can put your name on it for a one percent discount of future purchases. I handed a couple out at WDW when the guest talked with me about my chair.

If anyone actually buys one, it would be nice if they would say that I was a referral. My name is Ray Sharpton. Please let me know if this sentence is inappropriate for the forum and I will remove the comment immediately.

Thank you in advance, Ray

No I don’t use one now. I use a scooter, but that would be much more practical. I hate having to sit in my scooter to eat or if I have to sit for a long period of time. If I do get one I will use your name as a reference.

 

[RaySharpton]

Edited: I MUST EMPHASIZE THAT USING A JOYSTICK AND AN ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN USING A MOBILITY SCOOTER. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND TO TRY ONE BEFORE RENTING OR BUYING ONE. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS FOR THE CASUAL USER THAT HAS NEVER USED ONE. I THINK THAT MOST ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR USERS WILL AGREE.

 

[RaySharpton]

Hi, powellr. Thank you.

May I suggest that you try using and testing out an electric wheelchair before you rent or buy one.

I have edited my comments in a previous post about this.

Maybe you could try one at a local mobility store. If you do decide to rent an electric wheelchair at Disney's Walt Disney World, I would suggest that you let the vendor know that if it does not work for you, if you could exchange it for a mobility scooter. Most folks here that use an electric wheelchair with a joystick might agree with me.

No I don’t use one now. I use a scooter, but that would be much more practical. I hate having to sit in my scooter to eat or if I have to sit for a long period of time. If I do get one I will use your name as a reference.

 

[RaySharpton]

I agree with our @arminnie - very cute pictures, Ray! I love the idea of hanging the wreath on the back of the seat too!

Question (and I realize you aren't quite done writing everything yet, so I may be jumping the gun a bit) but how was your overall battery consumption while at WDW? Did you find you still had plenty of power at the end of a full Disney Day? Although we try to pace ourselves a bit more these days, it's not uncommon for us to spend 12 hours or more (been known to close Disney Springs on occasion when HOB is really hopping LOL) before we get back to the room to recharge.

And - I love the way it folds, but can you actually lift it in and out of (for example) the trunk of a car? Handling 50 pounds of "live" weight is so different from 50 pounds of "dead" weight (I know you understand that concept) and wrangling something that appears to be slightly larger than an old-school folded lawn chair and weighs 50 - 55 pounds in and out of the back of my vehicle may be more than I can do now. I found myself looking at the pictures of it folded, and wishing it had 360 degree casters, like the newer rolling suitcases - then I could use a single ramp and roll it right up into the back!

I liked that wreath, too. Thank you. I noticed that by the end of my stay they were sold out everywhere so they must have been very popular for other guest's home use.

It is a lot more toned down than my prevous decorations...ha...ha...ha.

I loved going down in December and I bought these two Disney wreaths for the front and back of my scooter. This is at the Disney Pop Century Resort bus stop.

They don't make these Disney wreaths anymore and was made to be put on a home, but I loved it. It even had Mickey ornaments built on it, but it was a bit too large. I didn't care...ha...ha...ha!

The lady in pink is Deb Wills from AllEars.net on a MouseFest Cruise event about breast cancer. I know, too much. But I had just bought my first mobility scooter and I was so excited about the freedom it provided me to explore places I couldn't with just cane.

That is an interesting question about battery usage.

When I first bought my scooter, I used to carry my battery charger everywhere, but after a long time, and not need it during the day, I left it at home or at the resort room. And at WDW I charged it fully every night.

But years later, I did not know about the battery losing the capacity to hold a complete charge. I ran out of power in both U-1 batteries at MK one day even though I charged them all night before and it showed fully charged (fully charged active cells not counting the batteries dead cells).

Although I had completely charged it overnight, and all of the green lights on my meter showed green, I ran out of power earlier and earlier. I started taking my battery charger with me again.

The scooter charger was only able to charge the areas of the batteries that were still chargeable and not the parts that would not charge. The other parts were dead. So it showed fully charged.

I didn't know about this until later after Googling the info. I bought new batteries and everything was back to normal.

My instructions for charging my old REVO scooter was to charge for at least 12-hours per night if using it all day like at WDW.

By the way, my old REVO scooter had hard plastic casings that held each battery so that they could easily be removed and to lift out for disassembly to load in my car trunk.

But to change the batteries, it took me over an hour to unscrew the housing and replace each battery.

Now, with my new Fold and Go Wheelchair Lithium-Ion batteries, I just push a button and remove the 2-3 pound rod. But I don't have to remove them to recharge them. I could recharge them individually, but I use the joystick port to recharge. It is just easier.

Plus to fully recharge, they suggest 5 hours when the battery meter goes low. Sometimes I set my timer to seven hours. I was able to use my wheelchair 2-3 days without recharging and even though the meter was only in the yellow bars and not the red bars. The colors are green, yellow and red.

It has four speeds of 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4 mph. When I was training or learning to use it I only used the 0.5-mph and I was happy with the speed at the time. Several days, I increased to 1-mph and I determined that 2-mph was about walking speed for other guests in a non-crowded environment.

In wide open space, after I felt comfortable using the joystick, I experimented with the 5-mph and I could have been ticketed for speeding...ha...ha...ha.

On a more pertinent note, one day I was late for a dining reservation and I was rolling from DHS to EPCOT using the sidewalk from DHS to BWV area. I used the 5-mph more that day, of course, it really used much more of the battery charge and turned yellow much sooner than usual by the end of the day.

Most folks know that the battery life in hours will decrease the use quicker over the period of the day before recharging if the user is:

-The heavier the driver, that's me...I can't fight gravity.
-The scooter weighs more due to construction and battery weight.
-Anything hanging off of the scooter like backpacks or full baskets adds weight.
-Increased speed over time greatly decreases battery life until recharged.
-Hills or increased incline puts more strain on battery life until recharged.
-Age of the battery creates decreased areas of battery that can be recharged.
-If not fully recharged per manual after use.
-Type of battery strength. Some ECV's can use different strengths of batteries.

All of these things can determine how long your battery will last until recharged.

I don't own a car, and I have just rented a car to travel to the Smoky Mountains.

The heaviest part of my REVO scooter was the motor section at about 50-lbs. But when lifting that, I had to lift it and turn toward the trunk and lift it above the lid of the trunk. Plus all the other pieces, too. I would balance and brace myself with on hand on the car. I would then only use my other arm/hand to lift the motor section up to the trunk lid. When I felt it was tilting toward the trunk I used both arms to lift it all the way into the trunk. I was also able to lean my legs against the bumper at this point which helped balance my body.

The wheelchair closes front to back. When I close it I have it facing the trunk and next to the bumper with the wheels facing the trunk in freewheel mode.

I just have to lift it up at least half way up the trunk lid until I am able to tilt it into the trunk. With the wheels in free-wheel mode, I just roll it in the rest of the way with the wheels taking most of the weight. During this hold time, I could use both hands/arms to lift and I could lean against the wheelchair until I was ready to make the short lift.

Using both of my arms and being able to lean against the wheelchair/car and only have one piece to lift was amazing to me.

I forgot to mention I used a towel to protect the car paint. The towel also had the advantage of being able to slide the wheelchair up and into the trunk. Taking the wheelchair out of the trunk, I use the same technique.

I will tell you that I was worried. But I don't have to turn my body or move my feet while holding it which is very difficult for me now with my balance issues. I bend over a little, pick up the wheelchair in the middle while leaning against the car, lift it up.

And in the future, maybe I can't lift it. But for now, I have no problems lifting the heavy weight of 55 pounds for the brief distance of height. And it is easier to take out. And no, I don't drop it on the ground...ha...ha...ha. I let it slide down the back of the car.

I take a towel to protect the car by laying over the outside of the trunk over the bumper. This also allows sliding in and out a lot easier.

This is the CEO of the company making the video. I do it differently than the video. I have the wheels facing the trunk and I use a towel to protect the car and to help it slide it in and out. She is using the 45-pound model.


.

 

[mamabunny]

I liked that wreath, too. Thank you. I noticed that by the end of my stay they were sold out everywhere so they must have been very popular for other guest's home use.

It is a lot more toned down than my prevous decorations...ha...ha...ha.

The lady in pink is Deb Wills from AllEars.net on a MouseFest Cruise event about breast cancer. I know, too much. But I had just bought my first mobility scooter and I was so excited about the freedom it provided me to explore places I couldn't with just cane.

That is an interesting question about battery usage.

When I first bought my scooter, I used to carry my battery charger everywhere, but after a long time, and not need it during the day, I left it at home or at the resort room. And at WDW I charged it fully every night.

But years later, I did not know about the battery losing the capacity to hold a complete charge. I ran out of power in both U-1 batteries at MK one day.

Although I had completely charged it overnight, and all of the green lights on my meter showed green, I ran out of power earlier and earlier. I started taking my battery charger with me again.

The scooter charger was only able to charge the areas of the batteries that were still chargeable and not the parts that would not charge. The other parts were dead. So it showed fully charged.

I didn't know about this until later after Googling the info. I bought new batteries and everything was back to normal.

My instructions for charging my old REVO scooter was to charge for at least 12-hours per night if using it all day like at WDW.

By the way, my old REVO scooter had hard plastic casings that held each battery so that they could easily be removed and to lift out for disassembly to load in my car trunk.

But to change the batteries, it took me over an hour to unscrew the housing and replace each battery.

Now, with my new Fold and Go Wheelchair Lithium-Ion batteries, I just push a button and remove the 2-3 pound rod.

Plus to fully recharge, they suggest 5-7 hours when the battery meter goes low. I was able to use my wheelchair 2-3 days without recharging and even though the meter was only in the yellow bars and not the red bars. The colors are green, yellow and red.

It has four speeds of 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4 mph. When I was training or learning to use it I only used the 0.5-mph and I was happy with the speed at the time. Several days, I increased to 1-mph and I determined that 2-mph was about walking speed for other guests in a non-crowded environment.

In wide open space, after I felt comfortable using the joystick, I experimented with the 5-mph and I could have been ticketed for speeding...ha...ha...ha.

On a more pertinent note, one day I was late for a dining reservation and I was rolling from DHS to EPCOT using the sidewalk from DHS to BWV area. I used the 5-mph more that day, of course, it really used much more of the battery charge and turned yellow much sooner than usual by the end of the day.

Most folks know that the battery life in hours will decrease the use quicker over the period of the day before recharging if the user is:

-The heavier the driver, that's me...I can't fight gravity.
-The scooter weighs more due to construction and battery weight.
-Anything hanging off of the scooter like backpacks or full baskets adds weight.
-Increased speed over time greatly decreases battery life until recharged.
-Hills or increased incline puts more strain on battery life until recharged.
-Age of the battery creates decreased areas of battery that can be recharged.
-If not fully recharged per manual after use.
-Type of battery strength. Some ECV's can use different strengths of batteries.

All of these things can determine how long your battery will last until recharged.

I don't own a car, and I have just rented a car to travel to the Smoky Mountains.

The heaviest part of my REVO scooter was the motor section at about 50-lbs. But when lifting that, I had to lift it and turn toward the trunk and lift it above the lid of the trunk. Plus all the other pieces, too. I would balance and brace myself with on hand on the car. I would then only use my other arm/hand to lift the motor section up to the trunk lid. When I felt it was tilting toward the trunk I used both arms to lift it all the way into the trunk. I was also able to lean my legs against the bumper at this point which helped balance my body.

The wheelchair closes front to back. When I close it I have it facing the trunk and next to the bumper with the wheels facing the trunk in freewheel mode.

I just have to lift it up at least half way up the trunk lid until I am able to tilt it into the trunk. With the wheels in free-wheel mode, I just roll it in the rest of the way with the wheels taking most of the weight. During this hold time, I could use both hands/arms to lift and I could lean against the wheelchair until I was ready to make the short lift.

Using both of my arms and being able to lean against the wheelchair/car and only have one piece to lift was amazing to me.

I forgot to mention I used a towel to protect the car paint. The towel also had the advantage of being able to slide the wheelchair up and into the trunk. Taking the wheelchair out of the trunk, I use the same technique.

I will tell you that I was worried. But I don't have to turn my body or move my feet while holding it which is very difficult for me now with my balance issues. I bend over a little, pick up the wheelchair in the middle while leaning against the car, lift it up.

And in the future, maybe I can't lift it. But for now, I have no problems lifting the heavy weight of 55 pounds for the brief distance of height. And it is easier to take out. And no, I don't drop it on the ground...ha...ha...ha. I let it slide down the back of the car.

I take a towel to protect the car by laying over the outside of the trunk over the bumper. This also allows sliding in and out a lot easier.

This is the CEO of the company making the video. I do it differently than the video. I have the wheels facing the trunk and I use a towel to protect the car and to help it slide it in and out. She is using the 45-pound model.


.

LOL Those decorations are never "too much"! If they are right for you, then I think they are *perfect*!

I understand your joy at being mobile again; It is exhilarating after losing function to realize that you can still go everywhere you want to, and "keep up".

Thanks for the comprehensive info - one last question, if you don't mind: With your new chair, do you find that you are close to exhausting your batteries on a "standard" Disney day (not when you are zooming around at breakneck speeds towards EPCOT LOL). In other words - if you run at an "average" speed of 2 mph for about 12 or so hours at WDW, are both batteries depleted? Or do you still have some "reserve"? (Oops - just thought of a bonus question!) And, also does your chair draw from both of the battery "rods" in the frame equally, or does it deplete one battery first, and then the other?

Thanks!

 

[RaySharpton]

LOL Those decorations are never "too much"! If they are right for you, then I think they are *perfect*!

I understand your joy at being mobile again; It is exhilarating after losing function to realize that you can still go everywhere you want to, and "keep up".

Thanks for the comprehensive info - one last question, if you don't mind: With your new chair, do you find that you are close to exhausting your batteries on a "standard" Disney day (not when you are zooming around at breakneck speeds towards EPCOT LOL). In other words - if you run at an "average" speed of 2 mph for about 12 or so hours at WDW, are both batteries depleted? Or do you still have some "reserve"? (Oops - just thought of a bonus question!) And, also does your chair draw from both of the battery "rods" in the frame equally, or does it deplete one battery first, and then the other?

Thanks!

I was still in the yellow and never in the red each day regardless of speeding or spending over 12-hours in a day. At first, I didn't believe it because of my previous experiences with my scooters.

But then I came to realize how much longer they last. I don't know if it because of the Lithium-Ion batteries compared to the makeup of the U-1 dry gel scooter batteries.

I am pretty sure it uses both batteries at the same time even though it has two motors. Each battery casing has a little button on it to press when the joystick is turned on to see how many bars are lit on each battery like I usually see on my joystick. I'll check it later this morning.

I am currently testing your theory out at the beach. I don't drive on the beach, but I am on vacation going everywhere around town and the boardwalk, etc.

I still have yellow bars on the third day and I haven't charged it yet. My old ways of thinking were that I would charge it overnight, but I am not.

The only downside about being on vacation during Christmas Day for me is being alone. I woke up at 0300 and it is so quiet. It doesn't seem like Christmas at all to me. I've never been away from home on Christmas. A little lonely. But I have a lot planned today and reservations for a nice Christmas dinner and a movie and of course the beach and ocean.


.

 

[RaySharpton]

I was curious about the batteries and so I checked the bars on the joystick and both batteries.

The joystick has two and one half green bars, three yellow bars, and two red bars.

Right now the joystick is showing no green bars and three yellow bars and two red bars, so I guess that means I have plenty of power. We'll see.

I checked the top of the casings on each of the Lithium-Ion batteries. They have four green bars and one red bar. Right now I have three green bars and one red bar. I don't usually check these, but I am glad that I checked for you.

I wish that there were less yellow bars on my joystick and more green bars. I guess I am used to seeing more green bars on my scooter.

Edited: After four days, I have one yellow bar and two red bars on the joystick. I could probably go another day and take my charger, but I am going to recharge today 12/26/2018 after three days.

Next time I go to Disney I'll take my charger with me and see how many days it will last.

Edited: After Christmas Day it has been people free around and I found myself wanting to drive faster with no one surrounding me. Normally I drive at level one or two of five levels, but the past few days I have been driving the sidewalks and boardwalk and everywhere at level three. At the street crosswalks, I go up to level four.

My batteries are not lasting as long, but I didn't notice it until last night after two days without charging.

My batteries dropped from 2.5 green and 3 yellow and two red to one yellow and two red.

Not bad, just different and it surprised me that I had been driving the two days on a higher level of power after two days.

I charged it anyway.



.