New Policy on Scooter Baskets?

[DisneyDayz]

We rent a scooter each year for my mother to use in the parks. I read on a blog that Disney is changing their policy on scooter baskets. The comment was that because people on scooters were bumping into walking guests, baskets were no longer going to be allowed on scooters as of January 1, 2014. Has anyone else heard of this change?

I've reviewed this board and several of my favorite blogs and can't find anything to confirm this information.

 

[bidnow5]

I don't believe it if they took the basket off then the wheel would hit them. I think most of the time people walk into the scooter not the other way around

 

[disneyfan19712006]

That would be worse. Raving extra bags hanging off would run into everyone. I own my own and will NOT remove it unless I gat a personal assistant to carry my things. I agree with the last poster people walk into scooters just as much as strollers. The basket gives us protection from the idiots that just run in front of us like we aren't there.

 

[disney david]

We rent a scooter each year for my mother to use in the parks. I read on a blog that Disney is changing their policy on scooter baskets. The comment was that because people on scooters were bumping into walking guests, baskets were no longer going to be allowed on scooters as of January 1, 2014. Has anyone else heard of this change?

I've reviewed this board and several of my favorite blogs and can't find anything to confirm this information.

Do you mind sharing the blog you saw this in

 

[I Love Pluto]

Please tell me this isn't true!!!!!!

I think Disney has over-burdened handicapped people enough!

All of these changes for the sins of a few are annoying & frustrating. Thank you for listening!

 

[Talking Hands]

Saw it Disney Dining. It was in the comments section.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Do the ones that Disney rents out have baskets? Maybe they just mean those won't have baskets anymore.

 

[disney david]

Do the ones that Disney rents out have baskets? Maybe they just mean those won't have baskets anymore.

Yes they do that what I think they meant in removing the basket.

 

[KPeveler]

I can say that they would have a hard time making people take their baskets off their personal scooters. A lot of people carry medical supplies there or do not have another way of carrying things.

It may be they are removing the baskets from the park rental scooters because that make give them a few extra inches of turn room in queues.

 

[SueM in MN]

I can say that they would have a hard time making people take their baskets off their personal scooters. A lot of people carry medical supplies there or do not have another way of carrying things.

It may be they are removing the baskets from the park rental scooters because that make give them a few extra inches of turn room in queues.

I found the comment, but can't get it to fully load, so I can't comment on it.

I can say that the basket on most of the scooters doesn't stick out any farther (or not significantly farther) than the front tire.
I have seen a few people with personal scooters who have very large oversize baskets that do stick out farther than usual. There is also one offsite rental company that rents scooters with oversize baskets that appear to stick out at least 8-12 inches farther than the front wheel. It is not one of the WDW featured providers.

My guess is along the lines of KPeveler -that they may be removing the baskets from the park rental ones or limiting the distance baskets can stick out. This could be for safety and manouvering reasons.

 

[Michigan]

Disney needs to be more concerned with all the children riding on someones lap and in many cases actually steering ECV.

 

[SueM in MN]

Disney needs to be more concerned with all the children riding on someones lap and in many cases actually steering ECV.

I would agree with that.
I have seen children who can't be more than 3 or 4 years old actually being the one driving the ECV.

 

[SueM in MN]

Ok
I was able to get the comment from the blog to load. It said:
"As of the first of the year scooter people are not allowed to have baskets or coolers attached to the scooters and no children on their laps.
This is due to all the accidents happening in the parks. Why are the people with the handicaps getting the rules changed again because of the people who are doing wrong."

There is no information about where this person got this information.
Other posts are from people saying:
- they had a scooter or rented a scooter and were not asked to remove the basket.
- they would have a problem if not allowed to use a basket.
- there is no rule about baskets and they are not being banned.

 

[SueM in MN]

This is a picture of the Disney park rental ECVs, which are also rented by one of the off-site places

You can see the basket does not extend very far past the front wheel and, as another poster pointed out, if it was not there guests bumping into the front of the ECV would bump into the tire if the basket was not there.

I think the blog poster either misinterpreted something or was misinformed.
It does make sense to ban baskets (for many reasons), coolers would not pose a danger and WDW has always said scooters were single passenger (so no children).

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . I think Disney has over-burdened handicapped people enough! . . .

1) Not sure from where this info is derived.
2) WDW is treating "disabled" folks just as the law requires.
. . . they must have access, where possible
. . . they are not entitled to special treatment other guests do not enjoy
. . . they are not enjoy unlimited access to rides/attractions ahead of other guests
. . . they are treated for their SPECIFIC malady and not as a general "disabled" privilege
3) So, what is wrong with the treatment of "disabled" guests?

 

[Vidia2]

I wonder, if this is true, if it has anything to do with visability. Some of the offsite rentals don't have a bumper/guard in front of the wheels so some people are getting hit from behind by a wheel that's still moving. If the basket isn't there it would allow better visibility. Maybe some kind of storage could be added to a different part of the ECV, if this info is correct.

 

[Gracie09]

This is a picture of the Disney park rental ECVs, which are also rented by one of the off-site places You can see the basket does not extend very far past the front wheel and, as another poster pointed out, if it was not there guests bumping into the front of the ECV would bump into the tire if the basket was not there. I think the blog poster either misinterpreted something or was misinformed. It does make sense to ban baskets (for many reasons), coolers would not pose a danger and WDW has always said scooters were single passenger (so no children).

Although I could see if someone was trying to pull a wheeled cooler attached to an ecv. That would be a problems but is already prohibited.

 

[SueM in MN]

Although I could see if someone was trying to pull a wheeled cooler attached to an ecv. That would be a problems but is already prohibited.

Yes, already prohibited for a long time.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

In the past, I think a couple people have talked about being told they needed to remove basket and/or backpack from their ECVs to use the buses. Maybe the change (since not allowing kids in laps on ECVs is not a new rule) is really just for the buses and the person reporting it was confused? It still won't be convenient for may people, but with the articulated buses requiring people load in front and turn around to park, there may be concerns about the difficulty of doing so with a basket on. Obviously that could be a problem for some people, especially returning from the parks, but I can think of ways to make it work.

 

[Chuck S]

I think Disney has over-burdened handicapped people enough!

I have to say I spent many years at Disney pushing my Mom in a standard wheelchair (she passed 2 years ago) so I was familiar with the procedures in place at that time.

After hearing about all these changes, I made it a point to be observant during my recent trip to see if I could determine how the new policies were affecting those in wheelchairs. I really didn't notice much of a change. Chairs/scooters and other disabled were still queuing up at the exit area to Big Thunder, waiting their turn. Alternative entrances were still in use for those needing them,and so forth.

And as far as issuing a return ticket time, they have been doing that, at least seasonally, for several years. Mom & I were given return times on Test Track, Listen to the Land and many Magic Kingdom attractions over the years, and had to find a few other things nearby to fill the time gap until our return time.

So, at least for those with typical mobility issues, little seems to have changed.