New to ECV rental, a few questions

[UnderneathAMagicMoon]

I apologize if this is a redundant thread - there are many threads about ECVs but rather than try to piece everything together from older threads I thought I'd ask all my questions in a current one, in case anything has changed. I will be traveling with an older relative who will need an ECV and I am coordinating everything for this person. I'm having a hard time deciding between renting at the parks, and having a rental delivered to the hotel - it seems like there are pros and cons to each. These are my questions, if anyone can answer some or all of these:

- We plan on rope dropping every day, and have the early half hour for resort guests. What are the odds of the park ECVs being sold out when we arrive, if we do this?

- I assume renting at rope drop means my family member would lose that precious early morning ride time while waiting in line to rent an ECV. Approximately how long does this process take? Are we talking 15 minutes and they could meet up with the group, or is it common for the process to take 40 minutes or so when all is said and done?

- If we went with Scooterbug, does anyone have experience with them? I was worried by some of the poor reviews online regarding battery life. I also messaged them through their website with a question and never heard back, which was discouraging. It looks like they are the only "preferred" provider though.

- If we did a rental, where would my relative store it? I've seen people mention the hallway or even bell services, but I can't find anything verifying that this is an option. It seems like they would need to store it in their hotel room, is that correct? I'm a little worried about this from a space perspective, and uncertain if a handicapped accessible room would be available for them, as I assume those sell out as well.

- In general, is taking an ECV on Disney transportation (monorail, buses, skyliner) pretty easy or a little intimidating? I read that one must navigate up a smallish ramp to get on the monorail and that there are limited numbers of spots on buses, for example. Anyone have experience with whether this typically goes smoothly or if there is a learning curve with steering / extra wait time for the next bus, etc.?

Thank you so much if anyone has any thoughts or info on this!

 

[gatorlisa]

My dad used an ECV when we took a multi-generational trip in November 2019. He had never used one before, but was very glad to have it and didn't have any problems with it.

The buses and monorails do require that you drive it up a small ramp to board. He didn't have any trouble with it and the bus drivers were always there assisting and able to help the one or two times when he didn't get the turn quite right and needed to adjust. There are limited spots for ECVs on transportation. For buses there are separate queues for ECVs and their travel party (or at least part of it) and when a new bus arrives, they will first load 1-3 ECVs (depending on the setup of the bus) first before loading other passengers. So you may need to wait, but usually not more than 1 or 2 buses. Monorails they will direct you to one of the gates for accessible loading and put a ramp down for you when it's time to board. And when you get to your stop, they will know to put down a ramp to allow you to unload. The Skyliner has a separate line for ECVs/wheelchairs and you will board into a car that has been pulled out of the line so that it can remain stationary for loading.

He rented from Gold Mobility so that he would have the ECV available to use at the resort and when getting from room to transportation and from transportation into the park. His comments at the end of the trip were that he was very thankful to have had the ECV for those parts of the trip, since it can be a very long walk from buses to park entry at some (most) of the parks. For this reason alone, I would recommend renting from an outside company so that you have the ECV available for use at the resort and for getting to and from the parks. In addition, the ECVs you rent from outside companies are smaller and more nimble than the ones that Disney rents at the park. Gold Mobility in particular also puts larger batteries into their ECVs, allowing you to usually make it through a full park day without needing a recharge. And if something happens during a park day and you need a replacement, it's my understanding they will meet you at the park to swap it out. My parents went with Gold Mobility based upon all of the positive reviews on this forum and were very happy with the ECV and service they received.

We stayed at Coronado Springs, in one of the villages (so not the tower) and he kept the ECV in the room at night. There was plenty of room to put it in the corner and still move around the room. They had a standard room, not an accessible room.

Hope all of this is helpful.

 

[TCRAIG]

1. Rent from Golds - 3 wheel is easiest to maneuver
2. Park in your room - you’ll need to charge the ECV every night anyway - room is best
3. Buses can be tough to park but as mentioned prior - the drivers will park for you if needs be

 

[Wdloepp]

My dad used an ECV when we took a multi-generational trip in November 2019. He had never used one before, but was very glad to have it and didn't have any problems with it.

The buses and monorails do require that you drive it up a small ramp to board. He didn't have any trouble with it and the bus drivers were always there assisting and able to help the one or two times when he didn't get the turn quite right and needed to adjust. There are limited spots for ECVs on transportation. For buses there are separate queues for ECVs and their travel party (or at least part of it) and when a new bus arrives, they will first load 1-3 ECVs (depending on the setup of the bus) first before loading other passengers. So you may need to wait, but usually not more than 1 or 2 buses. Monorails they will direct you to one of the gates for accessible loading and put a ramp down for you when it's time to board. And when you get to your stop, they will know to put down a ramp to allow you to unload. The Skyliner has a separate line for ECVs/wheelchairs and you will board into a car that has been pulled out of the line so that it can remain stationary for loading.

He rented from Gold Mobility so that he would have the ECV available to use at the resort and when getting from room to transportation and from transportation into the park. His comments at the end of the trip were that he was very thankful to have had the ECV for those parts of the trip, since it can be a very long walk from buses to park entry at some (most) of the parks. For this reason alone, I would recommend renting from an outside company so that you have the ECV available for use at the resort and for getting to and from the parks. In addition, the ECVs you rent from outside companies are smaller and more nimble than the ones that Disney rents at the park. Gold Mobility in particular also puts larger batteries into their ECVs, allowing you to usually make it through a full park day without needing a recharge. And if something happens during a park day and you need a replacement, it's my understanding they will meet you at the park to swap it out. My parents went with Gold Mobility based upon all of the positive reviews on this forum and were very happy with the ECV and service they received.

We stayed at Coronado Springs, in one of the villages (so not the tower) and he kept the ECV in the room at night. There was plenty of room to put it in the corner and still move around the room. They had a standard room, not an accessible room.

Hope all of this is helpful.

Thank you for your information. We are going in November and due to a damaged Achilles tendon I am in a boot and require an ECV. I have rented one through Gold Mobility after doing some research on different places. I called them and asked a lot of questions and they were very nice and informative on Shades of Green which is where we'll be staying.

 

[lanejudy]

- We plan on rope dropping every day, and have the early half hour for resort guests. What are the odds of the park ECVs being sold out when we arrive, if we do this?
Most likely no problem at resort guest entry

- I assume renting at rope drop means my family member would lose that precious early morning ride time while waiting in line to rent an ECV. Approximately how long does this process take? Are we talking 15 minutes and they could meet up with the group, or is it common for the process to take 40 minutes or so when all is said and done?
it really depends how many others are renting EVCs, wheelchairs or strollers that morning. Could be 10 min. or half an hour.

- If we went with Scooterbug, does anyone have experience with them? I was worried by some of the poor reviews online regarding battery life. I also messaged them through their website with a question and never heard back, which was discouraging. It looks like they are the only "preferred" provider though.
ScooterBug is the only “preferred” vendor allowed to utilized Bell Services. Other vendors will meet you personally.

- If we did a rental, where would my relative store it? I've seen people mention the hallway or even bell services, but I can't find anything verifying that this is an option. It seems like they would need to store it in their hotel room, is that correct? I'm a little worried about this from a space perspective, and uncertain if a handicapped accessible room would be available for them, as I assume those sell out as well.
Any equipment should be stored in your resort room, as you would any other valuable belongings. There is space even in the small value resort rooms.

 

[preemiemama]

I will add our experience from this past summer with Gold Mobility for my father-in-law:

I made the reservation (the charge happens immediately when you reserve it- just be aware). I agree with PP that 3-wheel is much easier to maneuver. They are also much "sleeker" and newer than the ones at the gate. I'd also recommend not getting an additional accessory on the back of the ECV. We wound up removing the cane holder because it was not ideal for getting around in the park, and made it more difficult to load properly on the bus. YMMV.

They were very accommodating for questions, and called to let us know they were on the way to the resort and would meet us in front- they actually were a few minutes early. You do need to meet them in person, but it was easy. We had planned to eat at the resort when we arrived, so it wasn't a problem for us.

We had a battery issue on our 3rd day. It did not charge as it should have overnight (due to the battery, not user error). I called, and they advised that we charge it in the park for a full hour or more and that should resolve the issue. It did not- we got 2 bars that disappeared quickly as we made our way around the park for about an hour. After we returned to the room and tried charging again for a longer stretch (2.5 hours), the battery still registered as low. So, we called again. This time, they sent someone out to exchange the scooter. It made us late for an ADR, but the restaurant was able to work us in a little later so it worked out. Once we exchanged, there were no further issues. In fact, the new scooter never even fell to red bars! So, aside from a bit of inconvenience, it was an overall positive experience and I would recommend them again.

We did not have an issue charging it in the room- we had both a studio and a one-bedroom DVC unit during our (split) stay at AKL-Jambo. In the studio, we had to move some furniture around, but had room. It was no problem at all in the one-bedroom.

We also did not have issues on the bus (once the cane holder was removed). Almost all the bus drivers were very accommodating and helped maneuver it into the right spot without an issue. One thing I'll say is to be careful that the speed is WAY down when getting on- even below the picture of the turtle. Moving too quick can cause the scooter to hit others while loading the bus.

Hope this is helpful!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Most of your questions have been answered so I'll only add a few things. The only first hand report I have about Scooterbug came from a gentleman who was asking about my scooter (rented from Gold Mobility). He was with Scooterbug, and said "Never again!" He wrote down the info from mine, and was impressed with the neat "doodads" I had for free. I've rented from them 5 times, soon to be 6. I had one that didn't last the whole day, but that was a Go-Go, and since I didn't need the portability of it (I rented it because it was a brand I know), they offered to trade it for the next size, Pride Victory, I think it's called). They arranged for us to meet an hour or so later-and they were very prompt. I've seen several ECV users who have an able-bodied younger party member drive it on and off buses, monorails, boats, etc. due to nervous family member riders.
I must say that you're so nice to be helping the relative with ECV plans. My first time renting an ECV, I was on a solo trip with a back saying "No more!!!" and I hadn't prepared for using an ECV at all.
Meeting Gold Mobility to get and return my ECV has always been so simple. They communicate so well, they usually meet me within a few minutes of my arrival. Once they even got there just as my Uber got there, and so drove my scooter to meet me at the car.
And my one recommendation to your relative is to bring a bright bandana or even a piece of yarn or ribbon. When the scooters are parked, they can all look alike. And sometimes, the CMs have offered to bring over my scooter as I get off a ride. It makes it so much easier to be able to say "Mine's the one over there that has the pink bandana tied on the handle." If the CMs don't need the info, sometimes they've shuffled around the scooters (like at Kilimanjaro Safari) and you can pick out yours as you get off the ride.

 

[UnderneathAMagicMoon]

Thank you thank you so much for the replies! I was feeling overwhelmed trying to Google all of these questions and track down answers, it’s great to hear from people who have real world experience!

 

[jo-jo]

We rented for the first time in the spring, not to repeat what everyone said, but To note a mistake we made. We plugged in the scooter and checking it later, realized it really wasn’t plugged in all the way. So double check the first time.
When we first got it, DH practiced a bit outside away from any people. Using a trash can as a target to get the feel of backing up or parking next to object.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Thank you thank you so much for the replies! I was feeling overwhelmed trying to Google all of these questions and track down answers, it’s great to hear from people who have real world experience!

the biggest problem I had the one time I rented park ones was at end of night and having to walk to buses as park one can not go out the gate to buses and there are very very few places to sit while waiting for bus. nice to have your own place to sit while waiting. also as others have said no way to know how much you will loose waiting to get EVC. and I have heard, not that it happened to me about running out of ECVs during early mornings

 

[Genie+]

I’d guess that renting the ECV in park would eat up Early Entry time. The reason we don’t use Scooterbug is mostly because the heftier price tag but also their scooters have a low maximum speed.

In our experience Gold mobility is the best value for the service and equipment they provide. They’ll contact the night before to confirm your pick up time, touch base prior to arrival in case of delays, then be at the agreed meeting point and give a quick demo of EVC operation.

My mother did not need an ECV in daily life but it made all the difference on our trips.

 

[Bete]

Some helpful hints:

If you get an all the time scooter rental including your resort, please help with getting on and off the Disney transportation with the scooter, if necessary. This can be the hardest part of using a scooter at Disney. There's some tricky maneuvering involved. This can be overwhelming for a first-time user. Also, keep in mind you have to wait your turn for getting on Disney transportation. There is limited capacity for wheelchairs and scooters on Disney transportation. Keep in mind these scooters are your responsibility to charge the battery every day. Make sure you have a full charge every day. If you plan on long hours in the parks, then get a scooter that has better battery power. Those will cost more. Get the appropriate weighted scooter for your party. You can't get a small scooter if your party is bigger, for example. Keep in mind if something goes wrong with the scooter then there will be a wait to get the company to exchange it or fix it or whatever. Use a door stop which you will need to bring to hold your resort door while you get the scooter in and out of your resort room.

Disney Park scooters are the safest option if something goes wrong. You will pay more for a Disney scooter rental. You don't have to bring them in and out of your resort room. You don't have to deal with the scooter in and out of Disney transportation. You don't have to worry about charging the battery. Yes, you have to wait in line to rent one in the park. You need to be able to walk from resort to your Disney transportation. You need to be able to walk to the park and back from where your Disney transportation lets you off.

In our experience most of the time the offsite scooter rentals work fine. But we did have an occasion once when it did not. It is a hassle when this happens. We still prefer offsite scooter rentals.

 

[UnderneathAMagicMoon]

Thanks again for all of the replies! I think we are going to go with Gold’s and I feel better about the choice after hearing pros / cons + tips and tricks from people here!

 

[Lewisc]

Disney Park scooters are the safest option if something goes wrong. You will pay more for a Disney scooter rental. You don't have to bring them in and out of your resort room. You don't have to deal with the scooter in and out of Disney transportation. You don't have to worry about charging the battery. Yes, you have to wait in line to rent one in the park. You need to be able to walk from resort to your Disney transportation. You need to be able to walk to the park and back from where your Disney transportation lets you

My last 2 trips I witnessed guests with dead rental scooters by the elevator in the Land. A park rental is far more likely to die.

The walk to the bus stop added to the walk from the bus to the rental location can exceed half a mile. It's easy to think no problem with the walk. The reality is different. Sending someone ahead to try and locate a courtesy wheel chair is a pita.

 

[Bete]

My last 2 trips I witnessed guests with dead rental scooters by the elevator in the Land. A park rental is far more likely to die.

The walk to the bus stop added to the walk from the bus to the rental location can exceed half a mile. It's easy to think no problem with the walk. The reality is different. Sending someone ahead to try and locate a courtesy wheel chair is a pita.

Can't say for sure what you saw by the elevator by the land but many people park their scooters there for the Soarin' ride. They don't want to deal with the scooter in and out of the elevator: so, they park it, use the elevator, and walk the Soarin' ride queue. I've done this myself. Also, if a Disney scooter dies in the park normally you can get a CM to help and get you another one. That's your safety net.

Also, I specifically said you have to be able to do the walk in and out of the park and back and forth from your resort to Disney transportation. If unable to do the walk, then you may have to do an offsite scooter rental.

 

[Lewisc]

Can't say for sure what you saw by the elevator by the land but many people park their scooters there for the Soarin' ride.

I posted what I saw, guests with dead scooters, not parked scooters
One trip I helped push the dead scooter out of the elevator the other time away from elevator. CM was ttrying to get replacement scooters. I have no idea how long it took.

Edited to add Both times were before noon. The battery didn't even last half a day.

 

[Evita_W]

Can't say for sure what you saw by the elevator by the land but many people park their scooters there for the Soarin' ride. They don't want to deal with the scooter in and out of the elevator: so, they park it, use the elevator, and walk the Soarin' ride queue. I've done this myself. Also, if a Disney scooter dies in the park normally you can get a CM to help and get you another one. That's your safety net.

Also, I specifically said you have to be able to do the walk in and out of the park and back and forth from your resort to Disney transportation. If unable to do the walk, then you may have to do an offsite scooter rental.

The problem with getting a replacement is the length of time it takes (about 1.5-2 hours) where you have to stay pretty much where you are with the in park rentals. With Gold Mobility, if you can get to the front of the park, they can usually be there in 30 minutes or less, but if necessary they will come to you in the park (which can take slightly longer, but usually under an hour).

 

[pryncess527]

What do you do if it rains? Just hide inside?

 

[TCRAIG]

What do you do if it rains? Just hide inside?

When it rains - I put a cheap old fashioned shower cap over the controls (outside scooter rental places usually supply these plus hotel guest services have a supply), put on my rain poncho (drape the excess over the front and back) and keep on trucking’

 

[CuteAsMinnie]

1. Rent from Golds - 3 wheel is easiest to maneuver
2. Park in your room - you’ll need to charge the ECV every night anyway - room is best
3. Buses can be tough to park but as mentioned prior - the drivers will park for you if needs be

I’d guess that renting the ECV in park would eat up Early Entry time. The reason we don’t use Scooterbug is mostly because the heftier price tag but also their scooters have a low maximum speed.

In our experience Gold mobility is the best value for the service and equipment they provide. They’ll contact the night before to confirm your pick up time, touch base prior to arrival in case of delays, then be at the agreed meeting point and give a quick demo of EVC operation.

My mother did not need an ECV in daily life but it made all the difference on our trips.

What do people who stay offsite.
I have a friend in her late 70’s going end of January with her sister (81) and another friend (80+) who will both need a scooter.

They definitely will not be able to make rope drop. What are the chances of a Disney vehicle being sold out mid morning? And if they rent from another company, where is it delivered when staying off site??

Thanks a bunch in advance!