No personal Segways at WDW

[Jaklackus]

To anyone who was wondering...

During a recent trip to WDW, I noticed that alot of WDW cast members at Epcot were using Segway vehicles. I started to wonder if people who purchase Segways for personal use this year would be allowed to use them on Disney property. Since no one was at the Segway area at Innoventions (during the whole 2 minutes that I spent at Innoventions..) I sent an e-mail to WDW guest services and the official response is no, per security- Segways will not be allowed due to safety concerns.


Jaklackus

 

[JulesMom]

Makes sense to me

 

[The Sybah Shelstah]

What are Segway vehicles?
If that is the thing you stand on and lean or whatever and it rolls you around- people were using them at Epcot when we were there and they were most certainly not CMs.

 

[The Sybah Shelstah]

(correction- they weren't CM's unless they were there with their families and obviously looking like tourists with fanny packs on, regular clothes, carrying popcorn and sodas and looking around like they were there for the first time in their lives)
LOL

 

[Belle1962]

Makes sense. Disney also does not allow people to bring in wagons, roller blade, skateboard or roller skate---if anyone does that anymore in the parks.

 

[TreeOfLife]

They allow strollers because they have to but don't ask my ankles about safety concerns with strollers in crowds!

I wonder who'd want to park a $4,000 Sedgeway outside an attraction...

But maybe if they weren't motorized they'd allow them in the parks like they do wheelchairs. I don't know... Do they allow Larks and electric vehicles like that?

 

[kdibattista]

THANK GOD!!!! I can't imagine having those things around in the parks.

 

[SueM in MN]

But maybe if they weren't motorized they'd allow them in the parks like they do wheelchairs.
I don't know... Do they allow Larks and electric vehicles like that?

They do allow power wheelchairs and electric vehicles like Larks (one brand of ecv). Those are all mobility devices used by someone who has mobility problems.
We saw a couple of CMs on Segways when we were at WDW over New Years, but didn't see anyone who I thought looked like a tourist on one. They have a display of Segways at Epcot. Previously, they were not allowing guests to try them out, but it's possible that has changed and that's what Sybah Shelstah saw. You do need both hands to drive them though, so the Segways that CMs were using were decked out with all sorts of little bins to hold things. The 2 I saw were being used to sell those glowing necklaces and light toys.

 

[SueM in MN]

I went on Amazon.com to get a picture of a Segway (just so everyone knows what it looks like). They are selling them now, but delivery won't be until March. Since that is the only place I know of that is selling them, I don't think anyone would have a personal one yet. The selling price is almost $5000.
Here's a Segway picture:

Here's a picture of a Lark or similar ecv:

 

[TreeOfLife]

How kind of you to take time to post pics, Sue!

Thanks for the info too.

 

[peachgirl]

We were just there 12/19 - 01/01/03 and saw them being used at Epcot. We did see a few being used by people who were not "CM'S" but they were obviously Disney people...just dressed in suits. So I would assume they were management of some type. There were definitely no guests using them and they were not allowing them to be "tried out". I can't imagine Disney would allow guests to have these in the parks, it would be a nightmare!

 

[fletcher21]

Disney does have a few of these things on the Magic and the Wonder for guests to "test drive". There is a $10 or $15 charge for 10 minutes of instruction and riding.

They do look like fun!!!

 

[smjj]

We saw many of them at EPCOT on our resent trip and I do not recall anyone but CM's or suited people using them. As mentioned, who would be silly enough to park one of those $5000 machines ourside while they rode a ride anyway. That all we need anyway, just another something(like strollers) to run up on my heals or bump me in the ankle as I walked around..smjj

 

[donna in Oz]

When we visited the Segway demonstration in EPCOT last May, the CM who was doing the demonstration told us that each unit has to be balanced to the weight of the individual user.

So I doubt that they're permitting guests to just "try them out".

 

[Bill3]

We saw a couple of CM demonstrating them at Epcot, and I guess a "suit" using one at Epcot- I wasn't sure if he was demonstrating or what. Can you imagine the chaos if they were allowed. I'm sure there will be a lawsuit someday to require WDw to let them be used, I'll contribute to the Disney defense fund.

 

[ahutton]

It makes sense to me that they would not allow Segways but do allow wheelchairs and ECVs which are mobility devices that are intented for people with challenges. Segways do not appear to be intented for mobility impairments but for personal convenience!

 

[The Sybah Shelstah]

Maybe it was a CM and I just didn't realize it. We both noticed it (DH and I) and thought it was cool and watched the lady for a bit (till she disappeared in the huge crowds at that time) and she wasn't in uniform or anything. It APPEARED she was staying next to a family that had popcorn/drinks and appeared she was talking to them like she was with them. She also had a fanny pack on turned around to the back- I know I saw that.

Could someone be using one of those if they had mobility problems but were able to stand up? Just had problems walking or walking as well as able-bodied others? Or could it have just been a CM, not in uniform/etc. that just appeared to be with that family? Could they have been doing a tour with that family or something? or just going around in streetclothes and then started explaining the segway thing to that family for awhile or something?

 

[SueM in MN]

Could someone be using one of those if they had mobility problems but were able to stand up?

From what I have heard (on the web and at the Segway area at Epcot) they are not available to the general public yet, so that would be unlikely. I don't think they will be used much by people with disabilities walking because many people who have trouble walking also have problems with standing in one place, which is basically what you are doing on the Segway.

Maybe it was a CM and I just didn't realize it. We both noticed it (DH and I) and thought it was cool and watched the lady for a bit (till she disappeared in the huge crowds at that time) and she wasn't in uniform or anything. It APPEARED she was staying next to a family that had popcorn/drinks and appeared she was talking to them like she was with them. She also had a fanny pack on turned around to the back- I know I saw that.

The one CM that I saw was selling light up necklaces and stuff from her Segway. The merchandise was on small bins on the Segway, not really that noticeable because of the people around her. When I first saw her she was right next to several families and could look like she was part of their group. She was talking to them about the Segway, so she definately had a fairly long interaction with them, not just long enough to sell a necklace. That also might make her look like she was part of their group. She had on a pair of dark pants and a shirt, not uniform-y looking. She did have on a fanny pack (?? it looked like she was putting money in it and making change from it). You probably saw someone similar.

 

[The Sybah Shelstah]

Aha!! If they sometimes don't wear uniform looking clothes and use a fanny pack to give change/take money.. then it probably was a CM that just lingered talking to the family. She kinda looked like she was going along with them though- not just stopped. But that might have been just the impression we got.

We just thought it was neat. And by that time I was pretty beat and made the comment about how nice that would be to have that thing. LOL

 

[Amapola]

There are 30 lucky "civilians" who already have their Segways. From an article in the Washington Post, Jan. 14:

The Segway won't be available to the general public until March, and only via the online retailer Amazon. Osver had paid $4,950 for the machine -- and to evangelize Segway's vision of the future of personal transport. He submitted a 75-word essay (and credit card number) to the company last year to earn his spot as one of 30 pilot Segway consumers from around the country who received the device early but paid the standard retail price. In it, he suggested what that future might look like:

My dream . . . Gliding effortlessly onto the sidewalk, crowded with commuters. Someone calls my name and I turn on a dime to see a neighbor who looks out of breath. He says he's running late for work. I smile. Their way, the old way. My way, Segway.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57136-2003Jan14.html
[end quote]

Believe me, if I had $5000 (plus $99 s/h or $150 for AK & HI) to blow, I'd get one! Wouldn't take it to WDW, of course

Amapola