Reservation with Apple Scooters. Should I change?

[CallMeEeyore]

This is our first family trip to WDW. I have RA and plantar fasciitis, so I am renting an ECV though I do not use one at home. I need to save my feet as much as possible.

I have an ECV reserved through Apple. I am tall but not heavy so I would prefer a smaller, portable model that can come apart to fit in a rental car trunk when we leave Disney. I also need a place that will drop off at Disney and pick up at another, offsite resort.

I was having a hard time finding another rental site that met all of these criteria, so I went with Apple but I have seen some bad reviews and now I am worried. If anyone has a suggestion, I haven’t given a CC to Apple yet, so I can change that.

I did like that we do not have to be present for them to drop off the scooter, but we are flexible our first day (no parks) so it would not be a big deal if we had to meet up for the drop-off.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[mamabunny]

Hi Eeyore! Welcome!

It's great that you have identified what you need to have the best possible experience at WDW, while preventing further damage to yourself. There is nothing worse than getting home from vacation... and needing another vacation to recover!

If you scroll down a ways on the main page of this forum, you'll see lots of posts about "who to rent from" (or similar topics). I would recommend reading some of those from the first couple of pages (the most recent) to see what others have had to say.

I own my personal mobility devices, so I have not had to rent for quite some time. When I did rent outside, I used Walker (but that was back when all the vendors were allowed to drop off devices at Bell Services prior to guest arrival, and pick them up after you had departed)

I will say this: Don't let the fact that you have to meet with the vendor deter you from renting from someone who can't just "drop and run". There is a benefit to meeting with the vendor, and letting them show you the finer points of the scooter - especially if you intend to take it apart and put it in a car, and then reassemble it. They know their equipment better than anyone but the manufacturer, and you might be surprised at what you learn! Plus, it's a great chance for you to make sure any last-minute questions you have are answered in person.

That first day you are going to want to just get used to how the rental handles - how it brakes, how fast it accelerates, and how tightly it can turn, among other things. While they are certainly more nimble than the ECVs that Disney rents at the Parks and Disney Springs, most ECVs *don't* stop on a dime - and there can be a bit of "lag" when you hit the throttle to go. That first day is also a great day to "practice" getting on and off the buses - remember to go straight up the center of the ramp, go *slowly*, and follow the driver's instructions. Just tell your bus drivers that it's your first time with an ECV, and they will be very helpful! Take a trip over to Disney Springs and back - that will give you a chance to practice your bus skills, and your driving skills too! If you are in the mood for "advanced topics", you can take one of the water taxis at Disney Springs; those utilize the same portable ramps that many of the boats at WDW use - as well as the Monorail!

Poke around here a little bit - you'll find TONS of info for first-time renters/drivers. And don't hesitate to let us know if you have any more questions!

 

[jenniy122]

Along with all the tips @mamabunny gave, remember that people are far more likely to leave a negative review than a positive one. It's human nature to go out of our way to let the world know when we're unhappy but if all goes as expected why make a ruckus?

 

[CallMeEeyore]

Thank you so much for the thoughtful replies. I have read just about everything I can find on here, and was still up in the air.

I decided to cancel my Apple reservation and book with Walker, instead, for several reasons. Mostly, it's because we only have 3 days in the parks and this most likely a one-and-only trip for us. I don't want to waste any time dealing with break-downs or replacements or any other problems. I like that Walker has backup scooters onsite so if there is a problem it can be resolved quickly. They get glowing reviews (and I am a worrier) so the slightly higher price is worth it to me for the peace of mind.

I think it is a great idea to meet them for the pickup, show my husband how to disassemble, and answer any questions before taking a practice run to DS on our arrival day. That was more or less our plan to begin with, so it will work out great. I am worried about navigating the buses, etc.

Oh - they did say the scooter is water-resistant, but do I need to worry about carrying anything (garbage bag, shower curtain, etc.) to cover if it really rains hard?

Thanks so much!

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm sitting in the DVC lounge on my last day as a first-time renter. I randomly chose Walker-no problems. All week I've only seen 2 Apples (unfortunately I don't know how they were). Buena Vista Scooters slightly had the most, followed by Walker. A few had Best Price Mobility. I didn't see any broken down scooters all week. I thought mine broke down when it stopped suddenly, but then I discovered a strap had accidently gotten around the key and turned my scooter off. I feel sof happy that after a week in WDW, my back feels good, not screaming in pain.
I know this doesn't answer your question, but I hope it helps a little.

 

[CallMeEeyore]

I feel sof happy that after a week in WDW, my back feels good, not screaming in pain.
I know this doesn't answer your question, but I hope it helps a little.

That is so awesome that you were able to enjoy your vacation without pain! It does help to hear that - that is what I am hoping for as well. We did a six flags park one day this summer and I was weeks recovering, so I knew I had to find another way if we were going to do 3 straight days at Disney.

 

[mamabunny]

Thank you so much for the thoughtful replies. I have read just about everything I can find on here, and was still up in the air.

I decided to cancel my Apple reservation and book with Walker, instead, for several reasons. Mostly, it's because we only have 3 days in the parks and this most likely a one-and-only trip for us. I don't want to waste any time dealing with break-downs or replacements or any other problems. I like that Walker has backup scooters onsite so if there is a problem it can be resolved quickly. They get glowing reviews (and I am a worrier) so the slightly higher price is worth it to me for the peace of mind.

I think it is a great idea to meet them for the pickup, show my husband how to disassemble, and answer any questions before taking a practice run to DS on our arrival day. That was more or less our plan to begin with, so it will work out great. I am worried about navigating the buses, etc.

Oh - they did say the scooter is water-resistant, but do I need to worry about carrying anything (garbage bag, shower curtain, etc.) to cover if it really rains hard?

Thanks so much!

I always trust my tummy when making a decision like you faced - if I feel at all "weird" about it, then I find a choice that makes my gut happier. I'm glad you found a company you feel good about - that's important!

Don't get too worried about the buses - I promise that after you go on and off a couple of times, you will see it's easy. Just remember to find your spot at the bus stop, and always wait for the driver to tell you it's safe to start up the ramp. If, for some reason you just don't feel like you can drive it on and off the bus, your hubby can always do that for you. The driver is not allowed to do that, but your hubby could drive it on and park it for you, and then you could walk up the ramp when the driver says it's OK to do so.

That's a great question about rain gear - and you can confirm with Walker - but I believe that when they say "water resistant" that (as you guessed) they aren't talking about a drenching/soaking rain.

Depending on the scooter model you may be able to do what lots of folks here do: Put a poncho on, then drape the front of the poncho OVER the steering controls/tiller (which is where the majority of the exposed electronics are) If it's raining too hard, you are probably going to try and find a place to duck out of the rain until it lets up anyway, so that may be all the planning you need!

I have a tendency to over-prepare for rain at WDW because [1] I own my own device, so I have to repair/replace if anything goes wrong (!) and [2] due to it's construction, all of the electronics and battery connections are out in the open, and exposed if it rains. (however, it's also *super* lightweight, and can fold up and be stored in a golf bag, so... )

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Rain reminds me-that's something we covered at drop off. He said everything was water resistant except the central controls. And I thought it was nice that Walker supplies a shower cap thing that's kept hanging next to the controls.

 

[CallMeEeyore]

Rain reminds me-that's something we covered at drop off. He said everything was water resistant except the central controls. And I thought it was nice that Walker supplies a shower cap thing that's kept hanging next to the controls.

Good to know - thank you!

 

[The Hunchback]

Suggest you bring a large plastic bag (garbage can) size to cover the seat. Keep it folded up and in the back seat pocket until you need it. Some cheap lights from dollar store can make you more visible to your own family and those who would trip over you at night. Hope you have fun

 

[50surgeries2012]

I'm renting from Care Medical on my upcoming trip. In my trip in 2011. I've rented from ScootAround, and their first rental power chair they delivered me had a seat that was completely torn up. Care seems like a pretty decent rental company to rent from.

 

[FortForever]

I've rented from Apple at least twice, perhaps three times. Never had a problem. Scooter was waiting for me, fully charged. Overnight charging lasted the entire next day and the scooters performed well. We did very long days at the parks and never had to recharge. I'll rent from them again based on my own good experiences.

 

[Pats Dragon]

I have always rented from Apple and have been pleased. I like the insurance that comes with them. Be careful with any scooter in the rain. I carefully wrapped mine in a drop cloth which became tangled in the tire in the middle of disney springs. Luckily a young hero, cm, sat on the wet, dirty pavement in his white pants and untangled it for me. I thought he was wonderful to do that.

 

[Zentra]

I've rented from Apple at least twice, perhaps three times. Never had a problem. Scooter was waiting for me, fully charged. Overnight charging lasted the entire next day and the scooters performed well. We did very long days at the parks and never had to recharge. I'll rent from them again based on my own good experiences.

I've also rented from Apple twice and I'm going with them again this month, fully charged and no problems with the battery at all, I have had it where the headlight was difficult to turn on but once it was on it would stay on until I turned the scooter off. I would go all day long and into the late night on the battery and not have to recharge until I got to the room for the night.

 

[FortForever]

I've also rented from Apple twice and I'm going with them again this month, fully charged and no problems with the battery at all, I have had it where the headlight was difficult to turn on but once it was on it would stay on until I turned the scooter off. I would go all day long and into the late night on the battery and not have to recharge until I got to the room for the night.

Same here, we never leave until park closes and always stay for extra magic hours. I looked back over my vacation photos and I have rented from them on three separate trips. I am a heavier person and my battery still got me through long park days and back to the room.

I honestly don't understand why they have bad reviews, but I have my own great experiences with them, so no need to pay any mind to anyone else's review. I'm sure if that man y people had problems with any of the companies that Disney would reconsider their preferred vendor status. Great scooter, great price, and there waiting for me every time. I have no reason to try any other company.