Thanks in advance for responding! We are taking a family trip to OKW in two weeks and doing all 4 parks and a water park. There will be a total of 11 of us ranging in age from 8-70. My mom needs a
scooter due to severe arthritis in her legs, hip issues and a really bad back. So here are the questions....
She doesn't want to bog us down or slow buses down when she needs to board. She feels like if the buses need to stop, put ramps out and fold up seats people will get mad with the delay and stare at her. We keep telling her not to worry but it's bothering her. Does it make sense to just rent daily in every park we go to? I do think she can walk from a bus to the entrance of a park. Or is it easier renting off site for the week and having and loading it on buses?
On another note can all attractions become accessible with scooters? I am thinking of Peter Pan as an example and wondering how she would navigate those tight chain lines with a scooter. How do lines work?
If it's OK, I'm just going to address your Mom directly!
Hi Mom!
I want you to know something really, really important. Every day, *thousands* of people pass through Walt Disney World, and lots of those folks use scooters (Disney World calls them "
ECVs". I call my personal scooters "Angus" (because I named him after Princess Merida's horse!) and "Max" (because I named him after the palace horse in "Tangled")
I have some of the same kind of health problems you have - mine just started a lot earlier in life

I have to use Angus or Max wherever I go because my legs don't work as advertised anymore. I don't like it, but over the years I have learned a few things.
Prior to owning my own personal
ECV(s), when I visited Disney World, I always rented from outside vendors. Here's a quick rundown of why:
- The transportation system at WDW is great for folks on wheels. Nearly every single boat, and all of the buses and monorails are ECV/wheels ready. Yes, you board first, and you get off last, so it can "slow" things down a bit, but once you are experienced, you will be amazed at how quickly you can drive on/off the bus and get on with your fun!
- Renting from outside allows you to use the ECV at your Resort hotel. Some of the resorts can have quite a hike from your room to a bus stop, or to the laundry, or to dining options, etc. Every WDW Resort hotel is very wheels friendly as well as the Parks.
- Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney) is much larger than it used to be, and even with the new centralized bus stop and the boats running between the two far ends, you can still do a BUNCH of walking there. We absolutely love to go down there for shopping and dining, and so and ECV is a must for me there.
- Sometimes (not always) the parks run out of the rentals. During the course of the day, the inventory at any of the parks can fluctuate. You cannot reserve or hold an ECV at the Parks (or Disney Springs). You can "hop" your rental between them, but if you give up your ECV at (for example) the Magic Kingdom, and then go over to Epcot, and they are all rented out... you will have no choice but to wait until someone returns one as they are exiting the Park.
- Last, and (for me) not least is the maneuverability factor of the Park rental units. Those are larger, very heavy duty units, but as a result, they are far more difficult to maneuver around in tighter places. Some of the bathrooms are very difficult, if not impossible with those.
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I remember very vividly the first time I had to use an ECV at WDW. I thought I was going to die from sadness and humiliation and mortification. We were in the parks, and I had to call a vendor to bring out an ECV because I just couldn't walk anymore.
And then a funny thing happened.
I didn't die! (Look! You can tell, because I'm right here! LOL)
Over the years, I have learned something important: The people you are with - and the people around you - will take their cues from you. If you are upset and unhappy and scared and angry about using an ECV, they will be as well. If, on the other hand, you treat it as a non-event, they most likely will as well. So, get on that scooter and ride! Have a great time, and wave at everyone like the visiting Princess you are!
Using an ECV is simply using the best possible available TOOL to get the most possible enjoyment from your vacation.
If you need glasses, do you refuse to wear them, going through life squinting at everyone and everything? Probably not.
If you need to use a calculator to do math, do you refuse to touch it, and instead resort to pencil and paper - or counting on toes and fingers? Probably not.
Both of those - glasses and calculators - are TOOLS that we use every day to make our lives more efficient. At WDW, many people use an ECV as a tool to improve both their stamina, and their enjoyment of the vacation, and to manage pain.
There are many people who rent ECVs only at WDW - in their "regular" lives, they never need one or use one. If you are worried about other peoples perceptions of you, please don't be. The likelihood that you will EVER see any other guest from WDW again is so incredibly tiny that you have a better chance of getting hit by lightning AND winning the lottery in the same day.
So that you can have the best trip possible, here's a few tips from an old pro, just for you:
- Plan ahead if you are flying. Remember that long lines at TSA - and long concourses inside terminals - can be problematic. You may want to consider bringing along a folding rollator or a wheelchair that someone in your party could push if you think you will need it.
- Similarly, if flying in to Orlando, be sure to let Disney's Magical Express know if you will need to use a lift to get in and out of the bus that goes to and from the airport.
- Practicing your ECV driving and parking skills with the electric carts at Wal-Mart, Target, Lowe's, the grocery store, etc. will help a great deal. If you can tame one of those giant, wheezing beasties, a mere rental at WDW will be a breeze!
- Please remember that WDW has a rule - for everyone's safety - that only you ride the ECV. You will undoubtedly see people holding children on their laps while driving their scooters, but it's very dangerous, and I hope you will agree that safety comes first. One ECV, one rider.
- Bring a brightly colored scarf, ribbon or bandana to tie on your rental scooter. It will help it stand out in a sea of similar units (if you park it to ride, eat, or shop a bit).
- Remember to plug the scooter in at night to charge it. The scooter should be delivered with a full battery, but it will be up to you to make sure it is charged every night.
Speaking of your room, you will have to park the ECV in your room every night, so if you need to make a bit of space, go directly to the front desk to ask for the table and chairs to be removed. You are not allowed to park it outside in a hallway or breezeway, or down at the lobby or bell services. (Go to the front desk - don't just call from the room phone, as those calls go to a call center, and not the front desk of your hotel)
- If the scooter has a key, always take it with you.
- Don't be surprised if you park the ECV and it is moved when you return. The Cast Members are in a constant struggle to keep walkways clear and safe, as well as making sure that parking areas for mobility devices and strollers stay reasonably tidy. You will typically find it quite nearby, but if you don't, just ask any CM you see, and they will help you find it. (And here, our bandana or brightly colored ribbon will come in handy!)
- Remember to stay sharp and focused while driving the ECV - people at WDW tend to be doing everything but paying attention to others when they are walking, and many of us here have had folks run right into us, or walk right in front of us as we are moving!
Bipeds don't realize that many scooters can't just stop on a dime; some of them "coast" a bit before coming to a complete stop, even if the driver is hard on the brakes. To help keep everyone safe and whole, I try to make eye contact, smile politely, and offer an cheerful "Excuse me!" when needed. Little kiddos are also prone to running out in front of mobility devices because they are blissfully unaware of the laws of physics.
- It's true that probably the hardest things you will do with the ECV all revolves around dealing with the buses. Make sure you are parked in the white painted rectangle at the bus stop (unless another guest beat you to it) so that the driver sees you, and knows you are waiting to ride.
When the ramp comes down, line up on the ramp, and try to go right up the center. At the top of the ramp you will typically have to turn a bit to the right. GO SLOWLY, especially until you are used to the ECV. Even experienced users take this carefully - the last thing you want is to run over the driver, or hit the side of the doorway going in. The drivers will give you instructions and will help as much as they can, but *technically* it is up to you (or a member of your party) to actually get the ECV up into (or back out of) the bus. You will always board first, and exit last.
If you are just too worried about driving on and off the bus, someone who is with you can do that for you. Again, they just have to follow the bus driver's instructions. You can walk up or down the ramp after the driver tells you it is safe to do so.
I know you are worried that people will stare at you, but I promise, this is the truth: Every time, someone will be watching you get on and off the bus - but it's usually just the driver and your family! This happens literally THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of times per day at Disney World, over and over, as guests get on and off buses with different kinds of mobility devices (scooters, electric wheelchairs, Rollators, manual wheelchairs, etc.) and for the typical Disney World guest who doesn't need the ramp, it's just part of getting on and off the bus. It is so routine that the other guests don't pay attention. You, on a scooter, getting on/off a bus? It's a non-event. And anyone who *does* stare at you is either [1] new to Disney World, so they have never seen how it works or [2] dazzled by your youthful beauty! And let's face it - some people were not taught that staring is rude, so they stare because they just don't know any better.
Ignore the rude ones, smile and wave at the new ones, and go on and have fun with your beautiful family!
- Practice a bit with your rental (at the Resort is a great spot for this) prior to going in to the parks. Get used to how it handles, turns, stops and starts. Every ECV is a bit different (just like any other vehicle). I have 2 personal ECVs, identical models and they each have their own "personality" (and name. Because I'm weird like that LOL)
- A few miscellaneous driving tips: anytime at WDW (or anytime using an ECV for that matter) be aware of ramps, hills and slopes. Going up, you will want to lean forward slightly to help shift your center of gravity towards the front of the ECV. Take your time on steep slopes, hills or ramps, and if possible, approach them at a slight angle at the base.
Coming down, be very aware of your speed, and make sure you can brake effectively. Two hands on the wheel!
When crossing the train tracks embedded in Main Street at MK, be sure to cross at an angle. Otherwise, you risk the wheel(s) getting caught, and you could find yourself dumped rather unceremoniously onto Main Street. Everyone wants to have an unforgettable trip - just for the right reasons!
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Please remember that a lot of the people you will see using personal mobility devices and aids at WDW have a "hidden disability". Anyone who judges them does so from a place of fear and ignorance. Using an ECV to maximize your vacation at WDW is no different than using a pair of glasses to see, or a calculator to do math. It is a tool to accomplish a goal or task. Nothing more.
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Have a Magical trip - and remember that your scooter is just a tool to help you, and have fun!