Scooter questions

[Fsudisney]

Hello! We are going to WDW in 2 weeks with our children and my father and stepmom. My dad tore his meniscus about a month ago, after a previous knee surgery. He has been going to therapy but his pain is just worse now and he may need surgery later this summer.
So we are looking at getting a scooter for the parks for him. He can walk and wait in line okay, he is just not able to do a LOT of walking and his dr's don't want him to aggravate it any further.
We are renting a house, not staying on property, and he has a giant Yukon that I would assume would be fine to haul the scooter around in. We are newbies with scooters so my questions are:

1) what company's would you recommend looking at? Heard good things about Walker and Buena Vista so far. Dad said he would just rent from Disney, but I thought it may be easier and more cost effective to do an outside vendor.

2) how does it work since we are not staying on property? Do we just go pick up and drop off scooter from the vendor?

3) since he is able to walk and wait in line, do we just park the scooter outside the attraction and hop in line with everyone else? I think this is what we should do, I don't think he needs a disability card. Am I correct?

4) he is a larger guy, not super big or anything but at least 250 or more- any types of scooters you would recommend that might be comfortable?

Sorry if these are silly questions! TIA!

 

[SueM in MN]

Hello! We are going to WDW in 2 weeks with our children and my father and stepmom. My dad tore his meniscus about a month ago, after a previous knee surgery. He has been going to therapy but his pain is just worse now and he may need surgery later this summer.
So we are looking at getting a scooter for the parks for him. He can walk and wait in line okay, he is just not able to do a LOT of walking and his dr's don't want him to aggravate it any further.
We are renting a house, not staying on property, and he has a giant Yukon that I would assume would be fine to haul the scooter around in. We are newbies with scooters so my questions are:

1) what company's would you recommend looking at? Heard good things about Walker and Buena Vista so far. Dad said he would just rent from Disney, but I thought it may be easier and more cost effective to do an outside vendor.

Follow the link in my signature or look near the top of this board for the disABILITIES FAQs thread. Post 2 of that thread has information about renting ECVs, including weblinks and other contact information.
Disney rents ECVs at the parks, but it is less expensive to rent from one of the off-site vendors. Plus, if you rent from a park, you still need to get back to your car and the walking around the resort can be quite a distance.
Renting from off-site would also mean you have it for any side trips - like going to one of the outlet malls.

2) how does it work since we are not staying on property? Do we just go pick up and drop off scooter from the vendor?

that won't be a problem and you won't have to pick it up from the vendor.
All of the rental companies drop off and pick up from WDW/Orlando area resorts.

3) since he is able to walk and wait in line, do we just park the scooter outside the attraction and hop in line with everyone else? I think this is what we should do, I don't think he needs a disability card. Am I correct?

A lot of people park their ECVs or wheelchairs and then walk in line. Ask the greeter CM because in some cases, they may be parked with strollers and in some cases in a different place.

DAS (Disability Access Service Card) are for line issues that are not mobility related and are generally not given out for those types of needs that are solved by using a mobility device.
Since his issue is mobility related, he would just bring the ECV in line if he is concerned about his ability to walk or stand in line.
There are some lines that are wheelchair accessible, but not ECV accessible. If he can't walk in those, they do have wheelchairs available. Ask before parking the ECV - just tell them he needs to borrow a wheelchair in line.
Some attractions have moving walkways or stairs. To avoid them or get the moving walkways slowed, guests tell the greeter CM what their needs are (DAS is not used for that purpose). If he uses a wheelchair or ECV in line, he will automatically be routed to board in the correct place for mobility concerns.
Also, keep in mind that the distance in some lines may be long, even if the swift is not. For example, the walk from the line entrance to boarding in Soarin' is over 1/4 mile, plus another 1/4 to exit the attraction. The Fastpass Plus line and the regular line are the same distance, using Fastpass there will affect the time, but not the distance. For those, he would want to bring the ECV in line.
There is a list on page 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread of attractions which involve a period of standing for anyone who doesn't have a mobility device with them in line.

4) he is a larger guy, not super big or anything but at least 250 or more- any types of scooters you would recommend that might be comfortable?

Check out the different company websites. Many of them use the same ECVs and all have models for his size.
Following the weight guidelines is important for battery life. If he is close to the top weight for that scooter, you will get better battery life going with the larger capacity one. Also keep in mind anything he carries also counts towards the weight.
3 wheel ECVs are a bit more maneuverable. The 4 wheel models are more stable and have more space for different foot/leg positions .

Sorry if these are silly questions! TIA!

The first rule is that there are no silly questions.
Or, I should say, the only silly question is the one that is not asked.

Some of your questions have been asked enough times that they are answered in the disABILITIES FAQs thread.

 

[ratlenhum]

Just used a scooter this past weekend. We rented from Buena vista. My husband weighs about 240, and we put my backpack which had to weigh 20 pounds in the front basket every day.

He had the travel scooter, I think it was called the go-go sport. It was a three wheel Scooter. Sticker on the side said the weight capacity was 300 pounds. We make sure it was plugged in every night. On Saturday we spent 16 hours at Hollywood studios, and I think only one light from the charging bar was gone. Hubby would park it outside rides or restaurants and then walk in if he could.

They gave us a poncho to put over it when it rains. I also recommend picking up a shower cap, and putting it over the controls when it's raining or if it looks like rain.

The scooter we had easily came apart into four or five parts. Just depends on the size you vehicle and if you have to take the basket off the front.

 

[Gilrond]

I have used the GoGo Sport also and had full day at park without battery life issues. I am on low end of weight range. It is important to get right ECV. for weight for best battery life. Going slowly and turning it off when not actually moving help.

I have a 3 wheel GoGo Elite Traveler and even with my small size and low center of gravity (less than 5' tall) have had one near miss for turning over (sharp turn too fast). For someone taller than I am, would say not smaller than the Sport for sure if 3 wheels.

I have noticed with my ECV that once you lose 2 green battery dots, it tends to go down faster than you think. I got stranded in another building once at work. I always carry the charger.