Scooters and battery life

[momto3gsds]

I'm planning my trip to WDW in November and am considering getting a scooter (I have Stage 4 Lung Cancer). I've never rented, or needed one before but my concern has to do with battery life. If I do rent one it would be from an outside vendor. On their websites they state they are good for all day at the parks, but when I read further I see the battery only lasts 4-5 hrs. So how would this work? I don't want to get there and after a few short hours have to return to my resort? How do others deal with this?

Also do these run with keys so no one accidently takes them?
Thank you in advance.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Are you sure you're looking at battery life hours, or is it miles per hour?

 

[bushdianee]

I rented a scooter last year and and am very pooh sized so I probably ran the battery down faster than you would and I made it all day everyday. A couple of times it was a little low but made it. Be sure to turn it off when you are not using it or are say sitting and watching a parade or fireworks. You can always take the charging cord with you to possible charge it up while you are eating in a restaurant.

 

[momto3gsds]

Thank you both for your responses. I'm certain it was battery life that I was reading as I read it from several websites. I'm not a larger woman so my weight is not a concern. I'm looking at one of the three wheeled models. I would definitely turn it off when not in use. Do they have keys?

I'll try to post from Scooterbug. This one has the longest battery life I've found

Companion Tourist Resort ECV
Full sized 3-wheeled highly maneuverable scooter
Weight Capacity: 350 lbs.
Turning Radius: 40.5 inches
Maximum Speed: 4.5 mph
Range per Charge: up to 5-6 hours*
High intensity LED light
On-board charger
Delta tiller with auto lock mechanism
Captain’s Seat with headrest and large capacity basket
Accessible on ALL Disney transportation
*Range per Charge may vary depending on rider's weight, type of use, and terrain

 

[bushdianee]

Yes they come with a key. Beware though that if you park it for a while you may come back to people lounging on it! The majority of the bus drivers were great about helping me load and unload. It was first experience with a scooter and it showed when loading and unloading! I went with either walker or apple I can't remember which and had no issues with them.

 

[handicap18]

I'll let you know in a little less than 2 weeks. I arrive at the World on Tuesday and get my scooter on Wednesday morning and give it back on Sunday Morning. I rented mine from Buena Vista Scooters. The one I rented doesn't say how many hours the battery is good for, but instead gives an approximate distance it can go on a battery and mine is 17 miles. I'm 6' 260. I'll take the charging cord with me just in case. (I have Stage 4 Rectal cancer and as a result I have chemo induced neuropathy in my feet which makes walking long distances very difficult).

There is a current thread on the Theme Park Strategies page about how many miles people walk based on their pedometers and the most I've seen posted there so far is 13 miles. Average seems to be in the 7-9 miles per day range. I have an app on my phone that tracks how many miles I walked (in this case ride). I can shut it off while on a bus or ride. It will be interesting to see how many miles we cover in a day.

 

[thebutlerdidit]

I used Buena Vista at the beginning of May. It is a Disney preferred company, so it drops the scooter off at your hotel, and picks it up too. I used the standard scooter and I used it anywhere from 6-10 hours a day. It never went below full charge. I did charge it in motel room without problem. The monorail people and bus people were very nice and helpful. It was also my first time using one and after I drove it on the bus, the driver put it in neutral and parallel park it for me. I would definately get one off site as the ones in the park are more expensive and you can't take them from park to park. Have a great trip!

 

[momto3gsds]

Thank you both so much. Handicap18, I am so looking forward to your feedback. I'm thinking with the scooters being rented so much in WDW they must be able to go more than just a few hours. This too, will be my first try with a scooter. I'm hoping to get it from the long distance of the bus stops to the area of the park where I want to be and then park it. IF I can walk around from there I so want to do so. I plan on eating my way around the world and will really need to be able to burn some calories.

Also, I am sorry to hear of your diagnosis. While everyone is different, I know how hard it can be and wish you the very best. I'm on chemo every three weeks for the rest of my life. We can't get rid of my cancer but we can hold it back as long as possible.

Please do share how the trip went and I hope you have a wonderful time!

 

[momto3gsds]

I used Buena Vista at the beginning of May. It is a Disney preferred company, so it drops the scooter off at your hotel, and picks it up too. I used the standard scooter and I used it anywhere from 6-10 hours a day. It never went below full charge. I did charge it in motel room without problem. The monorail people and bus people were very nice and helpful. It was also my first time using one and after I drove it on the bus, the driver put it in neutral and parallel park it for me. I would definately get one off site as the ones in the park are more expensive and you can't take them from park to park. Have a great trip!

Thank you so much! That's so comforting to know. I was thinking about using that company too!

 

[pbrim]

When we go to WDW, I use my personal scooter, Pride Go-Go Elite Traveller with the larger battery, and she rents a scooter, usually from Walker or Apple. Typically we are in the parks 10-12 hours a day, but we are careful to turn them off anytime we are going to be sitting for more than a few minutes. We are both in the 200-250 range. She has been low enough on charge occasionally to see one light on the indicator (out of 8 or 10) turn off when going up hill, I have not.

On a solo trip, I once did 18 hours in the park (open to late night EMH) and I was pretty low by the end of the evening. I had to put it in neutral and push it up the ramp onto the bus, but it was still going OK on the flat. If you do start losing lights, be aware that it's not linear. If it takes you 8 hours to lose the first light, the second light may go in 2-3 hours. By the time you have lost 3 or 4 lights, you need to head for the hotel or find a place to re-charge.

If you have your charger with you, ask a CM, they should be able to direct you to someplace you can plug in for a while. With so many people using smart phones and the Disney App these days, they are more aware of the possible need to re-charge electronics. There are places specifically added for recharging -- the one I am most aware of is plugs in the "stumps" at the Tangled restroom area.

 

[momto3gsds]

When we go to WDW, I use my personal scooter, Pride Go-Go Elite Traveller with the larger battery, and she rents a scooter, usually from Walker or Apple. Typically we are in the parks 10-12 hours a day, but we are careful to turn them off anytime we are going to be sitting for more than a few minutes. We are both in the 200-250 range. She has been low enough on charge occasionally to see one light on the indicator (out of 8 or 10) turn off when going up hill, I have not.

On a solo trip, I once did 18 hours in the park (open to late night EMH) and I was pretty low by the end of the evening. I had to put it in neutral and push it up the ramp onto the bus, but it was still going OK on the flat. If you do start losing lights, be aware that it's not linear. If it takes you 8 hours to lose the first light, the second light may go in 2-3 hours. By the time you have lost 3 or 4 lights, you need to head for the hotel or find a place to re-charge.

If you have your charger with you, ask a CM, they should be able to direct you to someplace you can plug in for a while. With so many people using smart phones and the Disney App these days, they are more aware of the possible need to re-charge electronics. There are places specifically added for recharging -- the one I am most aware of is plugs in the "stumps" at the Tangled restroom area.

Thank you for sharing your experiences with me. I feel comfortable now with the idea of renting a scooter. I even made a reservation with Buena Vista Scooters I'm really hoping to do a lot of walking on my own but don't want to wear myself thin just getting to the attractions.

I really appreciate everyone who shared their experiences with me. This will be a first time I've rented a scooter and I'm now looking forward to how it can help me and make my trip more enjoyable.