Scooters and the Rain

dhcalva

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Messages
13
Do any of the rental companies listed in the faq have scooters that have more or have less problems dealing with the rain in the parks?

I'm debating between renting either the 3 or 4 wheel deluxe from Apple or the Ranger Extended Heavy Duty from walker for my next trip down in September. I've noticed that Walker states that theirs are 'rain proof'. Are they really? And are Apple's worse at dealing with the rain?
 
Water is the enemy of scooter electronics. There aren't any waterproof scooters that I know of. Central Fla. is known for quick, daily rain showers. You must be prepared to cover your scooter's electronics, and it's really easy.

I looked at Walker's site and it said their scooters are "water resistant." I saw that they offer scooter insurance for a modest price. You better get written info on liability in case the scooter is caught in the rain and doesn't work any more. Not saying anything about Walker or Apple. People who post here swear by them year after year.

As a full-time scooter user, I always have a cover to put over the scooter's tiller, where the electronics are. I have a cover for my seat, too. Wet butt is no fun. I would suggest you carry plastic Walmart bags, or a few cheap Dollar Store ponchos. Walmart has nice $4 ponchos in the camping section that are bigger, sturdier and re-usable. Maybe have a bungee cord or two to keep the poncho or bag from blowing away. My scooter was once outside in a deluge at DHS, covered with 2 Walmart ponchos and a few bungees. No problems. When I got on it later, I spread the poncho I was wearing over the entire seat, and over the tiller That kept it dry while I drove it in the rain. :)
 
Hi!

We have traveled with my grandmother on two separate triips. Both times, she rented an ECV. During rain, she wore a poncho and had a second one over the seat. She rented from Randy's Mobility and they provided a showercap that went over the tiller.
 
I know that the site says "water resistant", but like Poohsie, I wouldn't take any chances and I would cover the tiller.

My personal scooter is the same type that Apple rents, and has been in some fierce rains in Florida, but as long as I kept it covered, especially the tiller, I have not had any problems. I also dry it off as soon as possible to get any water standing in any of the little places.
 

and if you can tell it's about to rain go somewhere's safer like the Land in Epcot. You can stay inside there for quite a while and enjoy the attractions there while you wait out the rain. Mexico is a good haven for scooters when it's raining, too. France and Canada shows are a good place, too. If you know it's in the forecast for rain I think I would go to Epcot that day. There's more to do there inside.

For the other parks it's a great time to go see a show that's enclosed. American Idol at Hollywood Studios is a good example. Eating can be a pass time, too when it rains. Many QS eateries have enough space to allow for a few scooters inside.

If your caught with no where's to go then seek shelter anywhere for a while. There are some gift shops that can have scooters in them. The first aid stations at the parks and even some restrooms can help keep a scooter dry.

We have used our scooter in the rain a few times and it may have taken us a few minutes to get somewhere where we were safe from the rain and fortunately nothing bad happened to the scooter. We were even drenched once during the fireworks at the castle in MK. Too many people and no where's to go fast. We had three scooters on that ocassion and it probably took us 10 minutes to get somewhere dry and the scooters held out for all of us.


Plan ahead when you know it might rain and you should do okay.

Covering the electronic components is a good idea. You can put your back of your seat down and that protects where you sit a little bit.

Try to park the scooter where it will be protected if you are going to be off of it for any length of time.
 
What do you use to cover the scooters from rain?

Read my post above, marked #2. Third paragraph talks about covering the scooter from the rain.

If you are just renting the scooter, then ponchos or plastic bags will do. Bungee cords are suggested to keep plastic from blowing away. I have my own scooter, so I have invested in correctly-fitting rain gear for the seat and for the tiller. There are pull strings to tighten so they won't blow away.

pooh:
 
/
Thank you for all the advise. I believe I'll be going with Apple then as they have a much better price. And I think I have several ponchos someplace from years passed.

Any thoughts on 3-wheel vs 4-wheel scooters? Pros and Cons? I've used both the 4-wheel ones that Disney rents as well as the 3-wheel ones that Walmart/Sams/Ect have.

Would the 4-wheel style be better for using in the jungle trails in DAK?
 
Thank you for all the advise. I believe I'll be going with Apple then as they have a much better price. And I think I have several ponchos someplace from years passed.

Any thoughts on 3-wheel vs 4-wheel scooters? Pros and Cons? I've used both the 4-wheel ones that Disney rents as well as the 3-wheel ones that Walmart/Sams/Ect have.

Would the 4-wheel style be better for using in the jungle trails in DAK?

The 3- or 4-wheel scooter is probably a choice to consider based on your weight vs the scooter's recommended capacity. The 2 choices you mentioned are big-sized 3-wheel scooters that are very stable and comfortable for most people.

The AK jungle trails are level, paved paths. No need for "4-wheel" in there!

Overall, the 4-wheel scooters take a lot of room to turn, so you might feel like you're doing a lot of maneuvering in tight spaces. The 3-wheel scooters turn much better, and have a nimble feel. Personally I would choose the 3-wheel scooter, unless there is personal weight consideration. :)
 
There is a bit of a weight issue, as I'm pretty sure I'm over 400lbs. Been awhile since I've been on a scale.

As I've said, I've used the scooters that Walmart/ect have without any problems, but I'm not sure how long they'd go when I'm using it all day. Never had any problems with Disney's going all day (From 8am to Midnightish during MNSSHP)


I'm assuming the Apple 4-wheeler should handle similar to Disney's own ECV, so I shouldn't have a problem with it in the stores or parks at least. Loading it onto the buses is my only real concern there.

As we're looking to stay at the Poly, the buses will only be an issue going to DAK and DHS
 
Does anyone know if the Apple 4 wheelers are especially difficult with regards to the buses? And any advise for loading and unloading them is appreciated.

I've no worried about using the 4 wheeler in the parks, as I had no problems whipping the Disney ECV through even the Philharmagic's lines.
 
Water is the enemy of scooter electronics. There aren't any waterproof scooters that I know of. Central Fla. is known for quick, daily rain showers. You must be prepared to cover your scooter's electronics, and it's really easy.

I looked at Walker's site and it said their scooters are "water resistant." I saw that they offer scooter insurance for a modest price. You better get written info on liability in case the scooter is caught in the rain and doesn't work any more. Not saying anything about Walker or Apple. People who post here swear by them year after year.

As a full-time scooter user, I always have a cover to put over the scooter's tiller, where the electronics are. I have a cover for my seat, too. Wet butt is no fun. I would suggest you carry plastic Walmart bags, or a few cheap Dollar Store ponchos. Walmart has nice $4 ponchos in the camping section that are bigger, sturdier and re-usable. Maybe have a bungee cord or two to keep the poncho or bag from blowing away. My scooter was once outside in a deluge at DHS, covered with 2 Walmart ponchos and a few bungees. No problems. When I got on it later, I spread the poncho I was wearing over the entire seat, and over the tiller That kept it dry while I drove it in the rain. :)

Many people don't realize that the scooter motor,which, of course, is electric, is located at the rear of the scooter very close to the ground. All it takes is a little water to get into the wiring there and poof, you're dead in the water. The motor itself is well sealed but I have actually had the motor housing crack (I think it was at the airport but could have happened going over a bump in the road at AK or just about anywhere). Also, the lever that switches the scooter into freewheeling mode is also located "down there" and can get quite balky from muddy road grit being thrown up into it so that when you need to roll the scooter unpowered somewhere the lever just refuses to budge.(I take a long screwdriver in my scooter toolkit specifically to use as a lever to get it unstuck. Moral of the story? Avoid puddles and pay attention to the electronics underneath the scooter, too.
 














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