Scooters at Pop Century Resort Interesting Photos 12/2018

[RaySharpton]

Scooters at Pop Century Resort Interesting Photos 12/2018

Have you often wondered where all of the approved Disney Scooter Vendors leave their scooter to be picked up?

If the scooter is not an approved Disney Scooter Vendor the guest must physically meet the vendor to pick up their scooter at their resort like at Pop Century Resort.

But here are some photos near the Disney Pop Century Resort Luggage Department where the approved vendors park their scooters.

This photo is near the Disney Pop Century porte-cochere area with the luggage storage to the left, but not in the photo.

I have seen more during my stay as they move the scooters on the left from parallel parking to side by side parking. Sometimes they go around the corner of the sidewalk.

The sidewalk continues toward the rooms, pool and airport check-in to the left after turning left.

Some folks wonder if anyone recharges their scooters outside of their resort room.

Yes, they do!

This couple parked their scooter on the side of Building #10 near the elevators. If I turned around, I would see that large "Big Wheel" of building #10.

This is also at Building #10 outside of a Handicap room #0170. My roll-in shower room has the same door front formation of being flush with the window to allow more interior room. I was in room #0322, but I don't know if this is a roll-in shower room. I don't know if just the roll-in shower accessible rooms have the flush door entrance only or if other accessible rooms also have this configuration.

My guess is all of the door fronts that are flush like this are roll-in shower accessible rooms.

All of the other rooms have a recessed door entry.

My room at #0322 also had an exterior electrical outlet outside the room door.

I use a wheelchair and it is a tight fit to drive by these scooter with this room configuration.

Most rooms do not have electrical outlets outside their rooms.

In case you are wondering, the room numbers at building #10 all start with a zero because all of the Pop Century room numbers only use four number configuration and not four numbers like #10322. They use #0322.

All of the other nine buildings only have one digit and not two digits like building #10.

 

[mgrayar]

That’s a lot of scooters.

 

[RaySharpton]

Can you believe that I saw a lot more on Friday and Saturday?

That’s a lot of scooters.

 

[mgrayar]

Can you believe that I saw a lot more on Friday and Saturday?

I wouldn’t be shocked. That’s a ton of money being spent. Both on supply and demand side. Wish I had invested long ago.

 

[mamabunny]

...Some folks wonder if anyone recharges their scooters outside of their resort room.

Yes, they do!

But they shouldn't!

If you rent it/own it, you are responsible for storing it in your room, (and charging it) when you aren't using it. The fact that Disney continues to look the other way (for now) should never be construed as their implicit permission to leave any device - scooter, wheelchair, stroller, rollator - any device - outside the room in a hallway, or on a sidewalk.

So often the argument used is that it "takes up too much room". Then you should rent a bigger room at WDW. They have them, I know because I have seen them! However, you don't have to have a bigger room, you may just have to ask to have a desk/table and/or chair(s) removed to have ample space to park *2* ECVs. Yes, even at POP.

Probably the second most used argument is that "it's too hard to get it in and out of the room". Again, sorry, but you are responsible for the proper use, care and storage of that device while it is in your possession. And "proper" does not mean parking it outside your room, where it can be damaged, destroyed or even stolen. If you aren't willing to leave the door to your room propped open 24/7, then don't leave anything outside the room. Bring it in.

Last but not least, I know that a lot of folks around here get tired of me harping on this subject. But I'm not going to stop, because when anyone who rides a scooter behaves like a jerk, it impacts all of us at Disney World. So many of us on this forum have worked really hard over the years to help foster a positive image of ECV owners/riders. I try hard, every day I am at WDW to make sure that I behave in a way that, at the very least, leaves no impression, and hopefully, gives a positive impression of those of us who have to use a personal mobility device.

When I was a retail manager, my Regional Manager gave me a photocopy of an article from an industry-specific magazine about unhappy customers. The author had done research that proved that an *unhappy* customer usually doesn't tell anyone in the store that they had a bad experience, but they *do* usually tell at least 10 friends and family members - each of whom can - and often do - spread that negative story on to (on average) another 10 people. Ironically, most people never shared - either with the store, or anyone else, when they had a good or positive interaction; often they would just shrug it off as "what they were owed" as a customer.

Nowadays, we have the internet - we don't need to tell 10 people; everyone has a soapbox built-in to their phone, their tablet, their computer that they can command 24/7. Even here on the DISboards, in the past, I have seen other members who have disparaged scooter users because of the behavior they saw in one individual, on one occasion. Those posts reached (potentially) thousands of users - what if each of them had "passed it on" to someone else they know, that all scooter users are terrible...? How many thousands of people already think we are lazy... and then they see a scooter parked outside a hotel room because it's "too hard" to push it in? Because someone "just doesn't want it in their room"?

I encourage everyone here to continue to be mindful of the fact that our actions can - and do - matter to others, often even in our own community here.

/end soapbox

 

[gap2368]

Thank you @mamabunny for that post, You are so right about leaving your ECV outside, I was staying at all start sports one time when the people next to me had there ECV out I was just getting there with my bags and had a very hard time getting in my room those people were nice enough to yell at me that I better not touch there ECV when I was trying to get in my room. they had it out every night plugged in and it was in the way every night ( someone in an ECV had to turn around and go all the way around the other way to get to there room on the other side of my room). I got back kind of late one night and was walking to my room when i saw it there ECV ( they had it decorated) so I know it was there but it was driven by someone looking to be 15 and running behind then was 2 more kids about the same age saying now it is my turn ( I really have no clue why security was not called for the noise itself) I got up the next day to find the ECV in a hallway of another building with what looked like a soft drink pored ( or spilled on the set). when I got to the bus stop I forgot something and went back to my room to get it I saw someone from Disney standing in front of the people with the ECV door with the ECV owner crying saying that the ECV was gone, I went in my room thinking well you got what you deserve but then I thought better of my self and when I walked out told the people this is why you should not leave it out all night that I told the CM where I saw the ECV and walked her to it so she could bring it back.

sadly this was not the first time I saw some teens take someone ECV and drive it around. It happened before so I have seen it happen 2x in my time at Disney.

 

[RaySharpton]

I agree. I always kept my scooter and now my wheelchair in my resort room. I think that many guests that rent scooters for WDW don't read forums like this and they have no idea about keeping their scooters in their rooms.

Honestly, I don't see how those two large scooters would ever fit in a resort room with the Murphy bed down, but I guess that it could be done. I know that one scooter always fit next to the front window inside my room.

But they shouldn't!

If you rent it/own it, you are responsible for storing it in your room, (and charging it) when you aren't using it. The fact that Disney continues to look the other way (for now) should never be construed as their implicit permission to leave any device - scooter, wheelchair, stroller, rollator - any device - outside the room in a hallway, or on a sidewalk.

So often the argument used is that it "takes up too much room". Then you should rent a bigger room at WDW. They have them, I know because I have seen them! However, you don't have to have a bigger room, you may just have to ask to have a desk/table and/or chair(s) removed to have ample space to park *2* ECVs. Yes, even at POP.

Probably the second most used argument is that "it's too hard to get it in and out of the room". Again, sorry, but you are responsible for the proper use, care and storage of that device while it is in your possession. And "proper" does not mean parking it outside your room, where it can be damaged, destroyed or even stolen. If you aren't willing to leave the door to your room propped open 24/7, then don't leave anything outside the room. Bring it in.

Last but not least, I know that a lot of folks around here get tired of me harping on this subject. But I'm not going to stop, because when anyone who rides a scooter behaves like a jerk, it impacts all of us at Disney World. So many of us on this forum have worked really hard over the years to help foster a positive image of ECV owners/riders. I try hard, every day I am at WDW to make sure that I behave in a way that, at the very least, leaves no impression, and hopefully, gives a positive impression of those of us who have to use a personal mobility device.

When I was a retail manager, my Regional Manager gave me a photocopy of an article from an industry-specific magazine about unhappy customers. The author had done research that proved that an *unhappy* customer usually doesn't tell anyone in the store that they had a bad experience, but they *do* usually tell at least 10 friends and family members - each of whom can - and often do - spread that negative story on to (on average) another 10 people. Ironically, most people never shared - either with the store, or anyone else, when they had a good or positive interaction; often they would just shrug it off as "what they were owed" as a customer.

Nowadays, we have the internet - we don't need to tell 10 people; everyone has a soapbox built-in to their phone, their tablet, their computer that they can command 24/7. Even here on the DISboards, in the past, I have seen other members who have disparaged scooter users because of the behavior they saw in one individual, on one occasion. Those posts reached (potentially) thousands of users - what if each of them had "passed it on" to someone else they know, that all scooter users are terrible...? How many thousands of people already think we are lazy... and then they see a scooter parked outside a hotel room because it's "too hard" to push it in? Because someone "just doesn't want it in their room"?

I encourage everyone here to continue to be mindful of the fact that our actions can - and do - matter to others, often even in our own community here.

/end soapbox

Thank you @mamabunny for that post, You are so right about leaving your ECV outside, I was staying at all start sports one time when the people next to me had there ECV out I was just getting there with my bags and had a very hard time getting in my room those people were nice enough to yell at me that I better not touch there ECV when I was trying to get in my room. they had it out every night plugged in and it was in the way every night ( someone in an ECV had to turn around and go all the way around the other way to get to there room on the other side of my room). I got back kind of late one night and was walking to my room when i saw it there ECV ( they had it decorated) so I know it was there but it was driven by someone looking to be 15 and running behind then was 2 more kids about the same age saying now it is my turn ( I really have no clue why security was not called for the noise itself) I got up the next day to find the ECV in a hallway of another building with what looked like a soft drink pored ( or spilled on the set). when I got to the bus stop I forgot something and went back to my room to get it I saw someone from Disney standing in front of the people with the ECV door with the ECV owner crying saying that the ECV was gone, I went in my room thinking well you got what you deserve but then I thought better of my self and when I walked out told the people this is why you should not leave it out all night that I told the CM where I saw the ECV and walked her to it so she could bring it back.

sadly this was not the first time I saw some teens take someone ECV and drive it around. It happened before so I have seen it happen 2x in my time at Disney.

 

[Selket]

Scooters at Pop Century Resort Interesting Photos 12/2018


Some folks wonder if anyone recharges their scooters outside of their resort room.

Yes, they do!

This couple parked their scooter on the side of Building #10 near the elevators. If I turned around, I would see that large "Big Wheel" of building #10.

Great post! I was in the same building in August and for the first time ever saw scooters parked outside the rooms. I'd never seen that in another Disney property honestly. And I'll admit I did it once before - when we stayed at the Grand Floridian I was coming back to the room one day and the housekeeper said for me to keep the scooter outside the room (there was a plug outside our door). So I did leave it there. I don't know if you're familiar with the GF but there was an absolute ton of space inside a building and it was up against a wall...nothing like any other WDW resort I've stayed in - the hallway/walk through area was enormous and we were in a cut-out space of some sort (wasn't a straight hallway). I thought it was odd she wanted me to park it there but I did. This was around the time I first started renting scooters so I thought maybe I was supposed to? lol

Thank you @mamabunny for that post, You are so right about leaving your ECV outside, I was staying at all start sports one time when the people next to me had there ECV out .....sadly this was not the first time I saw some teens take someone ECV and drive it around. It happened before so I have seen it happen 2x in my time at Disney.

Did the people leave their key in it too?

I agree with Mama Bunny that this is a really poor idea - not only for protecting your scooter but most places it is in the way. I'll admit I wouldn't mind if they had some place we could store and plug them in but that's kinda over the top - haha! For the low low price of $30 a day...

 

[gap2368]

Great post! I was in the same building in August and for the first time ever saw scooters parked outside the rooms. I'd never seen that in another Disney property honestly. And I'll admit I did it once before - when we stayed at the Grand Floridian I was coming back to the room one day and the housekeeper said for me to keep the scooter outside the room (there was a plug outside our door). So I did leave it there. I don't know if you're familiar with the GF but there was an absolute ton of space inside a building and it was up against a wall...nothing like any other WDW resort I've stayed in - the hallway/walk through area was enormous and we were in a cut-out space of some sort (wasn't a straight hallway). I thought it was odd she wanted me to park it there but I did. This was around the time I first started renting scooters so I thought maybe I was supposed to? lol



Did the people leave their key in it too?

I agree with Mama Bunny that this is a really poor idea - not only for protecting your scooter but most places it is in the way. I'll admit I wouldn't mind if they had some place we could store and plug them in but that's kinda over the top - haha! For the low low price of $30 a day...

I have no idea if they had a key the person left the key or what they did to get the scooter to run

 

[kaytieeldr]

Some folks wonder if anyone recharges their scooters outside of their resort room.

Yes, they do!

I'm not so sure.

• Nothing appears plugged in;
• The couple of baskets I can read are from Buena Vista;
• In the second and third pictures, the blue sign points to Luggage Assistance.

No, I really think all these ECVs (and the couple of wheelchairs) are from Featured Vendors and are being held for, picked up by, or returned by, Pop visitors.

 

[RaySharpton]

Thank you, kaytieeldr. I saw the photo was missing and I added it to the thread.

As I rode between the scooters, I saw many different approved vendors, but I didn't think about who was the most popular scooter vendor that day.

Kaytieeldr, you have good eyesight. Yes, those signs say Luggage Assistance.

I'm not so sure.

• Nothing appears plugged in;
• The couple of baskets I can read are from Buena Vista;
• In the second and third pictures, the blue sign points to Luggage Assistance.

No, I really think all these ECVs (and the couple of wheelchairs) are from Featured Vendors and are being held for, picked up by, or returned by, Pop visitors.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Thanks for the additional pic, Ray. Even those two are from Buena Vista Scooters. It's more likely than not that they were returned earlier in the day, and are being topped off for incoming visitors - instead of BVS picking up two and delivering two.

 

[RaySharpton]

Thanks for the additional pic, Ray. Even those two are from Buena Vista Scooters. It's more likely than not that they were returned earlier in the day, and are being topped off for incoming visitors - instead of BVS picking up two and delivering two.

These photos were taken outside building #10 and not by the luggage pick-up. I later saw the two guests unplug them and ride away on another day, but I didn't have my camera with me.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Then, frankly, they're idiots

 

[mamabunny]

I have no idea if they had a key the person left the key or what they did to get the scooter to run

Did you know that you can go online - to places like Monsterscooterparts.com - and buy replacement keys for almost any scooter made in the last 10 years or so?

And apparently there are some scooter manufacturers that just keep using the same "key" (I don't think of it being a key, when every "key" manufactured fits every.single.lock in your product line) so that they only have to stock one type of replacement key. I don't think it would be difficult, if a person were so inclined, to get online and for a small price, buy a few "replacement" keys for half a dozen of the most popular rental models, and then go joyriding...

Of course, units like mine don't have a key - but I disconnect my battery and carry the connector cable with me, or hide the connector even when I park it at WDW to have a meal, or ride a ride. Even so, you could *easily* push mine away - certainly far enough to cause me no end of misery.

But even without a "key", you can easily release the brake and push them around - we have seen CMs do this for years, it's a well known "feature". I have, over the course of my event planning career found more than one wheelchair or ECV at the bottom of a hotel pool in the small hours of the morning. It happens.

 

[DisneyOma]

Mamabunny, I agree that people shouldn't leave the scooters outside the room - they become a hazard for everyone when they do that, blocking access, narrowing paths, etc.

 

[Selket]

Did you know that you can go online - to places like Monsterscooterparts.com - and buy replacement keys for almost any scooter made in the last 10 years or so?

Oh that's right! We had a thread here talking about it - maybe someone got in the wrong scooter with their key and it started up or something - I remember now! The ones I saw outside charging in August were 2 scooters together - my guess was the people found 2 in the room to be difficult (which I guess it would be if both beds are down). Probably getting that bit of extra space at a moderate would help.

 

[gap2368]

Did you know that you can go online - to places like Monsterscooterparts.com - and buy replacement keys for almost any scooter made in the last 10 years or so?

Yes the end ( where you could attach the key to to keychain) broke on my friends and she got a new key for $5 or $10. The key looks like a straight metal poll about an inch long would not surprise me is any pice of metle that long and then think would work.

 

[cmwade77]

I would say leaving the scooter outside the room really depends on the resort, somewhere like POP, I would think this would be a major problem as the walkways are already narrow in many places and the ECV would be plugged in outside, given Florida's potential for rain with no notice this seems like a real safety hazard since ECVs are not designed to be plugged in outside during the rain.

But somewhere like the Grand Floridan, as one of the previous posters mentioned has cutouts and would be indoors, so it may indeed be safe to leave there and would not obstruct anyone else's access to their rooms or the resort and in that poster's case, the housekeeper asked them to do so. We don't know what the reasons may have been for the housekeeper to make such a request, but I am guessing they had a valid reason to do so.

This is why I don't go for the hard and fast rule of never leave the ECV outside the room, sometimes there are needs to do so besides space inside the room.

As for keys, it is possible to get replacement locks for the scooters that are uniquely keyed and if I ever reach the point that I have to buy an ECV, I will most definitely ensure that mine is uniquely keyed.

 

[ttintagel]

When our rental scooters were dropped off at Pop Century, it was inside the lobby, in an area to the right of check-in. But that was a few years ago.