Segway Tour in Epcot possible with only one hand?

[sasbok]

I have a minor disability, doesn't bother me in daily life but may be a problem when doing the Segway Tour in Epcot, I don't know. I have one completely normal right hand, but on the left one I only have a thumb and it lacks one of the joints, so I cannot bend it. I don't have any fingers there at all. Will I be able to steer a segway do you think? I would love to do the tour, but if there's any handbrakes on a segway I don't think I could use them on the left side. Suggestions anyone? Thanks in advance!

 

[Bete]

trial area in Innoventions in Epcot where you could try a Segway for free. You had to sign a disclaimer to ride it. I did this and I was suprised on how much you had to do to use it well. It looks simple, but you use your body weight to manuever it to a degree besides your hands. I didn't like it. I would rather walk; it was too heavy and big for me. This is not for everyone. I'm pretty athletic and I didn't like it.

If you want to do the tour perhaps they would let you use a scooter for it. I'm not sure about the liabilities on that end, either. You would have to pay for the scooter extra; I'm sure.

I think you will probably need to call Disney yourself and ask some very specific questions about it and make sure you can qualify for it.

There have been reports of accidents on these boards using segways. The training session is probably not enough time for some to get good at it.

 

[sasbok]

Thanks Bete for your reply! I didn't want to call Disney because I am in Europe and it would be a pretty expensive phonecall, I'm certain. But you're right, maybe I should just try one out right then and there before I book the tour. I'm sure I don't need to book it months in advance anyway.

 

[SueM in MN]

I don't have much time to reply right now, but have been on the Segway tour at Epcot 4 times.

There are no handbrakes. It is primarily controlled by leaning back and forth and shifting weight. If you can only hang onto the control stem with one hand, you may be more unbalanced, but you would be able to compensate for that.
You can go to the Segway website at www.Segway.com to look at pictures and the owner's manuals. Just to be aware - the last time I took a tour was several years ago and they were not using the most recent models of Segways, so they may work a little differently.

ECVs or walkers are not allowed on the tour. The first half is learning how to use one in a room. Then, you venture out into World Showcase in a group with your tour guide before WS is open to general guests

If you want to try it, I would book the tour, then go to the Segway display at Epcot that was already mentioned. It is a permanent display and was there in April.
They should be able to answer your questions better than if you call and you may be able to try one.
You can always cancel the tour. Although yo can book a tour when you arrive, there are limited numbers of tours each day and each tour is small. If you wait, there may not be any tours with space on the day and time you want to go. Just find out what the cancellation policy is when making the reservation.

 

[peemagg]

If calling Disney is too expensive, why not send them a e-mail instead? I know that there is some disclaimer about disabilities, but I don't remember what they are at this time. I know that when I did it 2 years ago, I was using a cane to walk with and was sure to hide it before going to the meet up area. I didn't want to chance them saying no that I couldn't use it. I have to admit that the looks on their faces when the tour was over and I took my cane out and limped away was priceless.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I know many cities here in the states have segway tours. Is there any place in Europe that offers segway tours? You could just go to them and explain your issue and see if they will allow you test ride one. Worth a try anyway. I did the backwoods segway tour at Fort Wilderness and it was a blast.

 

[Twende]

Al mentioned above there are no brakes on a segway. You move and stop by the changing of your weight forward and back.

The old model segways had the turning mechanism with hand control but the new models, that Disney is using now, do not turn that way. You turn by moving the entire upright bar that comes up from your feet and has a t shaped handle bar on it. Either hand could be used to move this bar.

The last time we took our tour there was a man who had been ill with balance problems. He decided to start the class and see how it went for him. After about 15 minutes he felt that he was unable to keep his balance so they allowed him to quit and they said he would get a refund of his money. I do not know if it was a 100% refund or not.

The tour and riding a segway is so much fun. I would give it a try! An email directed to one of their instructors would be a good idea! I hope you get the go ahead response back form them!

 

[sasbok]

If calling Disney is too expensive, why not send them a e-mail instead? I know that there is some disclaimer about disabilities, but I don't remember what they are at this time. I know that when I did it 2 years ago, I was using a cane to walk with and was sure to hide it before going to the meet up area. I didn't want to chance them saying no that I couldn't use it. I have to admit that the looks on their faces when the tour was over and I took my cane out and limped away was priceless.

I did write them yesterday, yes. Waiting for their reply. As soon as I've heard from them I will post their answer on here.

 

[sasbok]

I know many cities here in the states have segway tours. Is there any place in Europe that offers segway tours? You could just go to them and explain your issue and see if they will allow you test ride one. Worth a try anyway. I did the backwoods segway tour at Fort Wilderness and it was a blast.

Thanks, that's a really clever idea. There should be a store even in my city where they sell the segways. Never crossed my mind that perhaps I could pay them a visit and see for myself what the segways look like and I'm sure they'll let me try one!

 

[TJMunk]

When you get info from the tour, find out what model they are currently using, as there are several different ones. That way when you go to try one out in your town you can try the exact model you would be using, if they have it. Ditto the above, book early, you can always cancel.

-TJMunk

 

[rabidstoat]

Found a post here on the Segway board about riding one-armed:

http://forums.segwaychat.com/archive/index.php/t-9844.html

Seems like it's perfectly possible, but maybe the question is more 'can you ride it one-handed the first time well enough to keep up?' Seems likely if you have a good sense of balance. You'd have to be careful with bumps. One person says they ride one-handed a lot or even no-handed.

I'm not sure how the steering on a Segway is designed, I've never used one, but it seems like being able to 'bump' with your off hand would make it even easier than someone who was one-armed. You could nudge and adjust for steering.

 

[SueM in MN]

I knew that the older version of the Segway required one hand to control turning, by twisting a control on one side handlebar of the steering column. I couldn’t remember which side the control was on.
The thread that rabidstoat posted confirmed that the control is on the left handlebar.
The steering column on that version of Segway moved only backward and forward. It did not move side to side.

I was not sure which version of the Segway is used in the tour, Twende was able to tell us that the tour is using the new version.
This is a link to the Segway website safety page, which includes the Getting Started Manual for the current models of Segway.
Pages 75-86 of the manual shows how the Segway is controlled.
The steering stalk moves in all directions and you turn by the way the steering stalk is positioned.
There is also a safety video (slightly scary), but it does really demonstrate how to control the Segway in a later part.

I think you will really need to try a Segway out to know if you can drive it. The thread that rabidstoat posted is talking about the older version of Segway. I think it would be easier to control that version of Segway with one hand because you don’t have to deal with the side to side motion of the steering stalk (but that version has the speed control on the left).

The newer version may be harder because of side to side motion of the steering stalk may be harded to control with one hand. Whether it will work for you or not may depend on whether you are able to grasp the steering column with your wrist and palm or figure out some other way to stabilize it.

 

[sasbok]

Thanks everyone, for thinking with me here! I assume that if a one armed person is able to use a segway, I sure am. It's not that I have no use at all of my left hand, I will be able to hold onto the segway, just would not have been able to use the controls if there were any on the left side and/or a handbrake. I haven't found a segway to try here in my hometown yet, but I do now truly believe that it won't be a problem using one. I will book my segway tour.

PS I still have not heard from Disney in reply to my e-mail. They must be very busy there...

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I have contacted a friend who has been involved with giving the Segway tours for several years. I have asked him to either reply directly to the thread or to reply to me and I will post the information.

 

[SueM in MN]

I just read that the free Segway experience in Innovations at Epcot is closing:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2790278

 

[daisyduck123]

The last time we took our tour there was a man who had been ill with balance problems. He decided to start the class and see how it went for him. After about 15 minutes he felt that he was unable to keep his balance so they allowed him to quit and they said he would get a refund of his money. I do not know if it was a 100% refund or not.

My family took the Segway tour this past June. About 15 or 20 minutes into it, while our group was still in the practice room, DD16 decided she did not like it & did not want to do it. We got 100% of her fee refunded. They told us that they do refund $$ if someone decides early on that they do not like it.

 

[SueM in MN]

My family took the Segway tour this past June. About 15 or 20 minutes into it, while our group was still in the practice room, DD16 decided she did not like it & did not want to do it. We got 100% of her fee refunded. They told us that they do refund $$ if someone decides early on that they do not like it.

Thanks for that information.
When we went, the CM made an announcement after people viewed the video that if someone chose to leave at that point, they would get a full refund with no questions asked. On one tour, a woman did leave.