Shocked at Scooter Hire Cost for WDW

[Mazzy]

I may have to hire a scooter for our trip to WDW in December, and thought I would give Walker Mobility a ring to check prices. I nearly fell off my chair when they said $400 for our two weeks stay!

We will be staying at the Dolphin from 26 December and as it's a busy period I didn't want to leave it to chance and hire in the parks just in case I couldn't get one, so would much prefer to have Walker deliver to the Dolphin but what a cost!

I have 4 months before our trip - we actually cancelled last year's Christmas/New Year trip because of my foot problem as at that time it hadn't been diagnosed but now I know I have sesamoiditis and I have been wearing an insert in my shoe and have had a 'rocker' added to the sole of my shoe for the past 4 months. It has improved but very slowly so I'm losing hope that I will be fully fit for WDW, as I'm not supposed to do too much walking. I would be OK to walk into a ride or attraction but it's the long distances which I won't be able to do.

I know a wheelchair would be cheaper, but not sure I would like to be 'pushed around', I think I would prefer to 'go' under my own steam. I am also partially deaf so it would be impossible to hear the person behind me whilst they are pushing the chair, so I don't think it would work very well!

Does anyone know of another company who may be a little cheaper than Walker? as I can see all my spending money disappearing before my eyes!

You never know, a miracle may happen before December, but I want to check out all options now, so I know I have everything in place if I need it!

Thanks for any advice on this

 

[SueM in MN]

They are expensive, but if you need it to make your trip successful, it's a small price to pay for not being in pain. I think you are wise to rent from off-site. My older Dd and I were at WDW around that time in 1998 and it was soooo busy (but really neat with all the Christmas decorations).
Here are the companies that disABILITIES Board posters have reproted renting from:
Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/

Walker Mobility:
1-888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

RANDY'S Mobility in Kissimmee 407-892-4777
http://randysmobility.com/

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html

We have not rented (DD has her own wheelchair), so I only know what people have written. Some people have posted that Randy's mobility is a little less expensive, but you need to be there for pick up and delivery of the scooter. The other companies will leave the scooter at the front desk for you before you arrive.

 

[Talking Hands]

In my experience all the offsite places are pretty standard. About $200 per week for a scooter. I don't know that you can do better. If you rent daily from Disney it is more expensive by about $100 but you have no guarantee you will have one.
It really is a small price to pay to enjoy Disney without pain.

 

[JudithM]

Disney charges $40 per day to rent an ECV, but you get $10 cash back when you return the ECV. So $30 a day x 7 days would be $210. For the $10 less a week, I would rent one off site to be sure to have one when I need it.

Disney does tend to "run out" of ECVS. On Mother's Day this year EPCOT supposedly had no ECVs available (at either entrance) after the park was open 30 minutes. On a Thursday in early December last year the Studios had no ECVs available about 1-2 p.m.

I'm leaning towards Walker for my next trip.

 

[yoopermom]

We just returned and DM and myself both rented ECVs the five days that we went to the parks. It was a little nervewracking not to know if one would be available when we returned from our afternoon rest. If we returned to the park we visited in the a.m. we were guaranteed one, but we usually went to Epcot or MGM, so that didn't always work. I noticed that the release you sign is now stamped in red with a message that basically states that you're not guaranteed an ECV if you parkhop. If I *really* needed one 24/7 in the future (hope to be healthier next visit), I would rent from an offsite company, I think.
Terri the Yoopermom

 

[Mazzy]

Thanks everyone for your help

Randy's is quite a bit cheaper than the others, they only charge $250 for two weeks, so quite a big different to Walkers who charge $400. Are the services comparable?

Does anyone know what time of day these companies deliver? We will arrive in WDW in the evening and would prefer to get the chair then, rather than hang around the following morning waiting for it to arrive. If our flight is on time we should be at the hotel around by 8 pm at the latest, I guess this would be too late for delivery?

Any experiences of these two companies would be good to hear

 

[JudithM]

Terri, thanks for the info about the "stamp" on the rental agreement. That is something new 0 it wasn't there in May. Now I know for sure I will rent at ECV from a company off site.

It the past I have sometimes been successful asking a CM to call ahead to the next park & ask for an ECV be held at the next park (same day). Sometimes I have also been successful calling EPCOT wheelchair/ECV rental area myself. I guess this is now all history. So, thanks for the info!

 

[Nanajo1]

My ECV has always been waiting for me at bell services. Tell the vendor what day you will be arriving and they will have it there for you. One company requires that you be present for pick up and return but I don't remember which one. I found that inconvenient. Puffy has mention a coupon for $5 off for walker's. I'll see if I can find the link.

 

[SueM in MN]

One company requires that you be present for pick up and return but I don't remember which one.

If I rmember what I've read correctly, it's Randys.

 

[momejay]

We use Walker every time we go (which is often) We have never had a problem. We rented for 10 days once & it was just over $240. Maybe because we are such good customers? We started renting from Walker because we couldn't get ECVs at the parks every time we wanted one. We were forced to rent a wheelchair at Epcot after hopping there from MGM & no one wants to push a chubby lady around. We had no luck with an ECV at AK. They kept dying on us, once at Conservation Station. Each time a replacement came but... After Fantasmic, in all those crowds, we had to just leave the ECV it where it died. A CM told us someone would come to get it. CM was more worried about their ECV than my mom having to walk all the way out to the bus. They didn't even offer a wheelchair this time.
Go with Walker! They are reliable. Just follow their instructions & you should have no problems.

 

[AmieeLynne]

Check with randy's by phone. I just made reservations on the phone for my mom during our upcoming trip and they told me that someone must be there when it is droped of and picked up, but I guess they are a bit smaller of a company than the others because I was given a local number (home number, I think- this co. is family run...mention having son run the scooter over) and told to just call that number if it was after closing time when we got in (I would prob exercise good judgement and not want to wake anyone) and someone would be along shortly with the scooter. How can you beat that and the prices. I was very impressed with the service and communication over the phone and am keeping fingers crossed that it is the same in person. I was also told that their scooters are all no older than 2 yrs and are maintained very well, if a prob did arise they would come out and replace it right away. good luck