To Fly Or Not Fly with my Scooter

[Haley Whippet]

We use to drive to WDW & always took my scooter along. When I decided to try flying (I was too scared to fly) I found I could actually do it.. with a little bit of meds from my doctor..
I started renting a scooter from Scootarama & loved having a scooter waiting for me when we got to the resort. 2 trips ago I brought mine along on the plane & it ended up with smashed up baskets & loose battery cables, not good. So here I am again getting ready for a trip & debating what to do.. Risk more damage to my scooter & have to get through the airport with it, Or call Scootarama & have a scooter ready & waiting with no fuss? Save money & deal with bother or spend money & have no bother?

 

[Mary976]

A couple questions...does your personal scooter have pieces that you can detach and take into the cabin with you so as to prevent damage? Also, did you gate check your scooter or check it with the regular baggage?

DD's wheelchair has gotten a little banged up here and there but now that we've started stripping it down prior to the gate check, everything has been fine. I bring a big beach bag and we put her cushion, footrests and anything else that we can get off of it into the bag and then store it overhead.

Hopefully other ECV users will have some firsthand experience to share.

Mary

 

[Cheshire Figment]

When I travel with my ECV they do not disassemble it. I will put the charger in the basket, and then remove the basket and put it in a cloth bag big enough for it and store it in the overhead compartment. And I will take the key with me. Doing this I have never had any problem.

 

[Schotz]

When I had a total knee replacement I needed a scooter. I stayed at the Gaylord Palms resort in Orlando. They provided me with a scooter at the hotel and free transportation to and from disney parks free of charge. I had to pay for the scooter rental but it was new and top of the line. Very nice price too. The hotel was Fun to navigate with my scooter. If your not going to stay at the gaylord palms, check and see if you hotel will provide you with a scooter rental. The airport provided me with a wheel chair free of charge to get me to the hotel shuttle bus.

 

[KPeveler]

When I had a total knee replacement I needed a scooter. I stayed at the Gaylord Palms resort in Orlando. They provided me with a scooter at the hotel and free transportation to and from disney parks free of charge. I had to pay for the scooter rental but it was new and top of the line. Very nice price too. The hotel was Fun to navigate with my scooter. If your not going to stay at the gaylord palms, check and see if you hotel will provide you with a scooter rental. The airport provided me with a wheel chair free of charge to get me to the hotel shuttle bus.

All on property transportation is free. Disney hotels do not get involved in the renting of scooters. the most they will do is provide a phone number for guests to call. Pretty much every area company will deliver the scooter to the hotel for free.

 

[peemagg]

I have flown with mine at least 4 times now and never had an issue. Like Cheshire, I also take everything that might get damaged with me and place it in a bag for my medical equipment.

I also only gate check the scooter.

If the airline does damage to your scooter, they are responsible for all the repairs or replacement of your scooter and the rental of a replacement.

 

[SueM in MN]

When I had a total knee replacement I needed a scooter. I stayed at the Gaylord Palms resort in Orlando. They provided me with a scooter at the hotel and free transportation to and from disney parks free of charge. I had to pay for the scooter rental but it was new and top of the line. Very nice price too. The hotel was Fun to navigate with my scooter. If your not going to stay at the gaylord palms, check and see if you hotel will provide you with a scooter rental. The airport provided me with a wheel chair free of charge to get me to the hotel shuttle bus.

Glad to hear you had a good experience at Gaylord Palms.

I want to clarify a little though - when a resort does ‘provide an ECV’, they are usually just having Concierge or someone from the hotel call one of the same rental companies that are listed in post 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread. Some people like that because they don’t have to call the rental company. Others prefer to call themselves because they can choose which rental company to use, make sure they have the equipment they want and are able to negotiate on price (for example, the company might have a special on when you call or have a deal if you rent for more days).

As KPeveler pointed out, all of the local scooter rental places will deliver and pick up from your resort (WDW or Orlando area) free of charge.

For the transportation to and from the resort to the airport and parks, if the resort provides transportation shuttles free of charge for other guests, they also have to provide that service free of charge for guests with disabilities (even wheelchairs). That is required by Federal Law, so it is something that would be available at the airport and which ever resort you are at.

As KPeveler mentioned, transportation at WDW resorts is free of charge.

 

[Haley Whippet]

Thanks, I am still deciding but think I am leaning towards rental because we are doing a side trip before we go to WDW & will be using a rental car. I think the thought of having to get the scooter into the car has DH wanting me to rent, Even though it cuts into my vacation budget..