Scooter Questions

[Joshrzmeup]

My dad is taking his scooter with him from home (3 wheeled) for the first time as he can't walk or stand for more than 5 minutes without back pain.
We have quite a few questions as this will be our first experience with this.
I read over about the disability pass - do we just get 1 and it last for a day or the entire trip?
How many rides at a time can he get a return for? Just 1 or 3 like normal fastpass?

If he just wants to wait in line like normal - outside the Disability pass return time, how does that work?.What rides does he have to park the scooter outside the ride and which ones can he be in line and be in the scooter? (like the exit for space mountain is an escalator (moving walkway) so he can't go on that?)

Same with restaurants - can he leave it in the waiting area or does he have to leave it just outside the doors?

Any tips on what to do at the airport? I know he needs to get a tag and gate check it - so he's fine in the airport with it - but once Its time to board, does he stay in his scooter like normal in the lineup (southwest) or does he go earlier with those who need extra time? Does he need to breakdown his scooter as he leaves it just before he enters the plane?

Where are the handicap areas for the fireworks and for the parade? Is it better to get seating in one of those areas, or just find a spot like normal?

When it comes to the buses - which handicap spot does he use? The one to the right of the front of the line or to the left (near the second set of doors if the bus is parked). We had a bit of trouble with that on the last trip when he rented one from off property. Sometimes they said we had to wait in the regular line with it or it was the wrong line (though the regular line itself was correct for what hotel we wanted).

Last - he is concerned about the possibility that his battery won't last the day in the parks and it'll die before we get back to the hotel. Are there any places to charge it? Can he charge it up front where Disney charges theirs and if he can charge it someplace (with his own cord), does he just have to sit there with it until he feels it's done charging?

I apologize for all the questions and we will likely have more later but we thank you in advance for any and all help!

 

[Bullseye1967]

My dad is taking his scooter with him from home (3 wheeled) for the first time as he can't walk or stand for more than 5 minutes without back pain.
We have quite a few questions as this will be our first experience with this.
I read over about the disability pass - do we just get 1 and it last for a day or the entire trip?
How many rides at a time can he get a return for? Just 1 or 3 like normal fastpass?

If he just wants to wait in line like normal - outside the Disability pass return time, how does that work?.What rides does he have to park the scooter outside the ride and which ones can he be in line and be in the scooter? (like the exit for space mountain is an escalator (moving walkway) so he can't go on that?)

Same with restaurants - can he leave it in the waiting area or does he have to leave it just outside the doors?

Any tips on what to do at the airport? I know he needs to get a tag and gate check it - so he's fine in the airport with it - but once Its time to board, does he stay in his scooter like normal in the lineup (southwest) or does he go earlier with those who need extra time? Does he need to breakdown his scooter as he leaves it just before he enters the plane?

Where are the handicap areas for the fireworks and for the parade? Is it better to get seating in one of those areas, or just find a spot like normal?

When it comes to the buses - which handicap spot does he use? The one to the right of the front of the line or to the left (near the second set of doors if the bus is parked). We had a bit of trouble with that on the last trip when he rented one from off property. Sometimes they said we had to wait in the regular line with it or it was the wrong line (though the regular line itself was correct for what hotel we wanted).

Last - he is concerned about the possibility that his battery won't last the day in the parks and it'll die before we get back to the hotel. Are there any places to charge it? Can he charge it up front where Disney charges theirs and if he can charge it someplace (with his own cord), does he just have to sit there with it until he feels it's done charging?

I apologize for all the questions and we will likely have more later but we thank you in advance for any and all help!

Wow! that is a lot of questions! I will touch base on a few of them I can answer. My wife used a scooter after she had a knee replaced a few years ago. In our last visit in March/April of 2017, her other knee was bad enough after a few days in the park, she had to use a scooter the rest of the time.

You can get a disability pass from guest relations in the first park you visit. It is good for your whole stay for the number of members in your party.

We never got return times, they usually just sent us through the FP+ line. I am sure this depends on crowds levels. You can book 3 FP+ that have nothing to do with the pass.

I am not going to go into all the rides. You can look on the website. If it says transfer, then he will need to stand for a short period of time (usually in the loading area), and a CM will put the scooter at the exit for him. If not, the he can take the scooter on the ride.

In every QS and TS place we ate, we parked the scooter in the waiting area or near us. If you ask a CM, they will always find a place for you to plug it in while you dine. We always kept it charging while we dined, and the battery never got below half.

Not sure about airlines, but I have seen Southwest staff break down scooters for people when I have flown.

Don't worry about things like stairs and escalators. You would be surprised how many hidden back ways and elevators there are to get to the loading area of rides. The downside is you sometimes miss some of the cool themes in the queue. He will never be standing more than a few minutes.

The handicapped areas for the fireworks are the same as the FP+ spots. They are clearly marked on the maps and are great viewing. I am not so sure about the parades, I actually didn't even know there were ones for the parades. We just staked out a spot like everyone else.

As for the buses, that is a wild card. We seemed to be in the wrong line about half the time, even after asking. We had really great drivers @Driver who loaded us, and we have drivers who seemed angry we were at their stop. Overall we always managed on the buses, but it sometimes was a challenge. The monorail or boats were always easier.

Hope I answered a few of your concerns.

 

[Driver]

My dad is taking his scooter with him from home (3 wheeled) for the first time as he can't walk or stand for more than 5 minutes without back pain.
We have quite a few questions as this will be our first experience with this.
I read over about the disability pass - do we just get 1 and it last for a day or the entire trip?
How many rides at a time can he get a return for? Just 1 or 3 like normal fastpass?

If he just wants to wait in line like normal - outside the Disability pass return time, how does that work?.What rides does he have to park the scooter outside the ride and which ones can he be in line and be in the scooter? (like the exit for space mountain is an escalator (moving walkway) so he can't go on that?)

Same with restaurants - can he leave it in the waiting area or does he have to leave it just outside the doors?

Any tips on what to do at the airport? I know he needs to get a tag and gate check it - so he's fine in the airport with it - but once Its time to board, does he stay in his scooter like normal in the lineup (southwest) or does he go earlier with those who need extra time? Does he need to breakdown his scooter as he leaves it just before he enters the plane?

Where are the handicap areas for the fireworks and for the parade? Is it better to get seating in one of those areas, or just find a spot like normal?

When it comes to the buses - which handicap spot does he use? The one to the right of the front of the line or to the left (near the second set of doors if the bus is parked). We had a bit of trouble with that on the last trip when he rented one from off property. Sometimes they said we had to wait in the regular line with it or it was the wrong line (though the regular line itself was correct for what hotel we wanted).

Last - he is concerned about the possibility that his battery won't last the day in the parks and it'll die before we get back to the hotel. Are there any places to charge it? Can he charge it up front where Disney charges theirs and if he can charge it someplace (with his own cord), does he just have to sit there with it until he feels it's done charging?

I apologize for all the questions and we will likely have more later but we thank you in advance for any and all help!

I will only address your bus concern.....always always you will enter through the rear door of the bus. You have to be in the area toward the rear of the bus so the driver can see you and board you first. If someone told you to get in the regular line they did you a great disservice. Also understand ADA rules state if the bus is loaded and you pull up there is no obligation to ask people to get off the bus to accommodate the scooter. You still have to wait your turn. Every effort is made to accommodate scooters however some people think they will get preferential treatment. The law has no allowance for special treatment, only that you will be put on when it's your turn. Also it is very tight maneuvering in the bus isles don't be embarrassed to ask the driver for help parking and departing the bus.......it's what we do. Enjoy your stay.

 

[DisAl]

My mother, now 88, has gone with us several times. She has similar issues but we use a wheelchair.

She can transfer out of the chair with not problem but cannot handle much standing or walking. ​

We don't have enough liability insurance to turn her loose on a scooter. ​

As for the rides, there will be some rides that won't accommodate his needs but most will. For example, the CM at Peter Pan's Flight asked if she could climb down a ladder if for some reason the ride failed and you had to climb down a ladder to get off. (Made her mad when we wouldn't let her do that one!) Each ride can be different in how they handle handicap issues but you will find the CMs to be most helpful. Since he can transfer off the scooter and stand or walk for short distances he should be able to do almost everything. If he has back trouble though, he should probably avoid the coasters and ToT.
For the busses, we never encountered a driver who was less that courteous and helpful. Some seemed to be worn out near the end of their shifts but still treated us wonderfully every time. As driver said, there is a separate spot for wheelchairs and scooters to line up. If they have room they will board the wheelchairs and scooters first, but keep in mind that the busses will handle two scooters at most unless they have updated since we were there last.
The main thing concerning using a scooter is that you have to be extra careful not to run over toes or bump people from the back. There will be some oblivious in their own world staring at their phone people who will step right in front of you and then blame you for bumping them. Somebody should invent a scooter with a padded "cow catcher" on the front for use at WDW!

 

[Minnie Mum]

Firstly, regarding the DAS. I encourage you to read what Disney has to say about it on its website (under Guests With Disabilities). Generally the DAS is not given out to guests who ONLY have mobility problems, and whose needs are met by using a wheelchair, ECV, walker, etc. The DAS is intended for guests with other disabilities who are unable to manage a standby queue. It allows them to get a return time (roughly the standby wait time minus 15 min) and wait elsewhere. At the return time, they then enter through the FP entrance with their party. Only one return time can be held at any one time. The system is unrelated to the FP system, but is only usable for attractions that have a FP line.

Since your dad can ride his ECV through any line ( in a very few cases he might have to transfer to one of their wheelchairs to do this), he doesn't need a DAS. Handicapped viewing locations for the parade, etc are marked on the maps. But these areas are quite small and fill up fast. Generally the disabled guest + 1 family member can enter the area. The rest of the group are asked to find a viewing spot nearby. You need to get there really early to snare a spot. We prefer to just find our own spot.

As mentioned, at most attractions he can stay on the ECV until he reaches the boarding area, at which point the CM will take it to the exit. At most shows there will be places inside the theatre to park the ECV, so he can just stay on it, with regular seats on either side for your family. If an attraction has a procedure that differs from the norm, the CM at the entrance will let you know. The Guide for guests with mobility disabilities also lists any attractions that differ from the norm. You can view it online.

He should be able to park the ECV in the waiting area of most TS restaurants. But there will be limited plug in sockets available. Again, if you can snag one, use it to charge the ECV while you are eating. And speaking of charging, and batteries: make sure he is turning the key to OFF any time the ECV is stopped for more than a minute. This will really help conserve battery power. As long as he's fully charging the battery every night, the battery is operating normally, and the ECV isn't overloaded, he should have sufficient charge for a normal day.

As far as buses go, ECV and wheelchair guests should wait in the designated areas that line up with the rear door. That is the only way that a driver will know he has a chair that needs to be boarded.

 

[correcaminos]

I will reiterate that with mobility only you will NOT qualify for DAS. The lines are accessible or they make alternative entrances for you. The DAS is really for those who cannot use a wheeled device to help with the disability. So skip that. That said if you ever got one, it is one for the whole group and up to 6 people only.

For the lines, you will need to find the CM at the entrance and let them know you are in an ECV. They will direct you to the right location for the line. In some cases like Haunted Mansion or Jungle Cruise, we are given a return time if the line is long. For Jungle Cruise you actually can remain in the scooter and not have to transfer. Most other rides you will have to transfer to at least a chair. The CMs are super helpful with this and let you know where you can park your ECV and where you can get a wheel chair if that is required for part of the line/transfer. This is much easier rule to follow for ECVs as there are so many rides that honestly I fear we'd miss something. They will definitely be there to help you. A word of advice, if you do Finding Nemo, the queue is really difficult at times. I would turn off the scooter and undo the lock for the motor so you can help push it around. We've had issues trying to electrically use the scooters there.

For dining, they will do the same. Tell the CM at check in what you are doing and what you need and they will direct you. At MK our favorite QS is Columbia Harbor House because they have a fantastic set up for scooters. In general the walk will not be far at all.

For parades and shows, look on the maps as they are marked. When in doubt, ask a CM.

I'm a bit confused about 'which handicapped spot' for the buses. I've only seen one at our bus stops. They are always the area to the left when facing the bus though as you go in the back door.

Admittedly we always rent our ECVs because we fly and flying with one can be difficult (especially when you live hundred of miles from the airport). So we have never had an issue with charging a scooter as the ones we have last all day. Do you have a spare battery you can bring with you? But yes there are places you can charge from what I've been told, we just have never needed it.

 

[Driver]

I will reiterate that with mobility only you will NOT qualify for DAS. The lines are accessible or they make alternative entrances for you. The DAS is really for those who cannot use a wheeled device to help with the disability. So skip that. That said if you ever got one, it is one for the whole group and up to 6 people only.

For the lines, you will need to find the CM at the entrance and let them know you are in an ECV. They will direct you to the right location for the line. In some cases like Haunted Mansion or Jungle Cruise, we are given a return time if the line is long. For Jungle Cruise you actually can remain in the scooter and not have to transfer. Most other rides you will have to transfer to at least a chair. The CMs are super helpful with this and let you know where you can park your ECV and where you can get a wheel chair if that is required for part of the line/transfer. This is much easier rule to follow for ECVs as there are so many rides that honestly I fear we'd miss something. They will definitely be there to help you. A word of advice, if you do Finding Nemo, the queue is really difficult at times. I would turn off the scooter and undo the lock for the motor so you can help push it around. We've had issues trying to electrically use the scooters there.

For dining, they will do the same. Tell the CM at check in what you are doing and what you need and they will direct you. At MK our favorite QS is Columbia Harbor House because they have a fantastic set up for scooters. In general the walk will not be far at all.

For parades and shows, look on the maps as they are marked. When in doubt, ask a CM.

I'm a bit confused about 'which handicapped spot' for the buses. I've only seen one at our bus stops. They are always the area to the left when facing the bus though as you go in the back door.

Admittedly we always rent our ECVs because we fly and flying with one can be difficult (especially when you live hundred of miles from the airport). So we have never had an issue with charging a scooter as the ones we have last all day. Do you have a spare battery you can bring with you? But yes there are places you can charge from what I've been told, we just have never needed it.

Just a little side note, at some resorts there is a square marked out on the waiting area with markings inside of it typically with some sort of wheelchair symbol. Some guest choose to park in it when waiting for the bus. This is perfectly fine, however in some cases it does not line up with the rear door of the bus when it stops. And the reason why is this box primary purpose is for "sizing " your ECV must fit inside this box to be bus compliant. The fact that some of them line up with the doors is coincidental. History: when ECV's became popular there was no size standard and some of the rental companies carried the larger units that appealed to guest because they could load them with stuff. But the bus ramps could not load these units and Disney had to set up the "sizing" boxes to make clear definitions on size.

 

[correcaminos]

Just a little side note, at some resorts there is a square marked out on the waiting area with markings inside of it typically with some sort of wheelchair symbol. Some guest choose to park in it when waiting for the bus. This is perfectly fine, however in some cases it does not line up with the rear door of the bus when it stops. And the reason why is this box primary purpose is for "sizing " your ECV must fit inside this box to be bus compliant. The fact that some of them line up with the doors is coincidental. History: when ECV's became popular there was no size standard and some of the rental companies carried the larger units that appealed to guest because they could load them with stuff. But the bus ramps could not load these units and Disney had to set up the "sizing" boxes to make clear definitions on size.

That's a cool piece of info. We would always just hang out by the box, but not necessarily in it. Usually just behind it for the reason that the doors don't always line up.