Terminally ill and need scooter

Bryant072461

Bryant072461

New Member
I have ALS and am in need of a scooter! I am taking my daughter who couldn’t be with us for Christmas week of 2017. I don’t want to take the bus but may have to if I can’t get a scooter at the park. Can anyone help?
I want to be able to get around but just can’t walk to well. I would appreciate any help in this my final trip. Thank you!!
 
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homerdance

homerdance

Well-Known Member
DisneyJoe said:
If they did that, they would need an efficient and working system to manage and save the reserved scooters, including IT systems AND locations to hold the reserved scooters. It also adds a bunch of operational issues.

They would need to manage the possibly changing number of ECVs at each location based on the reservations. For example, let's say they have 100 (nice round number) at each park. If the number being used by those with reservations is less than that per day, it is not a problem, however, if the next day, 110 reserved ECVs are needed at MK and they only have 100, they would need to move 10 to MK somehow, thus depleting the fleet somewhere else. Sure, they could setup a warehouse on property with a fleet of ECVs as well as delivery trucks, train drivers and figure out the logistics and space for park storage etc, but why do that when the demand for what you're suggesting is likely minimal and offsite companies already provide a service? or just having an inventory at each park first-come first-serve is working?
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Yes, it would be a bit of a change. I mean current state they have 'x' available until they are not, no reason they couldn't have reservations limited to 'x'. Say if they have 100 at MK, make 75 available for reservation, 25 for walk ups. once 75 is done, allow no more reservations. no reason to move them around.

From my purely subjective view point, about 90% of the scooters i see in the park are off site rentals. IF a company can make money off of renting them for $20 a day, i am sure the price disney could demand is much higher. And the buses would be a much better experience. Our last trip, about 2/3 the folks didn't sit on their ecv during the bus ride.

While I know Disney gets their cut of the "approved" rental companies, that still isn't as much as they could make. HOpefully i won't need one for a long time, but i would much prefer to rent from disney at the park, maybe that is just me.
 
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D

DisneyJoe

Well-Known Member
homerdance said:
Yes, it would be a bit of a change. I mean current state they have 'x' available until they are not, no reason they couldn't have reservations limited to 'x'. Say if they have 100 at MK, make 75 available for reservation, 25 for walk ups. once 75 is done, allow no more reservations. no reason to move them around.

From my purely subjective view point, about 90% of the scooters i see in the park are off site rentals. IF a company can make money off of renting them for $20 a day, i am sure the price disney could demand is much higher. And the buses would be a much better experience. Our last trip, about 2/3 the folks didn't sit on their ecv during the bus ride.

While I know Disney gets their cut of the "approved" rental companies, that still isn't as much as they could make. HOpefully i won't need one for a long time, but i would much prefer to rent from disney at the park, maybe that is just me.
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Guests are not supposed to sit on the ECV on the bus, most drivers make them sit in a different seat for safety.

Also, Disney ECVs, besides costing more, run out of charge faster even though they can't go as fast as off site rentals.
 
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ThistleMae

ThistleMae

Well-Known Member
I've rented scooters twice for my Disney trips when my knees were bad. Disney has a list of approved companies and they will deliver right to your resort. As far as the buses, the driver will help guide you on, most of them are very nice and helpful. After the first few times, you'll quickly get the hang of it. The scooter made my vacation so wonderful when I couldn't walk. I also used an unapproved company but it was more of a pain for pick-up and delivery, as you had to meet them, and coordinating that was just more of a hassle. Use the one from the approved list. Have a wonderful vacation.
 
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JIMINYCR

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
I can understand the OP's frustration. From his perspective the necessity of a scooter because of his terminal situation and medical frailty is higher on the scale of need. Being overweight from his point of view is minor, in many cases a condition from lack of self care, and therefore Disney should give him the priority. Hes not going to live longer to enjoy a next trip, others will.
 
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ninjaprincesst

ninjaprincesst

Well-Known Member
homerdance said:
i never understood why Disney doesn't allow you to buy a length of stay scooter rental directly from them. On one of our recent trips we had someone in our party who required a scooter and we used a third party approved by Disney. It was simple enough to use, they delivered it to the resort, we picked it up, and just left it at bell services when we were done. Simple enough.

But the person in our party didn't it need it 100% of the time, they were up for some walking/standing but not full days worth. It would have been much better if we could have paid a fee, obviously it would be in range of the daily rate from disney vs. off site, but allow the scooter to be reserved so we knew one would be available. And instead of having to through and fill out the rental agreement and all of that everyday (wasting valuable park time), do it once before arrival, sign the paperwork online, pay, select parks and days, on that day walk up, wave my magic band, get scooter. Seems like a lot easier process and a way for disney to make more money.
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I can also see Disney's point that scooter could be being used by someone in need, instead of just sitting there unused, and since they don't have enough to meet demand I don't see that happening.
 
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ninjaprincesst

ninjaprincesst

Well-Known Member
JIMINYCR said:
I can understand the OP's frustration. From his perspective the necessity of a scooter because of his terminal situation and medical frailty is higher on the scale of need. Being overweight from his point of view is minor, in many cases a condition from lack of self care, and therefore Disney should give him the priority. Hes not going to live longer to enjoy a next trip, others will.
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He is being really stubborn and only hurting himself, it is that long trek back to the hotel at night when you need tha scooter the most and also if you don't have a scooter at the hotel it can be long exhausting walk to get to the park to rent one, it sounds to me like it's just his way or no way, he won't listen to logic or reason.
 
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ThistleMae

ThistleMae

Well-Known Member
ninjaprincesst said:
He is being really stubborn and only hurting himself, it is that long trek back to the hotel at night when you need tha scooter the most and also if you don't have a scooter at the hotel it can be long exhausting walk to get to the park to rent one, it sounds to me like it's just his way or no way, he won't listen to logic or reason.
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Whoa, did I miss something here? I thought he was just asking about rentals. Is there an issue with how much or how little he will be using the scooter?
 
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ninjaprincesst

ninjaprincesst

Well-Known Member
DisneyJoe said:
and he wants it reserved/held for him at the parks so it is guaranteed to be there for him
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Yes, and what a logistical , impossible nightmare that would be for Disney, they would have to know well in advance which park you were going to each day, and what if you want to park hop? Are they supposed to keep a scooter set aside at every park just in case?
 
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NickMaio

NickMaio

Well-Known Member
Bryant072461 said:
This is not true!!
Taking the boat is the fastest easiest way to get to the main gate!!!
Only a few steps to the rental facility!!
Once again Disney is not prioritizing a terminally ill person over an overweight one!!!
After over 20 visits to Disney I have found the level of caring to be embarrassing!!!!
I guess asking to reserve a ECV for your last visit is too much!!!
Disney has gone from a family oriented company to a greedy one!!!
Sounds like who this country is going!
Thanks for nothing!!!
I would cancel except that it would take away from my daughters memories!!!
😡
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Try reaching out to WDW and see what they could do - - - - - everyone's circumstances are different - yours are quite special.
Take care
 
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ninjaprincesst

ninjaprincesst

Well-Known Member
homerdance said:
I guess I don't see it much different then a restaurant reservation, charge someone a portion of the rental fee if they are a no show.
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Not the same at all, you have a very expensive, very in demand item, that is sitting there not getting used, and what about park hopping, that would mean 4 scooters being held for 1 person, just not practical at all, and charging a portion of the rental fee for no show is not helpful as you would be losing out on $200 worth of rental fee to have a scooter reserved for one person, it just makes no sense at all.
 
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homerdance

homerdance

Well-Known Member
ninjaprincesst said:
Not the same at all, you have a very expensive, very in demand item, that is sitting there not getting used, and what about park hopping, that would mean 4 scooters being held for 1 person, just not practical at all, and charging a portion of the rental fee for no show is not helpful as you would be losing out on $200 worth of rental fee to have a scooter reserved for one person, it just makes no sense at all.
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Why would they be held at 4 parks? Pretty sure you could select which park. Surely even Disney it could figure that out.
 
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ThistleMae

ThistleMae

Well-Known Member
What is the issue about using it starting and ending at the resort? Is it because of having to get it onto the buses or boats? Getting into the parks can be very long walks from one point to another. Is he really thinking this through?
 
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