Help a Grandma out

[wire0monkey]

My mother, brother, his stepdaughter (age 13), and wife are going to WDW in May.

My mother has severe mobility problems due to a back injury and multiple back surgeries. She has some loss of function in one leg. She can't walk or stand for extended periods of time. She can stand and walk a little, so transferring from the scooter/ecw is not a problem.

She wants to rent a scooter or an electric wheelchair, but has questions:

1. How do you get the scooter/ewc to and from the parks? Can you get it on the bus?

2. If she has the scooter/ecw, does she also need a guest assistance card, or is the scooter/ecw enough?

3. Are there any rides that cannot be accessed using a scooter or ecw?

4. Any other advice?

Thanks!

[MsMin]

Scooters are usually delivered to your resort and waiting for you when you check in. Then you leave them with the resort (we left it w/ the valet at BWV) and they take it from there.
There are some rides that you must transfer from the vehicle. We did not need a GAC b/c w/ the scooter the CM's are aware you need assistance. They allow 4 family members per scooter.
You can take them on the bus but every bus allows only two scooters per bus. I find it easier to avoid the "rush" hours when traveling from a resort by bus. You can also take them on the monorail and boats.
Are you staying at a WDW resort?

[Taja]

Just be aware that WDW may use contract buses at park closing and not all of them are equipped with a lift. I noticed it in December 2007 when I wasn't able to use the stairs in the contract buses and had to wait for a final lift-equipped bus with two ECV-users.

I seriously injured the quadraceps in both legs two days prior to leaving for WDW. I could manage the kneeling buses, but had to use the lifts on all of the others. Boarding the DME bus when departing WDW was quite interesting! *LOL*

[wire0monkey]

Scooters are usually delivered to your resort and waiting for you when you check in. Then you leave them with the resort (we left it w/ the valet at BWV) and they take it from there.
There are some rides that you must transfer from the vehicle. We did not need a GAC b/c w/ the scooter the CM's are aware you need assistance. They allow 4 family members per scooter.
You can take them on the bus but every bus allows only two scooters per bus. I find it easier to avoid the "rush" hours when traveling from a resort by bus. You can also take them on the monorail and boats.
Are you staying at a WDW resort?

They're staying on property at CBR.

I'm confused. Why did you leave your scooter with the valet, if you could take it on the bus?

[Marilyn Michetti]

I think, to answer the above post, (I'm terrible about figuring out how to include quotes), when you check out of the resort, you leave the scooter with the valet. The rental company comes and picks them up.

The valet at SOG was about to take my scooter to the pickup room, when I informed him that it belonged to me.

[Here we go again...]

They're staying on property at CBR.

I'm confused. Why did you leave your scooter with the valet, if you could take it on the bus?

Now that Beth has confused you let me help you...

You pick up the scooter when you arrive at the resort, it will be waiting for you when you arrive.

You can use the scooter to go back and forth to the parks by bus. Each Disney bus is able to load only 2 scooters per bus. When I was there the week of 4th of July I only had to wait for a 2nd bus 1 time.

You can also get on the Monorail with a scooter. When you go up the ramp they will direct you to the car that will accomodate scooters.

You do not need a GAC with a scooter. You will be directed to the alternate entrance if the line is not handicap accessible.

When you check out of the resort you leave the scooter with the valet and they make sure it gets back to the scooter rental company.

I hope this helps.

[TheDuckRocks]

Just to add a little something:
The place that you go to get your scooter upon arrival is the bell services department where the stored luggage is at the moderate resorts.
We have never stayed at a deluxe or a value resort so maybe the valet handles it there.
They will have the key for you and you will be ready to go. The battery charger will be in the basket, remember to charge the battery each evening when you get back to your resort. And you leave it in the room during the day. Tell your mom to turn off the key whenever she is at a stand still and she will not have to worry about if the battery is fully charged during the day. And when you go in anywhere remember to take your key with you, just like you would do with your car. More and more of the rental companies are putting the keys on one of those plastic slinky thingies that go around your wrist.
At the end of your stay just take the scooter back to the same place you picked it up and they will take care of the rest.

[thumperbug]

I would get a GAC even though a scooter is being used. On my last trip in Feb I saw on more then 1 occasion a CM deny handicap access to guests on scooters who did not have a GAC. The reason is that people who do not need the scooters are renting them as a means to get handicap access to rides and what they feel are shorter waits.

You will only need to get a GAC once. It is good for all parks and the CM who issues it will put the dates of your stay on the card. Make sure the CM marks on the GAC that the guest needs to stay on the scooter/wheelchair until boarding the ride or they may make you park it outside. My son had a GAC and needed to stay in his stroller as much as possible but since the card did not state that he could have stroller access I could not bring it to the front of the ride entrance.

[wire0monkey]

Thank you for the advice!