Buena Vista Scooter Rentals at The Boardwalk -combined thread

[gramto2boys]

Just as a 'heads up' for others...

I reserved (online) an ECV from Buena Vista, for our upcoming WDW vacation during December of 2008. Checked my CC account today (June), and found that they had already charged me for the full cost of the week long rental (c. 6 months in advance of providing service). What an unexpected surprise!

So do not count on only being charged a % 'deposit' at the time you place your reservations. Make certain that you can afford to pay it all up front, as you may be charged the full amount to your CC immediately. I'll be able to cover the charge ok, but it certainly took an unanticipated bite out of my Summer budget!

wait. they took out the hold 500.00 or just the charge for the days you are using it?? OMG I do not even have that much on the card I gave them yet!!!

 

[gramto2boys]

I decided to go with Randys scooter rentals. I did not like the fact Buena vista was a 500.00 hold on my card, plus paying ahead of time. Randys charged me half now and half upon getting the scooter. it was also cheaper.

 

[PegIra]

No one has answered the request about being able to assemble the scooter and transport it in the car, so I was wondering if anyone know of any companies besides Buena Vista who rents scooters you can break apart and transport in the car. I emailed Buena Vista about 4 days ago and have not heard back.

We leave for WDW on the 30th, and was hoping to reserve a scooter we could transport in the car since my husband will have his scooter on the rack on the car.

Thanks for any help,

Peg

 

[SueM in MN]

No one has answered the request about being able to assemble the scooter and transport it in the car, so I was wondering if anyone know of any companies besides Buena Vista who rents scooters you can break apart and transport in the car. I emailed Buena Vista about 4 days ago and have not heard back.

We leave for WDW on the 30th, and was hoping to reserve a scooter we could transport in the car since my husband will have his scooter on the rack on the car.

Thanks for any help,

Peg

If you go to the Buena Vista website, they have a video that shows one of the models they rent being broken down to put in a car trunk. It's the 2nd video on the page.

On their products page, they list the Revo model as being one that can be broken apart for transport. The Celebrity X and Maxima are listed as "not portable". They also have a Jazzy wheelchair; that is not portable and I would not recommend a power wheelchair at WDW for anyone who has not had considerable experience using one.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

All of the companies we have listed in Post #2 of the disABILITIES FAQ will rent out ECVs which may be easily bkoren down to fit in a car.

When I was in California last month I had rented an Impala 4-door sedan and was using a rental Celebrity-X and I had no problem at all fitting it (broken down) into the Impala's trunk.

 

[PegIra]

I do appreciate all the help you all have given. How heavy were the pieces you had to take apart and put in the car? That was my biggest concern. And, was it fairly easy and fast to do?

I checked out Walker Mobility which we used before my husband got his own scooter and they too have scooters that break apart. I thought I would call them tomorrow and talk to them about it.

Right now our life is really crazy. My Dad turned 92 last week, and even though he is healthier than most of us, his dementia is so bad, we had to leave our house and move into his to take care of him (trust me, he would not have come to our house and this is easier all around). I have to arrange for his care now before I can do anything from now on. Since our trip the end of the month is already paid for, our two oldest grandchildren (Danielle 19 and her 17 year old brother Justin) have volunteered to live with Dad while we are gone. Makes me feel really good to have them volunteer without even being asked.

We are so lucky to have the support we do, but I must admit, I am really looking forward to WDW. Wish it was more than 6 nights.

Thanks again for everyone's support, any help is always greatly appreciated.

Peggy

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Most ECVs are designed to come apart easily. Generally you will have the seat, one or two battery packs, the rear wheel and motor assembly, the main assdembly (which is everything else) and for some the basket may be removable and for some there may be a shroud to cover the batteries.

As a general rule, for the "full-size" the largest part weighs about 40 pounds, but is designed with handles to be lifted.

You might want to look at Post #5 in the disABILITIES FAQs for a write-up of disassembling and reassembling one and getting it into and out of a car trunk.

 

[Eeyoreluver]

I just called Buena Vista Scooters and they told me that when I reserve my scooter online, then my CC is charged. I also asked whether they put a $500 hold on my cc and they said no, that Disney does that. I used them last time and I was really okay with them. My scooter ran really slow the first day, I called and they brought me another before we left the resort the next day. They don't look brand new, but they are light and work well. I really like how fast they brought another scooter. I am planning to use them again in September, but I am waiting until a week before I go to reserve. I was really getting worried at first, I feel better now. I can't wait till September!

 

[Iggipolka]

We rented from Buena Vista Scooters for 14 days June 2008 and liked them so much, that we're renting from them again this October!

The scooter was waiting for us at the Wilderness Lodge when we checked in at 6pm and it looked brand new! My wife has never used a scooter before, but due to major knee problems was worried that she wouldn't be able to handle all of the walking around WDW. She quickly learned how to use the scooter (Celebrity X) and was soon zooming much faster than I could walk.

We used Disney Transportation exclusively, so we didn't take it apart to get it into a car at all. However, the BVS guys told us that the Revo is the recommended model if you are planning on disassembling it for your car.

The Disney Bus drivers varied in their interest and expertise in dealing with scooters. One guy just told my wife to stay in the scooter and hold on to the seat belt, instead of securing the scooter to the stabilizing mechanism! We did get his name and called Disney Transportation about that. Other bus drivers said that they could not touch the scooter, except to buckle it in, while some would park it for her. It was totally random.

I bring this up because we did have some damage to the scooter when it was not properly secured on a Disney bus. It turned and slammed into the side of the bus, breaking a tail light. We called BVS and told them about it. They told us not to worry about it and that they would file a claim with Disney Transportation for the damage.

So, we were at WDW in June. What happens every afternoon in the summer in Orlando? It rains. Getting the scooter wet was unavoidable, although we did our best to stay inside during the worst of the rain. However, the rain did cause some minor electrical problems with the scooter, such as it not always turning on, or not responding to a need for increased power. Again, we called BVS and they offered to replace the scooter. Since we were just going to be at WDW for a couple more days, we didn't do that, but it was nice to be offered.

We also got the sunshade and that was a PIA. The Disney Bus drivers hated it as it made it more difficult for them to strap the scooter down. My wife was always catching the side of it on doors and elevator walls. It was great to have in the sun as the June sun is really hot, but we're not going to get it in October. We did call BVS (again, poor guys) and they came out to the resort and tightened it down for us. We didn't even have to meet them. We left the scooter at the bell desk one evening, they came sometime that night and fixed it for us and then we just picked up the scooter in the morning as we were going to the parks.

We left the scooter at the Bell Desk when we had to go home and BVS picked it up later that day.

As I said, we are renting with them again for October. They were so nice, easy going and had great customer service. I highly recommend them.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Okay, I have to ask - are those your fuzzy dice, or did they come with the sunshade?

Thank you very much for the review! That "just hold on to the seatbelt" is an, um, 'interesting' response from the driver. Good for you for reporting it!

 

[Iggipolka]

Okay, I have to ask - are those your fuzzy dice, or did they come with the sunshade?

Thank you very much for the review! That "just hold on to the seatbelt" is an, um, 'interesting' response from the driver. Good for you for reporting it!

Oh ya..forgot to mention about the fuzzy dice. My wife picked those up from the Test Track store. That's just her sense of humor. We got lots of comments about them from CM's and other guests and people seemed to get a kick outta them.

The bus drivers..ya...lack of professionalism was a big problem with many of the bus drivers. I realize that having to strap down a scooter is a hassle for them, but it's all part of the job!

 

[Iggipolka]

I forgot to mention one issue we had with recharging the battery. The battery is a rectangle block, maybe 4"x 12", with long cords on each end, one end plugs into the scooter, the other into the wall. -----|====|------

Ours had a fan that was really really noisy and turned on and off every 5-7 minutes with a bit of a screech. We ended up leaving the scooter in the hallway, right outside our door and plugging it into the wall over night. It was just too loud to have in the room. With the door closed, we couldn't hear it, so we're guessing that no one else on our floor could either. No one complained to us about it and we checked with the front desk and they said it would be ok to do so.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Have any of you rented a wheelchair from this company? It's looking like I'm going to need crutches & a wheelchair for our trip. We leave tomorrow, & I can't get my left shoe on, due to a recent mishap. We're staying at the Dolphin, which would make renting from BVS convenient. Do they usually have wheelchairs on hand, or do I need to call today to see if there's one available? I saw that there's a $500 hold for an ECV, but how much is the hold for a wheelchair? TIA for your help.

 

[LSchrow]

a little late (this is from our late august '08 trip), but wanted to leave a review of our buena vista rental experience.
the rented ECV was not yet at the BWVs when we checked in (about 11AM). we went to spoodles, got our room, & the scooter arrived about 2PM.
around 6, we went to dinner in EPCOT (dad on scooter). afterwards, our family split into 2 groups (dad, DB, & my 2 nephews, then mom, SIL, & self). torrential rain continued in spurts, but became non-stop "sheets" as the park was closing (9PM). i receved a call on my from DB: the scooter had "died". DB & nephews pushed/carried the ECV from future world, through WS, & back to the BWVs (dad hobbled along as best he could with a cane. he fell a few times but was able to get up. unfortunately, he was in quite a bit of pain when he finally did get "home").
what we hadn't noticed in our original excitement, was that the ECV had only a partial charge when delivered. one light was also not working, & the "steering" required massive strength to turn left.
we called buena vista, & (politely) explained what had happened (we know "things happen", & figured they would just apologize & replace it ~ no biggie). instead, the man asked "well, what do you want me to do?!" (this was on a speaker phone ~ no way to put this nicely: he was rude). we explained that we would llike it replaced b/c of the light & turning problem. apparently, he thought we asked for a kidney, b/c he got even more <ahem> "impolite". i asked if we could "trade" for one at the surry bike rental, where they (BV) also rent ECVs. he refused & stated he was busy.
we did get the replacement scooter after telling him that we would dispute the charge with the charge card company.
the new scooter came the following day (note: BW bell services were very pleasant & accomendating with holding the ECV).
summary: we would not rent from them again; there appears to be enough other ECV rental companies who have some knowledge of customer service, with competitive pricing.
the scooter did come apart fairly easily to fit in a minivan . (only one time we had to ask two CMs to help DB b/c the seat was stuck on). we did not use the ECV on a bus.
both ECVs had dents & gouges on the body, & tears in the seats (not a big deal, just not new, by any means).

wish i could give a better review, but hopefully will be able to when we rent from another company next time

 

[mechurchlady]

Note: If your ECV dies in a park just get CMs to have a wheelchair sent to you so you can get to the front gate. They can then arrange for it to be moved or stored or what ever. I feel sorry for the dude having to slip slide out of the park.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

a little late (this is from our late august '08 trip), but wanted to leave a review of our buena vista rental experience.
the rented ECV was not yet at the BWVs when we checked in (about 11AM). we went to spoodles, got our room, & the scooter arrived about 2PM.
around 6, we went to dinner in EPCOT (dad on scooter). afterwards, our family split into 2 groups (dad, DB, & my 2 nephews, then mom, SIL, & self). torrential rain continued in spurts, but became non-stop "sheets" as the park was closing (9PM). i receved a call on my from DB: the scooter had "died". DB & nephews pushed/carried the ECV from future world, through WS, & back to the BWVs (dad hobbled along as best he could with a cane. he fell a few times but was able to get up. unfortunately, he was in quite a bit of pain when he finally did get "home").
what we hadn't noticed in our original excitement, was that the ECV had only a partial charge when delivered. one light was also not working, & the "steering" required massive strength to turn left.
we called buena vista, & (politely) explained what had happened (we know "things happen", & figured they would just apologize & replace it ~ no biggie). instead, the man asked "well, what do you want me to do?!" (this was on a speaker phone ~ no way to put this nicely: he was rude). we explained that we would llike it replaced b/c of the light & turning problem. apparently, he thought we asked for a kidney, b/c he got even more <ahem> "impolite". i asked if we could "trade" for one at the surry bike rental, where they (BV) also rent ECVs. he refused & stated he was busy.
we did get the replacement scooter after telling him that we would dispute the charge with the charge card company.
the new scooter came the following day (note: BW bell services were very pleasant & accomendating with holding the ECV).
summary: we would not rent from them again; there appears to be enough other ECV rental companies who have some knowledge of customer service, with competitive pricing.
the scooter did come apart fairly easily to fit in a minivan . (only one time we had to ask two CMs to help DB b/c the seat was stuck on). we did not use the ECV on a bus.
both ECVs had dents & gouges on the body, & tears in the seats (not a big deal, just not new, by any means).

wish i could give a better review, but hopefully will be able to when we rent from another company next time

I wasn't going to post, but I saw this thread bumped up & read your story. We must have encountered the same guy. In Oct, I hurt my foot the day before our trip & had a hard time getting any type of shoe on & walking was painful. After reading this thread, we called this company about renting a wheelchair. We were told just to call them when we got to the Dolphin. We did & were told noone had time to bring us a wheelchair. If we wanted one, my DH would have to walk to the Boardwalk to get one. No biggie! It wasn't that far. Unfortunately, when he got there they told him they didn't have wheelchairs to rent there. Not only had he been sent to that location, he also saw a wheelchair in the midst of the other rentals. He walked back empty handed & we made do. However, I would never recommend this company to anyone.

 

[PegIra]

Any stories about who you rented from and how good their service and vehicles were would be appreciated. I need a ECV that isn't really heavy and too hard to break down and put back together.

We liked the scooter from Walker in September, but it was a little heavy and well worn too. Just wondering if there is any others we should look into.

Thanks again,

Peg

 

[SueM in MN]

Sorry to hear about the bad experiences.

Every company has some people who just love them and a few who have had such a bad experience that they will never rent from that company again. Overall, most of the companies that are listed in the disABILITIES FAQs thread have had many more good than bad experiences posted.

Seeing the mention of riding through torrential rain makes me think of an important reminder. The steering column on the ECVs should not get wet, so it is very important to protect it from rain. The electronics in there can get damaged by the water, causing the ECV to malfunction or stop working entirely. Some of the companies do a good job of explaining that and even provide a shower cap to put over the more sensitive parts of the controller. Some don't mention it and then people are left with a non-functioning ECV when they use it in the rain.
Another thing to think about when driving in the rain is that the concrete pathways can get slippery and the ECV can loose traction, especially going up and down hills. So if the path is wet, be vey careful, even if the rain has stopped.

 

[Matt'sMom]

Just wanted to post a follow up on our experience with BV Scooters...

I was the one who had been charged in full when I made my initial reservation, c. six months prior to our trip. When we called to cancel, a manager did offer to remove the charge and then re-charge my CC a couple days prior to our actual check-in date... so we went ahead and gave BV a try. Unfortunately, I never did recieve the discount that we were eligible for (which was the whole reason I had chosen to go with BV in the first place).

When we checked in at the Poly, an ECV was ready and waiting for us. However, we immediately noticed that the 'walker carrier', which had been noted on our reservation and promised would be installed, was not on the ECV. Played phone tag with BV over the following couple days trying to get that resolved, but never did (so one of us had to carry the walker along into the parks all week long). No one at BV ever apoligized for the issue, although they admitted the need for a walker carrier had been noted on the ressie. The only option offered us was to leave the ECV with Bell services, and they would see if/when they could get someone over to the Poly to attach a carrier (we were told maybe sometime within the next few days--meaning DF would be without an ECV for all of that time). Seems to me it would have made more sense to offer to meet us somewhere & swap out for a replacement ECV with the carrier already attached.

Anyways, other than the missing carrier, and never getting the discount offer I booked under, our only other issue with the ECV was that the horn did not work. This was an inconveniece due to my DF also having Aphasia--he was not able to alert people if they stepped out in front of him. DF managed quite well though, and had no collisions with anyone at all during our vacation due to his being very careful and being skillful at driving the ECV defensively.

Since the ECV did function well otherwise (never had any issues with holding a charge & getting us through the day), and given the poor communication and customer service we were experiencing from BV, we chose to just keep the ECV that we had. But personally, I doubt I would ever rent from them again... unless their customer service improves dramatically.

 

[mousey]

WE have rented from Buena Vista 4 times with no problems. We stay at Bonnet Creek and the scooter has been waiting for us upon arrival. My husband usually brings some wire ties and secures the battery charger in the basket of the scooter just in case I need a quick charge. These also deter someone from walking off with the charger. We went to the outlet mall one night and I couldn't ride it in one store due to space so I left it outside. Came out to find 3 14yr olds rifling through the basket and trying to take the charger! No problems getting "scootie" into the car. On 3 of the occasions we had an HHR and it has a nice back section to fit it in. When I called this last time (Dec. 08-Christmas week) they said they might not be to accomodate us for the first few days of our trip but they would try and we had no problems--"scootie" was there upon arrival. We plug it in every night in the room so I start the day with a full charge. It also says, Do not get scooter wet--this might explain why they lose power?? I have not had to drive it in the rain so I really don't know what would happen.