Two Scooters, one party

[Mydustydog]

Hi.. I'd like to know of potential issues we would encounter if we have 2 scooters during our stay this year. We are staying at the Riviera in late October. I own my scooter, but my husband, on our last trip, ended up renting one at each park. This turned out to be a big problem a couple of days due to availability of the scooters in the park. To alleviate this if we rent one from an outside vendor for him, I'm wondering what issues we could potentially experience when manuvering around WDW with 2 scooters. I know the busses can load 2 scooters at a time,, but want to know if the Skyliner can handle 2 scooters in each car? Any other issues that we should know about? TIA

 

[SueM in MN]

The busses have 2 tiedown spots for mobility devices like ECVs and wheelchairs. You may need to split up at times if there are other guests ahead of you or if one spot is already full.
The Skyliners can handle one mobility device per car. So, one of you will be about 5 minutes ahead of the other arriving at your destination

 

[Groot]

Carry the charger with you incase your scooter is/has lost power.

 

[bluecruiser]

What type of room are you staying in at Riviera? I've heard the Tower Studio rooms are cramped, so it might be difficult to store and charge two scooters at the same time.

For reference, here's a short video of the Tower Studio:

 

[mamabunny]

What type of room are you staying in at Riviera? I've heard the Tower Studio rooms are cramped, so it might be difficult to store and charge two scooters at the same time.

For reference, here's a short video of the Tower Studio:

Given that we have regulars here who routinely park 2 ECVs in a room at POP, there should be no trouble with any room at Riviera.

OP: try to remember that rolling side-by-side will possibly impede foot traffic behind you, and will undoubtedly upset some of the other Guests who are ambulatory. (It can be frustrating to feel like there is a giant blockade in front of you, if you happen to be someone who walks a bit faster than most folks) Try to roll single file unless you happen to hit a really clear patch of ground.

 

[Mydustydog]

Fortunately this is not my first go round with scooters, but thanks for all the "tips". I've been travelling with my personal scooter for several years now and have no issues with parking it, loading it onto vehicles, what rooms I can and can't fit it in, charging, and scooter etiquette in the parks. I'm good on all that. We are DVC members and annual passholders so we are very familiar with the "world". My question was mostly about transportation around WDW when there are 2 scooters travelling together.

 

[olwyngdh]

Fortunately this is not my first go round with scooters, but thanks for all the "tips". I've been travelling with my personal scooter for several years now and have no issues with parking it, loading it onto vehicles, what rooms I can and can't fit it in, charging, and scooter etiquette in the parks. I'm good on all that. We are DVC members and annual passholders so we are very familiar with the "world". My question was mostly about transportation around WDW when there are 2 scooters travelling together.

If you have done Riviera with a scooter before you may know the answer to this better than I do, but I thought the Riviera skyliner station doesn't have the ability to stop so you may have to go to CB to ride that. Doing Pop with two scooters is easy with the skyliner, one of us is just a few minutes behind the other and be both get that short period of absolute silence.

 

[lanejudy]

I thought the Riviera skyliner station doesn't have the ability to stop so you may have to go to CB to ride that.

It's true that the Skyliner does not have a pull-off section to completely stop the gondolas at Riviera. However the entire Skyliner slows to a crawl moving through that station, slow enough for ECVs to board.

 

[olwyngdh]

It's true that the Skyliner does not have a pull-off section to completely stop the gondolas at Riviera. However the entire Skyliner slows to a crawl moving through that station, slow enough for ECVs to board.

That is awesome! Next time we go for breakfast we can ride the skyliner instead of driving and getting lost in a cast only area!

 

[Mydustydog]

t's true that the Skyliner does not have a pull-off section to completely stop the gondolas at Riviera. However the entire Skyliner slows to a crawl moving through that station, slow enough for ECVs to board.

Thank you lanejudy, and olwyngdh! This is exactly the type of information I'm looking for! We aren't sure what we are going to do, but given that it will be soon after the big 50th celebration I'm thinking park rental scooters will be hard to come by and renting one for him from an outside vendor is the way to go.. Thanks again!!

 

[ttintagel]

If it’s of any help, we had no trouble getting two ECVs on the EPCOT Friendship Boats and the boats that go between Saratoga Springs, Port Orleans, and Disney Springs.

 

[DisneyOma]

It's true that the Skyliner does not have a pull-off section to completely stop the gondolas at Riviera. However the entire Skyliner slows to a crawl moving through that station, slow enough for ECVs to board.

And when we were there last month it frequently stopped as well. I assumed the stops were for loading/unloading guests on scooters and in wheelchairs. Doesn't the CM have to put the wheel blocks in place?

 

[SueM in MN]

And when we were there last month it frequently stopped as well. I assumed the stops were for loading/unloading guests on scooters and in wheelchairs. Doesn't the CM have to put the wheel blocks in place?

I don’t know about scooters, but as far as I know, they were only using blocks in the beginning and now just tell the driver to turn it off.
We‘ve been on the Skyway multiple times since it opened. The very first time we rode, the CM put blocks under DD’s wheelchair tires. The CM have mostly asked since then if the wheelchair has brakes (it does), but never did wheel blocks after.

 

[DisneyOma]

I don’t know about scooters, but as far as I know, they were only using blocks in the beginning and now just tell the driver to turn it off.
We‘ve been on the Skyway multiple times since it opened. The very first time we rode, the CM put blocks under DD’s wheelchair tires. The CM have mostly asked since then if the wheelchair has brakes (it does), but never did wheel blocks after.

I can how wheelchairs probably don't need blocks if they have the brakes on, but I'm thinking if someone on a scooter accidently rammed the doors of the gondola there could be a problem? So I'm hoping they still have the blocks in place for scooters!

 

[SueM in MN]

I can how wheelchairs probably don't need blocks if they have the brakes on, but I'm thinking if someone on a scooter accidently rammed the doors of the gondola there could be a problem? So I'm hoping they still have the blocks in place for scooters!

ECVs and power wheelchairs can‘t move unless they are turned on AND the throttle or joystick is activated. So, as long as they are turned off, they don’t need blocks.

They have electromagnetic brakes which are ON all the time unless the throttle or joystick is being activated. When driving an ECV or power wheelchair, if you let go of the throttle/joystick, it stops (’deadman’s switch’).
ECVs and power wheelchairs are braked when turned off because there is no power going to the wheels. The only way to move them when they are turned off is to disengage the motor (also called putting it into ‘freewheel).

There are some manual wheelchair users who don’t have any brakes on their chairs - the main reason some manual chair users opt to omit brakes is fear of jamming their thumbs against them when propelling their chair.

 

[DisneyOma]

ECVs and power wheelchairs can‘t move unless they are turned on AND the throttle or joystick is activated. So, as long as they are turned off, they don’t need blocks.

They have electromagnetic brakes which are ON all the time unless the throttle or joystick is being activated. When driving an ECV or power wheelchair, if you let go of the throttle/joystick, it stops (’deadman’s switch’).
ECVs and power wheelchairs are braked when turned off because there is no power going to the wheels. The only way to move them when they are turned off is to disengage the motor (also called putting it into ‘freewheel).

There are some manual wheelchair users who don’t have any brakes on their chairs - the main reason some manual chair users opt to omit brakes is fear of jamming their thumbs against them when propelling their chair.

But all that fancy brake stuff doesn't stop the inexperienced ECV driver from running people over (daughter and her friend saw a horrific accident while waiting for a parade a few years ago) so I can see an inexperienced driver having issues on the Skyliner as well.

 

[Bjkandma]

Just came back August 27th with scooter. CM definitely used blocks behind my scooter each and every time I rode the skyliner.

 

[SueM in MN]

But all that fancy brake stuff doesn't stop the inexperienced ECV driver from running people over (daughter and her friend saw a horrific accident while waiting for a parade a few years ago) so I can see an inexperienced driver having issues on the Skyliner as well.

if it’s turned off, it’s not going anywhere. I have heard the CMs tell people to turn the ECV to off after they pull into the Skyliner.
The biggest issue with inexperienced drivers is speed. If they stayed in turtle speed, they would do much better

 

[wfjny]

Been to WDW several times with two rented scooters (one for MiL, one for FiL).

As others have posted, room on transportation can be an issue. Since both my in-laws could walk for some limited distance, there were may times at the end of the evening when the bus would only have one available spot, I would send them ahead in a bus with my FiL and his scooter, and I would wait with the other scooter and follow up on the next available bus.

The point about side by side travel can also be an issue on some of the narrower paths. Almost have to get a scooter out of the stream at the Poly. Some rides can be difficult if the user cannot transfer.

Also, we had an issue with a scooter while loading on the monorail once. My MiL was not that great at working the controls, and they put her into a door that already had a stroller. She panicked, hit the stroller. Not fast, not hard, just the wheel, but she panicked, and the child's father was upset. Yeah. made for a great monorail ride.

One thing to keep in mind, probably with even one scooter, it does change some of your options. We arrived at a bus a couple of years ago with five wheelchair/scooter users in front of us. Knowing what your transportation choices are can be helpful. While Uber may not be an option, I did take a bus to another hotel first, then switch to the monorail to get my MiL's scooter back one night.

We also had a couple of key mix-ups. Both scooters were the same model and looked identical.

 

[Mydustydog]

Been to WDW several times with two rented scooters (one for MiL, one for FiL).

As others have posted, room on transportation can be an issue. Since both my in-laws could walk for some limited distance, there were may times at the end of the evening when the bus would only have one available spot, I would send them ahead in a bus with my FiL and his scooter, and I would wait with the other scooter and follow up on the next available bus.

The point about side by side travel can also be an issue on some of the narrower paths. Almost have to get a scooter out of the stream at the Poly. Some rides can be difficult if the user cannot transfer.

Also, we had an issue with a scooter while loading on the monorail once. My MiL was not that great at working the controls, and they put her into a door that already had a stroller. She panicked, hit the stroller. Not fast, not hard, just the wheel, but she panicked, and the child's father was upset. Yeah. made for a great monorail ride.

One thing to keep in mind, probably with even one scooter, it does change some of your options. We arrived at a bus a couple of years ago with five wheelchair/scooter users in front of us. Knowing what your transportation choices are can be helpful. While Uber may not be an option, I did take a bus to another hotel first, then switch to the monorail to get my MiL's scooter back one night.

We also had a couple of key mix-ups. Both scooters were the same model and looked identical.

Thanks for the insight. So far after several years using my scooter I haven't run into anyone, only banged a couple of posts on ride queues, LOL! The tip about using "turtle speed" is a valid one, and will make the scooter user way more successful and safer. For me, it's white knuckle time when getting off of the transportation boats at Disney Springs. I find that the ramps are tight and the pier landing area not spacious.