In this day and age of needing to save energy, each and every one of us wants to do what we can to contribute to not only saving energy (and our dependence on foreign oil) but saving our planet for our children and grandchildren.

While never discussed, everyone that utilizes a mobility scooter (which runs on battery power) can do their part and make a significant difference.

Mobility scooters utilize batteries that must be charged overnight for use again the next day.  By selecting the newest technology, lightweight, innovative designed mobility scooters for your Walt Disney World, Universal, and/or Sea World Orlando rental you can get a full size scooter and also be environmentally friendly and “green” too!

Scooters that weight 150 to 200 plus pounds translates into needing and using more battery power and correspondingly more electricity every night to charge those bigger batteries.  New, advance designed scooters that are lightweight require much less battery power and the less weight the scooters have to move, which includes it’s own weight, the smaller the battery power required and the less battery power the less amount of time and energy/electricity it takes to charge each night. Translation, being “green” and environmentally friendly.

When on vacation the last thing you really want to concern yourself with is your “carbon footprint” and energy savings but there are still simple things we all can do and consider.  Turning off the lights in our rooms before we leave them and not leaving a window or balcony door open with air-conditioning on are easy to do on vacation as we all most-likely do those things at home already.  And another easy thing you can do when preparing, researching and making your reservations for your Walt Disney World, Universal, or Sea World Orlando mobility scooter rental is ensuring you are selecting an advanced designed, lightest-weight, mobility scooter which you feel will be the best for our planet.

Look for the Best-In-Class environmentally friendly “green” scooters and do your part even while on vacation!

Do you feel like someone who is going to Disney with you needs a mobility scooter for the vacation but can’t convince them?  Here are some facts to help you convince them:

• It is estimated that the average miles of walking a day at Disney World is 13 miles, yes 13 miles.
• Disney resorts are huge!  It can be a 15 minute walk just to get to the buses to get to a theme park.
• All Orlando resorts are huge ranging upwards to 20,000 rooms!
• the average temperature in Jan is 72 degrees, nice, but anywhere starting in April through October you can be in the high 80’s or 90’s with 100% humidity!

There is no shame in utilizing a mobility scooter for a Disney World, Sea World, Universal Florida Orlando Vacation.  The best thing to do is to arrange to have one delivered to your hotel, resort, timeshare, or private home and be able to use it anywhere, anytime.  Prices start as low as $25 a day and there are both scooters that can fit in a car trunk if you are commuting to the theme parks or specialty models that can only be transported via buses such as the Disney on-property transportation.

The scooter no longer look like they are for old-people and invalids.  There are now models which are sporty looking and not so bulky and the 3-wheeled version are best for maneuverability and speed.

When renting a mobility scooter, if you are not sure that the fleet of scooters your rental company is renting are ALL newer models, new technology scooters, that fully charge quickly (around 5 hours) you might want to confirm something as simple as the size of the battery charger.  The battery charger is what you use to plug in your scooter at night to re-charge the batteries. Some of the older fleet rental scooters have chargers the size of car batteries!  Yes, car batteries.  You might have seen one and not even known what you saw… unfortunately they have been seen frequently on Walt Disney World rental mobility scooters from external rental companies that are using older scooters in their fleet and the riders have to carry around their “car-size” rental battery charger even with them while in the park which only leads you to believe the battery life of the scooter to begin with may not have been enough for a full day without plugging in or since these are older scooters and chargers, they take a LONG time to fully re-charge and the rider was not able to get a full-charge in overnight and therefore had to take their charger with them.  Ask the right questions, make sure you get a newer scooter, new technology, and a guaranteed quick-charge, small (smaller than a brick and much lighter weight) battery charger.

There are several times a year that are peak scooter (mobility scooter, electric wheelchair, electronic convenience vehicle, ECV) rental times and therefore you should reserve your scooter as far in advance as possible to get your choice of scooter type and company:

• February around President’s Day weekend
• March-April for spring break
• May Memorial Day and school summer vacations begin
• June & July for summer family vacations
• August until school resumes
• October & November
• December from the second week through the first week in January

During these peak times scooters get sold out everywhere…from external companies as well as on-site at the theme parks.  Most external companies provide a cancellation policy of 48 hours without penalty, so it is best to go ahead and reserve in advance and cancel if you need to at the last minute.  This way you ENSURE you get the best scooter, one that fits your individual needs and preferences and you can get it from the company of your choice, with a large fleet and many model choices and excellent service commitments such as:

• Long operating hours – should open early in the morning, prior to theme park opening and till park closing

• Service commitment guaranty for maintenance, repair and/or replacement of 2-4 hours

• Ability to service you inside a theme park (not make you come to them)
• A variety of scooter models, just in case you find the one you selected does not meet your needs

Don’t be one of the many that think about it, try to go without one and then ruin your vacation because you decide at the last minute you really would like to rent a scooter for Disney touring but now they are all sold-out.  If you do find yourself in this last minute situation and have to settle for what might be left to rent, do your best to find out:

• how old the scooter is,
• how large the battery charger is,
• what condition the seat is in and is it cloth (they get wet and then you are stuck with a wet seat the whole time) or vinyl, and so forth.

Unfortunately during peak busy times many rental companies pull out their old units that should be retired just to have something to rent to you.  While you may have to settle for one, do your best to find the best from what is left.

There are several external companies that rent mobility scooters a.k.a. electric wheelchairs, electronic convenience vehicles, ECVs for use at Walt Disney World.  Here is a quick reference of tips for deciding which type of scooter to select and which company to rent from:

• Select a company that has several models to choose from.  Everyone is not the same size, so just like a shoe, different people need different sizes and fit.
• Most rental companies only offer one or two different models.  This makes it easier for them! Less parts to keep in stock for repair, less training and knowledge needed for the staff for maintenance and repair.
• If a company touts that they have been in business 10, 20 + etc. years, you will want to make sure the scooter they are renting you is NOT THAT OLD!  Older rental scooters have been seen at Disney World with the renter carrying with them a charger the size of a car battery!
• Make sure their website has plenty of pictures and videos of the scooter models they rent. Nothing is better than a video of the actual models both being ridden around and if they are transportable, videos showing you how they disassemble and reassemble.
• Do you need to transport your scooter?  If you will be transporting in a car, once again make sure you see a video of how it fits into a car and make SURE the car is truly a car and not a MINI VAN with the entire back area folded down and check the total weight of the scooter!
• If you are staying on property, you may want to select one of the new specialty on-property models with the larger wheels and big luxury seat which equates to a much more comfortable ride. However, if there is a chance that you might want to take a taxi to a local shopping area or a restaurant off-site, still consider a transportable model that will fit in a taxi trunk but make sure it is truly lightweight and transportable.  Most all mobility companies are now stating their scooters are transportable but forget to mention that they weigh 100-200+ pounds!
• Ensure the scooter has a quick charge capacity and charges from flat in about 5 hours.  Once again this capability is an additional cost to the scooter rental company but imperative to you the renter.   Many times you will get in late from a day at the parks and might only have a few hours between coming home at night and going back first thing in the morning.  You want to make sure the scooter you rented has the latest technology and that includes the capability for quick charging.

Lastly, make your reservations as early as possible to ensure you can get the scooter model and type that best suits your needs.  You typically can cancel up to 48 hours before arrival without penalty so, if your vacation plans change you can adjust or cancel your reservation if need be.

If you have a scooter of your own, or have rented before elsewhere, you probably know what to consider for your Orlando scooter rental.  However for those of you who don’t own one or have never rented a scooter in Orlando, here are the top items to consider:

1. Make sure you don’t have to put up with a wet seat!  Florida is hot and summer season is rainy season.  Make sure your rental scooter has a water repellant, vinyl, seat.  Many scooters that are rented have the less expensive cloth seats and while they are sold as more comfortable in the heat, reality is you cannot wipe them dry when caught in one of the afternoon thunderstorms that rolls through (and cools things off a bit) and you end up sitting on a wet seat.  Ick.
2. Ensure you have enough battery power!  Scooters are built by manufacturers for individual’s, not rental companies and an individual using it for their personal use aren’t driving around huge area’s for 12 plus hour days. If you start out at 8 am to get to the theme parks by typical opening time of 9 am and go till a midnight closing, that is 15 hours of battery power needed.  Make sure the rental company quotes battery usage time.
3. Size does matter!  The older technology scooters are all very heavy, about 200 pounds.  The heavier the scooter, the larger the batteries needed, the more weight the scooter has to move (person and batteries) which all contributes to making the scooter heavier – it is a vicious cycle.  Older technology, lighter weight scooters which were built with transportability in mind are small, really small.  No extra foot room and if you are larger in height or statue you look like a giant riding on a kids tricycle.  New technology scooters provide room, usually more leg/floor room than the older, heavier scooters and are lightweight.
4. Don’t get roped into the sunshade canopy.  Florida is sunny, theme park paths go in all directions: north, south, east & west.  It is estimated that a sunshade canopy will provide shade less than 5% of the time which is not worth the problems they can pose and they do not protect you from the rain. Issues include when going indoors such as the great theme park shops, the canopies tend to get caught on items higher up on shelves and clothing racks. Imagine Mickey hats raining down around your ears (pun intended:)).
5. Using your scooter basket.  All scooters come with baskets.  All older versions have them on the front which many people like but when they are on the front they have to be smaller.  Newer technology versions have them on the back and can optionally put one on the front if you so desire.   If you aren’t sure about basket placement for the rental you are considering, call and ask and if you want it on the back versus front or vice versa, or want the to have both, just call and ensure the company you rent a scooter from in Orlando will accommodate your request. Recommendation:  Ask for both and therefore you have your choice!

Most importantly, make sure the orlando scooter rental company has detailed descriptions and videos of the actual scooter model you are going to rent on their website.  Watch the video and make sure that is the best model for you!

Mobility Scooters are engineered and also submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to get it’s 510(k) rating.  To ensure you are renting your mobility scooter for your Orlando vacation and use at Walt Disney World, Universal, Sea World or any of the area attractions or resorts from a reputable source, it is advisable to ensure the rental company is adhering to the manufacturers maximum weight capacity for the model of the scooters they rent. This in particular applies to the higher weight capacity scooters, above 450 pounds.  It is recommended that you check with the scooter rental company to confirm the scooter model you will be renting and then check the manufacturers website to ensure the weight capacity maximum represented by the renting company is accurate.

The best way to get mobility assistance for your Disney World, Orlando vacation is an Orlando scooter rental.  With all the distances to cover, from your hotel, resort or timeshare accommodations to Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Florida, Sea World Orlando, Cypress Gardens or Kennedy Space Center, everyone could use an Orlando scooter rental to get the most enjoyment out of their vacation time and dollars spent.  Scooter Vacations company’s Orlando scooter rentals are welcomed at all public venues.  There are four models to choose from providing for riding weight capacity of up to 450 pounds with 15 hours of daily battery power between nightly charges.  Scoot around with an Orlando scooter rental.  Reserve in advance, either on-line or via the telephone, pick the scooter that best fits your needs and all scooters come with either front or rear baskets and some with both if you request it.  Have your Orlando scooter rental delivered to your hotel and you can either ride right onto boats, buses, and monorails or easily place it in a compact car size or tax trunk for transportation to your location of choice.

As you may imagine, or already know, the parking lots and common areas you have to transit before actually going through the ticket gates into Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom are quite a long distance.  If you are travelling by car and have a handicap sign, bring it with you so you can park in the handicap lot.  The handicap lot has a location where you can get, if any are there, wheelchairs that you can use at no charge to get someone to the ticket gate.  However, even if you can get one to use, you need to be aware that the handicap parking lot requires you to travel down and back up an incline that is the walkway underneath a road bridge overhead and if you decide to take the monorail, you have an approximately two story incline up to the monorail platform.  And once you get off the monorail you have another decline back down to the entry area and another slight incline back up to the security checkpoint and ticket gate entrance.  From this author’s experience even pushing a 3 year old this distance up an down in a stroller is taxing.

If you want to avoid the up and down to and from the monorail to get to the Magic Kingdom you can:

• Take the ferry boat instead of the monorail.  You may have to wait longer but can avoid the taxing up and downs.
• Stay at a Disney on-site hotel where you can either walk or boat over (The Contemporary, Grand Floridian or The Polynesian) or any other Disney property that has bus service which drops you off at the Magic Kingdom entrance level.

The good news is right inside the ticket gates is the Magic Kingdom wheelchair and scooter rental area but make sure you get there bright an early as during peak periods they sell out first thing and have long wait times to even get one.  As of this article writing date, scooter rental is $65 a day (approximately $5 refundable amount included for key).

A better alternative if you know you or someone in your party will need walking assistance is to arrange for an Orlando scooter rental for your use during your visit.  Whether you are staying on-property or off, there are transportable mobility scooters that are full-size, lightweight and can fold-up or easily disassemble and fit in a car trunk.  And even if you are staying on-property you can benefit by having a scooter you can use both in the theme parks as well as at your resort and getting to and from the parks.

Make sure you reserve a scooter as far in advance as possible to ensure you get the model that best suits your needs and select a company that has a wide variety to choose from and provides video overviews of each of their models so you know exactly what you will be getting.

Should I get my Disney scooter rental at the theme parks daily or use a scooter vacation rental company?  What is the difference?  A Disney scooter rental, scooter vacation, company delivers the scooter to your accommodations whether it be a hotel, villa, timeshare etc.  You then have use of the scooter during your entire vacation stay, not just at the theme parks and you can use your scooter to get to and from parking lots and Disney transportation as well as around the resort.  You will take it in your room at night and charge it up for the next day usage.  The scooter can be ridden directly on to Disney transportation such as the boats, buses and monorails and if you are staying off property the scooters can be easily placed in a car or taxi trunk for transporting.  The other option is to rent at the theme park when you get there each day.  The rental location inside each park is at the front of the park where they also rent strollers.  They usually have wheelchairs near the handicap parking lot to the entrance (if there are any there available, you are free to use them but not guaranteed) and then once you get to the gates you walk through and then can rent a scooter.  Please keep in mind they do have a limited amount of scooters for rent each day and they do get sold out.  So you are not guaranteed to be able to rent one.  Get there early for the best shot at renting one.  They are four wheeled models that are specially designed to go at about walking speed.  They do have a basket but you are limited to only one authorized rider per scooter and not allowed to have a young one hop on your lap while riding.  If you plan on park hopping, going to multiple parks in the same day, you must return the Disney scooter rental from the theme park before exiting each theme park and then, if available, can pick up another one at the next theme park on the same day.  You won’t be able to use Disney scooter rentals from the theme parks to get to and from parking lots or transportation and to the next theme park.  But be sure to keep your receipt for your daily theme park Disney scooter rental because if there is a scooter available at your next theme park on the same day, you should not be charged again.

Rentals have tripled from just 12 months ago.  More and more last minute calls are coming in for scooter rentals.  Walt Disney World has raised their prices for a daily in-park scooter rental to $65 a day (includes key deposit that you get back) and reports from customers are they are still running out first thing in the morning.  So if you are planning to rent a scooter at the park you either need to get to Disney first thing and get in line at the park you are visiting or renting a scooter like you might do a car and using it at your hotel or resort, all the theme parks including getting to and from either your car or buses, monorail, boats etc.If you do decide to rent your own scooter to use during your visit you need to consider if you are staying on-property or off.  If you are off-property, make sure you rent one of the newer advanced technology scooters that are aluminum frames which make them roomy yet full-size and light enough to fold-up or easily disassemble and will fit in a car trunk.  If you are staying on-property, consider whether you might ever want to take your scooter to a different location such as a mall, another theme park, a restaurant or perhaps decide to use a car, taxi or shuttle service rather than waiting for on-property transportation (maybe your running late and would like to just get there sooner by car or taxi).   If you MIGHT want to use alternative transportation and take your scooter with you, go for a transportable model, but if not, consider a fun specially outfitted on-property model.All the Orlando rental companies have websites and you should look for one that is the most informative, has long telephone/office service hours, commits to repair and replacement, will service you inside a theme park and finally offers detailed video clips of each model so you can make the best informed decision.

If you have been to Florida in the summer then you know it is the rainy season. Typically it is a welcome relief in the late afternoon where thunderstorms will pass through the area for 20-30 minutes and drop the temperature to the 70’s, making for a bit cooler evening.  So don’t think of it as a intrusion on your vacation, instead watch the skies and plan around it.  For instance. try to hit one of the many indoor, covered shows at a park or pick a great store to shop in for your souvenirs, or a restaurant or snack place for afternoon refreshments. Rarely does it rain all through the evening.  But how does this affect your mobility scooter rental, electronic convenience vehicle (ECV)? Mobility scooters manufacturers design to government ADA (American Disabilities Act) standards and more importantly requirements for those getting insurance or government medical assistance purchase assistance.  Believe it or not, for a person to qualify for monetary assistance in a purchase of a mobility scooter, a doctor has to confirm it is medically necessary for the mobility scooter to be needed for getting around inside their own home!  And guess what, it doesn’t rain inside their home! The point is, it is best to either be under cover during a heavy downpour or get one of those nice big rain ponchos which is usually big enough to fit over you and the front of your scooter where the driving mechanism is. This will keep both the driving mechanism, the seat and you from getting wet! And also don’t forget that Orlando scooter rental models that have vinyl seats are best, due to the rain.  Once the cloth seat versions (which are typically less expensive for the rental company to purchase and require less maintenance) get wet, it can take up to several days in the hot sun for it to dry out.  And believe me there is nothing worse than sitting on a wet seat all day!

There is a new sheriff in town and he’s a Dream!  A Dream of a scooter that is and named appropriately the same.  No longer are the same stuffy medical-looking mobility scooters your only choice for those staying on-property!  And while it is larger than life, in size and in attitude, it does indeed fit on all the Walt Disney World buses, the monorail & boats, anything that accommodates your typical medical-looking mobility scooter.Introduced in June 2008, it is now a weekly sell out and while it handles a weight capacity of up to 500 lbs, has the largest and most luxurious seat of any mobility scooter, (rivaling a luxury automobile)  and big wheels for the smoothest ride and great maneuverability, customers of all sizes are loving it.So what’s the drawback you ask?  You gotta love the attention and comments you will draw (cool scooter man!) and you must be staying on-property (this baby WON’T fit in a compact car size trunk – sorry).

What are my options for Walt Disney World scooters for rent?  There are two options:

1. Rent a scooter inside the Disney World theme park you are visiting on a daily basis or
2. Rent a scooter from an external mobility scooter, electronic convenience vehicle, ECV, electric wheelchair, company

Following is a few things to think about to help make your decision.

• Can the person walk enough to get inside the park?  This may include getting from their hotel to a bus, from a bus to just inside the park where you can rent a scooter.  If coming by car, walking from the parking lot to the park entrance or to a tram, monorail etc.  (In the handicap parking lots, Disney does provide wheelchairs for use in the lot on an as available basis but you must relinquish them before you get to the park entrance or transportation area.)  If the answer is yes they can walk that far, then you might consider daily rentals from the park, if it is no, you should consider renting a scooter from an external company so you can use it to also get to and from the park.
• Is it imperative that the person has a scooter for touring the park? During busy times the park scooters do get sold out and they are rented on a first come first serve basis.  If you absolutely have to have a scooter the only way to guaranty you will have one for your use would be to arrange to rent one from an external company where you can order your rental as far out as 1 year.  The external rental companies typically have a 48 hour cancellation policy, so you can make a reservation in advance and cancel at the last minute if your plans change.
• Would the scooter rider benefit from having a scooter to get around at their hotel or resort?  External Orlando scooter rental companies deliver scooters to your hotel so you can use them not only to get to and while at the parks, but also around the hotel, which most of them are quite large!
• Are you staying on or off-property?  If on-property, you should consider whether you will always be on-property or if you might want to take a car or taxi to somewhere off-property such as a shopping mall or restaurant etc.  If you might want to go off-property, make sure you rent a truly lightweight and transportable scooter that will fit in a car/taxi trunk.  If you are staying on-property, you can still rent one of the sportier, luxury transportable models or one of the new specialty on-property models that have the new large luxury seats, dual baskets and large wheels for the smoothest ride ever!

When renting from an external company make sure they:

• have a wide variety of scooter types to choose from
• provide details and videos of the actual model you want to rent
• operate 7 days a week, including (especially) holidays
• their hours of operation match park operating hours to ensure they will be available to support you should you have a question or issue from early morning to late night
• provide a time guaranty for repair or replacement, if needed
• will come into the park to provide service or support
• have an on-line ordering process insurance coverage C-O-M-O-D-O SSL SECURE certificate. This certificate provides coverage for you the renter, when placing your on-line reservation.  If they have this C-O-M-O-D-O certificate a logo should be displayed on the order page.  You should be able to click on the Certificate logo to find out if they have truly provided insurance coverage for you and the amount.  Check for it before you begin entering any information! Make sure your scooter rental company cares about and has taken steps to help protect your information.

For those guests with disabilities and who may be using a mobility scooter, wheelchair, electric wheelchair, ECV, electronic convenience vehicle at Walt Disney World theme parks you can stop by any Guest Relations facility and get a “Guest Assistance Card”.  They provide you with a card that “will alert our Cast Members to provide the assistance you have requested where applicable.”  You may then “present this card to the greeter or first host or hostess you come in contact with at each attraction.”  Guest Relations will stamp the card with a universal handicap sign that states “GUESTS MAY ENTER ATTRACTIONS THROUGH THE STANDARD WHEELCHAIR ENTRANCE.”  The card is valid for use at attraction locations in the Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme parks.   Some attractions have alternate entrances for Guests with disabilities.  These are intended to offer Guests using wheelchairs or with service animals a more convenient entrance to the attraction.  Guests with disabilities and up to five members of their party may enter through these entrances.  To ensure you get the best scooter for your needs, reserve your Orlando scooter as far in advance as possible.  With a liberal cancellation policy of 48 hours before arrival, there is no reason not ensure you will have what you need, when you need it.  The scooter will be delivered to hotel, resort etc. or you can arrange a meet and greet at the airport to take delivery.  Scooter Vacations has four models to choose from and all provide 15 hours of daily battery power to ensure you can spend a full day at the theme parks.