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!

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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!

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.

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.

Most Orlando mobility scooters rentals for Disney, Universal, Sea World or Kennedy Space Center are too large and heavy and do not easily disasseble or fold-up.  However scooter rental companies that have the latest and greatest technology mobility scooter fleet are providing aluminum frame (which means lightweight yet sturdy) scooters which are engineered to either fold-up or easily disassemble to fit in a car trunk.  Also, if you are going on a cruise, you will absolutely want something lightweight and folds up to save space in your cabin.

These new fleet, advanced technology scooters are renters first choice and therefore get booked first, so make your reservation as far in advance as possible but even if it is last minute, give the company a call to see if they have something for you, reservations do change last minute.

It is a beautiful resort and conference center and is extremely large in size.  At Christmas time they even construct an ice skating rink outdoors and have a huge ice sculpture exhibit where it is so cold you are provided with special coats for viewing the exhibit and the individual ice sculptures are so large that they even have full size, two story slides for children or adults to slide down.

If you are lucky enough to be staying at this fabulous property during your vacation to Disney World, Sea World, Univseral Studios or any of the other numerous Orlando area attractions and need mobility assistance (or would just like to get around without wearing out your feet) a mobility scooter rental is the way to go. 

Mobility scooters, electric wheelchairs, electronic convenience vehicles, ECVs etc. rentals now come in versions that can fit in a car trunk , are tranportable, yet accomodate a weight capacity range of up to 450 pounds.  One that fits into a trunk is imperative for transportation to the theme parks however these type of scooters are in great demand therefore, make your reservation as soon as possible.  The rental company will deliver the scooter directly to the Gaylord Palms at your direction and typically before you arrive and picked up after your departure.

While these accomodations can be as close as 2-3 miles from Disney, you do not have the benefit of Disney transportation.  Visitors staying in Kissimmee usually rent their own car, take a taxi or many of the properties provide transportation to and from Disney.  However this can pose a problem for a person who would like to utilize a mobility scooter a.k.a. electric wheelchair or electronic convenience vehicle (ECV) for their vacation.  Why?  One simple fact, most rental scooters are too heavy and do not easily disassemble for transportation.  But recently new lighterweight, better engineered mobility scooter rentals have become available that can allow a person staying off-property to easily transport.

Make sure you are truly getting a transportable model.  If it easily breaks down and fits in a car trunk you should be able to view your model of choice doing so via the Internet.  What a great thing the Internet is.  If you cannot easily find a video demonstration on a mobility scooter rental company’s website, call and ask how to see one or continue to look for another rental company.  You absolutely will need a lightweight, transportable mobility scooter rental if you are staying in Kissimmee.

Transportable mobility scooters, models that fit into a car trunk, are the creme de la creme of rental models.  But don’t be fooled.  Now that mobility scooter renters know they exist and have made this feature a must-have for their rental, many scooter rental companies are now “claiming” their scooters can fit in trunks.

The easiest way to ensure you are getting the “real deal” is to see a video of the scooter you are going to rent in-action, being assembled, disassembled and ridden around.  Also when viewing these videos you should be shown the actual model fitting into a car trunk, and take notice as to what type of car.

If you have to rent a full size van to fit your scooter into then you may also need to rent a full size weight lifter to get it in there too!  And car rental upgrades are expensive.  You might pay a few dollars more a day to get the latest technology, lightweight, transportable scooter but that is a heck of a lot less than the cost of upgrading to a rental van.

Even if you are planning on staying on property and never leaving, having the flexibility to pop your scooter into a taxi trunk for a trip to a shopping mall, a recommended restaurant, or even around Disney or Universal property so you don’t have to wait for the bus (maybe your running late?)  is an advantage worth having at your disposal.

Ask any experienced owner of a mobility scooter a.k.a. electric wheelchair, electronic convenience vehicle (ECV) and they will tell you that their batteries would never last a full 15 hours or survive forever in very hot or wet weather.  The mobility scooters sold for personal use and the companies that sell them rely on the manufacturers warranty, service and repair.  Rental is a very different beast.

Ensure the mobility scooter rental company has what you would expect (and more) from a vehicle type rental company such as:

• A wide variety of models to choose from
• On-line demonstrations of each model
• On-line ordering capability
• A repair time service commitment
• Long hours of operation that match with theme park hours
• Ability to service you inside a theme park location

You spend a lot of money for your vacation from the entrance fees to theme parks to accomodations and travel, so don’t just rent from the first company you find…or the cheapest.  Ensure you select a top notch mobility scooter rental company because not getting the best scooter out there from a true rental company can ruin your entire vacation.

Whether you are mobility limited or just want to see all that you can, you can rent a mobility scooter a.k.a. eletric wheelchair, electronic convenience vehicle (ECV) in Orlando to assist you in seeing all these places and more.  A mobility scooter can be reserved in advance just like a rental car or hotel room and even better than a car rental, will be delivered to your door whether that is a hotel room, timeshare, private villa direct, or resort.  There are many different models to choose from and can even fit into the trunk of a car or taxi by folding up or easily disassembling.

Make sure you reserve as far in advance as possible because the best scooter models get sold out during peak times (which is most of the time) and ensure the rental company provides commitments on service repair, will come into a theme park for service repair, and has hours of operation that match theme park hours beginning early in the morning til late at night.

• Does the medical equipment rental company have a variety of mobility scooter models available?
• Do they state the weight capacity and run time for each scooter model (how long they will last between charges)?
• Are the mobility scooters easily portable – fold up or easily disassemble for transport in a Car trunk or taxi?
• Does the company’s website provide details such as:
  • operational hours (park open hours are 8 am to 11 pm)
  • service commitment time
• Do they come into the theme parks (Walt Disney World, Universal Florida, SeaWorld) for servicing?
• Is the staff that answer the phones knowledgeable and friendly?
• Do they offer on-line reservations?

And most importantly do they show you detailed videos of the actual scooter models specifically being ridden and folding up or breaking down for transport?Orlando provides entertainment options that make vacation memories that can last a lifetime, make sure you take care in renting your medical equipment mobility scooter rental.

 Any and all public locations must accommodate a mobility scooter also known as an electronic convenience vehicle (ECV).  No matter a person’s fitness and/or mobility level, both conventions and theme parks alike require more miles of walking than even the fittest can comfortably manage.  A mobility scooter rental is just plain smart.  With pricing starting as low as $25 a day to rent a mobility scooter, it doesn’t make sense to not save your energy or get the convenient and fun mobility assistance needed that a mobility scooter can provide.