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What is the latest you could reserve a scooter for resort delivery? I have asthma and am starting to have some issues that could result in needing one. And how expensive are they to just get one at the park? I think that Epcot and Animal Kingdom may be the most difficult for me.
To get one at the parks is around $50 per day. You can rent them for about half that price from off site companies like Apple Scooters. In fact I think it is about $140 for a week at Apple.
The problem with just renting at the parks is that it is on a first come/first served basis, and they tend to run out quickly, like the first hour the park is open. If you think you will need one, you are better off to go with one from an outside company. Then you are guaranteed to have one.
As far as how far out you need to rent, it depends on when you are going. If you are going during a slower time of the year like says January, you might be able to rent one after you get there. If it is say summer, Christmas, Spring Break, then you need to plan ahead and rent right away.
As far as renting at the parks, we just did this last week for a good friend. The cost is $70/day, but you get $20 back when you return the scooter - so a net $50 fee. The first day, we arrived at MK about noon and had no trouble renting one from the gift shop at the TTC. A couple of days later, we arrived at Epcot about 2pm, and again had no problem getting a scooter for her.
Steve
When you are planning on travelling plays a big role here. Think of in park scooter rentals as ADRs ... they will get reserved quicker during periods of high park attendance. If for any reason you need a scooter to make it around the park that day and it is a day forecast for high crowds, GET THERE EARLY or have a Plan B (like using a wheelchair).
Having had to use ECVs in the park for the past 10 years now due to medical issues, I highly suggest renting offsite. The cost is minimal compared to the in-park units (even though you get your $20 deposit back, it's still a daily $70 hit), you have the unit the entire time you are there and get to know how to use it well, you have it for what can feel like a very long walk from the park exit to your bus stop and then from your resort bus stop to your room. And you have the peace of mind that you will have an ECV (I can't emphasize that enough), as we weren't able to rent one getting to the MK around 10:30 upon returning from a cruise mid-President's Week. Being that it was just me and my tween son (neither of whom had had experience with a wheelchair), we ended up just returning to our room.
So in short, when asking yourself this question, consider when you are travelling, who is in your party to assist you?
DW and I are both disabled, and we each have our own scooters.
Last September, her ECV broke down. We phoned APPLE, and had one delivered to our resort the next AM.
NO PROBLEM!!!
We had a similar experience with Apple last January. We called about noon and when we returned to the hotel at around 3, our scooter was there waiting.Quote:
Originally Posted by PETE FROM NYC
I would plan to rent one for the trip, you'll be surprised how much you'll use it. The distances at Disney are so huge (even just around the rest), that I think you'll be happy to have it, even if you only use it parts of the day.
Also, once you rent from an outside company, the cost is so much more reasonable than getting it from the park, you'll be able to have it longer for the same price.
I don't think you need tons of notice, but the more you can give them, the more likely they are to have exactly what you'd like.
However, I would rent from anyone EXCEPT Apple. Mom used them for our last trip and it was horrible. Basically, the scooter had a malfunction mid-way through the trip and when we contacted Apple they said they would come out and look at it during the evening, but didn't. When we called them the next morning, they said we lied about calling in the first place. It took two more phone calls for someone to finally come and get us sorted out.
here's another advocate for Apple.
They are really awesome.
Last year i was there for a week, and reserved a 4-wheeler. I didn't like like it that much, preferred the 3-wheel. I called and they met me at the gate of Epcot less than 2 hours and switched out the scooters for me. no problem!
Apple has worked wonderfully for me! This past trip. I called Apple as the scooter I rented from Apple developed some issues. Within an hour they met me at the entrance of AK with a new battery. I took off again and in just 10 minutes, the same problem surfaced. I called again and the deliverer was back within 15 minutes offering me the scooter he delivered the battery, even though it would have been a more expensive rental. I can not say enough good things about APPLE! :thumbsup: