Did Disney invent Segways?

[Imagineer1981]

I seem to remember years and years ago at Innoventions, probably back when it first opened, when they first introduced the Segways. I was younger and don't 100% remember, but I could swear that they said they invented them for use in the parks or partnered with a company for use in the parks? Am I wrong on this? I know that throught Partners Credit Union (Disney's bank) you can get a Segway loan so maybe it is Disney intellectual property?

[Diz-Knee]

No it wasn’t invented by Disney. It was a gentleman by the name of Dean Kamen and it was introduced in 2001. I had to look that up, but I clearly remember the big announcement as the news was all over what the next big thing that was about to be introduced for several days before the announcement.

[Scar]

No it wasn’t invented by Disney. It was a gentleman by the name of Dean Kamen and it was introduced in 2001. I had to look that up, but I clearly remember the big announcement as the news was all over what the next big thing that was about to be introduced for several days before the announcement.
I too remember the hype, but now that I think about it, I think it really was only ABC News (owned by Disney) doing the hyping. I could be wrong, but that is what I seem to remember.

Maybe they had some kind of deal to promote it and get them free? Or, knowing Disney, even make money somehow.

ETA: In fact, now that I think about it, Segway must be paying Disney to do those Epcot Segway Tours.

[Diz-Knee]

I too remember the hype, but now that I think about it, I think it really was only ABC News (owned by Disney) doing the hyping. I could be wrong, but that is what I seem to remember.

That could very likely be the case - I watch a lot of ABC and it does seem like it was Good Morning America that was sharing the announcement. The first segway I remember seeing was at Innoventions too!

[Hull-onian]

No Disney did not invent Segways. It was invented in New Hampshire, my bff son works for them. He said it is a great company. He loves Segway.

[WDWhuny]

I recall, they were about to unveil "it." At the time they had not come up with a name and were just calling the invention the "it". There was great speculation about the next great invention and about how "it" was going to totally change our lives. I believe I saw this interview on "60 minutes." Sadly, the greatly anticipated day of unveiling of the "it" was 9/11/01. Needless to say the unveiling was very anti-clamatic and did not occur on 9/11. I do not know when the name was decided upon nor when the Segway was unveiled. I do believe that had it been released on an uneventful day it may have become much more of a sensation.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

As Hullonian said, it was invented by a guy/company in NH. There is more than one style of them too. A friend of mine worked there before he got sent to Afganistan. He gave me a Segway pin.

[SBETigg]

ETA: In fact, now that I think about it, Segway must be paying Disney to do those Epcot Segway Tours.

I'm not sure how that works, but I do know that a lot of tourist areas and big cities, like San Francisco, offer Segway tours. I never thought Segway sponsored them, but maybe they do.

[Mendelson]

I've had the opportunity to interact with Dean Kamen a few times and he's a very, very nice guy. He's made important contributions to medicine, most notably advancements in dialysis machines and wheelchairs that can climb stairs (using the same gyroscope technology that keeps the Segway up).

He's also the founder of the FIRST robotics competition, aimed to encourage kids to take an interest in engineering....he's just in general concerned with the advancement of mankind and is an incredible person.

The Segway has hardly changed the human experience and it always saddens me a little when people ridicule it as just a fringe item...this in no way lessens Dean's contributions to the world, in spite of the fact that the Segway is what he's most known for and its failure to be widespread is somehow painted as a flop.

And I doubt that DEKA, his company, pays anyone to promote the Segway. The folks giving tours in cities around the country are just entrepreneurs who have bought a bunch of Segways and are looking to lure people who want to tap into the unique experience of riding around a great city on one. Likewise with WDW...I'm sure it's just a way to make money and I'd be surprised if he has a hand in it.

[Imagineer1981]

Thanks for all the info everyone. Disney may not have invented them, but they sure did a great job promoting them

[Melanie]

I remember back in 2001-2002 when the unit my husband was with at the time (he's a Marine) was testing out Segways. This was long before I ever saw them at a Disney park.

[ILoveLegos]

You could also buy them on-line from day one (of availability) at amazon.com!

[SteveL]

Is there still a Segway store in Celebration?

[Mufasa]

On Segway's website there is a case study about Segway use at WDW through Innoventions at Epcot.

It was March 25, 2002 when the Segway exhibit debuted at Innoventions in Epcot.

Later in July through the relationship established between Disney and Segway for the Innoventions exhibit Segway offered a loan program to evaluate Segway use around the resort in eight to ten different business units from food & beverage to maintenance/attractions.

September 2002 saw the first CMs using Segways in regular operations and because of the extensive training program developed at the resort and from guest inquiries, they launched the Segway tours at the resort in February 2004.

These days, all Segway programs at WDW from purchasing, maintenance and training are operated out of Innoventions at Epcot for consistency.

Segway has also offered some of their technology from their Personal Transporter line for businesses and research organizations to use for robotics applications (they call it the RMP- or robotic mobility platform)- for instance, take the Muppet Mobile Labs as an example (although Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker of course claim to invent the technology).

[Imagineer1981]

On Segway's website there is a case study about Segway use at WDW through Innoventions at Epcot.

It was March 25, 2002 when the Segway exhibit debuted at Innoventions in Epcot.

Later in July through the relationship established between Disney and Segway for the Innoventions exhibit Segway offered a loan program to evaluate Segway use around the resort in eight to ten different business units from food & beverage to maintenance/attractions.

September 2002 saw the first CMs using Segways in regular operations and because of the extensive training program developed at the resort and from guest inquiries, they launched the Segway tours at the resort in February 2004.

These days, all Segway programs at WDW from purchasing, maintenance and training are operated out of Innoventions at Epcot for consistency.

Segway has also offered some of their technology from their Personal Transporter line for businesses and research organizations to use for robotics applications (they call it the RMP- or robotic mobility platform)- for instance, take the Muppet Mobile Labs as an example (although Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker of course claim to invent the technology).

great info

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

Just a side note, the security guards at Solomon Pond Mall in Marlborough, MA go tooling around on them.