Disney Dining Blog: Scooters at Walt Disney World

Disney Dining Blog: Scooters at Walt Disney World

Recently I wrote a piece here at Disney Dining that listed ten behaviors that people should avoid while at Walt Disney World. I read several of the comments on that article and was surprised to see how many people mentioned scooters. What was interesting to me was that scooters were never once mentioned in what I wrote. I was surprised by how passionate some people are about the subject. I honestly do not know all that much about the WDW policies on scooters, rides, and transportation, but I do know that scooters are everywhere. Scooters are a moneymaker. Not only does Disney rent them out to guests, there are several local companies that advertise scooter rentals. Whether you like it or not, encounters with scooters will be a part of your Disney vacation.

If you’re going to use a scooter while at Disney, please make sure that you are comfortable driving it before you go anywhere. Practice backing up and making turns. I’ve lost count of the number of times that I have been hit by someone on a scooter. Almost every time it has been by someone who did not have control while backing up or turning. Sometimes I was then told something along the lines of, “I’m sorry, I haven’t figured this thing out yet.” Give other people room when you are in a park and on a scooter. Realize that the you have the potential to hurt someone, so just be careful. If you do hit someone, make sure that he or she is okay and apologize. And if you and your party are given special privileges because of the scooter, please do not abuse them.

If you’re not on a scooter, don’t judge. Don’t automatically assume that someone is healthy and rented a scooter to cut in line. I knew a healthy-looking high school student several years ago with a severe heart defect. Most of the time she could only walk for a few feet. She often used a scooter. The same heart defect ended her life too early. My point is that you don’t know why someone is using a scooter, so don’t jump to conclusions.

Another thing that you can do while you are at the parks is to just keep your eyes and ears open. You already know that there will plenty of scooters, watch out for them and be careful. Make sure that your kids know to keep a safe distance from a scooter as well. I have seen accidents between scooters and children that would have been avoided if everyone had paid attention.

Finally, I have one favor to ask you if you’re reading this. Feel free to leave comments, but please keep them respectful. When I decided to write this blog I was hoping that maybe it could lead us to all be a little more aware of the others who are around us. I did not write it to get people upset and start arguments. If you have any suggestions for keeping people safe, please share them. If you use a scooter at the park, feel free to let us know your experiences. But don’t jump all over each other for having differing opinions or experiences. Maybe we can learn from each other here.