Guests visiting the various Disney Parks properties expect a certain level of safety during their magical experience. While the Walt Disney Company has gone as far as to hire FBI agents for its security and safety departments, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the greatest threat to Disney Park guests insidiously exists within the park experience itself.
Forget construction disguised as pixie dust; guests see the real bulldozers as the ECVs at Disney.
Related: Have Disney’s Cast Member Attitudes Changed for the Worst?
ECV stands for Electric Conveyance Vehicle, AKA a motorized scooter many guests with mobility challenges can rent to get around a theme park more easily. While it’s great that Disney strives to provide an inclusive and accessible experience for all guests, things have definitely gotten out of hand!
Anyone who’s tried to walk down Magic Kingdom’s Main Street, U.S.A., on any given day knows the greatest safety risk to their family at that moment is an ECV-related injury. Just here at Disney Dining, we’ve covered drivers running over other guests, drinking and driving incidents, costly injuries, near misses with children, and more!
Related: Could Thousands of Disney Guests Be in Danger of Being Banned for Rudeness?
I wish we could write off these incidents as true accidents and unfortunate rarities, but the truth is that entitlement fuels these issues, not incompetence. Some guests feel a certain sense of unearned priority when driving through a busy Disney Park crowd, wailing on the horn as if in traffic or carelessly sideswiping people in their way.
I have personally seen an ECV drive OVER another guest who was sitting in the fireworks viewing spot they wanted. Like their whole body! A screaming match ensued, and Cast Members did their best to settle it…but the audacity! Many guests dread interacting with ECV scooters for reasons way better than this. As far as we can tell, Disney has no real way of dealing with this issue.
Related: Disney Guest Gets “Revenge” For Rude Behavior on Popular Dark Ride
No one will look down on you if you need a mobility scooter to get around the park. They will, however, judge the heck out of you for using those ECVs at Disney to willingly run over their children.
Have you had or seen a crazy run-in with an electric scooter at a Disney theme park? We want the tea in the comments.
Not once have I ever had a problem with EVC. Yet, I’ve been run over many times by strollers. I think strollers are worse as people do not pay attention or put the child in the stroller as an vengeance to cut people off. I have seen scooter behind people who just stop walking causing the person on the scooter to stop suddenly or just walk slow because they know a mobility scooter is behind them.
Amen. I have to use a scooter and people stop short in front of you or walk right into you without looking. These scooters CAN NOT stop quickly! Most scooter operators are courteous. That can not be said for other guests who have berated me for almost hitting them as THEY stepped in front of me.
I very much agree! As I manipulate my way thru the crowd, I get a lot of eye contact then they walk slowly in front of me or or make a mad dash causing me to try to stop. I have people grab the handlebars as they step over the front of the scooter on the way across. There are children who see me and dash out to dance right in front of me while the parents watch. When I leave for the day I am a nervous wreck and promise myself to never go back (till the next time!)
I have to rent a scooter and it’s no fun. Dodging people and some mainly young folks walk in front of you. On purpose I love going tomDisney and a scooter is the only way I can go anymore. I remember one lady told me I was the only person who says excuse me when a go pass them. Thought that was nice
A few years ago had a run-in with a woman on a EVC on the line at FROZEN. She refused to leave an inch btwn us and her. She kept running into the back of my leg every time we moved up. Never understood it, she wasn’t going to get on the ride any faster, very rude. I understand some people need EVCs to get around. But I also believe it is being abused by the lazy and entitled. There should be some regulation to be held accountable
I personally need a scooter now getting around the park. I am extremely careful and stay back and to the sides of crowds. But I still have had people walk right into me as I am driving slower than they are walking. I see many horrible behavior on both sides. It really does irk me when people think I only use the scooter because I’m lazy. I own my own. I don’t rent the big bulky ones. They really should come up with some rules.
Well, as someone who must use an ECV, there’s most definitely no entitlement with the most of us. Sure, there’s always going to be a few in any group of people. I will tell you the REAL, TRUE problem is rude, entitled guests who cut us off, dashing right in front of us, very often with no possible way for us to avoid them!!
I had a situation where a woman with a rather small child, just HAD to run in front of me…so entitled she refused to wait a few seconds for me to pass by, causing me to slam into a concrete pole in order to keep from hitting both of them. Don’t tell me to go slower bc I was going slowly AND was being led and guided by a CM, aka cast member, thru a crowd so i could be loaded on the monorail. We were going past her, so in no possible way would have interfered with her precious, highly entitled space in the car. I BROKE MY FOOT IN THREE PLACES AND HAD TO BE TRANSPORTED TO THE ER VIA AMBULANCE AND WAS ESSENTIALLY THE END OF MY VACATION!!!! ENTITLED??!!! NOT HARDLY, I was entitled to enjoy my extremely costly vacation but instead was robbed of it by a ROTTEN 81TCH, who refused to even ask if I was ok and/or wish me well, or apologize!!!! Who’s the entitled one???!!!:
Disney needs to create stroller and EVC lanes, similar to bike games on the street. This should protect all parties involved.
I only know of one ECV lane which is at Epcot on the approach/decent to The Land. It’s railed off and marked as such at both ends. Even so, non-ECV traffic is in the lane.
C’mon… intentionally… I’m sure the people are not running kids over on purpose. They probably just never really used a scooter and then used it wrong… as far as never losing a Disney trivia contest…. where are u playing?
I haven’t experienced any scooter violence, but have certainly seen my husband turn invisible while on his scooter in WDW. People tend to respect strollers and allow them to cross or move to the side to avoid them needing to stop short, but they treat those in ECVs much differently. Kids and adults will dash in front of him, and worse quickly cut in front of him and stop dead. While some people can give ECVs a bad name, most are just trying to enjoy the parks like everyone else there.
For many of us, scooters are not an “entitlement”. They are a necessity. People are so busy looking at their phones (at Disney app) they walk straight into people on scooters & in manual wheelchairs as if they are invisible. Happens a lot, even when not moving. Rude people are rude. For those who want scooter people to go away, or be banned, pray that you never get sick, injured or disabled.
I’ve used an ECV at WDW many times, as I cannot walk the entire day without major fiit pain issues. The problem is people who are walking around in a daze or driving their ECV / strollers in a daze. Most people aren’t paying any attention to their surroundings and just walk in front of other people assuming that they will move out of the way. An ECV cannot do that. I can’t just stop as someone else behind me immediately runs into the back of my ECV. Someone comes in from an oblique angle and I can’t just maneuver to avoid them. An ECV moving at the same or even slower speed than someone walking cannot maneuver as a person does. People who just walk around oblivious to their surroundings walk into other people all the time and think nothing of it. Stroller pushers do the same thing with a large stroller in front of them as a plow. Children run around being children and just get in the way.
Now that all being said,I’ve seen many ECV users driving around like they are walking and not paying attention to their own surroundings. They are the worst combination of oblivious pedestrian and motorized hazard. There’s no excuse for running over anyone as the ECV don’t have much ground clearance. You have to try to run over something.
Please don’t forget the “entitlement” that those without mobility issues display towards us with mobility issues. I have dealt with people step directly in front of my evc and stop dead, run in front of me, push past me in lines stating to their party to go around, she can’t get on this anyway, or tell me I have no right to be at Disney if I can’t walk like they can, or attempt to sit on the hand control on a Disney bus. I will always do my best to be responsible and respectful of everyone while on my evc, I’d walk if I could but life threw challenges at me I have to live with on a daily basis. Everyone needs to be respectful of everyone whether mobility challenged or not.
My husband has had to use one and my daughter was run over by one standing in line with our family to get into the Christmas party, the driver never apologized but looked at our family like we were the problem not the large crowd of people she bulldozed through. On our last two trips I sat and observed what was going on. Most of the scooter and stroller “drivers” are very courteous and are paying attention. However, as the parks have become a lot more crowded in the last four years there are more ECV’s and strollers, and more congestion. When you add into the mix the people that feel entitled and the ones that are rushing here and there trying to get from one place to the other as fast as they can because it is their vacation, not paying attention to where they are going, who is around them, or what they are doing, people get hurt. Sadly the small amount of those people make it difficult for the majority at times. There is no way you can do everything at Disney in a day, if they would set realistic agendas, slow down, enjoy every thing (the small tiny wonders incorporated in the parks) instead of rising from place to place, smile and be courteous, I think things would be different. Just my opinion.
I have used a scooter for the last five years. I have people and children walk right in front of me. I think the real issue is that too many people are looking at their phones or trying to beat someone to an attraction. Parents also feel their kids are entitled and can run free.y where ever they want. I have travelled with my four small children when they were young and would never allow the behavior I see today. The problem is not the scooter but the inconsiderate people at the parks.
after just returning in early Feb from Disneyworld YES i have been rear-ended by scooters as i wasnt walking fast enough i guess ….Most people who drive im sure are very careful but as in everything else its the few who just barrel thru an feel they have the right of way…..ALSO not to mention baby carriages but wow it is as bad with the chosen few….You need to be on the lookout at all times for scooters and carriages plus Disney expects u to live with your face on the phone …..If u want a Disney trip its part of the trip i guess….Just be careful on all ends walking pushing or driving thru….
This is such b.s. I have dealt with thisnissue fornso many years. People have ZERO respect for the people on the scooters. They shove into them, complain while walking behind them and the biggest thing is they cut off the scooter riders making it impossible to stop without hitting them and then get pissed off about it. You can’t jump in front of scooters, cut them off or any behavior like that and think you won’t get hit.
I use a Scooter every time I’m at the parks. I take mine to the local Six Flags park in my state with no issues. I can rent a Scooter and go to Universal Studios in Orlando if flying in and guess what no issues. Not even during their busy Christmas season.
However, at Disney World there is an issue. I drive it slow, I watch for others that aren’t paying attention and I’m almost always behind 4 grown children following them at their pace. Husband too on his scooter.
I can’t tell you the number of times people will step right in front of you and expect you to stop for them. They don’t care to look and their is no courteous. You get the snake eyed glare if you almost hit them.
They will also push their stroller with child right into your path w.out a care in the world until they feel you have come too close..
And sadly yes by accident one lady got her ankle ran over on a trip. She stepped right in front of me and stopped dead in her tracks. I immediately let off the lever but we all know those ECVs do not stop instantly. I tried to miss her but she was right on top of me when she stepped and stopped.
She chewed me out and acted like I had done some injustice to her. Shaking my head.
People really need to watch where they are going and understand we CAN NOT stop instantly. People in general need to be courteous to one another.
I wished I didn’t need an ECV at the parks. I’m in my 50s but look so much younger. I have medical conditions that prevent me from walking in the parks.
Most people I know that use ECVs are very cautious of others and do our best to not run into someone or over them. I know I wouldn’t want to have someone injure me and I sure wouldn’t want to injure someone else on purpose either.
ECVs are a great way for the handicapped to get around on , but here’s the problem , these people DEMAND they have the right to be disrespectful to other people.
Then you get the ones that are just lazy and ride around instead of walking. These EVC’s should require an advance reservation with a verified need of use . If this is a problem a standard wheelchair should be used. So very often the good nature of people get Taken advantage of and ABUSED. Like the old saying goes ONE BAD APPLE CAN RUIN IT FIR EVERYONE .
I have used an ECV/scooter at WDW several times and traveled with others who have used them as well. Part of the problem is the lack of situational awareness. People (both adults and children) are in their own little bubble. They do not look up from their phones or pay attention to what is in front of them or to either side. They stop abruptly without regard for who may be behind them or to the side. This is true whether they are walking, pushing a stroller or busy checking their phones. They are on vacation and left whatever little common sense they have at home. I have had to stop short on my scooter to avoid someone stopping or crossing in front of me, had people walk into me and give me a dirty look as if it was my fault that they didn’t see me. Yes, there are those who think a scooter is a ‘fun toy’ and let the kids ride on a lap and run the scooter (which is so unsafe) and don’t pay attention or know how to operate it safely. At the same time whatever you are doing you must pay attention to your surroundings, especially in a crowded situation. Look where you are going, look out for strollers, scooters, young kids. If you need to converse or check your phone move to the side and then stop. My friend suggested that we get ‘flags’ like we have had on our bicycles so that people could see that there was someone in front of them and not just an empty space.
I do not disagree that there is entitlement on the part of some individuals who use the ECVs.
However, as someone with severe mobility issues who is either in a wheelchair or in an ECV, I have experienced the opposite. I somehow become invisible. People cut in front of me, stop in the middle of the “street” or path or whatnot, cannot be bothered to look up from their phones for the 5 seconds it takes to cross a path or get in a line. An ECV driver is obviously and clearly not entitled to run someone over as detailed above. That’s battery. But neither is everyone else entitled too their own protective bubble of entitlement to ignore everyone around them, no matter how those people are moving – stroller, wheelchair, ECV, or being lucky enough to get around on their own two feet.
And I would like to add – instead of objectively discussing the concerns regarding ECVs in the park – the author posited opinion as confirmed fact. “I wish we could write off these incidents as true accidents and unfortunate rarities, but the truth is that entitlement fuels these issues, not incompetence. Some guests feel a certain sense of unearned priority when driving through a busy Disney Park crowd, wailing on the horn as if in traffic or carelessly sideswiping people in their way.” That is deeply unacceptable to attribute a negative personal motivation to an entire class/group of people and posit it as fact.
If you need an ECV then bring your own. Disney should stop renting them and stop allowing other companies to provide them in the parks. Most prople using them in the parks can either walk or use a wheelchair. If you need an ECV then BRING your own. My wife used one for years and we never had any trouble traveling with it.
That is a great idea. If people needing them had to bring their own that would eliminate the use by those not needing one. For those with temporary injuries- broken ankle, etc. Wheelchair would be available
Well, if your logic worked then who is going to push the wheelchair for those of us that go on solo trips but can’t walk the parks? You going to make yourself available to push a wheelchair for me when I visit? I have arthritis in my back and can barely do housework without pain. I go to the parks to escape my pain and try and forget all the doctor appts I have monthly for myself and my SO.
I am scared of flying with mine. I keep hearing horror stories about baggage handlers damaging people’s scooters.
Like I’ve said before, the rental ECV’s need to have the speed set at a comfortable walking pace by the rental agent. I use an ECV and sometimes when i have to park and get off for a ride I see them ECV’s parked by me with the speed knob on full speed. I own my ECV and set the speed at a pace to keep with my wife. Like others have stated people just walk in front of you, they must be the same ones that cut you off on I95. I have a friend that rented an ECV for his mother. After she ran over a few people they took the ECV back and got a wheelchair and pushed her.
Not at Disney, but I work in a grocery store that supplies ECVs for customers to shop with.
There are 2 general types of people that drive them. Those that have their own because they ALWAYS need one tend to be careful and polite. The ones that borrow our EVCs tend to not drive well; their politeness varies like most customers.
HOWEVER… I have had people pushing regular shopping carts run into me 3 times before saying “Sorry, I didn’t see you.” … once, fine, it happens. 2 or three times… you just don’t care, but you’re embarrassed because I just gave you a dirty look.
My grandson, husband and I were run into by an ECV when we were standing still viewing a show snd a lady couldn’t stop and rsn into us. Luckily mot injured. Another time I was run into by a stroller being pushed by a child and she ran into me not once but twice. The 2nd time she cut the tendon in my ankle required emergency room treatment. I yelled at the girl and mom said I ruined the girls vacation.
I got a bit of justice at the people who think it’s funny to randomly stop in front of scooters. This couple was in front of me, kept changing their path to stay in front of me and them randomly stopping. Mobility scooters only have motor breaks. They do not stop instantly! The third time they did this, the guy was too close for me to stop and I ran into him at near full walking speed. Back of his ankle instantly bruised and swelled up. He was limping the several times we saw him that day until we eventually noticed him in a DLand ECV himself.
Didn’t intentionally hit him, but I bet he never messes around with disabled people on scooters again.
Yet another in the long, LONG list of reasons to completely avoid Disney parks.
My friend needed to use a scooter during pur trip to Disneyland. She was very cautious and courteous to everyone around her. But people would step in front of her cutting her off. These scooters do not have brakes so she can’t stop suddenly. The man yelling at the elderly lady was way out of line!! The poor woman was obviously very upset. With as many people who are in the park accidents can easily happen. Everyone has to be cautious and courteous while trying to get around the park! And those walking should be grateful they do not require a mobility device. Maybe one day they will and will gain perspective
I recently went to Disneyland with a friend. She required a scooter to get around. This is my first time with anyone using a scooter. Any potential problems were all due to people walking, running and jumping in front of her scooter. The scooters do not have brakes!! Every time someone cut in front of her she struggled to stop. She was always courteous and careful operating the scooter. People need to understand that these scooters do not have brakes!!
I have to use a scooter when we go to the parks as I have a bad back, bad knees and ankles. I find I have more problems with people walking in front of me and stopping for no reason and me either needing to swing the scooter to miss hitting them or hoping I can stop before I hit them (scooters don’t have brakes), all you can do is take you hand off the handle and hope the scooter stops. It’s like they don’t see me or don’t care that I’m there. I’m in the parks with my husband so I’m not going fast but only at a walking speed. I’ve even sounded the horn to let them know they’re starting to walk in front of me and that doesn’t help either. Those walking seems to think those of us in scooters shouldn’t even be there. We’re in their way. The people who abuse the scooters are probably people who don’t ride them all the time and aren’t use to them. Ride them at a faster speed maybe or as many of us have stated, people just like to walk in front of us, jump in front of us and never excuse themselves and are getting hit by accident.