So - I’ve spent a week convincing my dad to let me take him to Disney World for Christmas. It’s finally worked and I’ve booked the trip, so here’s to hoping he doesn’t back out on me!! I’m wondering if anyone has any recommendations on renting a scooter. We’re getting him one in case he needs it, but I imagine he’ll be too stubborn to use it!!
Is there somewhere any of y’all have used and has been decent to deal with?
Thank you to whoever, if anyone, responds with ANY kind of help!
Somewhere on the Disney site there is a company that they have listed that will deliver and pickup to your resort. We’ve used them for my MiL but I can’t remember the name; maybe Buena Vista rentals. Very convenient. Good luck with your FiL. My MiL wasn’t stubborn but embarrassed. Still it was very helpful.
Thank you so much!! I’ve told him he doesn’t have to use it unless he needs to but we’ll get it for when he does need it, so hopefully he’ll do what he needs to. lol
I just did a quick search on MDE. Scooterbug is the official company. We used Buena vista Once too.
Thank you so much!! (:
My mom has found her walker invaluable at WDW, even though that’s about the only place she ever uses it. It’s a lot of walking.
You might convince your dad by saying it would help you because you can put stuff in the scooter basket instead of carrying things and even that there are a few lines where it might be an advantage to have the scooter.
Also, if you wanted, you could probably park the scooter in a land, like Fantasyland stroller parking and he could do a little stretching/walking around. Then, come back to the scooter and rest, while moving onward.
I’ve told him we’re able to park it and wander and then go back to it when we need to. He hates that since he had surgery walking takes a toll on him, that’s the only reason he’s stubborn about it.
I’m going to talk to him about it again closer to the date to reassure him it’s okay, and that there’s nothing to be worried about. Thank you so much for your advice! I appreciate it! (:
My DW has bad arthritis and cannot do a full day in the parks, but has no problem around the resort. We just rent one each day at the park. I know it costs more than some of the weekly rentals, but we didn’t have to deal with the hassle of transporting it back and forth between the parks and resort.
We used Gold Mobility. My Step Dad used to be a stubborn one too, until we did a tour of Hoover Dam and there was a younger lady with a scooter, he chatted with her and she explained why she was using it. The next trip to Vegas, he let us rent him a scooter, he enjoyed the trip so much more (he has COPD, bad hip). So, for his one last hurrah of a vacation, we let him come to Disneyworld with us in January. Obviously got him a scooter, it allowed him freedom and movement he would not have otherwise. He enjoyed the Go-Go sport so much he bought his own this summer. (This was his last trip because he ended up with Pneumonia week 2 of the vacation 
We did not know it until we got home - this was only 5-6 weeks before Covid lockdowns.) His health issues are too much to travel far from home.
Buena Vista are very good and very responsive to issues. We used them when they could still drop off at the resort without you being there though. That was essential because it needed to be there before us for DH. Sounds like that’s not a major issue for you though.
Welcome to the forum! 
No experience with scooters but I’ve read good reviews of Scooterbug.
If you’re flying in there is a company based at MCO, or was. You can book it on DME too.
I want to second the idea of having someplace to put everyone’s stuff. Imagine going to any theme/amusement park carrying nothing! Not even your drink! If there weren’t any slow-walkers in the family, I can see how there could be downsides to a scooter. But otherwise, it sounds great.
I want to suggest a cane for those times you’re wandering with the scooter parked.
I do not normally use a cane outside of WDW unless a knee or hip are acting up. I always use a cane at WDW. The use of the cane allows me to walk closer to the speed my family is walking, provides for much less joint discomfort and helps keep me upright when I stumble, which seems often. 
Touring Disney World is more magical with my cane. Plus I feel so jaunty. 
I should add that my DW didn’t want to be one of “those people”, so the first day of our last trip she said she could walk it. Three hours into DHS, she was having to sit down every 5 minutes, the sit-down started becoming longer than the walking… We made it through lunch, but then it started pouring and we decided to call it a day. She didn’t even question the need for one the next day…
I had never even thought about it until the person above mentioned it! It was a whole other selling point lol
That’s his thing too, he doesnt want to seem like “those people” who use one but doesnt really need it, or gets in everyone’s way, but I know he won’t be. Hes too nice to get in people’s way. He’s just worried about seeming like he isn’t able. 
Thankfully it isn’t, he can walk still, just after awhile it gets to him. So it being there when we get there isn’t an issue. (:
I could see how a cane could be helpful as a visual warning to not bump into this person.
Even my mom for the January trip we got her a scooter for the first time. She has bad knees, that are getting progressively worse (on list for double knee replacement). While she could do a day at Magic Kingdom 2 years ago, there is no way she can now. She would let one of us sit on it when she needed a sitting break 
We got the extra basket at the back- super handy for everyone’s stuff!! (There were 7 of us) For my Step Dad he brought his cane to use when he had to walk short distances. It collapses, so he would store in the front basket. Here is a cute pic with their scooters (taken by one of the amazing photopass photographers)
I see you’ve gotten lots of great advice here - but for what it’s worth - during my last trip in January 2019 we had to insist that my mom get a scooter. After 3 days in the parks, and one of those days spent in absolute drenching rain - we finally convinced her to get a scooter at AK. We just rented from the counter at the front of the park. From that day on… her knees were toast. I wish she would have used the scooter earlier in the trip. She was in so much pain - which made the rest of us feel horrible. We ended up getting hysterical over it because the scooter moved like molasses… but it’s better than being in pain!
So…, my suggestion like many others is to get a scooter! There’s no sense in being in pain during such a fun vacation! Hope you have a great one!
