Are you Planning to rent a wheelchair or ECV/mobility scooter while you’re at Disney World?
On this page you’ll find these topics:
- Where can you rent a wheelchair or ECV from in Disney World?
- Should you choose a wheelchair or an ECV?
- What is the cost of a Disney World ECV/Scooter?
- What is the cost of Disney World wheelchair rentals?
- Disney rental locations
- Park hopping with a Disney wheelchair or ECV rental
- Can I reserve a Disney wheelchair or ECV in advance?
- Can I take my Disney rental to different locations?
- How accessible is Disney World?
For this article, here are some terms you need to know:
- ECV stands for electric convenience vehicle, and they’re also referred to as mobility scooters.
- Wheelchairs we’ll refer to are the manual type that usually requires someone to push the rider (unless the rider has arms of steel).
- Power wheelchairs won’t be discussed here because they’re not available for rent at Disney, but you can bring their own from home.
Before renting from Disney, you may want to consider renting from a non-Disney outside rental company.
There are some great benefits. For example it’s usually less expensive, you’re guaranteed to have an ECV or wheelchair, and you can use it wherever you go, and whenever you go! For more on renting from an outside company, read: Renting a Wheelchair or ECV from a non-Disney outside Company.
Also Consider the New Issues with Disney’s Scooters:
Here’s something to consider before you choose to rent a scooter from Disney. There’s a change to Disney’s scooter rentals. They are adding in proximity sensors that slow you down if it detects someone near you. We’re seeing posts in forums (disboards.com) and Facebook groups saying that they also can stop your scooter.
While this sounds like a nice safety measure, we’re reading some very negative feedback on it from scooter riders. Think about the fact that everywhere you go at Disney, you’ll be near others. You’ll often be in crowds. Even in ride queues guests are often surrounded by others. We’re hearing the following:
- The scooters are slowing to a crawl or stopping at inconvenient times. For example we’ve heard of situations where the scooter has stopped in a queue and other guests were being blocked by it, or it came to a sudden stop with people immediately behind the scooter, which made for a dangerous situation.
- The scooters are suddenly stopping, even if someone is quite a distance away from them.
- In crowds the scooters are stopping altogether.
- In the ride and attraction queues, the scooters are sensing the guide poles as people and stopping.
This is a good reason to rent a scooter from an outside non-Disney company. Preferably one that’s Disney approved because of the perks. Read about renting from a non-Disney scooter company here.
1. Where can you rent a wheelchair or ECV from at Disney World?
- Disney World inside the parks, on a per day basis, for use only in that park.
- Disney World at Disney Springs, for use only at Disney Springs for one day.
- From an outside Vendor, for use anywhere you go including the parks, resorts, Disney Springs and even off Disney property, for your full stay if you wish.
2. Should I choose an ECV/scooter or a wheelchair?
For those who are younger than 18 or unable to drive a scooter safely, a manual wheelchair may be the only option. But other than that, I’d always recommend using an ECV if it’s at all possible and within your budget. Despite the higher cost of an ECV, it can result in a far better vacation experience for everyone. Of course this is provided the rider is able to drive it well. Having to push a wheelchair around a huge theme park can be exhausting for the pusher. For the rider, the freedom and flexibility the ECV gives him/her can feel fantastic. Everyone wins with an ECV.
3. What is the Cost of Disney World’s scooters/ECV’s?
Disney has only one style of ECV for everyone. They have vinyl covered seats and they’re fairly firm. The seat backs are straight. There’s a small basket in the front, which can come in handy. Maximum weight is 450 pounds.
Cost of ECVs/Scooters at Disney World:
- 4 main Disney parks – $50 a day with a $20 refundable deposit.
- Disney Springs – $50 for the day with a $100 refundable deposit.
You may want to check Disney’s site here to confirm the current pricing of ECV’s.
DVC (Disney Vacation Club) members are entitled to 10% off.
There is a minimum age for renting a scooter from Disney World
You must be 18 to rent an ECV, although we hear that some outside companies may bend that rule for experienced ECV users (See Randy’s Mobility). You’ll need a photo ID to rent. There are no multi-day discounts for ECVs at any Disney World location.
4. What is the Cost of Disney World’s Wheelchairs?
Wheelchairs referred to below are the standard-sized type. The maximum weight is 350 pounds. There are also a limited number of over-sized wheelchairs for rent at each of the parks.
Disney offers a length of stay option for wheelchair rental. It’s less expensive per day, and you’ll be able to bypass the wheelchair rental queue from the second day of your pass and onward. This could dramatically reduce your wait time. This is not available for ECVs.
Cost of Wheelchairs at Disney World:
- 4 main Disney parks, water parks & Disney Springs – $12 a day, or $10 a day for a multi-day Length of Stay rental (no deposit required).
- Water Parks and Disney Springs – $12 a day plus a $100 deposit.
You may want to check Disney’s site here to confirm the current pricing of wheelchairs.
5. Rental Locations for wheelchairs and ECV’s in the Disney Parks and Disney Springs
In Disney World, inside each of the four main parks, water parks and Disney Springs are wheelchair rental locations. In the four main parks there’s always one near the main entrance and there may be additional locations. Some parks also have wheelchair repair & replacement centers, but they’ll only repair the Disney-owned wheelchairs and ECVs.
To find the wheelchair and ECV rental and repair locations in the parks and Disney Springs visit this page here.
6. Park hopping (going from one of the four main parks to another in the same day)
If you’re park hopping, you can get an ECV or wheelchair in the park you’re hopping to without paying a second time. However that’s only if there’s one available. If they’ve run out of ECVs or wheelchairs, you’re out of luck. This is a good reason to rent from an outside company.
To park hop with a wheelchair or scooter, first turn in your ECV or wheelchair at the park you’re leaving. They’ll give you back your deposit along with a receipt to show that you’ve paid for an ECV or wheelchair for the day. Just present your receipt from the first park to the wheelchair/ECV rental location in the second park. Providing there’s one available, they’ll take a new deposit and lend you an ECV or wheelchair.
Leaving the park for a break: If you leave a park but you’re planning on returning to that same park on that same day, they might be able to hold the same ECV for you. Just bring it to a rental location and let them know you’ll be returning. Or you can park it near an attraction or restaurant near the entrance of the park.
Tip: Hot Seats! If you’re going to be using a wheelchair or ECV that’s vinyl covered, be sure to bring something to cover the seat with in hot weather. This is especially necessary if you plan to wear shorts. The seats can get very hot and sticky. Also be sure to put sunscreen on your legs above your pants line, since your shorts may slide up. It’s easy to get sunburn there without realizing it’s happening.
7. Can I reserve a wheelchair or ECV/Scooter in advance from Disney World?
Nope. ECVs are rented out on a first-come, first-served basis, and can NOT be reserved ahead of time. There’s a limited number of ECVs in each park, and there’s no guarantee that any ECVs will be available when you arrive. This is also true of Disney Springs where they have a very small number of ECVs.
The earlier you go to the park and get your ECV, the better your chance of getting one. We’ve gone mid-day during slow seasons and have been able to rent an ECV, but they can run out early during busy times. On park-capacity days such as New Year’s Eve, ECVs are generally gone within minutes, so get to the park an hour or so before opening if you plan on renting one on these days. Though the parks are less likely to run out of manual wheelchairs, it’s possible during very busy times.
If they’re out of wheelchairs or ECVs when you arrive, you can check back throughout the day. You may be also able to be put on a waiting list and they’ll call your cell phone when one becomes available.
8. Can I use my wheelchair or ECV outside of the location where I rented it?
Nope. The ECVs for rent in the parks and Disney Springs can only be used in the location they were rented in. If you park hop (go from one of the four main parks to another in the same day), save your receipt. IF (that’s a big IF) there are any ECVs still available at the park you’re hopping to, you can get an ECV in that park without paying a second time. If there are no ECVs available, you’re out of luck. Of course you can check back throughout the day.
9. How Accessible is Disney World?
Disney is very wheelchair friendly, however, the newer the park and resort, the better the wheelchair accessibility. Magic Kingdom is the oldest park and was built before the current-day focus on wheelchair accessibility. The park has some walkways and bathrooms that are quite tight and a bit challenging for maneuvering wheelchairs. Also, fewer attractions in this park can be experienced in your wheelchair than in the newer parks. That said, we feel that Disney goes all out to make things as accessible as possible for those in wheelchairs and ECVs. For example, almost all the Disney transportation is set up to accommodate wheelchairs and ECVs.
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NEED TO RENT A SCOOTER or WHEELCHAIR? We recommend Buena Vista Rentals.
Our readers get a FREE ACCESSORY with rental.
Choose a FREE REAR BASKET, CUP HOLDER OR CANE HOLDER with scooter rental. MENTION THE DISCOUNT CODE “DIZABLED“.
Click here to see the free offer on their website.
Or Call: (866) 484-4797 (mention the diz-abled.com offer)
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