Any Florida or Disney People out there?

[Midwesthonky]

So got back from Orlando on Saturday. Did some other things besides worship at the Palace of the Mouse. But the point of this post was to see if anyone could explain the infestation of scooters at DisneyWorld. By scooters, I am not talking about 30 mph gas two-wheelers. I'm talking about the battery operated 3 and 4-wheeled versions like those that were advertised on TV by The Scooter Store before the Feds raided them.

These mobility scooters were everywhere! It was like an infestation! Seriously! I've seen them before but they were generally only used by the "help! I've fallen and can't get up" age bracket or those with clear medical issues. Like the vet missing his right leg below the knee. Yeah, no issue there, clear need. I knew they were out there and saw them in previous trips (this is our fourth trip in 4 years). But this year was way worse.

I know Disney put a squash on the practice of hiring disabled people so you could cut to the front of the line (practice apparently started by rich New York/New Jersey types). Is this the new way to cut in line? Seriously, some of these people clearly did not normally use a scooter to get around. You could tell by how they drove it or rather I should say their lack of any skill in using a scooter. You, shorter and 100 lbs more than me, put down the Mouse shaped rice crispy treat, and get off the damn scooter! You need the exercise! Some were my age! I'm not a dirty old man, just a dirty middle-aged man.

The conduct/skill of these people was terrible. Several ran into people walking because they couldn't control the scooter showing a clear lack of familiarity. Meaning, you didn't use one at home so why do you need one at Disney? Others didn't know what to do so they drove them up the queing lines! Yes! In between the chains! One lady tried to driver hers onto one of the boats and got it hung up on the dock. If it's hung up, get off the damn thing and give it a shove. Nope, she just sat there with the rear wheels spinning. She was maybe 50 years old with no discernable health issues other than being 5' 2" and 300 lbs. Another guy ran his battery down to the point his geriatric wife was walking faster than the .5 mph his scooter was managing. So what do you do when the battery dies? Walk?

Each stupid scooter would jack up the transportation. Want to hop the bus? Oh wait, there is a scoot going on the bus. That is an extra 5 minutes to get them loaded and another 5 minutes to get them unloaded. Monorail? Get your feet up on the seats so the scooter doesn't run them over. Whoa lady! Can't drive it so she overshot the monorail car and the front end now hangs out the other side.

Does anyone know? Is this the new normal? Did we just go during scooter infestation season? It's our first time going in fall (October). We normally go in spring. Are more people using them because they are too lazy to walk? Hell, at some rides, there were more scooters than strollers parked outside. It was like a Metamucil convention parking area.

Ok, enough of that rant. Just don't get me started on the Disney bus system. Man, that really sucked.

 

[Rickster71]

We were saying the same thing, just there last week.
They only made a change to the handicapped rules, very recently, because of to curb some of the abuse of this system . (As in a few weeks ago.)
So maybe people are still trying to scam, as they do nationwide with handicapped parking.

Every year people get fatter and there are more scooters.
I've always have a fear of them riding up the back of my foot and crushing my Achilles.
You called it. It's the new normal, lazy.

 

[Alex2507]

5'2" and 300 lbs? ... a lightweight then.

 

[Midwesthonky]

We were saying the same thing, just there last week.
They only made a change to the handicapped rules, very recently, because of to curb some of the abuse of this system . (As in a few weeks ago.)
So maybe people are still trying to scam, as they do nationwide with handicapped parking.

Every year people get fatter and there are more scooters.
I've always have a fear of them riding up the back of my foot and crushing my Achilles.
You called it. It's the new normal, lazy.

I was talking about this to a coworker and she said she saw the same thing in Vegas. Just the new normal...Lazy. Seriously, if you need to drive up to a slot machine, maybe you should be doing something else...

I know I am overweight, but there is no way I will stoop to using a scooter because I'm too fat to walk anywhere. I will lose the weight first. But then, I am overweight, but can out walk the average person because I spend way to much time walking through airports, through warehouses, etc. I just have a DQ addiction...

 

[Alex2507]

Do you enjoy being called Big Poppa ... by Doug?

 

[markw]

You think that's bad?

Just wait a few years.

 

[psbfan9]

Well, you know what they say, "Florida is God's waiting room".

A man walked into a Florida bar with his alligator and asked the bartender: "Do you serve lawyers here?"
"Sure." Said the bartender
"Good. One beer for me and a lawyer for my alligator."

Q: Why couldn't the baby Jesus be born in Florida?
A: Because they couldn't find 3 wise men or a virgin.

Before anyone gets upset, I am a FBI. Florida Born Idiot. I was born in and lived in Inveness Fl. until I was 5. Then I loaded my Big Wheel and moved to Indiana