Sunshade or rear basket on ECV?

[Simba's Mom]

I just want to add one thing about the turtle. As I found out the hard way (as did the bus driver!), sometimes there's lower than turtle. On my last scooter, even turtle zipped along, and the dial went lower. So I learned the hard way-don't just point it towards turtle, see if the dial goes lower.

 

[musicmom3331]

I was a scooter newbie last month. The bus drivers were awesome! Guided me exactly what to do, or took over the controls themselves. I brought a towel to sit on to prevent "swamp butt". Worked great! I found that the battery charge lights on the tiller was very distracting when it was dark outside, so I tied a bandana to the handle and draped it over the tiller. Also worked great to protect it from misty rain. I had found a cute Minnie Mouse bandana at Walmart for $2. They had Mickey ones, too.

 

[MagicMouse999]

A number of folks have already mentioned the "turtle/rabbit" dial. For all the scooter newbies out there, please, please listen to those above who recommend extensive practice with your new scooter!

I'd used scooters at stores, rented the Disney scooters at parks and thought that was enough training. It wasn't. Those scooters are all dead slow at full speed. My first rental scooter from a non-Disney company was amazingly fast - much faster than a human can run, about twice as fast. (Hopefully this is no longer the case.) So, you must know exactly how fast your scooter can REALLY go on "full rabbit and full throttle." Each scooter is different, so please discover how your rental drives before leaving your safe practice area. I learned how fast my scooter could take off by covering over 30 feet in the blink of an eye and stopping half way up the iron fence around Epcot's lake.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Sorry, I was just reading this post and wanted to answer a couple of the questions asked. I own a back basket for my scooter. And It has gone to Disney.

If you get a rear basket for one of the rental style ECVs (like from Buena Vista, etc.) - is it hard to park the ECV on the bus? I got a rear basket once for my rented ECV and ended up taking it off because it seemed huge - it was even harder to get the ECV in the room - lol! I thought I read on here that you couldn't have a rear basket attached to the ECV when on the Disney bus - is that true? I never tried boarding the bus with it on because it annoyed me too much and I took it off right from the start!

My scooter does fit on the bus with the basket, and it isn't hard to park. BUT . . . when they latch the scooter down, they tend to pull the scooter back so far that the basket will latch onto the latch release lever. That makes it hard for the driver to then release my scooter.

If you get the rear basket, can you easily take it off and put it on? I'm thinking of taking it off when getting on the bus, but then putting it on when going around the park.

Yes, it goes on and off very easily. And sometimes my husband will carry the basket until we get to the park. The down side is, the basket has a short pole that is part of the basket and is used to attach to the scooter. It sticks out a little from the basket, so you have to watch where it goes when you are carrying the basket.

All of that said, I will carry things in that basket for whomever is in our party. But it has to fit in the basket. Not between my legs, hanging off of my armrests or where ever. It goes in the basket or someone else carries it. I do only travel with family or really good friends. So, no one has ever asked me to carry more than the basket can hold.

 

[Simba's Mom]

A number of folks have already mentioned the "turtle/rabbit" dial. For all the scooter newbies out there, please, please listen to those above who recommend extensive practice with your new scooter!

I'd used scooters at stores, rented the Disney scooters at parks and thought that was enough training. It wasn't. Those scooters are all dead slow at full speed. My first rental scooter from a non-Disney company was amazingly fast - much faster than a human can run, about twice as fast. (Hopefully this is no longer the case.) So, you must know exactly how fast your scooter can REALLY go on "full rabbit and full throttle." Each scooter is different, so please discover how your rental drives before leaving your safe practice area. I learned how fast my scooter could take off by covering over 30 feet in the blink of an eye and stopping half way up the iron fence around Epcot's lake.

Unfortunately for practice, the scooters in our area (the local grocery store, Walmart, etc.) don't have a dial to control speed. You just get on it and press "Go" and it goes, very slowly. So, as recommended here, you really need to do some practice at WDW on how to control speed. Lots of times I drive with one hand on the "turtle/rabbit" dial.

 

[mamabunny]

...Lots of times I drive with one hand on the "turtle/rabbit" dial.

That's an excellent idea - especially until you are used to your rental.

 

[Starwind]

Another thing to consider with any baskets on the scooter... don't leave anything (but especially valuables) in the scooter when you aren't with it.

I put my park backpack in the front basket, but I foten park in an area and then walk to the nearby rides [but the same applies even just walking into the washroom]; the bag comes with me -- the only thing left on the scooter is the charger (which on our most recent trip we noticed Buena Vista now has those cabled to the ECV so theey aren't removable) and the fabric seat cover I bring for it.

Also, "anything" includes food. I have sat and watched as squirrels [who are VERY crafty] have made there way into bags/containers of food people have left in their ecvs or strollers... they eat some of the food and then slink away. And can do it in a way that you don't even notice they have messed with the container.

SW

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Another thing to consider with any baskets on the scooter... don't leave anything (but especially valuables) in the scooter when you aren't with it.

I put my park backpack in the front basket, but I foten park in an area and then walk to the nearby rides [but the same applies even just walking into the washroom]; the bag comes with me -- the only thing left on the scooter is the charger (which on our most recent trip we noticed Buena Vista now has those cabled to the ECV so theey aren't removable) and the fabric seat cover I bring for it.

Also, "anything" includes food. I have sat and watched as squirrels [who are VERY crafty] have made there way into bags/containers of food people have left in their ecvs or strollers... they eat some of the food and then slink away. And can do it in a way that you don't even notice they have messed with the container.

SW

I leave anything not valuable.

Drinks, food, rain gear, fans, hats, and anything else that I can replace. And believe me, I will know if anything gets into my food. It is always double if not triple bagged.

My purse and phone go with me. But I leave my phone charger attached to the basket.

 

[KatherineYork]

Hey! I'd personally go for the rear basket, super handy with teens around. Sunshade is nice, but if you're already doubting, the basket sounds more practical!

 

[jo-jo]

just to note….this thread is several years old.

trip is over and done.

 

[lanejudy]

The OP's trip was 5 years ago...hopefully they made a decision that worked out well for them.

I'm going to close the thread so we don't get a lot of people quoting or posting responses to old info. If there is a new question about ECV accessories, feel free to start a fresh thread.