The Victors

All those years ago, my dad invested in Disney Vacation Club (their version of a time share) so we have gone on trips with my extended family every three years for a week or more. I've done my time in the park. As someone who has seen how this has evolved over the past three decades and has plenty of experience dodging scooters, stroller and all other manner of conveyances here are my thoughts.

1. A big part of the problem is that the vast majority of people trying to navigate scooters around Disney are not people who use them in their everyday life. They don't know what they are doing, and they are trying to do it in an extremely crowded, high pressure environment. Most people, even ones who don't qualify for a handicapped plate on their car, don't live their life needing to walk the 10,000 to 20,000 steps that comprise a typical Disney day. They drive their car to the entrance of a building, walk inside, and that's it. There are TONS of people who are more than capable of standing and walking just fine for short times and modest distances, but can't do it for a variety of reasons over the course of a long day. The fact that they can hop out of their scooter and "walk just fine" for a short distance in an actual ride line doesn't prove they don't need the scooter.

2. You know who else can't walk long distances? Little kids. Who ride around in strollers. Which are just as big of a problem as scooters. They take up tons of space in crowded areas. Many parents drive them without regard for anyone else in their path, at least as many negligent stroller pilots as there are scooter drivers.

3. Disney is intended for families, often multigenerational. And it should be for everyone. I completely disagree with those who say "if you aren't fit enough to handle a full day at Disney without assistance then it just isn't for you." It is for the 6 year old and her 4 year old sister who could never navigate the park without a super unwieldy double stroller, it is for their Dad (who looks totally healthy but had knee surgery 5 months ago and still isn't fully healed), it is for their 80 year old grandpa whose body is wrecked but is paying for the whole trip and is living out a last wish to do this with his family while he is still alive. And yes, it is even for their fatass, lazy aunt who needs to take better care of herself but simply couldn't drag her ass around the park under her own power and be with her family.

4. You really can't tell just by looking who "needs" a scooter vs. who is just being lazy. That fit looking person you are judging. Do they have cancer, lupus or COPD? Neuropathy? Recent knee or hip surgery? You have no idea. Just because they look healthy enough to walk around the park all day doesn't mean they are, and just because they are capable of "walking just fine" for a short distance after getting out of the scooter doesn't mean they could do that all day.

5. Bottom line: There are definitely people who abuse the widespread availability of scooters at Disney World, and they are annoying. I wish there was an easy way of discerning, with 100% accuracy, who those people are so they could be refused scooters. But there isn't. And I would rather err on the side of making sure families - entire multigenerational families, all with different capabilities - can enjoy the parks together. You and your family may not need them, and that's great. Count yourself lucky. But don't be too harsh in judging others who need them. And maybe don't worry so much about excluding the lazy fatasses who don't need them that you wind up screwing over all the grandmas, chronic disease sufferers, etc in the process.