Walker Mobility & OKW

[Richard Costa]

A month ago, I suffered an herniated disk and in planning last week's trip, I asked on this Forum some recommendations for scooters. One of the suggestions was Walker Mobility. I went with them and was very pleased with the results. They delivered right to my room at OKW. When I returned it a day early, they gave me a credit. So I would recommend them.

If you have a physical disability, stay away from OKW was they have no elevators. I should have inquired, but I just assumed all the DVC resorts did.

Regarding parking at the parks, I found this stressful.

Epcot: When I arrived in the parking lot, I asked if I could drop my scooter off as it would not go on the parking tram. The cast member told me I could park in handicap parking but as I had no sticker, it was chancy. I did not want to park there and take the spot of someone who might have a more serious condition than I did. So they let me park in preferred parking, which was appreciated. In both AK and MK, they cheerfully sent me to Preferred Parking (at least that is where I think I was. Both times it was right next to handicapped parking.

A friend of mine works for Disney and told me of the scams people try with scooters, including offering (at a cost) to take families from ride to ride to get them in the front. So pathetic and it makes it harder for those of us who really need them.

Hope this helps others.

 

[Belle1962]

Thanks for the comments about OKW. I had been thinking of staying there but have decided to stay in the BWV or BCV.

The "scam" of people charging others to go from ride to ride to get them into the front of the lines sounds the same as when people who had the previous GAC red card disability pass were taking other people and charging them. That made headlines. There was so much fraud with the previous cards. Also, there are too many places on the internet where people were sharing the "magic words" or what you could say to get a GAC. You will NOT find much, if any, of that type of information on the DIS, which is one of the more reputable sites about WDW. Sue and the other moderators are on top of deleting those types of posts. At the switchover there were many unhappy people when they discovered having a GAC did NOT automatically entitle you to a DAS. I was at MK obtaining my DAS and the woman beside me was very irate, loud, rude and kept arguing with the CM (had I been the CM I would have called a manager but the poor CM was trying her best). The woman actually said that "the people on the internet told me if I said this I would get one'" (she was obviously not only rude and obnoxious but stupid as well). I was to the point of stepping in (and believe me that would NOT have been a friendly, magical conversation.) but the woman finally threw a profanity at the CM and stormed out, loudly bashing Disney on her way. I applaud Disney on their new system. I think it has really helped to weed out a lot of the fraud. Of course, there are probably loopholes in it and once discovered people will take advantage.

 

[SueM in MN]

I would respectfully disagree regarding the comment about staying away from OKW if you have physical disabilities because of the lack of elevators.
We are DVC members at OKW and have stayed at OKW with our physically disabled daughter and other people with physical disabilities at least twice a year since 1993.
Most of the buildings are only 2 floors and since many people prefer a higher floor for a better view, even without requesting first floor, you have about a 50:50 chance of being on first floor. If you request first floor and specifically state it is for "medical reasons" you are very likely to get it since those are assigned first. At check in, you can ask if the room assigned to you is first floor or not; if not, they should usually be able to reassign.

OKW was the first DVC resort built and the rooms are large compared to other WDW resorts. In the Studios, room for an ECV inside the room is usually not going to be a problem. It for sure won't be in a 1 or 2 bedroom villa.

The resort is made up of sets of individual buildings and each building includes only about 10-14 units per floor. Each building group has its own parking area, which is just steps outside your door. Because of the small number of units per building, the lots are small.
You do have to walk or drive from your building to the Hospitality House area where the shop, restaurants and main feature pool are. We usually stay at the Miller Road area; it looks far on the map, but the farthest Miller Road building from Hospitality House is less than a 10 minute walk and you can take the buses to get there.
There are smaller 'neighborhood pools' scattered around the resort, so you don't have to go far to swim.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Wow! Walker Mobility delivered to your room at OKW? Did you ask them to or did they volunteer? When I was at OKW and rented from Walker, I had to go to the Hospitality House to both pick up and return my ECV. And since we were staying in the Southpoint area, it wasn't easy for me.

I'm interested in the above comment about staying in the Miller's Road area. We also like the Miller Road area, and pre-ECV, requested it. However, now that I use an ECV and Miller's Road is the last bus stop, have you ever been denied boarding due to the bus already being full of ECVs? I saw this happen once when I was on the bus, but was wondering whether it was a not-uncommon occurrence, or hopefully, just an extremely rare thing.

 

[SueM in MN]

Wow! Walker Mobility delivered to your room at OKW? Did you ask them to or did they volunteer? When I was at OKW and rented from Walker, I had to go to the Hospitality House to both pick up and return my ECV. And since we were staying in the Southpoint area, it wasn't easy for me.

I'm interested in the above comment about staying in the Miller's Road area. We also like the Miller Road area, and pre-ECV, requested it. However, now that I use an ECV and Miller's Road is the last bus stop, have you ever been denied boarding due to the bus already being full of ECVs? I saw this happen once when I was on the bus, but was wondering whether it was a not-uncommon occurrence, or hopefully, just an extremely rare thing.

Hospitality House is actuall the last stop before going out to a park. We have seen people not able to get at Hospitalty House because the bus is too full.
We are not usually going at park open, so I can't comment about the bus then, but when we are going to the parks it's been extremely rare to have the bus gull when it gets to Miller Road. At least once during our stay, one or more of us go to a park at opening without DD in her wheelchair to ride things she can't do. Even then, it would be rare to be full and if you need an accessible bus and the one that came is full, the drivers are usually good about calling for one and/or knowing how far behind them the next bus to that park is.

If you are going at times when people are coming back from the parks, the bus might be too full to load a wheelchair at the first 2 stops. We usually get out at Peninsular (the first stop) and walk to our villa.

 

[Toffeewoffy]

We've stayed at OKW - I just requested building 62, 63 or 64, which are the only three buildings which have an elevator. Last year DD and I were on the second floor, but I've asked whether we can go higher this time so we don't have anyone clomping about above us (last time the last 3 days were awful and sounded as if children were galloping up and down the large wooden floor for hours on end).

We couldn't get on the bus at all at Hospitality House with the scooter. There was one morning when there was a scooter ahead of me, and they were telling me 3 buses had already gone through without them being able to get on. The final bus, which turned up while we were there, didn't even open the doors!

We left HH, turned left and went over the bridge to the first stop on the route (Peninsula Road) but we managed to get the first bus which came in and the driver got both scooters on.

But it's not a bad place to stay with a scooter. Florida Mobility were able to bring my scooter right to our door (same as with CBR). It's only the block hotels where you have to meet them at the foyer.

 

[Jake]

Walker normally leaves scooters at Bell service. The scooter is there before you. Someone has to go to the lobby bell service and get the scooter. When you leave, you returned the scooter to bell service
Really easy

 

[mamabunny]

Walker normally leaves scooters at Bell service. The scooter is there before you. Someone has to go to the lobby bell service and get the scooter. When you leave, you returned the scooter to bell service
Really easy

I believe at the moment, Walker has to meet their customers in person for drop off & pick up, and can't leave equipment at Bell Services.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I believe at the moment, Walker has to meet their customers in person for drop off & pick up, and can't leave equipment at Bell Services.

That's the way it was when we were there. But we had to meet them AT Bell Services, not at our building.

 

[Toffeewoffy]

If that's the case, I definitely wouldn't pay extra for Walker! AoA and BLT I had to wait out the front for the van to turn up. CBR and OKW they drove it to my room door and knocked. Every time I had to meet them in the lobby for collection, though.

 

[mamabunny]

If that's the case, I definitely wouldn't pay extra for Walker! AoA and BLT I had to wait out the front for the van to turn up. CBR and OKW they drove it to my room door and knocked. Every time I had to meet them in the lobby for collection, though.

That may be Resort-specific behavior, and that could be driven by anything from the layout of the Resort (how close to the Guests room can they park with the delivery vehicle?) to a management preference/tacit approval regarding their pick up/drop off services.

I was not aware that Walker was charging necessarily any more than any other rental company in Orlando, nor a delivery fee, however, it has been at least six months since I looked at their rates & fees (for a friend).

 

[Simba's Mom]

If that's the case, I definitely wouldn't pay extra for Walker! AoA and BLT I had to wait out the front for the van to turn up. CBR and OKW they drove it to my room door and knocked. Every time I had to meet them in the lobby for collection, though.

With Walker at OKW, I had to wait up at the HH for the van to show up. I'm really upset that for other people they came right to the door of their villa. Unfortunately, they told me I had to meet them by Bell Services. I wonder if there's some recent change-this was just a few months ago.

 

[Jake]

The last two times one at GF and other at POR the scooter was at bell service. I could get scooter before checking in at resort. When leaving yo go home I just drop off scooter at bell service. Right before I left the resort.
We had trouble with one of the scooters and a replacement scooter was at resort in two hours. Part of that was I as ok with time line because we just got back from the park and not going back until like five hours later