Question of the Day — 23 Oct 2007

You don't have to be in your dotage to find Las Vegas intimidating on foot. The casino floor at the MGM Grand (Las Vegas' largest) is over 170,000 square feet, while even the spa complex there covers almost 30,000 square feet (we thought spas were meant to be relaxing!) The Fashion Show Mall encompasses almost two million square feet of shopping options –- no surprise the quickie chair massage stations do a brisk trade –- retail therapy's never been so exhausting. And if you are elderly or suffering from any kind of disability, as many Vegas visitors are, it's all the more daunting.

Hence, it's no surprise that motorized scooters are a subject we've tackled in this column on more than one previous occasion. However, since the last time was back in June of '06, we figured it was time for an update. Plus, we opened up the research to inquire about some other aspects of how Las Vegas caters to those with disabilities, particularly blindness, that complements the existing area in our Transportation section (in Visitor Info), which offers a lot of helpful information about getting around town for handicapped visitors.

It turns out that most of the information from last year still holds true vis à vis scooters. Most of the major Strip casinos (we called a lot of them) and many of those downtown, including the Four Queens, Golden Gate, Binion’s, and Plaza, have scooters for hire on the premises, with average prices starting at $40 for one day, $70-$75 for two, $90-100 for three, and $125 for a five-seven day rental. Others, like the Fremont, will order one in from an outside source for the same price.

If you know you or a member of your party is going to need a scooter, our advice is to call ahead to the bell desk of the hotel where you’re staying and make sure they reserve/order one for you. If your hotel doesn't offer this service, here are the numbers for some companies around town that supply both electric scooters and wheelchairs, with up-to-date prices:

• Ability Center, 6001 S. Decatur Blvd., 702/434-3030: This company is open 8 am-5 pm, Mon.-Fri. and charges $40/day or $175 for 5-7 days or longer. They need at least one week's notice and don't deliver; you have to collect.
• Active Mobility, 702/736-4399: Prices start at the standard $40/day or $125 for a 5– to 7-day rental, both of which include delivery to your hotel. In general, they like a week's notice, but can usually deliver within an hour if necessary.
• Desert Medical Equipment, 5030 S. Decatur Blvd., 702/876-9171: $40/day or $140/week.
• Medical Mobility, 702/233-3770. There's a three-day minimum rental, which is $75 plus a $50 delivery/pick-up fee (waived if you're able to collect and return the scooter yourself). Weekly rental is $120 or $225 per month. Opening hours are 9 am-6 pm, Mon.-Fri. and 9 am-4 pm Saturday. Situated at the corner of Lake Mead & Tenaya (in the Wild Oats plaza, opposite the soccer field).
• Scootaround Inc., 888/441-7575: This is a nationwide company that offers a delivery service 24/7 to the hotel or residence where you're staying. They require at least one week's notice and charge $40/day or $140/wk. inclusive of delivery. For further information visit www.scootaround.com

One further relevant factoid is that as of June 2006, Avis in Las Vegas (and some other major cities) in theory offers rental cars that come equipped with a scooter in the trunk or one that they'll deliver to your destination. However, although the scheme's still in place, when we called the airport location here the person we spoke to was less than keen to provide us with this service. Let's not beat about the bush: The dude was rude and very unwilling to lift a finger to help. So, not such a great offer, after all.

As to your second question, this was an area we've never tackled before and we weren't sure what type of amenities her son might need. But we gave it some thought and then search