wheelchair security?

[KPeveler]

Ok, i have heard a bunch of people suggest putting a bike lock on your personal chair to keep it from "wandering off" when you are on a ride, but how worried do I need to be that my personal chair will disappear? I will try to leave it outside rides if I can (I am going at a time with low crowds, and on lines i can see like pooh bear, i prefer to walk the line), but will someone steal it?

I know not to leave anything on the chair, and i can bring a bike lock, but is someone really going to steal my chair? has anyone ever has theirs stolen, or heard of someone who has? i didnt pay much for mine (used on ebay) but i really don't want to lose it!

[Michigan]

Just stay in your chair in the lines then get out of it to go on the rides.

Since my girls can't walk we always leave the chairs with the cm at the ride and have never locked them or worried that they wouldn't be there when we got off.

[KPeveler]

i have never heard of someone stealing a chair, but a lot of people seem concerned that it will happen... i actually need to get up and walk sometimes, and i figured that it would be easier to walk through short lines or fastpass lines sometimes...

for instance i would wait in my chair at the HM line, but then walk through the stretching room and interior line. i guess i was just concerned that my chair, which i guess a CM would move to the exit, would be gone when i got out :)

[Mickiethepooh]

I agree, ride it through the line then it is right there when you get off, much less chance of anything happening. Also you might want to Write your name in magic marker on the bottom of the seat, I also have Luggage tag type stickers that I put on every removable part of my chair, useful when traveling with it anyway. and it certainly proves the chair is yours should anyone inadvertently mistake it for another one.
The most irritating part to me is coming off a ride or out of a restaruant and finding someone sitting in it or kids playing on my scooter. Do people have NO BRAINS at all?

[KPeveler]

no, most people do not have brains!

my chair does not look anything like the ones in the parks, and is essentially a pediatric chair (cause i am so small :) ), so odds are no one would mistake it. however, i know that will be my biggest concern about bringing it, is someone else thinking that it is simple a better version of a park chair and rolling off!

[mechurchlady]

Make sure it is clearly marked as yours such as engraving on the frame some sort of identication. You could put on the back of the chair a label "Property of James" for example. Thieves usually grab the stuff that looks like it belongs to nobody.

The problem with locking stuff at parks is that sometimes CMs will need to move the chair or stroller. It may be for an emergency or the need to be tidy. I do not know if they would cut the chain or not but would not tempt them. If you decide to lock the chair then make sure you put it where it is allowed to be. Talk to CMs.

There are people who will take things that do not belong to them. If someone took your chair then you would contact the first CM and they would call security. Disney parks can get the word out fast.

I like to see things out of an ECV and sometimes miss things when I am in an ECV. I understand your wanting to walk through some lines.

[SueM in MN]

People have posted in the past that they were given a lock to use when they borrowed a wheelchair from their resort. Those wheelchairs don't look like they 'belong' to anyone as Churchy mentioned, so some people might feel 'safe' to take them (and if they are caught, they can always claim that they thought it was theirs).
Someone's personal wheelchair is a bit diffferent since no one knows who it belongs to or whether you might come out as they are removing it. So, I would agree that the best 'defense' is to make it very individual, so that no one can mistake it for theirs if it's just sort of a 'generic' wheelchair that may be like others. It's also less likely that anyone will take one that they know the owner can tell just by glancing at them that they have it.

Almost forgot,
you can use a lock if you want, as long as the wheelchair can still be moved by CMs. If you lock it to something like a fence, etc. the lock may/will be cut. They will move wheelchairs to make the stroller area more orderly or to keep evacuation routes clear.
People who use locks either put the lock somewhere that would make the wheelchair uncomfortable to use (like across the seat) or make it still movable, but not not useable, like locking the 2 front wheels together. That allows CMs to push it by tilting the weight off those wheels.

[Vijoge]

The most irritating part to me is coming off a ride or out of a restaruant and finding someone sitting in it or kids playing on my scooter. Do people have NO BRAINS at all?

I've been waiting for a chance to tell this story LOL!

DH and I were on the bus going to Old Key West Resort. My ECV was srapped in and I was sitting in the seat right in front of it (like I have to because they won't let you remain on the ECV, right?). Well the bus started getting full and pretty soon was standing room only. So this guy got on the bus, walked to the back and promptly sat down on my ECV. (I had a towel on the seat and he even took the towel off.) I looked at DH like ?????? and we waited to see if he'd stay there. Sure enough, he sat on my ECV until we got to his stop and he got off.

And immediately down the aisle comes a women with three kids in tow. She looked at the kids and asked "Who wants to sit in the wheelchair?"

DH yelled "NO!" I'm thinking, "Gosh, if I can't sit on it how come everyone else can????"

[Chuck S]

We've never had a problem a WDW, but many years ago my grandmother's chair was "borrowed" at Disneyland. We exited the ride just in time to see it disappearing down main street. The woman in it claimed that it was a park chair that she rented, though it obviously was quite different from the park chairs available at the time.

If you are worried, a bike lock should work fine for those instances where you leave the chair and walk onto a ride. But for a lot of rides, like Big Thunder where you have an alternate entrance and leave the chair, I wouldn't worry too much as the chair is usually within site of a CM while you ride. Just be sure not to secure the chair to anything, as the CMs may need to relocate it.

[OneLittleSpark]

As your chair is fairly individual already (and very cool and sparkly!), it's less likely that it'll be taken. I think most people at Disney would take a chair by mistake, rather than intentionally stealing it (though you do get inconsiderate idiots everywhere, unfortunately), so your chair (not being a standard black) would be less likely to be taken. If you also decorate the chair up for Disney, with some cool lights, ribbon, tinsel, beads or other such decor, it will make it stand apart more (as well as making a nice conversation piece). I'm afraid I've never left my own chair in the stroller area, as I've only been on one trip with my own wheels, and am too broken to make it through a queue alone now, so can't give you a first-hand answer.

I think you should be fine. If the worst does happen, let a CM know immediately and they can have people on the look out for it.

[alizesmom]

Alize's chair is his life-line. He has to have a custom made one and we would be lost without it. It's obviously different from a regular chair and he will rarely be out of it but there are a few rides where I might carry him on. Can I specifically ask a CM to watch it? Karen

[Michigan]

Alize's chair is his life-line. He has to have a custom made one and we would be lost without it. It's obviously different from a regular chair and he will rarely be out of it but there are a few rides where I might carry him on. Can I specifically ask a CM to watch it? Karen

You won't need to worry. I have 2 kids in custom wheelchairs and have never had a problem with the chair not being there in 17 years.

[SueM in MN]

Alize's chair is his life-line. He has to have a custom made one and we would be lost without it. It's obviously different from a regular chair and he will rarely be out of it but there are a few rides where I might carry him on. Can I specifically ask a CM to watch it? Karen
In those cases, you would be leaving the wheelchair at the baording/exit area, not just out in the open.
We were worried the first year or 2 when we traveled with DD's wheelchair, but I agree with Michigan, people don't mess with them there.
For one thing, in most cases, it is parked in the exit area. Most people are concerned with just figuring out how to get out of the ride/attraction and don't even notice the wheelchair. I recently stood at the exit of Haunted Mansion for one whole ride cycle because I got off and the CM forgot to stop the ride to let DD and DH off. I was standing in full view of anyone coming off the ride - I was even taking pictures. I would bet that if someone had been outside the building taking a survey, most of the people would have said they did not notice anything 'unusual' at the exit.

[KPeveler]

security was my only concern about bringing my own chair... what i was thinking was that my chair folds, so i may fold it if i leave it anywhere but at an exit (when i board a ride) and lock it so it won't unfold... that way it can be rolled easily, but i am the only one who can unlock it to sit in it...

i have never heard of a chair getting stolen, but it is nice to hear from other people that you did not have a problem with it!

the only place i will leave my chair in "stroller parking" would be fantasyland - i can see the ride lines from the outside, so i would be able to judge if i could stand... plus that is the most crowded area with the worst accessibility i think (seeing as it is oldest)... POTC would be my only other concern...

[SueM in MN]

sPOTC would be my only other concern...
POTC has a very long queue that you have to travel thru even if it is not busy. If it's busy, they change the route to make more space inside the actual queue for people to wait. You can't see any of this until you are inside of the queue area and the CMs don't seem to be very good at judging the distance.

[Figaro]

Before I got my own wheelchair, when we would get a chair from the resort, we were given a bike lock and told to lock the wheel on one side so it could be moved but would still be difficult to steal. And I agree that for the most part, it isn't very likely that a wheelchair will be stolen, but it does happen on occasion.

My personal experience with this was on time on our flight to WDW, while waiting for the aisle wheelchair, someone opened up and sat down in my wheelchair which had no arms, legs or seat cushions and which was sitting closed in the jetway and went off with it. Fortunately, my spouse had carried out the wheelchair parts to get it set up for me and saw them. He ran after them and then the person in my wheelchair proceeded to argue with my spouse that it was an airport wheelchair. Even my spouse pointing out that it had no legs, arms or seat cushion didn't change the person's mind. :) But the flight attendant did manage to convince them that they had to give back the wheelchair, so no harm was done.

The second experience was at DTD Guest Services. My spouse had gone in to get an error corrected on his ticket and I was waiting back from the desk for him. A woman came racing in, right over to where I was sitting in my wheelchair and said: "I need that chair right now."

I said: "I beg your pardon?"

She said: "You need to get out of it right now so I can take it."

I said: "This is my wheelchair."

She said: "But I need one now."

I said: "You don't appear to understand, this is my personal wheelchair."

She said: "Well, what am I supposed to do? I need a wheelchair now and they told me I could have the first one that was returned."

I said: "I'm not returning this wheelchair because it is my own wheelchair."

She wasn't happy, and upon leaving Guest Services, told the people waiting outside for her that there was a wheelchair but that that woman wouldn't give it up. :)

I laughed and laughed about this until I had tears rolling down my face.

I have found that for the most part, people aren't going to deliberately take a personal wheelchair. But often people don't pay very much attention to wheelchairs and they seem to look pretty much the same to many people. If someone could head off in a wheelchair with no legs or arms :) I wonder how much of an effect personalizing a wheelchair is going to have.

[SueM in MN]

If someone could head off in a wheelchair with no legs or arms :) I wonder how much of an effect personalizing a wheelchair is going to have.
Well, it won't help with the totally clueless people like the one you are talking about,:dance3:
but it should help with those who are only partly clueless.

That story makes me think of one of the first times we went to WDW after DD got her first wheelchair - bright purpl/fushia, with big tires. Little kids wheelchairs not are much more 'kid friendly', but in those days, they were literally the same as adult wheelchairs, except for narrower and shorter in the seat.
Hers was pretty obviously a wheelchair though since it had huge tires on the back and had a head rest. As we were going into The Land building at Epcot, a mother came up beside us with a stoller and tried to get into the building. The CM said she could not bring the stroller in and would have to park it.
She pointed to us and said "I am going in. You are letting them bring their stroller in, so I'm bringing mine in too." The CM said, "I'm sorry, but that is a wheelchair and they are allowed to bring that in. Strollers are not allowed in and you will have to park yours." The woman just kept arguing about her "right to bring my stroller in, since you are letting them bring their's in." Her DH started out whispering "that is a wheelchair" to her, but she was having none of it. it was really obvious that she wasn't listening, because each time, she would say, "I don't care. f I can't bring my stroller in, neither can they". The DH and the CM kept repeating "that is a WHEELCHAIR", getting louder and louder. It was real obvious that she wasn't really listening, but the DH finally got her to move over so at least we could get in. He (and the CM) apologized profusely, but the woman was still arguing when we left.

[Figaro]

Sue, I have found that some people believe so strongly that they are correct that nothing anyone can say to them gets through. It sometimes takes a higher authority before they will give up, and even then they will complain about what the perceive as the injustice.

I guess that woman was so focused on what she thought was fair that she couldn't even see the difference between a stroller and a wheelchair Hopefully it was WDW overload and she normally is a bit more rational. :)

[SueM in MN]

Sue, I have found that some people believe so strongly that they are correct that nothing anyone can say to them gets through. It sometimes takes a higher authority before they will give up, and even then they will complain about what the perceive as the injustice.

I guess that woman was so focused on what she thought was fair that she couldn't even see the difference between a stroller and a wheelchair Hopefully it was WDW overload and she normally is a bit more rational. :)
::yes::
She was not listening to anyone and she 'saw' a stroller, no matter what it really was or what anyone said.

[hematite153]

.. is someone really going to steal my chair? has anyone ever has theirs stolen, or heard of someone who has? i didnt pay much for mine (used on ebay) but i really don't want to lose it!

Yes.

Disney CMs did everything they could for us, but having the wc stolen on the second last day of our vacation created a bad feeling at the end of a good week.

It had personal property on it (hat and bright bandanna) so should have been rather obviously not a "courtesy chair".

Once I got past the initial emotional reaction I have mostly just been thankful that we choose to rent in Orlando this time (instead of bringing a chair from home like in the past). The CMs were able to arrange things so that we didn't end up paying for the stolen chair but if we'd rented it from home or if it was a personal one they wouldn't have been able to help in this way.

We've talked about locks for our next trip and will probably do something to help prevent another theft. Locking one wheel to the frame seems simplest for us.

[Cheshire Figment]

Can I specifically ask a CM to watch it?
Yes, you can ask. However, usually the answer will be no. We are not allowed to accept responsibility for private property unless the position description calls for it (such as Bell Services at a resort, but then you are given a receipt). And even if the person says yes, when you return you may find that person is not there.

Any CM can be pulled from a position at any time, such as being told it is time for a break, or being asked to cover another position. Or anything with an official higher priority.

For example,a comment sometimes made to me at Guest Relations at Typhoon
is that the person was trying to hold a conversation with a particular CM and was being ignored. Usually it turns out that they were asking questions of a Lifeguard. That person would answer the question, but cannot turn to face the person when talking; they have a specific water area they must be scanning at all times.

[OneLittleSpark]

K, if you do go for a bike lock, might I suggest using a combination one, rather than one with a key? That way you will save an awful lot of unnecessary faffing getting in and out. Instead of locking it shut, it might be better to lock one wheel to the frame. That way it can't be wheeled away without looking awfully suspicious, but can be moved by CMs if necessary, and will allow you to sit down while you unlock it.

For POTC, please, please, please take a chair through the line. It's a lot longer than it looks from the outside, and it's a long way to go from the exit back to the wheelchair parking area. I think I may have said this before, but just in case I haven't, be aware that their transfer chairs all have the footplates adjusted up as high as they will go. I'm not particularly tall (about 5'5"), but I practically had my knees up around my ears. The extra pressure the weight of my legs put on my ankles, and the steep angle my feet were at, had me on the verge of tears by the time we reached the boarding area, through a walk on queue. Needless to say, when I rode it again (and again and again) I kept my own chair in the line and was much more comfortable.

[SueM in MN]

For POTC, please, please, please take a chair through the line. It's a lot longer than it looks from the outside, and it's a long way to go from the exit back to the wheelchair parking area.
The exit is actually in a different building than the entrance.
When you look at the building from the outside or on the map, there is the part that has the queue area for POC. Then, way down toward the end of the 'street' where the street turns the corner, there is a gift shop and just at the end of the building, there is a set of bathrooms.
If you don't have a wheelchair, going up the moving ramp at the end of the ride brings you up in the back corner of the shop. If you have a wheelchair or use the elevator, you will be coming up behind the bathrooms. So, it's a long way back to where ever you leave your wheelchair.

[aPiratesLife4Me]

For POTC, please, please, please take a chair through the line. It's a lot longer than it looks from the outside, and it's a long way to go from the exit back to the wheelchair parking area.

Hello all :goodvibes

I have a question about this because during our trip last August the cm at POTC asked us to leave our wheelchair out front of POTC and use a WDW chair because they said the wait to get our wheelchair back to us would be much too long. I knew the wait would be long because our first time on two days earlier we took my chair in the queue and at the ride exit had to wait quite some time for my chair to show up. So this time we used the WDW like they suggested and although it was much quicker at the end to use their chair to get back up to mine, I was worried mine might disappear. Do they still do this? It was last August, the end of the month and not a busy time, the wait time for POTC for us that whole week was always listed as 5 minutes.

Anyway, this is a great question posted because I just now got a brand new manual wheelchair (my previous one was a used, kinda beat up one..and before that I always rented at the parks and never really thought about it being taken) and will be concerned during our trip next summer about leaving it unattended. I have often wondered if it was okay to somehow lock it (not to anything, but so no one could use it) so I was glad to see this thread.

Been reading here a long time and always find some really great, helpful information, so thank you all.

[KPeveler]

the only time i will really leave my chair will be fantasyland, since everything is so close and crowded... my chair is my personal chair and will look very "me." most likely i will just keep my chair with me the whole time and avoid the problem (except when i am on a ride)...

thanks all :hippie:

[whgrn]

The second experience was at DTD Guest Services. My spouse had gone in to get an error corrected on his ticket and I was waiting back from the desk for him. A woman came racing in, right over to where I was sitting in my wheelchair and said: "I need that chair right now."

I said: "I beg your pardon?"

She said: "You need to get out of it right now so I can take it."

I said: "This is my wheelchair."

She said: "But I need one now."

I said: "You don't appear to understand, this is my personal wheelchair."

She said: "Well, what am I supposed to do? I need a wheelchair now and they told me I could have the first one that was returned."

I said: "I'm not returning this wheelchair because it is my own wheelchair."

She wasn't happy, and upon leaving Guest Services, told the people waiting outside for her that there was a wheelchair but that that woman wouldn't give it up. :)

I laughed and laughed about this until I had tears rolling down my face.

:rotfl2: OMG that is HYSTERICAL!!! I can just see it. I read it to my mom and she laughed her head off. (She is in a WC part time, so she could really relate.) She said she wishes she had a thing that, if someone tried to take it, would yell really really loud "Help! Help! Someone is trying to steal me!!":rotfl:

Tooo funny!

[OneLittleSpark]

aPiratesLife4Me, They still ask you to transfer to one of their chairs, but you are not required to. The reason they ask this is that, in order to get a chair from the boarding area to the exit, a CM has to wheel the chair around to meet you. If they did this for everyone in a wheelchair there would be a huge backlog of people waiting for their chairs. However, if you would benefit from taking your own chair through the line (or suffer from using one of theirs), then you can ask to keep yours with you. There is, of course, the risk that you'll beat your chair to the exit. If this happens, I'm sure they'd have no objections to you sitting in one of their chairs while you wait for yours to trundle up. I didn't have any problems when we went in September, and my chair was always there, every time we rode (about 5 or 6 times in total!), however, I have heard some people who've had serious problems with this system.

Oh, and if you're not too agile on your pins, I would recommend not wearing a skirt when boarding this ride. Let's just say, I know this from experience :blush:

[aPiratesLife4Me]

Oh, and if you're not too agile on your pins, I would recommend not wearing a skirt when boarding this ride. Let's just say, I know this from experience :blush:

Just add this to my "list" of reasons why I hardly ever dress up :rotfl: No skirts for me!

Thanks for your input on POTC. The one time we waited after exiting the ride it was a bit of a wait, but we didn't mind. Hey, we're at WDW and enjoying every moment we can. :) It's just leaving my wc up top and so far out of site I was hoping it'd be there when we got back, and mostly because I think someone might take it by mistake, I'm not really thinking intentional. Guess I just need to be sure to mark it so it's obvious it's MINE.

[KPeveler]

i keep debating just renting one there, since i need someone to push me most of the time anyway, but the last two days we are there, the crowd level is supposed to be a 9... so if i get to the park at the end of a day (which i will on sunday of my trip), there may not be a chair for me... so i think i will just take mine and keep it with me as much as possible

thanks for all the advice :)

[Mason7AK]

Okay, now you guys have me a little worried! We usually take our two DC's personal chairs. Never a problem before. BUT both their chairs have their names embroidered in large script right on the back seat! This trip in December we are taking a small pediatric "travel" chair for DS5. It is not personalized. It is really small, has a bright yellow frame and a smiley face embroidered on the back. But no real personalization. Should we do something more to "personalize" it, do you think? Any suggestions? DS is para, so we will be taking it through the lines and right up to boarding the rides. Can't think of any time, it would be left at stroller parking. We bought this chair from ebay, as it is lighter and it folds, where his regular chair doesn't fold and is heavier. We figured with the foldable chair, we would only need one wheelchair space on the bus for DD, as DS can be placed on our lap and the travel chair folded. Any personalization tips?
Angela

[hematite153]

Okay, now you guys have me a little worried! ...This trip in December we are taking a small pediatric "travel" chair for DS5. It is not personalized. It is really small, has a bright yellow frame and a smiley face embroidered on the back.

I probably wouldn't worry too much. You'll notice that although others had stories of people TRYING to steal their chairs mine was the ONLY story of actual theft. (I have to say, the fact that everybody else's stories had a successful end has improved my sense of the world a bit.)

But, based on our experience, I would find a way to attach something that would identify the chair as yours if found later by disney. (This could be as simple as an email address.) They told us that they would send personal property home free of charge if found after I left. Of course, my stuff was either not found or was not identifiable enough. Plus, apparently all of the resorts have their own lost and found. So, if someone took the chair to another resort, the only way I could find my stuff would be to call them all.

Overall, your DS's travel chair may not be personalized but it sounds distinctive, and you aren't planning to leave it in stroller parking like we do. So, you ought to be okay. But, it couldn't hurt to have some kind of identifying information on it.

JMHO

[SueM in MN]

Okay, now you guys have me a little worried! We usually take our two DC's personal chairs. Never a problem before. BUT both their chairs have their names embroidered in large script right on the back seat! This trip in December we are taking a small pediatric "travel" chair for DS5. It is not personalized. It is really small, has a bright yellow frame and a smiley face embroidered on the back. But no real personalization. Should we do something more to "personalize" it, do you think? Any suggestions? DS is para, so we will be taking it through the lines and right up to boarding the rides. Can't think of any time, it would be left at stroller parking. We bought this chair from ebay, as it is lighter and it folds, where his regular chair doesn't fold and is heavier. We figured with the foldable chair, we would only need one wheelchair space on the bus for DD, as DS can be placed on our lap and the travel chair folded. Any personalization tips?
Angela
I would not worry about it.
We have been traveling to with DD's personal wheelchair for over 18 years. *She's 22 and has had a wheelchair since she was not quite 3.
You don't have anything to worry about if you are taking it in lines with you. Most people don't even notice the wheelchairs that are parked at the exit/boarding area. Since they have come off the attraction, they have no idea who the wheelchair belongs to - the owner could be right behind them.

The park rental, resort loan chairs and really 'generic' wheelchairs are most at risk. Partly because they all look the same and it's easy to mistakenly take one and partly because some people see a park or resort wheelchair and assume it's "OK" to "borrow" it because you can take your receipt to the rental place and get another.

I would not worry with the chair you are bringing and how you plan to use it.

[Mason7AK]

Thanks, I think you are probably right we will be okay. Just something else for me to fret about! We will just put identifying information on the bottom of the seat, and hopefully that will be fine. It is still worth it to us to have the folding chair, as I think the bus situation for our family will be easier with only having one chair that needs to be tied down. 39 days and we will be at WDW :banana: !
Angela

[BroganMc]

And immediately down the aisle comes a women with three kids in tow. She looked at the kids and asked "Who wants to sit in the wheelchair?"

DH yelled "NO!" I'm thinking, "Gosh, if I can't sit on it how come everyone else can????"


That sounds suspiciously like the people who will lean on my handlebars in a ride queue, at a parade or fireworks or just use it as a grab bar disembarking some place. The same folks have habits of planting their precious feet right behind my mountainbike-style drive wheels (then squeel when they get accidentaly run over as I adjust my position). They also tend to race you to the one handicapped stall in the bathroom.

It's called AB ignorance. Usually when I encounter such an unknowing twit I usually say a secret prayer that they break a leg soon and are given a crash course in the wheelie life.

As for me, I have a very nice power wheelchair that's always loaded with backpack and joystick daypack. I usually just throw my hat over the joystick to conceal whatever's there and park the chair back against a wall so no one can go inside easily. Only time I have every worried about leaving my chair was leaving it exposed to the elements in case of a sudden rain shower.

Now my dad's ECV gets moved off constantly by the CMs. It ends up in the stroller parking and often exposed to the elements. So his valuables go with my chair and we try to cover it with a poncho when it's rainy.

[GroovyWheeler]

Ok, i have heard a bunch of people suggest putting a bike lock on your personal chair to keep it from "wandering off" when you are on a ride, but how worried do I need to be that my personal chair will disappear? I will try to leave it outside rides if I can (I am going at a time with low crowds, and on lines i can see like pooh bear, i prefer to walk the line), but will someone steal it?

I know not to leave anything on the chair, and i can bring a bike lock, but is someone really going to steal my chair? has anyone ever has theirs stolen, or heard of someone who has? i didnt pay much for mine (used on ebay) but i really don't want to lose it!

I've been going to Disney for many years-the last 5 years or so, have been with my own personal wheelchair. It's a Quickie 2 ultralight, and has a special seating system in it that fits me. I do have an address label with my name and address on it, in case it got lost. My mom and I have never worried about it being stolen, as it looks different from the park wheelchairs, because of the curved handle extension attached to the push handles.

Samantha

[OneLittleSpark]

That sounds suspiciously like the people who will lean on my handlebars in a ride queue, at a parade or fireworks or just use it as a grab bar disembarking some place.

Irritating, isn't it? I had someone use my wheelchair handle as a convenient leaning place as he was leaving the bus, while I was still in it! Look buster, this is my chair, not part of the bus! He was an ECV user too, so I thought he might have been a little more understanding.

They also tend to race you to the one handicapped stall in the bathroom.

::yes:: *Sigh*

[KPeveler]

ok, my chair will look nothing like park wheelchairs, but it just makes me feel better to hear that no one here has had a personal chair stolen, except for the resort wheelchair with personal belongings on it... just makes me feel a little better! i leave in 18 days!

[SueM in MN]

Irritating, isn't it? I had someone use my wheelchair handle as a convenient leaning place as he was leaving the bus, while I was still in it! Look buster, this is my chair, not part of the bus! He was an ECV user too, so I thought he might have been a little more understanding.



::yes:: *Sigh*
This happened a long time ago, but in line at MK, a little girl sat on my DD's wheelchair footrests. Right on top of her feet! The parents thought it was cute and didn't seem all that concerned that their DD was sitting on top of my DD!

[lovethecastle]

I like the idea of locking my son's wheelchair. Most of the time we take it up to the ride but one time my dh took him into stitch piggyback. When we came out everything that had been parked across from stitch was moved(lots of strollers & my son's wheelchair). We freaked because my son can't walk at all & there are no benches there where he can sit. We just had to look for it & came upon it eventually. I understand that cm's have to move things so I wonder if you can even lock a wheelchair.
SueM- do you have any idea about that? and by the way I don't think another kid sitting on my son's feet is funny. What is wrong with those parents. They truly don't
have brains.

[Shorty82]

I like the idea of locking my son's wheelchair. Most of the time we take it up to the ride but one time my dh took him into stitch piggyback. When we came out everything that had been parked across from stitch was moved(lots of strollers & my son's wheelchair). We freaked because my son can't walk at all & there are no benches there where he can sit. We just had to look for it & came upon it eventually. I understand that cm's have to move things so I wonder if you can even lock a wheelchair.
Sue- do you have any idea about that?

As long as the chair is not locked to something it is okay. If a CM can still move the chair then you can lock it.

As long as your son's chair doesn't look anything like the park's it will probably be okay left unlocked. I've never heard of a personal chair being stolen. The chair talked about earlier in this thread that was stolen was a resort chair and whoever took it probably figured it was fair game, like some seem to think about the park chairs.

[lovethecastle]

Thanks Shorty82 for the response. I think next time we will bring a lock just to be on the safe side.

Sandy

[KPeveler]

i am bringing a small cheap bike lock - my chair is light enough it can be moved with the lock on it, but no one will be wheeling off with it! thanks for all the great advice

[KPeveler]

i am thinking about making a chain of lime green mickey heads and writing "this is not yours!" in big letters on it, and stringing it across the push handles - i think then people will be able to tell it is not a rental chair for their use!

[SueM in MN]

As long as the chair is not locked to something it is okay. If a CM can still move the chair then you can lock it.

As long as your son's chair doesn't look anything like the park's it will probably be okay left unlocked. I've never heard of a personal chair being stolen. The chair talked about earlier in this thread that was stolen was a resort chair and whoever took it probably figured it was fair game, like some seem to think about the park chairs.
::yes::
as long as it is not locked to anything, it will be OK.
But, you mentioned your son can't walk at all, so you really don't have to worry about his chair. For some attractions (like shows) he will be able to stay right in it from the time you enter the line until you are done with the attraction. For ones where he does need to get out to board a ride car, the wheelchair is usually going to be at the same place where you boarded the whole time. The CM might move it if it is in a pathway (like if you pulled it up very close to the ride car to board), but it will not be far from where you left it. People getting off have no idea who the chari belongs to or if they might be in the next ride car, so they leave them alone.
I would bet that most people don't even notice those wheelchairs at the exit. They are focused on getting out and most of the time don't even see it.

As for anyone sitting on your childs' feet, that happened a long time ago and we were pretty vocal for our DD. Recently, when we went to Lights, Motors, Action a man with an ECV was just behind us in the line. He parked his ECV and his wife and small child sat on the ECV while he sat on the bench. The wife proceeded to prop her feet up on the tire of my DD's wheelchair. I was sitting behind DD and didn't say anything because DD had not noticed. I figured if she did and hauled off and hit the lady, it would serve her right. That lady (if you can call someone really rude a 'lady') ignored DD and turned her head the other way when DD tried to engage her by smiling (DD can't speak, but she understands just fine). The lady also cleaned underneath her fingernails and flicked the 'junk' over by DD's wheelchair. I was half hoping DD would hit her, but she didn't.

[OneLittleSpark]

As for anyone sitting on your childs' feet, that happened a long time ago and we were pretty vocal for our DD. Recently, when we went to Lights, Motors, Action a man with an ECV was just behind us in the line. He parked his ECV and his wife and small child sat on the ECV while he sat on the bench. The wife proceeded to prop her feet up on the tire of my DD's wheelchair. I was sitting behind DD and didn't say anything because DD had not noticed. I figured if she did and hauled off and hit the lady, it would serve her right. That lady (if you can call someone really rude a 'lady') ignored DD and turned her head the other way when DD tried to engage her by smiling (DD can't speak, but she understands just fine). The lady also cleaned underneath her fingernails and flicked the 'junk' over by DD's wheelchair. I was half hoping DD would hit her, but she didn't.

:scared1: Goodness me! I know there are rude people in the world, but I never thought anyone would be that.... well, I shan't use the language I'm thinking of, as this is a family site.

On a similar note, I was at some weird theatre show a while back, where the audience were constantly being moved around, so there was no seating. Everyone was therefore just standing or sitting on the floor. There was one group of people took it into their heads to use me as a backrest. I ended up with one adult leaning on either side of my wheelchair, and a kid dangerously close to my footplates (I have joint problems, so if she'd hit my foot, I would have been screaming), all talking across me and passing their picnic around! I started shaking my wheelchair about, and they soon found their comfy place wasn't so comfy any more :stir:. If this kind of thing happens to me again, I will be having words.... at the top of my lungs ;)

Anyway, I'm going OT, sorry!

[lovethecastle]

::yes::
as long as it is not locked to anything, it will be OK.
But, you mentioned your son can't walk at all, so you really don't have to worry about his chair. For some attractions (like shows) he will be able to stay right in it from the time you enter the line until you are done with the attraction. For ones where he does need to get out to board a ride car, the wheelchair is usually going to be at the same place where you boarded the whole time. The CM might move it if it is in a pathway (like if you pulled it up very close to the ride car to board), but it will not be far from where you left it. People getting off have no idea who the chari belongs to or if they might be in the next ride car, so they leave them alone.
I would bet that most people don't even notice those wheelchairs at the exit. They are focused on getting out and most of the time don't even see it.

As for anyone sitting on your childs' feet, that happened a long time ago and we were pretty vocal for our DD. Recently, when we went to Lights, Motors, Action a man with an ECV was just behind us in the line. He parked his ECV and his wife and small child sat on the ECV while he sat on the bench. The wife proceeded to prop her feet up on the tire of my DD's wheelchair. I was sitting behind DD and didn't say anything because DD had not noticed. I figured if she did and hauled off and hit the lady, it would serve her right. That lady (if you can call someone really rude a 'lady') ignored DD and turned her head the other way when DD tried to engage her by smiling (DD can't speak, but she understands just fine). The lady also cleaned underneath her fingernails and flicked the 'junk' over by DD's wheelchair. I was half hoping DD would hit her, but she didn't.

Thanks for the info about leaving my ds's wheelchair at the ride. And EWWWW. That lady is rude & gross. yuck.

Sandy

[hematite153]

... There was one group of people took it into their heads to use me as a backrest. I ended up with one adult leaning on either side of my wheelchair, and a kid dangerously close to my footplates (I have joint problems, so if she'd hit my foot, I would have been screaming), all talking across me and passing their picnic around! ...

I must admit that I have been known to use my DW's chair as a backrest, but, let's face it, if she weren't sitting in a chair, I'd probably be using her as the backrest. ;)

I'd certainly never do it to someone else! Leaning on someone implies a certain closeness of relationship!

[KPeveler]

my chair is an extension of my body - family cna touch no problem... but if you do not know me - do not touch!!!!

thanks for all the advice about security!

[KPeveler]

i just thought of something related to the POTC discussion earlier - wouldnt it be easier if they sent you in the exit? you go in the exit, your chair is right there, and then you get in the boat in the exit... you ride around and are already seated when others get in the boat at the normal loading station... like when on buzz lightyear...

wouldnt this be easier than transferring chairs around?

[Shorty82]

If I'm not mistaken the path that the boats follow from the exit to the boarding area is to low for anybody to stay in the boats.

[KPeveler]

AH! makes sense now! thanks

[OneLittleSpark]

As Shorty said, the roof of that section comes just above the top of the seats on the boat. If you tried to go this way, you might lose a few inches off the top ;) :rotfl: It works at DLR, but not at WDW, unfortunately.