Dealing with ms and child in stroller

DM Minnie · Jul 29, 2015

I have been recently diasogned with MS and I'm needing a cane on a daily basis. We are planning a trip in Feb and was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to handle a child still in a stroller (ds will be 5) and needing either a wheelchair or a evc. My husband usually pushes the stroller but me in an evc seems like a bit of over kill for space and ease through the parks. Has anyone done a buggy board attached to the wheelchair?

anonymousegirl · Jul 30, 2015

I believe Disney has policy against having anything attached to a wheelchair or ECV. Also, they ban things that are pulled behind like wagons, coolers, rolling suitcases, etc.

mamabunny · Jul 30, 2015

What @anonymousegirl said.

My particular (personal) ECV has an optional secondary "passenger trailer" that can be purchased. It's really cool LOL - It hitches to the back of this model of ECV, and so two people can ride, single file, instead of one. (If you are curious, you can see it here; scroll down the page a bit) I have never purchased one; too many of the places we go prohibit "towing" with wheelchairs/ECVs.

Not allowed at WDW, or any of the Disney parks/properties.

I understand why - I can only imagine the long "trains" made up of ECVs, strollers, ice chests, wagons, etc. that would begin to snake through the crowds if Disney didn't enforce this rule.

Your best bet is to have hubby push the stroller, and you drive your ECV. I can certainly understand why you would prefer not to do that, but it just isn't an option at WDW (or a lot of other places I have been with my personal ECV)

Rent from a local vendor in Orlando to save money on the ECV (WDW rentals are approx. $50/day and the ECV can't leave the park; most local vendors are significantly cheaper) and you can also take it with you to Downtown Disney/Disney Springs, around the resort, etc.

I hope you have a Magical trip; your DS is at a great age to really enjoy WDW!

edited for clarity

DM Minnie · Jul 30, 2015

I get the no towing. But if my own wheelchair is equipped with a small flip down board can they say no?

SueM in MN · Jul 30, 2015

Disney not allow anything attached to a wheelchair, stroller or ECV for pushing or towing. Besides the reasons mentioned by other posters, anything attached would make the wheelchair or ECV too long to fit in the 30 inch wide by 48 inch long space allowed for wheelchairs/ECVs and would make them too long to maneuver thru lines.

All lines are wheelchair accessible to the point of boarding the attraction, but some are not ECV accessible. Those attractions have wheelchairs that can be used - talk to the CM at the attraction entrance before getting into line.
Your husband could push you in those lines and your child could either walk beside or sit on your lap.

Follow the link in my signature or look near the top of this board for the disABILITIES FAQs thread. Post 2 of that thread has information about renting ECVs and wheelchairs, including links and contact info for off site rental places.

SueM in MN · Jul 30, 2015

DM Minnie said:
I get the no towing. But if my own wheelchair is equipped with a small flip down board can they say no?

they may not say anything as you are coming in and, if it's small, they may not say anything while you are going from attraction to attraction.
But, they may tell you that you can't use it.
And, because it makes the wheelchair longer, you probably won't be able to use it at any rate inside of lines or attractions. Extra length can make it difficult or impossible to make turns in line.

If you plan to use the buses, you also need to consider the bus tiedowns that would be attached to your wheelchair unless you fold the wheelchair and hold it on buses. A flip down board might interfere with being able to access the tiedowns points.

lost*in*cyberspace · Jul 30, 2015

Is there a reason your 5 year old needs a stroller? You might want to just have her do more walking on her own to build up her stamina if she doesn't have physical issues and leave the stroller at home.

gap2368 · Jul 30, 2015

I would just let your husband push the stroller and do it that way there are a number of people with wheel chair and strollers that there should not be much of a problem getting around the park there maybe a few times you will have to go single file but it will be do able

DM Minnie · Jul 30, 2015

Yes my son needs a stroller, he is only 33 pounds at 5 years old and had health issues when he was a toddler that makes him tire out now quickly. But we have done disney every year with him and no way would I think he could handle walking that distance even if he didn't wear out easily that is a lot of miles for a 5 year old. I will play it by ear when we go and bring or rent whatever is going to help me the most. I may even bring my mom to help because we just did cedar point this past weekend with family and she did the stroller while my husband pushed me. I walk a lot on my own so renting an ecv seems like over kill like I said in a past post. I just need help for long spans where my balance might go off or get tired out.

gap2368 · Jul 30, 2015

you may wont to see getting a stroller as a wheel chair tag for your son I am not sure if you would qualify for one but if he need to stay in one that might help you all out. it might help you to bring your mom what a great time she will have being at disney with her family and it may give you and your husband some alone time for dinner or something for the two of you to do together.

DM Minnie · Jul 30, 2015

Oh just to clarify my son uses the stroller like any other kid he is in no need to use it as a wheelchair like system. I just can't imagine a 5 year old hauling around disney world for 10 days and not needing a stroller. I know some kids at 5 might be able to but my little guy no way. I'm just looking at wheelchairs for travel since my insurance fully covers them and one comes with a board attached and one has an option to add it on as an extra. Just thought wow that would be handy for the times we travel.

gap2368 · Jul 30, 2015

ok it just sounded like your son had some type of need where he tiers more easily then the normal child his age would that.

DM Minnie · Jul 31, 2015

Yes he does tire out easier than an average child but not anything that would lead us to using a stroller as a wheelchair. But thank you for the suggestion.

tinkerbellandeeyor · Aug 2, 2015

Did they have that program in the 90s not to hitchhike becuse I remember my parents caring (spp) me though the line

dumbox2 · Aug 4, 2015

Could your son sit in your lap and your husband push both of you? I use a power chair at home and a manual chair when I travel and this is how we do it. Last year my 7 year old was so exhausted he curled into my lap and took a nap while we were waiting in line.

gap2368 · Aug 5, 2015

dose disney have something against people on laps in wheel chairs or is that just ECVs I know I have heard or read about one some where.

dumbox2 · Aug 5, 2015

I had no issues in dw or hs with having a kid on my lap. I did have one small issue in dl after fireworks. I had one kid in my lap and the other standing on my anti tip bars while dh pushed. The boys had just turned 4 and I was very concerned about losing one in the stream of people. A cm did say something but after I explained my concern and that it was my own personal chair he let us keep going.

KPeveler · Aug 5, 2015

DM Minnie said:
Oh just to clarify my son uses the stroller like any other kid he is in no need to use it as a wheelchair like system. I just can't imagine a 5 year old hauling around disney world for 10 days and not needing a stroller. I know some kids at 5 might be able to but my little guy no way. I'm just looking at wheelchairs for travel since my insurance fully covers them and one comes with a board attached and one has an option to add it on as an extra. Just thought wow that would be handy for the times we travel.

I have actually met more than one family that uses the stroller as wheelchair because of a disability of the *adult* meaning that they cannot carry the child through the lines. I have also met people who use their stroller as a kind of walker, and therefore were allowed to keep it.

you may want to look into a rollator, rather than an ECV, if you really want to walk that much. That being said, with MS and the florida heat, not stressing your body by using an ECV may be a better idea.

Remember, you want to do more than *survive* Disney. You want to *enjoy* it!

DM Minnie · Aug 5, 2015

Thank you. That is an interesting option. I will watch my flares and rent an ecv or bring my wheelchair we just bought. It is hard given up your independence when you are a admitted control freak.

mamabunny · Aug 6, 2015

DM Minnie said:
... It is hard given up your independence when you are a admitted control freak.

Oh girl, you are preaching to the choir!

That is why I bought my own ECV. I wanted to be able to go WHERE I want, WHEN I want. I searched until I found the lightest weight ECV that I could find that would accommodate me, and I bought one used, on CraigsList, for about ½ price. Without me, it weighs 35 pounds with the battery. When I got it, the first thing I did was remove the seat back (it removes anyway to fold down into the golf-bag size bag it travels in) and put it away; I also took off the little fabric "shelf" or basket that can hold things, and reduced the weight by about 2 pounds total. An added bonus is that without the seat back, I can mount it just like a bike by holding on the handle bars.

I *GO* now. Nothing stops me. My depression is gone, because I am more "me" again.

My insurance didn't pay for it, and my husband was skeptical at first. After less than a year, he bought me a brand-new, updated version of my ECV because he saw how happy I was being able to go and do things on my own again. It arrives later TODAY, and I am so excited! New wheels, and we just booked a "surprise" trip, staying at WL for late September to catch Food & Wine, and Mickey's Not So Scary!

I'll be the one grinning, and waving like a Princess as I sail on by...

Rent the ECV. Bring (or rent) the stroller. An average family can *easily* cover 5 miles or more per day in the theme parks. Relax, and fully enjoy your trip. An ECV, a wheelchair, a cane - a stroller - all those things are TOOLS that will allow you to have the best possible vacation at WDW. Use the tools, and don't worry about it. If you use a calculator to do math? You've used a TOOL in your everyday life. Use glasses to see? Yep, those are a TOOL to improve your vision.

Mobility assistance devices are nothing more than TOOLS for those of us who have bodies that won't cooperate. Use your tools, and go on to live the incredible life you want, with your family and friends, and wonderful memories from WDW!

Dealing with ms and child in stroller

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