HonnyDipp
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2008
First of all let me tell you about my disease. I have Polymyositis. Its an autoimmune disease. Basically my immune system turned on my muscles and forced them to break down. I started showing symptoms in Jan '06. By Aug I was unable to walk, climb stairs and get out of the seated position. I'm in remission now. There's no cure, but I learned how to walk again...slowly, but no more wheelchair or walker.
I rented from Buena Vista Scooters. We checked into Art of Animation around 2pm last Saturday. Our rooms weren't ready, but my scooter was charged and waiting at the Bell Stand. It was the perfect size and easy to use plus it was very handy considering how big that resort is. We were in the LM section, building 8. The farthest building on the property. Even using my ECV it took me about 5 minutes to get from my building to the main hall & buses.
Speaking of buses, we used them several times a day. I was worried reading the threads on these boards. I didn't know what to expect. But I had absolutely NO problems with the buses or the drivers. All of the drivers were happy and willing to assist me. Most of them even complimented me on my parallel parking skills. Last Sunday the MK was open till' 2am. My kids and I left the park around 12:45. I had NO problem boarding the bus, I was expecting a long wait, MK was packed, but the longest I had to wait was 5 minutes. The only attitude I got was from the the other guests.
But oh well.
The next day we went back to MK. I was ready to tackle HM, again I read about the horror stories so I wanted to get it over with. It was different from the last time I rode back in '08. I was able to go through the main queue with my kids. The CM's told me to just keep to the right. After the stretching room, another CM told me to just stay to the right, and meet him at the rope around the corner. He then asked me 2 questions. 1) could I transfer? 2) could I move on a moving walk way, or did it need to be stopped? Even though I am walking again, I didn't trust the walkway, so he allowed us to pass but he told me to keep moving to the right. Once I got there, the walkway stopped and I was able to board. 2 days later we rode it again. This time when the CM asked me the 2 questions, she didn't let it go. She followed with "What if we slowed the walkway down? I pictured myself hitting the floor and I told her "NO, it needs to be stopped". She smiled and told me I may have to wait about 4 minutes, but it wouldn't be a problem.
On our trip to AK, My kids and I went straight to Expedition Everest. Again we traveled through the main queue, it was super tight, so I had to watch my speed and the sharp turns, once we got to the boarding area CM's asked me if I could transfer and to keep to the right. I had to leave my key in the ECV and was directed to the back seat of the coaster. My ECV was waiting right were I left it. Afterwards, my kids and I LOVED Everest. We got back in line. I was directed to sit in the back again. Row 17. We also rode Dinosaur back to back. They had an elevator and once again, we sat in the very back of the truck. My ECV was waiting for me when we got off. The CM's were smiling and thanked my kids for being great helpers. I was in my ECV and my kids followed behind, a CM joked saying we reminded them of a mama duck and her little ducklings. LOL! The next morning my DS14 and I took the bus and was back at AK when it opened. We sat in the same seat, rode it back to back. We made perfect time that morning. AK opened at 9am, by 10:15 my DS and I were back at AoA eating breakfast with the rest of our family.
Our day at DHS a tough one for me. We went straight to ToT. I was told to transfer directly to a wheelchair, we waited an hour to ride and again, I had absolutely NO problem. The CM's were happy and willing to help. I made sure I thanked them. Used their names. For some reason it made them soften up to me.
Again, the only problems or attitudes I experienced were from the other guests. I got mean glares from time to time. To look at me, I don't look sick, but my legs lost 40% of their muscle strength. Wednesday evening, we were on the Monorail traveling to the Poly for 6:35 ressies at 'Ohana. We were coming from Epcot, so we had to transfer 3 times. We arrived at the Ticket area and we had to get off to transfer, but I couldn't because I was waiting for the CM to grab the ramp for my ECV, A woman pushing a stroller comes up trying to board, she says to me "CAN YOU MOVE THAT THING?" before I could open my mouth a man says "SHE'S WAITING ON SOMEONE TO HELP HER, UNLESS YOU WANT TO DO IT FOR HER". She huffed then marched off, I thanked him and he said to me, "Don't worry about it, some people are just ignorant"
On our last bus ride I thanked the driver for helping me. I told him I heard horror stories about loading the ECV's on the buses. He told me that they do their best to get rid of those drivers, saying most of them do their best to help the disabled because they know they can't help themselves.
I had a fantastic stay at WDW! We are already planning our next trip for 2013!
I rented from Buena Vista Scooters. We checked into Art of Animation around 2pm last Saturday. Our rooms weren't ready, but my scooter was charged and waiting at the Bell Stand. It was the perfect size and easy to use plus it was very handy considering how big that resort is. We were in the LM section, building 8. The farthest building on the property. Even using my ECV it took me about 5 minutes to get from my building to the main hall & buses.
Speaking of buses, we used them several times a day. I was worried reading the threads on these boards. I didn't know what to expect. But I had absolutely NO problems with the buses or the drivers. All of the drivers were happy and willing to assist me. Most of them even complimented me on my parallel parking skills. Last Sunday the MK was open till' 2am. My kids and I left the park around 12:45. I had NO problem boarding the bus, I was expecting a long wait, MK was packed, but the longest I had to wait was 5 minutes. The only attitude I got was from the the other guests.
But oh well.
The next day we went back to MK. I was ready to tackle HM, again I read about the horror stories so I wanted to get it over with. It was different from the last time I rode back in '08. I was able to go through the main queue with my kids. The CM's told me to just keep to the right. After the stretching room, another CM told me to just stay to the right, and meet him at the rope around the corner. He then asked me 2 questions. 1) could I transfer? 2) could I move on a moving walk way, or did it need to be stopped? Even though I am walking again, I didn't trust the walkway, so he allowed us to pass but he told me to keep moving to the right. Once I got there, the walkway stopped and I was able to board. 2 days later we rode it again. This time when the CM asked me the 2 questions, she didn't let it go. She followed with "What if we slowed the walkway down? I pictured myself hitting the floor and I told her "NO, it needs to be stopped". She smiled and told me I may have to wait about 4 minutes, but it wouldn't be a problem.
On our trip to AK, My kids and I went straight to Expedition Everest. Again we traveled through the main queue, it was super tight, so I had to watch my speed and the sharp turns, once we got to the boarding area CM's asked me if I could transfer and to keep to the right. I had to leave my key in the ECV and was directed to the back seat of the coaster. My ECV was waiting right were I left it. Afterwards, my kids and I LOVED Everest. We got back in line. I was directed to sit in the back again. Row 17. We also rode Dinosaur back to back. They had an elevator and once again, we sat in the very back of the truck. My ECV was waiting for me when we got off. The CM's were smiling and thanked my kids for being great helpers. I was in my ECV and my kids followed behind, a CM joked saying we reminded them of a mama duck and her little ducklings. LOL! The next morning my DS14 and I took the bus and was back at AK when it opened. We sat in the same seat, rode it back to back. We made perfect time that morning. AK opened at 9am, by 10:15 my DS and I were back at AoA eating breakfast with the rest of our family.
Our day at DHS a tough one for me. We went straight to ToT. I was told to transfer directly to a wheelchair, we waited an hour to ride and again, I had absolutely NO problem. The CM's were happy and willing to help. I made sure I thanked them. Used their names. For some reason it made them soften up to me.
Again, the only problems or attitudes I experienced were from the other guests. I got mean glares from time to time. To look at me, I don't look sick, but my legs lost 40% of their muscle strength. Wednesday evening, we were on the Monorail traveling to the Poly for 6:35 ressies at 'Ohana. We were coming from Epcot, so we had to transfer 3 times. We arrived at the Ticket area and we had to get off to transfer, but I couldn't because I was waiting for the CM to grab the ramp for my ECV, A woman pushing a stroller comes up trying to board, she says to me "CAN YOU MOVE THAT THING?" before I could open my mouth a man says "SHE'S WAITING ON SOMEONE TO HELP HER, UNLESS YOU WANT TO DO IT FOR HER". She huffed then marched off, I thanked him and he said to me, "Don't worry about it, some people are just ignorant"
On our last bus ride I thanked the driver for helping me. I told him I heard horror stories about loading the ECV's on the buses. He told me that they do their best to get rid of those drivers, saying most of them do their best to help the disabled because they know they can't help themselves.
I had a fantastic stay at WDW! We are already planning our next trip for 2013!
