Wheel chair availability at resorts

[Vivaciousbee]

My MIL is in need of a wheel chair while we are at Disney. Last time she was a with us we rented an ECV. When we turned it back in we borrowed a wheel chair from the resort for one day. According to the resort we could have borrowed it from the resort for free during our entire stay. We decided that we liked using the wheel chair over the ECV.
Is it true that we can get wheel chairs from the resorts free of charge and keep for the entire stay? I just want to make sure before we arrive.
Thanks in advance!

 

[powellrj]

I would still rent my own from one of the off-site vendors. The resort may run out and sometimes the ones they have aren't in the best shape. Its really reasonable to rent one, just check the sticky at the top of the page for the numbers of the place that rent them.

 

[Carnator]

I agree with powellrj

 

[anonymousegirl]

I always assumed the resort wheelchairs were for emergency or sudden need use (like a newly sprained ankle) rather than for long term use. I too have heard that the chairs are not in the best of shape (perhaps they are not routinely maintained?)

 

[SueM in MN]

There is no guarantee that there will be any wheelchairs available at your resort or what condition.
If you actually need one, it's much better to rent one from one of the off dire rental companies.

Follow the link in my signature or look at the disABILITIES FAQs thread near the top of this board. Post 2 has rental information.

 

[Bete]

We had a need once for an emergency wheelchair at Disney and I have to say it was awful. The wheelchair was too big for the person using it, but we really didn't have a choice at the moment. We had our own Town Car with us which has a large trunk and this wheelchair didn't fit. We ended up only using Disney transportation. Also, this wheelchair was very heavy. This wasn't an easy wheelchair to push, either.

The point of all of this is you are not guaranteed the exact wheelchair you will be getting with trying to get a free one from Disney.

Eventually, we bought a portable travel wheelchair that fit easily into our car and was very light and easy to push. These wheelchairs don't cost more than $150.

Also, I agree with the above posters. Those wheelchairs are meant for emergencies. I know when we needed one it was a life saver and I wouldn't want to deprive someone else who had no warning of needing one. Also, as stated you can't reserve these wheelchairs in advance and there's a reason; it's for unexpected emergencies.

Furthermore, there is no guarantee that one will be available when you arrive.

 

[Vivaciousbee]

Thanks all! Very helpful

 

[minnie mum]

Bumping this thread up to add new info: http://www.orlandoparksnews.com/2015/08/courtesy-wheelchairs-no-longer.html

Starting next month, the resorts will no longer offer courtesy wheelchairs. Don't know if it was a maintenance/liability issue, or guests abusing the system.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks for the info.

For quite a while, the disability park maps and website have said something to the effect of - if you require a wheelchair we can help you rent one from an off site provider.

I'm glad they are getting rid of them; they were often not in good shape and I questioned who was maintaining and cleaning them (maybe no one). Even in an urgent situation, they should be able to get one quickly from one of the suppliers.

 

[scdak]

I second the idea of a travel w/c - its called a transport chair and is great if the person using it will not need to propel herself, it does not have the large wheels on it that are needed to allow the user to propel themself, it would need to be pushed by someone. I have one for my mother and we always pushed the regular chair so it was not a problem for us. Feel free to PM me if I can answer any questions and I will be happy to give you information on the types available, the pros and cons etc.