Wheelchair in park or 3rd party?

[FutureDis]

I'm on the fence about renting a wheelchair. My 16 year old son had surgery on his feet late last year (end of September and end of December). While they are healed, and he is clear to resume activity, they still hurt him after about two hours of standing (his doctor said it could take up to a year for full recovery). We go to Disney in June (for 8 nights) and I just don't think he can do even a half day on his feet, let alone a full day. We tend to be rope drop people, and we are staying on-site. Which would be the easier option:

1. Length of stay wheelchair rental from the park. We would likely do early entry, do a few rides for an hour or two (my son could do this), then get a wheelchair for the rest of the day.
2. Rent a 3rd party wheelchair, bring it on the buses (we'd fold it, and carry it on), and have it for all day (saving us a trip to guest services every day, but at the expense of having to deal with it on the bus).

Which do you think would be the easier option? Do I need to worry about wheelchair availability mid-June, a few hours after park open? Again, he doesn't need it all the time, he just can't do long periods on his feet yet.

Thank you!

 

[jo-jo]

Rent off site. You'll spend time every day waiting to get one if you get it in park. Also if the wait for a bus is long or the walk back to car, you'll have it.

We did rent in park for a couple of years, but it got to the point my DH needed it more and more . Now uses a ECV.

And he doesn't have to be the only one to sit in it. Whenever my DH got up to use restroom for sure I sat down for few mins he was gone. Any chance to sit, I'll take it.

 

[Lewisc]

The parks won't run out of rental chairs. Loaner chairs to get from the bus to the main gate are frequently unavailable.
A lot easier to rent offsite

 

[lanejudy]

Offsite rental. You don't mention the resort, but it can be a long walk from the park exit to the buses and again to your resort room at the end of a tiring day. Plus any wait for the bus.

He (or anyone in the party) can push the wheelchair when he's not using it. Park it for a bit while you do a "land" and then push it again to another. I'd be pro-active and suggest he take frequent breaks from standing before the pain starts or it could be a miserable day. (I know, easier said than done with a teen!)

 

[RoseGold]

Either get an offsite rental or even rent at home at a local medical supply and bring it with you on the plane. It's a long walk at the airport too. They gate check it like a stroller and put it on top of the baggage.

A manual chair will fold and fit in an Uber XL or a rental SUV (or the Mears/Sunshine bus). It's really not that big of a deal for transport, assuming you have other reasonably mobile adults.

There's no medal for toughing it out. It isn't worth risking his healing. Get him the chair he needs.

 

[gap2368]

I'm on the fence about renting a wheelchair. My 16 year old son had surgery on his feet late last year (end of September and end of December). While they are healed, and he is clear to resume activity, they still hurt him after about two hours of standing (his doctor said it could take up to a year for full recovery). We go to Disney in June (for 8 nights) and I just don't think he can do even a half day on his feet, let alone a full day. We tend to be rope drop people, and we are staying on-site. Which would be the easier option:

1. Length of stay wheelchair rental from the park. We would likely do early entry, do a few rides for an hour or two (my son could do this), then get a wheelchair for the rest of the day.
2. Rent a 3rd party wheelchair, bring it on the buses (we'd fold it, and carry it on), and have it for all day (saving us a trip to guest services every day, but at the expense of having to deal with it on the bus).

Which do you think would be the easier option? Do I need to worry about wheelchair availability mid-June, a few hours after park open? Again, he doesn't need it all the time, he just can't do long periods on his feet yet.

Thank you!

rent off site some hotels can be a long walk to the bus stop and the ones at the park are not that good of wheelchair. best to have one with you all the time

 

[FutureDis]

Thank you all! I didn't even really think about needing it at the resort, but that's a good point too. I'll start looking into having a wheelchair delivered to our resort.

 

[FutureDis]

Ok, just looked at the post for Buena Vista Scooter rentals. $27 a day for a manual wheelchair seems very high. I mean, I can get one from the parks for $10 a day if I do length of stay. Is there a better place to rent a manual wheelchair?

 

[Lewisc]

Check scooterbug. Scooterbug is the only vendor allowed to use bell services for pickup and return.

Guests at most non Disney operated resorts, including Swan...., can use any vendor in conjunction with bell services

 

[RoseGold]

Ok, just looked at the post for Buena Vista Scooter rentals. $27 a day for a manual wheelchair seems very high. I mean, I can get one from the parks for $10 a day if I do length of stay. Is there a better place to rent a manual wheelchair?

Your local medical supply is going to be cheaper, but then you have to get it to Orlando.

 

[FutureDis]

Check scooterbug. Scooterbug is the only vendor allowed to use bell services for pickup and return.

Guests at most non Disney operated resorts, including Swan...., can use any vendor in conjunction with bell services

Thank you! I'll check scooterbug!

 

[lanejudy]

I agree -- check some other vendors. Pricing can vary considerably. ScooterBug is the only vendor allowed to utilize Bell Services at WDW resorts for pick-up/return, but other vendors will meet you in-person. Most vendors who rent scooters also rent wheelchairs. I've seen prices that range from $70/week to over $150/week for a standard wheelchair.

 

[ttintagel]

Another thing I didn't see mentioned (although I only skimmed the thread) is that third-party equipment might be in better condition than the park rentals.

 

[midwestdee]

Thank you! I'll check scooterbug!

I rented a wheelchair through Scooterbug last June. It was waiting for me at POFQ Bell services & I dropped it off there the night before we left. DH folded it up to put on the bus. Easy peasy. I think it was around $10 daily last June.

 

[Boopuff]

My son-in-law threw out his back on the last trip. We did one day with a wheelchair and said "forget it!" pushing him all day was awful! He rented a scooter the following day and it was wonderful. We just did an in-park rental for him, but if he needed it for the whole trip, I'd consider an off site place.

 

[Euby]

I agree with others that have mentioned renting off-site. The chairs will be in better condition that the in-park rentals. Another company to consider is Gold Mobility. They offer weekly rates that include a lot of things other don't. I've used them for several Disney trips for a scooter. They have the highest customer satisfaction around.

 

[jo-jo]

My son-in-law threw out his back on the last trip. We did one day with a wheelchair and said "forget it!" pushing him all day was awful! He rented a scooter the following day and it was wonderful. We just did an in-park rental for him, but if he needed it for the whole trip, I'd consider an off site place.

Sounds like this is a just in case situation to not stress the leg. I think he will be walking pushing the chair himself half the time.

Just to throw another point of view on wheelchairs........I had pushed my husband for several trips. At first it was about 50/50 in/out of chair. Then 60/40, etc. When it got up to 80% in chair (and we are not morning to night people), we switch to ECV. I was getting older and he was getting heavier.