wheelchair question

[harrynme]

My mother will be driving up from Holywood to meet us for a few days. SHe will need a cheelchair for MK she can't walk that much.Someone has told her that she doesn't have to wait on line if in wheelchair. I don't think this makes sense.

DOes anybody know how the wheelchairs work and if there are plenty available?


4 weeks and counting. Will be my families first time. Can't wait!

 

[LibertyBelle]

You can rent a wheelchair from the park when you first enter on the far right hand side of the turnstiles, there are plenty avalaible.

As far as not waiting in line...in the past you were admitted to the front of most lines beacuse the que for most attractions were not accessible. Currently most of the attractions have modified their lines for wheelchair accessiblity so you would in fact be waiting in line...some of the attractions that do not have accessible ques but have a fastpass option will ask you to get a fastpass and return at the time on the pass... and yes there are still some attractions that will allow you to the front of the line beacuse there is no other way around... you will find though that a lot of the attractions are now up to ADA requirements and have accessible ques and/or they will have you wait in the line up to a certain point and then pull you out for easier boarding (like Haunted Mansion and Splash Mountain).

 

[Chuck S]

It's been awhile since we rented one (we usually take our own), they are $7 or $8 per day for a standard push wheelchair. At MK, being the oldest WDW park, NOT all lines are wheelchair accessible and some rides you will load through the exit. HOWEVER, wait times for w/c loading can be as long or longer than "regular" wait times. Attractions are limited as to the number of wheelchair guests on the ride at any one time for evacuation purposes and ride break downs. Newer rides you will wait in line with everyone else, and possibly be pulled out of line at the theater or ride entrance for a special seating or ride car area.

 

[DolphinBoy]

I highly reccomend renting a wheelchair outside WDW. We did it last year and they deliver it right to your hotel. If you rent a wheel chair at the park, it is only good at that particular park. If you rent a wheelchair outside the park, you can use it at any park. Besides, what do you do till you get to the rental area in teh park? Walk? Check out the Disablities section of the Disboard. They would be more than happy to help you out.

 

[shortbun]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and recommend your mother
get an ECV. She will be totally independent that way, no one
will tire from pushing the chair. I use an ECV due to bad knees
and sciatica. I usually park it outside the rides and walk in as
I can do that much standing and walking. Park maps have symbols telling which allow ECV, which just wheelchair and which
you have to move to a seat on the ride without either.
Few attractions have a chair or ECV being an advantage anymore,
so few, I can't remember any specifics but there are a couple
of them. ECV rental at the parks is about $30 per day but well
worth it at the end. You always have a seat, Grandma can carry
lots of bags under her legs, there is a basket on the front too.
Grandma can also head off for FP to attractions while some of
you enjoy a thrill ride she's not interested in. I rent mine from
Walkers outside the parks so I'm assured of getting one and
can ride it from the parking lot. This year, DS was just getting
over the flu so he rode on my seat in and out of the parks-not
recommended but ok in a health pinch(At EPCOT, we got him
a double stroller as he was tired). I got ECVs for DMIL and
DFIL when they went with us a few years ago. They were hesitant at first but by the end of the first day, they realize what
a bonus the ECVs were and that they could never have kept up
without them- also that they were totally free to go off and do what they wanted while we did something they were just not interested in. IE, they shopped, we don't usually.

 

[SueM in MN]

As was already mentioned, having a wheelchair or ecv does not allow you to skip lines. Most lines are accessible thru the main lines and wheelchair/ecv users wait in the same line with everyone else. This is called "Mainstream Access". There are a few (very few) rides where you don't wait in line, but on those, you usually end up waiting quite a while. Two examples are Small World and Spaceship Earth. As was already mentioned, for some rides, you will actually wait longer to board with having a wheelchair. Here's a link to the official Disney web page about touring with mobility disabilities, which includes a list of Mainstream Access rides/attractions. And a link to official Disney web page FAQs about disabilities.
For renting either a wheelchair or an ecv, here are the off-site places that DIS posters report renting from:
Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/
Phone (407) 856-2273 • Toll Free U.S and Canada (800) 741-2282

Walker Mobility:
1-888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

RANDY'S Mobility is in Kissimmee 407-892-4777
http://randysmobility.com/

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html
(800)747-0246

If she is not familiar with driving an ecv, I would not suggest MK as a park to do first. It's always busy and congested. Epcot is a better park for a "new driver" since it has very wide walkways and is usually not so crowded.