1st Trip w/Wheelchair. What do we need to know?

nikjd68

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jun 21, 2007
Messages
340
DMiL needs a wheelchair on our next trip. I booked one from Buena Vista.

What tips whould you recommend for a (first) trip with a wheelchair at WDW? There are 5 of us including some real fit people to push it. We are staying on property and using Disney transportation. We have all been to WDW multiple times.

TIA!!!
 
Motorcycle gloves.
Take turns pushing, even if it means setting up a schedule.
If she can walk and wants to, let her use the empty wheelchair as a rollator periodically.
 
Some people gloves make them get blister so be careful if you use them
 
Look out for bumps in the road, and be prepared for travel times (both to the park and in the park) to take longer. My dad is in a power wheelchair and while we never had to use a manual WC, he does have problems with things like the track on Main Street where the wheel gets stuck and he may need a push if he doesn't go across at the right angle. Otherwise, have a great trip!
 

Avoid going over the tracks in MK. This may sound silly but you need to go were the ramps are positioned; don't jump a curb. The castle is one of these areas.

For Soarin' in Epcot you will need to use an elevator to get to the proper level for the ride.

Some rides you can actually take the wheelchair on the ride like the Great Movie Ride, Jungle Cruise, and Universe of Energy.

Keep in mind for wheelchair areas for shows you are probably better off staying in the back. For example, you can go close to the front on the Beauty and Beast show, but it's all ramp getting down there and back up.

Boat rides can have a big step down and up to get on and off. It would be wise to have someone in front of her and someone in back to help.
 
We have bicycle lights that we have on our son's wheelchair that we put on with zip ties. We turn them on at dusk. Glow sticks work too. Be prepared for people to shove you out of the way, not see you and expect you to stop on a dime. Have a blast and don't forget first aid is your best friend.
 
Thanks to everyone. We are going to do all the "pushing" for DMiL. She has never used a wheelchair by herself. We need it because she can't walk long distances due to a chronic knee and hip issue.
 
We have bicycle lights that we have on our son's wheelchair that we put on with zip ties. We turn them on at dusk. Glow sticks work too. Be prepared for people to shove you out of the way, not see you and expect you to stop on a dime. Have a blast and don't forget first aid is your best friend.

This is a fantastic idea! We need a wheelchair for the first time on our upcoming trip too! Thank you so much!
 
Bring along some brightly colored ribbon, or a bandana to tie on one of the handlebars - in a sea of identical rental wheelchairs, yours will stand out quicker.

Also a Godsend if your chair has to be (will be) moved by a CM while you are in a show/attraction. So, don't freak out if you come outside and the chair has been moved; this is a normal thing for the CMs to move strollers, ECVs and wheelchairs around to keep walkways as open as possible, and to fill in the empty spots created as others leave.

You can easily put a backpack on the back of the wheelchair; just don't put anything in there that you don't mind losing if you aren't going to take it with you - or bring along some zipties from home to keep it attached.

You may want to consider bringing or renting a gel cushion for your Mom-in-law; it can actually become painful to sit too long in the "sling" style seat of a wheelchair.

Bring along a towel from the room to drape over the seat and armrests while you are inside; black plastic and the hot Florida sun are a bad combo.

Bike gloves/golf gloves - the reason I have always recommended bringing a set of these is because the older style hand grips (think of the shiny black plastic style hand grips that you will push the chair with from behind) *will* cause blisters if your hands are prone to sweating in the heat. You don't need a lot of protection; just something to help prevent the "pushers" from winding up with sore, blistered hands.

Battery operated lights are great, as are glow sticks - just remember if you are going to fold up the chair, string lights could get caught in the folding mechanism.

Remember that you will load on to buses first, but get off last, so don't be surprised! She can sit in the wheelchair if she wants to; the bus driver should buckle her in with a special seat belt that goes around the wheelchair, as well as the standard tie-downs. If she wants to walk up and down the bus ramp, that's fine - but again, you will do that first, and then must wait for the driver to "kneel" the bus and deploy the ramp after everyone has gotten off.

Remember that she won't be able to hear much of the conversation if everyone in your party is behind her - so try to include her as much as you can. It can get lonely; often people don't realize how isolated you can feel sitting down when everyone else in your group is standing.

Have someone try to walk beside her, as well as in front to create a "buffer" zone; this will hopefully minimize the number of people who bump into her, or walk directly in front the of the chair, causing problems for the pusher. Remember that little kids have zero idea of how physics work - they don't realize that you can't stop on a dime - so they tend to dart in front of wheelchairs and ECVs and strollers like tiny little crazy people.
 
Hey there! You've had some great answers so far, so I'll pretty much repeat what everyone else has said and claim them all as my own ideas! :D

Decorating your chair is always good - not just because it helps you recognise it, but because it's fun too! Tinsel, ribbon, glow sticks, fairy lights and spoke decorations are all great for this.

Sling a rucksack on the back of the chair to hold waterproofs, snacks, drinks, etc. It'll be extremely useful and means you don't have to carry it. Remember to get something to cover your DMiL's legs in the rain - a poncho works well. Also be aware that sitting down, her legs will catch a lot more of the sun, so use plenty of sunscreen, particularly on the knees and above.

Get ready for some bumpy terrain in places. I find AK the worst, as many of the pavements are textured and rough. If you're struggling to get across a patch of ground (such as tram tracks), you can rock the wheelchair onto it's larger back wheels, but you may need to practice a bit first. Though Disney is relatively flat compared to most of the 'real world', there are still quite a few slope, especially for people not used to pushing a chair. Take regular breaks, take turns, stay hydrated and stretch out your muscles.

Have you made sure your room is accessible? Most of the Disney ones can be accessed step-free, but not all of them. If you can get the chair in, you can fold it and put it in the corner of the room.

On the buses, even before I used a wheelchair anywhere other than Disney, I found it a lot easier and less painful to stay in the wheelchair. When it's busy, you may be inclined to think you're saving space by transferring out, but then you've got to hang onto a folded wheelchair, on a moving bus, without letting it hit anyone around you. Also, other people will be continually bumping into your MiL, which will put her in a lot of pain. If she stays in the chair, she'll be strapped in by the driver and then you can have one person standing near her footplates to guard her and keep her company.

In the end, the most important thing is to relax and have fun!

:figment:
 
We just got back from another trip and found having our son wear a light up necklace also seemed to make him more visible. Also just to be fun we have part of the main street electrical parade song recorded. When it is super crowded we played it on the phones loudest setting.
 











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