4 hour window to do rides?

[ShelliRenee]

Hey everyone!

I am a Disney girl and have went to the parks about 30 times. This trip my son is taking a friend who just found out they have scoliosis. We will have only a 4 hour window to for rides before we will have to put back on the brace. If I go talk to them at guest services, will they willing to help us ride as many rides at the parks each day in this 4 hour slot? Or will we have to be inventive in our use of fast passes?

Thanks for the help and information that I know all of you will have for me!

 

[Michigan]

why can't he wear the TLSO jacket on the rides?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Hi and to disABILITIES!

The Guest Assistance Card (GAC) is specifically not intended to reduce wait times and so states on it.

The normal and official response from Guest Services for mobility and/or stamina problems is suggesting renting a wheelchair or ECV. If the friend is of a size where a stroller can be used (including a special-needs stroller) you can get a card and tag which allows use of the stroller as a wheelchair and it can be taken into the queues.

Is there any reason that the friend cannot go onto any attractions with braces?

If you click on where it says "disABILTIES" at the top of this page it will take you to the Index. One of the top items is the "disABILTIES FAQ" which will gives lots of useful information. Post #6 gives a lot of information related to the GAC.

Or, if you want an easier route to the FAQs, click on the link in my signature.

 

[clanmcculloch]

We only have a few hour window in which we can be in parks as well but for different reasons (DD13 is autistic and if we leave within 3 hours then we leave on a good note; if we try to do more then we have meltdowns). What I've found works best is a really good touring plan. A touring plan will have to going to the least crowded park each day and within each park will have you going to each attraction at the best time of day in order to minimize waits so that you can do the most in the shortest amount of time. These days I recommend easywdw as my favourite detail planning site.

Have you considered bringing the brace to the park with you? You could store it at First Aid when he's not wearing it I would think. Would it be feasable to have him put it on when sitting down for meals and when going back and forth from the hotel? That way you've got more time in the park itself without the brace on.

 

[SueM in MN]

Most people save the time out of the brace for things like swimming and sports that are not physically possible with a brace on. You don’t want to have used up all his ‘out of brace’ time doing things he could do with the brace on and have him have to sit out and watch your son and the rest of your family with swimming, playing tennis or basketball.

I agree with clanmcculloch that the best way to see the longest number of things in the shortest amount of time is to use a good touring plan. Many people who have children with autism have found that works the best and lets them see the most in the shortest amount of time.

I second First Aid (that sounds kind of strange). The brace could be removed there, stored there and put back on there. They do have cots that he could lie down on to take the brace on and off, check his skin or re-adjust the thin shirt he will wear under the brace.
There is a First Aid in each park.

Post 23 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread has a full list of attractions with warnings and a little about each attraction. WDW uses a generic, general warning for all attractions with warnings (except for Soarin’ which has only a warning for fear of heights).
Some of the warnings may not really apply to all those attractions, so it will be important to find out from his parents/doctor which attractions to avoid. There may be some he is not allowed to ride under any circumstances and some he can ride, but only with the brace on.

The attractions where you can get soaked, like Splash Mountain and Kali River Rapids are ones I would be concerned about riding with the brace on because a wet tee shirt under a wet brace is likely to cause skin problems.
It’s possible the doctor would say he can’t ride that anyway.
But, if he can ride it without the brace, I would take it off at First Aid, use Fastpass or choose when to ride with a touring plan - knowing when to ride can make a difference between a one hour plus wait in line and being able to walk right on. Ride it, and then go directly to First Aid to put the brace back on.
If he is allowed to ride, but only with the brace on, a poncho does a very good job of avoiding getting soaked. You would still want to bring an extra underbrace shirt in case the shirt does get wet.

 

[SueM in MN]

Forgot - there are 2 attractions that do not have warnings, but people with back and neck problems have said they have difficulty with.

Haunted Mansion and Spaceship Earth both have a part of the ride where you are riding backwards in your ride car down a ‘hill’.
That puts the weight of the back on the hard plastic ride car (since you are going down, you are reclined). It is slow, but some people have said it is uncomfortable and since he is in a brace, it may be harder for him to get comfortable.

 

[ShelliRenee]

Thank you all for the information. I love these boards! Everyone is always very eager to help out with questions. I think the best way for us to handle things is to have a very good plan on what we want to ride, what we want to avoid, and precautions we need to take. I know about the GAC card and have used them in the past. We use it with my mother because she can not stand for long periods of time. She has an ECV and she plans on sharing it when needed, so I don't think we need another one and also I don't think walking will be our problem in the parks.

Once again, thanks for all the replies!

 

[Piper]

Thank you all for the information. I love these boards! Everyone is always very eager to help out with questions. I think the best way for us to handle things is to have a very good plan on what we want to ride, what we want to avoid, and precautions we need to take. I know about the GAC card and have used them in the past. We use it with my mother because she can not stand for long periods of time. She has an ECV and she plans on sharing it when needed, so I don't think we need another one and also I don't think walking will be our problem in the parks.

Once again, thanks for all the replies!

You said your mother plans on sharing the ECV. I am not sure how old the person with scoliosis is, but if he isn't an adult, he cannot use the ECV. So that wouldn't help with stamina at all.