Anyone have wheelchair stolen?

[deedeetoo]

We are planning to rent one for my Mom in the parks. She doesn't need it all the time so we will probably occasionally park it, see a few things and then come back and get it before moving to the next area of the park. As the day goes on, she will spend more time in the chair then out of it.

But, I have read lots of threads about strollers being stolen and I am concerned about this happening to the wheelchair, especially if we rent it from an outside company or borrow the chair from our resort (I understand this is free but they take a credit card imprint in case you lose it). If this happens, we will be out a lot of money and have no chair.

If we rent from Disney, and it is stolen, we can just go get another one. Also, we won't have to transport it around on the buses. On the other hand, we are planning to go during a busy period and I am concerned about getting a chair later in the day if we park hop.

Do wheelchairs ever get stolen? Am I worrying about nothing?

 

[pampam]

We've never had one stolen, but with all the stuff on it, it's clearly marked. It usually had a bag hanging from the back, and always has a blanket on it. We go to WDW a lot and never a worry about that. Still, with society deteriorating, it's possible it could get stolen.

 

[Tissa]

If you rent one from Disney and it gets borrowed you can just show your reciept and get another one. If it's an outside one or a resort one you are liable for it.

 

[GroovyWheeler]

I always bring my own, since it's highly unlikely that someone would steal it, being a wheelchair that my mom had purchased through the DME dealer, and through her medical insurance coverage (which I'm covered under). That, and the seating system in it, is designed for my seating/posture needs, which is a lot more supportive than Disney's park wheelchairs.

It's a Quickie 2 ultralightweight manual wheelchair, and because it looks like it belongs to someone, the many times we've been to Disney World with it, nobody has ever touched it, when we had to park it at Pirates Of The Carribean. (Even though it's able to fold, there's 3 to four pieces you have to remove, in order to fold it: the stroller handle extension bar, the cushion, and the footrests. So, when we go to Pirates, I use one of their wheelchairs, and park mine out by the other wheelchairs.) Or even, when my fiance' Dan, my brother, his wife & kids, all went on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority ride. We left my manual wheelchair in the stroller/wheelchair parking, and when we came back, it was still there, waiting for me.

I don't think anyone would steal a wheelchair that obviously belongs to someone (which they had brought from home), such as mine or one that has a customized seating system in it, like one of the Quickie tilt-n-space manual ones, more than they would with one that belongs to the park, which all look identical to each other.


Samantha

 

[Schmeck]

I would agree that the ones Disney rents get 'borrowed' more often than other wheelchairs, and there's a chance that by the middle of the day, a replacement one might not be available. If you do get one, from wherever, bring a lock with you - not to lock it to something, but just to 'disable' the ability for it to be used. (Lock one wheel to the chair frame.) That way, the CMs can move the chair, but no one will be able to use it with the lock on it.

 

[SueM in MN]

I would agree that the ones Disney rents get 'borrowed' more often than other wheelchairs, and there's a chance that by the middle of the day, a replacement one might not be available. If you do get one, from wherever, bring a lock with you - not to lock it to something, but just to 'disable' the ability for it to be used. (Lock one wheel to the chair frame.) That way, the CMs can move the chair, but no one will be able to use it with the lock on it.

I don't know if they still include a lock with the wheelchairs lent by the resorts, but they used to.
We have never had DD's wheelchair touched, but it is definately a personal wheelchair. She can't walk, so she is seldom out of it though.

 

[Annam26]

I
Or even, when my fiance' Dan, my brother, his wife & kids, all went on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority ride. We left my manual wheelchair in the stroller/wheelchair parking, and when we came back, it was still there, waiting for me.



Samantha

Is the Tomorrowland Transit Authority ride wheelchair accesible?

 

[Schmeck]

The TTA has two steep escalator ramps - one up, and one down, not sure if they'll let you take a wheelchair up there. I do know that just standing on that ramp kills my bad leg, so I have to go up it either standing sideways, or balancing on my good leg. I wish they had an elevator! Maybe they do, and I just haven't found it?

 

[SueM in MN]

The TTA has two steep escalator ramps - one up, and one down, not sure if they'll let you take a wheelchair up there. I do know that just standing on that ramp kills my bad leg, so I have to go up it either standing sideways, or balancing on my good leg. I wish they had an elevator! Maybe they do, and I just haven't found it?

No, it's not wheelchair accessible and there is no elevator.
We have asked CMs there in the past if we could either bring DD's wheelchair up the ramp with us (it's a very steep moving ramp) or if there was an elevator. No, on both questions.

 

[Schmeck]

Why won't they let wheelchairs go up? It's such a nice, moderate attraction, and should be wheelchair accessible! (Although, all attractions should be accessible!) How hard would it be to enlarge the ramps, and make them less steep? It would be nice for those who cannot ride Space Mountain, etc, to be able to experience some of the attaction at least, by going through it on TTA.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The accessibility problem is not the ramp. When you get to the top there is a moving platform and no direct connection between where you board and you exit. There is no way to get a wheelchair, manual or power into one of the cars and there is no place where one can be stored and/or recovered while on the ride.

 

[spiceycat]

we have been using Disney (free from the resorts) wheelchairs for about 10 years now.

the only time they even get moved is by the CM's....

at TTC they will generally surround it by the strollers....

wheelchairs are not strollers - so the temptation to take one is not there....

besides if you get one from the WDW resort it is free.... so if they need one just go back to their resorts and get one....

besides I think most people realize that the people who get these things generally really, really need one....

not like a stroller.

I have always ask the CM who minds the wheelchairs if I need to use the lock and I am always told no....

 

[Annam26]

Well, it's too bad that TTA is not accessible...

Thanks for the info!

 

[deedeetoo]

Thanks for all the info. I think we will try to borrow one from our resort.

 

[Figaro]

While Disney will let you have a resort wheelchair on a first come first serve basis (which means there may or may not be a wheelchair available depending on whether or not someone else got there before you), and while they do not charge you rental on that wheelchair, if it is stolen they will charge your credit card for it. They will take an impression of the credit card so that they have that information. Years ago they used to give out a bicycle lock and key with the wheelchair. The last time I used a resort chair (before I got my own spiffy one they didn't give us a lock and so we picked up one at Target and used it.

Have a great trip!

 

[Talking Hands]

I have had Disney wheelchairs taken and have not been able to replace it. It ended our day at the parks. And since it was taken in Fantasyland I had to hobble back to the exit and the boat to get to Ft Wilderness. I was not a happy camper at all. The attitude CM was too bad and not at all apologetic. That's when we started talking to my doctor about the possibility of a scooter or a power wheelchair.

 

[Annam26]

I have had Disney wheelchairs taken and have not been able to replace it. It ended our day at the parks. And since it was taken in Fantasyland I had to hobble back to the exit and the boat to get to Ft Wilderness. I was not a happy camper at all. The attitude CM was too bad and not at all apologetic. That's when we started talking to my doctor about the possibility of a scooter or a power wheelchair.

That's awful, Talking Hands! I'm sorry that happened to you. I've left my wheelchair (mine, not Disney's with a CM while I've gone to rides and the possibility of it being stolen never even crossed my mind.

Me mere thought that I'd end a ride, just to not find my chair there.... I can't even imagine what I'd do

 

[GroovyWheeler]

It scares me too, to think that I'd get off a ride like POC or the TTA, and find my own personal wheelchair gone. And I wouldn't be the only one who'd be upset. Would security or some other Disney employee be able to help, should someone's personal wheelchair be stolen/lost? We almost lost my wheelchair once, when getting off the plane somewhere one time. I can't remember where we were, but as we were stepping off the plane, an elderly man was sitting in my wheelchair, and the skycap person was getting ready to push him up the ramp. My mom saw what was going on, and said, "That's our wheelchair."

Well, the man misunderstood, as he had his own personal wheelchair too (they hadn't brought it up yet), and he didn't want to get out of mine, as he thought it was truly his. The flight attendants had to explain to him about two times, that his wheelchair was coming, and the one he was in, belonged to us, and that my mom needed it for me. Talk about almost having a heart attack, for my mom and me.

Samantha