1st_trip4us said:
My dd is 6 and cannot walk. She uses a gait trainer but we will not bring it to WDW. It'd be impossible for her to walk through the parks in it. She is very small, the size of a 3 year old, so we use a stroller instead of a wheelchair.
You are right that the gait trainer would not work for WDW. The distances would be too far (even if she is pretty good with it) and it would probably be difficult to get her out of it and into rides.
We joke that we got a wheelchair for DD when she was 2 1/2 just so people at WDW would know she had a wheelchair and not a stroller.
The OT and PT we were working with were more of the opinion that we should get her a special needs stroller when she outgrew her regular stroller. Since she was using a walker, they thought a stroller would do. We decided a wheelchair would be better because it would give her more independence. That proved to be true and by 3, she was pretty good at driving her own wheelchair (but not for long distances). She enjoyed (enjoys) having the ability to determine where she was going.
Since your DD is used to using a gait trainer, she might enjoy having the little bit more independence that a wheelchair would give her over a stroller (even if you would be pushing it most of the time).
I am concerned that we will have people thinking we are rude or whatever if we keep dd in the stroller to go through lines for rides. It's been a long time since I was at WDW but I'd imagine you can't take strollers in the ride lines. But I can't carry dd through those lines. She's small but too heavy! What can I do to make it known she's handicapped and that I'm not just a bad person who thinks my kid shouldn't have to get out of her stroller?
WDW does make provisions for people who need a stroller in line for their child. You can get a Guest Assistance Card (GAC) that allows a stroller to be used in lines like a wheelchair. When we were at WDW in March, they were experimenting with a special tag that was placed on the stroller instead of using a GAC. I don't know if they are still using that tag, but if they are, they use that in place of a GAC.
If you haven't already read it, check out the disABILITIES FAQs thread located near the top of this board. One section is about GACs.
You may see/hear some rude people, but reality is that your DD can't walk and you can't carry her, so you need to have something for her to ride in while in lines. If you have a GAC or tag, you will have something to show. Those people's opinions don't matter anyway since they are being rude to judge someone they know nothing about.
I'm wondering if buying or renting a wheelchair would be easier. I'm also wondering how we'll do on the buses. She can get out of the stroller and sit on a normal seat and all that but it's hard to get her out, find her a seat, fold up the stroller, get myself and my other kids on the bus, etc. If it's obvious she's handicapped then I won't feel so frazzled.
Check with the PT or OT that are working with your DD. They may be aware of lending closets for equipment in your area that might be able to loan an appropriate wheelchair to you.
If you are using a stroller, she will need to get out of it, have the stroller folded and sit on a seat. Strollers are not safe to be secured to the bus.
(This thread gives some specifics of why not).
If she has a wheelchair, she would be able to stay in it while riding the bus. The disABILITIES FAQs thread has information about boarding buses with a wheelchair.
We don't need special accomodations in the hotel but would love a room that's not really far from the buses and is in a good location. We are staying at POR. Anything I should know about where to request a room?
This is a
link to the POR map. You probably want to request a room close to a bus stop. And here's a
link to the DIS page about POR with some hints that might be helpful. I am not sure, but think that the closed buildings to the general store/eating area might be a specific preferred category of rooms that they charge a higher price for. If no one here knows for sure, you might want to check on the Resort Board.
You do want to ask for a first floor building or a room close to an elevator - specify that it is for medical reasons when you make your request. You confirmation sheet should say something to that effect. When assigning rooms, they generally assign those with medical requests first and then assign the "general" requests for the same things.
