Anyone Used a Wheelchair on DCL?

[simba2]

We have a DCL cruise scheduled for later this year. While at WDW in May my hip started bothering me. I've never had these kind of problems before. I'd be walking along and it would suddenly feel like it was going to give out and give me a sharp pain. I'd get off the bus and would be limping for awhile until I walked it out. The last day I was in such pain that DH rented a wheelchair for me. I saw things in a different light. It was "scary" being down at that level as he pushed me down Main St. through the crowds who were lined up for the parade. It made me gain respect for those of you who tour WDW in a chair. Got home and went to chiro who couldn't seem to fix it. He thought I should go to my PCP and have an xray. Xray showed some arthritis but there's obviously more than that going on as I'm still not walking well. In fact, limping quite badly. DH wants to cancel cruise. Afraid I won't be able to get around on the ship and at ports. I prob. should save my week's vacation in case I need to have any surgery (hoping not. They are thinking I could have a labral tear) We have to make our final deposit soon and then we would start losing $ if cancel. We took trip insurance but our TA said that if my injury would just curtail my sightseeing, etc. that the insur. co. isn't going to honor that. I've been referred to a D.O. for 4 visits and then she will decide whether to send me to PT or an orthopedist or wherever. [sorry for this long vent -- I'm just so frustrated] My question is -- should I just go on the cruise and hope I can get around enough to enjoy it? It is a lot of $ and I hate to think that I won't be able to get off and see CC or be able to walk to the tour for the Dolphin Encounter. It says it's like a 15 min walk from the ship to tour meeting spot. I couldn't even walk around Home Depot the other night. I read on DCL's site something about reserving wheel chairs in advance. Are there wheel chairs that can be rented or provided by Disney to be used on board? Do they have any wider ones for Pooh sized guests or just standard size? I saw that one of the scooter companies mentioned delivering scooters to Port Canaveral. Is that an option to use on the ship? We don't have a handicap room. Would a scooter fit through a regular size cabin door? Thanks for any advice you can give me. I'm exploring all possibilities in case they haven't fixed my problem by sail away time.

 

[SueM in MN]

Sorry to hear about your problem.

I don't know enough about the cruises to make sure I could give you the right answers, but there are some pretty regular posters who have gone on cruises and I'm sure one or more of them will show up to answer your questions.

I have read that it is not possible to get a scooter thru the door of a regular cabin. Also, if you need a wheelchair, I am almost certain you have to rent it from one of the off-ship places and bring it on board with you. I believe that the wheelchairs on board are only for emergency use of accidents/situations that occur on board.

Hopefully, someone else will be along quickly to confirm or correct me.

 

[dclfun]

Sue is correct- they do not provide wheelchairs for use on the ship unless there is an emergency while onboard. Brevard Medical will deliver a manual w/c or scooter to the ship. While you cannot fit a scooter through the door of a regular stateroom they do allow them to be kept in the elevator area if for some reason there are no accessible staterooms left. The issue with the accessible staterooms is that most sleep only 3. If there are four in your party you will have to reserve a Cat. 5 or a Cat 3 suite. The Cat. 6 verandah accessibles sleep only 3 as do the Cat. 11 inside. The Cat 8's only sleep 2 and there are no Cat. 12, 9, 7, or 4 accessibles. In the regular staterooms there will be a step-up into the bathroom and it is a small door, plus you must step into the tub/shower. You can request a shower bench. Getting around the ship in a manual w/c would be difficult and would limit your independence. Getting around in a scooter would be better even though the elevators are very small and some areas are hard to navigate. There is w/c seating at the back of the theaters. Doable in a regular stateroom...yes, but difficult. If I were you I'd have your t/a see if an accessible stateroom is available for your cruise and then rent a scooter. This way you can enjoy not only the ship but the ports plus be able to get around the ship independently. ---Kathy

 

[simba2]

Thanks for your answers. Maybe I'll call the T/A tomorrow and just talk to her. I don't know how I will be walking at cruise time. I hate to reserve an accessible room and then not need it -- and possibly keep someone who really needs it from having it. But if I don't plan ahead I might not be able to navigate around the ship. We have a Cat. 5 or 6 verranda (can't remember) stateroom now. I only want to cruise with a verranda. Plus I looked at the ship's floorplan on the accessible rooms are all on the ends of the ship. We've only cruised once before and had a mid-ship room. I've heard that there is less motion felt mid ship. I tried going on line and putting in room # of the accessible rooms but it came up as an error. I assume that means that there are none available. Thanks for the info about the w/c's as I was misled reading DCL's site that there would be some available to use on board if needed. One more question -- what are the tenders like? We've cruised on Royal Caribbean. Are they like that? Are tenders used in Nassau or does the ship dock at a pier? Thanks for all your help!

 

[videogal1]

One more question -- what are the tenders like? We've cruised on Royal Caribbean. Are they like that? Are tenders used in Nassau or does the ship dock at a pier? Thanks for all your help!

DCL tenders do not permit scooters or power chairs. Nassau is not a tender port.

 

[dclfun]

You would not be able to reserve an accessible stateroom online or see availability since they are only available by request of a t/a or guest who states that someone needs it. They will ask that you send in a medical information form.---Kathy

 

[LindaDVC]

We have cruised 3 times with a power wheelchair. The ship is accessible. As for the ports -- little accessible transportation and limited curb cuts BUT if you can walk short distances and transfer into a cab and load scooter shouldn't be as big a problem as it was for us.

We have always been in the aft and the rooms were great! Only once did we feel movement and it lulled us to sleep -- not a problem at all!

I would try to book an accessible room and be ready to bring a scooter along in case you need it --

Linda

 

[Ottawacruiser]

Hi Simba2:

We just completed our 4th cruise on Disney and my wife is on crutches/in a wheelchair. The first 3 cruises we stayed in a non-accessible stateroom but our last cruise (July 2-6 on the Wonder) we were in an accessible stateroom. Now my wife wonders why we didn't do that from the start!

Generally, the ship is wheelchair accessible, although the doorways to 'non-accessible' staterooms are narrow and my wife would have to get out of the chair to get in to the room. The accessible stateroom we were just in had a wide door with an automatic opener that made life so much simpler for DW. There was also no step into the bathroom as is found in the other staterooms.

I also echo some of the comments already made about the elevators - the largest ones are at midship but these also are the busiest. Often we would have to wait for two or three to come and go before there was one empty enough for us to fit into.

One thing you don't mention is what cruise you are on. We have been on the 7 day eastern and had the 'wonderful' experience of having to tender ashore in St. Thomas. A few years ago I wrote a description of this here on the disboards - if you search for that you can probably find it. Short story is the tenders are not really accessible at all to wheelchairs but f you can walk a few steps you should be OK.

Most importantly, be aware that there is an internal elevator that can take you from deck 1 down to the tendering platform but you need to request this. We only found out about that when we returned to the ship, and had to climb down a pretty long flight of stairs on the way out. It is behind the scenes so I assume that's why the CMs never suggested we use it until I noticed it on the way back.

There is wheelchair seating in the Walt Disney Theatre but it is at the very back of the auditorium. However, be aware that there is access to the front row of the theatre through Session/Cadillac Lounge on deck 3! This is also a bit 'behind the scenes' but you should be able to use it.

I hope this helps. My wife has already booked another cruise and has us in an accessible stateroom again!

Regards,
... Mike (the Ottawacruiser)

 

[bushdianee]

My DM and I were on the Wonder last year. She used a wheelchair to get around the boat. We were in a handicapped stateroom which worked well. Some of the doorways were a little difficult to get through since she has the wider chair. The main problems we had were in Nassau which is NOT wheelchair friendly due to curbs and many stores having steps to get up and down. There are beach wheelchairs on CC which have huge plastic tires that go through the sand. They were not comfortable for DM and we got her back in her chair ASAP.

 

[Ottawacruiser]

One other thing I forgot to mention is we got free parking at the port!

As we were unloading our luggage at the terminal, a CM directing traffic told me to mention to the parking attendant that my wife's van had hand controls and we wouldn't have to pay for parking! I don't know if this was because of the hand controls or the handicapped sticker we have on the dashboard, so you may be able to park free with the handicapped sticker.

I hadn't seen this anywhere in this forum prior to going on any of our cruises, so I just wanted to mention it! Saved us $48!

Regards,
... Mike (the Ottawacruiser)

 

[dclfun]

A handicapped tag does not allow free parking at the port. From what I understand if there are hand controls then you are allowed free parking at any public parking place, including the airport.---Kathy

 

[dclfun]

As an addendum to that above post, it is supposed to be free parking ONLY when the disabled person is driving, not when they are driven by another person and if the disabled person is using adapted hand controls to drive.---Kathy

 

[simba2]

Thanks for the info Ottawacruiser. Maybe I'll call our t/a and see if there are any accessible rooms available. I think I'll have her find out about renting a wheelchair to use on the ship. I can walk short distances right now. I'm hoping they'll figure out what's wrong by then and have me feeling more like new. If I'm better, we can cancel the chair. If not, we'll use it. We're on the 4 day Wonder, so we will just have port calls in Nassau and CC. Bushdianee -- I, too, would require the wider wheelchair. Did your DM rent one to be delivered to the ship or do you travel with your own? You mentioned the beach w/c's not being comfortable. Was this because they were not wider. If so, prob. I would find them not comfortable too. Can you use a reg. w/c at Castaway Cay? Are there paved paths or is it all sand? I understand there is a tram that takes you to the beach? Does it come right to the ship or is there a distance to walk? Thanks for your help.

 

[Michigan]

A handicapped tag does not allow free parking at the port. From what I understand if there are hand controls then you are allowed free parking at any public parking place, including the airport.---Kathy

We cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale but other ports in Florida are the same if you have a van with a wheelchair lift regardless of who is driving the parking is free.

 

[bushdianee]

My Mom has one of those travelchairs with the small wheels that has to be pushed. We took it with us for use at the airports. There are paved sidwalks and the only area we used the "beach wheel chair" at the actual beach. The Chair was hard to push. I had to tip it forward for her to get in and out of. Size wise it wasn't too bad. We parked her regular chair by where we got the beach chair and then switched back after we were finished with the beach. She didn't go into the water and there wasn't any shade so I didn't stay in the water long as she got a sunburn even though she had plenty of sunscreen and a hat on. Hopefully you won't need a chair but if do they aren't too inconvienent.