Bad ankle and Disney?

[XantheFan]

My husband severely sprained his ankle and tore some ligaments earlier in the year and in 4 weeks they will decide if they need to do surgery. We plan on going to Disney in about 6 weeks and will probably delay the surgery until afterward. He currently has a lace up boot he wears when it is bothering him, but can walk short distances pretty well. Of course Disney is marathon walking so we are worried about how long he will last and do not want to undo four months of physical therapy. Should we get a wheelchair or are there other alternatives anyone can suggest? Are the hotels usually accomodating in this type of situation so that he will not have to walk long distances? We are staying at POR and I understand it can be a hike depending on which building you are in.

 

[SueM in MN]

I would suggest you get a wheelchair or (even better) an ECV. There is information about them and how to get one in the disABILITIES FAQs thread near the top of this board. WDW is way too much walking for someone who already knows they have a problem. Renting from one of the off-site places would mean you have it available for use at the resort and DD as well as the parks.

For the resort, some have "Preferred Locations" that you pay a bit more for. These are usually the ones that are closest to the food court, etc. and are worth the extra money. If you don't want to do that, I would request whatever you think would be helpful and make sure they note it is "For Medical Reasons." That is not a guarantee that you will get it (and they won't give you the preferred location), but it is more likely you will get it.

 

[XantheFan]

Thank you, Sue. We'll put in the request with the POR and look at the thread you mentioned. Thanks again!

 

[pezheadmeg]

I had my ankle reconstructed almost 3 years ago and have done Disney twice since without a wheelchair. I'll be very honest that most nights I was sitting either at the pool or on a bed with a bag of ice. The last few weeks I've been in a bout of tendonitis that even made this morning's regular yoga class beyond difficult.

We're staying at POFQ in November, and have discovered that the hotels every so often have wheelchairs that you can rent for the whole stay. That's our contingency plan if I'm still the size of a softball and unable to walk long distances without massive pains.

 

[SueM in MN]

We're staying at POFQ in November, and have discovered that the hotels every so often have wheelchairs that you can rent for the whole stay. That's our contingency plan if I'm still the size of a softball and unable to walk long distances without massive pains.

If the resort has any wheelchairs when you request one, it is free of charge.
I'd suggest you bring along the phone numbers of some of the off-site rental places. That wasy, if you find you need one, you can call and have one delivered.