Beach wheelchair--help!

[Julia H.]

When I made reservations in May for an August trip to Disney's Vero Beach resort, I was told they had one beach wheelchair but planned to have a second one by the time we were there. Well, I just found out the second chair got axed from the budget, so they only have one after all. Yikes! We have two daughters in wheelchairs who can't walk or even sit up on the beach independently. I can't exactly flip a coin to see who gets to go to the beach and leave the other one in the room!

Does anyone know of a place in the Vero area that rents beach wheelchairs? If not, any other creative solutions? The girls are 15, so carrying them is just not an option.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Have you tried to call the Resort's General Manager and explain the situation. If you don't get through to the GM, you will probably get a high-level assistant. When you get through, ask them what can be done to assist. If it does not look like they are willing to help, keep asking for what will be an "acceptable" solution. Be sure to stress that word. Even if the purchase has been axed from their budget, either they will handle a rental (at their expense), note this is an "operating expense" and not a "capital expenditure" or will provide you with useful information. I would suggest pressing them to get the wheelchair, even if they have to do the renting.

 

[SueM in MN]

Sounds like good advice.
I can see why they might have wanted to ax it from their budget (there is one in the Abilitations catelog for $2500 dollars), but it seems reasonable for them to acquire one from somewhere for your stay. They will run into other situations where one family has 2 people who need it.

 

[Julia H.]

Thanks--very good advice. I'll try it tomorrow.

 

[LindaDVC]

My husband will never use the beach chairs because he hates to be dependant and out of his power chair. At Vero He enjoys sitting on the ramp looking at the great view. He wants (and needs) to move out of the sun regularly.

At Hilton Head we were promised (preconstruction) the same type of ramp set-up BUT they put steps at each end of the boardwalk! The beachhouse is set back from the ocean and you do not have that nice "Vero" view. Each time we are there we request making the boardwalk accessible and offer suggestions on how they could do it. However so far it has not happened.
We have also suggested making a boardwalk from the garage over the soft sand to the hard packed sand. I also saw a brochure for "stiff" blankets that you could put down on the sand to roll over to get on the sand in a chair. You would have several and need to have someone keep moving the back one to the front as you rolled forward. It would be a little bit of a pain but you'd be able to get out onto the beach that way!
Still no changes have happended YET!! WE NEVER GIVE UP!

For our HH trip next week I know of 3 chairs that will be there and of course there maybe others.

We all need to encourage Disney to make the two beach DVCs accessible and meet the needs of the disabled families!


Linda

Linda

 

[Julia H.]

Turns out I got bad information when I made reservations in May--there was never a plan for the resort to acquire a second beach wheelchair. But they are going to try to rent a second one for our stay. The manager I talked to was excellent. Now, I'm just crossing my fingers that they can *find* one to rent.

Thanks again for the advice--it was perfect.