Best Resort for Knee Problems!

[sven1277]

Contempory would be a good be a good choice. Its all enclosed in one building with elevators. The monorail is a good transit option, too.

 

[sharadoc]

Any resort that offers the ability to book a preferred room-close to the pool and lobby area!

POFQ is a really small resort-the furthest buildings really are only a couple minutes walk to the main area and pool.

CR, in a tower room-NOT garden wing! Everything is located in one convenient building, plus monorail to MK and Epcot

Exactly what I was going to suggest. Mention your father's knee problem when you call to reserve your rooms, they will note it on the reservation. Disney does pay attention to special requests if they can.

 

[drp4video]

I also say POFQ. I have stayed at quite a few moderate and value resorts, and POFQ is the smallest and easiest to get around. I was there last September with my 79 year old mom and her 80 year old boy friend who has trouble walking and they were fine with the resort. If you get a preferred room, you will be close to everything, although the resort is not that big and you may not need a preferred room.

Both of them rented scooters in the parks. (races! lol)

 

[maxiesmom]

If you decide to book POFQ keep in mind they do not have preferred rooms. It is small enough that having a preferred room category is not necessary. You can pick things such as Garden View or Water View, but not a preferred room location.

 

[Andreak0428]

Thank you everyone for your answers! So helpful! I will def look at POFQ, I stayed at POR last year and we say POFQ from the boat. I was looking at the contemporary but since its for June 2013 I wasnt sure how much it would actually be, I can swing it if they offer a deal but I cant decide until I know a ballpark figure as I have to save!

Thanks for the info on scooters as well. When I give them their present (the trip) I will let him know about the scooters. He can still do some walking I'm just concerned with him over doing it and I dont want him to feel bad if he wants to go back to the resort so Im thinking that the CR might be my best bet.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Not to belabor the point, but thought I'd add when I had the scooter last summer, I still walked some. The first two days, we were going to Epcot and AK, which are larger and harder to get around. By the third day, my knee was somewhat better and I walked through MK.

Many of us are pushing the scooter as it is obvious to anyone who has used one they are great for easing mobility issues. Another thought - you can book them for only part of the trip, if you worry about the cost.

Good luck, I hope the 2013 rates are out soon so you can start to plan.

 

[Tori 2001]

Great question! Caribbean might not be the best choice - though I think any resort would be do-able with a little advance planning. I would call Guest Services and explain the problem, if there is enough lead time I'm sure they would work with you to find a location at your expense level that would be close to the desired services, and could even arrange a wheelchair or scooter if that might be needed. While some of the resorts seem huge, they will have multiple bus stops or disability parking that would make for short walks. You would only worry about the main building for check in or out or meals, so don't worry about that unless you plan to use the services there a lot (they have small transports too that can get you to your room on check in or out.) Depending on his comfort level, you may want to ask for a ground floor room or one adjacent to an elevator. I actually find the mods easier to get around, because there is always a close bus stop, and not a lot of time spent going up and down floors.

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

We have had very good luck with requests. Just about any resort can help and a big smile always helps. I have a bad knee too and AKL put us near the elevator so it was an easy trip to Mara and the pool and close in to the lobby so that worked. SSR put us in Congress Park by the bus and with a DTD view. It all works out.

POFQ did put us in the requested building and close to the food court but it was on the third floor and on pretty much the other end of the buidling from the elevators so think when you make your requests. However they helped us with a smile. No problem.

 

[chainkid]

I have knee problems and I cannot begin to tell you what having a scooter has done for my enjoyment of the parks. For the past few visits I had one and now I wouldn't go without one. Even a healthy person can have issues with all that walking. I used to bring mole skin for my family becasue someone would always have a problem . I still like to walk to get exercise so I often park the scooter and walk until I start to feel pain. My hubby sometimes shares it with me so he can rest while I walk . They are easy to use and I don't need them to go on attractions so once parked no one knows you have a handicapp . Where you stay is not truly not going to be that different..its alot of walking everywhere...get the scooter and be painfree best advice I can give. With two hip replacements, and upcoming knee replacements I have long ago lost interst in what others think and learned to make the most of what you do have.

 

[wdwcrazy]

I also think that an investment in the scooter is a good idea. Then it doesn't matter where you stay. But if you don't get the scooter keep in mind that they can be rented in the parks or if you want one to take with you back to your resort you can rent them on the boardwalk at the Boardwalk resort. My brother came in for a 60th birthday trip with a bad knee and by the 3rd day her could barely walk. So he went and got himself a scooter and had a fabulous birthday trip.

All the planning about the resort and the surprise won't matter if your Dad spends the vacation suffering.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

I would vote BC/BWI if it's in the budget.

We requested a room close to the elevator due to my poor knee and my friend's mom's health issues. They put us on the 5th floor facing DHS about 7 rooms from the elevators. It was super close to the Boardwalk area and the main part of the building. We couldn't have been more pleased with our location (including a view of ToT!)

I'd say POR for a mod. CBR has no elevators and CSR doesn't have an internal shuttle. If you are going value, you may consider AoA.

You could also look into renting DVC points.

 

[fla4fun]

I still like to walk to get exercise so I often park the scooter and walk until I start to feel pain.

That's what my mom did when she first started using one. We would park it outside shops and restaurants and attractions, and she would walk a little, but it was always there for the main walking around the park. The last trip we took before we rented one, she spent an hour or more just lying on a bench because she couldn't go another step. I was concerned we wouldn't make it back to our resort at all that day. That's no way to spend your time at Disney!

 

[Andreak0428]

In case this helps anyone! When my sister and I went to Disney last month we stopped at the WL to check it out. I asked one of the CMs there how this resort would be for someone with a knee problem and they said if you choose a standard view you have a better chance of being extremely close to the lobby. So I booked the WL for nine days in June

 

[minnie mum]

If you are looking at a moderate resort, I would recommend POFQ. Book a preferred room. The bus stop is not far from the preferred rooms. Ask for first floor, but the resort does have elevators. I don't know that I would choose CBR, as it is really huge. POFQ is very compact.

Actually, POFQ is the only mod that DOESN'T have a preferred option. It's probably because of the compact size of the resort- they don't need to offer that. I would still recommend it however.

As others have stated, if you make the proper requests, you can comfortably stay at just about any WDW resort. I also agree with the PP who recommended that you arrange for an ECV for your father. You can rent one more economically from an offsite agency than renting them in the parks from Disney. And he would have the use of it 24/7, so the location of your room and your resort selection would not have to factor in his mobility limitations.

You can find more info on WDW for the mobility impaired by checking out the disABILITIES board.

 

[mickey&minniealways]

Both my mother and my inlaws have stayed with us while at Disney. We have found that with renting a scooter and resort is doable. They all like OKW. The relaxing atmosphere is wonderful. Especially after a busy day at the parks. Also the rooms are the biggest on the Disney property. If you rent points from a member it is actualy quite afordable. Just tell them your situation and you can get either a first floor room or there are a couple of buildings with an elevator. The elevator buildings usually go to people with medical conditions so it might be possible. I have found that if it is a medical condition they will go out of their way to accomodate.

 

[princessallegra]

Wl