Boot vs Wheelchair Help

[jwmoss]

Yesterday I was diagnosed with Posterior Tibial Tendonitis, and will have to wear an aircast boot for the next 4 weeks. We are leaving for Disney World in 10 days, and I'm pretty unsure how to handle the situation. While I can walk in the boot, it really slows me down. My husband is already impatient with me when we are at the parks (he's my biggest kid - lol), and so I was thinking of traveling with a wheelchair so that he could push me for the long stretches of walking. How difficult is it to maneuver around the parks in a wheelchair? I told him we can leave it outside the attractions, because I can walk through the queues without trouble (although I'm worried about the moving belts on Peter Pan and such).
Thanks for any advice anyone can offer. I'm rather overwhelmed with this curve ball I was thrown yesterday.

 

[bidnow5]

Take a deep breath everything will be fine I had a walking boot after practicing figured out long distance would be a problem I used an ECV but a wheelchair would work it does make things easier with an ECV independence is always a plus. You can park either in stroller parking and walk as much as you want

 

[mamabunny]

Our daughter had to wear a boot the last time we went to WDW, and finally gave in and used an ECV over a wheelchair. Even though she has a custom titanium chair at home, the rental chairs are heavy and bulky, and she realized pretty quickly that an ECV would be better.

Rent offsite - SO much cheaper than $50/day from disney at the parks - and then hop on that thing and HAVE FUN!!!

Edited to add:

Unless you have recently used a wheelchair, or crutches, you may find that after a fairly short time, your arms are tired and screaming for relief. Rent an ECV up front, and you won't add to your physical issues. (sorry, we leave in 10 days too, and my brain has already left town and is in the MK! LOL)

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I would look at an offsite rental of an ECV instead of wheelchair.it will allow you freedom to get around if you need to split up. it is a lot cheaper to rent offsite plus it allows you to use outside the gate at the parks. it can be a hike from parking or buses to the gate and even if husband goes in and rents for you he can not bring out to you and you can not use to get back to car or bus and end of day when you are very tired and not able to walk as far as earlier in the day

 

[ttintagel]

I was in a walking boot when I broke my foot at WDW, and I ended up finding and ECV indispensable. I could take it in most lines with me,too.

 

[jwmoss]

Will and ECV fit easily into a standard room at POFQ? Are the walkways around the rooms on the higher floors easy to maneuver with an ECV? I'm really stressed about trying to park an ECV on the bus at Disney!! I am going to feel so bad for slowing the other passengers down when it takes me 50 tries to park it into that little space!

 

[mamabunny]

Will and ECV fit easily into a standard room at POFQ? Are the walkways around the rooms on the higher floors easy to maneuver with an ECV? I'm really stressed about trying to park an ECV on the bus at Disney!! I am going to feel so bad for slowing the other passengers down when it takes me 50 tries to park it into that little space!

Hi! We stay at POFQ all the time, (ARRIVING THERE IN JUST 8 DAYS SO EXCITED LOL) and I can tell you from personal experience that yes, the ECV will go right in to the room! You may have to shift the furniture a bit to be able to charge it at night, but we have no problems. Also - don't forget to call Reservations, and let them know if you will need a tub with grab bars for safety!

We have always been on the first floor because I require a roll-in shower. So, I can't personally speak to ECV use on the upper floors, but I have seen a couple of them up there, so I know it's "do-able".

Now, let's get you on the bus! First thing to do is practice at your local stores - at the grocery, or Wal-Mart, Target, any place that has an ECV for shoppers. If you can parallel park one of those, you'll have no trouble on the bus! LOL

When I started using rental units at WDW from outside vendors, I used to take it out in the resort the first night, and drive it until I felt comfortable with it. It let me get used to that particular scooter (they can be somewhat different) and how it turned, how the brakes (or lack of them) acted, and how it backed up. Even a 30 minute practice session will make you feel SO much more confident!

But even if you can't practice first - please don't worry! The bus drivers are great about helping "spot" you as you park the ECV, and they can tell you - a bit to the right, now turn left, etc.

And thing to remember about anyone who gets grumpy with you about your ECV is this: We are all TEMPORARILY able-bodied. Even the most physically-fit person can end up on wheels permanently due to an accident or illness. The ECV is a tool so that we can get on with our lives.

You'll be fine - and hey! We are staying at the PERFECT place to be on wheels - at POFQ it's always time to "laissez les bon temps rouler"!

Have a Magical trip - I know you'll be awesome!

*¨¨*:·.·:*¨¨*¨¨*:·.·:*¨¨*¨¨*:·.·:*¨¨*:·.·:*¨¨*¨¨*:·.·:*¨¨*¨¨*:·.·:*¨¨*
(8 DAYS TILL WDW! DID I MENTION IT'S ONLY 8 DAYS? LOL Soooooo happy!)

 

[jwmoss]

MamaBunny -
I want to hug you. Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement! Going to practice at Kroger or somewhere is a great idea! Luckily I can walk on the boot and take it off for showering and sleeping, so I don't need to take up a room with special features. I will leave those rooms for those that truly need them.
Our plane lands at 9:30pm, and so I have to find a rental company that will leave the ecv at FQ for me. I called Walker and she said I had to be there to sign for it, but their website says they can leave it at bell services. So I am going to call back and try to clarify that. I want it there when we arrive so that I can practice that night. And so we can be at the MK for rope drop the next morning!!!
I agree with you about the grumpy people. I have worked in health care, and in special education, so I "get it". It always blows my mind how shallow and unkind people can be sometimes.
We arrive on the night of the 2nd. So if you see a dark haired lady with a grey aircast boot during your stay, please say hello!! I hope your vacation is showered with pixie dust!!

 

[ttintagel]

We fit TWO ECV's into a standard room at POFQ! We just had them remove the table. (We ate all our meals outside the room, anyway, and the beds were just as comfy to sit on as the chairs.)

 

[Betty Rohrer]

to jwmoss: any practice you can get before you get to WDW will help. esp practice backing up and turning at the same time. you may be slow parking on buses but those few steps getting on bus with boot would slow people down also with more chance of pushing. been there and had it happen, no boot but trouble taking the steps and have been pushed by someone trying to get on faster than I was going. plus most of the extra time will be the driver tying down the ECV on the bus, not your parking