Broken Bones

[LTFC]

we are going out this christmas for the third time but the first time at Christmas. We fly out in just over 8 weeks. So looking forward to it.

No the cruncher, had an accident at home which caused a broken ankle needing two operations. Will be in plaster until two weeks before we fly at best. I will still be on crutches during the holiday, what I would like to know is.

How helpful will the airlines be with my problem. We are flying Virgin.

How helpful will the parks be as I really don't think I could stand in a queue for 30 minutes or more.

I know we should think about cancelling but I can't as I don't want to upset to kids who have looked forward to being away for Christmas.

Any ideas would be very helpfull.

many thanks

 

[Claire L]

LTFC,
Sorry to hear about your accident.
As for Virgin if they are given some prior notcie I am sure they will assist you in any way that they can, such as allowing early boarding and a wheelchair if necessary. With regards to WDW I am sure you would be able to get hold of a wheelchair to use if you have someone with ou abl to push you. If so then you can use the wheelchair queue for most attractions that state wheelchair accessible. I have noticed in the past that these queues are very quick and should hopefully help you a great deal in relation to pain as you would not have to stand to queue. The other thing is if you feel able to walk for some of the time and you have young children the wheelchair could double as a pushchair!!
Hope this was of some help to you.
Claire

 

[WDWfan uk]

I'd advise wheelchairs all the way - contact Virgin Atlantic, explain that you are unable to stand and can you have wheelchair assistance at the airport. You will probably need medical paperwork but really this is well worth it. (My MIL uses wheelchair assistance whenever she flies - although able to walk, she cannot walk very far, nor can she stand very long and so always uses wheelchair assistance).

You can hire wheelchairs at the parks just outside the entrances - don't try to 'brave it out' - make use of the facilities on offer. If you are staying on-site, there is also a limited supply of wheelchairs at the resorts - they won't reserve one for you and so this cannot be guaranteed.

Good luck and keep watching the boards - Annie - board name Mrs Dazzle, is out there right now, and she also had an accident and broke a toe - she did not recover in time and will be using wheelchairs etc, so keep an eye out for her reports when she returns

 

[FRANTIC FROG]

I've used a wheelchair in the parks and it's a godsend.
I think they are probably about $6-7 a day but well worth it.
The first time I had one, we got around the parks in half the time as there is a seperate queue for wheelchair users and members of your party.
Lin xxxxxxxxx

 

[MrsGrumpy]

LTFC - Contact Virgin special assistance dept. - 01293 747911. I have a leg brace and cannot bend my leg at all, they were very helpful. Parks are very helpful too, you can rent a wheelchair before you even get in to most of the parks, can't remember exactly how much but not expensive.
ps - noticed your board name & location - should say 'come on you Horns'!!

 

[SueM in MN]

Here is a list of the places outside of WDW that you can rent wheelchairs or ecvs (electric scooters) from:
Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/
Phone (407) 856-2273 • Toll Free U.S and Canada (800) 741-2282

Walker Mobility:
1-888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

RANDY'S Mobility is in Kissimmee 407-892-4777
http://randysmobility.com/

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html
(800)747-0246

They are less expensive than renting day by day from the parks. All of the places will deliver to your resort. When renting, you can also request a crutch holder be placed on the wheelchair or ecv so you have somewhere to hang the crutches.

There are a few rides that have a separate wheelchair entrance (usually to allow you to board at the exit, so that the wheelchair is waiting there when you get off). In the past, the wheelchair entrance took you thru the exit. When they reconstructed queues and changed to fastpass, they got rid of a lot of the direct wheelchair entrances. Now, in most cases, you will wait in the same queue with everyone else. If there is a wheelchair entrance, you are usually pulled out of the main queue right before everyone else boards, so you usually are waiting the same amount of time. This is called MAINSTREAM ACCESS. The older parks (MK and Epcot) have some queues that have not been changed to Mainstream access, but all the fastpass queues are Mainstream. AK and MGM were built as Mainstream Access parks and don't have any separate wheelchair entrances. If you need a special wheelchair car (because you choose to stay in the wheelchair), you will usually wait longer than people without wheelchairs.
Here's a link to the DIS page about touring with mobility disabilities. It includes information about renting wheelchairs at the parks and which rides/attractions you can remain in the wheelchair for.
Feel free to follow the link in my signature to the disABILITIES Board for more information.

 

[Mazzy]

Sorry to hear about your accident. I returned from WDW 3 weeks ago and it was my first trip using an ECV scooter and it really was the answer for me, as I have foot problems.

I hired my scooter from Walker Mobility and they delivered it to my hotel (Dolphin), it was there waiting for me when we arrived. They then pick up on your final day.

I would really recommend an ECV over a wheelchair as you can go where you want to go, no having to tell the person pushing you round what to do, I find that so annoying! Also as you are going at Xmas it will be very busy in the parks, and you could find all wheelchairs/ECV in the parks are already hired out when you arrive, so much better to have you own.

If you are staying on-site you can use all the disney transportation with your scooter, and if you are off-site the scooter breaks down to fit into a car boot.

Hope this is useful to you, if you need any more info let me know.