Cruise with Mobility Issues

[sweetsue]

I'm looking for any advice or words of wisdom for our upcoming Disney cruise. My DD4 has spina bifida and walks using a walker. For longer distances (like around DW) we use a Jeep stroller which is like a jogging stroller but has a front swivel wheel. She has a wheelchair but we don't use it very often since she enjoys walking with her walker better. When we take the stroller, the walker fits over the handle bar, so whenever she wants to walk, she can. How hard is it to navigate the boat? Her walker and stroller are about as wide as a standard wheelchair.

I haven't booked any shore excursions due to the accessibility and her lack of attention span. We're on the Magic. For St. Maarten, I thought we'd rent a vehicle and drive around. For St. Thomas I'm not sure. Public transportation or taxis are difficult since we have both the stroller and her walker wherever we go. Any advice? What's worked for you?

What about onboard. How hard is it to get around? I've read the elevators have long lines. Any tips? What about viewing for the shows or the deck parties?

Thanks for the help! We're really getting excited about the cruise.

Sweet Sue

 

[spotdog]

I don't have mobility problems, but have been on 3 Disney cruises. I think you could use the stroller just about anywhere except the doors to the staterooms are quite narrow. I would contact Disney Cruise Line and ask what the clearances are on the doors and find out if a handicapped accessible stateroom may work better for your child.

If your daughter might enjoy the kids club, you could get information for that too.

You might post your questions on the Cruise Line Board, too. Have a magical trip.

 

[dclfun]

Sue- You shouldn't have any problems navigating the ship...for viewing the deck parties the best way to see things is on deck 10 looking down onto the stage which covers the Goofy pool, or there's also a spot a bit higher on deck 9 close to the snack bar that has tables/chairs and a rail to protect someone from getting knocked about. There is w/c seating in the back of the movie theater and both in the back and up front in the Walt Disney theater for the shows. If you want to sit up front, arrive early and advise one of the crew members- you have to go down one deck and through a side door so you'll need assistance to find your way. Have you reserved an accessible stateroom? Otherwise there's a step-up into the bathroom and the doorway isn't wide enough to accomodate a standard-size wheelchair. The accessible staterooms have roll-in showers with a fold down seat and no step-up, plus they are larger to accomodate the turning radius of a w/c. I really can't see getting around in a regular stateroom with a walker. The children's clubs are spacious and should be fine for her also and there is a transfer tier into the Mickey pool. I hope you have a fantastic cruise! Kathy

 

[dclfun]

I also forgot...there are complimentary sand wheelchairs on Castaway Cay. For shore excursions you might want to speak with the shore excursion manager once you're onboard. They were able to arrange lift van service for me and to "customize" an excursion. It was a reasonable cost. Kathy

 

[Michigan]

I have 2 daughters with SB oldest is 15 youngest is 7. We love to cruise and have never done a Disney cruise because so many kids use strollers at WDW that I have a mental picture of never being able to get an elevator because of the strollers. Princess is our cruiseline of choice. My kids can go anywhere they want on the ships they are very accessible.

You didn't say what kind of braces your daughter uses but my oldest daughter learned to use crutches with her RGO's when she was 4. She had a crutch holder on the back of her wheelchair. Maybe you could work with a PT on crutch training and she would have even more mobility because you can get into places with crutches you can't with a walker.

I am going to assume you are going to let her go to the kids programs and if it was me I would take the wheelchair. One reason being is that you are on a ship in the middle of the ocean and sometimes it is hard for an able bodied person to stand and walk let alone someone using a walker. I think she would have more independence using the wheelchair during those times when it might be difficult to stand.

 

[sweetsue]

Wow! I never thought about it being difficult for her to stand. Christina wears AFOs and has just learned to walk unaided in the past two months. She can walk on even surfaces kind of bobbing side to side. She is just starting to get the hang of walking over thresholds or changing surfaces but falls on her behind rather often. Thank goodness for the extra padding of pull-ups!

With her walker she's wild. If she is getting tired or has a long distance to go, I ask her if she wants to go "flying". She holds her legs up in the air and I push the walker really fast. Since she's so stable with the walker I never even thought of issues. I wasn't planning on using the stroller while on board - mostly just in ports.

What do you think? Does anyone know whether she'll be okay with the walker?

Sweet Sue

 

[SueM in MN]

I have not been on a cruise, but from what I have read, some of the port areass have bumpy surfaces on the roads/walkways. Hopefully, someone who has been there can comment.