Daughter's ankle injury

[mamamelody2]

Get the wheelchair. My 13 year old son has had several surgeries on his feet and gets sore and limps by the end of a regular day. He did not want to get a wheelchair at Disney, but after the first day, he admitted he needed it (he was in a lot of pain that first night). It worked out great! He does not "look" disabled in any way and could get out and walk to the rides, but nobody gave him a second look. It's not like you're trying to "fudge" your way to the front of the line, 90% of the rides, you just get in the regular line in the wheelchair, no problem.
Oh, and I liked having something to hang my backpack on that wasn't my back! LOL.

 

[gap2368]

Honestly, that's my fear--I don't want someone to think I'm trying to get away with something when they see her in a wheelchair and hop on up to get in line... I can't even imagine the sight of her in a stroller! She'd be FURIOUS!!! Thanks all!

there really is no benefit to using a wheel chair at Disney anymore you get in either the standby or FP line you wait like every one else waits and you get on. a few rides at the MK ( I think 3-5 ) use an alternative entrance or you go thought the FP line every thing else you wait just like every one else. I have a friend that can walk just fine she can not walk the miles you need to at Disney so she will get in and out of her ECV all day long and some times in line I will use it ( and I have no mobility problems) and no one has said a world to wither of us. and if someone doe say something ( and it really is none of there business ) a quick yah hurt my ankle, but you should see the other person ( I always add something funny to the end when someone has a question about my medical problems)

but I think this is the lest of your worries

 

[LisafromIndiana]

My fiance has an ankle injury and I posted a question in the disabilities forum about it, and have received a lot of great ideas. Might want to check it out (ignoring the ones recommending alcohol, lol).

Hi all,
My nine year old rolled her ankle on two-consecutive week at basketball. The second one was pretty severe. We did the x-rays etc, and they said there may be a growth plate fracture but they can't be sure--but since we waited two weeks before seeing an ortho, they have her in a lace up brace, hoping not to need a boot. Point being in all this--we leave for Disney on Sunday!!! I don't know what to do! She can walk but by the end of a school day she has a limp going and by bedtime she is really limping. I thought about getting a wheelchair for the trip, but I'm not sure if that is over-the-top as she looks like she walks fine until @10am. At the same time, whining and miserable, carried on my back for most of the trip isn't holding much appeal either.
Any suggestions???
Thank you!

 

[anniemae]

Use the wheelchair. She will be happy you have it. What does the Dr. say?

 

[Daisybell911]

Get her one. Trust me. I have a disease that only really affects me if I walk a lot. On the day to day I never need a scooter but whenever I go to an amusement park, I start off fine but by the end of the day I'm swollen and in a lot of pain. After a few days in Disney world two years ago, I learned my lesson. I ended up having to call my specialist in Epcot because every step was excruciating. So, last year when we went to Disneyland, I got the scooter. It was the best decision ever. I was still a little swollen but I made it through the whole trip happy, relatively healthy and enjoyed myself. I stood in lines but otherwise I kept my butt in the chair.

Yeah, I got a few looks but poo on them. They don't know me or my illness and just because I look fine doesn't mean I am.

Make it fun. Let her decorate her ECV. Take that lemon and make lemonade. The point of Disney is to be at The Happiest Place on earth. Being in pain or potentially damaging herself, is far from being happy!

 

[Karin1984]

Honestly, that's my fear--I don't want someone to think I'm trying to get away with something when they see her in a wheelchair and hop on up to get in line... I can't even imagine the sight of her in a stroller! She'd be FURIOUS!!! Thanks all!

What happens when a total stranger who you will never see again in your life thinks you take advantage of something when you yourself know that is not the case?

Using a wheelchair is not cheating and even if there are people who think like that, and have the nerve to say it outloud to you, offer to break their ankle and let them try for themselves

There might be someone judging you, yes, but it's most likely only 0.0001% and that person's judgement is not more important than the well-being of your child.

Life is too short and Disney is too much fun to worry about what other people think.

 

[kreckl]

Doesn't sound like she will need it in line- so have her hop out. Then you can have the chair for traveling around the parks. It will be a little more challenging as you will need an adult to push her, but it may make her more comfortable which ultimately helps the whole family. And of course- ask the doctor what they think you should do...

 

[DisneyOma]

My daughter hurt her knee during dance back in November and had a knee brace on. We went over to the parks a few times during that time frame and while she could hobble around at school, we got her a wheelchair for the days we went to the parks. We usually just parked it outside the ride and never took advantage of any handicap "extras". We just waited in the regular lines but made her ride in the wheel chair when walking around. It was also great for when she had to ice her knee. Just sat in the wheel chair and propped her leg up.

There aren't really any handicap "extras" at WDW for people using a wheelchair. They go in the standard queues, except for a couple of attractions at MK, and maybe one at EPCOT? That's it. There are a few seating spots at shows and parades, but they aren't extras, as they tend to be in the back at shows and very crowded at parades.

Honestly, that's my fear--I don't want someone to think I'm trying to get away with something when they see her in a wheelchair and hop on up to get in line... I can't even imagine the sight of her in a stroller! She'd be FURIOUS!!! Thanks all!

Someone transferring out of a wheelchair isn't a big deal - and won't she have her injury wrapped/braced?

 

[mrzrich]

Honestly, that's my fear--I don't want someone to think I'm trying to get away with something when they see her in a wheelchair and hop on up to get in line... I can't even imagine the sight of her in a stroller! She'd be FURIOUS!!! Thanks all!

Who cares what total strangers think? YOU know the truth.

By the way, there is nothing to "get away with". Most standby queues are wheelchair accessible. For most rides you will wait with everybody else.

 

[disnut8]

There aren't really any handicap "extras" at WDW for people using a wheelchair. They go in the standard queues, except for a couple of attractions at MK, and maybe one at EPCOT? That's it. There are a few seating spots at shows and parades, but they aren't extras, as they tend to be in the back at shows and very crowded at parades.



Someone transferring out of a wheelchair isn't a big deal - and won't she have her injury wrapped/braced?

Totally agree. I've toured Disney in a wheelchair and my husband has toured Disney in a wheelchair and my father has toured Disney in a wheelchair. For me, I wanted to use a walker since I was at the end of my injury but it didn't work out (it didn't fit into the rental car we had) BUT, I was supposed to be walking as much as possible although my balance was very wobbly. So, I would ride in the wheelchair for longer distances and then get out and use the wheelchair as my "walker" going through the queues. No one looked at me like I had two heads.

For my husband, he was diagnosed with gout just days before our trip and was put on meds. Needless to say, it took some time for the meds to reduce the swelling so we started with the wheelchair but by the third day, he felt like he could walk to get used to doing that again so he did the same thing I did - used the wheelchair for longer distances and then get out and board the ride vehicles. No one said a darn thing to him and by the last day, the meds were working and we didn't need to chair except in the mornings.

For my father, he was able to barely transfer from the wheelchair to the ride vehicles and the Cast Members were great with him. You couldn't see anything wrong with him but he was in the final stages of a deadly disease most people have never heard of (we didn't until his diagnosis) but he moved slowly and couldn't walk.

For each attraction, and in each person's case, we just used the regular queue line. In fact, at Star Tours, we didn't board earlier than anyone else, we had to wait until a vehicle was open where we could get the wheelchair rolled out on the other side. The only time that anything worked in "our favor" was at Flights of Wonder. We had my dad in the wheelchair at the back of the crowd waiting to get in when the announcement was made for wheelchair parties to go to the right and the crowd simply parted enough for us (four people including my dad) to go up and we were led to the front of the seating area. At other shows, we were mostly in the back of the theatre.