decorating a wheelchair?

[margot31]

Has anyone done this? My mother in law will be joining us this fall and she would love to walk the parks but she won't even be able to do the parking lot to the front entrance. So we thought one way to help the blow of her being in a wheelchair was to decorate. We are going in Oct so can go halloween themed.

If you have any photos of this it would be great to get ideas.

 

[gap2368]

a trip to the dollar store should help you get some ideas, I have seen people hang a small poster on the back ( you could do one for each day or each park), some streamers ( maybe back and orange) on the handles, I have seen glow sticks on the wheels, a ballon

 

[mamabunny]

In addition to @gap2368's ideas, we just saw a wheelchair decorated all over with the little string lights that are so popular right now.

I personally have an LED strip that is battery powered via a USB (phone) battery charger under my personal mobility device.

I have seen people decorate the wheels of a wheelchair with the little decorations that go on the spokes of a bicycle, and we have also seen light up front wheels on pediatric wheelchairs.

Just remind her that the wheelchair is simply a tool to get a job done. Just as if she uses glasses to see better, or a hearing aid to hear better, the wheelchair simply helps her move around better. The chair will help her keep up with everyone else in your group, and it will make it easier for the group, because they won't have to constantly worry about her. It's hard for some folks to understand until they actually experience it, but she will have a better time than if she tried to walk without it... and because *she* is having fun, everyone else will too!

Just remind her that it doesn't matter who sees her at WDW - she has a better chance of being struck by lightning *and* winning the lottery in the same day than she does of ever seeing anyone from WDW again!

Have a great trip!

 

[OneLittleSpark]

Definitely decorate!! I always 'pimp my ride' for WDW, and only ever get positive comments . We've got a set of solar powered outdoor fairy lights, which we put around the frame, with the charger on the back. Linear stuff, such as ribbon and tinsel, works well around the frame or in the spokes (just make sure you can still move the chair!). I have seen Halloween tinsel before, which would look awesome! String or zip-ties can be used to hold small, light decorations (such as fake flowers, little plastic figures, etc) onto the chair.

Are you doing a Halloween party? If so, you might want to include the chair in her costume. For our last trip we made the prow of a pirate ship, which fitted onto the front of my chair (which we made portable, so we could carry it over the Atlantic). It took a bit of work to make it, but it was worth it just for the reactions!

Have fun!!

 

[powellrj]

This is just how I feel about it, but I own my own scooter and would never decorate it. There are always negative posts about how much people hate the scooters at WDW, that I don't want to bring attention to myself.

 

[mamabunny]

This is just how I feel about it, but I own my own scooter and would never decorate it. There are always negative posts about how much people hate the scooters at WDW, that I don't want to bring attention to myself.

The people who "hate" scooters at WDW are very vocal here, but are the minority at WDW. And they convienently forget that some day, they or someone they love will like have to use one.

My physical therapist calls them TABs - Temporarily Able Bodied. Eventually, old age, arthritis, bad choices... they all take their toll.

In the meantime, I get on my personal device, and I ride. I decorate it, and I smile and wave at anyone and everyone I see - because I'm allowed to have as much fun as anyone else at WDW. Someone doesn't like my scooter? Too bad. I don't like that I have to have it either - but it's a TOOL that lets me keep my freedom and my independence for a little bit longer. I don't celebrate that I have to have it - but I do make it mine, and it reflects me, and my love of bright colors and sparkly things and happiness.

Does it call attention to me? Maybe. I don't care. I'm never going to see any of those people again anyway. I have a better chance of being struck by lightning AND winning the lottery in the same day than I do of seeing anyone from a WDW trip ever again.

 

[BabyFu18]

Where do you find the fairy lights you guys use? Are these pretty tiny so they wouldn't give off a super bright/intense light? I'm looking for something I can put on my manual wheelchair mostly for light so I can see the ground ahead of me at night when out and about, but something fun and cute would make it even better!

And if anyone puts string lights somewhere on a manual wheelchair do you have any pictures of what it looks like? And where do you put the battery packs that makes it still easy enough to get to for turning them on/off.

 

[chewysmom]

I would love to see pictures of any decorated wheelchairs.

Last year was dd's first time having to use a chair. I had someone on the creative disigns make a "license plate" that I printed out. We also found a bright orange luggage tag at WM that says "Lug me or leave me". She thought that was hilarious, so we attached it. We didn't do a lot bc we weren't sure how dd would handle being in a chair. She loved it, and realized that for now, it's the only way she can do Disney. (Or any other outing that involves a lot of walking!)

I love the lights idea. I really want to bling her out this year.