Yep. My buddy,
@kaytieeldr already said it up there, but here I am anyway!
You need to use a mobility device of *some* kind, and you can do this. But, let's back up for just a moment.
Sounds like you haven't been doing much, even at home. When was the last time you got out and about - went to a fair or festival, or visited a museum? When was the last time you went shopping at a mall where you were there for more than, let's say, 20 minutes? When was the last time you attended a sporting event, or a play, or just a family member's t-ball game?
Sounds like it may have been a while.
Why is that?
You said that you can't walk far without getting easily fatigued. Join the club, my friend. That's where I was the first time I had to use a mobility device. And it was at WDW.
There's a lot of folks who don't want to use that device. Whether it's a "scooter" (Disney calls them "
ECVs") a wheelchair or a Rollator, they will tell you that they don't *look* disabled. That they can do just fine - they just need to stop and sit every "now and again" (and if you ask their family members, it's usually "They have to stop and sit A LOT"). They don't realize that by not using the tools at their disposal, they are not only ruining the fun for everyone with them, but they are putting a strain on their family. Their family worries about them - and can clearly see that they need to use the device. Typically, when the person finally breaks down and uses one, the family is actually happy and relieved - they can move at a "normal" pace again, and their loved one is no longer as tired, or in as much pain, etc.
I know all of this, because that person in the paragraph above was me.
When I finally broke down, and rented a scooter, I was in the middle of the Parks. (We were just talking about this over on another thread LOL). I *ugly cried* about it. I didn't want to use one of those damned devices, but I knew I couldn't go on like I was. I was terrified that people would point and stare, that they would judge me. I was worried that when I got home I would never again be able to function without one.
But what happened was this: My family could now move at a pace that was comfortable for them - and suddenly, I was the one who was always ready to go, go, go when they were all looking around for a shady spot to sit. No one stared at me, or stood pointing a finger of condemnation at me for being a "fake" or a "phony". In fact, me, on a scooter at WDW was a total non-event. And when I got home? No one there knew I had used a scooter at WDW, and my life went right back to "normal".
(In the spirit of transparency, my condition continues to deteriorate and I now am a full time mobility device user, but at the time, I had not even used the electric cart at the grocery store)
What did I learn? I learned that
when I use the proper tool, my life was made easier. As
@kaytieeldr alluded to above, we all use tools every day, often without even thinking about it. When you need to do math - balance the checkbook - do you reach for a calculator, or do you take your socks and shoes off, and count on your fingers & toes? If you wanted to build a fence, would try to pound the nails with a drinking glass? No; you would use a hammer - you would use the proper tool for the job. Have you ever worn glasses? Those are a tool we use to see better. Know anyone with hearing aids? Those are a tool to assist their auditory abilities. Nothing more, nothing less. For crying out loud, the airplane I fly in to get to WDW is tool (albeit a large one!) that allows me to travel quickly and safely across vast distances.
You can sit ant home, and wait, and let life pass you by... and maybe never make it to Disney World. Or, you can say to yourself that you are going to use the tools at your disposal to go, and have the best possible time you can. No one there will judge you - shoot, no one will give you a second glance. I promise, you with a mobility device at WDW is truly a non-event. There are many, many people there who never use a mobility device anywhere *but* Disney World.
You aren't "giving up" by using a scooter - you are gaining a level of (temporary) freedom in a situation where (as others here can tell you) the *average* Guest walks between 3 & 10 miles per day. And by using the scooter, it lets you and your DW go to Disney World and escape reality for just a bit. It lets you relax, and take your time, and not have to worry about fatigue, not have to worry about how long you can stand, or how far you can walk.
Use the tools, my friend.
I hope you decide to go. I hope you and your DW have an amazing trip, and some much needed respite. And I hope you use every tool at your disposal to make it the best possible trip.
