Disabled traveller

joolz1910

<font color=green>I would have gone down to recept
Joined
Aug 24, 2008
Messages
5,768
Hi everyone, I am hoping to take my MIL with us when we go to WDW. She has recently been registered as disabled. She is not a wheelchair user, although she has a mobility scooter and walks with the aid of sticks. I would not require special accommodation but I wondered whether anyone has experience as a disabled traveller, or travelling with a person with mobility problems - is there anything I should know? Someone told me that travel insurance could be an issue - is this true?

Thanks in advance for any advice.
 
For travel insurance the premium may be higher depending on what illnesses your DMIL has. As for the theme parks they are very helpful and no doubt due to the distances travelled round them your DMIL may need a wheelchair but these are easy to rent for the day or whole holiday.

Claire ;)
 
Thank you. I wanted to know whether the premium would be sky-high for the insurance. Her condition isn't progressive and is managed with pain relief - her mobility is limited and she is a blue-badge holder. I just hope the cost isn't prohibitive.:confused3
 
Best bet is to shop around but I wouldn't have thought premiums would be too high.

Claire ;)
 

Best bet is to shop around but I wouldn't have thought premiums would be too high.

Claire ;)

That's a relief. I will try getting a few quotes, so that I know what to expect. I am very close to her and I want to pay for her to come and share the magic with her grandchildren.:goodvibes
 
For checking the prices to rent an ECV, look in the disABILITIES FAQs thread. Post #2 has the rental information and some of the rental places have phone numbers for guests from the UK.

There is a link in my signature to the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
 
I have taken my brother to florida he is mentally and physically handicapped and I found everywhere over there great the parks are so easy to get around Ive never had any problems as for Insurance we didn't have to pay any extras but we use the same one all the time so that could be why.. :)
 
I have taken my brother to florida he is mentally and physically handicapped and I found everywhere over there great the parks are so easy to get around Ive never had any problems as for Insurance we didn't have to pay any extras but we use the same one all the time so that could be why.. :)

Do your insurers not charge extra for pre-existing medical conditions?

Claire ;)
 
Do your insurers not charge extra for pre-existing medical conditions?

Claire ;)

Nope never have charge the same as what i pay for my nephew and sister but he is never sick or on any medication so that could be why :)
 
For checking the prices to rent an ECV, look in the disABILITIES FAQs thread. Post #2 has the rental information and some of the rental places have phone numbers for guests from the UK.

There is a link in my signature to the disABILITIES FAQs thread.

Thank you - that is pretty comprehensive!

Can she get a U.S. version of her blue badge when we are there?
 
Hi

If you go to the town hall in MK they give you a special guest assitance pass for getting on the rides etc. Think its the same for all the other parks.

There was a thread some where that tells you all about it but can't for the life of me remember where.:confused3
 
Regarding the travelling part, we requested disabled assistance for my dad from Virgin at Manchester when we were travelling out. Because of this, they had changed our seats from somewhere up the back of the plane, to the small cabin on the left as you enter the plane. Definitely much better than in the cattle-market of the main economy cabin.

They also provided a wheelchair for me to push him to the gate. We went through a separate part of the security as well, much less queue, and were first to board the aircraft after UC and PE. The only downside is that you are last to leave the aircraft, as they need to wait til everyone else has gone to bring the wheelchairs down the gangway to the plane.

The benefit of the smaller cabin and less queues far outweighed the small wait we had at the other side imo :thumbsup2
 
Hi

If you go to the town hall in MK they give you a special guest assitance pass for getting on the rides etc. Think its the same for all the other parks.

There was a thread some where that tells you all about it but can't for the life of me remember where.:confused3

Did you have to have a doctor's note or some proof of disability? My MIL will have her blue badge but would that be sufficient?

Regarding the travelling part, we requested disabled assistance for my dad from Virgin at Manchester when we were travelling out. Because of this, they had changed our seats from somewhere up the back of the plane, to the small cabin on the left as you enter the plane. Definitely much better than in the cattle-market of the main economy cabin.

They also provided a wheelchair for me to push him to the gate. We went through a separate part of the security as well, much less queue, and were first to board the aircraft after UC and PE. The only downside is that you are last to leave the aircraft, as they need to wait til everyone else has gone to bring the wheelchairs down the gangway to the plane.

The benefit of the smaller cabin and less queues far outweighed the small wait we had at the other side imo :thumbsup2

That sounds great! She would definitely need a wheelchair in the airport and we would probably wait until last to get off the plane anyway because of the 3 kids and MIL's mobility.;)
 
As far as I know you go to the town hall and ask for one I am sure that if you bringing your blue badge that should be enough that and the fact that you DMIL will be on sticks or in a chair/ECV.

If you have any problems at all the cast members are really great at all the rides they can stop the moving walkways that you use to enter the ride cars on things like HM and Buzz etc. This makes getting in and out of the cars far easier.
The link below is a great resource for you and the rest of the website has loads of other tip and info

http://allears.net/pl/special.htm
 
As far as I know you go to the town hall and ask for one I am sure that if you bringing your blue badge that should be enough that and the fact that you DMIL will be on sticks or in a chair/ECV.

If you have any problems at all the cast members are really great at all the rides they can stop the moving walkways that you use to enter the ride cars on things like HM and Buzz etc. This makes getting in and out of the cars far easier.
The link below is a great resource for you and the rest of the website has loads of other tip and info

http://allears.net/pl/special.htm

Thanks. She would definitely need the moving walkways to stop so that she could get on.
 
If your having a car, you can get a tempory disabled badge if you have a UK blue badge. All the info is on th UK disabled badge thread, at the top of the uk trip planning page. It's valied for 3 months.
 
Thank you - that is pretty comprehensive!

Can she get a U.S. version of her blue badge when we are there?
Yes. The thread that Fozzie Bear mentioned is the best resource.
If your having a car, you can get a tempory disabled badge if you have a UK blue badge. All the info is on th UK disabled badge thread, at the top of the uk trip planning page. It's valied for 3 months.
Hi

If you go to the town hall in MK they give you a special guest assitance pass for getting on the rides etc. Think its the same for all the other parks.

There was a thread some where that tells you all about it but can't for the life of me remember where.:confused3
It is called a Guest Assistance Card and post #6 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread is all about Guest Assistance Cards. (There is a link to that thread in my signature).
If she has a wheelchair, she probably does not need a Guest Assistance Card because the CMs can see that she would need to use the accessible entrances/boarding areas.
Did you have to have a doctor's note or some proof of disability? My MIL will have her blue badge but would that be sufficient?
You don't need to provide any proof; she would need to be able to explain what her needs are.
If her needs are met by being able to bring the wheelchair into line with her and board at the accessible boarding area (where they can slow or stop moving walkways), then she would not need a Guest Assistance Card at all.
That sounds great! She would definitely need a wheelchair in the airport and we would probably wait until last to get off the plane anyway because of the 3 kids and MIL's mobility.;)
The small wheelchair that can be brought onto the plane for boarding is called an aisle chair. THere are pictures of one in use on the disABILITIES FAQs thread in post #15.
As far as I know you go to the town hall and ask for one I am sure that if you bringing your blue badge that should be enough that and the fact that you DMIL will be on sticks or in a chair/ECV.

If you have any problems at all the cast members are really great at all the rides they can stop the moving walkways that you use to enter the ride cars on things like HM and Buzz etc. This makes getting in and out of the cars far easier.
The link below is a great resource for you and the rest of the website has loads of other tip and info

http://allears.net/pl/special.htm
You can request a Guest Assistance Card in Guest Relations in any of the parks (more info in post #6 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread).

In most cases, the CMs will slow the moving walkway because that is enough for most people to board. If you find that is still too fast, speak up because the CMs will assume the speed is OK for you.

There are several attractions with moving walkways that can't be stopped or slowed:
1) Peter Pan at MK can only be stopped in an emergency and can't be slowed.
2) Tomorrowland Transit Authority at MK has a steep moving ramp to get up to and down from the station on 2nd floor level. That can't be stopped or slowed. The boarding and unloading area has a moving walkway which can be slowed, but not stopped.
3) Pirates of the Caribbean at MK has a steep moving ramp at the exit, after you have gotten out of the boat. The moving ramp leads to the upper level (the ride ends below ground level). There is an elevator to the left of the moving ramp for people who can't negotiate the moving ramp.
 
Thank you Sue.:thumbsup2 It is great to know that the CM's will be so accommodating.
 











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