First time wheelchair use

[arbie_m]

Hi,

This may be a little bungled because we're considering using a wheelchair for my mom in the parks for our trip this week. It's just the 2 of us going and she'S having a harder time getting around lately due to lupus and some other health issues. We are thinking of renting wheelchair just in the parks to help "save"her back and legs some for the trip. Can you leave the wheelchairs in Stoller areas during rides etc? Any tips or pointers for me trying to push the chair and navegate etc. I just don't think she would do well with the ECV and don't want to stress her out with it. Want to just have fun and enjoy the trip together as I'm afraid it may be our last one together to Disney. Thanks!

 

[arbie_m]

One more question. I see you can rent them at Disney Springs too but am not sure where to go there for rentals.

 

[gap2368]

Why not take the wheel chair in line with you.

Every time I have gone with my friend that uses a wheel chair and asks a CM where to park it they all ways tell her the stroller parking but she normily takes her wheel chair with her. So it maybe different in different places. Also she dose not need to sit in it all the time she can use it as a walker some too.

 

[arbie_m]

I hadn't thought about using it some as a walker. That is a great idea too.

 

[gap2368]

if you use t as a walker you may not have to worry about were to park it. I know for some people with disability walking helps them

you may want to think about getting a wheel chair off site so that she can have it at the resort, line for the buses or monorail, boat what ever to get back. and I think it will be cheeper to rent.

http://www.disboards.com/threads/di...disabled-1st-trip-next-trip-wish-trip.595713/

 

[mamabunny]

if you use t as a walker you may not have to worry about were to park it. I know for some people with disability walking helps them

you may want to think about getting a wheel chair off site so that she can have it at the resort, line for the buses or monorail, boat what ever to get back. and I think it will be cheeper to rent.

http://www.disboards.com/threads/di...disabled-1st-trip-next-trip-wish-trip.595713/

Yep. What @gap2368 said.

Depending on the Resort you stay at, you can do a *lot* of walking just to and from bus stops and food service. Not to mention that some of the bus stops at the Parks can be quite a long hike from the Park entrance out to the bus stop. And, if you have to wait (because you *just* missed that bus...) you can count on about a 20 minute wait on average until the next bus shows up.

The worst case scenario is that she uses it mostly as a walker, and you have a great place to pile up purses, jackets and shopping bags. The best case? She arrives home from her Disney adventure, and doesn't need another vacation to recover from her vacation!

Take along a pair of inexpensive bike gloves in case you wind up pushing the chair a lot - you don't want to have blisters on your hands.

A lot of folks are susceptible to "The Disney Effect", which makes you forget all the details that can matter to a mobility challenged person. It's not until you have traveled with a wheelchair or other mobility device at WDW that you really realize how hills, ramps, curb cuts and patterned pavement can affect mobility.

One last tip: if you are flying in to Orlando, remember that many airports can have long walks between concourses and/or gates (if you have a layover) and/or baggage services. MCO has a history of long, slow-moving lines for TSA as well, so you may want to consider renting or borrowing from someone at home, and bringing it with you. Medical equipment (like wheelchairs, Rollators, etc) will fly for free, and can be gate-checked so you have it all the way to the plane, and as soon as you arrive at your destination airport.

Bonus extra info: Some local groups (Masons, Eastern Star, Elks, Churches, etc.) may have a wheelchair you can borrow for free if there is a budget issue.

Have a lovely time with your Mom - and make all the happy memories you can!

 

[Bete]

You haven't stated how long of a trip you'll be taking. Anyway, sometimes you can actually buy a portable, travel wheelchair for what a rental may cost or close to it. These wheelchairs are lighter, too. It makes a big difference when you're pushing to have a lighter wheelchair. One brand Drive Medical advertises wheelchairs for $100 or so. You would have it everywhere you go.

I pushed my mom for about 6 trips. We would alternate shows and rides at the parks. The shows allow a rest for the pusher. My mom would nap at a show sometimes. Parades and fireworks provide a rest, too. We generally spent 6 to 8 hours at the park per day. We did 8 hours or more if we we took a mid day break. On occasion we would do a 10 hour day. Meals give you a rest, too. For meals you can have the wheelchair at the table. Some find using leather gloves helpful as a pusher.

Wheelchairs in some instances can actually go on some rides like the The Great Movie Ride in Hollywood Studios. There's a list available on this forum that explains all of this. Wheelchairs can often time get very close to the ride before parking it. Often, you park it with the scooters. A few rides have special queues for wheelchairs like Toy Story Mania. In that case you can stay in the wheelchair for the ride.

As mentioned the pusher has the option of using the wheelchair as a walker if they choose to walk some.

We found going at park opening or even doing early entry if you are a Disney resort guest helps a lot. The park is less crowded and it's cooler. Evenings are cooler, too.

You might want to consider getting a seat cushion for the wheelchair. You can get beverage attachment holders, too.

When attempting rides I would always have someone in front of my mom and someone behind her. The one in front can help get her on the ride and the one in back can help if it looks like the person could fall. Fortunately, we never had a fall. We found boats to be the hardest. Some boat rides have wheelchair access but not all of them.

You might qualify for DAS and that will help you with rides. Being in a wheelchair doesn't make that happen automatically. Check into it.

 

[arbie_m]

Thank you all so much for your input! Definitely so helpful pointers and I will be picking up some gloves today. My mom really like the idea of being able to use the wheelchair as a walker. Grocery carts st the store help her a lot and she can walk a lot when using one. Our trip is a short. We get there Thursday for the Wine and Dine race expo and we be doing the parks Friday and Saturday, then return home Sunday. Hopefully enough time for some fun but not too much time to wear us out.

 

[gap2368]

This is just me but gloves give me blisters so be careful when using them


I have pushes a lot of wheel chair and never needed them. But I do know some that do. So just be aware they you may or may not need them

 

[j2thomason]

I bought a transfer chair for my mom several years ago. She is 89 and has mobility issues, but still loves to go to WDW!! The chair folds up easily and will fit in the trunk of a car. It is not very heavy. She uses it as a walker when we are in the resort hotel room, but we take turns pushing her in the parks. It was a great investment! I got it from Walgreens for about $100. We had been renting them from the parks and outside vendors for a few years, but we have saved so much money by just purchasing one for her.

 

[SueM in MN]

This is just me but gloves give me blisters so be careful when using them


I have pushes a lot of wheel chair and never needed them. But I do know some that do. So just be aware they you may or may not need them

I know some people feel gloves are vital.
We have pushed our daughter's wheelchair around in the parks for years and have never had any problems with our hands - except the one year when we did try to use fingerless gloves. They made our hands sweaty, which can lead to blisters. No one in our family has ever tried gloves again or had any issues.

So, if you chose to use them, be careful and watch out for blisters.

 

[happymommy]

That's true, SueM. I push my daughter in a wheelchair at Disney, and never even considered gloves. I have never had a need for them.

We rented off site twice after using the ones in the parks for just in park use, and then I found almost the exact same one we had been renting on Amazon for $150. We brought it last trip, and it was nice to have our own.

It isn't heavy, and fits in a car trunk. It's easy to fold up for the bus (she usually will get out and I fold it up; she doesn't use a wheelchair at home but can't walk the long distances at the parks).

Transport chairs have four small wheels, so the user can't push themselves. That wouldn't be ideal for us, and you see very few of them in the parks. We can split up for a short while, and if she's in the chair she can browse a shop herself.

 

[Bete]

Although, I mentioned the use of gloves, personally I never used any. Some people like them and some don't. I would just have them as a possibility of needing them.

 

[happymommy]

I've never seen anyone using gloves. Even my old next door neighbor that was a quadriplegic that used one full time didn't wear them.

 

[mamabunny]

The reason I mention the use of gloves is because rental wheelchairs often still have the old hard, slippery plastic handle grips. (often cheaper transport chairs and used equipment have these as well).

The hard plastic handle grips can - and do - cause blisters; I learned the hard way one of our family trips several years ago. My hands were torn up from pushing by the end of the first day, and to this day I still have scarring from those blisters on my palms.

Newer chairs, and better quality equipment have a dense foam covered handle; this foam offers not only padding, but helps prevent the sweaty, slippery, blister-causing issues that I have experienced in the past. Rental chairs often don't get the foam covered handles, simply because it can get torn up relatively easily. At someplace like WDW where rental equipment is subject to long, hard days even foam-covered handles could eventually rip, compact or otherwise fail, and leave you with a situation where you could have problems. I always say "bring the gloves" because it is far better to have them and not need them... than to need them (as I did) and not have them...

TL;DR:

So - if the wheelchair your loved one will use has foam-covered handles, skip the gloves. They aren't needed.

But, if they have the old shiny, hard plastic... I personally recommend the gloves. YMMV.

 

[tinka-belle]

You can find the gloves at Walmart for less than $15 or so a pair, a cheap investment just in case. They are with the bicycle accessories, much less expensive here than at a bike shop. If you don't need them, well can use them at mini golf for a better grip..............lol.

 

[jo-jo]

I have a thought. Could you add the foam stuff like a pool noodle to the handle for cushioning?

If I may add a question...........Does disney run out of wheelchairs? I'm trying to convince my DH to use it for a few days. Maybe every other day. Give his knees a rest. He is fighting it. He said what happens if we come out of a ride and it's missing. He's concerned we'll get charge hundreds of dollars. I told him no, they can't leave the park. And if it is missing we can take our receipt and go get another one. I'm correct, aren't I???????

 

[gap2368]

I have a thought. Could you add the foam stuff like a pool noodle to the handle for cushioning?

If I may add a question...........Does disney run out of wheelchairs? I'm trying to convince my DH to use it for a few days. Maybe every other day. Give his knees a rest. He is fighting it. He said what happens if we come out of a ride and it's missing. He's concerned we'll get charge hundreds of dollars. I told him no, they can't leave the park. And if it is missing we can take our receipt and go get another one. I'm correct, aren't I???????

No Disney will not run out of wheel chairs ( or at all that likely ) and the likely if someone sterling is is unlikely and then Disney charging you is even less likely


Not sure what you mean about the pool nodle but I do not think Disney has any

 

[jo-jo]

No Disney will not run out of wheel chairs ( or at all that likely ) and the likely if someone sterling is is unlikely and then Disney charging you is even less likely


Not sure what you mean about the pool nodle but I do not think Disney has any

I mean slipping a piece of foam over the handle to provide extra cushion. I'd bring a few pieces cut from a pipe wrap stuff in anyone thought this might work.

 

[gap2368]

YOu can bring something with you but if your worried I would buy gloves