First time wheelchair user back home from WDW

[shaun&miranda]

Hi everyone
Due to a broken foot I was in a wheelchair at WDW this December for the first time ever, and I thought I would share some experiences.

I found that I got really, really, really cold. I hadn't thought through the fact I would not be moving around. It was also some of the coldest Floridian nights they have had for years. I quickly bought a fleecy blanket for my legs, and mastered the art of wearing two pairs of trousers and three pairs of socks all at the same time.

I hired the chair from Randy's Mobility. They could not have been nicer! The service was brilliant, with them showing us how the chair folded up, could be adjusted, taken apart etc. I didn't think beforehand that we would need to be shown, but having a little tour of it was essential for us as first timers. We would have been lost without the help. Also when we were delayed an extra 24 hours, the staff were so relaxed about me extending the hire for another day they did not even charge me for it. The chair was also really comfy, and well made. I felt very secure in it but it never felt tight or uncomfortable.

Restaurants always wanted me to eat in the chair, even when I was happy to transfer to a chair. Decide before you go into a place whether you want to transfer to a chair to eat and then be really clear with the greeters and seaters as to which you prefer. A couple of times we were seated in really odd places just so the chair could fit in easily. However, everyone was always extremely accommodating and the times we did get delayed by people in restaurants, it was always because they were trying so hard to treat us well.

It is hard to talk to the person pushing you. Again, it is obvious when you think about it, but I didn't know! I was talking at waist height and forwards, and my husband often couldn't hear what I was saying, and he would talk at head height, causing me to miss what he was saying. With no eye contact it did sometimes feel a little lonely, and toward the end of the trip we got better about stopping and having him sit down so we were level to have a chat about the things around us.

Pushing a chair is hard work, but do-able. My husband pushed me around all the parks and had no problems apart from his hands, which became sore from the pressure of the handles as his palms weren't used to pressure being there.

Buffet restaurants are best either avoided or done with a clear plan of how to tackle them. We even struggled at burger fixings bars!

I underestimated how tired I would get in the chair. I figured I would just be sat there so would not get tired, but I still did, which made me upset.

Wheelchair seating goes very fast for shows. Normally to see a 6:30 Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios we would stroll up around 6pm and take whatever seats we could find. By 5:30 all the wheelchair spots had gone. I could not believe how far in advance we had to queue for stuff.

There is no point being in a crowd in a chair. If someone stands in front of you, you really can't see anything and depending what you are watching, the sound can be muffled in big crowds too. Parades lost all their appeal when inconsiderate people snuck in front of the chair.

Wheelchairs and sand do not mix. If you go to the beach you need a sand wheelchair, which is somewhat like a moon buggy. These were terrifying as it was so high and felt so unstable, but did let me spend the day on the beach at Castaway Cay, so hurray!

Getting folded up wheelchairs onto car park trams is a masterclass in strength and manipulation. We found it easier to take the WDW buses from the resort rather than take the rental car.

Lastly, it really is worth renting a chair/scooter. I would have not been able to get around without it. Yes, I got a few grumpy looks from people, but I also had loads of people be really nice, smiling at me and saying how they hoped I wasn't getting too cold! I never appreciated how difficult life is in a chair but from now on am going to always say hullo to people in them at WDW and ask them how their trip is going!

Hope these are helpful for other newbies to the world of wheelchairs.

Miranda

 

[twinmum]

Hello! Thanks for your message. Our son (now age 12) has cerebral palsy and uses his wheelchair when we are on vacation, esp. at WDW. Between the user and the pusher, we have experienced everything you mentioned. One observation I'd add is the pushing the wheelchair burns a few more caloriesso I can indulge a bit on vacation!

Thank you so much for appreciating this was a learning experience that gave you a greater understanding of some of the challenges faced by a wheelchair user and their family/support group. Your empathy will offset our frustration the next time someone turns to us and says "well, you've got a really good thing going here, getting all this special treatment." (And yes, we really have been told that...!)

Hope you are healing well and won't be needing a w/c again!

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

Buffet restaurants are best either avoided or done with a clear plan of how to tackle them. We even struggled at burger fixings bars!

Hopefully it'll be and stay a mute point for you, but this is one of those "practice makes perfect" things. Obviously not all disabilities will allow each and all but "just" using a wheelchair is no biggie for buffets or whatever when having some practice time and tricks up your sleeve.

I underestimated how tired I would get in the chair. I figured I would just be sat there so would not get tired, but I still did, which made me upset.

Don't! You hopefully won't notice much if all "normally", but the healing of your fracture already takes up energy. You now combine that with a wheelchair. Something totally new to you. That takes a lot of thinking; how does this work, how do I do that, does that ride work or will it hurt my foot. All that thinking is draining. Sitting in a wheelchair is different from sitting in a "real" chair, esp. when using a rentalchair (gosh, are those standard one Uncomfortable). Again it will drain your body. You most likely will have done some individual moving around. Again something new for you and thus more draining. And moving a wheelchair around definately demands a fair bit of your body in ways you are totally not used to. Great work out. Really, you were not "just sitting there". You were doing a lot of things, mostly new things, just didn't walk. Can happen. Getting tired is really normal in the beginning.

 

[BroganMc]

It is hard to talk to the person pushing you. Again, it is obvious when you think about it, but I didn't know! I was talking at waist height and forwards, and my husband often couldn't hear what I was saying, and he would talk at head height, causing me to miss what he was saying. With no eye contact it did sometimes feel a little lonely, and toward the end of the trip we got better about stopping and having him sit down so we were level to have a chat about the things around us.

Newbie Lesson #1 and also the beginnings of many a fight as the "Pusher" and "Rider" argue over exactly who is in control. One day in a manual chair and I want to throttle the person pushing me. Thank goodness my powerchair doesn't argue with me over where I want to go or where I want to stop.

Wheelchair seating goes very fast for shows. Normally to see a 6:30 Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios we would stroll up around 6pm and take whatever seats we could find. By 5:30 all the wheelchair spots had gone. I could not believe how far in advance we had to queue for stuff.

Just remember that the next time you see a group of wheelies being ushered in a FastPass entrance. You have no idea what their actual wait time will end up being at the other end. Sometimes it is shorter and other times it can be 3-4 times longer. Even we don't know until we get there.

Fantasmic is on my "see every few trips list" because the seating for wheelies is so poor. You're stuck in the back, far away from the stage and usually end up with a bunch of tall heads in front who enter the stadium just minutes before the show while you've been there an hour. I find I'm happier passing.

There is no point being in a crowd in a chair. If someone stands in front of you, you really can't see anything and depending what you are watching, the sound can be muffled in big crowds too. Parades lost all their appeal when inconsiderate people snuck in front of the chair.

If you do nothing else, please please PLEASE remember this lesson! I cannot tell you just how irritating it is to get positioned for a show and be polite enough to leave some maneuvering distance to the people sitting in front of me (so they don't get hurt on my wheels) only to have them STAND UP and completely block me. Or the people who walk by the pathway in front of the curb I've been sitting on for an hour and stop dead in front of me mid-firework.

Sad thing is they do this to children too. Kids and wheelies are at the same eye level most of the time.

At the NYE fireworks in EPCOT my family parked ourselves in front of a tree behind a fence. We were careful to be out of the line of vision of those sprawled on the grass behind us. As soon as the fireworks started a family comes up and stands right next to us, right in front of the people sitting on the ground for the last hour. I tell the mom there are people behind her and it is polite to sit down to watch. We could all see just fine from sitting height. She tells me "No one else is doing it" (meaning the family off to the far right of her. Then she proceeded to prop her kid up on her shoulders.

 

[wmah]

Buffet restaurants are best either avoided or done with a clear plan of how to tackle them. We even struggled at burger fixings bars!

At buffets I go through the line twice for our plates. First time through I fill a plate for the friend and second time is for me.

The fixing bars are easiest to do. Since we have a tray, I use napkins and will put the different fixings on the napkins and bring them back to the table and prep everything at the table, it is also faster to go through the line too doing this. I'll grab extra tomato's and even onions and just eat them straight as I really don't eat the fries.

I can't imagine pushing a manual chair all day so I feel for anyone pushing them. Anywhere we go I say take the power chair with. I have a 8 foot trifold ramp for the truck to load it in back. The ramp also works great for almost anything else.

 

[Smile&Nod]

At Disney right now with my parents - both in manual wheelchairs for the first time - both mainly due to age. I've been prepping myself for all the walking for the past several months, and originally we thought my dad would walk and my daughter and i would take turns pushing my mom - then realized that my dad would never be able to handle all the walking the parks involve so rented him a chair too. I have muscles speaking out that I haven't heard from in years! the good news is that i figure the extra calories i'm burning allow me to have some yummy caramel corn at the new store in Germany! we've had pretty good experiences most places with people being considerate, but have learned quickly that at night, the wheelchair needs running lights, or people just don't see it! My mom carried a flashlight last night!

 

[JudyS]

Thank you for your comments, Miranda!

Getting folded up wheelchairs onto car park trams is a masterclass in strength and manipulation. We found it easier to take the WDW buses from the resort rather than take the rental car....

I will be using a wheelchair at the parks in an upcoming trip. I hadn't thought about needing to put a wheelchair on the parking tram. Most of the WDW parks have handicapped accessible lots that don't require using the parking trams, don't they? (I have a handicap parking permit.) Does anyone know whether Sea World and Islands of Adventure also have handicapped parking lots?

Wheelchair seating goes very fast for shows. Normally to see a 6:30 Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios we would stroll up around 6pm and take whatever seats we could find. By 5:30 all the wheelchair spots had gone. I could not believe how far in advance we had to queue for stuff.....

Oh, this is an issue as the friend am I traveling with is dying to see Fantasmic, and she will only be in Orlando for a couple of days, so waiting a long time will really be a waste! The day we will be at Disney Studios, there will be two Fantasmic shows (6:30 and 8 pm.) We plan to do the 2nd show. Do people think wheelchair spots will be more available at the 2nd show? Also, I can walk a little bit, can I just leave the wheelchair in the back and sit in a regular seat if the wheelchair seats are all taken?

 

[Disneywedding2010]

I was in a wheelchair for our Christmas trip. I agree with you on the "You never realize how tired your going to be sitting in a chair all day." I can't walk long distances due to my leg is clotted off and I have them in lungs as well. However, some days I felt like I had walked at the parks cause I was so tired.

I can walk short distances so the buffets weren't that bad. I also was asked several times at restaurants if I could transfer and I said yes but they still took the time to find a place where I could just sit in my wheelchair.

I also agree that the seating for Fantasmic all the way in the back isn't that great. I remember back in Feburary they had placed us in the very front. I also had a man that tried to sit down next to me (my fiance had gotten up to get a drink for me). I politely told him "My husband is sitting there" and he just glared at me. I just blew it off and wasn't going to let it phase me.

We found great seating for MSEP and Wishes on Christmas Day two hours before hand. Yes, we actually sat there that long but we had two great families near us that we all chatted and the time went faster.

 

[DisneyJenn18]

great tips everyone, and thank you OP for sharing your experience! I am traveling a few weeks with my entire family (crew of 25!!!), of course all extended family.

We are renting manual chairs for my grandma and grandad, and have been curious as to how it will play out...they just tire too easily due to age and we want to make sure they are comfortable.

 

[dissybroad]

We have used a "companion" chair for Mom and her Mom before her. It doesn't have the big wheels on the sides so it has a narrower profile making it easier to navigate crowds. It's also lighter. I recommend investing in a gel seat cushion which is bulky and surprisingly heavy but effectively reduces pressure on bony prominences.

 

[peemagg]

Seaworld does have handicapped parking. I don't know about Islands of Adventure.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thank you for posting.
I think it’s very helpful for new users to see some reports form new users instead of just those of us who use or have family members who use wheelchairs or ECVs all the time.

Thank you for your comments, Miranda!

I will be using a wheelchair at the parks in an upcoming trip. I hadn't thought about needing to put a wheelchair on the parking tram. Most of the WDW parks have handicapped accessible lots that don't require using the parking trams, don't they? (I have a handicap parking permit.) Does anyone know whether Sea World and Islands of Adventure also have handicapped parking lots?

All the theme parks have at least some Handicapped Parking, which you will be able to use your handicapped parking permit for.
That does not necessarily mean they are close, but they will be the closest parking and you will have a wheelchair, so distance will not be that much of an issue.

Oh, this is an issue as the friend am I traveling with is dying to see Fantasmic, and she will only be in Orlando for a couple of days, so waiting a long time will really be a waste! The day we will be at Disney Studios, there will be two Fantasmic shows (6:30 and 8 pm.) We plan to do the 2nd show. Do people think wheelchair spots will be more available at the 2nd show? Also, I can walk a little bit, can I just leave the wheelchair in the back and sit in a regular seat if the wheelchair seats are all taken?

There really is no way to tell.
Our experience is that they do ask everyone with a wheelchair or ECV if they are able to transfer. If you can, they will show you a seat and park the wheelchair someplace else. The last time we went was in October, for the first show. We arrived at around 7:10 to 7:15 for the 8pm show (we were delayed due to a mix up at Epcot). BY that point, it was standing room only and we got the next to last spot for someone in a wheelchair or ECV who could not transfer.

I was in a wheelchair for our Christmas trip. I agree with you on the "You never realize how tired your going to be sitting in a chair all day." I can't walk long distances due to my leg is clotted off and I have them in lungs as well. However, some days I felt like I had walked at the parks cause I was so tired.

I can walk short distances so the buffets weren't that bad. I also was asked several times at restaurants if I could transfer and I said yes but they still took the time to find a place where I could just sit in my wheelchair.

I also agree that the seating for Fantasmic all the way in the back isn't that great. I remember back in Feburary they had placed us in the very front. I also had a man that tried to sit down next to me (my fiance had gotten up to get a drink for me). I politely told him "My husband is sitting there" and he just glared at me. I just blew it off and wasn't going to let it phase me.

We found great seating for MSEP and Wishes on Christmas Day two hours before hand. Yes, we actually sat there that long but we had two great families near us that we all chatted and the time went faster.

There are a couple of wheelchair seats way in the front for Fantasmic. There is a possibility of getting wet from the spray from the water screens that are used in part of the show, so be prepared that you may get wet.
When we sat there, we were surprised and a little puzzled that they were selling beach towels before the show.
Needless to say, once the show started, we understood what the towels were for.