Friends husband has leg and heart problems...

[MALE*RN*777]

I have a friend who's husband has problems walking long distances and standing for long periods of time and is looking at getting a scooter chair while at Disney World. My questions are do you rent them from Disney or from a private company and what type of prices are we looking at for a week/daily. Second question is that I remember on our last trip those who used wheel chairs went in the fast pass lines. Is this always the case or do you have to have something special from Disney to do this and does this include the wife and 6 year old son. Please help me help them have an enjoyable trip. Thanks....

 

[kaytieeldr]

Private company - that way he'll have it 24/7, not just inside the parks.

See the disABILITIES FAQ for the names and phone numbers of some outside vendors known to provide good service and equipment.

$175 - $250 per week or so, depending on company and size of ECV (which is based on user's weight).

With a mobility assistance device, the Guest does not need - and likely will not be able to get, unless he/she has special needs not related to mobility).

Whenever possible, Guests using wheelchairs/ECVs will enter an attraction entirely through the regular ('mainstream') line. These Guests should ALWAYS approach the attraction Greeter for access instructions. Some attractions allow the ECV the whole way through the line. Others require the Guest to transfer to a wheelchair.

 

[SueM in MN]

Second question is that I remember on our last trip those who used wheel chairs went in the fast pass lines. Is this always the case or do you have to have something special from Disney to do this and does this include the wife and 6 year old son. Please help me help them have an enjoyable trip. Thanks....

Most of the lines are wheelchair and ECV accessible, especially at AK and the Studio. Those parks were built with what is called "Mainstream Lines", which means they are accessible and people using wheelchairs or ECVs would use the regular line with everyone else.

All the Fastpass lines are accessible and you may have seen people with wheelchairs or ECVs who were using Fastpasses just like everyone else in the Fastpass line.
There are a few lines (mostly in MK and Epcot, which are older parks) where the only accessible lines are the Fastpass lines. For those attractions, the only accessible option is the Fastpass line.
If someone with a wheelchair or ECV comes up to the attraction, they may be allowed right into the Fastpass line (especially if the Standyby line is short), they may be asked to get a Fastpass, or the CM may hand write out a 'return time card' for them to come back. When you come back with one of those, you do return to the Fastpass line.
The same thing happens for those attractions with in-accessible standby lines if all the Fastpasses are gone for the day. The person using the wheelchair or ECV usually doesn't have the option of using the standby line, so they are handled as I wrote above.
In almost all cases, the whole party of up to 6 (5 plus the person using the wheelchair or ECV) are allowed to enter however the person with the wheelchair/ECV is entering.

 

[MALE*RN*777]

Thanks for the information. I will pass it on....