Getting from the car, boat, or monorail to the parks?

[Gator Kate]

Hello,
I'll be taking my Mom, who can't walk long distances due to congestive heart failure, to the parks after Christmas. We'll be renting a wheelchair inside the parks but I'm concerned about getting from either the parking lots to the parks or even from other forms of transportation. For instance, I know from experience that the boat to MGM from the Epcot resorts docks quite a ways from the entrance. Any ideas?

 

[Talking Hands]

So why are you renting inside the parks instead of getting a wheelcahir from offsite. Since you are driving just rent it locally in Gainesville from a medical supply place and bring it with you. Or rent it from one of the Orlando places.

 

[Gator Kate]

To be honest, I was concerned about wheelchair theft if we bring a rented one. Am I being paranoid?

 

[travelitis]

Yes - you're worrying over something that is unlikely to happen. Put something on the chair to identify it as yours like a cushion on the seat. People are less likely to take a wheelchair/stroller if you have something attached to it according to a guide book I read. It's not likely she's going to be out of the chair much, so how will it get stolen? When you go on attractions the CMs will put it right by where you get off the rides. I've rented a wheelchair from WDW and not had one stolen. I've taken my own stroller and not had it stolen. I choose now to rent ECVs.

 

[SueM in MN]

Some other things you could do (besides what's already posted):
1) Like travelitis said, she can stay in the wheelchair for shows and if she uses the wheelchair in line, she will stay in it until she boards the ride car and it will be waiting for her when she exits.

2) Bring a bike lock. You can't lock the wheelchair to anything or make it so it is not moveable at all, but if it makes you feel better to lock it, you can. Just put the lock thru one set of wheels so it can still be rolled on the other set. After a few times of locking it, you will probably find it is way too much trouble to keep locking it.

3) Check what your liability is. The place you rent from probably has insurance against the wheelchair being stolen. You might also have some coverage under your homeowners insurance.

4) If she feels like she would be comfortable driving it, rent a scooter (also called ecv). A scooter has a key; if you take it with you when you park, no one is taking the scooter without the key. Also, the scooter would give her more independence and no one would have to push her.

 

[cupcake]

The off-site rental ones are also reliably comfortable. It's more luck of the draw with the WDW rental wcs, some of them look and drive like they are from 1492 and it is hard to impossible to adjust the footrest length. Before we realized we should rent from off site, we would often test out a bunch and pick the best of a bad lot.

If you are staying on property, your resort has wcs (except the Swan -- also maybe the Dolphin). They tend to reliably be in good shape. If what they have doesn't meet your needs, they can borrow from another resort. Downside? Can be frustrating if they need to borrow and supply is very limited. Would not even consider during a busy period.

My current favorite thing to put on the wc is a towel for the seat -- comfy & identifies your wc easily. I too don't think theft is a problem, it's mostly in use and when it's not, it's not parked out in the stroller area.

There's also a test loaner wc program in place for use to and from the actual WDW rental area. Personally, I would rent off-site.

Have a great trip!!!
Cupcake

 

[SueM in MN]

Here's a list of the off-site places that DIS posters have reported renting from:
Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/

Walker Mobility:
1-888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

RANDY'S Mobility is in Kissimmee 407-892-4777
http://randysmobility.com/

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html

I don't have any personal experience renting since DD has her own wheelchair, so I can't give any personal; advice. Your resort may have wheelchairs to rent out, but many DIS posters have been less than satisfied (wheelchair was not in good shape or all the wa available was an extra wide model when a narrow one was needed).

 

[travelitis]

I once took a wheelchair (borrowed from church so no insurance) to save the rental fees as my ex was a starving student at the time. We didn't lock it, but we had a small cooler hung over the handles. No one bothered it, and it was obviously not a WDW wheelchair.

Here's another reason to not rent theirs that might not apply to your party. They have a "no kids riding on laps" policy which I was told about when a CM saw me holding my ds. I was 135 lbs., and he was 25 lbs., yet there were people in these chairs definitely well over 200 lbs. I was corrected/scolded twice and told that it's too much weight for the chair! Excuse me? I'm not skinny thin, but I look significantly smaller than a 275 lb. man. When you're in your own ride they don't do that.

 

[Talking Hands]

The no riders policy has nothing to do with the weight. It is a safety issue. CM just gave the easiest answer they could think of. THis is something that bugs me to no end. People who give simplistic answers rather than taking the time to expalin the real reason even if that takes longer. And I will tell them their answer is ridiculous and point out its idiocy. I may be Deaf and a Crip but I am not dumb

 

[travelitis]

I did point out the stupidity of being told we were too heavy for me to hold the child. If it's a safety rule why did I hear it only when I was in their chair? Two different CMs gave that same reason - too much weight for the chair. It seems to be a fairly pointless safety rule at that. If you can't hold your child while sitting in a chair, guess those people walking aren't safe holding kids either. Now I rent an ECV from off-site, so one of my kids can hitch a ride if needed.

 

[Talking Hands]

They can only enforce it with their own equipment. I am sure their lawyers have told them to forbid it. They have a lot of stupid rules that their legal department have decided on with no knowledge of individual situations.

 

[SueM in MN]

It is not safe for kids to ride on the lap of someone in a wheelchair or an ecv because they could fall off or interfere with the ability of the adult to drive.
We did see an ecv go out of control on our last trip because the "lap child" bumped the adult's arm.
Other people have posted that the rental companies do say that only one person is allowed to ride the scooter. Of course, if you own the scooter or wheelchair, you can decide what you want to do.

 

[Talking Hands]

Sue I have to admit I do allow my friend's son to ride in my arm when I am in the chair. He rides in his Daddy's lap as well. There is definitely a technique to doing it. Funny thing is he knows not to wiggle around when we are moving.

 

[SueM in MN]

If it's your own wheelchair or scooter, it's your choice. If it's a rented scooter or wheelchair and the child gets hurt, the company that it's rented from doesn't want that kind of possible liability.

If the child is used to riding on someone's lap in a wheelchair or scooter, they do know what not to do. I've seen parents who use a wheelchair and raise their kids very well form the wheelchair. Since their kids are used to it from birth, they do learn not to wiggle when mom is driving.

The problems I have seen at WDW were people who were renting scooters, so were probably not real familiar with it. Add to that an excited child who has not been around a scooter much and you can get problems.

 

[Talking Hands]

Sue this child has ridden since birth. Dad is a wheelchair user as well as deaf. As I said, he knows when not to wiggle. Plus he knows not to play with my controller.