Grandma - Can't Walk Well - Suggestions?

[VolvoManiac850]

I am planning a WDW vacation for May 2010 and am planning on taking my almost 80 year old grandmother along. Due to complications from diabetes she has great difficulty walking for extended periods of time (for example, she has to drive from department store to department store at the mall and can only really get around within one store, not walking mall corridors).

When I was at WDW last year I saw plenty of people with scooters, so I'd imagine we could get her one (she does not own a wheelchair, scooter, etc). Is there any charge for the scooters?

We're planning on staying at Yacht Club. Grandma did fine there in 1995 when she could still walk some. However, I have a few questions about the resort and the surrounding attractions:

1. Is it possible to rent a scooter at the hotel and use it to go across the lake to the Boardwalk or to take it into Epcot, since it's within walking distance?

2. Can scooters be rented to get on board the boats that go to Hollywood Studios?

3. Is the Yacht/Beach pool accessible to limited mobility guests?

4. 13 years have clouded my memory of this somewhat--how difficult is it to get to the bus depot from the main lobby of the hotel?

5. Although we really want to stay at Yacht Club, are there any resorts you would recommend over it if mobility becomes more of a concern over the next year?

 

[mechurchlady]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=595713
That is the FAQs and has most of your answers.

Yes you can take an ECV on the boats that are ferries at Boardwalk.
There is a rental site at the Boardwalk that rents out ECVs and wheelchairs.

Special Reservations Line: (407) 939-7807
Call them and they can get you a room for disabled guest and usually close to the bus stops if you ask them. You can ask for a tub which has a seat to transfer to or the roll in shower which has not side wall and the disabled guest can roll up with their chair. You can ask for bed rails for kids and hand held showers for the disabled to use.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/common/Plain?id=PlainMobilityDPage
That is the Disney guide for the disable which can answer a lot of yoru questions.

It is cheaper and easier on her to rent a wheelchair for the length of your stay. You can test her at Wal-Mart and see how she does with an ECV there. She may not be able to handle the stress of driving one. Wheelchair is easier and you can use the disabled entrance for most rides. She will not need a GAC if she is in the wheelchair unless she has vision or hearing problems and needs to have special services.

If you have your own wheelchair at home to borrow then you can take that and any medical stuff like monitors, special foods, and medicines for free on the airplane. Check with your airline as they will take her via a wheelchair to the boarding area for free then she can use their wheelchair to get to the door of the plane and load with the first group. If she needs they have a transport chair to take her up the aisle to her seat. Getting off the plane they will use an aisle chair if need be and wheel her out to the curb or luggage carrousel if that is where you want to go. Very nice people pushed me around the airports.

Standing with your back to the lobby of the Yacht Club you will see on your left the bus stop.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/yachbeachmap.htm

 

[VolvoManiac850]

Thanks for all the info!

I'd assume the airport information is pretty similar for the Auto Train as well?

 

[mechurchlady]

Thanks for all the info!

I'd assume the airport information is pretty similar for the Auto Train as well?

http://on-track-on-line.com/autotrain-tips.shtml
That covers a lot of the info for the Auto Train.
You stuff your car with luggage and stuff for the trip. They do have a handicapped rooms coach seating and sleeping rooms. There is a dining car and the employees will bring meals to the disabled person but I got snapped at by one mean broad 10 years ago. Advance notice would help and they can help you out on your Auto Train trip. The train apparently is the two level cars which means guests end up climbing upstairs for meals, entertainment, getting to the snack bar and sleeping or coach area. Attendants will go to the snack bar, brig food and water, etc to the disabled guest. Some east coast lines still have to use the single level cars because of low bridges.

Amtrak allows two carry-on bags per passenger but the auto train does not have checked luggage as guests leave all their stuff in their vehicle so you could in theory be a single person hauling 10 bags, lol. Guests can bring temporary luggage rack then remove the luggage and the temporary rack and store it in the vehicle. Permanent luggage racks are allowed and you can load the car as high as legally allowed then at train station move the luggage into the car. You cannot get luggage out of the cars as there is not room in the train cars to open car doors.

Amtrack auto train site
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Conte...te_Page&c=am2Route&cid=1081256321200&ssid=136

 

[McCall]

It is cheaper to rent a scooter to be delivered to your hotel by one of the off site places. but using a scooter does cost a fair amount they are not free. Neither are WC's for that matter. You can also rent one of those.
I personally disagree that a WC is less stressful. Yes it takes time to master driving an ECV especially in somewhere as crowded as the parks, but I find it more stressful to be pushed in a WC because I am not in control of where or how fast I am going nor of stopping. Often the person pushing is not that good or experienced either and they bump the foot rests or sides into things and people.
It reminds me of being in the passenger seat when someone is driving and you try to hit the break because you feel you are getting to close.