Grandparents will hopefully be joining us.

[karebear06]

My husbands grandparents will probably be joining us in the fall. Mamaw has had heart surgery in the past, so she cannot walk long distances. Papaw has really bad knee surgery and so he cannot walk long distances as well. How will this work in Disney World. Can and do they need a scooter? If so, how does that work with the attractions. Is their a separate line? I am totally clueless and just want them to have a fun and relaxing time.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

Firstly, yes, a scooter (also known as an ECV) would be a great help for the trip. Don't panic, Disney is the most accessible person I've ever been, and they make it as easy as possible.

You can rent ECVs from the park, but they can, and often do, run out. If you rent from an offsite company, you can have it for the entirety of the trip. It also normally works out as cheaper, can be used at the resort and DTD and is usually a lot easier to maneuver than the park rentals. If you look in the disABILITIES FAQ thread, you can find contact details of a number of rental companies in the Orlando area. They will deliver right to your hotel, so no need to worry about collecting it.

If you rent off site, you will need to get them to and from the parks. Pretty much all Disney transport is accessible, and all the buses can carry two wheelchairs or ECVs at a time. The FAQ thread has all the details you'll need on that.

As for rides, almost all of them now are mainstreamed. This means that you can take the ECV through most, or all, of the line, before being directed to a suitable boarding area (often the exit). For the few rides that have alternative entrances, the CM at the entrance to the line will direct you. You can get a Guidebook for Guest with Disabilities for each park, at Guest Relations. It is also available online, the link for which is on the FAQ thread.

If they want to walk for a while, they can park the ECV in the stroller parking area. It will be perfectly safe, as long as you take the key with you (very similar to a car key), and cover it with a poncho or similar against rain (make sure the controls are well covered, as they can get damaged by rainwater). A number of people here like to use the ECV or wheelchair to get to an area or land, then park it and walk about for a bit, before getting back in to go to the next area. They may find it less stressful to walk through some shops and restaurants, as they can prove tricky to navigate, even for those of us used to being on wheels.

If there at all nervous about driving ECVs, it might help to take them to a big shop, such as Target or WalMart, that have courtesy ECVs for customers. If they can drive them, they'll be fine in any rental ECV, as the latter are normally much smaller and easier to drive. Before you hit the parks, it would be good if they practiced on their ECVs in and around the resort. If they can go forwards and backwards, and can turn either direction whist going forwards or backwards, they'll be fine. Another thing to practice is to reverse park, as this is necessary on the buses. The drivers are normally very helpful and patient, though, and can provide instructions. If either of them wasn't happy driving the ECV onto the bus, they can load on out of the ECV and someone else in your party can park it.

Hope this helps as a starting place! If you have any more questions, just post them here. Have a great trip!

 

[*Valdez*]

My FIL uses an electric wheelchair, not a scooter or ECV like Disney has for rent. The wheelchair is smaller and easier to manuver through the crowds. The wheelchairs use a joystick rather than the steering handlebars. There are places of property that rent both though. Since the resorts are quite large it might be a good idea to rent off-site because you will have it for the entire stay. My FIL also took a cane with him, but left it on the chair to get on a ride and that was stolen. Make sure if you take a cane it is a cheap one. About the rides, electric wheelchairs are treated differently than and EVC since they are smaller. Usually the wheelchair can be taken straight to the front without having to transfer. The only time my FIL had to transfer to a push chair was on Rock n Rollercoaster. See the CM at the entrance of each ride and they will direct you to the accessible entrance. The older rides you use the exit and the newer rides are properly equipped. Allow extra time for things, especially on the busses. It does take a while to load a chair. Ignore the ignorant people who complain about having to wait because Disney is accomadating everyone. Oh and one last thing, when you arrive to your first park visit Guest Services and let them know of the chairs, how many people in your party and the duration of your stay. You will recieve a tag to allow you to use the exit entrance. If you have any other questions please feel free to PM me. My FIL is paralyzed so we know it all.

 

[Belle1962]

Oh and one last thing, when you arrive to your first park visit Guest Services and let them know of the chairs, how many people in your party and the duration of your stay. You will recieve a GAC. My FIL is paralyzed so we know it all.

Since it seems the OP issue is only a mobility/stamina one, they do not need a Guest Assistance Card. Disney's answer for people with stamina/mobility issues is to rent the ecv/wheelchair. The CM can see the ecv/wheelchair in line and will pull you off at the appropriate time if the remainder of the line is not accessible.

Since your FIL is paralyzed he may have other needs than just the stamina/mobility issue, therefore he may need a GAC, whereas a person with stamina/mobility issues only will not need both (GAC and the ecv/wheelchair) I hope that made sense?????

 

[ireland_nicole]

you cannot rent a power (or electric) w/c unless you use one at home and simply can't take it on your trip for some reason. There are very specific settings, and they are much more difficult to use than an ECV; I would strongly encourage you to rent one (or possibly two) off site; if you don't want to use WDW transportation, there are many that can be easily broken down and fit into a decent size trunk; places like Randy's mobility (see sticky) will even show you how. Don't worry, you're going to have a great time!

 

[merryweather20]

You've already gotten lots of good information, but also consider that one of your parents might prefer a wheel-chair.

If I took my grand-parents my grandfather would have done well driving an ECV, but my grandmother would have been exhausted. Since it sounds like you have to possible pushers (yourself and husband) its something to consider.

Regarding the lines many of them can be deceptively long with nowhere to sit and a lot of walking. Consider having them bring the ECV in line where possible and/or bringing a cane with you to help during the line.

Lots of good luck wishes for your trip!

 

[SueM in MN]

You've already gotten lots of good information, but also consider that one of your parents might prefer a wheel-chair.

If I took my grand-parents my grandfather would have done well driving an ECV, but my grandmother would have been exhausted. Since it sounds like you have to possible pushers (yourself and husband) its something to consider.

Regarding the lines many of them can be deceptively long with nowhere to sit and a lot of walking. Consider having them bring the ECV in line where possible and/or bringing a cane with you to help during the line.

Lots of good luck wishes for your trip!

driving an ECV does require a certain amount of attention, looking around in order to avoid others. Someone who is nervous about driving it is also going to become more tired.
For some people, the driving can be very tiring. Maybe not tiring in the same way as walking, but still tiring.
So, an ECV is not for everyone.

Most of the rental companies do not rent power wheelchairs to people who don't already have experience driving one. They do take more practice for most people to drive successfully because the speed and direction are both controlled with a single joystick. Even the least expensive power wheelchairs are more expensive than ECVs, which is another reason that most companies choose to only rent them to experienced drivers.
Another thing to keep in mind with power wheelchairs - they can't be transported in a car trunk and would be too heavy to lift into the back of a van.

Regarding Guest Assistance Cards, Belle1962 is correct. Most people with mobility and/or stamina concerns do not need a GAC. Most attractions have "Mainstream Lines" which are wheelchair/ECV accessible. If there is some special access for wheelchair/ECV users, they do not need a GAC to use it. The CM will know that they need an accessible entrance because of seeing the ECV/wheelchair.
Some people have additional needs besides just an accessible line/entrance. Those people may benefit from a GAC.
There is more information about GACs in the disABILITIES FAQs thread in post #6.