Has anyone used a stand up walker at the parks using Disney transportation?

[luv that cruise]

They are the same size as the regular walker, just taller so the weight distribution makes walking much easier as the arms support much of the body’s weight. They meet disney’s measurement rules. I can barely manage my own body weight due to neuropathy and circulatory disease. It’s new to me and wondering if others had comments on how easy it is to fold and unfold; transport on Disney buses? I’m not mentally ready for a wheelchair or scooter. the exercise I get in the walker is good for me.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

I get the metal game with needing a scooter. It was REALLY hard for me to accept that I needed one, but I am so glad that I did. It has made Disney SO much more pleasant. I don't use any kind of mobility device in my day to day life, but due to a series of injuries I simply cannot do the distances involved at Disney anymore. I was in my late 30s when I started using an ECV and I really beat myself up about it. I thought I should just be tough enough to take the pain. It was foolish in retrospect. I totally understand the need for exercise too. I struggle with that myself now that how far/ long I can walk without massive pain has been limited. I do what I can here, especially when I am having a good day, but when I have a bad one, I cannot imagine being in the middle of a park and having to get back to a bus or parking lot.

That being said, please make sure you are fully prepared for the amount of walking you will be looking at. We average 10 miles per day. Sometimes you will do a mile before you every get through the gates of the park. You say you can barely handle your body weight at this point. Do you think you will be able to manage it for that many miles every day of your trip, or are you willing to cut park days short/ go back to the room if you get too painful or tired? If not, I would at least consider an ECV.

 

[Firepath]

They are the same size as the regular walker, just taller so the weight distribution makes walking much easier as the arms support much of the body’s weight. They meet disney’s measurement rules. I can barely manage my own body weight due to neuropathy and circulatory disease. It’s new to me and wondering if others had comments on how easy it is to fold and unfold; transport on Disney buses? I’m not mentally ready for a wheelchair or scooter. the exercise I get in the walker is good for me.

I'm wondering that too, as I have a similar walker, Life Giider, and it's upright too. I'm afraid a scooter would not be as secure.

 

[luv that cruise]

I have been to Disney about 30 times. I guess we are a true Disney family. My son - now an adult was welcomed at Disney as a child w autism and i will be forever grateful for us to have Disney as a vacation destination. It has pained me to watch my young adult children feel sad and disappointed for me not being able to keep up. i went to PT today and practiced a lot of opening and closing the walker. I feel more comfortable now.

 

[KPeterso]

I have been to Disney about 30 times. I guess we are a true Disney family. My son - now an adult was welcomed at Disney as a child w autism and i will be forever grateful for us to have Disney as a vacation destination. It has pained me to watch my young adult children feel sad and disappointed for me not being able to keep up. i went to PT today and practiced a lot of opening and closing the walker. I feel more comfortable now.

I am going to tell you a story from the adult child's point of view. And it may not be the case for your family, but it was the case for me and my Mom. My mom and I make annual trips to WDW and visit Disneyland regularly as we live locally. For a long time, I could tell it was painful for her to walk and stand for long periods of time. Especially at WDW. About 10 years ago at WDW, I sat my Mom down before our trip and discussed that I thought we should get a scooter for her during our trip. We went back and forth on it. My thought was I know she was in pain and it was hard for her. She did not want think that she needed it yet and did not want to give up the independence of walking with her cane. Well, we get there and got one at Epcot and Animal Kingdom. So about half our trip. And I planned it for 1 day walking, 1 day riding, so she would have a break between days. After 2 years of that, I told her we would be renting off site to have the whole time. Again, I got resistance, so I told her she could leave it in the room on days she wanted to walk. Guess what, it went with us every single day. She realized she was not in the same pain that she always was at the end of the day. She could last longer for the day. It was just so much better for both of us. She felt better and I was happy that she was not in the same pain. She now considers the scooter as part of her Disney budget.

During all this time, we never rented anything at Disneyland. About 4 years ago, we were there for a fun day, and by 10 AM, we had stopped and sat every 10 minutes on a bench. She was struggling and in pain. We were crossing parks, so I told her that I thought we should stop to rent her a wheelchair. She was resistant, but there was no way we were going to make it much longer with stopping at practically every bench. I told her she could walk and push it for more support or sit and I would push the wheelchair. So we got it and ended up staying later than we had stayed in Disneyland in years. We had a great day.

So I guess my point is, if your adult children are anything like me, they probably are more sad about seeing you in pain. Getting the scooter is not a bad thing if it makes for a better day!

 

[luv that cruise]

I am going to tell you a story from the adult child's point of view. And it may not be the case for your family, but it was the case for me and my Mom. My mom and I make annual trips to WDW and visit Disneyland regularly as we live locally. For a long time, I could tell it was painful for her to walk and stand for long periods of time. Especially at WDW. About 10 years ago at WDW, I sat my Mom down before our trip and discussed that I thought we should get a scooter for her during our trip. We went back and forth on it. My thought was I know she was in pain and it was hard for her. She did not want think that she needed it yet and did not want to give up the independence of walking with her cane. Well, we get there and got one at Epcot and Animal Kingdom. So about half our trip. And I planned it for 1 day walking, 1 day riding, so she would have a break between days. After 2 years of that, I told her we would be renting off site to have the whole time. Again, I got resistance, so I told her she could leave it in the room on days she wanted to walk. Guess what, it went with us every single day. She realized she was not in the same pain that she always was at the end of the day. She could last longer for the day. It was just so much better for both of us. She felt better and I was happy that she was not in the same pain. She now considers the scooter as part of her Disney budget.

During all this time, we never rented anything at Disneyland. About 4 years ago, we were there for a fun day, and by 10 AM, we had stopped and sat every 10 minutes on a bench. She was struggling and in pain. We were crossing parks, so I told her that I thought we should stop to rent her a wheelchair. She was resistant, but there was no way we were going to make it much longer with stopping at practically every bench. I told her she could walk and push it for more support or sit and I would push the wheelchair. So we got it and ended up staying later than we had stayed in Disneyland in years. We had a great day.

So I guess my point is, if your adult children are anything like me, they probably are more sad about seeing you in pain. Getting the scooter is not a bad thing if it makes for a better day!

You are right. It is me at 57 not wanting to make the jump from tores walker in increasing pain to skipping all he independent steps and moving straight to the scooter. I don’t take care of myself. I’m mad at myself about that. Thanks for the advice.

 

[mamabunny]

You are right. It is me at 57 not wanting to make the jump from tores walker in increasing pain to skipping all he independent steps and moving straight to the scooter. I don’t take care of myself. I’m mad at myself about that. Thanks for the advice.

It's tough. Not gonna lie. I was younger than you when I had to use an ECV for the first time at WDW. Thought I was gonna die, right there. Cried like a baby - UGLY cried - right in the middle of EPCOT.

Got the scooter (Thankfully, I had put Walker's phone number in my phone, just in case I needed it) delivered to me at EPCOT, and dried my tears as best I could. Sat down, we started to move forward, and this really weird thing happened.

Nothing.

First of all, I didn't hurt anymore, so I could really look around and enjoy things.

No one batted an eye. The world didn't come crashing down. The sun kept on shining, and then something really weird happened:

We kept going.

Past all of the benches that I used to creep between. Past all of the QS locations where I would stop to rest for "just a second". Past all of the planters where I would plop down to (pretend) to tie my shoes.

We kept going. We didn't have to stop - for me. Not only that, but I was in a *much* better mood, because I wasn't in pain. I was laughing, and having more fun than I had had at WDW in ages.

At the end of the day - literally and figuratively - I was still ready to go! My family was now lagging behind, complaining about being tired, and begging to stop for a minute. Me? I wanted to go on down to Disney Springs and enjoy an adult beverage, and ride the water taxis!

The next day, it was really apparent when I woke up - in a lumpy, uncomfortable hotel bed, no less - and felt better than I had when I woke up the day before. Everything that usually caused me problems - pain, swelling, discomfort, etc. - was no longer a problem.

It was the first - but not the last - trip I ever got home from where I hurt *less* than when I started!

Ever since that trip, I have used a personal mobility device at Disney World. For many years, I only had to use one at Disney World - at home, I was fine, and could pace myself; after all, I wasn't walking up to 10 miles a day!

I learned that using a personal mobility device, like an ECV, at a special event - like Disney World - is really nothing more than using a tool to fix a problem. Just like you might use glasses to improve your eyesight, or a hammer to pound a nail, using an ECV to move around a HUGE facility like WDW is no different.

Use the tools at your disposal to have the very best possible trip. Arrive home in the same - or maybe even *better* shape than when you left. And have a Magical time

 

[Bjkandma]

I use a walker like yours for everyday use. I also use the walker"leaning" all of my weight. (RA so severe in wrists and hands tendons have ruptured. Already had surgery in one hand). I always use a scooter at resort and parks. Swallow your pride and please get one. I promise you will not regret it. In August I tried using my wallet at airport - didn't make it inside airport, but cried like a baby in the parking lot. Had wheelchair assist throug h airport.

take your walker and use to walk a little , being stiff isn't good either.

please consider a scooter, you will have freedom! The average guest can walk 10 miles per day. That is a lot of walking.

 

[Firepath]

Scooter doesn't work for everyone though - Ex: those with balance issues. I picture myself falling over!

 

[mamabunny]

Scooter doesn't work for everyone though - Ex: those with balance issues. I picture myself falling over!

Do you fall over while seated? (For example, in a wheelchair, while it is moving?) If you can ride a Disney bus without falling over when it turns a corner, you should be OK!

Lots of people worry unnecessarily about balance issues, especially related to 3-wheel scooters. For the most part, in real-world use, there is no need to worry as long as you are operating the ECV as it should be, and not trying to go around corners at high speed, or abruptly turning at high speed. I personally have used my own 3-wheel mobility device for *years* and have never once tipped over, or fallen off!

Issues with 3-wheel scooters are easily overcome by simply renting a 4-wheeled ECV If it is a great concern. 4 wheel scooters (or ECVs) should be driven in the same way as a 3 wheeled device - with care, and attention, and by not turning too fast, or at speeds that are too high. Although it could theoretically be tipped over, it's a lot harder to do.

It does depend on what causes your balance issue; Generally speaking, if you have balance issues related to a physical mobility issue (from your feet/legs/back) and not from "dizziness" or vertigo (whatever the cause), then you are fine on a personal mobility device at WDW.

 

[Firepath]

Unfortunately, mine is dizziness. If I turn my head quickly, I get dizzy. I don't drive a car anymore for that reason.

 

[Pridemom]

You are right. It is me at 57 not wanting to make the jump from tores walker in increasing pain to skipping all he independent steps and moving straight to the scooter. I don’t take care of myself. I’m mad at myself about that. Thanks for the advice.

I understand. I am not yet 50, but I’ve had juvenile RA Since I was 5. I am reserving a scooter for our trip to celebrate my 50th In June. I want to not be in pain at the end of the day. On our last trip, I sat out a day while my husband took the kids to the parks because I just couldn’t walk 15 miles another day. In some ways it feels like giving in, but these trips usually get me to needing a prednisone burst. That makes me really cranky and I don’t want to end my trip on a bad note by alienating my family.

 

[Hippomom]

I don’t have stand up rollator, I have a typical one, but I have no issues using it in the parks, I like to walk butt balance and standing long times are an issue for me so my rollator works well for my needs, I’ve tried Ecv and am just happier with my rollator .

 

[TimeBanditFan]

They are the same size as the regular walker, just taller so the weight distribution makes walking much easier as the arms support much of the body’s weight. They meet disney’s measurement rules. I can barely manage my own body weight due to neuropathy and circulatory disease. It’s new to me and wondering if others had comments on how easy it is to fold and unfold; transport on Disney buses? I’m not mentally ready for a wheelchair or scooter. the exercise I get in the walker is good for me.

I have the same rollator walker. I am debating about bringing it to Disney World. To use in the times when my family, and I first get to the hotel. I have a power chair rental reserved from Orlando Medical Rentals. But, I won’t be able to get it until the next day.

My rollator walker is so tall, and heavy. That I am afraid to travel on an airplane with it. Even my mom struggles to get it in the back of her car. Even though the forearm supports can be lowered, and I do have a airline walker transport bag, for it.

But, it works great for me than a standard rollator walker. Because I have multiple back problems, and balance problems.