Help! Broken ankle, cast--what can he ride?

[trampslady]

We are leaving in three weeks, and my father is in the hospital after having surgery yesterday for a broken ankle and heel. He will be in a cast for six months--no pressure on the foot at all yet. We are getting him a scooter, and we plan to make the best of the trip. Any idea which rides will still be an option?

 

[trampslady]

anyone?

 

[serendipity]

I think pretty much all of them! When I was a kid I had an injured leg at Disney and the CM's were really wonderful. They gave me and my grandmother such speacial treatment and really went out of there way to help me onto all of the rides and not make me feel discluded. I really can't imagine anything being a problem. Disney rides are generally so tame I don't see how any of them would be a problem, with the exception of maybe splash mountain if he can't get the cast wet?

 

[poohtink]

Are you getting a scooter 24/7 or just at the parks? If you are staying on site walker mobility will deliver to your hotel and pickup the day you leave. The nice thing about 24/7 is you do not have to transfer to a wheel chair at the end of the day and it is less than renting at the parks each day. These people are wonderful. Most of the riders have a place ECV's you might just have to wait a couple of minutes for the handicapped seat to come around

Have a great trip

 

[Boncho]

I was sitting here trying to think of the rides you may have a problem with and I honestly can't think of any. You may want to take something to cover the cast to keep it dry on Splash Mtn. and Kali River Rapids. I think the only thing the cast will do is let you smell the roses more. Have a great trip!!!

 

[trampslady]

Thanks, guys. I'm just worried about the bumping around--he won't be able to stand on it at all for months. I did, indeed, book a scooter with Walker--good luck with them in the past with my grandmother. I so wanted him to ride Everest. I think Space Mountain is out--to hard to get down in there, but maybe he could do Everest--it's pretty easy to get in. RnR coaster is probably out too--again, too hard to get in.

 

[Faerie]

Having had surgery on my ankle, remember that a hard cast is large. He may be very uncomfortable on some rides that don't allow much leg room

Be sure he keeps it elevated as much as possible. Leaving it down causes swelling and in a cast there is no were for the swelling to go and that's PAINFUL!

 

[NJDad18]

He should have no restrictions for rides. I do recommend Randy's Mobility for your scooter rental. We rented a scooter for my Mom 2 years ago through them and they were great. They drop off and pick up your scooter at your hotel. I don't have the number handy, but I believe that they are in the phone book. They may even have a web site. Try google.

 

[pezheadmeg]

Before going see if your father's ortho can waterproff the cast. Check into a handicapped room for your parents while you're at it also, getting in and out of a tub without putting any weight on one foot is not a fun task.

Finally, how bad was his break? I basically had a break that caused my whole to be rebuilt (yes I was 21 and in decent shape) and I was fully off the crutches and back in the gym less than 10 weeks later. I don't even want to imagine six months on crutches!

 

[lynn9974]

Pretty much all of the rides as long as he feels up to it. We went in 2000 and my nephew had a broken ankle. He was not really allowed any weight on it, so we had a wheelchair for him and the cm's put him (all 10 of us!) up to the front of the line for every ride. They were really great with him.

 

[cdrn1]

We went a couple years ago with my sis who had a broken (uncasted) leg. She had to be pretty careful with it as it was very painful when jarred around. The worst experiences were at Boma, where someone milling in the crowd outside the restaurant ran in to her wheelchair and bumped the leg and at Peter Pan, where the CM would not stop the ride for her to get on. She had to kind of hop, which was painful. We skipped TOT, RnR, and the Mountains but did lots of others. She ended up with a DVT, though, so be sure that you take precautions for DVT prevention (ask his doc!).

 

[Gradar1]

As far as I know, he should be able to ride most things. If it looks like he'll have a problem getting in and out of a ride, it's not a problem to skip it. Just make sure he has something to cover the cast for Splash Mountain, and especially for Kali River Rapids--last time I rode that, I got soaked to the bone!!!

 

[SueM in MN]

Pretty much all of the rides as long as he feels up to it. We went in 2000 and my nephew had a broken ankle. He was not really allowed any weight on it, so we had a wheelchair for him and the cm's put him (all 10 of us!) up to the front of the line for every ride. They were really great with him.

Things have changed since the late 1990s, early 2000.
You will generally be waiting in the same lines with everyone els because most of the lines are wheelchair/ECV accessible (these are called Mainstream Lines). AK and the Studio were built with mostly Mainstream Lines and attractions at MK and Epcot have been changed to Mainstream of possible when they were renovated. There are still a few that have a wheelchair entrance because they were not able to make it accessible, but that's an exception rather than the rule.

Other things to think about......
If he needs his leg to be elevated, he might be better off with a wheelchair because you can rent wheelchairs from one of the off-site rental places with elevated footrests.

If he doesn't need his leg elevated, an ECV would be a better choice because there is a platform for the feet, which would give him a little more protection for his foot and also allow him to change positions of his legs somewhat. If you rent from one of the off-site places, you can also get a crutch holder so he can bring the crutches along with on the back of the ECV. There is information about renting ECVs and wheelchairs on the disABILITIES FAQs thread near the top of the disABILITIES Board.

Also, many rides do involve a step down into the ride car and he may need to avoid some of those. It may make a difference to him which side the ride car is boarded on because it may be difficult for him to get out if his broken leg is on the exit side.

 

[Disneyenthusiast]

Haunted mansion has a moving sidewalk. I don't know if they can stop it or not. Anyone know if there are others? How far up does the cast go? It could be tricky getting into the boats for Spalsh or Kali.