Help. Friend just broke leg. WDW in 2 months.

[Minybear]

Hi Everyone

My good friend just broke her leg about 2 wks ago and she has a resv to come into WDW at the end of October for 2 weeks. She is considering canceling her resv due to her accident. Do you have any suggestions for my friend on what to do to keep her resv at WDW?

 

[Talking Hands]

Cancelling would be silly. I was at Disney less than a week after surgery for 2 shattered bones in my left leg last year. Used a wheelchair and did just fine. Went on the Backstage Magic Tour, to Pleasure Island and all the parks. Disney provided a tub bench for me and plenty of extra pillows in the room.
Tell her to go and enjoy. By then she shouldn't have any problem moving around and will be on crutches or in a walking cast at most. Cast may actually be off by then.

 

[ReneeQ]

Well, it depends on how she feels. I broke my left femur (thighbone) on March 13, 2003. I couldn't put any weight on it for about a month, then partial weight bearing for another 2 months. I was in excrutiating pain. First I was on a walker, then a cane. It has been 5 months and I JUST NOW can walk without a cane, but can't walk long distances, and certainly don't walk straight.

So it depends on what bone in her leg she broke, did she have surgery, does she have weight bearing restrictions, etc. We had a trip planned to Disneyland and had to cancel. I couldn't go up or down any steps at all, unless they were under 2 inches each. So even IF I had used a wheelchair, I couldn't have climbed down in the boats on Small World, Pirates, etc. I had a 13 inch rod inserted in my femur, held in place with 3 screws.

I wish your friend all the best! And refer her to my new favorite website - www.mybrokenleg.com

 

[Minybear]

Oh I forgot to mention that she cannot put any weight on her leg for 3 mths (wow). It sounds like what you went through ReneeQ. I am hoping she doesn't cancel but I have a feeling she will due to her situation. I am hoping this post will help her make up her mind on what to do.

 

[SueM in MN]

Welcome to disABILITIES and here's some healing pixie dust to help her leg mend.
A lot depnds on what she expects to do during this trip. If she will be upset by having to skip some rides, she may want to cancel. As Renee mentioned, some rides involve stepping into or out of a boat or car, so if she intends to ride everything, she will have to change her expectations to meet what she will be able to do.
But, like Lisa mentioned, there are plenty of things you can do without leaving a wheelchair. Here's a link to the DIS page about touring with mobility disabilities, which includes a list of rides/attractions where someone can stay in their wheelchair or ecv (scooter) for the entire time.
Here's also a link to the official Disney sie FAQs about disabilities , which includes a link to download the Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities for each park. They don't give a lot of information, but they are a start.
If she is staying at a WDW resort, for things like getting a wheelchair accessible room or a tub bench, she can contact WDW Resort Special Reservations:
(407) 939-7807
(407) 939-7670 [TTY]
Good luck whatever she decides.

 

[Talking Hands]

I was no weight bearing for 3 1/2 months. In that time I actually made 4 trips to Disney World. Only rides I normally do that I could not was Jungle Cruise and it now has a special boat that takes wheelchairs and Peter Pan. Small World takes a wheelchair. I didn't do the roller coasters but then I don't normally Trips to Disney were the only way I kept my sanity.
I admit I did have one bad day when some idiot hit the leg and I was in tears. Even then Disney Magic came through for me through some sweet CMs.
Btw I had 2 plates and 16 screws, still can't do stairs well, and still have pain in that leg and ankle after more than a year.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

A couple of years ago I was at WDW with some friends, one woman had a multiple fracture of her ankle, and a cast above her knee, only ten days before the trip. Afterwards she said the trip was one of the best she had gone on.

She would be best off renting an ECV from an off-site company, as pushing a wheelchair can get very tiresome, especially if you are not used to it. Also it depends on the weight of the passenger and the condition of the pusher(s). Some information for off-site rentals are:

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

Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/

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

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

I have used Walker a few times. They will ask for a credit card and charge it the day before arrival. They will deliver the ECV to your hotel bell services before your arrival and pick it up there after your departure. Their rates, especially for longer than a week, are much better than Disney's. Also, their scooters are much better.

Almost all transportation at Disney is fully accessible. The only exceptions are some of the smaller boats and a few of the buses which might not have working ramps or lifts. I routinely use an ECV there and can go just about anywhere.

Have her find out who will be removing the cast and have them draw a line with a marker where it will be sawn off. Then have her bring a "Sharpie" type marker pen with her and have the Characters sign the cast. Warn them when signing to not cross the line. After the cast is removed she will have an interesting souvenier.

She can use a bungee cord to help keep crutches or a folded up walker on the EVC or wheelchair. Usually it would be a short walk with the crutches from the wheelchair or EVC. Note that if you tell the people in advance, they can have a "crutch clamp" mounted to the ECV.

Good luck and let us know what finally happens.

 

[rafikimom]

I wish her the best. I can sympathize. I broke my leg 4 days before we were do to leave.(broke June 29, leaving July 3). Ended up having surgery on the day we were supposed to leave. Cancelled trip, bummer! That is what has gotten me hooked on this board. No work for a couple of months. For your friend, she has to weigh it all out. What was she expecting to do and now what can she do. Is it worth going and maybe not having full enjoyment? Do you reschedule so you can have 100% fun with no restrictions? Or do you go, enjoy yourself, get your mind off of the broken leg, live it up? She will have to make a tough decision, one I didn't have to make, my dr. made it for me. Surgery. As I told my 2 DD, we didn't cancel our trip, we are postponing it until next summer when I can enjoy it better!

 

[Minybear]

Thanks everyone for your replys. I emailed my good friend this link and I know she will look into it. I hope this will help her make up her mind on what she wants to do. She loves WDW.

Also with those electric wheelchairs (sorry I have forgotten its name) can you have your leg straight while riding them?

 

[SueM in MN]

Also with those electric wheelchairs (sorry I have forgotten its name) can you have your leg straight while riding them?

On a wheelchair, you can get elevated footrests that allow the foot to be held straight out in front of you. On an ECV (also called a scooter - one of the names you are looking for), there is sort of a platform where your feet go. you can't have it elevated and straight like you could with a wheelchair. I'll let the scooter users comment on whether or not it is possible to have your leg straight while riding.

 

[Minybear]

See this link: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=423105 from Janet2K (the friend I was talking about).