Help Needed......including Kevins experience

[hockeymomNS]

I am thinking about taking my mom who is legally blind to Disney. It would just be her and I in January. She is a very healthy 65 yo and has always wanted to go to Disney. My Dad would never go and then when we had the grandkinds and he saw photos from the first few trips, he agreed to go. That was the year Osama messed with the world and we cancelled. Nothing seemed to work out after that and my Dad has passed 2 years now.

I will surprise her Christmas Day so that she doesn't have time to fret and worry. I think I am looking at arriving the day or day after the marathon and stay a week or so.

Soooo, I am looking for advice for doing Disney with someone visually impaired. Any hints will be greatly appreciated.

On that note, what would be a cool restaurant for a mom and daughter who are young at heart, not too adventurous with food, although not fussy? Do you suggest using her cane, or should I try to get her to use a wheelchair?
I will make sure that she gets her first visit pin.

This is sooo exciting and I hope that I can wait until Xmas.
It is also a small, somewhat understated celebration of my 10 year breast cancer free anniversary.

 

[swimchick1984]

How mobile is your mom? Is she good with the cane? I would think that I would be more enjoyable for her to be in a wheelchair. It sounds like she might be a bit of a nervous Nelly. So I would go with a wheelchair.

As far as a restaurant I would say any restaurant really, they all have there own unique things about them.

 

[robind]

I don't have any experiance w/ visually impared but do have mom in a wheelchair experiance. I would think about how comfortable w/ her cane on a totally infamiliar place. If you do choose to gi the wheelchair route just take rest breaks for youself, if you aren't used to it pushing the chair all day long for several days can tire you out.
As for restaurants I would do the tea at the Grand Floridia it's a great mother daughter thing to do.

 

[BriarRosie]

There are some devices that you can get from Guest Relations inside the parks that describe audibly some of the attractions. Another podcast I listen to played some of the audio from Journey into Your Imagination with Figment. It was really cool to hear a narrator describe what the queue entrance is like!

I'm not sure how much of the parks are covered by this, but it's such a cool thing to check out.

 

[DisneyKevin]

As someone who has expereince with being visually impaired and with using a wheelchair.....I suggest you use both.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using her cane when she feels up to it and using the wheelchair when it's necessary.

With both eye surgeries, I have had difficulty getting used to crowds again. It can make me feel claustrophobic and like I am in everyone's way. While I can not put words or thoughts in anyone's head, she might feel more secure coming out of a busy attraction while being seated.....then when out of the crowd walking with her cane.

As for a restaurant.....I would suggest Narcoossee's or Citrico's. Both are wonderful and casually elegant.

I hope you have a wonderous time and I hope you'll tell us about it.

 

[Yvet]

I can soooo relate to Kevin's words.

Get a wheelchair for her and let her use it whenever she needs it, when a cane is enough she can just walk on her own.
It's very difficult to walk during heavy crowds, like just after the fireworks.

Go to Guest relations and you can get a Guest Assistance Card also get at guest services the device BriarRosie talked about.
Maybe it's not available in every park but they are in Epcot and then she can experience the park even more, there is a deposit required for the device.

Maybe it's smart to buy the Passporter Open Mouse, but check the book in your local bookstore first because maybe there is just a little bit of information in it about visually impaired people.

 

[wishspirit]

I have no experience of this, but I highly recommend (if you haven't already) posting on the DISabilities board. They are a fantastic resource and have lots of hints and tips!

Best of luck on your trip!

 

[hockeymomNS]

Oh, as usual you guys are soooooo awesome....thank you thank you.

I forgot about the device thing, will get that for sure. I was also thinking of Chef Mickeys, mostly because we could get the Mickey shot of her and I with what I think would be less hassle than in a park. I have been to Chef Mickeys,
we celebrated my youngest son's 10th b'day there. I can get her food for her no problem, and she would love all of the kids and fanfare.

Yes, the Grand Floridian, didn't Kevin just do a review??

Any advice for the airport?

OMG, I hope that I don't give this away. I told her that I would like her to get her passport so that in the spring we can do a girls trip to Quebec City and come home through New Hampshire and Maine (strung the ole outlet shopping in front of her).