Help!! Tore the ligaments in my knee and no idea what to do at Disney!!

[knieriem]

So I'm not sure if I should post this here but I'm also posting on the DISabilities board.

This weekend I've got my birthday trip booked at Disney. Well last week I fell off a chair while hanging curtains (actually my dog pushed me but my mother in law says you can't blame my cute little dog) and apparently hurt my knee. I didn't notice it at first but I'm in the middle of training for the Princess Half Marathon so I kept up with my training schedule. Now I can barely move my leg and just found out I tore the ligaments in my knee. I'm on crutches and my doc says Disney is out of the question unless I get a wheel chair. The reason I can't use the crutches the whole time at Disney is because I've also pulled the muscles in my left shoulder and she's afraid a whole weekend at Disney will worsen the injury to my shoulder.

So my real question is how do I get a wheelchair at Disney? I know I can't go through regular lines with it so is there a handicap entrance? I feel bad using a wheel chair and possibly getting to skip people in the lines but I don't want to worsen my knee or shoulder injury. I'd totally wait in the regular lines if I had too. Realistically though I can't ride anything with sharp turns or sudden drops so I probably won't be riding a whole lot of rides.

Me and spending my bdays at Disney aren't going so well. Last year it was bronchitis and a broken toe and now this! I'll suck up the pain though so I can be on POTC at Midnight Saturday night to celebrate turning 27!!!

 

[lovetoscrap]

Sorry, the part about your dog made me laugh! Anyway, you will be fine. First read the FAQ thread here at the top of the page.

You probably don't want a wheelchair, you will find an ECV is much easier on you and whomever else you are going with. Pushing a wheelchair around WDW is a long and tiring thing. And with only a few exceptions every line in WDW IS mainstreamed so wheelchairs and ECVs will fit in them with no problem. It will be just like if you were walking except you will be staring at a whole lot of behinds every day, and you will want/need h/c seating for the shows.

You probably want to rent an ECV from an offsite location (see the FAQ thread). I have been able to fit several different sizes of ECV through the door of a standard room so no need to worry about an accessible room unless you won't be able to step over the edge of the tub to get into the shower.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Hi and to disABILITIES!

If you click on where it says "disABILTIES" at the top of this page it will take you to the Index. One of the top items is the "disABILTIES FAQ" which will gives lots of useful information. I would suggest you start with Post #2, which is directed to people with stamina and/or mobility problems. Unless there are people used to pushing a wheelchair, I would stongly suggest renting an ECV from an off-site location. In that post we have some suggested vendors. And when renting from off-site, you can get the ECV with a crutch holder installed since you will probably need your crutches to get between the ECV and the rides.

Or, if you want an easier route to the FAQs, click on the link in my signature.

The lines for almost all attractions at WDW are "mainstreamed". This means that the queue is set up to allow wheelchairs and/or ECVs to go through the line just as a person without a mobility problem. As it was built prior to the ADA, the Magic Kingdom is most likely to have non-mainstreamed lines. Some attractions, such as Splash Mountain and Haunted Mansion you will go part way through the regular queue and then be diverted. Other attractions, such as Big Thunder Mountain or SpaceShip Earth you will initially be directed to an accessible entrance.

All the theaters are set up with seats (usually in the back row) removed so a wheelchair or ECV can pull into a space and there will be regular seating on either side of the space for the others in the party.

Where there are quantity limits on space, or other limitation involving accessibility, you may have to wait longer to see a show or ride an attraction than people without disabilities.

 

[knieriem]

Thank you both for your replies!!

This whole thing is making me nervous. I don't want people to look at me and think why is she using an ECV/Wheelchair, she looks perfectly healthy.

I know not all physical issues are on the outside. I've got Type 1 diabetes and you wouldn't know it unless the IV on my insulin pump was sticking out of my pocket.

 

[lovetoscrap]

You need to remember that this is YOUR trip, and you are surrounded by thousands of people that you have never met and will never ever see again. WHO CARES what they think about you and your situation? Yes, some are going to think bad things. Of course even if you were walking around there may be people thinking bad things about the color of the shirt you are wearing or the way your hair looks. That doesn't keep you at home does it? Some people just like to make judgments. Their problem, not yours.

Hold your head up high. Smile. Say "HI". Be a considerate ECV user (practice at home at somewhere like Target or Walmart--if you can drive those monstrosities the one you rent will be a piece of cake, or practice at the resort before you hit the parks). It is all about YOUR attitude. If you have a good attitude then those around you will too.

I have been so many times with my ECV and my "hidden" disability and I really have only noticed any "looks" a few times. Usually I am so focused on myself and my family I just don't pay attention to the others, except to be sure they don't step in front of me. And I have had so many wonderful and considerate people offer me help with a door or to get something off a shelf or to allow me to pass that the number of amazing people far outweighs any bad experiences I have had.

Go and have fun! Make sure you get a birthday button. And if it will make you feel any better make a sign to pin to the back of your ECV that says "For my birthday I got torn knee ligaments. I would have rather had a Mickey Bar" or something like that. If you have any type of a brace people have said they feel better wearing a brace or a wrap on the affected ( or even on a non affected) part so that it is obvious why they are using an ECV. Whatever makes you the most comfortable.

 

[knieriem]

Do they have wheelchairs with crutch holders?

An ECV is ok but I'd rather have a wheelchair. My husband is in great shape and doesn't mine pushing me around.

My other question is do I have to have a note from my doctor or anything?

 

[lovetoscrap]

Do they have wheelchairs with crutch holders?

An ECV is ok but I'd rather have a wheelchair. My husband is in great shape and doesn't mine pushing me around.

My other question is do I have to have a note from my doctor or anything?

No note is needed, but you might check and see if your insurance will help cover the rental if your dr writes a prescription for it. You would be best getting a wheelchair from a local place so you can use it in the airport, or again renting offsite in Orlando. It will be more cost effective and you will get a much better quality chair that is more comfortable for you and for your husband to push. And you will want to have it to get around the resort and to and from the parks. Wheelchairs at the parks will not have a place for the crutches, but you can arrange for that from an outside source.

How many days will you be there? I would recommend you take the information on renting ECVs with you just in case. I found it very frustrating to have to rely on someone else every time I needed to get around. Just little things like how will you manage to carry food at a CS location, getting in and out of the bathrooms, having to keep telling him where to take me in shops (and not always having him listen!), what if he gets ill/injured and isn't able to push you. Make sure you keep your options open.

 

[FourM's]

Go for the ECV and enjoy yourself! DH tore his acl and miniscus playing basketball and had to have surgery 11 days before we left for Disneyland. We couldn't cancel the trip so we rented him an ECV and went for it. People were generally nice, asking what he had done to his knee. No one ever said anything mean and I didn't see any dirty looks. I would recommend the ECV over a wheelchair. After a long day in the parks the last thing I would have felt like doing is pushing a wheelchair.

 

[connie1042]

I just got back a couple of weeks ago and it was my first time renting and ECV. It does not look like I have anything wrong with me. My left knee is shot! I made it one day at MK and one day at AK and HS. I did not make it the 2nd day at MK and did not even try to make it at Epcot. I chose to rent at the parks, because I could walk, just not for long. I did not want to deal with the buses. I totally enjoyed the the days with the ECV much more. The only problem I have with the ones at Disney, are they are so slow! You can walk faster then they go. the off-site rentals do go faster. I would say and ECV and really enjoy your trip.

 

[knieriem]

Last question! I promise!!

If I rent a wheelchair at the park is there a place that I could store my crutches?

 

[WDWisTheBest]

Thank you both for your replies!!

This whole thing is making me nervous. I don't want people to look at me and think why is she using an ECV/Wheelchair, she looks perfectly healthy.

I know not all physical issues are on the outside. I've got Type 1 diabetes and you wouldn't know it unless the IV on my insulin pump was sticking out of my pocket.

I wouldn't worry about people looking at you and thinking anything. It is your birthday and your time at the theme park(s). Make sure you use the ECV/Wheelchair so that you can heal more quickly.

Enjoy your trip to WDW.

 

[KPeveler]

Last question! I promise!!

If I rent a wheelchair at the park is there a place that I could store my crutches?

You will likely want your crutches in the park - It will be nearly impossible to transfer without them, especially POTC.

Also, there are some rides you cannot take the wheelchair all the way through - HM is one of them. You can either park your wheelchair outside the ride and stand/walk all the way through the stretching room and the indoor queue, or you have to skip the stretching room.

I would rent off-site and get a crutch holder.

Also, the Disney rentals are pretty uncomfortable and are NOT adjustable. This means the footplates are often either too low (my feet did not reach) or too high (my knees were up my nose!). This may be VERY painful for you if your knee is that bad. Also, there is no guarantee you will get the width that is most comfortable for you - so you could either be squished in or have one that is too big, which means you have NO hope of handling it yourself, not even in a ladies room.

Check out the FAQs for a list of rental companies!

BTW, just because you have a manual chair does NOT mean you have to do anything special with the buses - you can board through the normal queue and either use your crutches on the stairs or use the ramp to get into the bus. You can sit in a regular seat and fold the manual chair and have your husband hold on to it. This means you dont have to be tied down or anything. (Although you could do that too!)

If you rent off-site, you can get one that has elevating leg rests, so you can put your leg up to keep swelling and pain down.

 

[ToddyLu]

Sending you hugs, I tore my right ACL and LCL in 1990 in a car accident. Then I re-tore my LCL after tripping over something 6 months later. That trip also finished tearing the right PCL that was trying to hang in there after the accident. So I really can relate and know that you will feel better soon. My third and last surgery on my knee was in 1992. Today I am 42 and my precious little knee works fine---of course I know it is going to rain 2 days before anyone else, but that is a good thing.

Rent the whatever and have a ball!!!

 

[Inkmahm]

I just got back a couple of weeks ago and it was my first time renting and ECV. It does not look like I have anything wrong with me. My left knee is shot! I made it one day at MK and one day at AK and HS. I did not make it the 2nd day at MK and did not even try to make it at Epcot. I chose to rent at the parks, because I could walk, just not for long. I did not want to deal with the buses. I totally enjoyed the the days with the ECV much more. The only problem I have with the ones at Disney, are they are so slow! You can walk faster then they go. the off-site rentals do go faster. I would say and ECV and really enjoy your trip.

Thanks for this, I think you just answered my question. I came here to ask about ECVs because I just got back from the bone doc this afternoon after having my first cortisone shot in my left knee. I have arthritis that is killing me and apparently bone spurs on both knees. My left is far more painful than my right though.

We leave for WDW 3 weeks from today. I'm really hoping his shot helps me. If I can at all walk, I will. But if it hurts so much that I'm walking like a 90 year old woman, I'm going to consider the ECV in the parks. I also don't want to deal with the buses and we'll have a rental car to get us to the parks. I just don't think I'll be able to do the morning to late night walking that we usually do.