Hoping for some advise...

[BlessedMomOfTwo]

I am feeling a little panicked and am hoping some of you may have some advise to offer. Our trip to Disney is planned for Dec 4-12. Saturday I fell down our staircase and injured my knee. I am currently on crutches (which I have not yet mastered) with only being able to touch my foot of the injured leg down for support.

I saw the Ortho MD Monday, however he asked me to come back Friday to allow the swelling to go down some before ordering an MRI (to get better pics). I have no idea what the full extent of the injury is yet. I did mention our trip to the MD and he told me that he couldn't tell me how I would be at that time, but that he didn't see a need to cancel our trip at this point. He said I would likely be very slow getting around and may want to consider a wheelchair or ecv.

I am hoping by that time that I will no longer need the crutches, but some of this will depend upon if surgery is needed, etc..

I really don't want to cancel our trip. It is a Christmas gift for the kids and really a good time for us to go. Yet, I am really worried if it is a good idea to go. I function best if I have things planned out ahead of time. Can any of you share some items I should be doing to best prepare?

I am wondering how best to get thru the airport. Dh & I will have our 2 littles (4 & 6) with us. I can't imaigne using these crutches for those long airport stretches, with dh managing kids and luggage, etc. I am hoping I can bend my knee more by then so I can sit in the airplane seat.

I did read the link about the ecv's and plan to call for info on getting one tomorrow. Any advise what best to ask for? Can they be driven right into our room at CSR? How long does a battery last for - will it go for a whole day?

I am sorry for so many questions. I am just feeling overwhelmed. We finally got childcare issues covered as dh had to go back to work today or lose our vacation week. Now I need to tackle the Disney issue.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
Carol

 

[SueOKW]

I know little to nothing - nothing to more than nothing, in fact about ecvs - but I will tell you that WDW is very handi-friendly and you should plan on going.

Airport? Have the airline arrange for a wheelchair for you to get from the ticketing to the gate for takeoff and then from the gate to baggage claim upon arrival!

Good luck, I hope you get to go!

 

[Anne MN]

For the airport- I would have the airline request a skycap( i think that is what they are called) that is the golf carts that you see driving around the airport that has people on it. the airport in orlando would be a long walk- all gates are away from the main building- there is a monorail type shuttle that you take to the main terminal for luggage and rental cars.

as for the ecv fitting in room at CSR- it depends on what type of room you get. if it is a double, it would be a tight squeeze. king- not to bad. my MIL has her own ecv and they had no problem parking it at the poly.

 

[pampam]

I would suggest you request airport assistance with wheelchair on your airline ticket. Accept all the help you are offered.

If you choose to rent an ecv, request crutch holders with it.

Also, I'd suggest you phone your hotel and let them know of the change in your circumstances. Perhaps a handicap room is available, with a shower seat, handrails in the tub, etc. Ask about battery charging for the ecv. If the room isn't large enough, I understand they have a room at guest services where you may be able to leave the ecv overnight for charging. I've never done that, so I'm not speaking from personal experience

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Generally the rental ECVs have no problem in fitting in a room. Some friends of mine with two teenage daughters and an ECV had no probelm a few years ago at CBR.

Also, the rental ECVs have about a 25 mile range on a full charge; it is rare to even do ten miles in a day at WDW, so running out of power is very unlikely.

 

[Ambassador]

The WDW Guide for Guests with Disabilities had good general information: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/common/Plain?id=PlainHomePage

 

[BlessedMomOfTwo]

Thank you all so much for responding and for the wonderful advise. I would never have thought of some of those things. I have my Ortho appt today and will hopefully know more after that.

I am feeling that this is more do-able now.

Thanks again,
Carol

 

[ktglads]

For the plane, you can request a bulkhead seat due to your knee. They may not be able to accomodate this request, but there is more legroom there so you won't have to bend your leg as much. I had to fly with a leg cast and limited mobility in my knee due to the incisions from the surgury to insert my hardware and had connecting flights both ways. I was able to get 2 bulkheads on full flights and get seats by myself on the other 2 so that I could sit semi sideways for more legroom which I would have needed, even without the cast. You can just call the airlines and alert them to this fact, along with requesting wheelchair assistance. The bulkhead seats you have to get at checkin or the gate.

Hopefully there wasn't much damage and you will be feeling much better by then.

 

[SueM in MN]

The airport at Orlando doesn't have the gold cart things that I am aware of (some airports do -like Minneapolis - some don't). But, if they don't have the golf cart things, they do have wheelchairs with skycaps available to push them. As the others mentioned, do take advantage of this - it's a service for people in situations like yours.
Also, ask to preboard. Sometimes they make an announcement for preboarding for people who have disabilities and need extra time for boarding. That's you, this trip. I will be easier to get dwon the jetway and into your seat if you are not doing it with a crowd. Do tell them when you come to the gate that you want to preboard. Our experience traveling with someone in a wheelchair is that that don't always announce it if we don't ask.
As was mentioned by other posters, the bulkhead seats would be best in your situation because of a little extra leg room. Depending on the airplane/flight, it might be very little or a lot, but would be the most leg room on that plane. They don't usually assign the bulkhead seats ahead of time so that they are available for people with special need for them.

 

[BlessedMomOfTwo]

Thankfully, it looks like it might not be as bad as they originally thought. I am going to try to wean off the crutches (hooray!!) and see how the knee holds up. I am hoping it will be okay. If it starts to give out, then I have to go back right away.

I did reserve an ecv for the trip, as I know I won't be up for all that walking by the time we go. I will wait until closer to the trip to see what assistance I need from the airlines.

Thank you again - you are great!
Carol