How hard is a wheelchair to use at WDW?

[cceandme]

Due to arthritis I will be using a wheelchair or ECV. I would rather use the wheelchair so I can walk on occasion and they are cheaper than ECV's to rent,. How hard is it using a wheelchair in the parks?

 

[ttintagel]

I tried using a manual wheelchair for a day at EPCOT, but we found that there were a lot more hills and steep ramps than we thought. A friend tried to push me, but soon got exhausted, and I didn't have the upper body strength to self-propel for very long.

 

[rewardsinlife]

It is very hard to self propel in a manual wheelchair all day at the park if you are not used to doing so. I would recommend getting an ecv and remember, you can always park it in a general area with the strollers and walk around the area and in lines when you wish to do so. Once you are tired...just go back to where you parked it and there will be your ride!

 

[Smile&Nod]

If you are renting an ECV and are staying on-site, rent from someone like Apple Scooter - they deliver to your resort, pick up at the end of your stay and it is a lot cheaper than renting in the parks from Disney ($20 a day or so compared to $50 a day in the parks). Plus you have the scooter to get from your room to the parks.

If you are staying off site the decision is not as clear - the scooters do supposedly come apart to fit in a car but I never tried that!

 

[cceandme]

what do you do with your ECV if it rains?

 

[ibcrazie4dizney]

we had one delivered to our off property resort and used a rental car with no problems. they gave us a little shower cap thing to put over the controls. but we have gotten lucky with no rain all three trips with an ecv. if it looks like rain, you could always bring a towel to wipe off the seat. the seat I think folded down, not that it would stay all the way dry but might help. if I was parked, maybe buy a cheap rain poncho at the dollar store to put over it.

 

[JennyDrake]

it is very hard to self propel in a manual wheelchair all day at the park if you are not used to doing so. I would recommend getting an ecv and remember, you can always park it in a general area with the strollers and walk around the area and in lines when you wish to do so. Once you are tired...just go back to where you parked it and there will be your ride!

ditto!!!

 

[dvc one day]

How hard is it using a wheelchair in the parks?

Try this to give you an idea. Go up the inclines for a few levels in a parking structure. That would give you some idea of the difficulty involved in a day at WDW. Add to this that you will be covering many miles each day.

 

[Bete]

what do you do with your ECV if it rains?

You should try to seek out shelter until the storm is over. Go somewhere inside for a while.

Usually, with the weather forecast and looking up at the skies you can more or less tell when it's time to head for cover.

Try to keep your scooter dry by using a poncho on and over it or some put a shower cap on the tiller. There can be malfunction if the wrong part gets wet.

You should practice at home with an ECV and/or wheelchair. This will allow you to make a good decision. There are free ECV in many stores. You may even want to try a scooter for a day at your local zoo and see how you do with one. Disney will be harder than most zoos. You can find wheelchairs in some places, too. If someone is available for the pushing of the wheelchair at Disney then just make sure you alternate activities. This means do some rides, followed by shows were you can rest and then do more rides and then take a break and go eat.

Learn about a scooter and what you need to do. If you rent from Disney direct then please note those scooters are on a first come, first serve basis. If you are not an early riser or you want to take a break from the parks you are at risk with getting a scooter from them especially at peak season. It costs way more to rent from Disney, but you don't have to charge the battery everyday and you don't have to get your scooter on and off Disney transportation or your car or in and out of your resort room. If you rent from an outside vendor like Apple Scooters then you pay a lot less. The scooter will be delivered to your resort if you are staying at a Disney resort. Apple delivers at some other non-Disney resorts, too.

You have to people watch on a scooter and you have to drive very defensively at Disney. People especially kids will dart out right in front of you, for example.

 

[ajcrusher]

Also remember that there are areas of the parks where the pavement isn't smooth. Some areas of Animal Kingdom and Liberty Square in Magic Kingdom come to mind. It's not really noticeable while walking or on an ECV but in a wheelchair, you definitely feel it.

Lana

 

[I Love Pluto]

I tried using a manual wheelchair for a day at EPCOT, but we found that there were a lot more hills and steep ramps than we thought. A friend tried to push me, but soon got exhausted, and I didn't have the upper body strength to self-propel for very long.

Yes! I never realized that there were so many small inclines in the parks until I tried to self-propel a wheelchair.

An ECV makes it much more bearable!

 

[cceandme]

I'm a little worried with all the stories lately on people abusing the GAC's that I will get dirty looks. Looking at me I don't look like I need to nbe in a wheelchair or ECV

 

[PatsMom]

You don't need a GAC to be in a wheelchair. If your only need is mobility, you will have no problem. If you have someone to push you, you will also be fine. But the pusher needs to be aware that it is a lot of work. I would never try to self propel except a little bit here and there. My daughter is my pusher and she works pretty hard!

I don't notice a lot of looks but now that my hair is gone it is pretty obvious that something is wrong with me. One trip that was after surgery, I had all my hair. I did get a few looks that trip. Don't worry about it - you get no advantage from being in the chair.

The chair tells the CM's that you have a need. They will direct you on where to go when you get to each ride queue. Generally you just go through the regular line up to a certain point.

If you are using Disney busses, you can choose to load through the back door and have them take your chair up in the lift. We don't do that - we stand in the regular line and just fold the wheelchair up like an adult stroller when it is time to load. We sometimes have to wait for the next bus as we do need to be sure that I have a seat since my days of standing on the bus are over!

 

[ttintagel]

The nice thing about WDW is that before long, you'll be having so much fun and be so distracted that you won't be thinking about what other people are thinking!

 

[mickeytiggernc]

I'm a little worried with all the stories lately on people abusing the GAC's that I will get dirty looks. Looking at me I don't look like I need to nbe in a wheelchair or ECV

I am worried about the same thing but I have never had a problem yet. I do get some strange looks because I look fine as well but need it because of a knee injury. My DH pushes me and we have been doing this for 3 years now.

 

[pampam]

If you choose to use a WC in MK try to go to Tomorrowland and work your way from there through Fantasyland, Liberty Square, Frontierland and Adventureland. The slope of the land is easier to navigate. If you do it in reverse, you will be constantly going up a gradual incline. The slope isn't clearly noticable (except from Fantasyland to Libeerty Square)but it seems to be the less tiring way.

 

[DisneyFreaks]

I'm a little worried with all the stories lately on people abusing the GAC's that I will get dirty looks. Looking at me I don't look like I need to nbe in a wheelchair or ECV

I worry about the same thing. However I have used my chair for our last four trips and I have never noticed anyone looking at me in a negative way. The worse problem I have had is folks who don't pay attention and walk into me. Some of them do get a bit irritated but it's their own fault for not watching where they are going. My bet is that you will be having so much fun you won't notice any "looks" anyway. The heck with everyone else. It's your vacation and you deserve to enjoy it however way you have to do it. Have a wonderful trip!

 

[cceandme]

Thank you everyone for your help. I decided to go with the ECV so my 13 year old wont be stuck pushing me. Feel a little better about the trip now. We leave in 4 days!!