How's it with wheelchair?

[paulad]

My DD hurt her foot and is in a boot -- since we are heading to Disney next Thursday the odds are good that she'll still need the boot and we will need to rent a wheelchair. I'm concerned about pushing her around in the heat and with summer crowds... what have you all experienced? Any tips, things to avoid, etc. would be appreciated!

 

[Mrsjvb]

if she is not an adult, rent a pediatric sized one off site. everybody will thank you for it.

actually, scratch that. even if she is an adult, rent off site. less expensive and she can use it EVERYWHERE.. the ones at the parks can only be used at that park, not on the busses, the resorts or in between.

 

[rpcvpanama]

I was still in a boot when I went to WDW. The only time I had an issue with walking in the boot was at Epcot. It was just too much, I rented a wheelchair for that day. I think you should play it by ear. If your DD is in a walking boot she may be ok walking around the smaller parks and only need the wheelchair for the larger parks, like Epcot.

 

[magicaldisney]

I tore my meniscus during our trip last November. I had to use a wheelchair, and also had crutches we had to wheel around with us. I can't speak for the heat, but I can speak for crowds. It was ok, but my family was getting very frustrated at the rudeness of other guests. It definitely wore on all of us by the end of our trip. Without the crutches and without having to have that one leg out straight, I think maneuvering would be easier.

Just an FYI, we got a wheelchair from our resort and they told us we could take it to the parks, so that's what we did. There was no charge for it.

 

[michsig]

I tore my meniscus during our trip last November. I had to use a wheelchair, and also had crutches we had to wheel around with us. I can't speak for the heat, but I can speak for crowds. It was ok, but my family was getting very frustrated at the rudeness of other guests. It definitely wore on all of us by the end of our trip. Without the crutches and without having to have that one leg out straight, I think maneuvering would be easier.

Just an FYI, we got a wheelchair from our resort and they told us we could take it to the parks, so that's what we did. There was no charge for it.

Were you at an onsite resort? Future MIL might be needing one for our upcoming trip in September.

 

[lanejudy]

... Just an FYI, we got a wheelchair from our resort and they told us we could take it to the parks, so that's what we did. There was no charge for it.

Were you at an onsite resort? Future MIL might be needing one for our upcoming trip in September.

While wheelchairs should be available at any onsite WDW resort, they are first-come first-served and often are not in the best condition and/or may not be the appropriate size for the user (oversized, undersized - can be extremely uncomfortable to ride in all day if the wrong size). From my experience, I would say magicaldisney got lucky.

Wheelchair rentals are relatively inexpensive. If a wheelchair is necessary for the duration of your trip, I recommend renting from an offsite vendor to be certain you have what you need. There is a list of vendors in the disABILITIES FAQ sticky on the disABILITIES forum.

OP - with heat and humidity at this time of year, you may tire if you are doing all the pushing. Hopefully you have more than one in your party who can share the duty. There are more hills than one realizes. I agree that depending on your daughter's age/size, you and she might be better off with a smaller-sized wheelchair, which also will be lighter to push.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[JennyDrake]

Funny you should ask!

I just wrote this blog about that very topic.

I went to WDW April 2013, 3 ½ months after surgery for Achilles rupture. I was out of the walking boot (for a whopping 10 days!) after having been casted for 3, long, long months of zero weight bearing. The lower leg muscle atrophy was very pronounced and (ankle) lateral stability was iffy. Around the house and about town I was not using the boot or any other assistance, but I was not yet walking on any uneven surfaces or inclines.

While at WDW I was to walk as much as tolerated, but I was SLOW and tired VERY easily. The foot also swelled and screamed obscenities when overtaxed.

I'm a frequent visitor to WDW and I DO know about the walking involved, still I was reticent about renting a wheel chair as I was supposed to walk as much as tolerated. My friend going w/me Cathy (now known as She Who Offered to Push). and other Powers that Be insisted I rent a wc; and without a doubt THEY WERE RIGHT. Rented from walker Mobility and had an excellent experience, great rates and SERVICE.

An obvious question is why we chose a wc over an ECV? I had experience as a traveling companion to a senior lady using an ECV and I did not want to grapple with the bulk of the ECV nor the horror of trying to park it on a bus with everyone watching.

In the morning Cathy would push me to the food court then onto the bus and into the park of our choice. We would park the chair, collapsed, either in obvious stroller/ECV parking or find an unobtrusive place (usually behind a trash can) and I would walk. We tied a bright bandana to the hand grips to help our chair stand out. Even w/ frequent rest, elevation and ice, 2-2.5 hours of total "leg time" was my limit. I found standing in line for attractions more tiring that just walking. We picked up ice at first aid stations or more often, we’d use a gift shop bag, ask a street vendor for ice and tie a knot in the top.

This system worked PERFECTLY!!! On the buses I would transfer to a seat and we would collapse the chair. Boarding was quick and efficient. When departing the bus, if I was not too tired, I would step off at the back door and Cathy would hoist the chair. Or I would walk down the ramp. If I was too tired and ouchy, I would return to the chair and Cathy would navigate the ramp. Going up/down the steep front steps would have been nearly impossible for me.

I am not overweight and unless you saw my really nifty scar, I didn't look like I “should” be using a chair, yet I got NO nasty looks or comments from anyone, anywhere. And even if I had, so what???

We stayed at AS Music, standard room; the resort grounds were very easy to navigate using the chair or while cautiously walking. The pathways were even and well lit at night.

If you are even considering the wc dilemna, I cannot emphasize how easy and trouble free it was! And when in doubt RENT THE CHAIR!!! I could not have endured the parks w/o it.

If I had not started out renting from off site, I can tell you that by the end of Day 1 I would have been making a phone call. I had used a knee scooter at home, but it would have been EXHAUSTING to use at WDW and impractical on the hills and uneven walkways of AK.

 

[magicaldisney]

Were you at an onsite resort? Future MIL might be needing one for our upcoming trip in September.

Yes we were on site, staying at SSR.

 

[paulad]

Thanks for all the responses. I will definitely look into an offsite rental. Jenny Drake, your report was especially helpful. My daughter, age 15, thinks she can do it in a boot but I have a gut feeling that she is being optomistic - she badly bruised her foot and still can't walk pain free, even with the boot. We leave next week so I'll give it a few more days to see how she is feeling. I will definitely bring contact #s for wheelchair rental companies that deliver!
Thanks again!

 

[disnut8]

I have been in a wheelchair and pushed by my husband. He has been in a wheelchair and pushed by me. We are in our 50s. My father was in a wheelchair and pushed by my stepmother. She was late 60s, early 70 by the time my father passed last year.

The point is - bring your own chair or rent from offsite. In mine and my husband's cases, the situation was not permanent so we rented offsite. It's quite likely that your daughter will need something after a day in the park to get from her transportation to her room and Disney rentals aren't going to do that. Yes, resorts have complimentary chairs at the bus stops but I've seen one in all my trips (over 60) at a resort.

Otherwise, yes, she's 15 and yes she's in a boot but even if she wasn't, no one will care. Both my husband and I looked absolutely fine outside but things were going on inside. No one cared. As the week went on with my husband and his condition improved and he was able to walk to the attractions, we just left the wheelchair with the strollers and no one cared. I was able to grab onto the walls and make it into the restrooms but most of the times, I just pushed my wheelchair into the area and no one cared.

The toughest part about having someone in a wheelchair who won't be there for a long time is the pusher. That pusher should have good communication with the wheelchair person. If the person can't see, she should let the pusher know. If the pusher has gotten her to the best place she can be, he/she should let her know.

Also, realize that the wheelchair seating for shows may not be the best so she might want to relax and walk for those and not use up her strength before something she wants to see.

Other things and fun things - make up signs for the wheelchair to say how she got the injury. For my husband, we had "Richie's Wheelie!" Have fun with it. Because this will be the only Disney World trip your daughter has with a wheelchair. Enjoy this.

 

[ZoZo]

One thing you might want to look into is renting a non-motorized "knee scooter" for her. I've had two foot surgeries, and loved mine! Gives you lots of independence, and so much easier than crutches. Even if you go part-scooter/part-wheelchair, it's a nice option.