I'm Mostly Concerned About Other People Smackin' Into Me...

[ashleydscox]

Hello, all! I have a general question about visiting WDW in a wheelchair.

This will be my 12th trip to WDW and I am also a former College Program CM so I'm familiar with a lot of the issues and policies for those in wheelchairs. At the same time, this is the first time I have been while using a chair and nobody else in my family has ever used a chair, either.

I was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome in May of this year and luckily had a mild case. I am not currently fully recovered but I have regained my ability to walk. I use a chair, a walker, a cane, or nothing at all depending on where I'll be, how long I'll be there, whether there are places to sit down, and how I'm feeling that day.

I'll be travelling with my husband, parents, uncle, brother, and SIL (as well as a niece and nephew who may ride in my lap at points) so I will have plenty of assistance. I can push myself for short distances as well.

I have my own manual chair and do not intend on using an ECV or electric wheelchair as I am not experienced with either and don't really want the additional stress of having to learn.

With the exception of my parents (who will be staying at Shades of Green), our party will stay at a rental townhouse at Windsor Hill (where we've rented before). I am not concerned about transportation to and from the parks.

I can easily transfer and walk short distances.

My main concern is other guests. I live in California and just this past Saturday visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium for the first time. The Aquarium staff were wonderful but we had a number of incidents with other guests there.

One woman standing to my right (and wearing sunglasses in a very darkened room) while looking at a display quickly turned to her left, hit my feet, tripped, and nearly fell on the floor. I was sitting completely still at the time. I have some nerve pain in my feet and her hitting them caused it to flare a good bit.

At another area a boy of about 15 pushed ahead of me (no problem) hitting my right foot in the process (problem). My husband (who was at that point very frustrated) told the kid to watch where he was going at which point the kid started yelling obscenities at the two of us. A woman who I assume was the kid's mother came and grabbed him, apologized to me, and said that the boy had "problems".

There was another adult woman who used my wheels as a place to prop up her feet while sitting behind me. And a woman who backed up into me, didn't look my way or acknowledge me...until I loudly said, "I'm sorry" hoping she might apologize as well, but who then said, "It's ok." You hit me, woman!

While the little children weren't as blatantly rude, they were constantly darting in front of me making me extremely nervous that I would hit them.

One tiny little girl who had probably just started walking sat down on my right foot while looking at a display. Her mom apologized and picked her up and all was forgiven and that was actually super adorable.

What have your experiences been, good or bad, with other guests in the park while using a chair?

 

[minnie mum]

Pretty much everything you have described. And don't forget the people walking directly in front of you who will stop dead in their tracks, forcing the person pushing you to do the same, nearly launching you out of the chair. Or the ones who like to huddle in a group to study their map or have a chat in the middle of the sidewalk, completely blocking it so you can't get past them.

The only thing I can suggest is similar to that I gave another Diser who was concerned about guests running into or jostling her - have the other adults in your group form a protective circle. Someone in front and on either side of you. They can act as a buffer of sorts.

 

[SueM in MN]

I agree with what minnie mum posted, including the part about using other members of your group as a buffer.

My youngest daughter has used a wheelchair since she was not quite 3 years old. She experiences things like you mentioned wherever she is, so WDW is not that much different. The biggest difference is that when you go to the mall or your local Target store, most people have been there before and know where they are going and what they are looking for.
At WDW, this is many people's first trip and they are looking at everything. They just don't 'see' wheelchairs.
Then, there are some people who are just jerks. We've had a person who stood their toddler on my daughter's headrest during a show and during another show, a woman used my daughter's wheelchair tires for a footrest and cleaned her fingernails. Just get away from the jerks as quickly as you are able.

 

[ashleydscox]

Thanks, guys!

I hadn't thought of using my other family members as a buffer, but that is an awesome idea!

 

[Bete]

I agree with everyone else. Surrounding yourself with others is the best strategy.

You may want to wear a strong shoe or boot; since, you have had a few bad experiences that way.

Avoid the crowded times and you may find it better. Try to go early to the park; I believe there are less people early morning. The same is true late night.

Can you retrofit or build anything on the sides of the wheelchair to block anyone from hurting your feet? Or maybe, find a way to put stirrups or covers for your feet on the wheelchair.

Often time I let many go before me. I watch the crowd carefully and I rather wait and not have an issue. It shouldn't be this way, but it is what it is.

 

[mamabunny]

@Bete had a good idea - is it maybe possible to wear an air-cast or an orthopedic "boot" (like people use for broken feet/ankles) to help protect your feet? Ideally, you would have a nice big ol' half-circle bumper out there in front to help protect them, but failing that, maybe figure out a way to pad/protect your feet that would be comfortable and not cause other issues for you.

During a quick search for a possible solution, I did see this: a "Swing Away Foot Support" that might help protect your feet a bit more while in the parks.

 

[elmoandzoey]

I just came in here because I read your thread title and thought "heck, that just so damn happened to me all the time"! I am currently in a wheelchair for when I need to go long distance because I simply cannot walk more than 30 yards on crutches with my broken ankle before I need to sit. Since I had knee surgery at the same time (they removed some bone from the knee area to repair the ankle), I also have issues with my knee so I always have my leg propped up in front on the wheelchair. When I go out, I am always trying to stay clear of people because my leg is sticking out from the wheelchair and if someone hits it, it's pain nightmare for me. I had someone push past me a few days ago, trying to run around my wheelchair for whatever reason. He pushed my son away who usually walks beside my leg as a buffer so people are aware there is a leg sticking out. Obviously, the guy did not see my leg sticking out and made full body contact with my injured leg by knocking into it and pushing it down from the leg support it rests on (it looks a bit like what mamabunny linked to, just that it also has a support for your calf to rest on). I immediately broke out into tears because I was hurting so much - I actually had to see the doctor afterwards who xray'ed my leg to make sure I was okay - even though my leg is in a stiff brace. Do you know what the guy did? Cursed at me, called me a whuss because I was crying out of sheer pain and walked away. My kids were totally flabbergasted and didn't know what to do (they are 7 and 11) - the younger one was actually close to tears himself because he got so scared. Quite a few people just walked past staring at us until some complete stranger came up after a few minutes and asked if he could help us. He helped me to my doctor a few blocks away, calmed my kids by reassuring them I was going to be fine and then disappeared before I could truly thank him. I don't know who this man was, I have never seen him before and I have never seen him around since but he was kind enough to help me in a situation when I was utterly helpless.

Another story - this actually happened about 15 years ago. My sister was pretty sick at the time and in need of a wheelchair for over a year. You wouldn't believe how often people pushed through doors and instead of holding them open for us to get through as well, just let go and the doors would smack right into my sister's wheelchair! Once my sister got a bit better, Make a Wish sent us to the Warner Brothers Movie Park (theme park similar to Universal here in Europe). Most queues were wheelchair accessible. One queue was pretty narrow though and was winding left and right so we had difficulties maneuvering the wheelchair around. I think it was the second ride we actually went on on our first day. There was a group of 5 teenagers behind us. Obviously we were not moving fast enough for them for whatever reason (like it would have mattered anyway) so they shoved my dad to the side and literally climbed over my sister in her wheelchair! At that point we were used to a lot of inconsiderate things done by people but that was just unbelievable! We were so stunned we didn't react at all so we just let it go. However, the people around us wouldn't let it go. Once we rounded the next corner, we saw some strangers up front talking to an employee first pointing at us and then pointing at the group of teenagers who were still right in front of us, laughing their head off about what they had done. Another group of people from behind us started shouting that they saw what happened as well and that the teenagers needed to be dealt with. They got pulled out of the queue and the employee told us over and over that they were not tolerating such behavior and if there was something they could do to make it up for us. My dad told him that it was already enough for us seeing that strangers actually reported that behavior and that they would deal with it. Everyone around us wished my sister a speedy recovery which brought her close to tears because people usually walked away when they saw her (she looked really, really sick and had to wear a mask so she wouldn't catch an infection from others). It really made our whole trip.

Before this post gets to long - I have to admit that before my sister was wheelchairbound, I never once imagined how a simple curb could be a massive obstacle for someone. People are inconsiderate because they just don't know better. But for every person who can't relate to what it means to be in a wheelchair, there is at least one person who knows better.

 

[Bluegrrl]

Just wanted to pop in and tell you that my dad had the same disease as you. Sadly, it was combined with epilepsy and diabetes, which was not good. But, he got the disease through a flu vaccine, and ended up reported that side effect (Guillain-Barre) was caused by the vaccine. I never get the flu vaccine because it's recommended for people with a family history of Guillain-Barre to not get the vaccine. And I try not to get the flu. Which did not work out for me last winter. But do look into that as a cause of your disease - at least that's how my dad got it.

And have fun at Disney!

 

[disneyseniors]

@Bete had a good idea - is it maybe possible to wear an air-cast or an orthopedic "boot" (like people use for broken feet/ankles) to help protect your feet? Ideally, you would have a nice big ol' half-circle bumper out there in front to help protect them, but failing that, maybe figure out a way to pad/protect your feet that would be comfortable and not cause other issues for you.

During a quick search for a possible solution, I did see this: a "Swing Away Foot Support" that might help protect your feet a bit more while in the parks.

I just want to say, Mamabunny makes me smile) Your advice is golden! I have learned so much from your posts. Thank you so much. I will be using an ECV for the first time this November and am very anxious about it. I don't want to hit other people or be a bother. Your posts have helped me tremendously.
A BIG THANK YOU

 

[mamabunny]

I just want to say, Mamabunny makes me smile) Your advice is golden! I have learned so much from your posts. Thank you so much. I will be using an ECV for the first time this November and am very anxious about it. I don't want to hit other people or be a bother. Your posts have helped me tremendously.
A BIG THANK YOU

Thanks @disneyseniors! I don't want to hijack the original posters thread - just remember that everyone has a "first day" - and treat it like driving a car; be on the lookout for people who might step in front of you, and always check before you turn or back up. (It is, in fact, a vehicle; just a battery operated one!)

And you won't be a bother - just got back tonight from our trip, (MNSSHP & Food and Wine) and just remember: "Don't drink and drive" applies to ECVs and wheelchairs too! (oh the things we saw...)

 

[Hopefully]

Not the same exactly, but a bit related ...
Last fall I needed an ECV for the first time. I was acutely aware of where I was and watching out for others all constantly, for all the reasons you have all outlined. One afternoon in Epcot I was diligently drifting to the left to avoid the big man drifting in my path. His wife was yelling at him to watch where he was going, he was going to hit me. He turned, looked me straight in the face and said "It's all right, I'll just knock her over". I was stunned. Luckily my DH did not hear him. It would not have been pretty

 

[Maxpowers]

There was another adult woman who used my wheels as a place to prop up her feet while sitting behind me

This is absurd!!!

I don't know anything about using a wheelchair, but I would brace for more of the same in WDW. Judging from my experiences pushing s stroller (i know, not the same but it's all I have to work with), is that people will bump into you, jump on front of you and generally not pay attention to where they are going. I would prepare for this by somehow protecting your feet from being bumped...make shift barrier of some sort. IMO your feet will get bumped.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Hello, all! I have a general question about visiting WDW in a wheelchair.

This will be my 12th trip to WDW and I am also a former College Program CM so I'm familiar with a lot of the issues and policies for those in wheelchairs. At the same time, this is the first time I have been while using a chair and nobody else in my family has ever used a chair, either.

I was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome in May of this year and luckily had a mild case. I am not currently fully recovered but I have regained my ability to walk. I use a chair, a walker, a cane, or nothing at all depending on where I'll be, how long I'll be there, whether there are places to sit down, and how I'm feeling that day.

I'll be travelling with my husband, parents, uncle, brother, and SIL (as well as a niece and nephew who may ride in my lap at points) so I will have plenty of assistance. I can push myself for short distances as well.

I have my own manual chair and do not intend on using an ECV or electric wheelchair as I am not experienced with either and don't really want the additional stress of having to learn.

With the exception of my parents (who will be staying at Shades of Green), our party will stay at a rental townhouse at Windsor Hill (where we've rented before). I am not concerned about transportation to and from the parks.

I can easily transfer and walk short distances.

My main concern is other guests. I live in California and just this past Saturday visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium for the first time. The Aquarium staff were wonderful but we had a number of incidents with other guests there.

One woman standing to my right (and wearing sunglasses in a very darkened room) while looking at a display quickly turned to her left, hit my feet, tripped, and nearly fell on the floor. I was sitting completely still at the time. I have some nerve pain in my feet and her hitting them caused it to flare a good bit.

At another area a boy of about 15 pushed ahead of me (no problem) hitting my right foot in the process (problem). My husband (who was at that point very frustrated) told the kid to watch where he was going at which point the kid started yelling obscenities at the two of us. A woman who I assume was the kid's mother came and grabbed him, apologized to me, and said that the boy had "problems".

There was another adult woman who used my wheels as a place to prop up her feet while sitting behind me. And a woman who backed up into me, didn't look my way or acknowledge me...until I loudly said, "I'm sorry" hoping she might apologize as well, but who then said, "It's ok." You hit me, woman!

While the little children weren't as blatantly rude, they were constantly darting in front of me making me extremely nervous that I would hit them.

One tiny little girl who had probably just started walking sat down on my right foot while looking at a display. Her mom apologized and picked her up and all was forgiven and that was actually super adorable.

What have your experiences been, good or bad, with other guests in the park while using a chair?

I am not excusing any one but the women in the dark glasses do you think she had a vision problem some that do require dark glasses look at my avatar

Just wanted to pop in and tell you that my dad had the same disease as you. Sadly, it was combined with epilepsy and diabetes, which was not good. But, he got the disease through a flu vaccine, and ended up reported that side effect (Guillain-Barre) was caused by the vaccine. I never get the flu vaccine because it's recommended for people with a family history of Guillain-Barre to not get the vaccine. And I try not to get the flu. Which did not work out for me last winter. But do look into that as a cause of your disease - at least that's how my dad got it.

And have fun at Disney!

I was not ware of that the flu shot is recommended for me because of what I do for a living