Info needed for Handicap

[BillM]

I am a ten year DVC owner. Have a ressie at BWV in Oct 07 in a 2 BR.
I am a polio survivor since 1950 and now have to use a power chair as I can not walk.
To drive to DW, which we normally do, it is 2 days each way. And I do the driving.
I would like to fly but have never flown with a power chair or a ECV. I have both.
I would like to have somewhere share their experience with me to help me decide whether to try to fly.
Also I would like to know, since I cannot stand and get up from an airline seat, how that works.
I have always transported my ECV with a miniivan and a lift. I could get out of the ECV and walk to the driver side. But not any more.
I now have a ramp van and drive onto the van, transfer to the driver seat and drive with hand controls.
I wore braces for 54 years but not anymore.
I transfer a lot as necessary.
Any suggestions would be helpful

Bill

 

[ducklite]

Bill, you'd probably be better off in the power chair for a number of reasons at WDW. Generally speaking, most CM's expect anyone on an ECV to be able to transfer, and you'll cut down on confusion and probably be a lot less frustrated if you use the wheelchair. If you do decide to go teh ECV route, be sure that you get a GAC that specifies you can use the ECV as a wheelchair. Keep in mind that most ECV's are longer than chairs, and might not be able to be accomodated in the wheelchair cars on some of the rides.

As far as getting on the plane, at the gate you would need to transfer to a transfer wheelchair that are narrower and have no arms. They will take you down the jetway and onto the plane in that. From there you'd need to transfer to your seat--usually an aisle seat with an arm that raises to allow you to slide in.

Not all planes--in fact most planes can't accomodate a wheelchair passenger using the lav, so that's something to think about.

I'm sure that Bill Sears and DCLFun will be able to add a lot more info for you. Have a great trip whatever you decide!

Anne

 

[BillSears]

I'm sure that Bill Sears and DCLFun will be able to add a lot more info for you. Have a great trip whatever you decide!

I think Anne pretty much covered it for airplane travel. But since she mentioned me I had to respond.

I assume since you can't stand that you'll be using your arms to lift yourself in and out of the seats. I use a manual wheelchair so I'm not familiar for the procedures for ECVs or power wheelchairs. For me I take my chair down to the airplane door. Then I transfer lifting my body from my wheelchair to the aisle chair using my arms. The airplane crew wheels the aisle chair down the aisle of the plane to my seat and I transfer over to the airplane seat. All of these transfers are about the same level of difficulty as transfering into a movie theatre seat. The hardest parts are when the airplane seat armrest doesn't lift up and that the aisle seat os often at an awkward angle.

My wheelchair is gate checked at this point. When I get off the plane my wheelchair will be waiting for me at the door to the plane.

Once you're in your seat you stay there until the flight lands and everyone else exits the plane. You'll be the first one on and the last one off. I always make sure I visit the mens room just before the flight and I try not to drink too much.

Make sure you tell the airline that you'll be using a wheelchair/ECV when you make your reservations. Also make sure that all along the way you tell people that you'll need an aisle chair, that you want to gate check your wheelchair and remind them of any assistance you will need. It may be overkill to tell everyone but it always seems to me that when I forget to tell one person that that's the person who really needed to know the information.

 

[clkelley]

Also, when flying be careful of what type plane you are on. Some of the smaller regional jets board with small steps from the tarmac instead of a jetway. Those planes are accessible, but difficult as you are hoisted onto the plane with a lift sling, then taken down the aisle in an aisle chair.

If you have a connecting flight try to have at least a 90-minute to two hour layover. Waiting till all passengers leave the plane, bringing you the aisle chair, getting you off, getting your power chair to you, wheeling to the next gate and getting on the next flight, and reloading your power chair in the hold will take considerable time.