Knee Arthritis

[MsGail]

I have arthritis in my knees and am putting off a replacement as long as I can. I have a tough time standing and walking after a period of time. Will I qualify for a disability card? I have a plaque for my car and sometimes I am embarassed to use it because I'm only 43. Will they give me a hard time due to my age?

 

[teri]

They won't give you a hard time at Guest Services. Click on the disABILITIES FAQ link in my signature, and you will find the informaiton you need.

 

[JudithM]

MsGail, welcome! Please do not be embarrassed to use your handicapped parking permit due to arthritis in your knee(s) - regardless of your age. I was diagnosed with a knee condition a couple of years ago. I lurked on this board for several weeks. After reading several posts I got the courage to ask my doctor about a handicapped parking permit - no problem. Reading these posts also gave me the knowledge & encouragement to get a GAC - guest assistance card - & to rent an ECV while at WDW. Using an ECV has been wonderful not only for me, but also for my husband. Keep reading these baords & asking questions. You can get a GAC at Guest Services at any of the WDW parks & it is good for the length of your stay. Just explain to the Cast Member what you think will help. Have fun ! enjoy WDW!!

 

[SueM in MN]

Welcome from me too.
You might find that renting an ecv helps you a lot more than having a GAC. Most people don't understand how big WDW is until they have been there. You will walk a lot more between places than you will walk while waiting in lines. Just going around WS once is more than a mile. An ecv or wheelchair can come in most lines with you (don't need a GAC to bring it into the lines). Even with a GAC, if you don't have a wheelchair or ecv, you will need to walk quite a ways in some of the lines because there is no other way in. In most cases, an ecv or wheelchair can stay with you unitl you board the ride.

 

[MsGail]

I'm thinking about an ECV but I really don't need one until after the first couple of hours. I just got over a broken ankle and when I was using it in the grocery store I always felt in peoples way. With the crowds in July I'm wondering if this will be a problem. I know I will not make it back to the entrance from the back of the park w/o being in excruitiating pain.

 

[SueM in MN]

I've never driven one, but we travel with DD in her manual wheelchair to WDW. She drives her power wheelchair whenever we are out of the house at home. As for being in people's way at stores, we have as much right to be there as anyone else. If an ecv is what you need to be comfortable, you should not feel that you are an inconvenience to anyone else. Other people do lots of un-useful things that inconvenience me (like park their cart smack in the middle of the aisle), so I don't feel at all bad to maybe inconvenience someone a little when we are doing something useful. Also, anyone who feels a wheelchair or ecv is inconveniencing them, needs to get a life. They could easily end up needing one someday.
IMHO, Epcot would be the best place to start with driving an ecv. You will see a lot of them there, the walkways are wider in general there and the crowds are more spread out. MGM is pretty good too. After you are comfortable there, you can branch out to parks with tighter layout like MK and AK. Study maps so you are confident about where you are going.
Do yourself a big favor and rent one. My FIL has been saying for the past 10 years that he will rent "one of those carts". This year, again, he didn't rent one and he was in a lot of pain. It makes us feel very sad to see him struggling so much and it limited what he could do while on vacation. They are expensive, but the cost to your body is "expensive" in energy too.

 

[JudithM]

MsGail, rent that ECV from morning until night! You have every right to use one!

I cannot tell you enough how much better our last few trips have been with the help of the ECV. The way the ECVs at WDW are set up, you can stretch your legs out rather than bend the knees 90 degrees. My orthopedic doctor told me I put 2.5 times more pressure on my knees by bending them, so I tend to stretch them out as often as possible. Anyway the ECV does come with a basket in front to carry any & all of the odds & ends one takes to a park - purse, park guide/map, camera, pins for trading, sunglasses, sun hat, etc. My husband likes it, too, because we carry a lot of camera equipment, & the camera bag fits on the floor of the ECV. He also likes the ECV because it gives me an opportunity to rest my knees therefore we spend more time in the parks.
Don't worry about walking guests - they will try to jump in front of you - just run them over! Seriously, do your best driving the ECV - you will run into a display fixutre or two or a person will cut you off, but you have every right to use an ECV!

 

[MsGail]

Judith you are so funny!!!! I am planning on renting one. I really want to make this trip as enjoyable as I can and I can get pretty nasty when my knees and ankle start hurting me.

This board has been so helpful I can't thank you enough!

 

[JudithM]

One more reminder when using an ECV (& I'll assume a wheelchair, too) at WDW - bring a light colored bath towel! You will be glad you did! The sun can bake your chair/seat regardless of the time of year - I speak from experience. A couple of times I have forgotten the towel. CMs have loaned me some clean white rags - anything is better than black baked in the sun!