Knee Scooter or Wheelchair

[Whistlebee]

So my daughter is still recovering from surgery on her leg. She got her cast off 3 weeks ago and I had hoped by now she’d be doing better than she is. She’s still limping and her leg gets a little swollen. She walks on it and has no limitations as to what she can do, but she just isn’t recovered enough to walk 8-10 miles a day over a few days in a row. Disney walking is not regular walking!

I’d like to get her a pediatric knee scooter to use at Disneyland. She’d be able to alternate legs using both of them to push and I expect she will walk a portion of the day without the scooter. Is this feasible? The other option is a wheelchair. It’s looking like I’ll be the only adult to push her and she’s 11 and almost as big as I am. I’m not the strongest person and I’m a little worried about pushing her. She thinks she’d prefer the knee scooter but she hasn’t used one for any real length of time.

Do you think we can get by with the knee scooter or do you think the wheel chair is necessary?

Thank you!

 

[DLgal]

I'd get a wheelchair. I can't imagine knee scootering around for 10 hours.

 

[evilmommie]

Agree with @DLgal. 100% wheelchair and she can use that as walker. She'd be able to get completely off her feet when necessary.

Edited to add: We were just at the parks for 3 days and saw a guy on a knee scooter. My husband, who is finally recovered from Achilles surgery, made a comment about how difficult that would be for 8+ hours over all kinds of floor transitions, etc.

 

[shosh1530]

My husband had a knee scooter after ankle surgery. He did fine at our local zoo and small places, but his knee would start to hurt after a bit. I can't imagine him doing it all day.

Do you have time to get one and practice?

 

[Whistlebee]

Ok thanks everyone, not the answer I was hoping for because I don’t want to have to push her around for 3+ days but I understand that it might be necessary. I really don’t want to move our trip either! She doesn’t want the wheelchair but she also hasn’t spent a significant amount of time on a knee scooter either. We are staying at The Grand so at least that helps minimize the distance a little bit. I do have time to get a knee scooter and practice/see how she’d do but I’m not sure if it’s worth buying one if it’s not likely to work for Disneyland.

 

[Whistlebee]

Anyone know if the pediatric wheelchairs are better or easier to push?

 

[Geemo]

So my daughter is still recovering from surgery on her leg. She got her cast off 3 weeks ago and I had hoped by now she’d be doing better than she is. She’s still limping and her leg gets a little swollen. She walks on it and has no limitations as to what she can do, but she just isn’t recovered enough to walk 8-10 miles a day over a few days in a row. Disney walking is not regular walking!

I’d like to get her a pediatric knee scooter to use at Disneyland. She’d be able to alternate legs using both of them to push and I expect she will walk a portion of the day without the scooter. Is this feasible? The other option is a wheelchair. It’s looking like I’ll be the only adult to push her and she’s 11 and almost as big as I am. I’m not the strongest person and I’m a little worried about pushing her. She thinks she’d prefer the knee scooter but she hasn’t used one for any real length of time.

Do you think we can get by with the knee scooter or do you think the wheel chair is necessary?

Thank you!

I would go with a knee scooter. Taking it with you means you'll have it there.
If you need a wheelchair you can rent one locally.
Pushing a person in a wheelchair around Disneyland is quite a workout. Going up the slight inclines will seem as steep as the Matterhorn at the end of a long day.
Do you think she would be able to manage driving a motorized scooter?
Have her take a spin around the grocery store on one for practice.

 

[Geemo]

Anyone know if the pediatric wheelchairs are better or easier to push?

The challenge comes with the weigh of the person in the chair and the change in terrain.
One thing about size of chair (adult vs pediatric) is the height of the handles for the one pushing.

Like I mentioned in my other post, try a grocery store scooter and see how she handles it.
A motorized scooter might be the ideal thing for your trip.

For a 2019 October trip I rented a motorized scooter, 3 days for a total of $113.
Select Scooter located in the lobby of BWPPI on Harbor (714) 664-8057
There are other rental places too. This is the one I like.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

 

[SirDuff]

Not many places will rent an ECV to an 11-year-old.

 

[Whistlebee]

The challenge comes with the weigh of the person in the chair and the change in terrain.
One thing about size of chair (adult vs pediatric) is the height of the handles for the one pushing.

Like I mentioned in my other post, try a grocery store scooter and see how she handles it.
A motorized scooter might be the ideal thing for your trip.

For a 2019 October trip I rented a motorized scooter, 3 days for a total of $113.
Select Scooter located in the lobby of BWPPI on Harbor (714) 664-8057
There are other rental places too. This is the one I like.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

Thanks Geemo, I’m sure she’d do fine with a motorized scooter but I’m prettty sure Disneyland doesn’t allow kids to use them on property. I feel like I’ve read that on here before. I’ll probably get the scooter and use a wheelchair as a backup. If we do need the wheelchair at least she can walk up those inclines! She’s very mobile but her leg is still weak and I know she won’t be able to walk 6-10 miles a day!

 

[tink2424]

If you can't get a motorized scooter then look into an outside rental company for a wheelchair. The rentals at Disney suck and are very hard to push. A regular wheelchair shouldn't be hard to push so I would advise that you get one from outside.

Also, I can't see how Disney could limit motorized scooters to minors. There are a lot of minors who are disabled and are in power wheelchairs. I don't think this would be an issue. You would just have to know your child and whether or not they could be responsible enough to drive a motorized scooter (and yes, I would get one from an outside rental company as they are much cheaper) or not.

Good luck & have a GREAT time!!!

 

[SirDuff]

If you can't get a motorized scooter then look into an outside rental company for a wheelchair. The rentals at Disney suck and are very hard to push. A regular wheelchair shouldn't be hard to push so I would advise that you get one from outside.

Also, I can't see how Disney could limit motorized scooters to minors. There are a lot of minors who are disabled and are in power wheelchairs. I don't think this would be an issue. You would just have to know your child and whether or not they could be responsible enough to drive a motorized scooter (and yes, I would get one from an outside rental company as they are much cheaper) or not.

Good luck & have a GREAT time!!!

This problem isn't going to be Disney limiting things, the problem is that most rental companies will not rent a scooter for a child's use (some exceptions if the child regularly uses one at home but, for whatever reason, isn't bringing their person one).

 

[tink2424]

This problem isn't going to be Disney limiting things, the problem is that most rental companies will not rent a scooter for a child's use (some exceptions if the child regularly uses one at home but, for whatever reason, isn't bringing their person one).

I agree any company can have that policy for their rentals but I was replying to the person that said Disney doesn't allow children to use motorized scooters in their parks. That is why I said that. They may be able to find a rental company that would allow them to rent them for their child.

 

[Evita_W]

Thanks Geemo, I’m sure she’d do fine with a motorized scooter but I’m prettty sure Disneyland doesn’t allow kids to use them on property. I feel like I’ve read that on here before. I’ll probably get the scooter and use a wheelchair as a backup. If we do need the wheelchair at least she can walk up those inclines! She’s very mobile but her leg is still weak and I know she won’t be able to walk 6-10 miles a day!

They have to allow them, as long as the rental company is ok with it.

And I have seen several kids in scooters and electric wheelchairs on property before.

I believe Select Scooters will rent them to children if they can demonstrate they can operate it safely and they are just across the street, but you would need to call to confirm.

 

[KPeterso]

I am with others who suggest a wheelchair. We regularly get one for my Mom. She rides quite a bit, but there are times I tell her she has to walk because it is too hard an area for me to push her (the bridge over to Pixar Pier or a few queue ramps come to mind due its steepness). I also let her push it empty when she walks a lot of the time. This gives her something to hold onto for balance and gives her a little space around her to hopefully keep people from possibly knocking into her. The knee scooter will be super hard on some of the inclines in the ride queues (Millenium Falcon comes to mind here) or walking around the park (see above example for Pixar Pier).

 

[1Robins]

Another option to the wheelchair would be a transit chair (you'll see hospitals use these when patients are discharged and they wheel them out to the curb). It looks a like a wheel chair exept instead of 2 large rear wheel (where the occupant can propel themselves while sitting in the chair) it will have 2 smaller wheels in the rear requiring someone to push them. It's a lot lighter than a wheel chair. I ended up buying one since my DH was having some issues walking.