Last minute... OUCH!

[jwbaird]

We've been planing our visit (10 days) for months, and now my wife has injured her ankle! The thing got as big as two softballs in less than an hour. X-rays say nothing broken. The MD says strained ligaments and for her to stay off of it for a while. We leave on July 1. I've heard that you can rent wheel chairs at WDW (how much??), but do you have to have 'documentation' of injury? How do wheel chairs work with the lines/queues? MORE importantly, how do I convince her to actually USE a wheel chair? I know she'll come around after it begins hurting and swelling, but I'd rather her not have to go through the pain. She just doesn't like calling attention to herself! We've been married for 23 years. You'd think I'd be able to convince her by now, wouldn't you?

 

[UrsulasMyHero]

We've been planing our visit (10 days) for months, and now my wife has injured her ankle! The thing got as big as two softballs in less than an hour. X-rays say nothing broken. The MD says strained ligaments and for her to stay off of it for a while. We leave on July 1. I've heard that you can rent wheel chairs at WDW (how much??), but do you have to have 'documentation' of injury? How do wheel chairs work with the lines/queues? MORE importantly, how do I convince her to actually USE a wheel chair? I know she'll come around after it begins hurting and swelling, but I'd rather her not have to go through the pain. She just doesn't like calling attention to herself! We've been married for 23 years. You'd think I'd be able to convince her by now, wouldn't you?

the poor ole gal. I hope she's ok. Having dealt with this recently here's my advice.

1. Please rent a wheelchair. it costs $8.00 and you'll get a receipt if your hopping. This will help your wife because frankly it's still going to be tender and swollen, and she won't feel like standing on it.

2. Get a pass from Guest Services in the park for wheel chair access, they let you go to the head of the line.

3. Remember to keep the foot elevated. You're going to be doing a lot of walking,riding, etc, she will still experience some pain... ice and rest are her best friends. Before your trip, invest in a "Bed Buddy" basically a long sock filled with rice, which you can heat or freeze, you can go to the food court and have them heat it for you. If you're in a room with a fridge, you can keep it cool. It will be much easier to cart around than an ice pack.

I wish her speed in healing.

 

[DancingBear]

If you're staying on-site, each resort has a limited number of wheelchairs (ask at the bell desk, or at check-in), for free, first come, first served, no need for medical documentation. The rental wheelchairs are only within the parks--you have to give them back as you leave. The resort chairs you can take anywhere. In the alternative, there are many services in the yellow pages that will rent you a chair for a week, including delivery.

 

[eeyore45]

Read the Disabilities area, most rides now are wheelchair accessable, thus not necessary for "front of the line access".

Definately rent a wheelchair, again, the Dis has a FAQ on wheelchairs! It would be a shame for her to miss out on such a trip, you may even be better off spending a little more and renting the Electric type scooters (ECV) but do practice (try a Target, walmart, etc) - that way no one will have to push her, just a thought!

 

[Belle1962]

I use an ECV for my trips.

Please tell your wife, that her body and disposition will begin to react to pain before she really notices it. Until I was 'forced" by my DH to use a wheelchair I wasn't really aware of how slow I was moving or how "moody" I was. I just wasn't enjoying myself as much because the underlying pain was there. Tell her to save her excitment & energy for things that matter like meeting or seeing her favorite character, riding the rides and enjoying the parks. The only hard part is shopping---it's easier on your feet so she should conserve her energy for that.

Also-- You do not need any type of special pass, as explained above--most of the lines are wheelchair accessible. The ones that are not will have a CM who will show you what to do/where to go. For instance, at Small World you go through the line until a certain point, then you are shown to another entrance by the CM. From experience, I can tell you that at rides where fastpass is implemented the CM's will tell you to obtain one. I have seen many disappointed/upset people who have been turned away from alternate entrances/fastpass lines when in a wheelchair and/or without a fastpass. Save yourself the disappointment of thinking you will get "front of the line access" and just plan to utilize fastpass where available and the regular lines which are mainstreamed access.

 

[leighmidd]

Bless her heart, I hope she gets to feeling better soon!

Definitely have her use the wheelchair. Disneyworld is all walking, walking, walking and with a sprained ankle that would be miserable, miserable, miserable. Tell her to get off her "I can do it" high-horse and to listen to you!! LOL!!

I hope you have a magical vacation!

P.S. Like other posters have commented, please don't expect to get to the front of the line just because someone in your party is in a wheelchair. I've seen too many people get upset and agitated over this when it's not necessary. Oh, and my SIL used one when her DH ran over her ankle with a shopping cart. "It was feeling better the next day, but we kept using it so that we wouldn't have to wait in line." It's that kind of abuse that makes the top of my head want to blow off!

Remind me to tell you, fellow Disers, the story of my SIL and her hydroplaning wheelchair. It's not to be missed!

 

[AngelEyes]

It may slow you down a bit, but I'm guessing your trip will be just as good as always! In fact, it may even be better. When my daughter broke her arm 3 days before one of our trips, we thought that the vacation was ruined. Boy were we wrong. The attention that got heaped on her from the characters and the CM's was amazing.
On a side note, you might want to tell her to wear something like flip flops. If she puts on lace up shoes, I'm guessing that by the end of the day when she takes them off, there will be more swelling. Of course, if she's in pain, I imagine she won't be wearing shoes, which means I've just wasted your time and mine. I say this from personal experience. I was playing in the state championship tourney in soccer when I was in High School, and rolled my ankle over in the semi-finals. I knew that when I took my cleat off my foot would swell up instantly, so I didn't take it off. I showered in it and slept in it, and played the next day. I just wish we would've won.
Good luck with the trip! I hope she gets to feeling better!

 

[exwdwcm]

wow, sorry to hear your luck.

My sister had ACL surgery just before our trip years ago. We rented a wheel chair everyday and had no problems. What was nice was our whole group of like 6 got to go with her for wheelchair access which often meant bypassing the line.

As for getting around the resort, she had her crutches and we drove a rental van, so we would pull up and pick her up from the curb and our room was near the parking lot. When parking at the parks- we would let the transportation CM in the parking lot know that we had someone on crutches and they would allow us to park up front in the handicap parking, so she wouldn't have to go so far on her crutches to get a wheelchair. it was really nice and the CMs were very accomodating.

 

[SueM in MN]

2. Get a pass from Guest Services in the park for wheel chair access, they let you go to the head of the line.

As was already mentioned, wheelchair users don't get to go to the head of the line.
Most rides/attractions and all Fastpass lines are what is called Mainstream Access, which means that the lines are wide enough to accomidate wheelchairs.

Click here to get to the disABILITIES FAQs thread that was mentioned by another poster. It has information about all the different ways to get wheelchairs and ecvs (parks, resorts and off-site rental). Post # 3 on that thread has a link to the WDW Official site Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities. From that, you can get a list of attractions with Mainstream Access.
Incidentally, if you are planning to rent a wheelchair in the parks, you will have a much shorter walk parking in the regular parking lot and boarding the parking lot tram. It will drop you off very close to the entrance trunstiles. You will always walk farther from the handicapped parking to the turnstiles than from the tram stop to the turnstiles.

 

[rascalmom]

I broke my ankle last October & was in a brace until earlier this month - one week before our trip. We were at WDW in March also - I used a rented ECV for both trips. I don't think I could have done it without it - please strongly encourage your wife to get a wheelchair or ECV. Again, please remember that this doesn't allow you to bypass lines, but with FastPass & some planning she should be able to keep off that sore ankle & have a great time.

 

[bairdbeth]

Hello, fellow Baird! I hurt my back last summer 2 weeks before our trip. My doctor told me I could only go to WDW if I rented an ECV. It was a blessing. I had little pain the whole trip and we had a great time. I did not get a guest assistance card and did park and walk some. Rent from off site so you are sure to have one everyday. After getting on the bus the first time, it was a breeze! Enjoy!

 

[jwbaird]

DUH! Thanks! I've never needed it before, so I didn't even see the Disabilities board. Thanks for all of the information and well wishes. I actually think DS13 tood care of everything for me last night when he said something like "you WILL get a wheel chair because you'll slow us down if you don't!" He was nice about it when he said it, but the point was made. Both of my little guys are 'commandos' in the parks. The oldest doesn't get to go this time (work) :-(

 

[RickinNYC]

ABSOLUTELY rent a wheelchair!

On our most recent trip last month, I had a bout of gout and was in a lot of pain for two days. Stubborn resolute me, I refused to rent a wheelchair for the same reasons your wife has. In hindsight, I wish I had because those two days, albeit fun, really drained me by mid afternoon. Not even talking about the pain aspect, all the shuffling and limping REALLY can tire you out.