last minute tips for child in w/c

[tigger2on]

We leave on thursday the 5th and wanted to know if anyone had any last minute tips or advice for us......

Traveler - Me (disney nut and mom to 6yr old Ryleigh)
Grandma or my mom
Ryleigh - 6 yrs and non verbal/ non mobile

Hotel - 2 bedroom trio at Summerfield suites LBV

4 day park hopper passes
Tickets to MVMCP on dec. 10

 

[Talking Hands]

If it is warm and she is in shorts be sure to use sunscreen on the top of her legs. Florida sun can be bad even at this time of year.
Take your time and enjoy.
If you daughter has other needs like not being in the sun for long periods be sure to get a GAC.
Be sure to say hi of you see a lady in a power wheelchair with a lime green backpack since I will be there at the same time.
Be sure to take her to Festival of the Lion King. She will love it. And the castmembers take special note of kids with disablities. I saw Timon playing with a child in a wheelchair during the show last Sat. She may even end up in the show at the end when the kids join in.

 

[Michigan]

You will love MVMCP!!! When you first go in you will think oh no what have I got myself into because it will be wall to wall people on Mainstreet. Two years ago my oldest DD (uses a wheelchair) (10 years old at the time) went to MVMCP it was great. The wheelchair parade spots don't fill up because unlike during the day their aren't a lot of wheelchairs in the park and the CM's really monitor the sections. The CM told us to come back about 10 minutes before the parade and we should be fine I think their was only about 5 families in the area during the parade so it was no problem. We went to get our picture taken first and then went on Winnie the Pooh, no line and wheelchair car right their by the time we got up the ramp. The whole time we maybe waited the longest 5 minutes for a ride and that was Dumbo. After my DD made me sick spinning on the tea cups we rode through It's a Small World 4 times in a row since their was no one in line. Stayed on Buzz 3 times in a row before another wheelchair showed up. Whatever you do go on the Jungle Cruise after midnight it is a really different ride in the dark.

Go to the Night before Christmas show and don't miss the red and green fireworks.

By the time the second parade started we were by splash moutain no lines there either.

Have a great time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[SueOKW]

Does she have excellent hearing and poor eyesight? My son does, and he JUMPS at every live show since they are SO loud. Sometimes we bring earplugs.

Get a GAC.. take it slow. If she's like my son, waiting in line can be a nightmare - he can scream VERY loud! You may not be able to do everything - in fact, you won't. So accept that fact and enjoy being at WDW. It took me 3 years to learn to slow down and accept a new pace.

If she enjoys movement - and you can hold her steady enough - try Splash Mountain. My son loves it - - - we just hold him very close to avoid any potential neck injuries.

Got it?
1. Have Fun.. and to do that.......
2. Take it easy.
3. Relax.

Sue

ps - Jim Thome - eat my dust. Cleveland will get to the World Series before Phily EVER will.

 

[SueM in MN]

You got a lot of really good hints already. I'll just explain a little about the GAC that SueOKW mentioned.
It stands for Guest Assistance Card and is a way to quickly tell CMs what sort of assistance you might need (besides just having things be wheelchair accessible). Things like, a quiet place to wait out of crowds, a place to wait out of the sun, etc. You can request a GAC at Guest Assistance at any of the parks. The card will be valid at any of the parks for the entire length of your stay and is usually issued for the person with a disability plus up to 5 memebrs of their party.
If your child needs to rest for a while, First Aid is great. They have little cubicles with a cot, a chair and a table. A lot easier than going all the way back to your resort if you just need a little recharging.

A 6 year old is still small enough to take out of her wheelchair to put her on rides and hold her. Enjoy that while you can - she will get big soon enough. One other thing, for most of the rides that have moving walkways to get on, the CMs can slow or even stop the ride. The exception is Peter Pan - that one can't be stopped.