May need a wheel chair.

[DisneyOma]

Unless something has radically changed in the past few weeks, every park has loaner wheelchairs for use between the bus stops and the wheelchair/stroller/ECV rental place in the park. They are visible at the bus stops.

And in the rare occasion when, at the end of the day, we went to return our rental wheelchair and all the loaners were out, we were invited to just take our rental wheelchair to the bus stop and leave it there.

So you are saying that the return for in park wheelchair rental is close enough to the outside of the park that you could see that no loaner chairs were there? I thought the corral for those were outside of the gates, and the rental place was inside? Or are you just talking about renting at the TTC? Can you describe where the courtesy parking lot wheelchair corrals are? They aren't marked on Google Maps, from what I can see, except for the one at MK right before the underpass at the TTC.

 

[k5xs]

What I am saying is when we were returning a rented wheelchair at the end of a park visit, we would be offered the use of a loaner wheelchair to take out to the bus stop. We would turn in the rental chair and be given a loaner. The loaners were distinctive so as not to be confused with rental chairs.

Loaners are kept at the rental spot inside the parks, and they accumulate in corrals at the park bus stops (and a few at the MK and EPCOT monorail stations) as people leave them when boarding a bus or the monorail.

In the rare instance when all the loaner wheelchairs had already been taken out to the bus stops (none remained for issue) we were told "Sorry. We are out of loaners. Just keep your rental wheelchair, use it to get to the bus stop/monorail/SlyLiner, and leave it there."

 

[lanejudy]

I suffer from plantar fasciitis and it times it flairs up. If that should happen will I be able to get a wheelchair. I do not want a scooter because I have never used one. Will I need a doctor’s prescription? Can I rent them daily at the park but if I need to rent it weekly will I be able to ride the bus. If so do I stay on the wheelchair? Not sure if this the correct forum to post this. Thank you .

You can rent daily in the parks. No reservations. Daily rental is $12/day, and there is a slight savings ($10) for doing a "length of stay" rental (pay upfront for x days). Please be aware that there have been reports recently of in-park rentals running out (yes, wheelchairs) so have a plan b if you can't get one immediately.

ECVs are $50/day plus a refundable deposit. Recent reports have ECVs sold-out during pre-opening or shortly after.

An offsite rental will be less expensive and provide you with use of the wheelchair (or ECV) back to your room and around the resort. There are "loaners" at the parks to/from parking lots and bus stops, but often these are gone or in poor condition.

You may use all WDW transportation with either a wheelchair or ECV.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

What I am saying is when we were returning a rented wheelchair at the end of a park visit, we would be offered the use of a loaner wheelchair to take out to the bus stop. We would turn in the rental chair and be given a loaner. The loaners were distinctive so as not to be confused with rental chairs.

Loaners are kept at the rental spot inside the parks, and they accumulate in corrals at the park bus stops (and a few at the MK and EPCOT monorail stations) as people leave them when boarding a bus or the monorail.

In the rare instance when all the loaner wheelchairs had already been taken out to the bus stops (none remained for issue) we were told "Sorry. We are out of loaners. Just keep your rental wheelchair, use it to get to the bus stop/monorail/SlyLiner, and leave it there."

You keep addressing leaving the park at the end of the day. What I'm asking is what do you do when you get to the park and there are no loaners in the corals wherever you were dropped off? I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen wheelchairs in the corals at bus stops during the day. And I've gone to Disney 5, 6 times a year for the last 10 years. For week at a time. So not a few days. If getting in the park is a potential issue one should plan for something else.

 

[k5xs]

T

You keep addressing leaving the park at the end of the day. What I'm asking is what do you do when you get to the park and there are no loaners in the corals wherever you were dropped off? I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen wheelchairs in the corals at bus stops during the day. And I've gone to Disney 5, 6 times a year for the last 10 years. For week at a time. So not a few days. If getting in the park is a potential issue one should plan for something else.

Your experience differs from ours. We’ve been doing 6 times a year give or take since 2004. We have rarely NOT found a chair at the bus stops.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

T

Your experience differs from ours. We’ve been doing 6 times a year give or take since 2004. We have rarely NOT found a chair at the bus stops.

May have a lot to do with when you get to the parks. We are not rope droppers (getting up early on vacation is torture) Mid mornings, they are rare. Figure they got taken upon arrival and not many have left the parks yet

 

[lockets]

I rented a ecv from gold mobility scooters on last trip having never driven an ecv in my life. I was worried I wouldn’t know how to drive it, but it ended up to be super easy to maneuver. They showed up at the resort with it and they give a quick lesson on how everything works and how to drive it. When you drive it back to your room that’s pretty much all the practice you need.

The buses have ramps so you drive right up the ramp and parallel park it within the bus. All the drivers know exactly how to direct you to park it on the bus. After the first time on the bus - all the other times were easy. Also if you prefer they will park it for you as there’s a neutral setting where they can push it without having to sit in it or handle it much. If you’re taking bus with it, it’s better not to have the rear basket on it. That can be removed and left in room or just skip that option when ordering.

The ECVs from the outside vendors are easier to drive and cheaper than the ones in the parks. The ones in the parks have four wheels and are larger and harder to maneuver. I was very happy w my decision!

 

[Eastern]

My friend had difficulty pushing her husband in a wheelchair at Disney. Like others have said, you do not realize how many hills there are: pushing an adult is work. She said AK was the worst for hills.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

My friend had difficulty pushing her husband in a wheelchair at Disney. Like others have said, you do not realize how many hills there are: pushing an adult is work. She said AK was the worst for hills.

I've watched too many miserable faces pushing wheelchairs around. When I needed something in December following my knee replacement I didn't even give a wheelchair a 2nd thought, even though I was with a group of 4. No way would I want anyone to push me around. ECV was the way to go.

I'm not sure why anyone goes with the wheelchair rentals other than they ran out of ECV maybe?

 

[Eastern]

I've watched too many miserable faces pushing wheelchairs around. When I needed something in December following my knee replacement I didn't even give a wheelchair a 2nd thought, even though I was with a group of 4. No way would I want anyone to push me around. ECV was the way to go.

I'm not sure why anyone goes with the wheelchair rentals other than they ran out of ECV maybe?

I think that #1 they underestimate the work required to push an adult (and the hills) and #2 they are afraid to drive the ECV. Getting on and off the buses looks like it requires a special license.

 

[BrightMorningStar]

I am sorry to read about your PF. I get that sometimes. Mine is exacerbated by Tibial Tendonitis. Get the wheelchair. It may slow down the speed of movement, but it will be worth saving your foot!

 

[PurplePigment]

I've watched too many miserable faces pushing wheelchairs around. When I needed something in December following my knee replacement I didn't even give a wheelchair a 2nd thought, even though I was with a group of 4. No way would I want anyone to push me around. ECV was the way to go.

I'm not sure why anyone goes with the wheelchair rentals other than they ran out of ECV maybe?

My family 100% prefers the wheelchair for our disabled family member. We find that trying to pilot the ECV (or even her own motorized wheelchair brought from home) is just too much of a pain in the neck in crowds. Plus, we can all typically walk faster than the ECV, even while pushing a wheelchair.

Another major but very situation specific upside to the wheelchair for us is that the family member is disabled by left side weakness, so her one hand is useless. The controls are workable one handed, but any time she needs to do anything like get the hair out of her face or cough she comes to a halt and that's not good when people are behind you.

 

[k5xs]

I've watched too many miserable faces pushing wheelchairs around. When I needed something in December following my knee replacement I didn't even give a wheelchair a 2nd thought, even though I was with a group of 4. No way would I want anyone to push me around. ECV was the way to go.

I'm not sure why anyone goes with the wheelchair rentals other than they ran out of ECV maybe?

We prefer a wheelchair for several reasons, among them that a wheelchair is for us far easier to maneuver.

 

[jo-jo]

Add me to the wheelchairs aren't as bad as people say group. My DH has used one for several years . I've pushed him 60 -70 % of the time overall. Hills , he would walk for sure. I can push him faster than he can walk even with a wheelchair to hold on to. BUT this year, his health is worst , his weight is up and I'm a year older, we are getting a ECV. But there might be a few times I will need to push him in a wheelchair at a ride. At long as it's not uphill (looking at you FOP fastpass lane), I'll be ok.

 

[MinnieMSue]

Just pushed my dad in a wheelchair all over MK Epcot and Studios and wow it was a workout. Especially Epcot with all those hills!. I never noticed the loaner wheelchairs sitting around but our wheelchairs from scooterbug must have looked like them because every single bus driver when we were leaving the park questioned me if those were loaner wheelchairs. I was confused the first time as to what they were asking but figured out they thought I was trying to take the loaner chairs to our hotel. I still never saw the loaner chairs around but also never looked as I was busy. Also the scooterbug chairs were just fine. They were clearly older but the wheels were well inflated and the seats comfortable. I did get a 4inch thick 18x16 cushion for my dad to sit on. Otherwise he never would have been able to stand up without help.

 

[peabody58]

Our wheelchair experience in Jan at the Poly:

After a day at MK, DW stressed her Achilles tendon and was in a lot of pain. We had Epcot planned for the next day. Called bell services and they said come down and we'll check our 'orphan' lot. Apparently they find wheelchairs all over the property and gather them up to be used again. They had 6 wheelchairs available - for free they said. I picked one that had a pole on it as opposed to a normal wheelchair. Found out later these types with poles are complimentary and only for use to and from the parks, not in the park.

When we got to Epcot we were directed to the Wheelchair/ECV rental location. Had to swap the complimentary pole wheelchair out for a $12/day park rental chair. At the end of the day when we went to return the wheelchair, they no longer had any complimentary chairs to get us back to the resort. They let us take the Epcot Wheelchair to get to the resort. The next morning we checked out of the resort, and bell services took the wheelchair back to the 'orphan' staging area.

Aside from having to push my DW around (good exercise) for a day, it worked out well. Used the wheelchair in the morning to help bring our cooler and stuff out to the car. For $12 it was like an ILLs ticket!

 

[ppony]

Keep in mind too, your upper body strength. Will you be able to wheel yourself or will someone with you have to push you? Both are exhausting, particularly if you’re not used to it. I’m WAY too heavy to do either, so a scooters was the right choice for me until I bought my own power chair.

 

[MrsPete]

I hear what you're saying about the possibility of needing a wheelchair, and maybe it will come to that -- but I have plantar fasciitis too, and I vote for doing all you can do to avoid the wheelchair. This is a condition that you can control; that is, you can greatly reduce the likelihood of needing to use a wheelchair.

I've been suffering with plantar fasciitis for over 15 years, and through help from the orthopedist and trial-and-error, I have developed a set of "rules" that keep me from "flare ups". I can hike all day, stand up in my classroom all day -- no problems. As long as I wear the right shoes. The last time I had any trouble was the day of my daughter's wedding (5 years ago?) when I really over it with walking and borderline-inappropriate shoes.

My self-imposed rules:
- When I was first diagnosed and had serious pain, the doctor gave me a shot of cortizone in each foot -- that hurt, but the next day my pain was gone. He told me that was necessary to get rid of the current problem, but he said that if I "followed the rules" I would not experience more "flare ups". This has proven true; I've never needed a second shot of cortizone.
- I have custom orthopedic inserts made. They are hard -- they're about support, not cushioning. They're expensive, but I've been using the same pair maybe 8 years, and they're still in great condition. They work great; they slide into little slip-on tennis shoes, loafers, boots, and lots of other shoes.
- I have plantar fasciitis socks (purchased from Amazon) -- they're short, black and toe-less. They hug the middle of my foot tight and really feel good. I'd think they'd be good for the hotel room after a day of walking at Disney, if your plantar fasciitis isn't quite under control. If you order them, note that they're sold as singles -- but I have problems with my two feet equally.
- I do wear sandals that don't work with my inserts, but they must be "just right" ... no deviations whatsoever: The heel must be "cupped" a bit -- no flat-flat sandals, and that wipes out a lot of choices. A strong arch support is absolutely necessary. If the sandal is a flip-flop style, the straps must be wide and must come up close to the ankle (cannot stop near the toe). Least importantly, the heel needs to be "raised" just a bit -- 1/2" is enough. Heels are fine, as long as they have all the necessary features.
- Name brands that work for me are Chacos (for sandals) and Vionics (for dressy shoes -- but sizes are weird; don't order online until you know what works for you). But if I could have only one pair of sandals for my plantar fasciitis, it'd be my Sketchers Reggae sandals; my daughter calls them my "ugly sandals", but she was constantly wearing them -- so much that I bought her a pair for her birthday.
- I got rid of ALL my shoes that were bad for my plantar fasciitis -- it broke my heart, but I can't-can't-can't wear them, even just for an evening out or even just to church. That my two daughters wear the same size and wanted most of my shoes took away some of the emotional pain, and I bought a bunch of new shoes that work with my condition. Seriously, wearing the right shoes is Job 1 to help plantar fasciitis; if you cheat on the right shoes, you'll never get past this problem.

Things that work for some people but didn't help me:
- Stretching and icing my foot. My orthopedist pushed this, but the relief was mild and brief. Wearing the right shoes was about 1000Xs more helpful.
- A big over-shoe (provided by my orthopedist) that stretched my toe towards my knee. At first he had me wearing it an hour a day (couldn't walk with the shoe), but it didn't seem to help.
- Never going barefoot. I am almost always barefoot (or in sock feet) in my own house. I understand this really sets off some people's problems, but it doesn't seem to bother me.
- Never lying on the sofa with feet hanging over the edge "with toes pointed". Apparently this really sets off some people's plantar fasciitis, but since this is not one of my habits, not a problem for me.

In closing, I strongly suggest that you put effort into avoiding "flare ups", while having the information on wheelchairs as a back-up plan.

 

[courtney1188]

My husband rented a wheelchair and pushed me around Hollywood Studios last trip for this exact reason - plantar fasciitis flare up had me in horrendous pain where I couldn’t enjoy myself at all. I was doing my stretched, icing, and had a whole podiatrist-recommended regimen to follow, but it wasn’t enough. (I’m glad the right shoes helped the person above me, but I literally wear nothing but Vionics, Brooks, and Hokas - my feet still hurt by the end of a day teaching and kill me at Disney.) Next time I won’t let the pain get so bad before I agree to the wheelchair! We just went to the place at the park entrance that rents them - that part was easy.

 

[LeftyG]

Gold Mobility is the way to go. I rented a scooter for a torn ankle tendon. I wear a brace now and can walk some but not all day at the parks. They show you how to operate it. It’s easy. The hardest part is dodging people who aren’t paying attention or looking at Genie on their phones. The crowds are horrible right now so even walking can be a challenge.