Need advice on a wheelchair at the parks

[Allisdad]

Ok here's the situation my DW is going to have surgery on her foot the end of August. She will be walking by the time we go to Disney, but her doctor suggests she take it easy and maybe even use a wheel chair. My wife is very upset by this, first off she feels those should be used by people who need them (of course I told her that included her). Second she is afraid of what people will think if she is in it one day and then walking the next. Can you please help me assure her she is fine and can you give me any suggestions on what we should do (whelchair or ECV, what parks to use them in etc.). We have not been to the park in a long time and am unsure what to do. Thanks in advance for everyones help.

 

[mrsksomeday]

A disability can be temporary or permanent, it doesn't matter. If she needs the wheelchair to make her trip pleasurable she should get one.

Someone (I think it is Sue or Cheshire Figment) suggests finding a location that is about mile and ask the person to walk it and see how they feel, then do it about 4 more times because you can walk 4 or 5 miles in an average park day. If she can not do that comfortably then she needs a wheelchair or ECV.

Also, if someone is worried about whether your wife is in a chair one day and walking another then that person needs to get a life. This is your vacation, you will not see these people again and she should do what makes the trip comfortable for her. Yes, in all honesty you might get looks, but in the end those people don't matter, what matters is her NOT in pain, having fun with her family.

 

[KPeveler]

Remind her she is never going to see these people again - who cares what they think? I use a wc one day and not the next at home, where I see these people every day, and guess what - they dont care! Why would some strangers?

If she used the ECV she will be in line with everyone else the majority of the time... she will not be getting "special" treatment. in shows, she can even move to a regular seat, rather than stay in the scooter, so she is not taking up a wheelchair spot (i like when people do this when they can - when it causes no problems, since there are so many wheelchairs and scooters around these days)...

she will not be slowing anyone down, she will be helping by keeping up, she will not be in pain, and she will not be skipping lines or anything...

Just remind her of two things:

There is a difference between surviving a trip and enjoying it.
and...
It's the happiest freakin' place on earth, so pooh on what other people think!

 

[SueM in MN]

A disability can be temporary or permanent, it doesn't matter. If she needs the wheelchair to make her trip pleasurable she should get one.

Someone (I think it is Sue or Cheshire Figment) suggests finding a location that is about mile and ask the person to walk it and see how they feel, then do it about 4 more times because you can walk 4 or 5 miles in an average park day. If she can not do that comfortably then she needs a wheelchair or ECV.

It was me to start with, but a lot of other people have picked up on it - and that's great, if it helps convince someone they need to use a wheelchair or ECV.
Cheshire Figment has a great list of questions that basically boil down to if can answer "yes" to having problems with mobility and to wanting to have a good time without pain, you need one.

Also, if someone is worried about whether your wife is in a chair one day and walking another then that person needs to get a life. This is your vacation, you will not see these people again and she should do what makes the trip comfortable for her. Yes, in all honesty you might get looks, but in the end those people don't matter, what matters is her NOT in pain, having fun with her family.

There are people who will care, but like you said, those people need to get a life.
And, some of them will judge no matter what. I have had the experience of sitting on a bench in Epcot, next to my daughter, with her wheelchair sitting next to her. Some people stopped behind us and one said to the other, "There's one of those people who get a wheelchair just to get ahead in line."
He made the judgement based on seeing my daughter out of her wheelchair. He didn't bother to really look at her wheelchair to see that it was an obviously custom wheelchair with extra footstraps and a special seat.
All he saw was someone OUT of a wheelchair and decided that meant it was not needed. He also didn't see us lift her from the wheelchair to the bench since she can't stand by herself.
And, if he had followed us a while, he would have noticed that in most attractions we waited with everyone else in the same line.

So, follow the advice of the other posters here.
If you want information about renting, you can follow the link in my signature to the disABILITIES FAQs thread - post #2 has rental information.

 

[Allisdad]

Thanks so much, this really helps. I have been trying to tell her but I know it felt better to her to hear it from someone unbiased,