Need Help-Traveling With Leg Cast

[CarolAnnC]

I have broken my leg and have a few questions as I will be traveling by plane over the coming weeks.

First off, when traveling by plane, if you take your own wheelchair, will they gate check it like a stroller? Am I better off using the airline's own wheelchair and then arranging for one at my destination?

When you are dropped off curbside with wheelchair (or waiting for airlines own chair) and carry on luggage, do skycaps immediately come and help? Or do you have to arrange this ahead of time? With the new security guidelines I am concerned about being stranded without anyone to help me. I will be traveling alone.

I currently cannot put any weight on the broken limb so I am using a walker for stability vs crutches which I was having trouble with. Can the walker be brought on board the plane and used there? Will they make me gate check that also?

Thanks for any tips and help you may be able to provide me with!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

You may be better off renting an ECV, as pushing a wheelchair can get very tiresome, especially if you are not used to it. Also it depends on the weight of the passenger and the condition of the pusher(s). Some information for off-site rentals are:

Here are the urls:

Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/

Walker Mobility:
1-888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

RANDY'S Mobility is in Kissimmee 407-892-4777
http://randysmobility.com/

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html

I have used Walker a few times. They will ask for a credit card and charge it the day before arrival. They will deliver the ECV to your hotel bell services before your arrival and pick it up there after your departure. Their rates, especially for longer than a week, are much better than Disney's. Also, their scooters are much better.

You don't say if you are renting a car or what. If you are using a car for getting around, the ECVs break down into five pieces, the heaviest about 39 pounds. They take about a minute or so to take apart and about two minutes (once you are used to it) to put it together.

Another suggestion is find out your state's requirements for a temporary disabled hang tag and get the paper work and have your doctor sign off on it. The tag will allow you to use any of the handicap parking areas (which will be a necessity). Also, with the policy of charging for valet parking, with a handicap hang tag the fees will be waived. Also the valets will usually volunteer to assist in loading/unloading an ECV. In Virginia I printed the required form from the DMV website. When I took the completed form to the DMV Office it took less than 15 minutes from the time I walked in until I had my tag.

If you arer in a cast, you might want to have the person who puts it on you draw a line with a marker where it will be sawn off. Then bring a "Sharpie" type marker pen with you and have the Characters sign the cast. Warn them when signing to not cross the line. After the cast is removed you will have an interesting souvenier.

You can use a bungee cord to help keep crutches or a folded up walker on the ECV or wheelchair. Usually it would be a short walk with the crutches from the wheelchair or EVC.

Good luck and let us know what finally happens.

 

[SueM in MN]

Sorry to hear about your broken leg. Ouch!
I can answer a few questions. You can gate check a wheelchair just like a stroller. I think that would be easier than counting on the airline to provide a wheelchair for you. I would worry the whole time that it would not be there (although, when we travel, we do usually see a lot of airline wheelchairs just sitting there waiting to be used). The nice thing about having your own wheelchair is that it will be available to you. If you use the airline one and then rent one from one of the rental companies, you will still have that "grey area" when you arrive at the resort and haven't goten the wheelchair yet.
The airlines also have what they call "aisle chairs" which are wheelchairs that are narrow enough to fit in the airplane aisle. You can use one of those to get into the airplane. Your walker can be brought on and put into one of the closets. It will probably be too wide to actually use in the aisles during the flight though. When my DD used a walker, we always brought it on as part of our carry on stuff. It should not count as part of your carry on allowance, since it is mobility equipment.
i'm sure you will get more advice. Good luck in your trip!

 

[teri]

Sorry to hear about your leg!

Another board member wrote that the taxi company that serves WDW (669 9999) has six or so wheelchair accesible vans in their taxi fleet, you won't have to transfer out of the wheelchair, if that is a problem for you.

Be sure to look at the tips in the disABILITIES FAQ!