Need some advice about walking/ standing/ waiting

[alligatorfriend]

I am in my 20s but I have some pretty major back and neck issues. I am going to Disney soon. I have a Parkhopper pass. I don't want to rent a wheelchair or an ECV.

What are some tips to minimize the amount of walking done?
I get in a lot of pain if I either stand too long or sit too long. I have to keep squiggling and moving.
Is there anyway to get a guest assistance pass so I can sit down instead of stand when I wait in line? That way I can sit when I need to and stand when I need to.
Do you have anymore recommendations? I'm pretty worried about this but I am tired of letting this pain hold me back.

 

[anonymousegirl]

I'm not an expert on the GAC, but standard Disney policy for guests with mobility or stamina issues is to recommend a ECV or wheelchair. I am not sure attractions have places to "sit" to wait.
What tires me is all the walking. The distances are huge at WDW. I have been considering using an ECV next time to handle the miles so I can then wait in the lines.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Walt Disney World's strong recommendation for mobility or stamina issues is to rent a wheelchair or ECV. There are rarely places to sit while waiting for the attractions. There are a very few benches in the waiting areas for a very few of the shows. They can't provide you with what doesn't exist.

Let's see... places where you may be able to sit and wait for the ride or attraction:
There's a bench or two outside Carousel of Progress
There are some benches in the waiting area for Hall of Presidents
There may be some benches in the preshow area for Country Bear Jamboree
There may be some benches in the preshow area of Mickey's PhilharMagic
Nowhere to sit and wait: Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, Tomorrowland Transit Authority (line moves quickly), Cinderella's Golden Carroussel, Mad Hatter's TeaCups, Winnie the Pooh, Snow White, Peter Pan, Small World, Haunted Mansion, Liberty Belle, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Tiki Birds, Aladdin, Jungle Cruise.
-
There's a bench to wait for wheelchair access at Spaceship Earth.
There's one or two benches in Ellen's Energy Adventure.
Plenty of benches to wait for the movie in China.
A few benches in the American Adventure
I don't recall France or Canada
Nowhere to sit and wait for Test Track, Mission: Space, the 3D movie in the Imagination Pavilion, Journey into Imagination (seldom busy), Circle of Life, Living with the Land, Soarin' (1/4 mile from entrance to boarding), Nemo, Turtle Talk with Crush, Three Caballeros, the boat ride in Norway (name escaping me at the moment).
The China and Canada movies are in the round, NO seats in the theaters.
-
Nowhere to sit and wait at any of the Animal Kingdom attractions, from what I remember - disclaimer: I'm really tired and may be forgetting something, but the attraction lines move constantly, and I don't remember any seating while waiting for the shows, either. Just lines.
-
Nowhere to sit and wait for Little Mermaid, Tower of Terror, Rock 'N Roller Coaster, Toy Story Midway Mania, Backstage Tour, Lights! Motors! Action!, Star Tours, Indiana Jones, American Idol, Sounds Dangerous (no need - never busy, if it's even still open), Great Movie Ride. There are or may be benches in the self-guided One Man's Dream, and the semi-self-guided(?) Animation Tour.

 

[peemagg]

I think what would work best for you is a rollator. It is a walker with wheels and it has a seat on it. This would probably be the only thing close to what would help you other than a wheelchair.

 

[alligatorfriend]

Walt Disney World's strong recommendation for mobility or stamina issues is to rent a wheelchair or ECV. There are rarely places to sit while waiting for the attractions. There are a very few benches in the waiting areas for a very few of the shows. They can't provide you with what doesn't exist.

Let's see... places where you may be able to sit and wait for the ride or attraction:
There's a bench or two outside Carousel of Progress
There are some benches in the waiting area for Hall of Presidents
There may be some benches in the preshow area for Country Bear Jamboree
There may be some benches in the preshow area of Mickey's PhilharMagic
Nowhere to sit and wait: Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, Tomorrowland Transit Authority (line moves quickly), Cinderella's Golden Carroussel, Mad Hatter's TeaCups, Winnie the Pooh, Snow White, Peter Pan, Small World, Haunted Mansion, Liberty Belle, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Tiki Birds, Aladdin, Jungle Cruise.
-
There's a bench to wait for wheelchair access at Spaceship Earth.
There's one or two benches in Ellen's Energy Adventure.
Plenty of benches to wait for the movie in China.
A few benches in the American Adventure
I don't recall France or Canada
Nowhere to sit and wait for Test Track, Mission: Space, the 3D movie in the Imagination Pavilion, Journey into Imagination (seldom busy), Circle of Life, Living with the Land, Soarin' (1/4 mile from entrance to boarding), Nemo, Turtle Talk with Crush, Three Caballeros, the boat ride in Norway (name escaping me at the moment).
The China and Canada movies are in the round, NO seats in the theaters.
-
Nowhere to sit and wait at any of the Animal Kingdom attractions, from what I remember - disclaimer: I'm really tired and may be forgetting something, but the attraction lines move constantly, and I don't remember any seating while waiting for the shows, either. Just lines.
-
Nowhere to sit and wait for Little Mermaid, Tower of Terror, Rock 'N Roller Coaster, Toy Story Midway Mania, Backstage Tour, Lights! Motors! Action!, Star Tours, Indiana Jones, American Idol, Sounds Dangerous (no need - never busy, if it's even still open), Great Movie Ride. There are or may be benches in the self-guided One Man's Dream, and the semi-self-guided(?) Animation Tour.

Thanks that really helps me with some planning. I m going to print out this list.
Do you think Disney will have a list of where they have benches to rest so I can do some of my planning around that?

 

[wcjoey43]

seems like disney dosnt have st rules on that

 

[peemagg]

There are benches outside of the Canadian show, but once you get in there it is standing only unless you bring your own seat. I believe this is the way it is in most of the different countries shows. They have rails to lean against, but nowhere to sit.

 

[livndisney]

I am in my 20s but I have some pretty major back and neck issues. I am going to Disney soon. I have a Parkhopper pass. I don't want to rent a wheelchair or an ECV.

What are some tips to minimize the amount of walking done?
I get in a lot of pain if I either stand too long or sit too long. I have to keep squiggling and moving.
Is there anyway to get a guest assistance pass so I can sit down instead of stand when I wait in line? That way I can sit when I need to and stand when I need to.
Do you have anymore recommendations? I'm pretty worried about this but I am tired of letting this pain hold me back.

There is not a GAC for a place to sit. WDW's answer would be rent a wheelchair or ECV.

As far as cutting down on the walking, make a plan of what you want to see and map it out so you are not walking across the park.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

I agree the rollator may be your best option. Once you're in the queue, there isn't a place to sit more often that not. I would advise you not to even rely on a bench being around, particularly if you're going during a busy season. The likelyhood is they'll probably be taken, and people aren't always going to want to give up their seat, even if its marked "for use by handicap or disabled people". Be smart with your planning, have a backup in place.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The official policy for any mobility and/or stamina related problem is the rental of an ECV or wheelchair. Most people at WDW tend to walk 8-12 miles during a day. Once around the World Showcase Lagoon Promenade is almost 1½ miles.

At least two attractions, Soarin' and Safari, have the entrance queue about ¼ mile long with no seating, and the exit distance is about the same. And most queues are mainstreamed without alternate entances.

Please ask yourself the following questions. Here are the suggested answers to go with them.

1. Are you disabled (even temporarily)? Yes.

2. Do the people you are traveling with, such as your family, know you are disabled? Yes.

3. Do you expect to meet anyone you know during this trip who may not know you are disabled. Probably No!

4. Do you expect to meet a bunch of people who you will probably never meet again in your life? Probably yes!

5. Is there any reason at all that you should care what these people think about you? Absolutely No!!

6. Will using a wheelchair or ECV make for a better vacation for you and your family? Absolutely YES!

 

[KPeveler]

You should definitely look into a rollator or wheelchair or ECV. There is no GAC to allow you to sit in line, and a GAC would not help you with buses, restaurants, character lines, shows, parades, fireworks, stores, anything at the resorts or DTD, etc. A GAC only helps with attractions, which is a small part of everything you do at Disney!

Something to beware of with the benches at Disney is that they are VERY popular, and they do not often have backs to them. THis means you would have to be comfortable sitting upright on a narrow metal bench (about 10 inches wide) for up to 35 minutes for a show (these are what the benches are like in Fantasmic). As someone with back and neck problems, I can tell you I have NO hope of sitting on backless benches. Also, if you want a bench you can see a parade from, you should plan to wait up to 2 hours early, depending on the season.

You may want to look into getting an ECV for the trip, if only because the benches and seats provided in attractions may be very bad for you, and you may have to fight to get access to benches elsewhere.

 

[cm8]

I think what would work best for you is a rollator. It is a walker with wheels and it has a seat on it. This would probably be the only thing close to what would help you other than a wheelchair.

You took the words out of my post!,, I too use a rollator for the park when we are staying late and it has been a really great thing to have. I could not imagine not having it when waiting in the lines. It is also great to have for the parades!

 

[Disneymom1218]

I have Chronic back pain and arthritis in both hips. last year I finally broke down and gave into my pride and got a GAC( the woman in guest services said what everyone else said, that if you have mobility issues to rent a wheelchair or ECV) I also broke down after not being able to walk the second day there and got a rental scooter from an off site company. I will never do Disney again with out one. I am so happy I did it, I am kicking myself for being so stubborn. I found Apple scooters to be very cheap but the Customer service was exemplary. I will always use them.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks that really helps me with some planning. I m going to print out this list.
Do you think Disney will have a list of where they have benches to rest so I can do some of my planning around that?

Disney does not have a list and even if they did, there would be no guarantee that the benches would be empty when you got to the attraction.

As was pointed out, most don’t have a place to sit unless you bring the seat in with you.

There are benches outside of the Canadian show, but once you get in there it is standing only unless you bring your own seat. I believe this is the way it is in most of the different countries shows. They have rails to lean against, but nowhere to sit.

There are a few benches in the waiting area for the Canadian show, but as you mentioned, the actual show has no seats. It is a 360 movie with screens all around the circular room. There are lean rails, but no seats.
It is the same in the movie in China - although there are plenty of benches in the waiting area, the show has lean rails, but no seats.
This is a picture of the lean rails in the China movie.

THe movie in France is in a theater with comfortable, padded seats.
The attraction in America also has comfortable theater seats. There are some pictures in the EPCOT FAQs thread showing some of the Epcot attractions.

As was already pointed out, many of the shows have bench seats. This is a picture of the bench seats that KPeveler mentioned are found in Fantasmic.

Benches in Turtle Talk theater at the Seas in Epcot.

Benches at Finding Nemo theater at Animal Kingdom.

Also in post #3 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread, there are links to several past threads which discuss attractions where guests need to stand for a period of time with no place to sit.

 

[alligatorfriend]

Thanks for all of the advice. I thought really hard and carefully, and here is what I decided.

The ECV would be a great idea, except for the fact that I can't sit or stand too long. So I'd need to be out of it about half the time, and that would be a huge burden.

I was talking about the rollator when my friend mentioned someone he works with has a small packable chair, like the Byer of Maine Tri-Lite Stool- I'm too new to post links so I can't show you it. It folds up to 3X4X17.5 so my bf could carry it around in a backpack and its only 1.5 lbs. Would Disney allow something like this? He says it sets up really fast. It has no back support but its better than nothing. He also said there may be some with backs we might be able to find. I saw a cane with a chair attached, but my shoulder wouldn't be too happy about that. I'm falling apart, but that's okay cuz I'm going to Disney World!

Let me know what you think/ know.

 

[dclfun]

If you are going with your boyfriend, why not rent a manual chair? This way he could push you until you need to walk and then you could use it for support. I have a friend who had a double knee replacement and this is what worked best for her. She also didn't want an ECV as she got stiff if she sat for too long but would never have made it walking all day in the parks. I think the distances you'll be walking will be really tough even if you do have the seat for the lines. The other issue with the lines is that they're usually moving so you won't have enough time to sit.---Kathy

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks for all of the advice. I thought really hard and carefully, and here is what I decided.

The ECV would be a great idea, except for the fact that I can't sit or stand too long. So I'd need to be out of it about half the time, and that would be a huge burden.

I was talking about the rollator when my friend mentioned someone he works with has a small packable chair, like the Byer of Maine Tri-Lite Stool- I'm too new to post links so I can't show you it. It folds up to 3X4X17.5 so my bf could carry it around in a backpack and its only 1.5 lbs. Would Disney allow something like this? He says it sets up really fast. It has no back support but its better than nothing. He also said there may be some with backs we might be able to find. I saw a cane with a chair attached, but my shoulder wouldn't be too happy about that. I'm falling apart, but that's okay cuz I'm going to Disney World!

Let me know what you think/ know.

Here’s a link to the Amazon listing for that stool.

That one is very small, so you could carry it in a backpack, but I am fairly certain they would not allow you to unfold and use it. I do know some people have posted they were able to bring in the canes with fold down seats attached and others were told they could not.
A lot depends on whether the cane is being used as a cane.

This is what it says on the Disney website about items which are not allowed into the parks (my bold):
Q. Are there any personal items I should not bring with me into the Theme Parks?
A. Items that you may not bring into the Theme Parks include, but are not limited to:

* Items with wheels, such as wagons, skateboards, scooters, inline skates, shoes with built-in wheels, two-wheeled or three-wheeled conveyances, strollers larger than 36" x 52", suitcases, coolers, or backpacks with or without wheels larger than 24" long x 15" wide x 18" high (coolers required for medication may be stored in a locker or at Guest Relations), and any trailer-like object that is pushed or towed by an ECV wheelchair or stroller
* Alcoholic beverages
* Weapons of any kind
* Folding chairs
* Glass containers (excluding baby food jars and perfume bottles)
* Pets (unless they are service animals)
* In Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park (for the safety of the wildlife), balloons, straws and drink lids are not permitted.

And a link to the place on the Disney website where this info is from.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

You may want to think about avoiding some of the longer shows or rides, particular because you say you can't sit for too long. Granted I don't know how long your "long" is, I'm just thinking of Universe of Energy specifically. I'm sure there's something somewhere that'll tell you approx. how long the rides and shows run.

 

[kaytieeldr]

A. Items that you may not bring into the Theme Parks include, but are not limited to:
* Folding chairs

The other problem, even if the OP could bring a cane with a seat, is the lines are pretty much constantly moving. There wouldn't be an opportunity to sit.

You may want to think about avoiding some of the longer shows or rides, particular because you say you can't sit for too long. Granted I don't know how long your "long" is, I'm just thinking of Universe of Energy specifically. I'm sure there's something somewhere that'll tell you approx. how long the rides and shows run.

There is - The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. It also tells you how long your wait will be per 100 people ahead of you in line. That's an excellent point, by the way. EEA may be about thirty minutes of sitting; and if any Guest were to stand up during the attraction, even in discomfort, the entire ride would come to a grinding halt. Ditto, possibly, for Carousel of Progress. There are others, but it's the middle of the night and I'm only 35% awake

 

[Janell]

I have a bad back, have a hard time staying in any one position for even a small amount of time. I am always moving, standing, siting, leaning, what ever.

ECV are great in helping you get around. What I do, is I use the ecv to get me to and from the parks, to the different lands, but then park the ecv with in a land and walk it. It will leave you stand in que, which may not work for you. Not sure.

Also check out the shoes called MBT. They have really helped me and my back. They are pricey, but if you order on line, they are cheaper(because you are buying last year style or color) They really do help, when doing a lot of walking and standing. It does take awhile to get use to them, so order early and break them in.

Another thing that has helped me is not having a park hopper ticket. Why? We go early in the morning, do the things we want to do, gather fast passes. Then in the afternoon, we rest. Either at our hotel or a neighboring hotel. Then in the evening when line could be long, we have fast passes. If you park hop, you may not have fast passes. Which means more standing in lines.