Newbie questions

[Zeora]

Hi,

Apologies in advance for being a silly newbie! I grew up going to Disneyland a lot but I have only been to WDW once, two years ago with my husband. It's so much more complicated and I still don't understand a lot yet! The last few park visits I've needed a wheelchair (I have a collapsible one) but I am fortunate enough to be able to walk short distances. On our first WDW visit we had a travel agent arrange everything, but there were some parts that really were hard on me so I'm trying to take a more active role in planning this time around, which is why I'm here asking for advice.

I think I've got a handle on most of the basic stuff (hydration, sunblock, etc) and I learned a few things the hard way last time (like, I need to customize my chair... we nearly made off with someone else's by mistake once after a show because it was exactly the same type and color as mine! Luckily we didn't actually take the wrong one but I felt awful...). But I have at least one big problem that I really don't know what to do about, namely where to stay.

Last time we were at Coronado Springs and it was terrible. Not that the resort itself was bad per se but we were literally as far from the main building as you could get, and on the one night I was without my husband to push me I ended up having to beg a ride from the maintenance staff on their cart to get back to my room after dinner because I just couldn't handle the walk. From my research it looks like the Polynesian would be really convenient to the parks and would require much less walking if we should need to split up again at all, but I don't know if we can afford it for our entire stay. Are there any other WDW resorts that I should consider that would be good for keeping the distances down between, say, rooms and food, and/or bus stops? If I ask for a building that's closer will they honor the request?

I also have a question that's a more minor issue, but it was bothering me just the same. Every time I've been at either park with my chair, I've gotten comments from park staff of the "must be nice not to walk all day" type. It was in-park, so I assume not some kind of third-party employee thing, but I don't know enough about the way Disney employment works to know if maybe staff of merchandise booths somehow don't have the same training as other positions or something. I know no harm was intended and it was supposed to be funny, but actually such statements are very hurtful and I've been trying to think of a good way to communicate this problem if/when it happens again. (I don't expect other guests to avoid saying such things, although it would be nice - especially since my disability is invisible and clearly I can and do get up on occasion. But the fact that it was coming from Disney employees was upsetting me.) The thing is, I don't want to get them in trouble or anything by reporting them to a supervisor - I just want them to understand that really, being in a wheelchair is not something to be envied, and jokes like that can be a real downer on one's day. Have any of you ever run into this before?

Thanks for putting up with my rambling. I can't even say how excited I am about going back to WDW - I didn't think it would happen and even though nothing has been booked yet I am so much happier just by being in the planning phase!

 

[Eeyore5]

Hi,
I also have a question that's a more minor issue, but it was bothering me just the same. Every time I've been at either park with my chair, I've gotten comments from park staff of the "must be nice not to walk all day" type. It was in-park, so I assume not some kind of third-party employee thing, but I don't know enough about the way Disney employment works to know if maybe staff of merchandise booths somehow don't have the same training as other positions or something. I know no harm was intended and it was supposed to be funny, but actually such statements are very hurtful and I've been trying to think of a good way to communicate this problem if/when it happens again. (I don't expect other guests to avoid saying such things, although it would be nice - especially since my disability is invisible and clearly I can and do get up on occasion. But the fact that it was coming from Disney employees was upsetting me.) The thing is, I don't want to get them in trouble or anything by reporting them to a supervisor - I just want them to understand that really, being in a wheelchair is not something to be envied, and jokes like that can be a real downer on one's day. Have any of you ever run into this before?

Thanks for putting up with my rambling. I can't even say how excited I am about going back to WDW - I didn't think it would happen and even though nothing has been booked yet I am so much happier just by being in the planning phase!

Even though I know they are well intended, I have never liked those comments either. I replied with something along the lines of I wish I could walk all day and am thankful since I can't I have this option.

Come up with a few good responces that aren't rude but make you feel better. Here are a few I though of.

Must be nice to be able to walk all day

No, I get tired of the view. Think about what is at my eye level

Maybe others will come up with some other good responses. I also have had fun coming up with things I could say but won't because I am too polite. Some of them might get me banned if I posted them so I won't.

 

[M5ward]

My husband has had to use an ECV at WDW the last few times we vacationed there. We have also had the "must be a nice way to travel" kind of comment several times, usually from other vacationers. Our comeback is always along the lines of "would really prefer luxury of walking" which has a tendency to make the other person rethink their comments. My husband has a definite "fragile" look so his disability isn't necessarily an invisible one..at least not to me.

 

[memakwed]

I know you said you stayed at CSR before so I was thinking in the moderate category you may like POFQ. It is a smaller closer resort that is recently refurbished. There is only one main pool and there isn' a sit down restaurant but it isn't a spread out resort like POR or CBR. We looked into it before because we have walking issues in our family as well. We thought it was a nice choice but ultimately our little boy needs a quiet pool so we are staying at POR instead.

You can request certain building but it is only a request but being a medical necessity it is more likely to be honored. this is what I have been told as well as read. We too put in specific building requests to cut down on walking to buses/food and in the past have always been honored sinceourquest was medically based.


We have also stayed in a accessible room at the WL and that was great. It had a roll in shower from what I remember and was right on the first floor. Everything is in one building. It is not on the monorail though so it is still buses. There is a boat to MK.

 

[anne thomas]

Hi,



I also have a question that's a more minor issue, but it was bothering me just the same. Every time I've been at either park with my chair, I've gotten comments from park staff of the "must be nice not to walk all day" type.

When I find myself in that situation I smile really big

and say "It is" :

 

[KPeveler]

Even though I know they are well intended, I have never liked those comments either. I replied with something along the lines of I wish I could walk all day and am thankful since I can't I have this option.

Come up with a few good responces that aren't rude but make you feel better. Here are a few I though of.

Must be nice to be able to walk all day

No, I get tired of the view. Think about what is at my eye level

Maybe others will come up with some other good responses. I also have had fun coming up with things I could say but won't because I am too polite. Some of them might get me banned if I posted them so I won't.

Oh I have said some rude ones before - generally ones that give the person TMI about my medical needs... When they tell me how lucky I am, I sometimes respond with "You know what else is great? Loss of bladder control!" (not to be crude, but I figure if they are minding my business, I only have to be so polite!!)

I have also just said - What part of saying "You are lucky to be in a wheelchair" sounds like a good idea???

Don't worry about what other people say. If the CMs get to you, ask for their lead or report them in City Hall. It seems like such a small thing, but it really does make a difference - CMs get raises and promotion based on guest comments!

 

[peemagg]

I think in your situation, that POFQ would be a great resort for you. We stayed there once (before becoming DVC members) and love how the resort was so small and quaint. We stayed in building 4 and we were close to everything. I think it would be a easy roll to anything in this resort.

Give it a try.

 

[Piper]

I love POFQ also. I have stayed there once with family and twice solo. It is very easy to get around and the boat to DTD is a big perk!

 

[Zeora]

Thanks guys! I will definitely investigate POFQ since it is so well recommended. I'd never been in a "resort" style accommodation before - I'm used to hotels that are all one building, so I had no idea what I was getting into last time. This will be a big help so I don't find myself stranded on the wrong side of an enormous lagoon again! (If we can manage it for our budget, I might see if we can switch to the Polynesian for the later part of the stay. We'll be more tired out by then so the convenience factor - for my husband too, not just me - will be a bigger deal...)

 

[minnie mum]

I think your idea of going to POFQ is a good one. If for some reason it is unavailable, don't totally rule out the other larger mods. We have made room requests based on medical requirements at POR and CBR and have had them granted. We were able to have ground floor rooms close to the bus and reasonably close to the main buildings.

And if you do a stay at Poly, you'll want to make a room request there too. Some of the buildings are quite a distance from the Great Ceremonial House where the restaurants and monorail are located.

 

[Eeyore5]

I stayed at POFQ and loved it. I also stayed at an accessible cabin at fort wilderness. If I had to choose, I would do the cabin again. It had more room (there was two of us using ECVs). The extra space helped as did not having neighbors sharing a wall. I found it was nice and quiet. POFQ wasn't bad, just normal hotel noise.

 

[Zeora]

I think I've definitely decided to stay at POFQ for most if not all of the trip. Given all the amazing restaurants and proximity to Epcot I may try and swing Boardwalk if we can for a bit near the end, since the Poly is just out of our reach. Thanks to everyone for the help!

 

[Buckimion]

I sometimes respond with "You know what else is great? Loss of bladder control!"

I had someone argue as to why I needed a HA stall. I pulled out an unopened catheter and said "guess where this tube goes".

 

[peemagg]

I had someone argue as to why I needed a HA stall. I pulled out an unopened catheter and said "guess where this tube goes".

I bet the look on their face was priceless! Did you offer to show them how it works?

 

[Trekkie]

I would say that if you're looking for easy logistics, (and if Poly isn't out of your price range) then Contemporary is going to be really tough to beat.

You can specify a room in the tower when you book the room. (And you can specify whether it faces the MK, or Bay Lake.) Unless you're in their "garden wing", then everything's in one building.

First time I took Mom there was at Christmas, and most of the trip, it was too cold for her to leave the hotel. (Mom gets cold really easily. She can handle 65 if it's sunny and no wind.) And if you have reservations (tough to get: Book early) or if you pick the right time, you can eat with Mickey Mouse without even leaving the building.

If you do decide to visit MK, then the monorail comes into the building. There's nice shopping in the building, too.

Get a room with MK view, and you even have a very good view of the fireworks from your room. (If you don't have a room with an MK view, then there's an observation deck, outdoors, on the end of the building. With seating.)

To me, Contemporary isn't as "fantasy" as some places like WL or Poly. but if your criteria is "how close is the restaurant", I don't think you're going to beat it.

 

[Buckimion]

I bet the look on their face was priceless! Did you offer to show them how it works?

No, I think I embarrassed them enough. I had parked my ECV outside the stall while I was busy and it was another ECV user who questioned why I was occupying it just as they needed it. If they sought to shame me for using a HA stall they failed.

The GP is bad enough but when we start to get self-righteous on each other...

 

[lilwhiterabbit]

No, I get tired of the view. Think about what is at my eye level

That was always my favorite response to those sort of comments. Something along the lines of, "It's not a lot of fun to see nothing but a sea of butts no matter where you look."

 

[Zeora]

I would say that if you're looking for easy logistics, (and if Poly isn't out of your price range) then Contemporary is going to be really tough to beat.

Sadly all of the monorail resorts really are out of our price range, especially for one of the more conveniently-located rooms. When I called for information one of the Disney resort info guys even dissuaded me from considering the Contemporary because the more affordable rooms were farther away from transportation and suchlike. (I was thinking about trying to make it work for part of the stay, but really we don't have the budget for it. Which means I can use the monorail reduction to tell myself "Well see, I didn't want to stay there anyway!" )

My husband and I are actually more interested in Epcot than MK (we were hopelessly addicted to the Food Showcase - I'm sorry, World Showcase - last time we were there) so right now it's looking like if we manage to find room in the budget to splurge on a closer resort, the Boardwalk might actually be the way to go. And if not, all indications are that POFQ should be a pretty good option for us.

 

[LisaBi]

If you would want to consider the values, the Toy Story (preferred) rooms at All Star Movies are close. I like CSR when without my son, but with him it is ASMo everytime- he likes to stay at the "Buzz and Woody hotel". Like OP, he needs the chair for the distances at the park, but can do shorter walks. I always pay for a preferred room, then even ask for a room on the side of the building closest to the main building. They can't guarantee that, but we usually are able to get the "closer" half of the building. That way we are close enough we don't have to take the chair if we are just going to food court or arcade.

I can't wait for the day he is old enough (developmentally) that maybe he can operate a scooter. Pushing him in the parks is getting near impossible! Especially the ramp at Space Mountain.

 

[Trekkie]

Sadly all of the monorail resorts really are out of our price range, especially for one of the more conveniently-located rooms. When I called for information one of the Disney resort info guys even dissuaded me from considering the Contemporary because the more affordable rooms were farther away from transportation and suchlike. (I was thinking about trying to make it work for part of the stay, but really we don't have the budget for it. Which means I can use the monorail reduction to tell myself "Well see, I didn't want to stay there anyway!" )

Just pointing out that, if you're considering Contemporary rooms that aren't in the tower, (the "Garden wing" rooms) then all that means is that your room will be in the building next door.

Your trip from your room, to the monorail station (or to, say, Chef Mickey's), will consist if going down a corridor for 100 yds or so, taking an elevator to the ground floor (if you aren't already on the ground floor. 1/3 chance that you're already there.), walking maybe 200 yds to get to the main building (outdoors, but on a sidewalk, under a roof), then into the lobby and elevator to the 4th floor.

Not quite as convenient as being in the same building. You won't be able to step out the door of your room and see Chef Mickey's. But still, it's probably one of the easiest "hikes" you're going to find.

I'd also observe that if you want to try to stay in BLT, then it's also a case of "building next door to Contemporary". Only difference is that the walkway between buildings is on the 4th floor, instead of ground level.

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Still, if it's out of the price range, then that's that.