OK I'm Stupid, Suggestions, Please?

[travelitis]

The main question is if I should go to Guest Services and ask for a GAC, or do you think my plan (go to last para) will take care of my needs. I don't mind asking for my kid who takes chemo for JA, but when it's me ...

First, if I could, I'd cancel this trip, but by the time I realized the situation, I was facing 100% penalty. I have no excuse for this error. I simply forgot the proximity of the 4th to my surgery. I made reservations at SOG for July 4th thinking only that I wanted to do something special with my dd. Dh is deployed and was gone last 4th, and the boys are gone every 4th. I had surgery on my left leg, and the 4th is 10 days post surgery. I called my doctor, and here's my situation. I can walk, but it can't be fast or aerobic. I have to sit frequently and rest to avoid swelling, and I have to wear compression hose in the blazing heat (I call these suckers my Mrs. Doubtfires). They said I'm still healing, and I am still at risk for a blood clot, so I must be very careful not to walk or stand too much. Rides are OK, though.

I can't do an ECV and tour alone with my dd. She's the size of an average 6 yr. old, so you can imagine us staying together in a crowd or her trying to walk beside the ECV. I am planning to break the day into 2 short stints in the parks taking the afternoon off for swim and sleep. I am also making a list of activities that get me off my feet that we would enjoy (i.e. Belle's Storytime, COP, TTA). If it weren't a holiday, I'd be confident FP would solve it. I'm afraid they'll be gone or be so many hours away for return time that they're useless. I really need to budget my time on my feet and slow my pace. Again, I wish I could just cancel, but I'm not willing to forfeit the money.

THE PLAN - 4th- 3 hr. drive to WDW- Go to AK during day to do safari, Pocahontas, Flights of Wonder, and Primeval Whirl. Go to hotel to swim and sleep. Go to Epcot in PM for fireworks and EMH. (I admit I'd prefer watching MK fireworks) 5th - go to MK (arriving about 11:00, because we'll be up late on the 4th) If I'm in rough shape then ask for GAC.

 

[videogal1]

Did you get trip insurance? They should cover your costs if you have to cancel for a medical condition....some plans even cover pre-existing medical conditions...But you have to have gotten the insurance...some don't bother... Hope you did...

 

[taximomfor4]

Wow, I don't even know what to tell you! I would certainly be more worried about the 3 hour drive than the stand/ride/stand/ride of WDW, if you are still in the post-op clot risk category!! Be careful on that drive, stop and walk every hour!!

About the GAC, my mom had to finally break down and get an ECV for her leg. The first day, we walked slowly and stopped at many benches to give her leg a break. The second day, she was very upset and embarassed, but got an ECV. It was the only way she could do a couple of hours in the park. You just sound like you are in the same situation that she was in. There wasn't anything a GAC could do, the accomodation made for mobility or stamina issues is wheelchair or ECV rental. Mom just used the ECV to get TO the rides, then got out and stood in line. We were at our hotels very early in the evenings, and to the parks early to get fastpasses. Sometimes the lines without FP were too long so we chose other attractions to do.

Eek, good luck working something out! I THINK Wdw will let you postpone your trip if you explain the situation, as sad as that thought is! They may do it without penalty if you are just rescheduling. Whatever you end up doing, I wish you a speedy recovery, and thank your dh for his service!

 

[travelitis]

No, this is Shades of Green, the military resort on Disney property, so there's no cancelling for ANY reason within 30 days without losing your money. There's no travel insurance. It's only a 2 day stay, and I have AP's. We are going even if I can't spend much time in the parks.

I definitely will have to skip most attractions that don't offer FP, and I'm trying to make a plan that will help me avoid peak times for attractions as well as heading to some that aren't as popular (TTA). What I need is a cane that has a folding seat or some sort of portable seat.

My doctor wasn't worried about the drive, but I can't make it without 2 potty stops anyway. lol! The clot risk for me is higher if I'm on my feet too much or if I get aerobic, per my vascular surgeon. I know they'll sometimes do a GAC to let you use the handicapped access if you have mobility issues but would like to walk, and I should probably just ask for that. If I had my dh with me, I'd be in a wheelchair for this one. I still can't believe I didn't even think about this when I booked. It must have been the pain meds (I needed more b4 surgery than after) or the euphoria of finding unexpected availability at that resort that made me lose my common sense.

 

[Schmeck]

I'd be nervous to go without another adult, in case an emergency arose. What if, God forbid, you did get a blood clot? Who would be there to help, your 6 yr old? Would you want to put that kind of responsibility and pressure on her? Is there another adult you could ask to go with you?

 

[dclfun]

Using a GAC for an alternate entrance really isn't that helpful because there are very few attractions that use an alternate entrance and this portion of the queue line may be at the end of a long line anyway ( the area that a w/c would be pulled out to avoid stairs, for one example). Except for some of the older attractions at MK most w/c's go through the regular queue. I think your plan to do some walking and then an indoor attraction where you can rest is a good plan. As long as you have AP's and don't plan to do a park marathon then I'd look at it is a nice relaxing "recovering" trip with your daughter and focus more on the resort, pools, and just doing a few favorite attractions. Good luck and I hope you heal quickly!---Kathy

 

[SueM in MN]

I agree with those who wrote that a GAC may not be too helpful in this situation. Many attractions have Mainstream Access, so using the wheelchair accessible line in those attractions means using the regular line. If you do decide to ask about a GAC, think about what your needs are and what accomidations might help you. They may say that they really don't have anything for the types of needs you are having (other than a GAC that would allow you to avoid stairs).

Some people have used those can/seats in the past. No one has posted recently, so I don't know if people have had any problem with using them or not. One caution with those would be that, depending on where the seat hits you, it may cut off your blood flow a bit because the seat part is rather small.

Your best bet might be to go as early in the morning as you can, get Fastpasses for something in the area and go on some attraction that doesn't have a long line. Even when it's busy, there are things you can see early in the morning with a short wait.

Each park has an Information stand marked on the park maps. The CMs there have been helpful to us in the past to know which attractions would be busy when.

My final suggestion would be to make this a 'slow down and smell the flowers' trip. Do things you would not ordinarily do - like go to World Showcase and let your DD do all the Kidcot stations, watch the street performers, get a WS passport and stop in each WS country for a stamp and have the CM write something in your DD's passport. Some of those types of things don't require waiting and you can stop or move on at your own speed.