Older parents, ECVs and waiting

[toodycat]

Hi, all. I tried to find the answer to my question via sticky, but I sort of only found bits of answers. Hopefully, you can help me.

My 75 year old parents are taking our whole family to WDW in September. Both my parents will have ECVs. My Dad has a weak heart and severe mobility issues. One leg is at a 90 degree angle from the other and he essentially doesn't walk and definitely can't climb stairs. He just kind of leans on things in between baby steps. If he walks more than 5 feet, he is short of breath and has to sit down. He refuses to use a cane or go to physical therapy. My mom's problem is arthritis in her knee and back; she walks with a cane when she walks and I think she will be OK waiting on lines for attractions.

So my questions are: 1. Should they both get GACs or just my dad? What documentation should they bring?
2. Can they wait on lines on their ECVs? My dad falls really easily when he stands.I understand that there are some attractions in which you have to stand to wait once admitted, such as Haunted Mansion. I don't know if my dad can do that. Is there a way he can sit as he waits?
3. Should he get an electric wheelchair instead of an ECV?

The irony is that Dad is really excited about this trip and thinks an ECV will solve all his problems because it worked so well for him on cruise ships. I know that this will be a different and more challenging environment for him. No doubt, some of you will write that he should get more medical attention. I know. I have tried taking him to the doctor repeatedly and talking to the doctors privately. I've also encouraged him to change doctors at times, but nothing worked. So given that set of circumstances, what do we need to do to let my father enjoy WDW without walking too far or waiting on line to the point where he goes into atrial fib or falls down? Many, many thanks.

 

[livndisney]

Hi, all. I tried to find the answer to my question via sticky, but I sort of only found bits of answers. Hopefully, you can help me.

My 75 year old parents are taking our whole family to WDW in September. Both my parents will have ECVs. My Dad has a weak heart and severe mobility issues. One leg is at a 90 degree angle from the other and he essentially doesn't walk and definitely can't climb stairs. He just kind of leans on things in between baby steps. If he walks more than 5 feet, he is short of breath and has to sit down. He refuses to use a cane or go to physical therapy. My mom's problem is arthritis in her knee and back; she walks with a cane when she walks and I think she will be OK waiting on lines for attractions.

So my questions are: 1. Should they both get GACs or just my dad? What documentation should they bring?
2. Can they wait on lines on their ECVs? My dad falls really easily when he stands.I understand that there are some attractions in which you have to stand to wait once admitted, such as Haunted Mansion. I don't know if my dad can do that. Is there a way he can sit as he waits?
3. Should he get an electric wheelchair instead of an ECV?

The irony is that Dad is really excited about this trip and thinks an ECV will solve all his problems because it worked so well for him on cruise ships. I know that this will be a different and more challenging environment for him. No doubt, some of you will write that he should get more medical attention. I know. I have tried taking him to the doctor repeatedly and talking to the doctors privately. I've also encouraged him to change doctors at times, but nothing worked. So given that set of circumstances, what do we need to do to let my father enjoy WDW without walking too far or waiting on line to the point where he goes into atrial fib or falls down? Many, many thanks.

If an ECV meets their needs, they do not need a GAC.

You should know that there is not a GAC for "not waiting in line". In order to avoid lines as much as possible you should consider a good touring plan and use of Fastpass. Most lines will handle ECVS. You m ay want to review the FAQ for info on the few that can't. You may also want to consider rides he may have a hard time getting into due to car configuration. Most will require him to leave the ECV and step down or over the side.

You should also know there is a First Aid located in each of the parks in case you need it. If he needs a "break" they have curtained areas with treatment beds.

 

[jworkkul]

Hi, all. I tried to find the answer to my question via sticky, but I sort of only found bits of answers. Hopefully, you can help me.

My 75 year old parents are taking our whole family to WDW in September. Both my parents will have ECVs. My Dad has a weak heart and severe mobility issues. One leg is at a 90 degree angle from the other and he essentially doesn't walk and definitely can't climb stairs. He just kind of leans on things in between baby steps. If he walks more than 5 feet, he is short of breath and has to sit down. He refuses to use a cane or go to physical therapy. My mom's problem is arthritis in her knee and back; she walks with a cane when she walks and I think she will be OK waiting on lines for attractions.

So my questions are: 1. Should they both get GACs or just my dad? What documentation should they bring?
2. Can they wait on lines on their ECVs? My dad falls really easily when he stands.I understand that there are some attractions in which you have to stand to wait once admitted, such as Haunted Mansion. I don't know if my dad can do that. Is there a way he can sit as he waits?
3. Should he get an electric wheelchair instead of an ECV?

The irony is that Dad is really excited about this trip and thinks an ECV will solve all his problems because it worked so well for him on cruise ships. I know that this will be a different and more challenging environment for him. No doubt, some of you will write that he should get more medical attention. I know. I have tried taking him to the doctor repeatedly and talking to the doctors privately. I've also encouraged him to change doctors at times, but nothing worked. So given that set of circumstances, what do we need to do to let my father enjoy WDW without walking too far or waiting on line to the point where he goes into atrial fib or falls down? Many, many thanks.

Definitely let them get ECV's. They can stay on them all the way to the ride, even at HM. On some rides, though, they may have to transfer to a regular wheelchair. I have ridden ECV's on cruises and at the parks and if they found that the cruise was "a piece of cake" then WDW will be better. Let them enjoy and stay on those ECV's.

 

[SteveMouse]

The lines for most rides will accommodate an ECV. There are several rides that require transfer to a manual wheelchair (provided at the ride) for either line use or, in some cases, for the ride itself, if the ride vehicle is designed to accommodate a wheelchair (IASM being one of them). PoTC, SM, Splash, and BTMR (among others) all require transfer to manual chairs for the queue AND also require you to transfer to a ride vehicle (these MK rides, along with Maelstrom in EP have, in my opinion, especially bad transfers for folks with bad knees/limited hip movement as you are stepping DOWN or OVER into the vehicle).

You do not have to stand at all for HM. Depending on the day, you may go through the stretching room in the ECV or sent around back (it also depends, I think, on a couple of other issues, but I don't want to spoil surprises).

 

[peemagg]

Just wanted to clarify that Splash, BTMR, and most other rides at MK, you do not have to transfer from your ECV to a wheelchair. You can ride right to the ride vehicle.

A ECV would be a good thing for them. They can keep the ECV's all the way to the vehicle and then transfer. Haunted Mansion, they can stop the moving walkway to make it easier to transfer. Just be sure to tell them you need it stopped. At Peter Pan and TTA, they can not stop the moving walkway.

 

[SueM in MN]

Just time for a quick reply before I go to bed on a part that was not answered yet.

You DO NOT want to rent power wheelchairs . They are much harder to learn to control because a single joystick controls speed, forward and backward direction plus turning all at the same time.
An ECV is much easier to learn how to use, especially if the person has used one before.
Most of the rental ompanies will only rent power wheelchairs to people who have used one before and know how to use it.

 

[toodycat]

Thanks, everyone! This is very helpful information. So, ECVs can be used to wait on line except in cases where you have to switch to a manual wheelchair which the attraction provides? I don't think he will be using any roller coasters because of his heart. Here's a list of what I think he will be interested in and what I think he can do, assuming he uses the ECV/manual wheelchair:
Pirates of the Caribbean
Jungle cruise
Mickey's Philharmagic
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
The Haunted Mansion
Hall of Presidents
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Small World
Country Bear Jamboree
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
Peter Pan's Flight
Liberty Square Riverboat

Please let me know if I am being too optimistic on this list or if you foresee any problems. It may take more than a day to cover that list, given his general condition and the potential length of lines.

Two more questions if you don't mind:
Does he need a GAC because of his heart disease? He has a defibrillator and can become short of breath very easily. When he gets stressed or has to walk too far, the defib goes off. This happened twice during our cruise to Alaska last summer.

We are going to be at WDW for 4 days and 3 nights. My Dad and Mom say they want to spend 3 out of 4 days in the parks. (They are going to rest after travel on the first day and we are going to Typhoon Lagoon.) MK is their priority park. I think they will also enjoy Epcot, especially since the attractions tend to be less physically challenging for the most part. But, do you think they would be better off at DSH or AK on the third day? Keep in mind that the Rock'n'Roll Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror, Expeition Everest, Kilamanjero Safari and Kali River Rapids would all be non-starters.

Again, many thanks!

 

[peemagg]

Peter Pan could be an issue, since they can't stop or slow the ride to let your father on. He has to move kind of fast to get on. Those rides or attractions that you can't use your ECV, will have a wheelchair to transfer to.

I agree that they would like Epcot and I think they would probably enjoy AK more than DHS, but you know your parents the best as far as likes and dislikes.

 

[SueM in MN]

Check out page 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread. There is one post for each park about rides that describes getting on. Those include things like steps in or difficulty with getting into ride cars. They also include which attractions require a switch from an ECV to a wheelchair for use in the line and attractions, like Small World, which have a wheelchair car. For those, he could ride the ECV thru the line, then switch to a wheelchair to use the accessible car to ride.

The attractions that require that do have wheelchairs available - you need to let the CM at the entrance know that he/they will need a wheelchair to use in line.
He will not need a GAC to do that, just needs to ask and just having a heart condition does not necessarily mean he needs a GAC. You can always go to Guest Relations later in the trip if you find specific things are difficult and see what they might be ableto do to help. The actual boarding of attractions would be no different with a GAC than just with an ECV or wheelchair.

For Pirates they would need to switch to wheelchairs to get to the boarding area because ECVs are not available. The boat is low and he would have to step down to the seat, then down to the floor to get in. based on your description, doing that would be quite difficult for him.
I would suggest riding Small World first. Even though the boats are quite different, the step in and out is similar. He could borrow a wheelchair to ride in, but the rest of you would have to step over the side and can judge the step. Small World wheelchair boat seats 6 plus one wheelchair.

Peter Pan would most likely be out for him. There is a moving walkway which can't be stopped or slowed. It is not that diffucult to get in, but the time to get in is very short and would be a huge challenge for someone with his mobility difficulties. With his other challenges, it would be quite stressful and the ride itself is short, not giving time to recover, so I would skip it. Getting out is the same challenge because the time to get out is short.

Jungle Cruise has a wheelchair accessible boat with a lift. The boat is large, so the rest of your party would be on the same boat. I would suggest switching to a wheelchair at the boarding area to use the accessible boat. The step in and out is a bit further than Pirates/Small World.

Winnie the Pooh and Buzz Lightyear have wheelchair cars with space for one wheelchair and a companion to ride in the same ride car. The lines are not ECV accessible, but he could switch to a wheelchair outside.

The Riverboat has a permanent ramp to get into th boat and will to be a problem getting in.
Every one has to get out and transfer for Haunted Mansion, but it is a level step in and not more difficult than getting in and out of the driver's side of a car. Wheelchairs and ECVs can be brought into the attraction and he can sit until boarding. ECVs can't be taken onto the moving walkway, but he could switch to a wheelchair if he can't do the distance from where the ECV is parked to the ride. Wheelchairs can be taken all the way in, actually to the ride car.

The other attractions your listed won't be a problem. They are not, in general, the high demand attractions, so should not have long lines/waits, especially if you are able to go to the park early in the day.

Another thing to consider is whether he would be better off with a wheelchair or an ECV. A wheelchair would mean someone has to push him and would give less independence but it would also mean less transfers. He could stay in the wheelchair for all attractions right to the point of boarding and could remain in it for those attractions with a wheelchair accessible ride car without needing to transfer. You may want to plan out your days so that he's using an ECV on the days with shows, where he won't need to transfer and a wheelchair on the days where transfer is required or he could ride in the wheelchair.
Each transfer takes a certain amount of energy in and out, so at the least, you want to plan your day so that he is not doing too many transfers in a row.

You also have to think about whether driving an ECV in a busy park would be stressful for him and whether he would have advance warning of the defib goes off. If he does, he could safely stop the ECV. IF he doesn't, he could get into situations that are unsafe for him and bystanders if he can't let go of the ECV throttle. With an ECV, you also need to think about what you will do if he is too fatigued to drive it anymore during your day. No one else can drive it for him while he is seated.

Regarding the question of Animal Kingdom vs The Studio, my vote would be for the Studio. AK can be very hot and most attractions are outside.
At the Studio, most of the attractions and most of the waits are inside where it will be out of the sun and be cooler. There are also things he would probably enjoy seeing because of is age. The main streets are themed to 1940s -50s Hollywood and most older people find the 1940s - to 50s architecture brings back memories. The Great Movie Ride is also nostalgic.

 

[toodycat]

Thanks so much! Pirates is one of his favorite attractions, but I don't think he has given much thought to how you board the boats. It may very well be too much for him. Ditto Peter Pan.

I thought my dad might require a GAC to stay out of the heat. As it is, I think it would be best for us to visit the parks in the a.m. and return my parents to the GF by early afternoon. Otherwise, the heat will be too much.

I haven't seen anything specific to people with defibrillators. Are there any attractions/transportation devices one can't use with a defibrillator? My dad is not good at advocating for himself in these situations. On one cruise, I could not get him to say that he required a manual security pat down.

Thanks again for your help. I think I am going to be a nervous wreck throughout this vacation, but this feedback is giving me a better idea of how to plan.

 

[SueM in MN]

For the attractions you mention, a GAC to stay out of the heat will not do anything more than using the ECV or wheelchair. If the line is in the heat, there is no nearby cooler spot to wait.
Your bigger problem will be the heat getting from place to place. Going early in the day, leaving, then possibly coming back in the evening when it is cooler will be most helpful. Using a touring plan will also help, even if you only use it to plan which days to go.

 

[tanyaandallie]

This is great information and exactly what I'm looking for with my mil!

I'm really bummed that they cannot stop the conveyor belt on Peter Pan. I think she would enjoy it but there is no way we would risk her recently broken hip with a moving conveyor belt. I'm also worried about Pirates. We will take the advise of Sue and check out small world first and see what she thinks about the step.

You guys are all awesome and so helpful!

 

[eternaldisneyfan]

I am sensitive to the heat also. I bought a shade for my wheelchair, brought instant ice packs, and a spray bottle with attached fan to help. Animal Kingdom's pavement is quite rough and bumpy and jostles you around in a wheelchair. Just something to keep in mind. Some rides have warnings posted about not riding if you have a heart condition but those are the roller coaster/thrill rides...Good luck & have fun!

 

[SueM in MN]

This is great information and exactly what I'm looking for with my mil!

I'm really bummed that they cannot stop the conveyor belt on Peter Pan. I think she would enjoy it but there is no way we would risk her recently broken hip with a moving conveyor belt. I'm also worried about Pirates. We will take the advise of Sue and check out small world first and see what she thinks about the step.

You guys are all awesome and so helpful!

There IS a possibility of stopping the moving walkways for riding Peter Pan the first ride of morning or the last ride at night. Cheshire Figment had discussed it with a supervisor in the area and was told this could possibly be arranged for.

The reason for only doing it first thing or last thing is that since guest are elevated (over London and Never Never Land - LOL) during most of the attraction, they don’t want any of the Peter Pan boats stopped in the air inside the attraction with people in them. By doing the first ride or last ride of the day, they can make the only occupied boat the one with the person who needs the attraction stopped and all the rest will be empty.

 

[Piper]

I am also very sensitive to heat. I wear a cooling vest--sunshade for ECV is a pain in the----. I also go early--go back to hotel and rest (I don't last long anyway) and then go back when it gets cooler. That is why I like staying at a WDW resort--I can just hop on a bus and go back to rest by myself. Everyone else can stay. Then I meet back up for dinner and continue having fun in the evening.

 

[toodycat]

I am sensitive to the heat also. I bought a shade for my wheelchair, brought instant ice packs, and a spray bottle with attached fan to help. Animal Kingdom's pavement is quite rough and bumpy and jostles you around in a wheelchair. Just something to keep in mind. Some rides have warnings posted about not riding if you have a heart condition but those are the roller coaster/thrill rides...Good luck & have fun!

Love the idea of a water/spray bottle! This way, I can make sure they are cool. I am sure my parents won't want to go on the roller coasters and thrill rides, so we are good there. I am thinking of devising a park plan for them and then posting it here to get all your feedback. Would that be OK? Thanks!

 

[loadsapixiedust]

There IS a possibility of stopping the moving walkways for riding Peter Pan the first ride of morning or the last ride at night. Cheshire Figment had discussed it with a supervisor in the area and was told this could possibly be arranged for.

The reason for only doing it first thing or last thing is that since guest are elevated (over London and Never Never Land - LOL) during most of the attraction, they don’t want any of the Peter Pan boats stopped in the air inside the attraction with people in them. By doing the first ride or last ride of the day, they can make the only occupied boat the one with the person who needs the attraction stopped and all the rest will be empty.

Wow! I learn something new every day here How would you go about arranging this? We have not been able to go on this ride in years.