Overwhelmed, uncertain and considering cancelling.

[jippity]

People shouldn't be hunched over these...they are more for steadying people than supporting them. The link was a good one...pushing one of those looks like a great idea, kind of like bringing your own personal portable bench with you. You can take a break whenever you like!

Where there is a will, there is a way! You will get the best advice on this board...noone at WDW will be as informative. Understand it is a big, spread out place. Once you are in the park, the GAC kicks in. The CM won't look at any sort of Dr's note, so it really isn't necessary or even usefull. Just go to guest services, explain to them your disabilities, what you can/cannot handle, and they will provide the appropriate pass.

thanks. when I think of when I've seen these used I can only think of people I've seen who are almost doubled over. that could easily just be their disability, and this is the best aid for supporting them though. so certainly worth checking out and trying out for myself.

 

[jippity]

I'd totally recomment Disneyland Paris to those with disabilities though.. it has all manner of transportation to get around! the train stops at every land, cutting the travel *to* each area. plus there are horse and cart rides and car rides fantasyland. plus a hotel (seemingly no more expensive than WDW moderate resorts) right at the gates. coping without all of that is somewhat freaking me out.

my partner thinks, being as we've promised my 5 year old, we should go and I might have to accept that *my* holiday is staying in a hotel, enjoying the pool and eating in restaurants that we can drive to. wish I could take my bunny rabbits! They're excellent company when I'm left behind.

but yes, to anyone else in a similar predicament to me, I'd recommend considering DLRP instead.

 

[dansamy]

thanks. when I think of when I've seen these used I can only think of people I've seen who are almost doubled over. that could easily just be their disability, and this is the best aid for supporting them though. so certainly worth checking out and trying out for myself.

I really strongly recommend a rollator. My grandmother, uncle & cousin all had/have an inherited ataxia. My uncle & cousin both used rollators before they became non ambulatory.

 

[jippity]

I really strongly recommend a rollator. My grandmother, uncle & cousin all had/have an inherited ataxia. My uncle & cousin both used rollators before they became non ambulatory.

I think I'll rent one next week for a couple of days and see how I get on. thanks for the advice.

 

[jippity]

*sigh* I wish I could use a scooter. it'd be no problem then.

 

[dansamy]

I think I'll rent one next week for a couple of days and see how I get on. thanks for the advice.

Is your ataxia a genetic disorder? My family has a SCA type 1. Each affected individual has symptom onset at an earlier age than the previous generation. My cousin chose to be sterilized at 18 in order to not pass this on to her children.

 

[jippity]

Is your ataxia a genetic disorder? My family has a SCA type 1. Each affected individual has symptom onset at an earlier age than the previous generation. My cousin chose to be sterilized at 18 in order to not pass this on to her children.

no, it's brain damage/still being monitored for MS. The neuro "cautiously" diagnosed it as damage from a (very severe) underactive thyroid being undiagnosed until I was at the point of almost coma. but added a disclaimer that as there were some small plaques on my brain scan he couldn't completely rule out MS. Either way, it causes me trouble and I had to hand over my driving license (hence ruling out a scooter).

What a brave decision your cousin made. I have chosen not to have any more kids in case of MS (i was perfectly healthy pre-pregnancy) but can't quite bring myself to get sterilized.

does your cousin long for kids or has she made total peace with the decision?

 

[WheeledTraveler]

Another option from the rollator would be to rent a manual wheelchair and push it when walking. The seat will be far more comfortable and have more back support. Also, I don't know if your husband would be able to push you through flat, smooth queues, but it would give you that option. If you rent a wheelchair (or rollator) from an outside vendor, then you'll have it for waiting in bus queues and you could consider then taking WDW transportation, especially to the Magic Kingdom where that will get you much closer than driving will (plus it's cheaper).

I was misdiagnosed with ME/CFS (in the US it's called CFS/CFIDS and most people won't have any clue what you mean when you say ME) for a while and was an international member of AYME for a very short time (just to give you a sense of where I'm coming from with my advice). Several of my symptoms are similar to yours. I'd say it really is going to come down to what you mean by "short distances" for walking. If you're constantly limited to the 50m limit that's been around for DLA higher rate mobility, you're going to have problems. There are quite a few rides and shows where the queue is longer than that (probably the majority). The queues are also moving often enough that there isn't really time to sit, settle, get up move, and repeat. A 50m limit is also short enough that you could potentially have problems getting around some of the resorts.

If you do find that you end up going, but not being able to do much outside your resort, there are things to do around the resorts. If you can swim at all, there are pools. Most have good food so you could always go get some food and people watch. The majority of my holidays involve my hanging out in the hotel I'm staying in so I have loads of sympathy. I'm really good at watching tv and eating takeaway in places where most people go to museums, etc. (The holidays where I don't live in my hotel usually involve staying with friends, many of whom I met through AYME, so we just stay in their flats and watch tv and eat takeaway ) If you find that you can get into the parks enough to find a spot to park, WDW definitely is a good people-watching spot.

I know these don't directly relate to your questions, but two tips:

1) Bring your blue badge for parking. I can't remember what the exact deal is, but it will help with parking in a closer part of the car park.

2) The First Aid centers in each park can be used if you need to lie down for a rest and aren't up to (or don't want to) go all the way out to your resort.

 

[karice2]

no, it's brain damage/still being monitored for MS. The neuro "cautiously" diagnosed it as damage from a (very severe) underactive thyroid being undiagnosed until I was at the point of almost coma. but added a disclaimer that as there were some small plaques on my brain scan he couldn't completely rule out MS. Either way, it causes me trouble and I had to hand over my driving license (hence ruling out a scooter).

What a brave decision your cousin made. I have chosen not to have any more kids in case of MS (i was perfectly healthy pre-pregnancy) but can't quite bring myself to get sterilized.

does your cousin long for kids or has she made total peace with the decision?

I have been reading your post and hope that I can add some hope. My dad had a heart attack and a stroke 3 weeks apart in January. We were in Disney in November.

Not saying that your issues are not difficult but I would like to offer some help. Dad has stamina issues and some balance issues as well. (Heart only works at 13%). Stroke left him with some leg pain and weakness issues. He also has paralysis in his right arm so he worked a scooter with only one arm and did remarkably well. He actually felt great being able to keep up with us and often left us behind because he wasn't trying to tax himself. We rented scooter from external company so that we didn't have to try to make it to gates to get one, we showed up at park with it so drove it from lot to door.

Before we left, we practiced the scooter for months at several big box stores so that he could feel comfortable. We also got some advice from his occupational therpist. She recommended that he not even try to ride scooter because he was still suffering issues in his brain from stroke. We were diligent and he managed to operate one perfectly.

We plotted lots of stuff that was kind of close as well. Downtown Disney movie theater and a show at House of Blues. We did dinner at Victoria and Alberts and he got to choose some other stuff that he really wanted to do and we made it happen.

We also found that boat was a little better than Monorail for Magic Kingdom since the climb wasnt as steep.

 

[dansamy]

She's made peace. It was a very brave decision.

 

[disney david]

As a pp bring your blue badge with you si you can get free valet parking at any Disney owned resort so that will might help because your be closer to the front so hopefully it will shorten your walking and help.

 

[livndisney]

As a pp bring your blue badge with you si you can get free valet parking at any Disney owned resort. So you could drive to contempory park their in valet for free and then walk to mk no need for bus/monorail/ferry. Then at any other park let the cm know directing where cars should park you have a handicap placard. I know you have a blue badge some cms might not know what that is. And at dtd and other places just park where it says handicap parking put the badge in front and your all set.

Considering the Op mentioned only being able to walk short distances- parking at the CONT may not be the best course of action. The walk from the CONT to MK is much farther than using the buses, or boats.

OP if you want to park at the CONT, you should know there is a monorail station at the CONT. You would need to park and walk into the CONT-then use the escalator/elevators to get to the monorail.

 

[disney david]

Considering the Op mentioned only being able to walk short distances- parking at the CONT may not be the best course of action. The walk from the CONT to MK is much farther than using the buses, or boats.

OP if you want to park at the CONT, you should know there is a monorail station at the CONT. You would need to park and walk into the CONT-then use the escalator/elevators to get to the monorail.

i only suggested the contempory because she didn't seem like she wanted to take the monorail your right it might be to far for her to walk then she can park at the ttc and take ferry or monorail.

 

[tobikaye]

... then she can park at the ttc and take ferry or monorail.

Just do not park in the handicap section if walking is an issue for anyone in the party not in an ECV/wheelchair.

When I have parked in the handicap section with my sister, she was using an EVC. If she had been using her walker, she would have been wiped out before making it to TTC. If she had been using her wheelchair, I would not have made it as I would have had to push her. The walk is long and dips down and back up under a road and can be steep. I figure if we use her wheelchair or rollator, we will park in regular parking and I will just lift her chair or rollator in the tram like people do with strollers.

 

[disney david]

Just do not park in the handicap section if walking is an issue for anyone in the party not in an ECV/wheelchair.

When I have parked in the handicap section with my sister, she was using an EVC. If she had been using her walker, she would have been wiped out before making it to TTC. If she had been using her wheelchair, I would not have made it as I would have had to push her. The walk is long and dips down and back up under a road and can be steep. I figure if we use her wheelchair or rollator, we will park in regular parking and I will just lift her chair or rollator in the tram like people do with strollers.

Your right she can take he tran if she not using a ecv she will still be better asking for medical parking and parking at the end of the row. So she won't have to park down the row then have to walk to the tram. For the other parks it be better to park in handicap if their spots left.

 

[ireland_nicole]

The parking is really only an issue at magic kingdom- a the other three parks its very convenient right out front. OP I think your idea of renting a wheelchair or rollator to carry your stuff and to steady you a d be a convenient seat is a really good one. Another thing we do is to plan shows and meals during the heat of day. For us we find that going first thing is helpful because it is cooler and less crowded. Then we try to do a table service lunch and then go back to the hotel for the afternoon- we return if we are up to it in the evening. I think if you go with the expectation of enjoying the atmosphere and taking things as they come listening to your body's needs that you can have an enjoyable holiday- honest!

 

[janiebubble]

I'd totally recomment Disneyland Paris to those with disabilities though.. it has all manner of transportation to get around! the train stops at every land, cutting the travel *to* each area. plus there are horse and cart rides and car rides fantasyland. plus a hotel (seemingly no more expensive than WDW moderate resorts) right at the gates. coping without all of that is somewhat freaking me out.

my partner thinks, being as we've promised my 5 year old, we should go and I might have to accept that *my* holiday is staying in a hotel, enjoying the pool and eating in restaurants that we can drive to. wish I could take my bunny rabbits! They're excellent company when I'm left behind.

but yes, to anyone else in a similar predicament to me, I'd recommend considering DLRP instead.

The set up at the Magic Kingdom is exactly the same as at Disneyland Paris, there is a train around the perimeter of the park with stops in Frontierland and new Fanstasyland (which doesn't get used quite as much as a 'ride' as it does in Paris, so the queues are usually shorter). There are methods of transportation up Main St just like in Paris and there are benches and seats you can sit on. The only main difference you'll see is there aren't the arcades up the sides of Main St which can provide places to sit as there are in Paris. If you want to be able to access the Magic Kingdom easily (like you can from the Disneyland Hotel in Paris) you would need to stay in one of the three 'Monorail' hotels - the Grand Floridian, Contemporary or Polynesian. These are the most expensive hotels and you might therefore want to split your stay and maybe stay there for one or two nights whilst you visit the Magic Kingdom (there is no doubt that the Magic Kingdom is far more of a trek to visit than any of the other parks).

If you've managed to get around in Disneyland Paris you can do it in WDW, you will need to pace yourself and consider how much you can do in one day but it is do-able - Epcot probably has the most walking to just get from attraction to attraction, but if you spent one day in Future World and saved World Showcase for another day you might find that easier.

I've got lots of experience of both Paris and WDW so if you need me to draw some comparisons between the two resorts just let me know

 

[bedogged]

Isn't there someone you could invite, perhaps pay for, that could assist you? I know you want to be independent, but it might solve all your problems if you had someone who could push you in a wheelchair?

 

[ttintagel]

Isn't there someone you could invite, perhaps pay for, that could assist you? I know you want to be independent, but it might solve all your problems if you had someone who could push you in a wheelchair?

I've often thought that a young, strong, athletic person could do a brisk business hiring out as a wheelchair pusher at the parks.

 

[jippity]

Another option from the rollator would be to rent a manual wheelchair and push it when walking. The seat will be far more comfortable and have more back support. Also, I don't know if your husband would be able to push you through flat, smooth queues, but it would give you that option. If you rent a wheelchair (or rollator) from an outside vendor, then you'll have it for waiting in bus queues and you could consider then taking WDW transportation, especially to the Magic Kingdom where that will get you much closer than driving will (plus it's cheaper).

I was misdiagnosed with ME/CFS (in the US it's called CFS/CFIDS and most people won't have any clue what you mean when you say ME) for a while and was an international member of AYME for a very short time (just to give you a sense of where I'm coming from with my advice). Several of my symptoms are similar to yours. I'd say it really is going to come down to what you mean by "short distances" for walking. If you're constantly limited to the 50m limit that's been around for DLA higher rate mobility, you're going to have problems. There are quite a few rides and shows where the queue is longer than that (probably the majority). The queues are also moving often enough that there isn't really time to sit, settle, get up move, and repeat. A 50m limit is also short enough that you could potentially have problems getting around some of the resorts.

If you do find that you end up going, but not being able to do much outside your resort, there are things to do around the resorts. If you can swim at all, there are pools. Most have good food so you could always go get some food and people watch. The majority of my holidays involve my hanging out in the hotel I'm staying in so I have loads of sympathy. I'm really good at watching tv and eating takeaway in places where most people go to museums, etc. (The holidays where I don't live in my hotel usually involve staying with friends, many of whom I met through AYME, so we just stay in their flats and watch tv and eat takeaway ) If you find that you can get into the parks enough to find a spot to park, WDW definitely is a good people-watching spot.

I know these don't directly relate to your questions, but two tips:

1) Bring your blue badge for parking. I can't remember what the exact deal is, but it will help with parking in a closer part of the car park.

2) The First Aid centers in each park can be used if you need to lie down for a rest and aren't up to (or don't want to) go all the way out to your resort.

Hiya, thanks very much for the reply. Sorry for the delay in replying - this website suddenly stopped working for me. Seems all better now II've switched from android to laptop.

We are considering a manual wheelchair, and so far i think its the most viable option. My partner woke up a lot more supportive yesterday morning, which has helped me feel more positive. It was looking a bit grim, being that his attitude was "hey, well you stay in the hotel room and daughter and I will do the parks". He also wants me to try a scooter so we will be test driving one on Thursday. It would really be the answer to things if I can get scootering about the place.

Am I right in thinking you're in the UK too?

I think I'll check out AYME. Sorry to hear about your misdiagnosis. What did it transpire to be in the end (please tell me where to go if I'm prying )