Planning Woes

[HeidSFost]

Hiyas all

I am taking my mum to Orlando on the 25th June for 9 nights staying at the Best Western International Plaza.

Neither of us are drivers, she has been to Orlando a few times, but not for a while, and I have never been.

Mum has a bad back and mobility can sometimes be an issue, so we are planning roughly on a day in the parks and a day off.

So far we have Discovery Cove booked for Saturday the 28th, and Cirque Du Soleil booked for Tuesday the 1st of July (6pm show).

This is our tentative plan:

Weds 25th Arrive - get Goodings Food delivery, eat relax, sleep
Thurs 26th Seaworld
Fri 27th ???
Sat 28th Discovery Cove
Sun 29th Magic Kingdom
Mon 30th Rest/Shopping/Swim day
Tues 1st Day Free - Shopping?3pm plan to get to Downtown Disney for 6pm show at Cirque
Weds 2nd ????
Thurs 3rd ????
Fri Home

As you can see, I have some big gaps, but I am also aware that certainly after MK, mum will need to rest. We had planned to do MGM and also Universal and Busch as well, but I can't see us managing it.

I so want to see Fantasmic as I last saw it at WDL in 1996 - But I want to go on the Tower of Terror at Universal as well<g>.

We aren't going to go mad and go on everything, but we do want to have a good look around each park.

I am just a bit worried about how big these parks actually are, plus the fact we are going to be using public transport, which although I am sure it will be great, it's not the smoothest of rides for a bad back!

Any suggestions as to how to use those days to best effect, while being as kind to my mums spine as possible is going to be great!

Thanks all

Heid
xx

 

[Dimplenose]

MGM is not a huge park and that is where you'll find Tower of Terror not at Universal.

Had you considered renting an electric cart at the parks. That way you're mum wouln't need to be on her feet as much, but that assumes she'll be comfortable in that type of chair.

I didn't think Fantasmic opened before autumn 1998, we were there that summer and it wasn't open then

Libby

 

[KayleeUK]

Hi Heidi

Welcome to the UK Dis. Your mum should enjoy Epcot you could make a stop at each country. I hope you have that in your plan

 

[HeidSFost]

Hiyas all

Thanks for your responses!

Can you hire a motorised wheelchair just for the day at the parks? I may well suggest this to my mum!

I saw Fantasmic at Disneyland in LA in 96, I think it played there exclusively for a little while before it went to orlando? From what i have seen it looks like it has changed a lot from it's time in LA, the show took place on the main lake and there was no auditorium as such.

We haven't planned on going to Epcot, as my mum has done it, but if we can hire a wheelchair, then I may well try and talk her round to it<g> .

In a way I am sort of glad that we are going to have a few free days, I need to do some serious shopping, and I also need to go and have my fix at The Cheesecake Factory<g>.

Thanks for all your suggestions, and keep em coming<g>.

Heid
xx

 

[KayleeUK]

Hi Heidi

Here is a link that may help you

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/disabmobility.htm

HTH

Kaylee

 

[SueM in MN]

Come visit the disABILITIES Board if you would like more info about traveling to WDW with a mobility disability.
The link that Kaylee provided has information about renting wheelchairs and ecvs (motorized mobility devices). ECVs are easy to drive; they have a seat similar to an office chair and they steer in a similar way to a bicycle. It would give her more independence to have an ecv rather than a whelchair plus it would be easier on you since you would not need to push it).

 

[#1MMFan]

Hi Heid

I would certainly go with renting the disability scooters in the parks. I'm not sure how to go about that, but I'm sure the other forum will be able to tell you exactly.

I see that you intend to do SW and then two days later DCove. I haven't been to the latter, but wondered if you'd maybe put these two too close together as they are quite similar. I know you've booked DCove, but would you not consider doing another park on your second day instead of SW? I would suggest somewhere relaxing like Epcot or Animal Kingdom. I see you hadn't planned on visiting AK, but your mum may well like it (you seem to like animal/marine attractions having booked DCove) and it is likely that your mum has not seen it before as it is only five years old this month. You can take it at your own pace, no need to rush around it either, although it will get hot. AK gets several degrees hotter than the other parks.

In getting around, you'll find the buses are not too bad, but you may wish to use the occasional (very comfortable) taxi. For some reason - you may have noticed yourself - American cars have better suspension than ours so they would be good for your mum.

By the way, we have never hired a car and have always survived! I do think the day on day off thing is a good plan.

Would love to hear if you have any more questions or if you adjust your itinerary.

#1MMFan

 

[#1MMFan]

By the way, Fantasmic is not exactly the same as the one in DLR, Ca. The latter is still going by the way - it features Peter Pan, whereas the WDW version features Pocahontas. The DLR version is more intimate with it being on the lake as you say, but the WDW version is probably marginally more comfortable with tiered bench seating and of course space for guests with wheelchairs.

Overall, I'd just try to soak up the atmosphere of the parks -you won't do everything you'd perhaps like to, but there's always next time... believe there will be a next time!

#1MMFan

 

[HeidSFost]

Hey all

Thanks for all the tips, me and mum are going to wing it a lot of the time, as things really are going to have to depend on how good my mum is feeling each day.

She is quite amenable to the ECV idea, and I think we will make use of it.

We are both sea life fanatics, so there's no such thing as too much Seaworld for me and her I think, we will get in there and have a good cry at least a couple of days<g>.

We have decided on MK for the Sunday as that's the potentially least busy day, plus mum will be up for it more as she will have had a potentially good rest day the day before. Plus I think that is the day we are most likely to see Spectromagic if it is running at all.

Am I right in thinking we won't be able to use the Disney transportation from the transportation centre unless we have hopper tickets?

I have factored into our budget a good amount of money that we can use for sundries so taxis will be used a few times I think.

I am tempted by AK, but mum just loves Busch Gardens, and we will probably go there for a day as well.

We will have another planning meeting and let you know what we have come up with <g>

Thanks for all your help so far

Heid
xx