Please Help re Elderly Mom & Wheelchair Choice

[Shoshana]

We'll be at WL club level 12/14 through 12/22. My daughter is 10, my mother is 82. Mom has a lot of health problems (heart arrythmia, hypertension, diabetes, etc.) and limited mobility. She won't be going to the parks with us every day, I'm sure. I thought club level would be nice for her when she stays at the hotel. She can walk with a walker for distances of prox 25 feet until she needs to sit down.

I brought her to Disney three years ago and rented a scooter. Even though she does fine with scooters in stores, she couldn't handle it in the crowds. Basically, she sat and the entire Magic Kingdom passed by while she waited for an opening. It made her really nervous. We exchanged the scooter for a regular wheelchair. I did okay pushing it most of the time (she weighs 250 and I'm 5'1 and average weight) except on inclines (like the #$!# long hallway at Wilderness Lodge). Her grandson was with us on that trip and he helped when he wasn't too busy acting like a cool teenager.

For this trip, I have reserved an electric wheelchair. She has one here that she uses for trips outside of the house (it's too big for inside the house). Unfortunately, she can't manoeuver it without looking like she's drunk and swerving all over the place. Whenever we use it, I walk next to the chair and operate the joystick. I'm pretty good at at

Here's my concern. Am *I* going to be able to walk next to her xtra wide electric wheelchair and have enough room to manoeuver it through crowds? These chairs do not stop on a dime and (speaking from experience) it really hurts if it runs over your foot! I'm really starting to worry about using this type of chair in the park - especially given how wide we will be - and I'm wondering if you all think I'd be better off renting her a (hopefully) good quality regular wheelchair. The good quality chairs are easier to push. I might need the bar across the handles to make it easier for me to grasp the chair all day.

Will the regular wheelchair be easier to manage with the rides and buses and even the boat at WL?

I suspect she'll alternate park days with hotel days which will give us both time to recover.

What do you suggest??

Thanks!

 

[aylarosie]

What about using a scooter for the resort and a push wheelchair for the parks. There is no way you will always be able to walk next to her . You could leave the scooter at guest services to go to parks and swith off leave regular chair while at the park.We ordered from apple scooters and they delivered and picked up at resort.Good luck/

 

[bidnow5]

I think you looking for trouble with the electric most places don't rent them unless its to an experienced user. I think an off site regular wheel chair would be the best bet

 

[Chuck S]

Well, I pushed my Mom around Disney for many years, but she only weighed 145 lbs at her heaviest point. She had hip replacement and heart issues. You are correct that a better quality, well maintained manual chair will push much easier than the overused/abused Disney rentals.

Would she be more comfortable using a different style scooter than you had on your previous trip? And you do have to be a little brazen using one, maybe you could walk in front of her and clear the traffic?

I would agree that a manual chair is probably easier on the buses for loading, but maybe she could walk on the bus and you could maneuver the scooter or electric wheelchair onto the bus.

Whatever you decide, don't be afraid to say "Excuse me, please, I have a wheelchair/scooter coming through." December is a fairly busy month, but you'll be going before most of the schools let out for the holidays. Magic Kingdom (and likely the new Fantasyland area) will be the worst areas for foot traffic. I really didn't have a whole lot of traffic problems pushing Mom, except after parades and/or fireworks when the traffic got pretty bad. That is when you'll really have to be careful, or just sit for 20 or 30 minutes until the traffic clears. Mom and I went most anytime of year, and those parade/fireworks crowds were the worst, but they do clear. And be sure to always allow a little extra time going from attraction to attraction, don't try to see everything on every trip.