Question about wheelchair use (leg prob, diabetes, asthma, anxiety)

[plummer925]

Hi everyone,

I feel funny asking about this, but I think that I may find people here who would understand my situation...

I have asthma and a leg problem that makes walking around Disney (and other places too!) difficult. In addition, I am also diabetic and have severe anxiety, which both make my life...challenging at times.

For my asthma I have a temp handicap plate (one that hangs on the mirror) for the summer here in Maine since the humidity is high and I have a very hard time breathing when walking.

For my leg I do not have a "handicap" according to the doctors (they can't figure out what is wrong with it - I've had a weak left leg since I was a young child - my ankle, knee and hip all bother me if I do too much or stand too long). It hasn't helped that as an adult I am overweight and that bothers it too.

I thought about renting a scooter when I'm in Florida next month because of my "issues", however it's $200 for the week and we are not planning on staying onsite the whole week (maybe a couple nights). We'd be renting a car and would have to take it apart each day, which seems like a lot of work for my husband. My other option is my mother in law has a wheelchair that she is not using right now (she is partially mobile and refuses to use it unless she HAS to) so I was thinking of bringing it along.

There are pro's and cons for each.

If I do the scooter route DH doesn't have to push me on hills (again, I'm overweight) - I ended up in a wheelchair for 2 days in 2003 when I was at Disney and he got very tired pushing me around Epcot (hilly). If I have a scooter then I can hang a backpack on the back of it and have space at my feet for a small soft-sided cooler (I'm also diabetic so would HAVE to have drinks/snacks with me). If i do the scooter route MY arms won't get tired. HOWEVER...if I Do the scooter route then I have to deal with taking it apart and putting it together...I have to pay up to $200 (I probably won't need it for the whole week so would likely be around $160-180)...If I decided to use disney transportation I'd have to deal with maneuvering the scooter onto the busses (which honestly is causing my anxiety to be bad for some reason!).

If I do the wheelchair route I won't have any $$ involved as I can bring the one I have (which is new so is nice and comfortable and safe). I can still put a backpack on the back (I think???) but have no room for a cooler (would have to put snacks/drinks in the backpack I guess). My arms and DH's arms will get tired (but at least my leg won't). The disadvantage is I'm not sure how hot I'd get in it versus the scooter (scooter seats are fabric - wheelchair is plastic/rubber). Also, not sure how the disney busses work if we choose to use it - would I have the option to fold the wheelchair and have DH carry it onto the bus and me walk on? Is that an option on an airplane too (I don't want to be forced to use it in cases like that). We probably wouldn't be using the bus service since we will have a car anyway, but it's something that's causing me anxiety thinking about it, and I have GOT to have ALL my ducks in a row or I will have a severe panic attack...

I'd absolutely LOVE to have any opinions that anyone has to offer!!!

Thank you SO very much!

Blessings,
Crystal

 

[jmartinez1895]

As for the plane, you will gate check your chair. Most air lines will allow you and your husband to pre board, you will be in your chair and take it to the door of the plane. If you can eitehr walk to your seat from there, or you will use a chair taht they have that fits the plane isles. Once you land you will be among the last to exit and when you do your chair will be by the door waiting on you. ( The same thing happens with most scooters as well, but you should call the aiorline and let them know). Also when you get to the airport be sure to go by the ticket counter and get a tag for your chair. As for the buses at Disney, you will use the handicap line and once the driver gets there you will load using a lift. Once inside the bus you can move to a regular seat or stay in your chair or scooter ( A lot of people prefer not to sit on the scooter on the buses for safety). As you already said, there are pros and cons for using both. It is my understanding that the ECV's at the parks rent out fast, but maybe you could take a chair and if it is not working out well for you or your husband maybe your could rent one of Disneys. I'm just thinking out loud. I hope taht whatever you decide, that you have a safe and wonderful trip.

 

[pbrim]

If getting the ECV on Disney transportation is causing anxiety, perhaps your DH can drive it on for you? Or even put it into freewheel mode and push it on. You or he can practice manouvering with a ECV at a store. Don't be discouraged if they are hard to handle; store scooters are much more awkward and hard to manouver than rental ECVs. If you can get somewhat comfortable with handling a store scooter, you should have no problems with a rental ECV. You can also practice at the resort when you get there before you head out into crowds, to get more confidence.

If you have problems with steps, but don't want to drive on, you can follow the ECV on if it is a kneeling bus. If it is a bus with a lift, some people have said they have been able to send the ECV up the lift with someone else driving, then ridden the lift standing up, to avoid the stairs. I haven't done that myself.

 

[plummer925]

If getting the ECV on Disney transportation is causing anxiety, perhaps your DH can drive it on for you? Or even put it into freewheel mode and push it on. You or he can practice manouvering with a ECV at a store. Don't be discouraged if they are hard to handle; store scooters are much more awkward and hard to manouver than rental ECVs. If you can get somewhat comfortable with handling a store scooter, you should have no problems with a rental ECV. You can also practice at the resort when you get there before you head out into crowds, to get more confidence.

If you have problems with steps, but don't want to drive on, you can follow the ECV on if it is a kneeling bus. If it is a bus with a lift, some people have said they have been able to send the ECV up the lift with someone else driving, then ridden the lift standing up, to avoid the stairs. I haven't done that myself.

Going up the steps will not bother me - it is the walking around in the humidity that would be bad for my breathing and walking/standing for the whole day that would kill my leg.



Thanks for the advice!!

 

[disnyrtl]

There have been many good ideas here so far. Let me tell you a little about my experience. I have had leg and back issues for years after a slip and fall. The first time I tried to do a theme park without on I almost collapsed on the floor and had to rent a wheelchair anyway. That was not at WDW but a local park where I live. I knew there was no way I could get around WDW without one after that point. I love doing the scooter one since you have one available and with you the whole time. Breaking it down is rather easy and not hard to manage, especially if you can remove the battery (that adds so much to the weight of the scooter). I also did the buses and people really don't mind that muh as you might think and they are kind as well. Of course if you go through all of the work to get on the bus in the chair then get up and do a little dance, well then they might get sore at you. If you can afford it get the scooter. It will allow you to be more independant and enjoy your time at the parks. You won't have to chance not getting one in the parks, and of course you have the ability to carry more stuff with you. Which remind me, instead of a cooler, see if you can get a large "hot/cold" foil bag. They are about $2 each and the do a GREAT job of keeping your drinks cold while at the same time being flexable enough to move around. A cooler is ridged and takes up the same amount of space regardless of how much stuff you actually have in it. The "hot/cool" bag (that is what it says on the front of them) looks like a big foil bag and has snaps on the top of it. I was able to go all day in the hot summer sun and still had a cool pepsi at the end of the day. One big downside of either issue of course is many of the wheelchair access points at MK is through the exit or some other way so you end up missing some of the "staging" that they do at the start of each queue/ride. I hope you have a good time.

 

[disnyrtl]

...make sure you do NOT forget your handicap placard. I know it sounds like a no brainer, but I did forget it one year. Now I make sure to put it in my carry on items or better yet in my "important documents folder" (a folder that has the reservation info, plane tickets, and other things that I MUST have.)

 

[plummer925]

...make sure you do NOT forget your handicap placard. I know it sounds like a no brainer, but I did forget it one year. Now I make sure to put it in my carry on items or better yet in my "important documents folder" (a folder that has the reservation info, plane tickets, and other things that I MUST have.)

Fantastic advice...thanks!

 

[seashoreCM]

If it is a matter of wheelchair versus scooter, I would say that the wheelchair is going to be very clammy if you have to use your arms and wheel it yourself. Can you walk some of the time so DH won't have to push it with you in it all of the time?

If it is a matter of wheelchair versus nothing, you may rent a wheelchair without giving any reason, for example you may use a wheelchair simply because you don't feel like walking all of the time.

The Disney bus policy is that if you have a wheelchair then you are supposed to wait in the wheelchair boarding area which is where the back door would land when the bus stops.

 

[plummer925]

Thank you everyone.

I took advice and used a scooter at the store yesterday (went to Sam's club) - worked fine because my hip was really bothering me and I probably would have shopped less if it hadn't been for that.

I was able to drive it without a problem at all.

I think I'm going with the scooter rental and just dealing with taking it apart at the end of the day and together at the beginning. Especially since we are probably not staying on Disney property for more than a couple nights. I'm just going to use our car and not deal with Disney transportation at all.

Thanks for the advice - you were all very helpful!

 

[peemagg]

I think you will find taking the scooter apart and putting it back together not as bad as imagained. I have what is called a travel scooter (Apple scooter rentals carries the exact one I have in case you want to see one. I understand that their rental fees are quite resonable too). It breaks down very easy into 4 or 5 pieces and no piece weighs over 40lbs. I have even found that once the seat and battery are off of the scooter, I can lift and put the rest of it into my vehicle without breaking it down fully.

 

[plummer925]

I think you will find taking the scooter apart and putting it back together not as bad as imagained. I have what is called a travel scooter (Apple scooter rentals carries the exact one I have in case you want to see one. I understand that their rental fees are quite resonable too). It breaks down very easy into 4 or 5 pieces and no piece weighs over 40lbs. I have even found that once the seat and battery are off of the scooter, I can lift and put the rest of it into my vehicle without breaking it down fully.

That is great to know - thanks!

 

[mom3sonstt]

You mentioned something about the scooter seat being fabric. The one's I have rented have been vinyl - I'm sure there are some out there that do have fabric seats - but I don't know that I would want one. If you go into a restaurant and leave the scooter outside and one of those brief Florida rains comes through - a vinyl seat the water wipes right off of - a fabric seat would probably absorb it. But I also don't like to burn the back of my legs sitting on a seat that's been baking in the sun - or stick to it from getting all sweaty and sticky - so I usually take a beach towel and cover the seat. It also makes it a little easier to spot when there is more than one of the same scooters parked somewhere.

Enjoy your trip!!

 

[maroo]

You mentioned something about the scooter seat being fabric. The one's I have rented have been vinyl - I'm sure there are some out there that do have fabric seats - but I don't know that I would want one. If you go into a restaurant and leave the scooter outside and one of those brief Florida rains comes through - a vinyl seat the water wipes right off of - a fabric seat would probably absorb it. But I also don't like to burn the back of my legs sitting on a seat that's been baking in the sun - or stick to it from getting all sweaty and sticky - so I usually take a beach towel and cover the seat. It also makes it a little easier to spot when there is more than one of the same scooters parked somewhere.

Enjoy your trip!!

Gosh...I was just thinking the same thing.


I had to buy a towel to put on it because it was horribly sweaty. So...yeah...great idea, bring a beach towel. Otherwise you may end up having to buy one.

 

[pbrim]

I think I'm going with the scooter rental and just dealing with taking it apart at the end of the day and together at the beginning.

One other thing to ask about when you talk to the rental place: You want to get the kind where you can just take the batteries in and recharge overnight, while leaving the rest in the trunk of your car. Some would require that you reassemble the entire scooter each evening to recharge, and take apart again in the morning.

 

[peemagg]

One other thing to ask about when you talk to the rental place: You want to get the kind where you can just take the batteries in and recharge overnight, while leaving the rest in the trunk of your car. Some would require that you reassemble the entire scooter each evening to recharge, and take apart again in the morning.

That is one of the bonuses of the scooter that I use (Pride Go-Go Elite Traveler Plus), it can be charged on or off the scooter. This way if I don't need the scooter to get into the room I can leave the scooter itself in the car and just take the battery to my room. If you can get one like this, I think you will appreciate the ability to do this.