Questions about traveling with mobility issues (DME)

[dawnball]

I've invited my MIL to join my daughter(5) and I at Disney this December or next January. She's considering, but has a lot of questions about logistics and accommodations and such.

MIL has MS, and her primary issues are lower-body related. She has bad balance, can't stand or walk for long, needs to avoid the heat, etc. If she comes with us, she'll have a scooter, which may be an offsite rental or a parks rental (her current preference).

The current tentative plan is that I'll drive down with my daughter, and she will fly. That way we'll have a car, I can pick her up and drop her off at the most convenient spots, we can carry an offsite scooter, etc. At the airport she'll have a courtesy wheelchair. Does anyone know how that will work with Disney's Magical Express?

Will they take her to the DME counter? Can she keep the courtesy chair in the queues to wait for a bus? Will there be someone there to help her move forward, etc? Could she wait on a bench outside the queue instead? The walking from the DME check-in counter to the bus isn't the issue, but last time we waited about 20 minutes for the bus to arrive, and that's really too long for her to stand, particularly in one place.

If there's no good way she can navigate the airport/DME then I can arrange to pick her up, but it would mean arriving a day earlier than does.

I'm sure I'll have lots of questions, so I appreciate everyone sharing their experiences.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

Hi Dawn, a curtosy wheelchair can be used throughout the entire airport facility, so you should be fine taking it to the DME counter. When she gets, they'll see her in the chair and after checking in escort you to a different waiting area. There are multiple benches against the window-wall opposite to the lines. They see her in the chair and act accordingly. I'm going to assume that at this point you are planning for her to have the airport assistant pushing her take the wheelchair back again? Let her check in at DME while sitting down. This prevents her standing during that situation. She can explain to the CM what problems she has and ask if she could sit down. She should be fine than at the benches they also direct us wheelchair users to.

Could she handle the steps involved to board the bus? If not, you might want to look into renting her a wheelchair and/or ECV at home and taking it along with you. This way she could board using the wheelchair-lift at the back of the bus. If you wish to do that, you'ld have to let DME know beforehand.

 

[dawnball]

Thank you very much, goofieslonglostsis! Yes, she'll be fine on the benches and then getting onto the DME bus, it was just the waiting time without a wheelchair or a place to sit.

I figured that Disney would have a solution in place, but since it never applied to us before, I hadn't been aware of it.

 

[SueM in MN]

To add to what was already posted, this link from the disABILITIES FAQs thread will show you what the lift looks like and how steep the steps are.

If she rents a wheelchair or ECV and brings it along with her, the airline is obligated to transport it free of charge and without counting toward the baggage allowance.

 

[cmesq61]

I have MS with issues similar to your MIL. Here is what I do: the airline knows ahead of time that I need a WC at the gate. I get pushed to DME, stay in the chair through the check in line, stay in the WC while waiting in the bus line. I wheel to the sidewalk in the WC and then walk up the bus stairs taking my time. The DME bus people are awesome and never rush me. Usually one of my kids pushes me, but if your MIL is alone airport staff will push her.

 

[maryserv]

You are going at a very good time of year for heat concerns. Does she have any issues with cold? Those with MS sometimes have a problem with any temp extreme, as it can trigger a muscle spasm (quite painful). Is her balance issue due to central vertigo? When I first started with the dizzys, I found that the typical meclizine, etc. does not work - but a set of wrist bands called Sea-Bands works very well. It uses accupressure to help stave off the dizziness that can sometime creep up from no where, and especially if you are riding a ride. With those, I can ride in simulator rides and some not too intense roller coasters again.

I would say that she should involve her neuro and/or physiatrist/PT in getting a plan together for her to feel better while she is at Disney. I've seen many folks get back some of what they thought they'd lost forever doing physical therapy and occupational therapy. Also, make sure that she has some good, supportive walking shoes even though she may not plan on walking much.

Make sure that you all know that she might not be able to hang out with all of you all the time; but she might be able to!