Reduced Leg (Knee) Flexion and Rides

[katmu]

Hello-

This will be my first DW trip since my accident in 2018. I have reduced flexion in the knee on my right leg. I can get to about 90 degrees, 95 if I really push it but not for an extended period of time without pain and swelling. Is there anywhere I can find out information about rides that require sitting with your leg bent? I'm asking because I've been to both DLP and Tokyo Disney since my accident, and I was in a lot of pain trying to ride the Incredicoaster at DLP.

I will have an ECV for the full length of the trip to help with mobility issues, as I still get swelling when walking for more than a couple of miles per day, or standing for extended periods. I have lymphedema in that leg from the ORIF surgery. I'm trying to read up on as much as I can to know how to prepare myself, so I can have the best trip possible. Any tips are welcome.

 

[taiwanmom2011]

Hi. My parents have both been on scooters every time we've been to WDW since 2008. I'd say many of the rides have been difficult for my dad to get in due to his knee (same issues you have). But several have the option of staying in your ECV. If you go to the disney website, and look up attractions, it will say whether or not you must transfer to ride. Fantasyland rides are tough for limited mobility, because of the leg space. I do wish you the best. If nothing else, you can call and talk to a cast member before you go.

 

[SueM in MN]

This thread has a lot of information that should be helpful, especially posts 11 and 18-22.
The thread is stuck near the top of this forum In case you lose track of this thread.
https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...disabled-1st-trip-next-trip-wish-trip.595713/

 

[katmu]

Thank you both for the information. I read through the thread with the information on the individual rides, and there are a couple that I'm going to eliminate as they will likely cause issues, the worst being Rock N' Roll Coaster. I will test the ride cars for Expedition Everest and Flight of Passage and a few others. If the Fantasyland rides are similar in seating to DLP or TD, I was ok if it's shared seating as I can slide the leg slightly towards one side. It's the roller coaster type where it's a single-seat where the leg needs to be bent tightly that is going to be a definite no-go.

That sticky thread was very helpful in answering a lot of my general questions.

I did receive a call back from disability services today about a question I had emailed about the room, and she recommended that I Google pictures of the ride cars of any rides I'm concerned about, so I've been doing that. She was very helpful. I'm feeling much more comfortable with the entire trip in general, including the idea of using the ECV.

 

[SueM in MN]

Here are some other resources that might be helpful
She travels with a wheelchair and has a lot of very good accessibility info:
http://www.rollingwiththemagicblog.com/
She is plus sized and her videos show a good overview of the boarding process and which attractions may be tight leg space. Some of her wheelchair accessibility information is not always complete or correct - she does not use a wheelchair herself and sometimes doesn’t understand the process. Other than that, her videos are excellent.
https://www.pammieplusparks.com/

 

[CJN]

My right knee is the same problem and can’t even get to 90 degrees. When I first started dealing with it, it was surprising to find even “comfortable” looking ride vehicles like Toy Story Mania were a problem. On many, I need to sit a bit sideways to make room for my foot. If there are an odd number of people in our party, on two-seater rides (again TSM) I’ll be the person who rides alone. If I ride with others I let them board first if we’re boarding from the left side of the vehicle, so I can sit sideways towards them and use some of their foot space. If we’re boarding from the right side I go first. Does that make sense? The point is to always make sure I’m not seated up against the right side of any ride vehicle or else my foot/leg ends up painfully jammed up against the vehicle wall.

edited to add: And, yeah, Flight of Passage is out for me. I could never stand getting my knee locked into that position for the ride duration. But it’s just as well because motion sickness would probably do me in anyway

 

[katmu]

My right knee is the same problem and can’t even get to 90 degrees. When I first started dealing with it, it was surprising to find even “comfortable” looking ride vehicles like Toy Story Mania were a problem. On many, I need to sit a bit sideways to make room for my foot. If there are an odd number of people in our party, on two-seater rides (again TSM) I’ll be the person who rides alone. If I ride with others I let them board first if we’re boarding from the left side of the vehicle, so I can sit sideways towards them and use some of their foot space. If we’re boarding from the right side I go first. Does that make sense? The point is to always make sure I’m not seated up against the right side of any ride vehicle or else my foot/leg ends up painfully jammed up against the vehicle wall.

edited to add: And, yeah, Flight of Passage is out for me. I could never stand getting my knee locked into that position for the ride duration. But it’s just as well because motion sickness would probably do me in anyway

It absolutely makes sense, as it's taken me two and a half years of PT to get to 90 degrees. Luckily, I'm not very tall. Otherwise, I think I would really have a problem.

I'm thinking Flight of Passage is most likely out. I rode it once pre-accident and it made me a little dizzy so probably just as well.

 

[helenm29]

Hello-

This will be my first DW trip since my accident in 2018. I have reduced flexion in the knee on my right leg. I can get to about 90 degrees, 95 if I really push it but not for an extended period of time without pain and swelling. Is there anywhere I can find out information about rides that require sitting with your leg bent? I'm asking because I've been to both DLP and Tokyo Disney since my accident, and I was in a lot of pain trying to ride the Incredicoaster at DLP.

I will have an ECV for the full length of the trip to help with mobility issues, as I still get swelling when walking for more than a couple of miles per day, or standing for extended periods. I have lymphedema in that leg from the ORIF surgery. I'm trying to read up on as much as I can to know how to prepare myself, so I can have the best trip possible. Any tips are welcome.

Sorry to hop on here with a different question but do you have your own ecv? what kind of transportation do you use for it?

 

[katmu]

I

Sorry to hop on here with a different question but do you have your own ecv? what kind of transportation do you use for it?

I do not have my own yet, as at home I manage with just a cane. I'm renting for the trip from Walker Mobility and they are actually dropping off at YC for me and then picking it up and dropping it off again at Portofino Bay for my time at Universal so that's making it pretty convenient.

 

[helenm29]

Thank you for getting back to me so quick! The reason I'm asking is because we are going to be in Florida/DW for 18 days and I am probably renting from Walker too! we will have a rental car that we will have to put the ECV in and out of every day, I was hoping you could tell me what kind of vehicle you were using for transport,

 

[sharadoc]

I have that issue as well. Avoid at all costs most rides that have you step down into a boat. I can't do Small World, Pirates, Maelstrom or Mexico boat ride - I can't get out! There is a wheelchair vehicle on TSM that you can request. I have done that when no one else is in the handicapped space - I would never get in front of someone in a wheelchair but if it's going to be empty then I'll ask for it.

Easier spaces are the backseat on Spaceship Earth, the front on Winnie the Pooh. Take a moment when loading to see if there is more leg space or ask the cast member. They are very accommodating.

 

[Selket]

Hello-
I'm asking because I've been to both DLP and Tokyo Disney since my accident, and I was in a lot of pain trying to ride the Incredicoaster at DLP.

Sorry off topic a bit but how was your trip to Tokyo Disney? I'm trying to plan a trip there (previous one got cancelled and then covid happened, etc.). From what I know it's generally not possible or typical to rent an ECV there so just wondering how you managed the parks and touring Tokyo in general if you did so? I have badly arthritic knees that need replacing - kind of on the fence about trying it because I'd hate to get there and not be able to do much.

As for your question - even as bad as my knees are it seems some rides are ok for me (like 7DMT) that bother others. I personally find Splash and Small World to bother me the most....I almost died once (inside) when the Splash log got stuck for 15-20 minutes. I was about ready to do something to ask for help to get me off. I can still ride it but... that experience makes me hesitate. I can manage the other boats! Perhaps not gracefully but I get it done Once we were offered the mobility boat in Small World - no one was there to ride it - and I sat in a seat that I think was like a single seat rather than the usual bench style. This worked better for me since I think I could stretch my leg out more. Not sure that's an option if the park is busy however as they may reserve those seats for family members of someone in a wheelchair. I hope you have a great trip!

 

[MICKIMINI]

Living With The Land is okay if you ask for the front seat. Small World is the absolute worst as they are child size seats with NO leg room at all.

 

[katmu]

Sorry off topic a bit but how was your trip to Tokyo Disney? I'm trying to plan a trip there (previous one got cancelled and then covid happened, etc.). From what I know it's generally not possible or typical to rent an ECV there so just wondering how you managed the parks and touring Tokyo in general if you did so? I have badly arthritic knees that need replacing - kind of on the fence about trying it because I'd hate to get there and not be able to do much.

As for your question - even as bad as my knees are it seems some rides are ok for me (like 7DMT) that bother others. I personally find Splash and Small World to bother me the most....I almost died once (inside) when the Splash log got stuck for 15-20 minutes. I was about ready to do something to ask for help to get me off. I can still ride it but... that experience makes me hesitate. I can manage the other boats! Perhaps not gracefully but I get it done Once we were offered the mobility boat in Small World - no one was there to ride it - and I sat in a seat that I think was like a single seat rather than the usual bench style. This worked better for me since I think I could stretch my leg out more. Not sure that's an option if the park is busy however as they may reserve those seats for family members of someone in a wheelchair. I hope you have a great trip!

I will likely skip Splash this trip. On Small World, if I get the row to myself due to distancing that should be fine, otherwise, I may need the mobility boat.

So the Tokyo Disney parks didn't have ECVs but I was able to rent an electric wheelchair, so that worked well there. Tokyo DisneySea has some areas near the volcano that wouldn't have been too fun on crutches. For the rest of Tokyo, it was a mix of cabs, a few private tours, and utilizing wheelchairs when available at the larger museums and other sites with a lot of walking. In general, I found accessibility in Tokyo fairly good other than at some of the subway stations as sometimes the elevator wasn't always in the most convenient location. Tokyo is easier to manage than Kyoto where the historic sites seemed to me more often than not to be uphill.