scoliosis, spina bifida occulta, etc

[disney*mom*82]

I have been to DW several times and each time I feel worse and worse as the days go on. I have many "congenital malformations of the back" that leave me in a great deal of pain daily, espec after a day at the parks. My list includes scoliosis, spina bifida occulta, exta disc, high tail bone, hardening in the hips and extra bones and joints. I am only 27, but I have some major pain. My question is to anyone who may have any experience with this. I have a harder time standing in line than I do walking. I do not need to get a scooter or anything, but I know they have the GAC things that may be able to help me when needed. Does anyone know if they would give a GAC for someone in my situation to use as needed to prevent standing too long? If so, do you know what they would be able to do? I love Disney and cant wait to go back, but as our next trip approaches I cringe thinking about how much pain I was in last time. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

Disney's official stance on people with any sort of mobility issues (this includes issues standing for extended periods of time) is that they should use a wheelchair or ECV. If you can handle the standing, but not something like stairs, a GAC can be given to you so you can avoid stairs, but otherwise really Disney will tell you to rent a wheelchair or ECV.

Plenty of people who don't "need" a scooter or wheelchair and wouldn't use one anywhere else use them at Disney because it's better to do so and keep pain levels down and energy levels up since there is so much more walking and standing than other places. Also, you're likely to do more walking and standing between attractions than while in line, anything Disney could do with a GAC to reduce standing in line might not actually make much of a difference.

The only other suggestion I can give you is to use fastpasses whenever possible.

 

[SueM in MN]

Here is a link to another thread where someone was concerned about standing in lines - their specific question was whether there would be a place/a GAC would allow the person to avoid standing.
In most lines, you will not actually be standing still because the line is slowly moving forward all the time. The places where you will actually be standing still are while waiting in the preshow/gathering area to go into a theater. The wait in those areas will usually be equal to the length of one show. You enter that area as the people who were waiting there for the show enter the theater. When their show is over, they will exit out another door and your group will be let in. Some have limited seating (as the pictures in the linked thread show), but most have little or no seating.

The thing that would probably help you more than a GAC would be to use Fastpasses and one of the touring plans that help you know the busy places so you are able to avoid those. An ECV or wheelchair would help because it would give you a place to sit.

 

[thatgrrl]

i have to disagree with some of what was said above about lines...

to preface -- my daughter (4) has spina bifida occulta. and it was actually standing in line for Soarin in May that how much pain she is living with actually hit me --- her little body literally went KAPUT by the time we got out of the ride. This was a long weekend and she had insisted on walking a lot of it. (you know how 4 year olds can be...) It never occured to me the amount of damage that was being done.

I had to carry her out of the ride, through the Sunshine Season food court while I got her lunch and I literally emotionally collapsed into a seat wondering what the hell I was going to do. Lo and behold a family came and sat at the next table to us. They had a stroller with them. And I briefly thought -- "weird, how did they get a stroller in the building?" That is when I saw the red "use stroller as a wheelchair" tag. I asked them about it and they told me to go to guest services. At that point we were leaving so my daughter could take some pain killers at the hotel. But I stopped by Guest Relations on the way out and explained my daughter's situation to the CM and he readily gave us the red tag and a GAC. I will get this in the future as soon as we get to the park and use it on an as needed basis --- as you are suggesting.

While our situation is a little different due to her age -- I encourage you to go to guest services and see about getting a GAC to use in situations like Soarin -- because I suspect the fastpass option is not really practical. Using Soarin as an example ... you get to Epcot at 9AM. By the time you walk all the way to Soarin (a distance both into the park and a further distance into the building) to get a fastpass which will most likely be for an hour or two later by the time you get there. So you walk over to another attraction and then walk all the way back to Soarin. Not practical.

We were able to get the GAC without a doctor's note, but I will have one with me for the next trip just in case. Maybe you can get a letter explaining you need to minimize standing times and use an alternative entrance.

Also, to go along with this -- are you open to a walker? I know that there are some nifty ones out there that even have a bench/tray that you can sit on when you need to.

To the dis vets... I know, I know this does not shorten time every time... but I think it is an option that can be explored when it is a fastpass ride.

On a personal note -- -- as a mom, I often try to look ahead in the crystal ball and see where my daughter will be. That is the absolute b*tch about SBO. Not knowing when or where it will hit and how much it will degenerate. This week she will be getting an MRI to see what is going on with this pain that started at Soarin and is still going on now...

 

[SueM in MN]

While our situation is a little different due to her age -- I encourage you to go to guest services and see about getting a GAC to use in situations like Soarin -- ...........
We were able to get the GAC without a doctor's note, but I will have one with me for the next trip just in case. Maybe you can get a letter explaining you need to minimize standing times and use an alternative entrance.

You basically used the child equivalent of using a wheelchair - you were able to use a stroller as wheelchair.
For adults, the advice WDW would give would be to use a wheelchair or ECV - which the user does not need a GAC (Guest Assistance Card) in order to have it in lines. That is the advice that Disney gives both in the parks and in their Guidebooks for Guests with Disabilities. There is more information about GACs in post #6 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
Quite a few people have posted in the past that they got a GAC that they thought would help them avoid standing, but because there are so many places where standing is part of the way the attraction is loaded, it was really not useful. They also found it did not shorten the distance they walked, so most of them opted to get a wheelchair or ECV on their next trip and found they had a much more pleasant experience. That's where the advice given was partially coming from.

Most attractions don't have alternate entrances, and for those that do, it may not shorten the time standing (an exception would be Spaceship Earth, which does have a nice waiting area with seats). But, we have waited in that area already for over 30 minutes when the regular line was basically loading as fast as people could walk.
Soarin is difficult for anyone with problems walking - someone measured it and it is over 1/4 mile to get from the entrance to the boarding area and after riding, you go the same distance to get back to the entrance (and that doesn't include the walk to get into the building in the first place. During the preshow, unless you have brought something to sit, you will be standing for at least a few minutes before and for the duration of the preshow.

One thing to keep in mind about Fastpasses is that everyone in your party does not have to be present to get one. You can send one member of your party ahead with all of your party's park passes and that person can put all the passes into the machine to get the Fastpasses. We frequently do that and it helps to avoid backtracking.
A lot of people have used the tour planning services, such as Tour Guide Mike

Also, to go along with this -- are you open to a walker? I know that there are some nifty ones out there that even have a bench/tray that you can sit on when you need to.

On a personal note -- -- as a mom, I often try to look ahead in the crystal ball and see where my daughter will be. That is the absolute b*tch about SBO. Not knowing when or where it will hit and how much it will degenerate. This week she will be getting an MRI to see what is going on with this pain that started at Soarin and is still going on now...

That is a good suggestion about the rolling walkers with seats (you can find them by searching for Rollators).

And that you get some answers (and even better), some solutions to your DD's pain problem.

 

[thatgrrl]

You basically used the child equivalent of using a wheelchair - you were able to use a stroller as wheelchair.
For adults, the advice WDW would give would be to use a wheelchair or ECV - which the user does not need a GAC (Guest Assistance Card) in order to have it in lines. That is the advice that Disney gives both in the parks and in their Guidebooks for Guests with Disabilities.

That is not what I meant... I understand that my daughter would be essentially using a wheelchair but I was suggesting that she see if she could get a GAC sans wheelchair. It was a suggestion -- kind of a ymmv situation.

 

[disney*mom*82]

Thank you for the input/advice so far. I have been to Disney so I am well aware of the lines and standing before shows and what not. I have experience with the GAC stroller as a wheelchair b/c my youngest dd was on several monitors her first trip there at 5mo old and we used it then. It was great, we were able to go to the wheelchair line and let on pretty quickly without having to mess much with her cords, it was great help on the busses, and we didnt have to take her out of the stroller for shows.

Anyways, I was doubtful that they would be able to do much for me, but no I am not open to getting a wheelchair or walker. I am 27, I dont care how much pain I am in, I will tough it out somehow. Ive already been told I probably will not be able to always walk, and I tough it out all that I can while shopping or on other trips. Just Disney requires so much more walking waiting, standing, etc.

Not to mention my oldest dd, whom is 9 also has scoliosis and a lot of back pain that they cannot explain well. Knowing she too is too old for a stroller as a wheel chair, idk if they could do anything for her.

I am so sorry to hear about your 4 yo daughter going through the pain. I hope they can figure it out and help her manage the pain. Has she gone through PT? Are there other issues besides SPO? I always hear that ppl with SPO only, normally have no pain and rarely find out they have it unless they have an x ray for something and someone sees it. I didnt begin to have major pains until I was in middle school, but it hit me hard and I felt like I couldnt move for a few weeks. It was awful. I wish you luck with her. Im so glad that you understand that she is in pain and she is able to communicate that to you at this young of an age.

Ok, sorry to go on. I dont want anyone to think Im looking for a free quick pass or anything. It may sound odd, but the pain just hits me pretty hard once I slow down a bit. Im better off walking longer than slowly walking in the lines or standing in a line. I guess Ill just wait and see what they can do. As of this trip, I will not get any kind of wheelchair, but Im sure that time will come sooner that I would like.

 

[Schmeck]

Your nine year old is not "too old" to use a device that will help her enjoy the parks, and neither are you. WDW involves miles of walking - don't you want your family to have the most enjoyable trip possible? There's nothing wrong with using an ECV, you'll see lots of them at the parks. Please don't "tough it out". Read through this forum to see how many people have had a wonderful vacation once they let themselves use a wheelchair or ECV.

As stated before, there are really very few alternative waiting areas, and you've noted yourself that the shows and other situations not covered by a GAC exist. Someone on here has a checklist about using an ECV, as in 'can you do this...' It's a very helpful thought process.