Scooter on a Disney Cruise?

[dskib]

Hello all -

Please excuse me if this isn't the appropriate board, but as it involves my mom's mobility issues, I thought I'd start here.

We're pondering a Disney cruise next year on the dream. My husband and I have been once but this time we're thinking of taking my mom. She's not 100% disabled, but she does have pretty bad mobility issues. Steps are pretty much an impossibility, and long distances are really tough for her. Ideally, we'd like her to have a scooter so that she wouldn't be limited to where she could go. I'm trying to remember the ship when we were there last, but I was not looking at it from a disability point of view. Can anyone tell me if a scooter is doable? I'm sure they have handicap Accessible rooms, so having the handicap accessible shower would be perfect. I'm just not sure about actually getting around the ship and if there's room for a scooter.

Any insight you could provide would be fantastic! Thanks so much, Deb

 

[mrsmarilyn]

I'm not entirely sure, but I think she would have to use a standard wheelchair. The elevators are quite small compared to a hotel, and i don't think they would have the charging ability (even power strips are considered a fire hazard). But the best people to ask would be DCL. Some of the corridors are also narrow, and I'm sure it would be a fire/safety violation to leave it in the hallway (and it would be quite difficult to put it in a room). But again, DCL would be the folks to answer.

They do have wheelchairs with sand tires for use at Castaway cay.

 

[nikkislaght]

Hello all -

Please excuse me if this isn't the appropriate board, but as it involves my mom's mobility issues, I thought I'd start here.

We're pondering a Disney cruise next year on the dream. My husband and I have been once but this time we're thinking of taking my mom. She's not 100% disabled, but she does have pretty bad mobility issues. Steps are pretty much an impossibility, and long distances are really tough for her. Ideally, we'd like her to have a scooter so that she wouldn't be limited to where she could go. I'm trying to remember the ship when we were there last, but I was not looking at it from a disability point of view. Can anyone tell me if a scooter is doable? I'm sure they have handicap Accessible rooms, so having the handicap accessible shower would be perfect. I'm just not sure about actually getting around the ship and if there's room for a scooter.

Any insight you could provide would be fantastic! Thanks so much, Deb

From Disneys website.... http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ships-activities/ships/services/guests-with-disabilities/

 

[dskib]

Thank you. Ive already read the info from the website. I was looking for personal experiences. There isn't much on the website re motorized scooters.

Thanks

 

[shoes99]

Thank you. Ive already read the info from the website. I was looking for personal experiences. There isn't much on the website re motorized scooters.

Thanks

We just got off the DREAM on a back to back and DH had a small 3 wheel scooter. He used it to get from the bus to the terminal, up the elevator and onto the ship. He used it to go to the muster drill, had a good spot near the door, but getting back to the cabin with a scooter after the muster drill was tough. No one would let us even move in the crowd. On the second leg of our B2B he walked to the muster drill. We had an accessible cabin so the scooter was in the cabin with us. You are not allowed to leave the scooter out in the hallway. Getting around was a little tough with the crowds. He basically used it to get on and off the ship two times. The rest of the time he alternated between walking and riding. We had an accessible cabin on deck 2 so it was close to the 3 major dining rooms. Make sure you get a scooter that can make tight turns. A 3 wheel scooter would be recommended. Ours was considered portable and 3 wheeled.

 

[tekaye]

We cruised with my grandfather on the Dream for his birthday and he is in a motorized scooter. As far as I know, he had no issues. He is able (with assistance) to get to a chair from the scooter. Otherwise he is in it 100% of the time.

 

[lanejudy]

Welcome to the disABILITIES forum! Yes, ECVs are allowed on the DCL cruises. Does she have her own or will you need to rent? An accessible stateroom is your best option, otherwise the ECV will not fit in the room, but it sounds like you plan that anyway. Doors are heavy, and many pull inward, making it difficult to open a door and move through it alone. If you will be with her moving about the ship that will help. Also be prepared to wait for elevastors, and ine tip is to ride the opposite direction and then back again to have space. They may release you a couple if minutes early from the muster drill to get a head start towards the elevators ahead of the masses. I believe she may need to transfer at the shows and maybe you or DH could park it /retrieve it again for her. Same in the MDRs. Be aware that foreign ports may or may not be terribly accessible; ECVs may not be allowed on some excursions due to inaccessibke transportation -- but a folding manual wheelchair may. You'll want to research ports and excursions well.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[dcassetta]

OP, You might post your question on the cruise board also. There may be people who do not visit this board who could relates their experiences with a scooter. I also recommend Fran and AJ's trip reports as they have lots of pictures. http://www.disboards.com/threads/sh...ribbean-cruise-bonus-posts-part-deux.3343364/

 

[dskib]

Thanks so much! This is very helpful! I think ideally maybe I'll try and talk her into renting a wheelchair. It would be so much less intrusive. She can walk, but not for long distances, so maybe an easily folded chair would work.

 

[Bete]

The wheelchair can be used as a walker for her, too. You can use the wheelchair at the airport which is helpful. A wheelchair doesn't count against you for luggage.

For a newbie on a scooter I would be afraid of getting in someone's way on a cruise. As a newbie, even getting on and off a ship might not be easy. Also, I would be afraid of taking a blind turn if she wasn't being led. Finally, I think staircases could become a hazard if the area is very crowded. Cabins are small anyway and I wouldn't want a scooter in my cabin. That could turn into a hazard at night visiting the bathroom. No one will be happy waiting while you get the scooter on an elevator even if you drive it on and off rather than your mom.

It sounds like there are two of you to help push a wheelchair. There are travel wheelchairs that are lightweight and fold up nicely. You can probably buy one for $100 to $150.

 

[tobikaye]

I will suggest that you try to get a HA stateroom near the elevators so that you do not have to navigate down a long, narrow hallway. If someone with a mobility aid is coming one way, than no one could pass. My sister used a rollator and sometimes it was difficult for her to get around the cleaning carts or other guests if they did not wait for us to get by. Luckily our stateroom was not too far from the break in the hallway.

The only issue I could see with an ECV, is if the person would need to open doors. We were on Deck 11 on the Dream and my sister would not have been able to get through the doors going out to Deck 11 without help as they were quite heavy. She mostly was with someone all the time, but if she had felt brave enough to do something on her own, she would not have been able to get far.

As for the muster drills, it is a madhouse after and if the person with the mobility issues does not go straight to the elevator and get on, they would be better off just waiting until everyone has cleared out. My sister would not go up the elevator with just my mom so they got stuck on one side of the hallway and my dad and I were on the other. If they would have gone on up, we would have been able to go around to another elevator where it was not as busy.