Should I bring my Walker (With Seat) on Vacation or Just Leave it Home?

[Groot]

I leave for Disney in 3 days and I don’t know if I should take my walker with me or just leave it home. (See pic below.)


Now, as soon as I get to the hotel (we’re staying at Boulder Ridge in Wilderness Lodge) I’ll be meeting the rep from the scooter rental company and be using the scooter to get around the parks/hotels (I’m renting from Gold Mobility.) and will be dropping the walker off at the bellhop to put it with the rest of our bags until they’re ready to take it to the room.

My concern is the airport that we’re leaving from is pretty small (10 departure gates and is only serviced by Spirit.) compared to the monstrosity that is Orlando International. The walker’s main purpose would be in getting to/from the DME pick up area and giving me a “Sitting Break” should I need it. (Which would be pretty likely.) otherwise it would just be in the hotel room for the rest of the trip. My question is should I even get it in the car to go to the airport or should I leave it at home.

If I do leave it at home, I do have a couple of options:

1. I could just use my cane and “Bench Hunt” when I need one of the aforementioned “Sitting Breaks” and just take my time in getting to the bus stop.
2. I could borrow a manual chair from the airport (Both at my originating airport and at Orlando) and push myself to the bus stop. (I might do it myself depending on how obtrusive the armrests are/ and if I get a chair without a flat tire. I will also be bringing my own pushing gloves to aid in the process.)

I just don’t know what to do. Help me out please.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I could borrow a manual chair from the airport (Both at my originating airport and at Orlando) and push myself to the bus stop.

Generally not an option. Perhaps at your tiny airport, but not at most large ones. Wheelchairs are under the venue of the airport and are controlled (literally) by airport staff. Please remember to tip.

but bring the rollator.

 

[DisneyOma]

Bring the rollator - better to bring it and not need it than to get down there and figure out you really could use it! there might be times where you want to ditch the ECV and the rollator could come in handy!

Also, I wouldn't drop it off at bellhop - you might want it in the room for a little walk or something.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Generally not an option. Perhaps at your tiny airport, but not at most large ones. Wheelchairs are under the venue of the airport and are controlled (literally) by airport staff. Please remember to tip.

but bring the rollator.

Yes, do bring the rollator.
At Houston Hobby they’ve always let me keep the wheelchair myself and self-propel if I’ve had a long layover and wanted a snack. But that may be a relatively tiny airport.

 

[Staren]

I would vote for bringing it. Always better to have the mobility devices you're used to. I'd also recommend keeping the walker with you. Bags are fine, but the chance something will get damaged when leaving others to handle mobility devices is too high.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think the OP is considering leaving the rollator with Bell Services because she expects their room not to be ready, and she is expecting the ECV on arrival. In other words, no choice.

 

[Groot]

I think the OP is considering leaving the rollator with Bell Services because she expects their room not to be ready, and she is expecting the ECV on arrival. In other words, no choice.

Exactly. Plus I don’t know of any rental company that has a walker holder on their scooters. Cane holders, yes, walker holders, no.

 

[MinnieMSue]

I would probably bring the rollator. Be aware that they may damage it on the airplane when they load it at the gate. They bent mine out of shape so it doesn’t sit evenly on all 4 wheels anymore. I couldn’t prove that it was fine before gate checking it. Very annoying. I also wouldn’t let them have the basket either. They messed that up too. I should have removed it but wasn’t thinking. You can leave it at Bell services no problem if the room isn’t ready.

 

[DisneyOma]

I think the OP is considering leaving the rollator with Bell Services because she expects their room not to be ready, and she is expecting the ECV on arrival. In other words, no choice.

Exactly. Plus I don’t know of any rental company that has a walker holder on their scooters. Cane holders, yes, walker holders, no.

Okay, if you leave it for the day, that makes sense. But they do fold, and then can be attached with velcro straps or bungee cords. Of course, if you can walk a bit without it, then that's a different story.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Exactly. Plus I don’t know of any rental company that has a walker holder on their scooters. Cane holders, yes, walker holders, no.

Walker (I think) offers walker holders. OP should contact Gold to see if they do, then still bring bungee cords because a folded rollator dimensions are different from those of a folded walker.

I would probably bring the rollator. Be aware that they may damage it on the airplane when they load it at the gate.

You/anyone should be able to bring your mobility device into the cabin and have it stowed there throughout the flight. Contact the airline in advance for help (and at your destination if there is ever damage again.)

 

[RaySharpton]

I leave for Disney in 3 days and I don’t know if I should take my walker with me or just leave it home. (See pic below.)
View attachment 375132

Now, as soon as I get to the hotel (we’re staying at Boulder Ridge in Wilderness Lodge) I’ll be meeting the rep from the scooter rental company and be using the scooter to get around the parks/hotels (I’m renting from Gold Mobility.) and will be dropping the walker off at the bellhop to put it with the rest of our bags until they’re ready to take it to the room.

My concern is the airport that we’re leaving from is pretty small (10 departure gates and is only serviced by Spirit.) compared to the monstrosity that is Orlando International. The walker’s main purpose would be in getting to/from the DME pick up area and giving me a “Sitting Break” should I need it. (Which would be pretty likely.) otherwise it would just be in the hotel room for the rest of the trip. My question is should I even get it in the car to go to the airport or should I leave it at home.

If I do leave it at home, I do have a couple of options:

1. I could just use my cane and “Bench Hunt” when I need one of the aforementioned “Sitting Breaks” and just take my time in getting to the bus stop.
2. I could borrow a manual chair from the airport (Both at my originating airport and at Orlando) and push myself to the bus stop. (I might do it myself depending on how obtrusive the armrests are/ and if I get a chair without a flat tire. I will also be bringing my own pushing gloves to aid in the process.)

I just don’t know what to do. Help me out please.

Hi, Groot. On my last WDW trip, I took my walker, but I bought a walker that I just use when traveling with my wheelchair and before that, I just use when traveling with my mobility scooter.

I usually take my cane, but sometimes I need my walker with my wheelchair.

Once the airlines ruined my walker when I checked it in when I was just using my cane most of the time. So I bought an Amazon folding scooter just for traveling when I also use my wheelchair. I also carry it onboard when flying if I take it.

I also take photos with my phone before I check my luggage and board the plane with anything that the airlines will be stored on the plane in case their conveyor belts machine eats up something. That way I can immediately show the airline customer service the before and after photos and the damage, if any.

Since I travel by myself, when traveling from home to the airport, I use a bungee cord and attach it to my luggage until I get to the airport and check my luggage. Then I attach it to the back of my wheelchair. I used to do the same with my mobility scooter.

Since I now have a wheelchair, I bought a different bungee cord to fit on the back of my wheelchair. It will hold anything. But this didn't fit on my mobility scooter.

I never know when I will need my walker instead of my cane, so I would take the walker and store it in the airline closet. There is plenty of room since you will be boarding first because of your disability.

I would not do this with my wheelchair, even though it would fit on the smaller Delta MD-88 airline, but there is plenty of room for a folded walker. The larger airlines even have a larger and different placed closet.

Take your walker.

.

 

[Groot]

Well, I’m flying Spirit and I don’t know if they have a closet on board. IIRC, they don’t. So more than often, they’ll put it underneath the plane in the cargo hold. I’ve seen that bungee cord net on Fold and Go’s site and I don’t think it would work with my cane since it’s a hurrycane pictured below.

I’m also planning on getting that protective bag for the Fold and Go when I buy the chair. Another added layer of protection for it. Also, does anyone know how the grounds crew people at Orlando unload mobility devices? Do they manually pick them up or do they have a conveyor belt/freight elevator for heavy items?

 

[RaySharpton]

Well, I’m flying Spirit and I don’t know if they have a closet on board. IIRC, they don’t. So more than often, they’ll put it underneath the plane in the cargo hold. I’ve seen that bungee cord net on Fold and Go’s site and I don’t think it would work with my cane since it’s a hurrycane pictured below.
View attachment 375331
I’m also planning on getting that protective bag for the Fold and Go when I buy the chair. Another added layer of protection for it. Also, does anyone know how the grounds crew people at Orlando unload mobility devices? Do they manually pick them up or do they have a conveyor belt/freight elevator for heavy items?

You might call them to find out if your plan has a closet that you missed when boarding. Most planes have them, but they are not always visible as you walk in.

Probably not on a mobility scooter, but I thought the Hurry Cane was foldable with a wrist strap. I used to fold mine up and hang it on the armrest. Now I just put on the back seat with the bungee cord net.

They pick them up and run it up the conveyor belt if picked up from the jetway before getting on the plane.

But if checked as luggage, it could go through a mile of conveyor belts and turns before it gets to the person that loads it on the plane.

You can call and request that they use an elevator. I usually go down the jetway and they pick up my wheelchair their and carry it down, roll it to the conveyor onto the planes storage cargo area.