size of wheelchairs

[boppy]

Hello! Thanks to everyone who responded to my last post. Everyone was right. My next question. I am Pooh-sized. Are the wheelchairs available for rental large? Not super big, but not tiny either. I figure I would need one larger than the standard hospital size. Thanks!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I just checked with the people at Stroller Rental in MK. They do have some oversize wheelchairs, but in limited quantities. A lot concerning availability would depend both on when in the year as well as time of day of arrival.

 

[madenon]

Hi Boppy,

I don't know what sizes of chairs WDW offers, but rental places will have different sized of chairs. Many brands call them "heavy duty" chairs. The normall range of those can handle people up to 150/200 kg, which is about 330/440 pounds. There also are chairs that can handle more weight than that, they just aren't as common as standard size and "heavy duty" in the standard version.

Have you read the disability FAQ on here yet? If you click on the first link for off site renting, you'll see that Care Medical rents chairs that are 18", 20", 22"and 24" wide. That's even the first one we tried. Be assured, there will be chairs for rent that will accomodate your needs.

 

[sue and co]

Hi,

I'm not sure where you are from but I am a UK sized 18 and (when we didn;t have my wheelchair with us) that the wheelchairs were ok but wouldn't have been if I had been any bigger. Don't know if that helps or not.

Sue

 

[SueM in MN]

I'd suggest you contact some of the off-site rental places. Give them the information about how tall you are and how much you weigh. They can give you the size that will ne most comfortable and fit your size best.

Because the parks have limited numbers of larger size wheelchairs as Cheshire Figment pointed out, I think you would be best off renting from one of the off-site places. That way, you would know what you are getting and not have to worry each day.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Hi boppy, We borrowed a large wheelchair from the AS Movies resort in June for no charge, we just asked for one at luggage claim and they brought it right out and told us just to make sure we returned it before we left. We used it to push mom onto the bus and then rented an ECV at the park. They put a claim ticket on it at the rental booth at MK and then we picked it up when we turned in the ECV key.

Suzanne

 

[SueM in MN]

The WDW resorts do have wheelchairs to loan, but they can't be reserved ahead of time and there is no guarantee that one will be there when you ask or, if they do have one, that they will have a larger size wheelchair.
The Disney website and their written information says that if you want to make sure you have a wheelchair, you should rent from one of the off-site companies.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Here are our experiences. I am size 26/28. I have had 3 back surgeries already but I can walk but slowly. We rent the wheelchairs when we get to each park but we buy the tickets for the week or however many days we need them. You can also hand in the ticket if you park hop in 1 day for the wheelchair at your next park.

MK: Always has large sized in stock. Only once, late at night did we not get one. I then used the small one as a walker.

Studios: They usually have them in stock too. They will give you a complimentary wheelchair with attached red flag to take back to the bus stop but this is only the small version.

Epcot: Available at the main entrance but rarely at the International Gateway Entrance. You can however do 1 or 2 options if you use the International Gateway. They will have a cm go get you one from the main entrance. Wastes alot of time. Or 2 which I do. Use it as a walker and then go to the main entrance and exchange it for the plus sized wheelchair.

AK: New system very unaccomodating. They do have complimentary wheelchairs for the bus stops. You might find one at the bus stop but they are only the small sized. You have to walk all the way inside the park to rent the wheelchair. If you want to take the full sized one back out to the bus stop a cast member will walk with you and accompany you back out to the bus stop and then take the wheelchair from you. (we did this. The cm guy was nice and said he understood etc.).

DTD: Also very unaccomodating. You have to actually walk way into the shopping area just to get the wheelchair. DH said he had to sign his life away on alot of paper. Had to do a $200 credit hold on our credit card and got lectured on what would happen if we did not return the chair etc. Gheesh.

I do have my own wheelchair at home, but its my grandmas and its a small size and its black and not good in the sun etc. so I put up with the disney way. Best of luck to you.