So Many Questions....

[nfrank]

Excuse me for being a pain.... but I have so many questions!

Here's the deal:

I'm moving out of the country in August and I thought it would be awesome to do one last trip to WDW before going abroad. My mother has never been to WDW (and has literally not been on a real vacation in over 30 years!), so I thought it'd be great to make it a trip for just the two of us! So I decided to go all out.... We're doing six nights at the Poly and then a three night--as I'm calling it--"recovery" cruise to the Bahamas on the Disney Dream afterwards. I thought it would be an amazing experience for her.... But here's my problem....

My mother is almost 60 years old. She has diabetes, as well as a plethora of other health problems both related to that and not (i.e. diabetic neuropathy, emphysema, fibromyalgia, etc.). She is currently pretty adamant about NOT getting a wheelchair/scooter. I don't think she understands the scope of WDW and the toll it will take on her body.... especially with her chronic pain and diabetic neuropathy in her feet!

So I guess my questions are:

1. Has anyone else had a parent do this before? How'd you handle it?
2. Will a GAC help with a situation like this? What even IS a GAC (I know what you're probably thinking.... but I honestly don't really know *what* it is or *what* it does--if anything.... I've never had to worry about anything like that going it alone)?
3. If I can convince her to get a wheelchair or scooter, will it be a problem at the Poly (since I didn't request an accessible room)? I mean, she probably won't be needing it at all times.... just while in the parks.
4. Is there anything you can think of that I should be concerned about as far as the cruise goes? (Honestly, that's what she is looking forward to the most!)
5. Any other tips or suggestions? Like I said.... I've never had to worry about any of these things before, so I'm just sort of in the dark. And when I try to look things up for WDW online--and it is stuff I'm not used too--I just find a bunch of acronyms that I don't really understanding.

Thanks for any advice you can give! It is so much appreciated!

 

[nfrank]

OH! ANOTHER THING!.....

6. If you're in need of mobility assistance (i.e. a wheelchair or scooter), can you still ride the monorail? I would assume so... as kids get on there in strollers.... but I don't recall ever seeing someone in a wheelchair or scooter on the monorail before.

7. Would it be insane of me to get her a wheelchair (instead of a scooter) and offer to push her around? I think she might be more okay with that than the idea of getting the scooter. But would that be something insane for me to do to myself in July?

Thanks!

 

[nfrank]

One more.... that's it! I promise!

If I do get her to use a chair of some kind..... what do you do with the chair while you're on an attraction? And what about the attractions that load on one side and exit on the other?

Thanks!

 

[disney david]

You can aka as Many question as you like that's what the disboards is here for. Yes you can go in the monorail with a scooter or wheelchair the cm will put a ramp up and you board and when you get to your stop another cm will bring the ramp and you exit. So pleas feel free to ask as many questions as you want.

 

[Gracie09]

What we did with my mil was ask her to pick a point

 

[Gracie09]

What we did with my mil was ask her to pick a point about a mile away and ask if she could walk to it, and then back., three times. Then get up tomorrow and repeat it. It made her think about the amount of walking she would need to do for a disney trip.

Either way you will be able to bring an ecv or wheelchair into you room at poly to store and charge overnght. Its cheaper to rent from an outside vendor and then you have it outside the parks

 

[nfrank]

You can aka as Many question as you like that's what the disboards is here for. Yes you can go in the monorail with a scooter or wheelchair the cm will put a ramp up and you board and when you get to your stop another cm will bring the ramp and you exit. So pleas feel free to ask as many questions as you want.

Thanks so much! For some reason, I didn't even realize they had ramps *onto* the monorail.

 

[nfrank]

What we did with my mil was ask her to pick a point about a mile away and ask if she could walk to it, and then back., three times. Then get up tomorrow and repeat it. It made her think about the amount of walking she would need to do for a disney trip.

Either way you will be able to bring an ecv or wheelchair into you room at poly to store and charge overnght. Its cheaper to rent from an outside vendor and then you have it outside the parks

I think as we inch closer and closer to the date of our vacation (only 42 more days!!!) it gets more and more real for her. I think she'll be convinced eventually.... I really hope so, anyway!

Is there any particular vendor that would be the best to go with? I doubt she'll need it outside the parks, since I think she can handle that small amount of walking. It's just the MILES and MILES in the parks that I know she won't be able to handle..... ESPECIALLY in the July heat!

 

[bidnow5]

You don't need an accessible room you are better off renting from an outside vendor either wheel chair or scooter is a lot less. There is a lot of info in the FAQ stickies on the top of the landing page of this forum

 

[nfrank]

You don't need an accessible room you are better off renting from an outside vendor either wheel chair or scooter is a lot less. There is a lot of info in the FAQ stickies on the top of the landing page of this forum

Thanks! I'll check those out! Maybe they'll answer many of my questions!

 

[disney david]

Thanks so much! For some reason, I didn't even realize they had ramps *onto* the monorail.

Your welcome the cm will direct you to a car most of the time it the two in the middle but if their full they can use other cars. They will radio the stop you want to get off then when you get their they will be ready but if not just in car a cm switch and didn't pass along the info let the cm know at the station and they will be more then happy to help.