My parents are going with us on our next trip, and both of them will be renting wheelchairs, just because they can only do so much walking in a day.
Our tentatively plan is to wheel them from attraction to attraction, then let them stand in the regular line. What do you do with the wheelchair while you are in line or on the ride? Leave it with the strollers?
If you want to walk into the attraction and leave the wheelchair outside, you would leave it parked with the strollers.
Just like strollers, CMs sometimes move wheelchairs around while they are parked in the stroller parking area to keep things orderly.
One thing to keep in mind is that some of the attractions are a long distance to walk, even if the wait is not long. For example, the line for Soarin' is about 1/4 mile from the entrance to the boarding area and then an equal distance to get out.
If you choose to take it in line with you, where it will be while you ride will depend on exactly how that ride loads. In some, it will be exactly were you left it when you boarded the ride. In others, you will get out and while you are in the ride, a CM will move the wheelchair to the unload area.
For shows, there are wheelchair spots where you can sit in the wheelchair to watch the show.
Do you need to do something to mark the wheelchair as yours?
The rental companies and the park rental ones usually will have a large tag with your name on it. People have put things like curly ribbon on the push handles and some have laminated decorative signs and then attached them with twist ties or zip ties. Some have also sewed something sort of like a pillowcase to go over the back of the chair. Those types of things make them easier to spot if you do leave the wheelchair and also stand out so someone won't take it by mistake.
What about leaving stuff on the wheelchair?
Thanks!
I would not leave anything on the wheelchair that is valuable or hard to replace. If you bring the wheelchair into attractions and leave it while you are riding, it is probably not that much chance of people taking anything.
Most people don't even see the wheelchairs at the exit because they are just focused on getting out.
If you park it with the strollers, I would not leave anything with it unless it is something like water bottles that can be easily replaced.
If you decide to rent an
ECV, you can find more information and links to the companies DIS posters use most in post #2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
