Stroller as a wheelchair question

[boakl1968]

One of my twin DS's has mild CP. He can walk and wears AFOs. For our Thanksgiving trip I was going to request a stroller as a wheelchair GAC. The twins will be four, and I plan to use my double stroller (Peg Twin Aria) in the parks. Will they let me bring my double stroller through the line? Will it fit through all the twist and turns?

I do have one single stroller that I could use, but I really want to avoid the rental fees so for my other son.

Any experiences or suggestions? I am stuck!

 

[SueM in MN]

First answer - they will allow you to use a double stroller for a 'stroller as wheelchair'. Other people have posted they used either their own double stroller or a WDW park rental double as a wheelchair.

Second answer - Doorways and accessways have to be at least 32 inches wide for wheelchair accessibility. An average wheelchair needs 5 feet to turn.
I looked up your stroller on the internet and it says it will fit thru regular doorways. I had a bit of a problem actually finding a width for it, but did find Toys R Us says it's 29.75 Inches Wide. Even if it were wider than that, you won't have any problems.

If you haven't read the GAC information in the disABILITIES FAQs thread, you will find a lot of information about Guest Assistance Cards in post #6 of that thread.

You will still need to fold the stroller for buses. A poster on the Family Board said she was told the bus drivers are required to allow anyone with a double stroller to board thru the rear door if they want to. She said she was told to just have her DH stand at the rear door with the stroller and he would be able to load it first (like right after guests with wheelchairs). I find that hard to believe since it's hard enough sometimes to get noticed by the bus drivers to get an actual wheelchair loaded.

 

[GrumpyMom25]

On the trip we took 2 summers ago we were allowed to use our double stroller to load onto the buses with the wheelchair lift. Once on the bus tho we had to fold the stroller and store it under the seats. We were let on first and let off the bus last. It really was a big help. It's worth asking. The trip we just got back from we had our 5 year old walking the whole time (he did amazingly well) and our 9 year old was in a bus transportable stroller. We were given a GAC card and a red sticker to hook around the stroller frame the first day we went into the parks.

 

[ireland_nicole]

We use a double stroller with stroller as w/c GAC; we haven't had any problem getting it through any of the queues or anything; you definitely don't want to use a second stroller, it would be such a pain, you'd never get a moment where you weren't pushing something, ugh. We had a very mixed experience w/ bus drivers- some got upset if we were in the regular queue for the busses, saying we needed to stand in the "disabled boarding area" others got upset if we asked to use the rear door at all; it really depended on the driver; we reminded ourselves to be patient-really patient. This year, I have had more more mobility issues myself, so between my ECV and two kids w/ disabilities we have decided to use the car. But the Aria is pretty easy and quick to fold, and not too heavy; if one of you takes the kids and the other one takes the stroller you'll be good.

 

[SueM in MN]

I didn't mean to imply that you should not use the back door for boarding the bus. You should be able to board thru the back door, using the stroller as a wheelchair; although a lot of people have posted variable experiences like ireland_nicole did.

What I meant to say was that you would not be able to leave the stroller open on the bus. It will be too big and can't be tied down with the straps normally used for wheelchairs and ECVs.

 

[SueM in MN]

These were some additional questions when you re-posted your question. I'll try to answer some of them:

I will be taking my Peg Perego Twin Aria down with us as my twins are going to be just 4 at the time and even my typical twin isn't up to walking all day. Will my double stroller be allowed into the queues and if so, will I be able to move it around tight corners? Will I get dirty looks for having two little boys in a double stroller in line (if my son with CP has pants on, you can't see that he's wearing AFOs and that there is a mobility issue)? Is there another way to deal with this?

AK and the Studio were built more recently and have much large queues so you won't have any problems at all at those parks.
MK and Epcot are older and some of the queues are narrower, but the ones that are wheelchair accessible (which is most of them) will not be a problem.

It takes approximately 5 feet of space to turn a corner with a wheelchair. Since the wheelchair accessible lines are arranged to have a wheelchair turn the corner, you should have no problem turning corners with your double stroller.

As for stares, you may get some. But, you know that your child has a mobility problem and the person staring doesn't. Most often, WDW uses a bright colored sticker (kind of like an airline luggage tag) that designates your stroller is being used as a wheelchair.
Some may not be aware or they may just be rude.

It won't really matter whether or not your child has any visible disability; there are some people who will decide they need to stare or comment anyway.
My (I guess you could call it favorite) wheelchair story is from when my youngest DD was just over 3. She had a very 'wheelchair-looking wheelchair' - big back wheels. No way it even remotely resembled a stroller, except that DD was very little. As a CM was directing us thru the door in The Land at Epcot, a mother tried to push her stroller through ahead of us. The CM told her she would need to park her stroller because strollers were not allowed into the building (don't worry, strollers as wheelchairs are).
The woman pointed to my DD and said, "She's bringing her stroller in. If she can bring hers in, why can't I bring mine?"
The CM said, "That isn't a stroller, that's a wheelchair."
The woman replied, "I don't care. If she can bring her stroller in, I want mine in too."
At that point, we couldn't move because she was blocking our way. Her DH kept saying "It's a WHEELCHAIR! It's a WHEELCHAIR."

The CM finally got her to move so we could get by. He was still talking to her when we went into the building.
So, there may be people who stare or make comments, but you need to do what your child needs. And, try your best to ignore them.

 

[boakl1968]

Thanks Sue, I looked all over for my original post this afternoon and couldn't find it. I appreciate all the help. I feel a lot better about using the double. Thanks for this forum!

 

[DannysMom]

Thanks Sue, I looked all over for my original post this afternoon and couldn't find it. I appreciate all the help. I feel a lot better about using the double. Thanks for this forum!

Also be prepared for CMs that blindly repeat, 'no strollers, please park your stroller' -- be preapred to point out your "stroller as wheelchair" sticker/flag, most CMs are very nice & apologetic & point you on to any elevators or alternate entrances that you might need, but some I think are embarassed at having their mistake pointed out & are rather brusque. I try not to take it personally.

My son too (now 5 starting K on Thurday! ) has mild CP & he doesn't look disabled when he's seated & it's very easy to overlook his braces (one ankle high, one calf high) we love going to Disney (having taken him 3x now) because we know his needs are pretty easily accomodated there & we don't have to "figure it all out" from scratch. Have a great trip!

 

[anewvance]

We just used a double stroller as a wheelchair this weekend. Had no problems at all!

 

[mechurchlady]

It is a federal law that kids must be taken out of strollers on ground transportation like trams and busses but not monorails or boats. Disney often will let parents use a lift to get the stroller into the bus but federal laws over rule the parent. The CMs are really nice so do not be afraid to ask them questions and for help.

As for staring, please, take a number and get in line. Who is in line to be stared at? A kid with a feeding tube, a fat lady who talks too much because of brain quirks, the emaciate lady, the man with the earring and nose ring, the religious family, a person who would make Blackwell's list, the girl with tattoos, and the line goes out the door and for miles. People stare when they do not understand things. Some wonder why a kid has a feeding tube or how does that work or does it hurt or a myriad of other questions. You can educate them, belittle them or ignore them. Educating often helps people to understand things as they are not really being rude but just do not grasp what they are seeing. You might even meet someone in the same situation as you.

There is a fourth option that is not legal but good for stress relief. Chase them with in your ECV.

 

[SueM in MN]

It is a federal law that kids must be taken out of strollers on ground transportation like trams and busses but not monorails or boats. Disney often will let parents use a lift to get the stroller into the bus but federal laws over rule the parent. The CMs are really nice so do not be afraid to ask them questions and for help.

Just for clarification - a transport ready special needs stroller is considered a wheelchair for transportation purposes. Those specific types of strollers have been designed for bus transport and are OK.