Stroller as Wheelchair on Disney Wonder

[thatgrrl]

My 4 year old daughter has spina bifida -- and while she does, and can, walk she is going through some "issues" with stamina and pain right now.

We will be sailing on the Wonder in September. In the parks I get a red tag for our stroller that designates it as a wheelchair and we use it when she just can't stand anymore in line.

I know I can bring a stroller on the cruise with no problem -- but I am thinking of times like at the evening show. By the end of the day she may be unable to walk. Will I be able to park her stroller outside the theater? We don't necessarily need to take up the designated wheelchair seating and I know she would much rather sit in a theater seat than her stroller. I can't imagine the ship has the "stroller parking" that you see at the park.

Do I have to let DCL know that I will be using her stroller as a wheelchair beforehand? Would this have to be signed by her doctor before we go? We will be at the parks the days leading up to the cruise so we will have a red tag already and our GAC. Will this be enough?

We are pretty low-key about this issue, but I want to make sure she will be comfortable the whole trip.

thanks in advance.

 

[IncredibleboysMom]

Hi, I have two children with spina bifida, a 9 1/2 year old son and a boy who will be 4 this week. We've been on 7 Disney cruises and trust me, it is the perfect vacation for us!

To answer your question, yes, you are allowed to park your stroller outside the shows. We take a higher weight umbrella stroller on board and fold it up in the closet when we are in the room. Our younger son uses a walker, so we put him in the stroller and fit the walker on the handles and use it all over the ship. We even take it into the restaurants and if it doesn't fit well beside the table, the staff takes it for us and brings it back when we are done.

Feel free to ask more questions, just smile to yourself and get ready for the time of your lives. We love Disney parks also, but the cruise staff really make those vacations the BEST!!

 

[IncredibleboysMom]

Forgot to say that no, you don't need a GAC or special permission to use the stroller as a wheelchair.

Have fun!

 

[thatgrrl]

Hi, I have two children with spina bifida, a 9 1/2 year old son and a boy who will be 4 this week. We've been on 7 Disney cruises and trust me, it is the perfect vacation for us!

To answer your question, yes, you are allowed to park your stroller outside the shows. We take a higher weight umbrella stroller on board and fold it up in the closet when we are in the room. Our younger son uses a walker, so we put him in the stroller and fit the walker on the handles and use it all over the ship. We even take it into the restaurants and if it doesn't fit well beside the table, the staff takes it for us and brings it back when we are done.

Feel free to ask more questions, just smile to yourself and get ready for the time of your lives. We love Disney parks also, but the cruise staff really make those vacations the BEST!!

perfect. thank you. this is exactly the information i was looking for. we did a RCCL cruise last year -- but weren't having "issues" like we are now and for the life of me I could not remember seeing any strollers.

 

[dclfun]

I would recommend that you get to the Walt Disney Theatre for your evening show a little early and speak to one of the crew hosts/hostesses at the entrance. There are steps of course leading to the front of the theater but you'd have to carry your child up/down and if the ship is moving, I wouldn't want you to get hurt. As an alternative for someone with special needs who is unable to independently navigate the stairs, you can be brought down an elevator, through the lounge, and into the front row for seating. This way you could bring your stroller with you still but have a closer view of the stage and not have to go up/down the stairs carrying your child.---Kathy