Stroller as wheelchair question

[Mickey'snewestfan]

esp at the end of night, you will not get any help from stroller as a wheelchair on the buses. will need to fold before boarding get you daughter on bus without stroller. you will not be able to use ramp and move child to seat and then fold stroller. the GAC helps inside parks, not outside.

Does that apply to strollers for special needs kids that have tie downs for buses? I'm thinking of something like a Kid Kart that wouldn't be confused with a regular stroller.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

i do not know about special needs strollers but i did see that tie downs are very tight including one that goes across the wheelchair. not sure if strong enough, would check with supplier to be sure about tie downs esp if child stays in stroller. ECV's can be tied down but you are not allowed to stay on while tied down.

 

[SueM in MN]

Does that apply to strollers for special needs kids that have tie downs for buses? I'm thinking of something like a Kid Kart that wouldn't be confused with a regular stroller.

A special needs stroller that was manufactured with a transport option comes with tie down points and seat belt installed. Those can be tied down in the buses
and the child can stay in it. Thy hold still wear the bus seat belt because that is part of the restraint system that ties the chair down and holds the child to the chair.

Regular strollers or special needs strollers that were not designed for transport need to be folded on the bus. It is not safe for a child to ride in them and the frame cn get bent just by tieing it down.

 

[JulieBR]

I was diagnosed at 5. i (Literally) feel her pain.

all I can do is suggest that she TAKE IT SLOW and DO NOT try and cram everything in at once. no sense in being miserable cuz no one will enjoy themselves. not sure if you mention where you are staying, but if you have access to a hot tub in the evenings, the heated water and jet action can be a godsend.

I also take 'pre emptive' drugs.. and extra dose of my anti inflammatory meds. In fact I have asked( and gotten approval) from my doctor to stab myself in the thigh with an extra dose of Humira( normally taken every 2 weeks currently) while at the World.

oh and TAKE A DAY OFF!!!!

seriously.. pick one day( for us it is always the middle of the trip) and do NOTHING strenuous.. that's the 'hang out by the pool all day' day.. or the "Hit DTD for a movie and Ghiardelli sundaes.' day. She's a bit young for the spa Session I get.. massage/facial etc.

Wow, thank you - you really do literally feel her pain. Have you ever gone into a clinical remission? She just started Enbrel injections yesterday for the very first time and that's what I was hoping for....

 

[Mrsjvb]

Wow, thank you - you really do literally feel her pain. Have you ever gone into a clinical remission? She just started Enbrel injections yesterday for the very first time and that's what I was hoping for....

From 5-7 I was in a WC full time. of course this was back in the deep dark ages of antiquity when 'children didn't get RA' so nobody realized that regular... if low impact exercise was CRUCIAL. as a result I lost a great deal of hip and knee mobility that was never regained. ( I take full responsibility for my wrists being locked in to position as I refused to do what I was told) EVERY joint is affected. some worse than others( one knee, both wrists, neck, hips)

from 12-18 I was in remission. College was so strenuous that it flared up again. It's all been downhill from there. I am *ahem* past 40 now and re are seriously discussing the necessity of hip and knee replacement. Thank gawd I have amazing insurance and will pay nothing out of pocket.

They didn't have these wonderful drugs like Enbrel and Humira when I was first diagnosed.. all I had were NSAIDS.. which have wreaked havoc on my liver. do be careful though.. with a repressed immune system she will be susceptible to colds and other infections easier. Hand gel is your friend. just don't go overboard or it will lose its effectiveness..

carry a light sweater or jacket.. inside attractions and other locations that are A/c, the extreme change from outdoors/hot and humid often triggers a flare up in me.

Also she will want to get up and walk around a little bit every hour.. for me that tends to be bathroom breaks, and I will almost always stash the chair for meals too. steps are no longer my friend though so most rides.. I stay in t as long as I can.

 

[JulieBR]

From 5-7 I was in a WC full time. of course this was back in the deep dark ages of antiquity when 'children didn't get RA' so nobody realized that regular... if low impact exercise was CRUCIAL. as a result I lost a great deal of hip and knee mobility that was never regained. ( I take full responsibility for my wrists being locked in to position as I refused to do what I was told) EVERY joint is affected. some worse than others( one knee, both wrists, neck, hips)

from 12-18 I was in remission. College was so strenuous that it flared up again. It's all been downhill from there. I am *ahem* past 40 now and re are seriously discussing the necessity of hip and knee replacement. Thank gawd I have amazing insurance and will pay nothing out of pocket.

They didn't have these wonderful drugs like Enbrel and Humira when I was first diagnosed.. all I had were NSAIDS.. which have wreaked havoc on my liver. do be careful though.. with a repressed immune system she will be susceptible to colds and other infections easier. Hand gel is your friend. just don't go overboard or it will lose its effectiveness..

carry a light sweater or jacket.. inside attractions and other locations that are A/c, the extreme change from outdoors/hot and humid often triggers a flare up in me.

Also she will want to get up and walk around a little bit every hour.. for me that tends to be bathroom breaks, and I will almost always stash the chair for meals too. steps are no longer my friend though so most rides.. I stay in t as long as I can.

I am so very sorry you have had such a struggle with your JRA. That really stinks. Thank you a million times over for sharing these tips with me. Much Love!

 

[memakwed]

We used a stroller as wheelchair in Aug for our 7 yr old. We simply went to guest services to get a GAC and they had a long red sticker that wrapped around our stroller handle that read stroller as wheelchair. We used it in all lines and there were no problems as long as you show the sticker on the stroller. Most CM's saw it right away but if they didn't we just pointed it out and they let us get in line.

 

[anonymousegirl]

On attractions like TSMM which has stairs, I assume that if I am using a stroller as a wheelchair, we would end up in the separate accessible boarding area, but what about Buzz, or Haunted Manison which does not involve stairs but does involve moving walkways? My autistic nephew needs to have his safe place (for his comfort and everyone's else's) but can walk and use the moving walkways without the need for slowing or stopping the motion.

 

[kathleendsm]

On attractions like TSMM which has stairs, I assume that if I am using a stroller as a wheelchair, we would end up in the separate accessible boarding area, but what about Buzz, or Haunted Manison which does not involve stairs but does involve moving walkways? My autistic nephew needs to have his safe place (for his comfort and everyone's else's) but can walk and use the moving walkways without the need for slowing or stopping the motion.

We use the stroller as a wheelchair with my son who has some developmental delays and motor planning problems. The moving walkways are hard for him, but we usually just carry him and let the CM know that they don't need to stop it. That's been fine for things like HM and Buzz if there are no other wheelchair guests that they need to stop it for anyway.

If your child is able to walk, there are some rides, Jungle Cruise and Killomanjaro Safaris come to mind, where it's really a lot better to use FastPass if you're able to do so. The wait for an accessible vehicle is far longer most of the time. At KS we typically just stow the stroller with the wheelchair tag in stroller parking. One time a CM wouldn't let us and we were seriously annoyed, because DS ended up more stressed with all the waiting in the wheelchair line than if we'd just been allowed to park the stroller and stay with the FastPass line.

 

[SueM in MN]

On attractions like TSMM which has stairs, I assume that if I am using a stroller as a wheelchair, we would end up in the separate accessible boarding area, but what about Buzz, or Haunted Manison which does not involve stairs but does involve moving walkways? My autistic nephew needs to have his safe place (for his comfort and everyone's else's) but can walk and use the moving walkways without the need for slowing or stopping the motion.

With a stroller as a wheelchair, you would use whatever is the accessible loading area/boarding. For TSMM, there is a set of steps just after getting the 3D glasses, at the point where there Fastpass and regular lines merge. Guests using mobility devices or need to avoid the stairs go to the right, up a ramp. Guests who do not need to bypass the stairs go to the left.

For attractions with moving walkways, they normally slow them for guests with wheelchairs, but do not stop it unless asked. When you get to the boarding area, you can tell them that you don’t need to have it slowed or stopped.

 

[anonymousegirl]

With a stroller as a wheelchair, you would use whatever is the accessible loading area/boarding. For TSMM, there is a set of steps just after getting the 3D glasses, at the point where there Fastpass and regular lines merge. Guests using mobility devices or need to avoid the stairs go to the right, up a ramp. Guests who do not need to bypass the stairs go to the left.

For attractions with moving walkways, they normally slow them for guests with wheelchairs, but do not stop it unless asked. When you get to the boarding area, you can tell them that you don’t need to have it slowed or stopped.

And what do we do with the stroller at Buzz for example if we go through the mainstream line? Does the CM take it and pass it through to the exit area?

 

[SueM in MN]

And what do we do with the stroller at Buzz for example if we go through the mainstream line? Does the CM take it and pass it through to the exit area?

As you go thru the mainstream line at Buzz, there is a turn to the right where you actually get to the boarding area. Instead of turning right, guests with mobility devices go straight ahead there into a hallway that leads to the unload area. You will wait there in an area alongside the unload area until called by a CM. The mobility device will be at the exit area when you get off.

The hallway is after the the Fastpass and Mainstream Lines merge, so it is the same which ever line you are in.

 

[NOLA_Tink]

Hmm. Ok, well thanks for the info!

Hello, neighbor, by the way! I'm in Baton Rouge (hence the BR) )

Dear deegack, crashbb, WheeledTraveler, and SueM in MN, Thank you so much taking the time to assist me and for the bountiful information. My 6 year old daughter has Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and her disability is not casually visible. To make it more complicated, she can get up and walk normally so I didn't want any suspicions. This is why I wanted the letter, to avoid any hassle just in case. I'm still worried about people giving her ugly looks.

Yes, we are going to rent offsite so we can have the stroller outside of the parks. Should I put a sign on her stroller to avoid mean looks and comments? If so , what should it say? Or will the tag they give me be visible?

Thank you so much!

Hi, neighbor! Don't worry about getting nasty looks! You'll be on vacation & others simply need to mind their own business. My mother has permanent nerve damage in her legs from chemo, and she's (without fail) in a wheelchair after our first half-day in the parks. She can walk the distance from the chair to a ride's seat, but anything longer is excruciating for her. I don't think anyone has ever given us questionable looks & the Disney CMs have always been very helpful and understanding.

HAVE AN AWESOME VACATION!!!

 

[Betty Rohrer]

as Sue said, you will be sent up the ramp with the stroller, will not be allowed up the steps. you will get off at same place you get on or stroller will be moved to exit. this is what happened with daughter's,adult, EVC. whole group will be sent that way. line can get long. if stroller goes to loading area, it will be at exit when you arrive there. if Thounder Mountain is on list, i was allow to ride second time with out getting off to get back wheelchair the time i needed, much to my grandson's joy at 2 rides in a row.