stroller as wheelchair

[I'mfarfaraway]

I am looking for some information on stroller as wheelchair and I am not having much luck. We will be bringing a convaid cruiser for my 12 year old son. Although he can walk, he has low tone and as he gets tired or to hot he tends to get floppier and floppier. I am not sure though if I need to get his stroller tagged as a wheelchair or not.
Our last trip was 2 years ago and they had a different system then. We have no problems waiting in lines and so I am wondering what getting this tag is for.
Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[lovewdwfun]

We were just there and used a stroller as a wheelchair. If it were me, I would get a tag just to be safe. It was very simple, I just went to guest relations and asked for the stroller as a wheelchair sticker. I don't know that you would have an issue anyway, but it was so easy that I would get it just in case. We just had the sticker on the handle and flashed it up when a CM would start to tell us to park our stroller.

 

[I'mfarfaraway]

We were just there and used a stroller as a wheelchair. If it were me, I would get a tag just to be safe. It was very simple, I just went to guest relations and asked for the stroller as a wheelchair sticker. I don't know that you would have an issue anyway, but it was so easy that I would get it just in case. We just had the sticker on the handle and flashed it up when a CM would start to tell us to park our stroller.

In what sort of instances would they tell you to park it? Would it be if you were wanting to take it in a line for an attraction?

 

[Kellykins1218]

In what sort of instances would they tell you to park it? Would it be if you were wanting to take it in a line for an attraction?

They direct you to stroller parking when they see you trying to enter a line with your stroller (they don't always see your sticker at first but will wave you right through as soon as they do)

 

[OurBigTrip]

The tag allows you to wait in the regular line with a stroller. Without it, you will be asked to park your stroller and have your son walk.

 

[I'mfarfaraway]

The tag allows you to wait in the regular line with a stroller. Without it, you will be asked to park your stroller and have your son walk.

Thank you, this was the part I was looking for. I wasn't quite understanding about the lines. Last visit we rarely had to do the lines... I think that I will definitely get the tag then.

 

[SueM in MN]

The large special needs strollers that a12 year old would use are usually recognized without problem as a wheelchair, but if you want to make sure (or if you have a smaller child whose special needs stroller might be confused with a regular one), a 'stroller as wheelchair' tag is great.

If you need to see this information again, it's posted in post 6 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread and the WDW DAS FAQs thread. Both are near the top of this board.
I copied it here for you:
My child doesn't have a wheelchair, but needs to stay in the stroller. Is this allowed?

• Strollers are not usually allowed inside buildings or in most queues, but can be if needed because of disability.
  - may be helpful to create a 'safe haven' for a child with cognitive/sensory disabilities or autism
  - may be needed by children with disabilities that affect muscle tone or stamina
• Sticker tag will be placed on the stroller to show it is being used as a wheelchair.
  - park rental strollers would need a new sticker each day
  - personal strollers are usually tagged for the length of stay.
• If the only needs are mobility related, the child will not need DAS; they will just need the sticker.
  - If only for mobility related needs, the guest would follow the information above for guests using wheelchairs.
  - if the child has additional needs besides using the stroller as a wheelchair, they would need DAS for those needs .
• With a 'stroller as a wheelchair', you will be able to:
  - take the stroller in all lines and buildings, even if strollers are not usually allowed
  - use wheelchair entrances.
  - use the stroller until boarding. The child may need to be removed to board a ride, but you can leave the stroller at the boarding area. You won't need to fold it, but should take anything of value.
  - use the stroller in shows and sit in the wheelchair seating areas. The child may need to get out of the stroller and sit on an adult's lap if the stroller seat is too low. Most shows have limited numbers of wheelchair spots, so wheelchair spots are sometimes filled before other seats are filled.
  - use wheelchair areas for parades. Wheelchairs and strollers are usually parked very close together across the front of the viewing area. If your child needs to be away from others, this may not work for you, or you may need to park behind the front row to get more space. Areas sometimes fill quickly, so arrive early.

 

[allison0523]

The large special needs strollers that a12 year old would use are usually recognized without problem as a wheelchair, but if you want to make sure (or if you have a smaller child whose special needs stroller might be confused with a regular one), a 'stroller as wheelchair' tag is great.

This has not been our experience at WDW. Our son is 7 and we have a convaid pediatric wheelchair (which looks like a large stroller). We were pointed to the stroller parking many times when we visited so we had to flash the tag to the CM as other people have said.

 

[SueM in MN]

This has not been our experience at WDW. Our son is 7 and we have a convaid pediatric wheelchair (which looks like a large stroller). We were pointed to the stroller parking many times when we visited so we had to flash the tag to the CM as other people have said.

Yes.
We are actually saying the same things. I was talking about the larger special needs strollers that would be used by a 12 year old. They are pretty distinctive, are large enough and there are few enough 12 year olds in strollers that they are usually recognized as special needs strollers. (Although, there are some parents who rent them for their non-disabled 9-12 yr olds).

Your situation is a smaller child in a pediatric wheelchair designed to look like a conventional stroller. As I mentioned, those do get mixed up with regular strollers and will probably need a 'stroller as wheelchair' tag.
Strollers have changed a lot in the last 15 years.
At one point, the only strollers available were for small children. Now, it's not uncommon to see 'regular' strollers that go up to 50 and even 65 pounds. So, even a 7 yr old might 'blend in' with kids without disabilities who are using strollers.
My youngest DD got her first wheelchair at not quite 3 yrs old because she was outgrowing her regular stroller. She got a 'conventional looking wheelchair' with 2 large rear wheels because she would be capable of self-propelling.
Pediatric wheelchairs that are not meant for self-propelling look much more similar to strollers than to wheelchairs, do it's easy for CMs to get confused.

 

[glamourgirl]

Would I have any issues with getting a double stroller that I rent in the park tagged "stroller as wheelchair"? I guess a better way to put it would be--are the double strollers from in the parks too wide/big to use in lines? They seem to cumbersome and not sure if they would work?
My DS9 has ASD/SPD and single stroller is too small so we rent a double. We don't need a stroller outside the parks as he only needs it as a "safety bubble" inside the parks so renting in the park works best for us.

I'm also wondering if he would be able to use handicapped/wheelchair designated areas for parades/shows/fireworks? We usually leave/skip these experiences as he cant wait in standard areas with the rest of the crowd and DAS doesn't work in these instances.

Any tips are appreciated

 

[wilkeliza]

Would I have any issues with getting a double stroller that I rent in the park tagged "stroller as wheelchair"? I guess a better way to put it would be--are the double strollers from in the parks too wide/big to use in lines? They seem to cumbersome and not sure if they would work?
My DS9 has ASD/SPD and single stroller is too small so we rent a double. We don't need a stroller outside the parks as he only needs it as a "safety bubble" inside the parks so renting in the park works best for us.

I'm also wondering if he would be able to use handicapped/wheelchair designated areas for parades/shows/fireworks? We usually leave/skip these experiences as he cant wait in standard areas with the rest of the crowd and DAS doesn't work in these instances.

Any tips are appreciated

If he can't wait in the regular area with his stroller then he may not be able to handle the wheelchair viewing area either. At MK they are almost always crowded and the best ones for Epcot are also usually packed. There is one at Epcot that usually isn't too bad but doesn't have the best view as a tree does overhang a bit. It is just past Canada as you go to the UK.

 

[ErinTwinmom]

We had great luck getting wheelchair viewing areas for parades and fantasmic. There are usually many different wheelchair viewing areas for each parade. Most parades (at least the first run of the day) start at the back of park and move forward. So we would try and locate a wheelchair viewing area near the start of the parade route. These viewing areas were typically less crowded than those at the front of the park and you didn't have to wait as long for the parade to go by. The only parade that we waited a bit for was the star wars weekend parade but it runs a much shorter route meaning there are only two wheelchair viewing areas for the parade, shady side and sunny side and we were still able to get a sunny side spot about 40min out. I should also note this was while securing two wheelchair spots. I was using a side-by-side double stroller tagged as a wheelchair for my autistic twins and my husband was in an ecv. My side-by-side double is the same width as an extra large wheelchair.

 

[glamourgirl]

If he can't wait in the regular area with his stroller then he may not be able to handle the wheelchair viewing area either. At MK they are almost always crowded and the best ones for Epcot are also usually packed. There is one at Epcot that usually isn't too bad but doesn't have the best view as a tree does overhang a bit. It is just past Canada as you go to the UK.

Thanks
We actually have never tried waiting in the regular area with a stroller so I'm not sure how it will go. We have always done the dessert parties, private Illumination cruise, Pirates and Pals cruise, California Grill, La Hacienda, Rose and Crown, Fantasmic Dining Package etc to see fireworks over the years without having to wait in a typical way. However, I was hoping that we might try something different this next trip.

 

[glamourgirl]

We had great luck getting wheelchair viewing areas for parades and fantasmic. There are usually many different wheelchair viewing areas for each parade. Most parades (at least the first run of the day) start at the back of park and move forward. So we would try and locate a wheelchair viewing area near the start of the parade route. These viewing areas were typically less crowded than those at the front of the park and you didn't have to wait as long for the parade to go by. The only parade that we waited a bit for was the star wars weekend parade but it runs a much shorter route meaning there are only two wheelchair viewing areas for the parade, shady side and sunny side and we were still able to get a sunny side spot about 40min out. I should also note this was while securing two wheelchair spots. I was using a side-by-side double stroller tagged as a wheelchair for my autistic twins and my husband was in an ecv. My side-by-side double is the same width as an extra large wheelchair.

Good to hear! Thanks for the tips! I'm going to look up all the wheelchair viewing areas on Google!

 

[gap2368]

I am looking for some information on stroller as wheelchair and I am not having much luck. We will be bringing a convaid cruiser for my 12 year old son. Although he can walk, he has low tone and as he gets tired or to hot he tends to get floppier and floppier. I am not sure though if I need to get his stroller tagged as a wheelchair or not.
Our last trip was 2 years ago and they had a different system then. We have no problems waiting in lines and so I am wondering what getting this tag is for.
Thanks in advance for your help.

I just saw a guess with a little kids in a obivuse wheel chair with a tag on it so I would stop at GR and get one just to be on the safe side