stroller instead of a wheelchair?

[loriandmatt]

I am hoping someone here can give me a little direction as to where i can find a lightweight portable "stroller" for my son.

Let me explain myself....

my 6 year old son broke his leg ealry this summer and has just recently been removed from his body cast. He has considerable muscle and joint weekness now. Walking is not in his immediate future. Physical therapy is improving this slowly though. We moved our trip to WDW back once already but his doctor said taking him to WDW might actuallty be good for him. He thinks he needs a little something to lift his spirits and the oppertunity to swim there is an added bonus that will help Pat's legs greatly.

I could always rent a wheelchair there, but thought that since my son is small for his age he may be just as comfortable in a stroller. Not to mention that a lightweight stroller may be easier to manuver and take along to other locations.
The problem is that the lightweigt "umbrella" stroller that we has left over from when he was a toddler is just a bit too small. He is slightly cramped in there and his weight is just enough to "max" out the wheels.

I was wondering if anyone knew of a stroller that is slightly larger than your adverage unbrella stroller? I was thinking someone on this board may have a child with a disability who prefers a stoller to a wheelchair who might have some suggestions.

I appreciate any responses.

thanks - lori

 

[SueM in MN]

I'm glad you came here to visit.
I would agree that the adult wheelchairs you can rent at WDW would not be appropriate for a child. Sitting on the seat, his feet would not reach the footrest. If he sits toward the front of the seat, his knee would come at the edge of the wheelchair, but he would have nothing to lean his back against. If he sits with his back against the backrest, his leg will need to be extended since the edge of the seat will hit below his knee.
You might want to ask your Physical Therapist if there are any lending closets or children's wheelchair rental places for equipment in your area. If you do that, you would have the wheelchair or stroller to take with you to th plane.
There is a place in Orlando that rents pediatric wheelchairs and other equipment. I don't have the link right now, but would add it later. The strollers at WDW are also large enough for a 6 year old from what I have read.
When you get to the parks, you can go to Guest Services and request a Guest Assistance Card that would allow you to use the stroller as a wheelchair (meaning you could take it into lines and buildings where strollers are no usually allowed).

 

[teri]

Check this thread about special strollers which also has a few links. Also check the All About Kids Website which is a child care and equipment rental site for kids visiting Orlando. And be sure to read the FAQ about the GAC... click on the link in my signature.

 

[loriandmatt]

thank you both for your tips.

i will certainly check out the links and the leads in the other thread.

I'm glad i stopped by this board!!

I'll stop back and let everyone know how our trip goes. I am sure it will make my little guy very happy!!!

thanks again - lori

 

[billwendy]

Hi Lori,

I see that you are near Phillly. I live just south of the airport and am a therapist at duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington. There are wheel chairs such as JeffQuip, Youngs Medical, Chesapeake Rehab and Jordan Reece's Teamworks that work in our area and most will rent pediatric wheelchairs that would be more comfortable for your little guy. Talk to your PT, see if they thing a wheelchair or a stroller would be better for your child. I know at duPont we do have a Maclaren Buggy that we sometimes lend out (like a larger umbrella stroller). Does your son need elevating leg rests?

Email me if you need any phone numbers or anything.....

Wendy
wendya2J@netzero.net

 

[Alaska]

When we were at WDW two years ago, some of the parks had jogger type strollers, rather than conventional strollers. I saw children who looked like they were 8 or 9 years old being pushed in the strollers when they were tired. You did not say how big your son is, but the jogger type strollers available in some of the parks might work. The disadvantage of using a stroller like that is that you would not be able to fold it up to take it on any of the rides. So you would have to make sure that you were going round trip on the ride rather than getting off at some midpoint like folks might if they were riding on the train.

There are several types of wheelchair strollers that will fit children up to 100 lbs. I looked through the Exceptional Parent magazine and saw ads for wheelchair strollers by companies such as Convaid, Otto Bock, Sammons Preston, Snug Seat and others, which will accommodate larger children, which will fold up and/or recline. If the wheelchair can fold up, you can take it on many of the rides, such as the train, the monorail, etc. Also, I think some of the wheelchair strollers have been crash tested for use while riding in a vehicle. If your son had a wheelchair stroller or pediatric wheechair that could use the wheelchair tie down system in the buses, he would not need to get out of the chair to ride the bus.

 

[teri]

When you use a stroller as a wheelchair (whether full time or for kids with low tone who need to preserve energy) you can get a stamp on the GAC that tells the CMs to allow you to use the handicap access. That way, you do not have to fold it up when you go onto accessible rides, you can take it right on. Not sure about the train, but I do know that this is not possible on the trams from the parking lot, you would need to park in reserved front lot to roll in to the gates. But on rides that accomodate wheelchairs, you can use the folding special needs stroller - or even regular stroller - if it is used for genuine medical or special needs and is truly necessary.

Be sure to click on the link in my signature and look at the information about the GAC.

 

[SueM in MN]

For some rides, regular boaring and exit are at different areas.
The rides that are arranged like that have handicapped boarding at the exit. A GAC would allow you to use that access with a stroller if needed.

In some rides you need to get out of the stroller or wheelchair and into a ride car to board. You may stay in the stroller or wheelchair until you board (you can even pull it up close to the ride car most of the time) and then the stroller/wheelchair will be waiting for you at the exit. Some rides are accessible with people staying in wheelchairs. Someone in a stroller (even a special mobility stroller) may or may not be able to stay in it for those rides. It would depend on the setup of the ride and the "Footprint" of the stroller.
Some rides (the Safari, MK train, trams for Backstage Tour) have tiedown systems for wheelchairs. These may be OK to use if you have a mobility stroller that is designed to be tied down (the manufacturer will say if it is), but otherwise you will need to have the child get out. For the trains and Backstage tram, a folded wheelchair/stroller can be brought on the train. For the Safari, you leave it where you board and return there to pick it up later. You need to bring your folded up stroller/wheelchair with you on the Pirates of Carribean. The exit and entrance are on different floors and it is not possible to get on at the exit.

It is possible (but not easy) to bring a folded wheelchair on the parking lot trams. When we have told the parking lot CM that we need the handicapped parking area, they have told us that if we had a folding wheelchair, we should use the regular parking and the tram. I would not attmpt doing that unless the wheelchair/stroller is easy to fold and the person who is using it is mobile enough to walk a few steps and get on the tram with minimal assist.