Stroller or Wheelchair for 4yd old?

[kaf7878]

My son will be having foot leg surgery in September and we are going to WDW for MNSSHP on Oct 5th. He will have an above the knee cast so he won't be able to walk. We can put him in a stroller with my 1 yr old but there's no way I can hold him while we wait in line....he's 40 pounds and those casts are heavy! Can I get an access card for our family if he is in a stroller or do we need to have him ina wheelchair (we'll have one at home but I'd rather not lug it with us and just do the double stroller instead. Any advice?? How do you get an access card??

 

[SueM in MN]

Welcome to disABILITIES.

Can I get an access card for our family if he is in a stroller or do we need to have him use a wheelchair?...How do you get an access card??

The access card is called a Guest Assistance Card (we abbreviate it as GAC). If you are using a wheelchair or ecv (scooter), you don't need a GAC. It is meant to let the CMs at the rides/attractions know what sorts of assistance people need if they are not using a wheelchair or have other needs besides the wheelchair.
You request a GAC at Guest Services in any of the parks (make sure your DS is with you - he is actually the one the GAC is issued to). A GAC is usually issued to be good for any of the parks for your entire length of stay for up to 6 people (5 plus the person with a disability). Based on your needs, the CM there stamps a different message on the GAC. They have one that allows a stroller to be used as a wheelchair (brought into lines and buildings where strollers are not usually allowed). People have posted that they were able to use their double stroller with the GAC.

You might find that a wheelchair is a better option for you if he needs to have his leg elevated, so you might want to bring your own anyway. You should do some "test-drives" of your stroller before you go down to see how comfortable it is for him and also how easy to get in and out.
I've heard that WDW has some child size wheelchairs available, but I think they are few and far between. He would probably not be comfortable in an adult wheelchair because it would be way too wide and the armrests would hit him about shoulder height. There are some medical equipment places at WDW that rent children's wheelchairs. You might wnat to take the contact information along with you in case you find the stroller just doesn't work our. Here are some places:
Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/

Walker Mobility:
1-888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html

Good luck and here's some pixie dust for a great time.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Since he will have a cast, you might want to have the person who puts it on draw a line with a marker where it will be sawn off. Then bring a "Sharpie" type marker pen with you and have the Characters sign the cast. Warn them when signing to not cross the line. After the cast is removed it can be glued back together and he will have an interesting souvenier of the vacation.