Strollers as wheelchairs?

[Narnia]

Has anyone used a stroller at disney as a wheelchair? My daughter has a form of muscular dystrophy. Right now the main things that are showing are tiredness and her back is staring to curve backwards but not too noticable yet but it will get worse. She falls asleep anywhere and anytime so she really needs her stroller is there any way she can stay in her stroller in lines? With the stroller can she use the wheelchair entrance? We are planning on getter her a chair when she is a bit older so for now she's in a stroller. We are waiting for her peg p3 to come inShe's 3 so I know alot of other kids will be in one too it's the lines that cause the biggest issue.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Hi and to disABILITIES!

If you click on where it says "disABILTIES" at the top of this page it will take you to the Index. One of the top items is the "disABILTIES FAQ" which will gives lots of useful information. Post #6 deals with the Guest Assistance Card and will give you the information you need.

Or, if you want an easier route, click on the link in my signature.

 

[webcs]

Has anyone used a stroller at disney as a wheelchair? My daughter has a form of muscular dystrophy. Right now the main things that are showing are tiredness and her back is staring to curve backwards but not too noticable yet but it will get worse. She falls asleep anywhere and anytime so she really needs her stroller is there any way she can stay in her stroller in lines? With the stroller can she use the wheelchair entrance? We are planning on getter her a chair when she is a bit older so for now she's in a stroller. We are waiting for her peg p3 to come inShe's 3 so I know alot of other kids will be in one too it's the lines that cause the biggest issue.

Do you mean a DISNEY stroller or your own stroller you bring in? I would advise brining in whatever device is most suitable to you and not relying on the Disney strollers for a case like this.

 

[Bill_Lin]

We used the theme park strollers at WDW and elsewhere. If you bring your own, it is helpful if it has PLENTY of room for the child to wiggle and be comfortable. There is nothing worse than cramped plastic or vinyl quarters in Florida heat and humidity. We used a double sized stroller that had room for our Princess and some of our "stuff" as well. It was nice not to have to carry bags or packs all the time. They had cup holders and pouches in back for maps and and such as well. This really made things nice. If you do use park strollers, it is a good idea to hang something on them to distinguish them from all the other identical ones, lest someone, inadvertently run off with yours. To discourage folks, "borrowing" their stroller, one family got a disposable diaper, smeard mustard on it, put it in a plastic bag and hung it from the handle. This worked GREAT.

 

[Narnia]

We were thinking of doing both renting and bringing our own but we have no idea how that's going to work I guess we are just going to have to see how it'll work. Usually we go places with our van and my DH is in a wheelchair so she sleeps on him if we decide not to bring the stroller(it's just an extra perk to be able to have some extra cuddle time lol!). We are actually going without him for the first time

 

[Tissa]

The park strollers are expensive, I'd bring one from home.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

If you decide to bring one and rent, here's just a couple of things to consider:

If you can, make sure the stroller you take folds up well. One of the main times that your own stroller would help would be getting between your room and the buses, then from the buses to the park gate. Those buses can get pretty cramped, so the less space the stroller takes up, the easier it will be for you!

I've heard that you can leave personal strollers at the rental place in each park, so you won't need to take them both around with you.

With the Guest Assistance Card (GAC) you can sometimes get a red tag to go on the stroller. If you were using a Disney rental, you'd have to either use the card itself, or get a new tag every day (or at each park, if you park hopped).

Umm... that's all I can think of right now! Hope some of that was of some use.

Have a great trip!

 

[KPeveler]

Ok, I do not know if this would be an issue for you, but i know that disney policy is to allow only 1 person in a ECV (theirs or off site). I am not certain about powerchairs (if your husband uses a powerchair). I know he is an everyday user, and that he is probly very very good at driving his chair, but there may be an over-zealous CM who will say something if your DD rides with your DH when he is driving his power chair.

I am NOT saying you doing this is a bad thing - you know your own family best. i am just saying you dont want to get stuck on the other side of Epcot from stroller rental with your DD on your DH's lap and have a CM say she cant stay there... perhaps Sue or Cheshire know what the policy is for personal chairs... just wanted to point that out before it was an issue!

 

[SueM in MN]

This is a picture of the park rental stollers.

Although I have seen kids sleeping in them, I think one of them might not be too comfortable with your child's special needs. They are low to the ground, which might make it easier or harder for her to climb in and out.

With either a GAC (Guest Assistance Card) or sticker, you would be able to bring either a park rental stroller or another type of stroller into the lines. It would be handled just the same as a wheelchair. Most attractions don't have special wheelchair entrances, but in places where there is a different entrance or different way to board with a wheelchair, you would use those.

Also, to think about, if you rent one from the park, you will/may need to figure out how to transport a tired child back to your resort. There are some places listed in the disABILITIES FAQs thread that rent strollers and special needs strollers. You could also check with her doctors/OT/PT if there is a lending closet in your area. Some places do have lending closets and would be able to lend a suitable wheelchair or stroller at no cost.

I don't know that there is a rule for people using their personal power wheelchairs while holding a child, but all I can think is that it would be rather uncomfortable for both the person doing the driving and the child. It could be dangerous because a small bump on a joystick can make a very large movement in the wheelchair, so I would not advise it. If CMs see someone driving a wheelchair or ECV in an unsafe manner, they would do something about it.

 

[Narnia]

My dh has had a manual chair up until recently. He's just trying the power chair out as of a week ago and is still looking at what suits him best. He has yet to use it with her around outside personally I hat the beast so far all I can think of is your going to get my toes LOL.he's a good driver but I don't trust them.

 

[SueM in MN]

My dh has had a manual chair up until recently. He's just trying the power chair out as of a week ago and is still looking at what suits him best. He has yet to use it with her around outside personally I hat the beast so far all I can think of is your going to get my toes LOL.he's a good driver but I don't trust them.

My DD has a power wheelchair and a manual wheelchair. I have driven over my own toes with her power wheelchair more times than I can count. It just always seems to be a little closer than I think it is when I am driving it.

But, to see her in it!!!
She 'runs'.
She 'flies'.
She has so much more freedom than she does in her manual wheelchair that it's worth all my toes being run over.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

My dh has had a manual chair up until recently. He's just trying the power chair out as of a week ago and is still looking at what suits him best. He has yet to use it with her around outside personally I hat the beast so far all I can think of is your going to get my toes LOL.he's a good driver but I don't trust them.

You might want to invest in a pair of these, just to be on the safe side :

 

[Bill_Lin]

Spark, your picture is too funny!!! Touche'

 

[Narnia]

That's way to funny! I'm sure I'll grow to love it but anything like this is a big change.

 

[mechurchlady]

Way too funny and those do protect toes from forklifts so they should, in theory, protect against wheelchairs.

 

[DisneyWheeler]

My DD has a power wheelchair and a manual wheelchair. I have driven over my own toes with her power wheelchair more times than I can count. It just always seems to be a little closer than I think it is when I am driving it.

But, to see her in it!!!
She 'runs'.
She 'flies'.
She has so much more freedom than she does in her manual wheelchair that it's worth all my toes being run over.

I'm the same way. My dad and mom, and even DH Dan, has now nicknamed me "Speed Demon" because I love to go fast when the speed indicator on my power chair is on high. And yes, I've accidentally run over my mom and Dan's toes with it several times. Even my own when parking it in its parking spot in our garage while standing, and not realizing where my feet are.

When I lived with my mom, my power chair got me out of her house during the summer on days when I didn't have to work. It still does to this day now that I live right in town, and it gives me so much freedom to not have a whole lot of back pain from my scoliosis. Not to mention wearing myself out while foot, and hand-propelling my manual wheelchair for long distances.

Samantha

 

[pdscott3]

We just got back from our trip. We were issued a red tag for our stroller that we brought from home. We kept it on the entire week and had no problems being able to use the alternate entrance on all of the attractions. We were even allowed to bring the stroller into the baby centers for much needed naps. Our daughter has ASD and has uncoordinated walking. Hope this helps.

 

[poohnpigletCA]

We have used are stroller as a wheelchair in Disneyland. However, they do not give you any tags to attach to it. So sometimes the CM's might question you. It did help make the trip easier.