taking a manual wheelchair along

[jchrapcyn]

Can you please help or offer some last minute advice? I hurt my knee this week to the point where I can walk but it is very very slow going. So I borrowed a wheelchair from our church (they loan them out). We are flying on Airtran, using DME transportation and staying at Pop Century. We want to visit MK, Epcot and DHS. It is me, my husband and daughter traveling. Any airline, airport, security, hotel or park tips or advice? thanks in advance!

p.s. I can walk short distances

 

[jmartinez1895]

There is really not very much to it. You will more than likely preboard on the plane, but you will be the last to get off. You will get to keep your chair with you all the way to the door of the plane and it will be waiting on you when you get off the plane. As for security, I have heard from others that it may be faster if you tell them that you wish to walk through security ( only if you are OK) they will check out the chair and it will be waiting for you when you are done screening. You always have the option to stay in your chair for this if you need to. For DME you will just get out of your chair at the bus and walk up the stairs on the bus and your chair will be folded and stored under the bus ( or at least this is what I saw happen on our last trip) you might want to call them and let them know that you are bringing a chair, but do not need a bus with a lift. For the resort you might have to get out of your chair at the door and then fold your chair and take it in because the rooms can be a little tight. I assume that you don't need an accessible room. For the buses at Disney you can use the lift or ramp and then sit and fold your chair. I am not sure what type of chair you will be using,but the ones our church has are not safe for bus tie downs, so unless you know for sure it's safe I would not stay in the chair while the bus is moving. Once you get to the each park get the special maps they have for wheelchair users and other disabled guest. Most lines are mainstream meaning you will not have to look for a special entance, but a few will have a different way for you and 5 people with you to enter ( mainly rides taht have stairs in the que).

 

[jchrapcyn]

thanks very much for the tips- I can get up and walk- it is just slow going- plus I was worried I would get very tired all day

when you go on a ride is there wheelchair "parking" like they have for strollers?

 

[jmartinez1895]

You can park your chair with the strollers, but I would not. You may get tired in the line or start hurting so you should keep it with you. Once you get to the loading area for the ride you will leave your chair and it will be waiting for you when you get off. Even if you get off at a different area. Some rides have special cars that will load a chair, just tell the CMs that you would prefer to transfer into a regular car ( that way you may not have to wait so long, you will be more comfy and the car will be available for someone who may not be able to transfer). There are a few rides that have a moving walkway ( such as haunted mansion) that they can slow or stop to help you out. There are some that can not be stopped, but they should be fairly easy for you. There are a few threads already about those rides so you should be able to find that info fairly easy. I hope that this helps you out some more.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Can you please help or offer some last minute advice? I hurt my knee this week to the point where I can walk but it is very very slow going. So I borrowed a wheelchair from our church (they loan them out). We are flying on Airtran, using DME transportation and staying at Pop Century. We want to visit MK, Epcot and DHS. It is me, my husband and daughter traveling. Any airline, airport, security, hotel or park tips or advice? thanks in advance!

p.s. I can walk short distances

Does the wheelchair have removable leg supports or any other parts that may come off when the wheelchair is gate-checked at the plane? It might be better to keep those parts with you on the plane, simply because they tend to get, um, lost in transit. DMIL's wheel chair lost an arm rest. When you get back in the chair at the end of the flight, make sure all parts are present and accounted for. just sayin.

Hope you have an enjoyable trip.