Taking an 8 year old to Disney with a broken leg & help!

[Malynda1010]

Hi all, My daughter broke her leg last Monday and we are scheduled to leave for Disney June 21st. Does anyone have experience on taking a child to WDW in this condition?? I considered canceling the trip, but my husband wants to continue with our plans because he doesn't want her feeling any more down than she already does. I have asked her if she still wants to go and of course the answer is YES!! I am thinking she can still get a few, less strenuous rides, but I figure there are so many other things to do that she can still have a good time. Please give me your thoughts and share your experiences!! Thanks a million!!!

 

[SueM in MN]

Sorry to her about her injury, but even if she can't get out of a wheelchair, you can still have a good time.

Air travel - if you do not bring a wheelchair with you, arrange with the airline for a wheelchair. A skycap can take you from check in, thru security and to your gate.
You can also preboard do you have more time to get into the plane without a large crowd of people around you.
If you bring a wheelchair from home, you can bring it to the gate and gate check it for free. It also does not count against your bag total. The wheelchair will be brought to the gate after the plane lands (you will need to wait a bit for it).

Wheelchair - depending on where you live, you may be able to rent a wheelchair at home and bring it with you. That would likely be the least expensive option.

Wheelchairs can be rented at each park, but the disadvantages of renting t the park include:
- wheelchair can't be removed from the park it was rented at
- it can be quite a distance from parking or bus area to where you can rent wheelchair
- renting at park means you would not have it available at your resort.
- the park wheelchairs are adult size, so not the right size for a child

Post 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread has information about renting wheelchairs. You can find that thread near the top of this board or follow the link in my signature.
Some of the companies do rent smaller chairs that would be appropriate size for an 8 yr old. Let the company know her height and weight so they know what size he would need. They may have one with elevating footrests so she can raise her leg (but, by the time you go, that may not be much of an issue)

Resort - you don't need a special room unless you think she would need a roll in shower. A regular room will have a door big enough to get a wheelchair inside.

WDW transportation - buses, monorails and most boats are wheelchair accessible. She could load onto the bus thru the ramp at the back door and sty in the wheelchair or transfer to a seat and you would fold the wheelchair.

Parking -you could follow the suggestion of the other poster or get a temporary handicapped parking permit. Most states have the application available on line or your doctor's office may have one.

First Aid - if she needs to lie down for a while, each park has a First Aid station where she could do that.

Park attractions and lines - all attractions are wheelchair accessible to the point of boarding (except the couple where guests must be ambulatory (Swiss Family Robinson, Peoplemover, Tom Sawyer Island, Peter Pan). Some attractions have a wheelchair accessible ride car. You can find more information in the disABILITIES FAQs thread - post 1 of that thread is an index to what is in each post.
Most of the regular lines are accessible, so you will usually be in the regular line. In some cases, you will be routed somewhere else for boarding, but the CMs will direct you where to go.
If she needs to get out of the wheelchair to board a ride car, the wheelchair will be waiting or you at the unload area.

There is also a list of attractions with warnings in the FAQs thread. Depending on how bad her break is or how well it is healing, there my be some that her doctor would recommend she not go on. I would personally recommend not going on Primeval Whirl at AK. It appears pretty tame from the ground, but can really hip guests around, especially if the guest is not able to brace with his/her feet.
Cast Members will not prevent her from riding anything unless the cast would present a danger to her or other guests.

There is also a post on page 2 of the FAQs about riding attractions with a long leg cast and posts 18-22 include information about transfers to rides - which have a long step down or up, etc.

If she has crutches, it would be helpful to bring them to assist with moving around out of the wheelchair.

 

[Malynda1010]

Thank you so much for your response. It has been very helpful. We have already been provided with a youth wheelchair that we plan on bringing with us. Sounds like Disney is really big on helping those in need!! I can't wait to get there!! Thanks again!!

 

[7165red]

WDW is the best place to vacation if using wheel chair. Have a great time.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

You omitted some important information. Are you flying or driving? Can she bend her leg?

 

[clanmcculloch]

We took my 12yo to WDW with a broken ankle when she was 10. I definitely think there would have been a huge difference if she couldn't move her knee. Can your son move his knee? Also, she wasn't supposed to put much weight on her leg since it was a growth place fracture. Can your son bear weight? Not being able to bear weight meant slower transfering.

Is your son's cast waterproof? Can it get wet? Discuss swimming with his doctor. To keep my DD's boot dry in the parks (for wet rides and rain) I brought tall white kitchen trash bags to pull over her foot. They were easy, cheap, small and disposable kind of like using the dollar store ponchos for your body. I just tied the top in a knot and then when done ripped it off and tossed it.

 

[StrwLady]

I went to Disney 6 weeks after Achilles tendon reconstruction. 2 days before I had my cast removed and was put into my torture device...umm I mean my walking boot. I was limited to what I could do but I was so happy I was in Disney it didn't matter.

I'm betting she will do just fine. Kids are so resilient. With having 3 weeks or so since she broke it I would imagine the swelling will be down for the most part so I think her pain level should be under control. Regardless any chance you get have her elevate the leg. Bring a hand held fan that someone can hold and let it blow on her toes to try and keep a bit cooler. Bring some trash bags with you to the park so if it starts to rain you can quickly tie one around her cast. If you find yourself without something to cover her cast go to one of the shops and ask for a medium or large bag. You can slip her leg in the bag and tie it above the cast.

One thing I did when I was in my boot is take pictures of my boot around the World. For instance when we were watching Illuminations I propped my boot up on the railing and took a picture of it with the show going off in the background. You could do something like this all over Disney World. (I just thought of a fun shot. Have someone hold a mickey bar by her cast. Or put mickey ears on her toes and take that pic) Then make an album with the pictures. I think she might find it a fun keepsake.

I hope y'all have a great time. Let us know how things went!

 

[pumpkinmomma]

We just got back from a week at Disney with a broken wrist. My dd had a waterproof cast, which made life easier, but I still covered it on the water rides.

A couple of things that I haven't seen addressed yet. First, if you are flying, they will swab the cast at security, so prepare her for that. It only takes a minute or two, but at one airport we had to wait a few minutes for someone to come over and do it, so allow about 10 minutes of extra time for that.

Several of the characters signed my daughter's cast. Most seemed happy to do it when we asked. The click top sharpies worked the best for writing on the cast.

If her leg starts getting hot and sweaty inside the cast, blowing cold air through it with a hair dryer seems to help a lot.

 

[Malynda1010]

You omitted some important information. Are you flying or driving? Can she bend her leg?

We are driving and yes, she can bend her leg, she just can't bear any weight on it!!

 

[Malynda1010]

We took my 12yo to WDW with a broken ankle when she was 10. I definitely think there would have been a huge difference if she couldn't move her knee. Can your son move his knee? Also, she wasn't supposed to put much weight on her leg since it was a growth place fracture. Can your son bear weight? Not being able to bear weight meant slower transfering.

Is your son's cast waterproof? Can it get wet? Discuss swimming with his doctor. To keep my DD's boot dry in the parks (for wet rides and rain) I brought tall white kitchen trash bags to pull over her foot. They were easy, cheap, small and disposable kind of like using the dollar store ponchos for your body. I just tied the top in a knot and then when done ripped it off and tossed it.

My daughter can bend her, but she just can't apply any weight to it. I just ordered her a waterproof cover. I don't think I will allow her to swim, but it can get sprinkled. She gets a new cast his week. I'm going to inquire about a waterproof cast then. Thanks for the info!!

 

[Malynda1010]

We took my 12yo to WDW with a broken ankle when she was 10. I definitely think there would have been a huge difference if she couldn't move her knee. Can your son move his knee? Also, she wasn't supposed to put much weight on her leg since it was a growth place fracture. Can your son bear weight? Not being able to bear weight meant slower transfering.

Is your son's cast waterproof? Can it get wet? Discuss swimming with his doctor. To keep my DD's boot dry in the parks (for wet rides and rain) I brought tall white kitchen trash bags to pull over her foot. They were easy, cheap, small and disposable kind of like using the dollar store ponchos for your body. I just tied the top in a knot and then when done ripped it off and tossed it.

My daughter can bend her leg, but not bear any weight on it. I just ordered her a waterproof cover. I'm not going to let her swim, but she can get sprinkled with the cover on. I will inquire about a waterproof cast this week when she goes back to the orthopedist. Thanks for the info!!

 

[Malynda1010]

I went to Disney 6 weeks after Achilles tendon reconstruction. 2 days before I had my cast removed and was put into my torture device...umm I mean my walking boot. I was limited to what I could do but I was so happy I was in Disney it didn't matter.

I'm betting she will do just fine. Kids are so resilient. With having 3 weeks or so since she broke it I would imagine the swelling will be down for the most part so I think her pain level should be under control. Regardless any chance you get have her elevate the leg. Bring a hand held fan that someone can hold and let it blow on her toes to try and keep a bit cooler. Bring some trash bags with you to the park so if it starts to rain you can quickly tie one around her cast. If you find yourself without something to cover her cast go to one of the shops and ask for a medium or large bag. You can slip her leg in the bag and tie it above the cast.

One thing I did when I was in my boot is take pictures of my boot around the World. For instance when we were watching Illuminations I propped my boot up on the railing and took a picture of it with the show going off in the background. You could do something like this all over Disney World. (I just thought of a fun shot. Have someone hold a mickey bar by her cast. Or put mickey ears on her toes and take that pic) Then make an album with the pictures. I think she might find it a fun keepsake.

I hope y'all have a great time. Let us know how things went!

Thanks for the info!! I so love your idea about taking pictures around Disney with the cast. I am an avid scrapbooker and those type of pictures would be nice in a Disney scrapbook.

 

[Malynda1010]

We just got back from a week at Disney with a broken wrist. My dd had a waterproof cast, which made life easier, but I still covered it on the water rides.

A couple of things that I haven't seen addressed yet. First, if you are flying, they will swab the cast at security, so prepare her for that. It only takes a minute or two, but at one airport we had to wait a few minutes for someone to come over and do it, so allow about 10 minutes of extra time for that.

Several of the characters signed my daughter's cast. Most seemed happy to do it when we asked. The click top sharpies worked the best for writing on the cast.

If her leg starts getting hot and sweaty inside the cast, blowing cold air through it with a hair dryer seems to help a lot.

Thank you for your response. I planned on asking the characters to sign her cast, but I kind of forgot about the the sharpies!! Lol!! Thanks for reminding me!! I like the fan/hair dryer idea for keeping the cast cool. I'm going to keep that in mind. Thanks!!

 

[WheeledTraveler]

One thing that some people have been able to do is ask the doctor doing the casting to mark where they'll cut the cast off. That way characters can sign and you don't have to worry that any signature will be cut apart when the cast is removed. It might be something to ask about since your daughter is getting a new cast this week anyway.

 

[Malynda1010]

One thing that some people have been able to do is ask the doctor doing the casting to mark where they'll cut the cast off. That way characters can sign and you don't have to worry that any signature will be cut apart when the cast is removed. It might be something to ask about since your daughter is getting a new cast this week anyway.

Good point!! I will ask the doctor this week!!

 

[Wishes Count]

I'm just curious are you flying? You may want to be prepared that his foot might swell inside the cast due to the change in pressure. My ankle still swelled up almost 6 months after I had the cast off. It was quite painful and I can imagine had it been in a cast it would be worse. The flight attendant was able to give me a bag of ice. You also might want to give him ibuprofen before you board.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Malynda1010]

I'm just curious are you flying? You may want to be prepared that his foot might swell inside the cast due to the change in pressure. My ankle still swelled up almost 6 months after I had the cast off. It was quite painful and I can imagine had it been in a cast it would be worse. The flight attendant was able to give me a bag of ice. You also might want to give him ibuprofen before you board.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Thanks. We have decided not to fly because of my daughters condition.