Taking my dad (wheelchair) to WDW--what do I need to know?

[Conservative Hippie]

Sometime soon my dad is going to come visit me and I know we will be going to WDW. He walks w/ crutches and will need a wheelchair or ECV for long distances. I want to make his first trip to the World as magical as possible! What tips do I need to know to help make it run smoothly? His parents will be visiting, too, and they are not planning to stay with us, so I am going to suggest the Yacht or Beach Club resorts, because I think those are the most easily accessible to the parks (a quick boat to Epcot and MGM, monorail from Epcot to MK, the only one you'd need a bus or to drive to is AK). What else can you tell me?

 

[Michigan]

All of the lines except a few at MK are wheelchair accessible so you just go through the regular line unless the CM tell you different because of the access.

If the water level is to low or to high you won't be able to take a boat using a wheelchair or ECV.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

The park maps all have symbols on them, describing their accessibility. A wheelchair symbol shows a ride or attraction that can be enjoyed from the wheelchair, whereas one with a stick person getting out of a wheelchair shows that a transfer is necessary. Even though he can walk for a bit, he might be better off staying in the chair for the lines, to save his energy for the fun stuff. As Michigan said, most of the rides have mainstream queueing, for those that don't, or if you're unsure, just ask a Cast Member and they'll set you in the right direction.

As you live so close, you might want to visit to check things out before he arrives. If you do, pay particular attention to anything that has a disabled sign (ride boarding areas, show seating, restroom etc) and also look out for ramps and steps (so you can aim for the former and avoid the latter). You can also ask CMs some questions, to help things go a little more quickly and easily on your father's trip.

Good luck, and have a great time

 

[SueM in MN]

Check out the disABILITIES FAQs thread near the top of the board. It has a lot of information which will be helpful to you.
The boats should be OK; the one that sometimes can have a problem with high or low water is the one from WL to MK. Also the small boats that go from MK to the MK resorts are not wheelchair accessible. Staying at any of the Epcot Center resorts would be good; you have the choice of the boats or walking to 2 parks. If they are not planning on going to the parks all the time, being there will give lots of places to go and see.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

From Y&B you would have to figure on bus to MK. To use the monorail they would have to go through Epcot's International Gateway, then all the way through Future World and then out the front gate.

The Friendships (boats to EC and MGM) are at floating docks and never have a water level problem for boarding or exiting.

 

[Barbday62]

My DH is in a power chair and we rent it off site because he needs it beyond the parks too and flying with his is such a problem to figure transportaion at the other end. Anyway when we stay at Beach Club we love to walk everywhere. He can do it with the chair and Im in good enough shape to do the extra walking. we prefer to cut through Epcot to do the monorail when we stay at Beach Club. But when we do use the bus they give him priority boarding (And me as well) and then we are usually last off the bus. I figure if I get on early I never take up a seat when its crowded I stand. I also like to help secure the wheels so it dont take as much time to load us. Once bus driver gave me a card to offer me a job to drive busses because I was so helpful lol. I told him you definatly dont want me to ever back a bus anywhere people are with in 100 yards.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

I think he has his own ECV (probably the same one he had when I was 7), but I was wondering if we should just rent one of their's. I was planning on cutting through Epcot to take monorails becauses busses seem like they would be a little more of a hassle. He can stand with support just fine, but he's losing control over bending his knees, so I think even a few steps for a wheelchair transfer might be hard. DH and I and his dad are used to helping him in things like that. I would hope the other CMs would also be helpful, because I'd hate for him to miss out on something like Soarin'. Anyway, I will check out the FAQs, and I will spend a day in the parks researching before they come.

 

[SueM in MN]

I think he has his own ECV (probably the same one he had when I was 7), but I was wondering if we should just rent one of their's.

If he can't make more than a few steps, I'd suggest either having him bring his along or rent from one of the off-site places. The is no guarantee that there will be any left when you get to the park. And, you have ot leave it at the park if you park hop.

I was planning on cutting through Epcot to take monorails becauses busses seem like they would be a little more of a hassle.

If he's an experienced ECV driver, he probably won't have any trouble with the buses. If you don't mind the extra time going thru the park, it's not that bad.

He can stand with support just fine, but he's losing control over bending his knees, so I think even a few steps for a wheelchair transfer might be hard. DH and I and his dad are used to helping him in things like that. I would hope the other CMs would also be helpful, because I'd hate for him to miss out on something like Soarin'. Anyway, I will check out the FAQs, and I will spend a day in the parks researching before they come.

The CMs are not allowed to physically assist in transfers, so, they can't help all that much. They can help to hold or move the wheelchair/ECV, but that's about it.
You can park the wheelchair/ECV nearly touching the ride car for some of the attractions where a transfer is required. He would not have to walk even a few steps for Soarin'. This page has a picture of the ride seats for Soarin'. You can park the ECV where ever it would be easiest for him to move to the ride car.