Ten days to go . . . and grandson is in a boot

[pwdebbie]

My very athletic 9yo dgs fell Saturday and saw the orthopedist today. He is in a boot for six weeks, and we leave for Disney in ten days. He was provided a knee-walker (knee-scooter?) but after reading some posts, I'm pretty sure we need a wheelchair for him. I'll be getting a ECV, so we will be quite the pair.

I usually rent in the parks because I can walk around the resort and to and from the bus, but that is as much as I can handle now. (Messed up my knee on a Disney bus last year. I shouldn't have been standing, I miscalculated how full the bus was and got on thinking there were still seats. Bus lurched and I came down hard on my right leg. It's only gotten worse since then.)

I'm thinking now that I should rent the scooter and wheelchair from a local business. I hate the thought of boarding a bus with a scooter and all the inconvenience it causes to other people, but I'm not sure renting in the parks is realistic now.

What do the voices of experience have for me?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Will there be other people with you or just the 2 of you?

 

[fla4fun]

I'm thinking now that I should rent the scooter and wheelchair from a local business. I hate the thought of boarding a bus with a scooter and all the inconvenience it causes to other people, but I'm not sure renting in the parks is realistic now.

What do the voices of experience have for me?

Are you concerned about the parks running out of ECV or do you want it outside of the park to use?

Wheelchairs don’t typically run out, but for a holiday weekend ECVs can. I rented an ECV at Epcot last Friday around 10:00am with no problem and they still had plenty in stock (but it wasn’t a holiday). If you are going to the park first thing in the morning you should be able to rent an ECV in the park. If you are going to wait and enter the park later, the odds increase that one will not be available.

I completely understand not wanting to deal with an ECV on Disney transportation if you don’t have to. Two things to consider though. An offsite rental will usually be cheaper than renting by the day in the parks and you will never have to worry about the parks running out. For a holiday weekend, I would be inclined to do the offsite rental for both the ECV and the wheelchair.

I hope you have a great trip!

 

[elvispursley]

Here’s my thought. DGS should definitely have a wheelchair. I tried to use a knee scooter at DL and lasted only the evening before calling it quits. As for you, it’s definitely cheaper to rent from an offsite company. You need to focus on you and not the inconvenience it causes others on the bus. By using a scooter, you will have a place to sit, either by remaining on the scooter or moving to a seat. You need to think about your knee. Strangers will not give a hoot about you these days so if you need a place to sit, a scooter is the way to go.

If nervous about navigating on/off the bus, just let the bus driver know. I usually am my mom’s designated parking person for the bus but since I’m now using one, she just tells the driver and he/she helps her on/off without any issue.

I think you’ll enjoy your trip a lot more if you can just scoot in into the parks without needing to stop at the rental counter, worrying wether there will be a scooter available.

 

[pwdebbie]

Will there be other people with you or just the 2 of you?

His parents and older brother (16) will be there as well. Plenty of arms to push the wheelchair. (Mom's a fitness trainer, so this can be her workout.)

 

[pwdebbie]

Are you concerned about the parks running out of ECV or do you want it outside of the park to use?

Wheelchairs don’t typically run out, but for a holiday weekend ECVs can. I rented an ECV at Epcot last Friday around 10:00am with no problem and they still had plenty in stock (but it wasn’t a holiday). If you are going to the park first thing in the morning you should be able to rent an ECV in the park. If you are going to wait and enter the park later, the odds increase that one will not be available.

I completely understand not wanting to deal with an ECV on Disney transportation if you don’t have to. Two things to consider though. An offsite rental will usually be cheaper than renting by the day in the parks and you will never have to worry about the parks running out. For a holiday weekend, I would be inclined to do the offsite rental for both the ECV and the wheelchair.

I hope you have a great trip!

Thank you. I've decided to do the off-site rental. Just hope they have something available on Thanksgiving day when we arrive.

 

[pwdebbie]

Here’s my thought. DGS should definitely have a wheelchair. I tried to use a knee scooter at DL and lasted only the evening before calling it quits. As for you, it’s definitely cheaper to rent from an offsite company. You need to focus on you and not the inconvenience it causes others on the bus. By using a scooter, you will have a place to sit, either by remaining on the scooter or moving to a seat. You need to think about your knee. Strangers will not give a hoot about you these days so if you need a place to sit, a scooter is the way to go.

If nervous about navigating on/off the bus, just let the bus driver know. I usually am my mom’s designated parking person for the bus but since I’m now using one, she just tells the driver and he/she helps her on/off without any issue.

I think you’ll enjoy your trip a lot more if you can just scoot in into the parks without needing to stop at the rental counter, worrying wether there will be a scooter available.

I agree that it will be more peaceful not having to wonder if a scooter is available. I am going to rent an ECV for me and a wheelchair for dgs.

 

[Marrila]

Thank you. I've decided to do the off-site rental. Just hope they have something available on Thanksgiving day when we arrive.

The sooner you call the better. I'd call and get it booked today.

 

[pwdebbie]

The sooner you call the better. I'd call and get it booked today.

Scooter Bug has no ECVs available. I'm about to contact others, but really wanted them since they can leave with Bell Services. However, I did get the pediatric wheelchair, so at least my dgs will have that.