The cha cha trip or Could there be LESS magic, the trip is not ruined yet...!

[whogirl'smom]

Just getting to WDW the first day is usually more tiring than you imagine it to be! Sorry about the mix-ups and loss of your cushion. I hope it turns up the next day so you can enjoy the parks!

 

[dreamer17555]

::Tries not to comment about packages:::

-Becca-

 

[michellem1118]

Yay, updates!

Your first day sounds similar to our first day last spring... on what turned out to be a great trip! So I'll keep hoping that your trip turned out wonderfully when all is said and done...

 

[SunnieRN]

Subbing in to hear more about your trip! I haven't been to WDW yet and have several health problems. I am in the planning stages with my daughter and two grandsons. I am debating using an ECV or just keeping it very short days.
I'll be looking forward to more!!

 

[SueM in MN]

So Mama tried to put all the luggage together in a way she could handle it (of course, with all the stress, she didn't do a very good job and would have a lot of trouble following us afterwards) and we realized my wheelchair cushion wasn't there. Finally they localized it in the corner behind everyone, and they gave it to me.
It was sooo cold! Now, this cushion is the ergonomic kind, all squishy, made of foam and gel, put in a pillowcase to protect it... I knew the underbelly of a plane was cold (everyone has heard at least once of sad stories of ireegulars trying to imigrate by hiding there and dying...), but I could feel it! So I spent that first part in MCO with my w/c cushion on my knees along with some luggage, because there was NO WAY I would sit on that!

My DD has the same kind of wheelchair cushion (hers is a Jay Deep Contour Cushion). We have learned from experience living in Minnesota that cold and the seat cushion with no warm body sitting on it do not mix.
I always remove her cushion and bring it into the plane with me to put in the overhead bin.
That helps in several ways - it won't get cold, it won't get lost in the baggage compartment or at the gate if it gets separated from the wheelchair ; plus it will be a bit more protected from possibly getting punctured by other baggage.

I wasn't happy about the different room layout though... I don't know why the rooms with bathroom railings are different... but they are : instead of a curtain separating the vanity area, and a door separating the bathroom per se from that area, there was nothing to separate the bathroom from the vanity area, but a door to divide the whole bathroom/vanity area from the room. Which meant we couldn't go to the bathroom while the other was getting ready in the morning... I knew about the curtain layout in the POFQ (and most Disney rooms, if I'm right), and had been in hotel rooms separated that way and found it was so useful! So we found that to be a shame and often found ourselves losing time because of that.

Sorry it didn't work out well for you, but they do have a reason for doing it that way.
The reason for having the wall and door is to have enough room in the bathroom area for someone who needs to use their wheelchair in the bathroom.
The handicapped accessible rooms are the same size as other rooms, just arranged differently. It they put the toilet into its own little room, they would not have enough space.

That's when I realized my w/c cushion wasn't in my w/c... Where could it be? We stepped back in time... : The guy had given it to me, freezing, when we got off the plane, so I had it then. I remembered finally sitting on it, still cold, after the bathroom break at MCO, so I still had it then too... And then... DME put my w/c, with the cushion, under the bus with all the luggage... and we didn't remember the cushion being in the w/c when they gave it back to us... But we didn't notice a thing in the whirlwind of too many luggage, the cane, bell services offering to help and having to hurry to get out of the way... I didn't sit in the w/c right away and didn't notice the cushion was missing when I did either... I don't usually sit in that wheelchair every day, and only had that cushion for about a month...

So it was obvious, the cushion fell in the luggage compartment under the DME bus.

I'll be curious to see if you got it back or not

The cover of my DD's wheelchair cushion and the sling seat of her wheelchair both have velcro on the bottom, which does make it 'stick' to the wheelchair a bit better (less chance of moving off the chair).
She can't walk at all, so rides in her wheelchair for the bus trip, so no way her cushion will get lost. For your next trip, you may want to get a medium size drawstring bag. We have one for the wheelchair pieces I remove when getting DD's wheelchair ready to get on the plane. We bring it into the plane with us, but you could also sling the bag across your folded wheelchair for the bus ride.

 

[bluedolph1n]

Sorry to hear it didn't went well, the first day. Great update!

 

[SueM in MN]

I wasn't happy about the different room layout though... I don't know why the rooms with bathroom railings are different... but they are : instead of a curtain separating the vanity area, and a door separating the bathroom per se from that area, there was nothing to separate the bathroom from the vanity area, but a door to divide the whole bathroom/vanity area from the room. Which meant we couldn't go to the bathroom while the other was getting ready in the morning... I knew about the curtain layout in the POFQ (and most Disney rooms, if I'm right), and had been in hotel rooms separated that way and found it was so useful!

Another thing I thought of for your next trip.
It sounds like the room you got had a roll in shower, which means there was no tub and just a shower without a lip to step over.

I don't know what your needs are and whether you would be able to swing your legs over the side of a tub if you were seated, but here's something that you might want to consider. If what you actually needed was grab bars/grab rails in the bathroom, but could manage with a tub, you might be able to get a room like this.
The picture is from Coronado Springs, but other resorts have similar rooms.

Besides the seat built at the end of the tub, you can also request a bath chair and a handheld shower head from Housekeeping.

Since the tub with grab bars takes up the same space as a tub without grab bars, the room has the same plan, with the tub and toilet in one room and the sink outside in the bedroom area.

That arrangement won't work for someone who can't move around without their wheelchair, but might work out for you.

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

Hi all!
Thanks a lot for reading and keeping up with my incredible slowness!

I'm subscribing and very interested to hear more about your trip with your mom for 16+days!

Welcome aboard Princesswanabee!

Subbing in to hear more about your trip! I haven't been to WDW yet and have several health problems. I am in the planning stages with my daughter and two grandsons. I am debating using an ECV or just keeping it very short days.

SunnieRN! Glad you found me! Hope you can learn something that could help you...
About the ECV : If I were you (of course I'm not and I don't know your health problems), I'd definitely go for the ECV... it won't be any fun missing stuff and leaving everyone behind you at the parks to go back, alone, to the resort, because you can't take it anymore! You'll feel miserable and the others will feel bad for you, too! Plus, you risk doing more than your body can handle, just because you won't feel like going back to the resort sooner than the others, or sooner than you'd like... and then you'd be in for a really bad day or 2!
I've seen a lot of people using those ECVs and they seemed perfectly happy... a kid on they're lap, talking with they're family members walking at the same pace...

SueM in MN, having you here is an honor!

My DD has the same kind of wheelchair cushion (hers is a Jay Deep Contour Cushion).

I don't even know the name of the cushion... the specialized shop just calls it "ergonomic wheelchair cushion", and it's what appeared on the bill! I just know it cost 160$...
As for the velcro, we had thought about it, but I had decided against it, not at least until I decided if I really liked it (it was pretty new when we left, remember!). As for a sling bag put across the w/c handles... we had one, a lime Baggalini bought especially for the trip... But it was "for the trip", so it was in one of the suitcases... I should've simply wrote my name on the cushion, and brought it with us on the plane, like you do... But it was so new to us that we didn't think it would be cold, didn't think it could fall from the chair... In fact, it all went so fast, we were so rushed, we didn't think about much anything... we did as we were told, tried not to make anyone lose their time waiting after us, etc. We weren't even sure of where they would put the w/c in the plane (I had heard there was space for one w/c per plane and I hadn't seen another... so I thought maybe it would get in front after everyone had boarded).

If what you actually needed was grab bars/grab rails in the bathroom, but could manage with a tub, you might be able to get a room like this

But that's exactly what we had! And this is why I was susprised to have the "bathroom/vanity" area set up the way it was... because it wasn't, technically, a wheelchair accessible room! I only asked for handrails in the bathroom, nothing else. And your pic is proof that those bathrooms have a door!

I have no problem with walking.
Huh, let me re-phrase that. I have no problem with walking for a short period of time, especially if it's not too hot outside and I'm in a good day...
But unless I just injured one of my lower-body joints, my legs work just fine.

For those knowledgeable (and since I've promised not to make this a medical class), my main reason for the wheelchair is I have dysautonomia, or orthostatic intolerance. Simply put, if I stay in an upright position too long (and that "too long" becomes shorter the higher the temperature gets), I faint. It's not the only reason for the w/c, but the most important one... the one that would've made the trip impossible if I didn't have it. The other problems I have, well... maybe I could've delt with them in WDW without a w/c, it would've just been harder.

Sorry to hear it didn't went well, the first day. Great update!

Hey you! You've been lurking! Thanks!
Have you started you TR too? I didn't have time to go check it out yet I hum... have tried to keep up here, kinda, hum... had some pressure! But I didn't forget you!

OK, let's try for another installement, to keep all of you happy!

...so much pressure!
Just breathe...

 

[michellem1118]

...so much pressure!
Just breathe...

No pressure.... we're all waiting patiently. No need to do too much on account of us!

(although, I would love another update... )

 

[SueM in MN]

I've seen a lot of people using those ECVs and they seemed perfectly happy... a kid on they're lap, talking with they're family members walking at the same pace...

Just to clarify, even though people sometimes drive ECCs with a child on their lap, it's not really safe to do. All the rental companies say in the rental agreement that the ECV will only have one person on it.
The park rental ones can be confiscated if security sees it.
If you want more information about renting ECVs, there is a lot of info on the disABILITIES FAQs thread on the disABILITIES Board (there's a link in my signature.

SueM in MN, having you here is an honor!

I don't get out much, but reading your trip report is a lot of fun.

]I don't even know the name of the cushion... the specialized shop just calls it "ergonomic wheelchair cushion", and it's what appeared on the bill! I just know it cost 160$...

It probably isn't the same; the bill would say Jay Action Cushion or Jay Extreme and they'd probably charge you more than $160.
I can see why you didn't want to use velcro since you hadn't decided whether you liked it.

We weren't even sure of where they would put the w/c in the plane (I had heard there was space for one w/c per plane and I hadn't seen another... so I thought maybe it would get in front after everyone had boarded).

If they have a closet and if your folded wheelchair fits into it, you can use the closet (if no one else got theirs in there first).
Many planes don't have a closet at all or don't have one that is big enough to fit a wheelchair.

But that's exactly what we had! And this is why I was susprised to have the "bathroom/vanity" area set up the way it was... because it wasn't, technically, a wheelchair accessible room! I only asked for handrails in the bathroom, nothing else. And your pic is proof that those bathrooms have a door!

Hmmmm!
i thought it was just the roll in shower rooms that were set up like that. That's what we have found.
I don't know which ones have doors and which are the way yours was. That would be good information to have.

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

April 30th
(I know, part 5, 3rd page, and only one day down! It's gonna be a long TR! But who is surprised?! ... Really?!)

Bye the way, I forgot about something :
As soon as we were unpacked, we decorated our room with the wall stickers I had bought! You could see 2 in the bathroom picture I put in the previous "official" post, but here are a couple others :
(Mama surprised me, after a moment of hesitation, she got pretty into it and put up all the Tink stickers!)
This one was on the communicating door with the next room (unused, of course)

That one, on our room door

And that was our window, clearly!

And before we left for dinner that night, we set up the wheelchair boards :

So, April 30th, we woke up around 7am...
This would be one of the earliest we'd be able to get up (there'll be a test! ). Of course the fact we went to bed around 9pm the previous evening helped a little... Which meant we may have been early, but we had a pretty refreshing night of sleep (about 10hrs!).

For a first night in a foreign hotel, we slept very well. Well I almost always do.
Those were not the softest bed sheets I ever laid on, but the pillow was OK, and as usual, I took the 2nd one to put at the end of the bed, on the side, so I felt like my cat was laying there, like she so often does... I couldn't be fooled, but in the middle of the night, hey... it helped, almost like a comforter for a kid! (No, I don't know how Colombine dealt with it... I heard Dad gave her a little more kitty-candy than usual but that's it).


Mama usually has a lot of trouble getting used to a new environment, new hotel room, new bed, and usually it takes her a couple nights to get a good night's sleep on vacation... Or so she says! The last 2 times we went away on a trip together, she was alseep before I could lay my head on a pillow, and that, on the first night!
Same thing happened in WDW. Difference was, she woke up a lot because... you got it : she was caughing too much.
When she told me about her less than ideal night of sleep because of that, I thought to myself : here it goes...
I sincerely hoped it wouldn't be too bad, would get better soon, and it wouldn't ruin the trip too much, but I was apprehensive and this had been something worrying me for so long.

Would you believe it took us more than 2 hours to get out of the room?!
Yup. Of course, the first time out, it takes longer... you wonder what to take with you, how to pack the bags, you're not used to move around the room, not used to what is where, so you turn around in circles, you search around for everything, you bump into each other, etc.
Want to know the worst? In those 2+ hours, we didn't even have breakfast.
I'm sure we could've left in 45-60min. max, even with not being used and all. But it was once again Mama's anxiety and problem with all that's unknown that paralyzed her.
She had a deer in the headlights look and litterally was going in circles.
She was going to wash her teeth, than I was finding her standing besides her bed, not doing anything or opening drawers for nothing. I'd ask her "weren't you going to wash your teeth?", and she'd jump and say "oh yeah!" and go to the bathroom... and would yet again stop because she'd think about something else, but wouldn't follow that train of thought through, etc.
Told like that, it could almost sound like alzheimer... but it really is just lack of concentration caused by anxiety... and it can be sooo frustrating!

And I realize something... Right then and there I want to make a point.
I'm sure telling the story of this trip, often it will sound like I put the blame on Mama for all that's going wrong, or whatever. I'm past that age, and I know the blame can't always rest on one single person.
But I can't tell both sides of the story in a totally objective way.
I just wanted to say I realize it will look like that sometimes, and it's pretty normal I guess that I'll sometimes let off some steam.

So yeah, because of that, and the fact she simply isn't able to hurry when she knows she should be, it took us forever to get out of there.

Waking up around 7am, we only got at Magic Kingdom around 10am!
The weather was perfect! It was sunny and cool.
We couldn't believe how the bus drop-off was far from the actual park entry...
All that snake, very hard to negociate with the wheelchair by the way...Getting down, only to get back up... All while turning, no less!

We stopped by the Mickey-pirate and Minnie-Princess topiraries, ads for the P&PP. I wanted a pic with Princess Minnie, but there were too many people... I was able to get one pic that Mama took, but even if I took the time to get out of the chair, I didn't leave it far enough and Mama didn't think it would matter to me... and we didn't want to take too much time, so many people wanted to take their pix too... so now I have that one pic with the w/c in it besides me, and I can't edit it out because I would edit Minnie too... Oh, I'll try, you can bet I will... But I won't hope too much. I have so many people in it anyways...

And then it was our first bag search. Where we learned it was REALLY hard to hand off your bags and open them while one of you is in a w/c and the other trying to push... especially in an incline... I was trying to hold onto the search table, pushing with my feet, while pushing the bags across to the officer... Mama couldn't hold onto the w/c 'cause she was busy trying to get some of the bags to the table, and open them... And you guessed it, she was stressed, 'cause the officer was asking for us to go through (thus, to "rush it"... at least it was how we all interpret it... well those of us who care about people around us), and worst : there were people waiting behind us ... so we really had to hurry... so she really became clumsy.
I was backing up into her, and while she felt it easier to just have me back up into her and keep her hands to work on the bags, it was sooo uncomfortable and humiliating, hunched forward and head between her breasts...
So it was a messy and no fun experience, but we told ourselves we should get a hang of it before... our last day! Yeah, we didn't fool ourselves, we knew it would take us a while to figure out a way to deal effectively with that part.
And we only had 2 bags (and only one with pockets!)

After the bag search, we had to go to guest services to get our AP and my "1st time" button.
There was no line at all so it was quick.
When I asked for my button, the lady asked Mama if it was her 1st time too... and she said yes! Liar!!! Of course, it was true for everywhere except MK... But still...
Of course, I didn't say anything... (well, not in front of the CM!)
I also asked for my Guest assistance card. For those not knowing about that, it's a card to help you get the help you need, if you need any, from the CM. It's never the same, it really is tailored for your needs, and not everyone who asks gets one. It's not a "front of a line" thing and no "special treatment" either.

Now I wouldn't like to create a precedent while talking about that, it seems many people get the wrong idea when they hear about it and I heard it was almost taboo to talk about it here, but I can't see how I could talk about my trip without saying a word about it either...
I'll just explain the way I can and if I say anything I shouldn't please let me know, anyone (especially SueM in MN).

I simply stated what were my limitations, as I had learned they didn't care about my diagnosis, and in fact, didn't even had the right to ask me about them because of the ADA. So I told the CM I couldn't walk for a long distance nor stand for a long time, espcially under the sun (and that "long" was a very relative thing).
I also had heard that since the wheelchair could often be "used" as a GAC, meaning CMs can see you obviously have a special need, or you wouldn't use that. Also I'm pretty sure if I hadn't been in a wheelchair already, and had told the CM the same thing, I guess she would've told me to get a w/c or ECV... and there are many attractions with w/c alternate entrances...
But since I didn't know yet if I'd use the w/c all the time, or how it would work out in the attractions, I had been told to ask for the GAC for times when I wouldn't be in the w/c. That didn't work.
Instead, the CM told us I could get in all the attractions with my w/c, so I would never have to discard the w/c and so I wouldn't need that other type of GAC...
I think she may not have understood my initial query... the fact I may have wanted to walk anyway... or maybe she just knew/thought that would've appeared worst to other guests, I don't know.
The fact I wasn't sure must've shown on my face, because she repeated that I would be sure of getting right up to the ride vehicles of all attractions and asked if that would do it. Since she seemed convinced and since she promised me I wouldn't have any trouble getting to the rides and wouldn't have to walk far, I said yes. After all, the 2nd "type" of GAC was mostly because we thought I could have to park the w/c because it would be too hard to bring it inside an attraction...
So I agreed and the GAC only reflected my limitations... and I guess, would I left my w/c parked somewhere, I wouldn't have had any problem either.

Then we got in line to enter...
Wait... First we had to find a spot, preferably not inclined, so Mama could find her AP (yup, she had put it in her bag already!).
There weren't many people in line, but of course we didn't think about strategy... you know... shortest line and all... I had forgotten all about that and it would take me days before my Disney intelligence would get back for the most part...

We learned how it worked with a w/c... well with most CMs anyways.
The CM took my AP and passed it through, turned the turnstile (so it was registered as one guest), then did the same for Mama, opened the gate and we were through. No finger reading for us!
I was secretly happy about this...
And we were in! Magic Kingdom, finally!


Next, Part 6 : Entering MK for the 1st time

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

thought it was just the roll in shower rooms that were set up like that. That's what we have found.
I don't know which ones have doors and which are the way yours was. That would be good information to have.

Well I have more pictures, but didn't think none were interesting enough for a TR.
I thought I may post them on the resort board, and surely will do a review of some sort on TGM, but would you like me to post something on the disABILITIES board?

Is there a good place for it in there? Or just kinda start a thread?

I could give the pix, the room number and location... I could also add a POFQ map I found somewhere... I don't think it's copyrighted...

Anything you want, PM me, this thing is about helping others, isn't it?
(well, and venting a lot!)

And I'm pretty sure that our room wasn't the only one of it's kind.
We could see a couple of bathrooms through the windows while walking (hum... rolling), and it seemed the whole row or at least a couple on our side were made like ours, with the counter and door, so we could think they also had the railings... All the other rooms we saw had the curtains. Not that we saw a lot, but after I noticed that particularity, I tried to catch some so I could compare... I wondered if there had been a rehad of some sorts that I didn't know about.

Again, I said I didn't ask for a specifically w/c accessible room and nothing in the room indicated it was... except the door. If you noticed, there are 2 peepholes, one that could be low enough for someone in a w/c. Then again, I didn't notice, maybe all doors are made like that so children can see through the doors, Disney being a family resort?

I did specifically ask that I not have a roll-in shower. I didn't need one, so I didn't want to keep someone in need of one to get it... Plus we don't have a bath at home (weird renovation decision made by my parents about 15 years ago) and I wanted to take advantage of that bath! Now I'm trying to rack up some money so I could buy a therapeutic bath to put in my studio... Would help so much with the pain!!!
Anywyays...

Hey, am I hijacking my own TR?

 

[dreamer17555]

wow that sounds like a LONG morning and you arent even up main street yet! I hope the rest of your trip went okay

-Becca-

 

[SunnieRN]

Wow a lot of work just to get there! I admire you both! I have an idea that from here on out it will be smoother sailing for you!!
Loooking forward to more!

 

[whogirl'smom]

I'll bet you got the hang of everything as the days went on! That is a lot of work to get to the park. Your report is very informative.

 

[SueM in MN]

Well I have more pictures, but didn't think none were interesting enough for a TR.
I thought I may post them on the resort board, and surely will do a review of some sort on TGM, but would you like me to post something on the disABILITIES board?

Is there a good place for it in there? Or just kinda start a thread?

I could give the pix, the room number and location... I could also add a POFQ map I found somewhere... I don't think it's copyrighted.......................


Hey, am I hijacking my own TR?

I'll help you hijack it a bit more before you get back on subject.
There is a thread on the disABILITIES Board where we have things like room numbers, descriptions and pictures if people have them. It would be real nice of you to post that and you can do it on this thread. Don't worry about the map (I imagine you would have to scan it). There are maps already on the www.wdwinfo.com part of the DIS site.

PS> I'm really enjoying your trip report.

 

[Villainess]

I'm joining in! I was in WDW the same time as you (Apr 23 - May 8th!)

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

Sorry everyone. Just a quick word : it'll take a while.
Bed- (and LayZBoy-) ridden and computer makes me very dizzy.

See you when I get better.

 

[whogirl'smom]

Hope you feel better soon, Annie!

 

[dreamer17555]

Sorry everyone. Just a quick word : it'll take a while.
Bed- (and LayZBoy-) ridden and computer makes me very dizzy.

See you when I get better.

Oh no! I hope you start feeling better. Don't worry we will be (semi) patiently waiting for your TR when you feel up to it!

-Becca-