Touring DL with a Walking Boot...

[DisneyDork1969]

Hi All!! I fractured my ankle last month...all is healing well. I am headed to DL in mid May. Next week, if all goes well with the Dr., I can start walking with my walking boot (no hard cast, no crutches)...so I should be ok with walking by the time I get to DL...however, just in case I need it, can I use the GAC even if I only have a walking boot on? Or am I pushing it? I think I should be well enough that I won't have to rent a ECV while at DL. What are my options, if any? Thanks in adavnce for your comments & suggestions.

John

 

[WheeledTraveler]

Your options are going to be use a mobility aid or walk with the boot, but without a mobility aid. The GAC doesn't exist and the DAS, which replaced it, will not be given for mobility or stamina reasons. Most of the walking you do is between attractions so the DAS really wouldn't make a huge difference.

I'd really suggest an ECV or a wheelchair unless you think you can walk several miles for every day of your trip. If you're solo, the ECV will likely work better. You can always park it somewhere to get some walking in. It will give you more independence than a wheelchair would. You're unlikely to be able to self-propel a rental wheelchair so you'd need someone to push if you didn't just use it to sit while waiting somewhere. A wheelchair could be used as a walker when you want to walk and then you could sit in it as needed.

 

[JennyDrake]

I was in a knee high walking boot last year and there is no way _I_ could have done a theme park in a boot. They boots are heavy and keep you off balance (most of my pain was in the opposite hip.) My boot (don't know if all are?) was angled slightly backward so going up even a slight incline risked hyper extending my knee.

I would go with an ECV and let us know how it turns out!

 

[DisneyDork1969]

Thanks for the comments...I think I am leaning towards a ECV rental...I might do DL on my own the 1st day, Sat, since I will be there after 4pm...then I'll have the ECV from Sun to Weds...I called DECKERT'S and got a rate of $135 for 4 days...that is totally do-able...I'll post what I actually end up doing and a review after my trip...THANKS!!!

John

 

[minkydog]

Several years ago I broke my ankle at Thanksgiving. I was in a cast for about 5-6 weeks, then in a walking boot. We had a week-long trip to WDW planned for New Years Day. There was NO WAY I could have walked all over the place! My ankle was still swollen and sore, even though I could walk. In fact, I took pack with me and had it filled 2-3 times at First Aid; I strapped it to my ankle with an Ace bandage to get some pain relief. Getting an ECV was the ONLY way I could have done it. I didn't want to make the trip miserable for my kids or myself. That ECV was worth it's weight in gold!

 

[DisneyDork1969]

Just an Update:

I am now fully walking with my boot...I started physical therapy last week...its goin good...but I'll be traveling with my boot next Saturday to DL...I did rent a ECV from Deckert's...$135 for Sat to Weds rental...I'll post pics and report on how everything went when I get back...

Thanks for everyone's input and suggestions...

John

 

[DisneyDork1969]

So here is my official review of touring Disneyland with an ECV scooter:

http://disneydork69.blogspot.com/2014/09/a-fractured-ankle-scooter-and-disneyland.html

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Hi All!! I fractured my ankle last month...all is healing well. I am headed to DL in mid May. Next week, if all goes well with the Dr., I can start walking with my walking boot (no hard cast, no crutches)...so I should be ok with walking by the time I get to DL...however, just in case I need it, can I use the GAC even if I only have a walking boot on? Or am I pushing it? I think I should be well enough that I won't have to rent a ECV while at DL. What are my options, if any? Thanks in adavnce for your comments & suggestions.

John

I broke my ankle on March and had a cast for 6 weeks until about may 8th and switched to a boot for 4 weeks. I was ambulatory (walking without crutches) at 3 weeks in the cast. I went to Florida for a convention at Gaylord and stayed at Pop Century. I didn't do "that much" walking. But my room was a bit of a haul to the lobby where it caught busses DD and I went to Sanaa for lunch and did a little bit of DTD. Then we taxi'd to the convention and my ankle was just done after about 45 minutes. Walking was painful. We actually left earlier than planned and taxi'd back to pop century where I then sat on a bench while my daughter fetched my crutches. And for the next 3 days, I used them slowly. Even though I had been walking for about 5 weeks at this point, it was just too much.

Oddly, I observed a number of walking boots on property. Several in scooters and one guy walking like it was nothing. No way to tell what their boot was for, though.

I saw one lady in a scooter at the convention and I was tempted to negotiate a trade.

I would bring your crutches just in case. I was non weight bearing without the boot and had a HA room so that I had railings in the bathroom. I used my crutches to navigate bootless in the room. Soooo glad I had at least those. (I also and then for the pool for the same reason.)

In hindsight, if I was doing parks, I would totally have rented a scooter. I honestly didn't think I would have issues. But walking in my house or around the grocery store isn't the same as walking hours on concrete. So I would suggest that. I will say that even standing was painful which is why I was glad I had my crutches for resting. I used them for 3 days to assist my walking after not requiring them at all for 5 weeks. :-(

While GAC may be useful for the lines, it won't do anything about the walking.

(And I see you ARE renting an ECV. Excellent decision!)
Good luck with your decision.