Transfer Chair

[Candlelady]

Anyone use a transfer chair when traveling?

First time going to Disney or any other travel since my husband’s stroke in 2019. He has left side impairment and no real use of his left arm or hand. He walks extremely slow and only short distances using a quad cane. I know we’ll need a scooter rental for the week.

We both have TSA Pre-check but have fears about getting around our airport and MCO. I’m considering purchasing a transfer wheelchair to use for the airports and to use Lyft to get around for non-park dining.

I’m assuming I can gate check the chair like they do for strollers.

 

[tobikaye]

I have traveled via plane with my sister with her using a regular wheelchair, a transfer chair, or ECV.

Each airline handles tagging the devices slightly different, but they are all able to be gate-checked. On Southwest, we have to go to the main check-in desk first to have the device looked over and tagged and then at the gate just to verify. On Delta, we just go to the gate and get tagged there.

When boarding, you should be one of the first and will leave the chair at the bottom of the jetway. If your husband is fine with walking onto the plane, then you just go right on. If he needs the aisle chair, then make sure you let the airline know so they have the aisle chair available. When you arrive atyour destination, it might take a bit for the device to be brought up to outside the plane. We tend to wait so it is not so busy, but sometimes my sister moves to the first row so she can see when her device is available.

I will say to make sure you pick a good transfer chair and test before your trip. We needed a chair lighter than my sister’s regular chair for a trip and just bought one from Walgreens and it wasn’t great.

 

[Candlelady]

Thank you. Yes, I need something lighter than a regular wheelchair for those times he's not using the scooter. I may look into renting one at a local medical supply store.

 

[Groot]

I’d say opt in for wheelchair assistance at the airport (especially Orlando). Idk what airport/airline your flying out of, but some airports and security lines can be long.

 

[Candlelady]

That's another option. We both have TSA Pre Check so we breeze through security at our home airport and MCO security isn't bad either. Would still need either a wheelchair or transport chair when using Lyft. Neither of us will be happy if we have to wait an hour for a bus just to go to dinner or Disney Springs. We've always relied on Uber or Lyft to get us around when not going to the parks.

Do the resorts still have wheelchairs available?

 

[lanejudy]

Do the resorts still have wheelchairs available?

Only for short-term emergency use. The resorts no longer allow guests to borrow wheelchairs.

 

[Candlelady]

Thank you. Didn't realize lending them out was discontinued. Good to know.

 

[Groot]

Only for short-term emergency use. The resorts no longer allow guests to borrow wheelchairs.

Why’d they discontinue it? I remember my mom doing that for my grandma back in ‘06. (We already had to lug one (Grandma Special) manual through the airport for me and my mom didn’t want to deal with another one.)

And what would constitute “Short Term Emergency Use”? Like if you have an issue with a offsite scooter/powerchair rental?

 

[Bjkandma]

Short term emergency use. Guest needs assistance from bus to room, because of injury. They haven't offered wheelchairs, since I want to say 2016. Wheelchairs for "free" were always to use in an emergency situation, not someone's entire trip. Guests can rent one from an outside vendor and have it delivered to your resort.

 

[SueM in MN]

Short term emergency use. Guest needs assistance from bus to room, because of injury. They haven't offered wheelchairs, since I want to say 2016. Wheelchairs for "free" were always to use in an emergency situation, not someone's entire trip. Guests can rent one from an outside vendor and have it delivered to your resort.

Exactly.
The resort wheelchairs were always meant for short term unexpected use, like injuries or unplanned needs that come up.
They were never meant for people to get for free to avoid paying for a wheelchair, which was what a lot of people were using them for.

The issue was that they sometimes had none left for emergencies because they were all in use by people who could have rented one.