Travel with Dad..motorized wheel chair

[auntie]

We are trying to plan a Disney trip with my dad who is paralyzed on this right side and uses a motorized wheelchair. I'm leaning toward the Poly for resort, as he enjoys swimming and I know they have the zero entry pool there. Do they have a PVC wheeled chair for use for entry...like they do at some other resorts? Also, he will be needing a wheel chair that he can take into the shower..I was told that there are several companies that rent to Disney with no delivery charge, he will be need ing a recliner/lift chair to sleep in also. I figured that since the Poly rooms are the largest they would accomodate the extra equipment we need. Also he would love to buzz around the grounds there..thinking that a ground floor room would be a good option if they have a dissabled room available.

Also...this will be the first time we have flown since his stroke, and wondered from those of you familiar...what is the procedure as far as his using his motorized chair. He can transfer...but not very easily..and we'd prefer to have him use it on the plane. Are they able to accomodate this...or do you need to be able to transfer to fly? As far as a car rental...are there companies that will have a van with a ramp for him?
I'd appreciate any insight you folks may have to make a trip enjoyable for him.
Thanks.

 

[MidgeD79]

I traveled with my ds Michael in his motorized chair 3 years ago. It was not pleasant. They had to remove the batteries from the chair and check them separatly. He had to use one of the airports manual chairs (that did not fit him). When we arrived at our destination the motorized chair comes to us in pieces! Of course we complained but the airport claimed that was how they had received it. We loaded the chair up and put it together the next morning. I was not happy!

 

[Andrew Bichard]

I often fly from UK to Orlando. The airline lets me ride my chair to the gate, but then transfer me to a special narrow wheelchair that fits inside the aircraft aisles. I always take a sliding board to help with the transfers. I assume domestic US flights would be the same.

All Disney resorts with zero Entry pools have waterproof chairs. Chair designs vary from resort to resort. The one at AKL at least was too low for me to transfer easily.

The Monorails, buses and most of the boats between Disney's Resort Hotels and parks are wheelchair accessible. Mears has a wheelchair accessible shuttle from Orlando airport to Disney, and in May, Disney starts up its own wheelchair accessible shuttle called Magic Express. I never feel the need for a rental car when I am at Disney, though I did rent from 'Rainbow Wheels' on year. Click on this link: http://www.rainbowwheels.com/

Only one of the rental companies rent out shower chairs. I think this is Walker, but you will need to phone around to check. One year I rented a commode chair that filled over the toilet and could also be used in the shower. It might also be worth asking the frnt desk if they have an old wheelchair that they don't mind going into the shower.

I can transfer to bed so don't need a recliner chair. In any case my own chair has powered tilt and recline and I have slept in it on ocassion.

If he likes riding around the grounds, Polynesian is good because he can also ride over to Grand Floridian along the path past the Wedding Pavillion.

Wilderness Lodge also has extensive grounds with a path all the way to Fort Wilderness. There is even a nature trail beyond Fort wilderness, though it is largely soft sand you might get stuck with a wheelchair. I went half way 'round before deciding it was a bit too risky. The boats from Wilderness Lodge & Campground to MK are only wheelchair accessible when the water levels are OK.

Andrew

 

[auntie]

Andrew, thanks so much for the information you've provided.
You mention you need to transfer to a wheel chair that is narrow enough for the plane aisles...what do they do with your motorized chair? Is it available to you when you land, or do you have to retrieve it with baggage?

Thanks again.

 

[Andrew Bichard]

You mention you need to transfer to a wheel chair that is narrow enough for the plane aisles...what do they do with your motorized chair?

I can only comment on Virgin Atlantic.

Airlines only carry wheelchairs with leakproof or gel batteries because lead acid batteries might leak and burn a hole in the bottom of the aircraft. Don't worry - almost every modern wheelchair has suitable batteries, but you might need to sign a declaration for your airline or provide some kind of proof. (I assume the earlier poster must have had the older style of batteries)

When I leave my chair at the gate, it gets taken away and put in the hold, and is brought from the hold to the gate at the other end. Transatlantic flights are 747s or similar with big holds - I don't know if they would do the same with smaller aircraft. Under the rules of the ADA (and the UK equivalent) they can't charge you extra for this. You need to remember that baggage handlers will not be as careful with your chair as you would like. Remove everything you can, (footplates, cusions, headrests, bags etc) and take them into the cabin with you. Disconnect the power controller if you can, and put the chair into free-wheel mode. (I once arrived in Florida with flat batteries because my chair had been switched on for the entire nine-hour flight) Check your chair thoroughly on arrival because you can't claim for damage once you leave the airport. Make sure you read your manual before leaving, especially the parts about disconnecting the batteries, as sometimes the airline insists they be disconnected. Perhaps even bring a photocopy of the relevant pages with you. I always take a list of Orlando area repair shops for my make of chair with me 'just in case'.

I usually arrange to have my chair fully serviced a week or two before going on a trip to make sure everything is in tip-top condition, and so I have proof if an airline claims 'that looks as if it was already damaged'.

One last thing. Most airlines will pre-board wheelchair users first so you can get comfortably settled into your seat before everyone else gets on. At the other end, you will have to wait 'till last, (but you won't have to wait for your luggage). I also understand that some of the newest aircraft have a percentage of aisle seats with flip up armrests for disabled passengers.

Andrew

 

[auntie]

I guess the best thing for me to do is contact the airline that we plan to fly.
I'm thinking we could also use the regular wheel chair, and rent the motorized along with the lift chair.
I've seen the disabled rooms at the WL...and they only problem was that they have a king bed..which actually left very little room for his lift chair..and view wasn't very good either.
My thinking was that the Poly rooms are so much larger than those at the other resorts..that this might be better.
Also..I have been at the WL when sometimes the boat ramps were not able to accomodate the wheel chair(water leve in the lagoon or something). So my thinking was that the monorail would be the way to go.

Any problems you know about accomodating the wheel chair on the monorail.

I thought about the car rental because my parents like to visit the other resorts..especially the Beach Club..and though this would save us time, rather that changing busses...honestly...dad isn't too patient!

 

[MidgeD79]

My ds's motorized chair was built in 2001. We just had a difficult time.

 

[Andrew Bichard]

Auntie

I have never had a problem wth my chair on the monorail. There are a couple of cars on each train with wheelchair/ECV compartments. You load by ramp and they radio ahead to your destination so that someone is ready with a ramp at your car to unload you.

If space in the room is important, consider the Boardwalk Inn. The 'disabled' rooms facing into the garden make up a 45 degree corner of the building and are half as big again as regular rooms. Imagine a sheet of paper represents a room, with one short edge for the window end, and one short end for the corridor. Now take a second sheet and fold it corner to corner and put it next to the first sheet. That's a Boardwalk 'disabled' room. Two queen beds, a daybed, table, chairs and still enough space to ride figure of eights with an ECV. Also, from the upper two floors, you get a great view of Illuminations every night over the roof of France. The only downside is the lack of a zero entry pool.

Midge,

Sorry about your troubles with the chair. I think you Ds's is newer than mine!

Andrew

 

[BCV23]

We've stayed in accessible rooms at the Polynesian many times and they are very roomy. They do have two queens and a daybed but there is still plenty of room for a power chair. Recently we have had our daughter's portable chair as well as a rented power chair on our trips. Plenty of room.

All of the accessible rooms we have been in are in Rapa Nui and all have been on the first floor. Don't know if there are others upstairs but we've been there many times and I've never seen anyone in a chair use the elevator.

There is a small parking lot directly in front of Rapa Nui which is very handy. Rapa Nui is also the closest longhouse to the TTC where you can catch the monorail to Epcot or the ferry to MK. The ferry is very easy to use with a wheelchair. There is also no problem using the monorail although at times our daughter has had to back off and it is a little narrow. She has always managed fine though.