Update: Stroller as wheelchair - restaurants

[Shellee999]

My son has ASD. This is all new to me. I would like to ask for stroller as wheelchair. Sometimes he needs that space to himself. More than that, I need it because he will drop to lay on the floor or run, so it's a matter of safety. My main question is, I want to take him to Disney Jr. breakfast. I think he can handle it, and he loves Vampirina. Can I bring the stroller in restaurants? It will be just me and him and I don't think I can get him food from the buffet if he's not in his stroller. I will put him in a highchair after this. Thank you.

Update: Hollywood & Vine CM didn't even hesitate to say yes when I asked to bring the stroller in. I explained he would transfer and I could close the stroller when we were settled. However, I was told I didn't need to do this. (I did anyway.) They were so nice there!

 

[ttintagel]

I think it will depend on the restaurant, how crowded it is, how much space there is between tables, and how wheel-accessible the dining room is. I have been asked to leave a manual wheelchair outside more than once because there simply wasn't room to bring it in.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

Typically no. But if you have DAS and you are using the "stroller as wheelchair" tag, you may be able to be seated where it won't be a safety concern for others. I would politely ask the manager on duty how they can make this work for your family.

 

[gap2368]

Typically no. But if you have DAS and you are using the "stroller as wheelchair" tag, you may be able to be seated where it won't be a safety concern for others. I would politely ask the manager on duty how they can make this work for your family.

The DAS has nothing to do with it as they will not know you have one since there is no way for them to know.

If you have the stroller as a wheelchair and the place is not crowded then I can see them letting you use it. I would get there a little early and let them know your needs and just ask nicely

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

If you have the stroller as wheelchair tag then it should be fine.
My niece has EDS which makes it so she cannot stand or walk for long periods of time and she is getting much too big for my sister to hold in lines.
She got a stroller as wheelchair tag the last couple of trips and was able to take it into the lines and restaurants.

 

[arminnie]

I have been asked to leave a manual wheelchair outside more than once because there simply wasn't room to bring it in.

I'm shocked by this. I can see asking if one "could" leave a wheelchair outside - but I did not think there were ANY restaurants at Disney that prohibited wheelchair bound guests from entering. The vast majority of wheelchair users cannot walk at all.

 

[Shellee999]

Thank you for all the responses. Although I wanted to know about restaurants in general, my specific concern is the Disney Jr. breakfast at Hollywood & Vine. Obviously a buffet is less than ideal when I'm alone with him, but I think he'd get a kick out of tthese characters, so I'm trying to figure out how to make it work.

 

[ttintagel]

I'm shocked by this. I can see asking if one "could" leave a wheelchair outside - but I did not think there were ANY restaurants at Disney that prohibited wheelchair bound guests from entering. The vast majority of wheelchair users cannot walk at all.

Well, I don't know what would have happened if I had challenged them. Since I *could* walk with crutches, I didn't try to change their minds.

While the vast majority of wheelchair users in the outside world may not be able to walk at all, I'm less certain that's true at WDW. I wouldn't have been using one for my injury if I had been at home instead of trying to cover the eight or whatever number of miles the average WDW guest does in a day.

 

[Mrsjvb]

I'm shocked by this. I can see asking if one "could" leave a wheelchair outside - but I did not think there were ANY restaurants at Disney that prohibited wheelchair bound guests from entering. The vast majority of wheelchair users cannot walk at all.

I always get asked if I can transfer. Rides, attractions and restaurants. Some places I will get wheeled to the spot then they move it out of the way. Sci fi was definitely one they did that. Brown derby it’s always way easier to leave it parked.

The vast majority of WC users can indeed walk, albeit not well, quickly or always easily. In fact ever since I got the new hip, the only place I do need the chair is MouseTown ( and Universal)

 

[verleniahall]

they will more than likely ask u to leave it outside - there just isnt room.

they eont even move chairs to accommodate so be prepared to figure out something else of choose a different restaurant

 

[mymartianromance]

I'm shocked by this. I can see asking if one "could" leave a wheelchair outside - but I did not think there were ANY restaurants at Disney that prohibited wheelchair bound guests from entering. The vast majority of wheelchair users cannot walk at all.

You underestimate how many people at Disney are using wheelchairs because they get tired easily, have a bad knee/hip, have respiratory or heart issues, have age related mobility issues, etc. These people probably wouldn't be using a wheelchair at a local restaurant since they can walk the no more than 25-30 feet from their vehicle to the door, stand around and wait for 5-10 minutes and walk the 5-10 feet from the waiting area to their table. Better to ask them to leave their chairs and walk then trying to juggle those 10 wheelchairs that all showed up at once in a limited space area and a few of them end up being a trip hazard for the CMs and other guests since there's nowhere safe to put them and only deal with the absolute need to be in the restaurant wheelchairs and not all of them.

 

[SueM in MN]

Many of the restaurants have little space and many people CAN walk, just not distances. So, they do ask if people are able to transfer. That allows space to be used for those who are not able to transfer and could not come in at all if there was not space for their wheelchair.
Guests using WDW park wheelchairs or rental wheelchairs would be much more likely to be asked than those with own wheelchairs. We go to WDW a lot and have not been in any restaurants wher our daughter’s wheelchair was not welcome.

For the original poster, with a stroller as wheelchair tag, you would be able to bring the stroller in. Let the CM know when you are checking in and let the CM seating you know that you need it with you.
Let your server know that you will need help carrying your tray back to the table after you have visited the buffet. They will do that for you, although you may have to wait a few minutes.

 

[Shellee999]

For the original poster, with a stroller as wheelchair tag, you would be able to bring the stroller in. Let the CM know when you are checking in and let the CM seating you know that you need it with you.
Let your server know that you will need help carrying your tray back to the table after you have visited the buffet. They will do that for you, although you may have to wait a few minutes.

Thank you. I appreciate this (and all the responses). I am going to try this approach. Once I get a plate of food for me and my son, I can put him in a highchair and close up the stroller.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

The DAS has nothing to do with it as they will not know you have one since there is no way for them to know.

If you have the stroller as a wheelchair and the place is not crowded then I can see them letting you use it. I would get there a little early and let them know your needs and just ask nicely

I said "DAS and stroller as wheelchair tag" because as far as I understand, the DAS program is how you get the stroller as wheelchair tag. You have to go to Guest Services and request the tag, as part of the services that the DAS program offers. No, the restaurant will not know anything about the guests' needs for rides, but the stroller as wheelchair tag is pretty obvious. If they ask if the guest can transfer from the wheelchair, you simply explain that, no, they are unable to do so. The guests may have to wait until an appropriate table is available, but there is accommodation that Disney makes for wheelchair-bound guests. It just doesn't have to be the accommodation that the guest prefers.

 

[redberyl]

I said "DAS and stroller as wheelchair tag" because as far as I understand, the DAS program is how you get the stroller as wheelchair tag. You have to go to Guest Services and request the tag, as part of the services that the DAS program offers. No, the restaurant will not know anything about the guests' needs for rides, but the stroller as wheelchair tag is pretty obvious. If they ask if the guest can transfer from the wheelchair, you simply explain that, no, they are unable to do so. The guests may have to wait until an appropriate table is available, but there is accommodation that Disney makes for wheelchair-bound guests. It just doesn't have to be the accommodation that the guest prefers.

Das and the wheelchair tag are two separate things. You can have one with our the other

 

[gap2368]

I said "DAS and stroller as wheelchair tag" because as far as I understand, the DAS program is how you get the stroller as wheelchair tag. You have to go to Guest Services and request the tag, as part of the services that the DAS program offers. No, the restaurant will not know anything about the guests' needs for rides, but the stroller as wheelchair tag is pretty obvious. If they ask if the guest can transfer from the wheelchair, you simply explain that, no, they are unable to do so. The guests may have to wait until an appropriate table is available, but there is accommodation that Disney makes for wheelchair-bound guests. It just doesn't have to be the accommodation that the guest prefers.

You can have a stroller as a wheelchair tag with out the DAS

 

[SueM in MN]

DAS and stroller as wheelchair are both independent parts of Disney’s disability program.
Some people get a stroller tagged to be used as a wheelchair, but don’t need DAS. Some need both.

The stroller a wheelchair tag allows a stroller to be treated the same as a wheelchair in the 4 Theme Parks. This means it csn be brought into lines, attractions and buildings where strollers are not normally allowed.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Thank you. I appreciate this (and all the responses). I am going to try this approach. Once I get a plate of food for me and my son, I can put him in a highchair and close up the stroller.

the one thing to remember when leaving stroller is all the wheels will need to be out of walkway for other guests and servers. having ben to Disney Jr meal I am not sure how you are going to be able to leave child in stroller without front of stroller under table as a stroller is shaped different than a wheelchair when it comes up to table if this makes sense to you as tables are very close from what I remember. also I seem to remember tables that you could not see as you are getting food

 

[Shellee999]

the one thing to remember when leaving stroller is all the wheels will need to be out of walkway for other guests and servers. having ben to Disney Jr meal I am not sure how you are going to be able to leave child in stroller without front of stroller under table as a stroller is shaped different than a wheelchair when it comes up to table if this makes sense to you as tables are very close from what I remember. also I seem to remember tables that you could not see as you are getting food

I misunderstand you, or I wasn't clear. I do not plan to have the stroller open at the table. If my plan won't work, I will have to make a judgement call at that point.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I misunderstand you, or I wasn't clear. I do not plan to have the stroller open at the table. If my plan won't work, I will have to make a judgement call at that point.

from what I understood you to say you planned to leave him in stroller while you got food then put him in highchair. not sure how you will be able to take stroller in buffet line and carry plates for 2 by self. and yes I have had to carry plates for 2. last time we were there I was very glad we had more adults than kids including one that could not sit in highchair. had a great time but food was hard to do esp with the baby. we were not allowed to bring in stroller for a 4 month old who could not sit by self and we didn't have a carseat to use with infant highchair