Visiting WDW while pregnant, would you use a wheelchair?

[Dreamer & Wisher]

My Brother-in-Law surprised the family by buying us all a trip to WDW. We are a group of 16 and my Mother-in-law will be renting a Scooter. She has mobility issues due to diabetes.

DH is concerned about me and thinks I should also get a scooter. We have been to WDW many times this will be my 14th trip and we were there in October of 2010.

I am 29 weeks pregnant it is my 3rd baby. I am familiar with how much walking there will be but I am concerned about the heat. I want to see how I feel and maybe rent a Wheelchair for Epcot. DH thinks I should get a scooter. I am typically very active even in the summer.

Any Advice?

 

[dclfun]

Ages ago I was 28 weeks pregnant with my fourth child when we visited WDW. As my youngest was then only 15 months old, I held him in most of the queue lines while my husband held one of my daughters and the hand of the oldest daughter who was four years old at the time. Poor David ( the one in the tummy) had his big brother Jared sitting on him for most of the trip, lol. I was fine and did not even consider renting a w/c or ecv but this is a personal decision. No one else's experience will be the same as yours. I'd follow your plan and if you become tired or overheated, at that point rent a w/c or an ECV so that you're comfortable. I hope you enjoy your trip before the new little Mouseketeer arrives! Be sure and stay hydrated and remember you can always lie down in First Aid if you need to put your feet up and get some a/c and rest.---Kathy

 

[jdb in AZ]

If you rent a scooter then your DH won't have to "push you around" in a wheelchair. WDW seems flat but there are a few hilly areas, and it's a challenge for even a buff person to push all day in the heat. Meanwhile, scooters are a lot of fun to drive. The biggest challenge there will be for the rest of your group to keep up with you.

 

[mysevendwarfs]

When I was almost 8 months pregnant with my first baby, my parents took my liitle sister, DH and me to WDW. I had absolutely no plans of using a wheelchair. I was young, healthy and thin. Our first day was at Epcot. Just saying Epcot should be enough, but we walked miles. The next day I honestly couldn't have done it. I could barely move. I told them to go to Universal without me. They all insisted I rent a wheelchair. I was so glad I did. I was able to enjoy the rest of the trip with the family I honestly thought after the first day I was going to spend a lot of time in the room. I would recommend you go with the plan to see how you feel. If the heat or walking is getting tough you can rent a w/c at the park. Be aware that they sometimes run out of ECV's. Ultimately, I think you do what is best for you, your baby and DH.

 

[staceyhzoo]

I went 27 weeks preg with ds in 07 and was fine. There was only one day I got tired and I hadn't slept well the night before. We took a short break/nap at the hotel and I was ready to go
Stay hydrated was the best advice I got! Have a great time!

 

[dclfun]

If you rent a scooter then your DH won't have to "push you around" in a wheelchair. WDW seems flat but there are a few hilly areas, and it's a challenge for even a buff person to push all day in the heat. Meanwhile, scooters are a lot of fun to drive. The biggest challenge there will be for the rest of your group to keep up with you.

I would have to say that "fun to drive" is relative. Driving an ECV or power wheelchair at WDW, IMO, is not fun at all. I use a power w/c and am constantly watching for people who dash in front of me, for curb cuts, and I can't see over people who are standing. I feel that tension in my neck and it's very tiring to be "on guard" all day long. That said, I still say the OP should gauge how she feels and be open to renting one if the need arises for her to be able to enjoy her vacation.---Kathy

 

[Piper]

I agree that ECVs are not fun. You don't get to enjoy the scenery because you're constantly watching other people to anticipate their moves. Although you don't have the control with a WC, you do get to look around a lot more!

(Although, I have to say that the Butt level view from both does leave a lot to be desired!)

 

[PatsMom]

I think I would take it one day at a time and see how I feel. When I was that pregnant sitting down most of the day wasn't very comfortable either. With a manual wheelchair, you would have the option to be pushed or to walk and push the chair yourself. If you have a scooter, someone will have to drive it or you will have to park it and then come back to get it later.

Even not pregnant, hydration is so important! That and restrooms.

 

[ccgirl]

My Brother-in-Law surprised the family by buying us all a trip to WDW. We are a group of 16 and my Mother-in-law will be renting a Scooter. She has mobility issues due to diabetes.

DH is concerned about me and thinks I should also get a scooter. We have been to WDW many times this will be my 14th trip and we were there in October of 2010.

I am 29 weeks pregnant it is my 3rd baby. I am familiar with how much walking there will be but I am concerned about the heat. I want to see how I feel and maybe rent a Wheelchair for Epcot. DH thinks I should get a scooter. I am typically very active even in the summer.

Any Advice?

Is this a complicated pregnancy? Not sure a scooter/wheelchair would be needed otherwise. I had friends that ran races and worked out at the gym throughout their entire pregnancy. My midwife always says uncomplicated pregnancies are not disabilities. Definitely stay hydrated and if you are tired rest. I went to WDW the end of August at 30 weeks pregnant at the age of 38. An uncomplicated pregnancy and everything was just fine. The TTA at MK is one of my favorite places to "rest". Have fun!

What a great BiL by the way. Mine like to come with us and mooch of us.

 

[jdb in AZ]

I would have to say that "fun to drive" is relative. Driving an ECV or power wheelchair at WDW, IMO, is not fun at all. I use a power w/c and am constantly watching for people who dash in front of me, for curb cuts, and I can't see over people who are standing. I feel that tension in my neck and it's very tiring to be "on guard" all day long. That said, I still say the OP should gauge how she feels and be open to renting one if the need arises for her to be able to enjoy her vacation.---Kathy

And people think that the ECV drivers are a hazard. I'll have to admit that we only do WDW and/or DLR during off-season so the crowds aren't as bad, tho we still get the stoopid people who cut right in front of us.

 

[lilwhiterabbit]

Is this a complicated pregnancy? Not sure a scooter/wheelchair would be needed otherwise. I had friends that ran races and worked out at the gym throughout their entire pregnancy. My midwife always says uncomplicated pregnancies are not disabilities. Definitely stay hydrated and if you are tired rest. I went to WDW the end of August at 30 weeks pregnant at the age of 38. An uncomplicated pregnancy and everything was just fine. The TTA at MK is one of my favorite places to "rest". Have fun!

What a great BiL by the way. Mine like to come with us and mooch of us.

Pregnancies are different for everyone and, even if they're not complicated, it varies from person to person what they're capable of. I also had a friend who was extremely active right up until the day before she had her baby. I had another whose feet and ankles would swell so badly five months into her pregnancy there's no way she could have walked around WDW without some sort of assistance. Her pregnancy wasn't complicated at all, since swelling feet is fairly common, but she needed that wheelchair to make her trip enjoyable.

I think the OP should do whatever she feels most comfortable with. If it were me, I'd have a wheelchair or scooter as backup, just in case she gets there and realizes she actually needs it. It's always better to be prepared.

Regarding scooters specifically, it's well-documented that I'm not a fan of them, since I get extremely tense trying to dodge all the people that will cut you off or jump in front of you, but other people love them. I lean toward the wheelchair-as-backup, since I find those to be less of a hassle than scooters. YMMV, though.

 

[SueM in MN]

I would have to say that "fun to drive" is relative. Driving an ECV or power wheelchair at WDW, IMO, is not fun at all. I use a power w/c and am constantly watching for people who dash in front of me, for curb cuts, and I can't see over people who are standing. I feel that tension in my neck and it's very tiring to be "on guard" all day long. That said, I still say the OP should gauge how she feels and be open to renting one if the need arises for her to be able to enjoy her vacation.---Kathy

I agree.
It is mentally tiring to use an ECV because you do need to be watching all the time. A wheelchair would give less independence, but more flexibility. As another poster mentioned, you can sit in it and be pushed, stand and push it yourself, or park it somewhere and walk.
My suggestion would be to see how you feel. Take along a couple of phone numbers from offsite rental places listed in post 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread. A wheelchair is easy to get at the parks, but they do run out of ECVs. Most of the offsite places will be able to deliver a wheelchair or ECV within a few hours to a day.
And, if you find you don't need it, you won't need to rent one. If you are from a warm climate and are very active, you may not need a wheelchair or ECV as long as you rest frequently and keep hydrated.

 

[Dreamer & Wisher]

Is this a complicated pregnancy? Not sure a scooter/wheelchair would be needed otherwise. I had friends that ran races and worked out at the gym throughout their entire pregnancy. My midwife always says uncomplicated pregnancies are not disabilities. Definitely stay hydrated and if you are tired rest. I went to WDW the end of August at 30 weeks pregnant at the age of 38. An uncomplicated pregnancy and everything was just fine. The TTA at MK is one of my favorite places to "rest". Have fun!

What a great BiL by the way. Mine like to come with us and mooch of us.

So far I haven't had any complications. I do tend to swell and I need to wear compression hose because of it. Doctor said I should wear them while we are driving and then wear them at night, since it will be so hot during the day.

I appreciate all the thoughts shared. It is helpful, I think I am still leaning towards renting a wheel chair if necessary, because driving a scooter through the crowds sounds difficult. I remember how hard it was sometimes to maneuver the stroller when we used one. People would frequently run right in front of me. I think if I sit all day that will be bad for the swelling as well. The nice thing I think about having a wheelchair would be having a place to sit while I am waiting in line for rides. It can be tiring even when not pregnant.

I do look forward to swimming to help with the swelling and the heat. And we bought 3 cases of bottled water to bring with us!

 

[kaytieeldr]

It is mentally tiring to use an ECV because you do need to be watching all the time. A wheelchair would give less independence, but more flexibility. As another poster mentioned, you can sit in it and be pushed, stand and push it yourself, or park it somewhere and walk.

There's a fourth option many people forget (omit? ignore?) - the wheelchair user could propel themselves.

 

[SueM in MN]

There's a fourth option many people forget (omit? ignore?) - the wheelchair user could propel themselves.

They could, but with rental wheelchairs, that's kind of a short distance option, but not real practical for the whole day. Most people who are not used to it don't have the stamina to do it for long distances. Propelling a wheelchair uses a lot of muscles that are not usually used by people who don't do it all the time.

And the rental wheelchairs are often not set up well for self propelling. The back wheels on my DD's personal wheelchair were set forward at the correct distance for her to reach and push with the maximum impact with the least effort. The rear wheels on rental chairs are usually set quite far back for ease in getting in and out and for stability to not tip backwards. My DD's manual wheelchair has small outriggers to the rear, called antitip bars that add stability. Most rental chairs don't have them.

But, it is a good reminder that the wheelchair user can usually move themselves to some extent - maybe not for long distances, but not totally dependent on someone pushing them 100% of the time.

 

[Mama Who]

But, it is a good reminder that the wheelchair user can usually move themselves to some extent - maybe not for long distances, but not totally dependent on someone pushing them 100% of the time.

I discovered that one benefit of a WC over an ECV (with someone else in it, not me) was that the ECV requires the disabled party to do all the extra work whereas the WC allows the chore to be split. We had the chairbound individual and three other adults which meant four sets of muscles taking turns getting fatigued instead of just one brain. Sharing the load can make a big difference.