WDW Handicapped access????

[MarylandPizzaman]

I am planning a trip home and we are taking my DM who is for the most part confined to a wheelchair, If not she needs a walker. Too many hip replacements, I wanted to get a list of attractions that she would be able to participate in. If there is a link to a site that explains please post it in a reply. She has not gone since 1971 when she took us as kids and I think she would love to see what has changed. I want to get her down before she dosen't remember very well, Starting to show some signs of forgetfulness but not bad as of yet. I am sorry as this isn't much of a DVC question other than I am a member. I have had all of my other questions answered here and thought I would ask.
Thanks you people are the greatest, Well a close second to WDW CM's...

 

[KyBill]

First if your DM has not been since 1971 she is in for a real treat. I use an ECV which I carry in my minivan. WDW is very HC accessible. We almost always stay at OKW. I would recommend that you rent an ECV from an Orlando company and have it delivered to where you are staying. If you have to push a WC you will tire pretty quickly. All of the brochures at the parks list the attractions that are accessible in a WC or ECV. Some attractions require you to get up out of your WC. But it sounds like your DM could do that.
The reason we like WDW so much is because it is so accessible.
If you do not have a car, the busses can all load WC's.
I believe that there is a link somewhere on this site for Disability. Also there is a Disibility Board forum.Go to the Home Page and look around.

 

[InstImpres]

I second that is it very accessible. I had to use an ECV a few years ago because of breathing problem I was having (can't stop going to Dis though ) I would definetly rent an ECV from an outside company and they will drop it at your resort. A couple of reasons why:
- wheelchairs do get tiring and are harder to control (my DH didn't like the ramp going down SW with a big line and having to "hold the wheelchair back)
- Rent the ECV from an outside company, it is: 1) cheaper 2) available to you the whole stay (we had a problem when we parked hopped getting an ECV in the pm) as well as 3) usuable to get around the resort and to the parks, just from the bus to the entrance of MK is long if you need a wheel chair and have to walk.

Good luck
Sandy

 

[CarolMN]

If you haven't already, post your question on the disAbilities Forum. You'll get lots of answers from experienced guests as well as lots of support.

Enjoy!

 

[JudithM]

Pizzaman, you said mom is in a wheelchair. Could she use an ECV - like a scooter you might see at the grocery store, Walmart, etc.? If so, then she would have some independence & not feel like she is relying solely on you &/or someone else to push her around in the wheelchair.

I have rented an ECV from Walker Mobility in Orlando for my last few trips. THe ECV has always been at OKW when they said it would.

It is much easier to have the rented ECV than to TRY to rent one at each Disney parks. Walker is about the same price as Disney, but I am guaranteed an ECV wherever I go. If you rent from Disney at one of the parks & you like to park hop, then you are not guaranteed an ECV at the next park that same day.

We had a unit at OKW near the Hospitality House & I rode the ECV back & forth. The sidewalks are handicapped accessible - I had no problems whatsoever. We caught the bus to the parks at the HH & the drivers could not have been more helpful & courteous with me & the ECV.

At OKW the doors to the front desk are now handicapped accessible. A CM at the front desk told me they will be adding that feature acrossthe way to get into Olivia's & the General Store. If I am scooting around by myself, I usually have found other OKW guests to be helpful in opening doors. Otherwise, I wouldn't hesitate to ask someone - guest or CM !

Please stop over to the disABILITIES section of this bb. There are many posts about ECVs, GAC (Guest Assistance Cards), etc.

 

[SueM in MN]

It looks like one of the DVC moderators moved your thread to the disABILITIES Board for you.
Besides the good info you already have received, I have some links for you.
First, here's a link to the DIS page about touring with mobility disabilities. It has a list of rides/attractions where your mom would be able to stay in the wheelchair or ecv for the whole ride/attraction. As was already mentioned, the park maps also indicate this information. If there is a little wheelchair icon, you can stay right in the wheelchair/ecv. For rides where ecv users have to switch to a wheelchair, there is a little icon that shows an ecv with an arrow to a wheelchair. For those rides where everyone has to get out and transfer to a ride car, there's an icon of a person in a wheelchair getting up.
AK and the Studio are almost totally accessible (because they were built fairly recently). MK and Epcot have been retrofitted to make them pretty accessible, although (especially MK) not built totally accessible to begin with.
For each park, there is a Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities that you can pick up at Guest Services at the parks (they sometimes are availble at GS at OKW too). They are helpful about general boarding info; they are not very specific, but do have information about which rides, for example, have moving walkways. There is a currently active thread on the disABILITIES Board about ride boarding.
If you decide to rent from one of the off-site wheelchair/ecv suppliers, here's a list of the ones DIS posters have used and posted about many times:
Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/

Walker Mobility:
1-888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

RANDY'S Mobility is in Kissimmee 407-892-4777
http://randysmobility.com/

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html

OKW is a great resort for someone using a wheelchair or ecv. Because the rooms are large, it's easy to use a wheelchair in them without trouble. Also, having the ability to park right outside your unit if you have a car is very convenient. Even if you will be using the buses, there are enough bus stops so that you don't have to travel far to find one.