WDW with broken ankle

[SoccrMom]

My family and I leave Tuesday for a wonderful 4 days at WDW followed by a 4 night cruise. We have been so very excited, and I stopped yesterday to pick up a couple of things in order to start packing. Well, I'm walking through the parking lot and step funny and sure enough broke my ankle. I'm using an air cast given to me by the extended care doc and I can walk with it, but I'm not sure how I am going to do WDW with the walking cast. I am certainly slow moving and haven't found a shoe I can wear yet.

Any ideas to make this trip easier???

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Sounds to me like and ECV or standard wheelchair would be best for you. The less stress and strain you put on your ankle, the faster it will heal.

 

[djblu883]

I'm so sorry you got hurt at such a bad time....do rent an ECV...off site they are cheaper...go to the disabilities thred and someone has listings for off site rentals...MUCH cheaper!!!!

 

[SoccrMom]

Thank you, I didn't know that you could rent ECV. That certainly would be very helpful!

 

[maidenfairy]

I broke my ankle in Jan. and you are going to be getting to know the wheelchair real good. even if you get your walking cast by the time you leave, it will painful. Don't try to do too much on it and let others help you out. Also when you are able to take your leg out of the walking cast there are some great exercises to do. Trace the alphabet in the air with your foot. It will help stretch out the ligaments. Good luck and have fun. And just remember the crutches are building up great arm strength.

 

[daisyduck123]

I'm so sorry about your ankle.

We just got back last Sunday from 9 days in WDW.
On the day that we left for WDW, DH broke his big toe.
I couldn't believe it!!
We got him to the doctor a few hours before we left on our trip.

We ended up renting a scooter for the entire trip.
Renting it offsite was a must because he could not even walk around the resort. If he'd been able to do that, it would have been much better to just get to the parks at opening each day & rent one there because those scooters are a HUGE PAIN to assemble/disassemble each time you want to put it in/take it out of the car!!

I guess for a day or two it would be ok....but 9 days was just too much for dealing with putting them together & taking them apart.

 

[SoccrMom]

Thank you for your thoughts.

I figure I can be pushed around and pampered for a couple of weeks and this gives me the perfect excuse to sit around with those lovely drinks with umbrellas in them while the rest of the family rush around getting things packed, cleaned, and ready to go!

 

[SuperSteelerFan]

Some advice from someone who has had numerous ankle and foot injuries: I don't know if you are driving or flying but if you are flying, the airport should have complimentary wheelchairs - it'll make getting through the airport much easier if you can use one of those and you might be able to preboard with the airline - check at the desk at the gate. Definately plan on getting a wheelchair or ECV - even with the aircast, you will tire out very easily and your ankle will swell beyond recognition and if you have to use crutches, your upper body will quickly become tired and hurt. The resorts offer complimentary wheelchairs that you can use at the parks - they will take an imprint of your credit card and charge you only if you don't return the WC or it comes back damaged. However, these WC's are in small number and not guaranteed so don't necessarily count on getting one. If you are staying at a resort with a fridge, take some cold packs to put on at night before you go to bed (or a baggie full of ice from the machine works too, it just usually leaks) - just don't sleep with it on or you risk frostbite to your skin. Take plenty of Tylenol or Motrin (or generics) too. As far as shoes, doctors recommend high-top sneakers for the added support but trying to find something your swollen foot fits into may be impossible right now. You can try a pair of real Crocs or the generic ones available at Walmart, Target, or Payless (I heard the Payless ones were the best) - they can be purchased large enough to fit over your foot. I've worn flip-flops or sandals with adjustable straps with my aircast (much to my doctor's horror). If all else fails, bedroom slippers or a sock over the aircast will have to do. Good luck to you!

 

[SoccrMom]

Oh my gosh, I hadn't even thought about the shoe issue. I was lucky and had on my flip flops when I went to the doc this morning, but I don't think that those will work for the plane (I get really cold). I guess I may just have to invest in a pair of crocs.

 

[myrsfmly]

On our last trip to WDW in 11/06, my DD13 broke her ankle right before we left. I was planning on renting a wheelchair daily for our trip but at check in at ASM, a CM gave us a complimentary one to use for the entire week. It saved us a lot of money, but more importantly, she didn't have to hobble to guest services every day to rent a chair. We also got a pass the first day that enabled her to use the handicapped entrance of rides (apparrently being in the chair and the cast wasn't enough) so an accidental perk was avoiding lots of lines... good luck!

 

[a1tinkfans]

So sorry to hear about your mishap. I hope you are feeling a bitr better.
Good Luck!!

 

[SueM in MN]

\We also got a pass the first day that enabled her to use the handicapped entrance of rides (apparrently being in the chair and the cast wasn't enough) so an accidental perk was avoiding lots of lines... good luck!

Most of the lines are wheelchair accessible, so in most cases, people using wheelchairs or ECVs wait in the same lines (and for the same amount of time) with everyone else.
MK and Epcot are older parks and not all the lines were able to be made accessible, but they did make as many accessible as possible. For the attactions that don't have accessible lines, you don't need a card to use the accessible line - the wheelchair is all you need.
As a general rule of thumb, you may wait a shorter time with a wheelchair in about 20-25% of attractions, about the same amount of time in 50-60% of the lines and more (sometimes a lot more) time in 20-25% of the attractions. So, it pretty much evens out in the long run.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Sue forgot to mention something

As several posters above have suggested, visit the DISabilities board, paying special attention to the FAQ.

Included in that post are the names and contact information for several reliable medical equipment rental services (not to say others aren't good, but the ones listed have many good reports from customers). Whichever you choose to rent, request an attachment that will hold your crutches.

Renting from an off-site supplier gives you acess to the mobility assistance device 24 hours a day. If you will be staying off-site and driving and rent an ECV, you can get one that can be dismantled into several parts and transported in the trunk of your car. On-site (staying or just visiting), pretty much all Disney transportation is wheelchair accessible. Note that you will wait a few yards to the left of the front of the regular line for buses, and that you will load first but unload last. Be a considerate Guest - don't race up to the bus stop and cut in front of a long line with your party of 25