Well, Ding dangit. I broke my toe! Scootering around the parks?

[ZoZo]

Knee walkers are great for day to day, but no way would I recommend one for Disney. Too much uneven pavement, very tiring, and the “walking” leg and hip would very likely become achy after one day.

I would rent a scooter from offsite and enjoy!

I totally agree.

 

[mamabunny]

Have you tried taping your toes together? When I broke a toe, I taped it to the closest toes next to it. Then, I carefully stuffed it in a shoe with the ties all loosen up. I was able to walk all day in New Orleans like that. I know that’s not the same amount of walking as in Disney, but it might help.

"Buddy taping" is what that's called (Most of this year, I have had to buddy tape two broken toes from my January accident that broke most of the right side of my body...) and it works great.

EXCEPT...

ALWAYS check with your doctor before buddy taping. Done incorrectly, it can actually cause problems - especially if you put too much pressure on the "buddy", or if the tape does not align correctly over the break. Some kinds of breaks just aren't candidates for buddy taping.

If - and only if - the doctor clears you to buddy tape (which, TBH, probably won't since you are in a post-surgical boot from the sounds of things) I recommend using KT Tape Pro. You can cut it down (I cut each strip into quarters, and it's perfect for buddy taping toes and/or fingers) it holds up well unless it gets really soaking wet (like in a pool) and/or dirty. Once I cut the strips down, they take up as much space in my wallet as a band-aid, but last much longer, and are (for me) much easier on my skin than traditional bandages or tape.

 

[jo-jo]

One little sort of odd tip. My DH uses a wheelchair only at disney. And only at disney does he get sunburned knees. Usually think of arms and face for sunscreen, never legs. He needs it right at the top of the knee cap.

I don't know if others have had this issues , but we were surprised to see pinkish kneecaps the first trip.

 

[North of Mouse]

Using a scooter is really no big deal. Yes - even on the buses. I have my own ECV and totally know how to use it, but the bus drivers always insist on giving me detailed instructions how to load. I have never had a single “dirty look”.

This!

It's no fun at all. Especially with the buses. And especially the dirty looks you get because you're holding everyone up while you get on.

Anyone who has/will ride the busses, has waited for scooters to load. I don't understand when those who use them mention all the 'dirty looks' going their way while loading. If you're waiting, naturally you watch them loading, but that doesn't interpret into 'dirty looks' - it's just 'looks' period!!
If that's what you're thinking, guess to you that's what you're seeing - doesn't mean it is so.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Her doctor has told her to use a scooter; she didn't say she didn't want to bother with one, she asked about how it would work for lines, etc.

You use a scooter, yet this is the second thread where you seem to be discouraging someone else from using one.

Yep.

 

[crayon3448]

We just got back from a trip with my mom in a scooter. I planned the trip and was a bit worried about how things would work out because I felt like I hadn't done enough research- where to go in lines, etc. But it was fine and was easier than I thought, especially for it being spring break crowds. One thing that helped was getting to the parks early, so we didn't have any wait at the resort to load on. She was able to fully enjoy the trip and she was even surprised with how easy it was to use the scooter. Don't be afraid!

 

[Hisgirl]

Thank you everyone. I appreciate your input. I don't think taping will help as the fracture was down low to the base and the worst pain comes when I flex my foot (or even put pressure on my toes at all). I need to keep my toe parts elevated. What a sucky bit of bad luck...but...I'd rather have bad luck and be in Disney world, than good luck and be sitting at home!

I'll start calling around to check prices today!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Some people say that using a ECV exhausts them. I personally do not find that to be true at all. I find using an ECV to be so liberating.

I can successfully navigate through the most crowded areas on my ECV as I go very slow and just go with the flow. I am not trying not to go in rabbit mode.

Yes, remember the mantra "The turtle is my friend!" Arminnie, I totally agree with your attitude. I can remember the first time I used a scooter, I initially cried that I "had" to use one, then I got ready for all those nasty glares and comments I was sure I'd get. But you know what? People were so nice and helpful! Well, except for those who've perfected walking and texting at the same time-oh, but they forgot to look up and almost walk into me, then I get the glares. DH says that the biggest complaint he has about me using a scooter is that at the end of the day, when he's tired out, I want to keep going! And even though I had no experience, I find that the zig-zagging lines weren't too difficult to navigate.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Thank you everyone. I appreciate your input. I don't think taping will help as the fracture was down low to the base and the worst pain comes when I flex my foot (or even put pressure on my toes at all). I need to keep my toe parts elevated. What a sucky bit of bad luck...but...I'd rather have bad luck and be in Disney world, than good luck and be sitting at home!

I'll start calling around to check prices today!

enjoy your trip and if you have a chance before you leave practice at a store near your home by using one there

 

[OurBigTrip]

Yep.

I guess it's "Scooter for me but not for thee".

 

[mamabunny]

It's no fun at all. Especially with the buses. And especially the dirty looks you get because you're holding everyone up while you get on...

You know, so often they aren't really "dirty looks" - but simple curiosity.

Imagine if this is your first trip to WDW. Here comes someone with a mobility device, and they are waiting for the bus, just like you are. When the bus pulls up, after everyone who is getting off at that stop has exited, the driver locks the front door, walks to the back of the bus, and proceeds to "kneel" the bus, open the back doors only, flip out a ramp, and invite the mobility device to drive onboard! Not only does all of that happen, but the damn bus is wheezing and beeping and the ramp is banging...

It's a wonder that Disney doesn't sell tickets just to watch!

They aren't giving you dirty looks - they are watching the spectacle that is the bus doing it's thing.

It can be uncomfortable for people who don't like being the center of attention, or for people who are nervous about driving on or off the bus with an audience watching. But I assure you, the vast majority of Guests at WDW are simply watching the bus do it's thing; it's the main attraction, not the Guest using the ramp.

 

[DisneyOma]

Thank you everyone. I appreciate your input. I don't think taping will help as the fracture was down low to the base and the worst pain comes when I flex my foot (or even put pressure on my toes at all). I need to keep my toe parts elevated. What a sucky bit of bad luck...but...I'd rather have bad luck and be in Disney world, than good luck and be sitting at home!

I'll start calling around to check prices today!

If it were me, I'd try to get the smallest ECV that could handle my weight. And make sure it has a really good battery!

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I guess it's "Scooter for me but not for thee".

No, not everyone needs a scooter. Gosh, at least I hope not.

It just seems to me that scooters have become the strollers of the past. Everyone has their recommendations. When asked, I recommend the least that someone can get away with. Cane is my first recommendation, then walker/rollator, then scooter. If someone is sure that they need t rent a scooter, I recommend Walker. They were great when I needed to rent one. If someone is buying, I love my Golden Buzzaround EX. It has an 18 mile range and even after a full day at Epcot, my batter is rearing to go. It is also very comfortable.

I have traversed Disney with a cane and rollator. Then I moved to the scooter, as my disease progressed. And I for one, am glad I didn't move to the scooter too quickly. Obviously, everyone has their own opinion. This is mine.

 

[Simba's Mom]

It's a wonder that Disney doesn't sell tickets just to watch!

LOL! I'll have to remember that the next time I'm on my scooter waiting for the bus and people start staring-"Hey-watch it or they'll start selling tickets!"

 

[JennyDrake]

Knee walkers are great for day to day, but no way would I recommend one for Disney. Too much uneven pavement, very tiring, and the “walking” leg and hip would very likely become achy after one day.

I would rent a scooter from offsite and enjoy!

DITTO

 

[cobright]

You know, so often they aren't really "dirty looks" - but simple curiosity.

This is spot on. I often walk the parks with a friend who's in a power chair. I'm personally very sensitive to the whole "people are talking about me" thing. Like if I walk into a room and someone starts laughing... ugh I just assume they're laughing at me.

But on a few occasions on recent trips I was catching up to my friend while she was already in line for the bus and I got to hear some of the comments made by people as I walked up through the line. When you're up at the front, those murmurs sound awful. You catch one word in 10 and those words tend to be wheelchair, handicap, ramp, and things like that; but your mind fills in the blanks with really awful stuff. In reality, 9 times out of 10, its just a mundane observation made by a parent to their kid to explain why the bus is here but we're not boarding yet. A couple times I caught pseudo-sympathetic statements like, "Wouldn't want to qualify for that perk."

Sad but true, some of this largesse is because my friends need for her chair is quite obvious. She sports a look we refer to as Chemo-chic. I would like to believe that anyone using a mobility aid would qualify for this sort of charitable consideration by their fellow man but ...

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

This is spot on. I often walk the parks with a friend who's in a power chair. I'm personally very sensitive to the whole "people are talking about me" thing. Like if I walk into a room and someone starts laughing... ugh I just assume they're laughing at me.

But on a few occasions on recent trips I was catching up to my friend while she was already in line for the bus and I got to hear some of the comments made by people as I walked up through the line. When you're up at the front, those murmurs sound awful. You catch one word in 10 and those words tend to be wheelchair, handicap, ramp, and things like that; but your mind fills in the blanks with really awful stuff. In reality, 9 times out of 10, its just a mundane observation made by a parent to their kid to explain why the bus is here but we're not boarding yet. A couple times I caught pseudo-sympathetic statements like, "Wouldn't want to qualify for that perk."

Sad but true, some of this largesse is because my friends need for her chair is quite obvious. She sports a look we refer to as Chemo-chic. I would like to believe that anyone using a mobility aid would qualify for this sort of charitable consideration by their fellow man but ...

I agree. Our last trip was DD7's first. She had no prior experience with buses that load ECVs so she did have some questions about why they were in a different line and how the process works and was incredibly curious watching it all happen. She also made comments like, "Wow, she's driving that chair up the ramp like a pro," or "it's really cool that Disney makes buses that handicap people like that man can ride." With that last one, I did later have a chat with her that it's not polite to point out others' disabilities, but she really didn't mean anything negative by it and I certainly hope that if someone overheard they took no offense to it.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I agree. Our last trip was DD7's first. She had no prior experience with buses that load ECVs so she did have some questions about why they were in a different line and how the process works and was incredibly curious watching it all happen. She also made comments like, "Wow, she's driving that chair up the ramp like a pro," or "it's really cool that Disney makes buses that handicap people like that man can ride." With that last one, I did later have a chat with her that it's not polite to point out others' disabilities, but she really didn't mean anything negative by it and I certainly hope that if someone overheard they took no offense to it.

as someone who has had to use ECV hearing a child say what your daughter said would have made me happy because she cared that I was able to use the bus. there is a big difference in a child noticing and being happy for someone than an adult who is complaining because ECV is loaded before them. my own granddaughter who was 4.5 when we went on our last trip was worried about how MomMom was going to get on buses/boats with her cane that I have been able to graduate to. first few times she was making sure the driver knew let me on then ran to her favorite seat so yes I have been there done that with kids. hope this helps as I am always more excited to hear a child happy that I can be there than an adult who complains because of how we have to be helped

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

as someone who has had to use ECV hearing a child say what your daughter said would have made me happy because she cared that I was able to use the bus. there is a big difference in a child noticing and being happy for someone than an adult who is complaining because ECV is loaded before them. my own granddaughter who was 4.5 when we went on our last trip was worried about how MomMom was going to get on buses/boats with her cane that I have been able to graduate to. first few times she was making sure the driver knew let me on then ran to her favorite seat so yes I have been there done that with kids. hope this helps as I am always more excited to hear a child happy that I can be there than an adult who complains because of how we have to be helped

Thanks for saying that and congrats on being able to graduate to your cane!

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Thanks for saying that and congrats on being able to graduate to your cane!

congrats on raising a caring child that shows you also care as the apple usually doesn't fall far from the tree. kids ask about what they do not know or understand and they take their lead from your answer to them