Hello! I'm new and this is my first post.
We're planning our first Disney trip and neither dh or I have ever been before. I have a dear friend helping me plan and she's already told me that my first stop daily will need to be to Guest Services.
You wont need to stop at Guest Services every day.
The first day, you should stop there and inquire about a Guest Assistance Card (GAC). If you click on the link in my signature to the disABILITIES FAQs thread, you will find a whole post of questions about GACs in post #6.
That GAC that you get at one park will be good in the 4 theme parks and will be dated to be valid for your entire trip.
Post #3 of that thread has link to various subjects, including some information about touring with a child with vision disabilities.
All the shows and theaters have designated wheelchair spots (basically, it is an empty space to park a wheelchair with one or more seats for companions to sit next to the wheelchair). Strollers being used as wheelchairs can use these spots, but she may need to get out and sit on a lap or theater seat for some because she would be too low.
Be aware that the wheelchair seating for many shows is in the back row; Beauty and the Beast at the Studio - Indiana Jones Stunt Show at the Studio - Lights, Motors, Action at the Studio - Nemo at Animal Kingdom all have some seating in the rear and a few at the front . Be there early for those.
Festival of the Lion King at Animal Kingdom and Tiki Birds at Magic Kingdom have all of the wheelchair seating in the front row.
There is also information about touring with epilepsy in post #3 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
I'll obviously have meds with me. I'm looking at purchasing a cooling vest. I've ordered an all terrain pushchair to use in place of her wheelchair, as it does not perform as well as I'd like outdoors and especially not on uneven surfaces.
You will want to get a Stroller as a wheelchair tag for it so that it doesnt get confused as being a regular stroller. Regular strollers are not allowed in queues or attractions. With a stroller as wheelchair tag, your stroller will be allowed where ever wheelchairs are.
You want to know that the terrain at the Disney parks can be somewhat bumpy (like cobble stone in some places at MK or Epcot, or at AK, simulated dirt paths). I dont know how to explain it other than to say it is small bumps. For places where there are curbs, they do have curb cuts.
Since you are off-site, I am assuming you will be driving. Check into the parking information in the disABILITIES FAQs thread. You will need to let the Cast Members (CMs) in the parking lots know that you have a wheelchair which cant fold up and/or a child who cant step up to get into the parking lot tram. You can park in the handicapped parking lots if you have a state issued handicapped parking permit blue badge (if you are from the UK). More information about this in the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
I'm aware of the larger restrooms and have noted their locations, as well as the locations of the first aid stations.
Near the top of this board, there is a thread entitled EPCOT FAQs.
That has pictures and measurement for the Companion Restrooms in Epcot.
If you need to change her and need to lie her down, only some of the Companion Restrooms have a changing table that would be large enough to put a 7 yr old on. Most would be too high to lift a 7 yr old onto.
If you need to do that, your best bet is to go to First Aid. They have private cubicles with cots that you can use for changing.
I will need to have a cooler bag for her feeding pump supplies. Is this an issue or, if it is, can that be handled at the Guest Services also?
You will need to bring a cooler bag with you if you plan to carry the tube feeding supplies with you all day.
You can leave supplies like that at First Aid. They will store them for you and you can go there to give the tube feedings if you like. You can use the private cubicles or rooms in First Aid to do the tube feedings. An additional benefit would be that you would be out of the heat in a calm, air conditioned area.
Are there any medical personnel at any of the first aid stations?
There are Registered Nurses staffing First Aid. If they need further assistance, they can call EMS (Emergency Medical Services). Ambulances come into the park by backstage entrances and are not seen entering by guests. Many Cast Members are equipped with phones and/or ways to summon help and can get help quickly if needed. We once saw a child tip over the stroller his sibling was in and the child in the stroller fell out and hit his head. There was a supervisor there within less than 2 minutes and the EMS people were there with a stretcher within no more than 5 minutes.
How will her chair be treated on busses/transport?
At MK, if you are driving and using the parking lots, you will need to take a monorail or boat to actually get from the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) to the park entrance.
There is more information (and pictures too) on the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
In general, her pushchair will:
- be no problem on monorails; it can be pushed right in (although, be aware that the monorail stations at MK and the TTC have no elevators to get to the station, which is about 30 feet up in the air. There are long, steep ramps.
Epcot does have en elevator to get from the park to the station, but has ramps to get from the station to the park entrance.
- be no problem on the large ferry boats from TTC to MK and the boats at Epcot World Showcase and Epcot to the Studio. There are some small boats that go between MK and some of the MK resorts. Those require wheelchairs to be folded and several steps down to get in.
- for buses, you should be able to use the back entrance with ramp or lift to get her onto the bus. Unless the pushchair is designed for transport, you will need to transfer her out of it and place her on a bus seat. Those are made of plastic or fiberglass and have no seatbelts.
Actual wheelchairs can usually be tied down with straps designed for that in the bus. There are also seatbelts for the wheelchair spots and the wheelchair user can stay in their wheelchair.
Regarding transporting from chair to rides....how far are the distances she'll need to be carried?
With an actual wheelchair or stroller as wheelchair, you will be able to bring the chair as close as you want in almost every attraction. We sometimes actually have our daughters wheelchair touching the ride car. If the CM says you need to park your stroller/pushchair, make sure to point out the sticker tag and your GAC. Without those things, it is just a stroller/pushchair and will not be allowed in.
There are some ride cars that can accommodate a wheelchair - it can be driven or pushed right on and secured in the ride car. Some wheelchairs will not fit because of how low they are too the ground (especially power wheelchairs), but we have never had a problem with our daughters Quickie wheelchairs.
You would not be able to use a pushchair on most of the wheelchair cars because most pushchairs sit too low or are leaned back too far to use in those ride cars.
What type of accessible parking is there?
See the parking information in the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
ETA: Children's Hospital? I'll definitely talk to our Ped about this, but I'm assuming there is one in Orlando?
Yes, there is - one of the better known ones is Arnold Palmer. Another is Orlando Childrens Hospital. If she needs medical care, they may transport her to the Celebration Hospital, which is the closest hospital, for stabilization. From there, she could be transported to one of the more specialized hospitals if needed.
