Wheel Chair and DAC questions

[monty]

Never thought I would be posting a question in this forum!
I am flying out in 2 weeks and will be in WDW in 18 days. Two days ago I had an operation to have my gall bladder out. I also have Lupus.
I was originally just planning to have plenty of rest breaks when I got tired but now, post op, I am thinking I may have to hire a wheel chair for part of the day.
Can I just hire one for a few days in each park as I feel necessary?
If I hire one and feel quite able to walk around for a while can I leave it somewhere for a while?
When I get to the rides, what do I do? Obviously if there is a long line I would like to sit as long as possible, but I will be quite capable of getting out of the wheel chair and getting on a ride without any assistance.
If I arrive to a ride without my wheelchair would a DAS be any use to me?
Sorry for all the questions. I have never used a wheel chair before let alone at WDW. Am totally clueless about all this and stressing about it is the last thing I need at the moment so I hope I can get some good, uncomplicated advice.
Thank you

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Two days ago I had an operation to have my gall bladder out.
. . . if laparoscopic surgery, you should be perfectly fine (from personal experience)

I also have Lupus.
. . . can't comment as I don't know enough about it

Can I just hire one for a few days in each park as I feel necessary?
. . . yes, you can rent by-the-day

If I hire one and feel quite able to walk around for a while can I leave it somewhere for a while?
. . . you can leave it at a ride, but there is no drop-off or stop-point

When I get to the rides, what do I do?
. . . park it with the strollers

If I arrive to a ride without my wheelchair would a DAC be any use to me?
. . . with your issues, you may not qualify for a DAS card
. . . at least not one with the same rights as the old GAC card.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

WDW does not give DAS to people with mobility/stamina issues. They suggest that people with those use a wheelchair or ECV. The way you're describing what your issues are, it would be considered mobility/stamina issues.

I don't have lupus, but I have several chronic illnesses. I'd really suggest either renting one offsite or actually renting as soon as you get to WDW. That way you have it before you need it and can conserve some energy. The one thing of note is that a rental manual wheelchair is not going to be something you can self propel. You will need someone to push you. The other option is an ECV (scooter) so that you don't have to have a pusher. Those can be rented both at the parks and through offsite vendors, however, the ones at the parks often run out early in the day and are substantially more expensive than renting offsite. All WDW buses can transport ECVs and there are ECVs you can rent that will fit into a car if you're driving rather than using WDW transportation.

The majority of lines are mainstreamed so you'd just go through with everyone else if you brought the wheelchair through the line. The only ride where you can't bring a wheelchair near to the boarding point at all is the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. Peter Pan at least used to let people bring wheelchairs close, however, they cannot slow or stop that moving walkway so the wheelchair can't go right up next to the ride. If you want to walk for a while, you can park a wheelchair or ECV by the closest stroller parking and walk around. If you ride either the Safari (I don't really suggest it that soon after surgery unless you're fully healed because it's very jolty) or Soarin', I'd definitely suggest bringing the wheelchair through the line because just to get to the ride and back out again is a round trip of 1/2 mile and there's no way for that distance to be shortened.

 

[SueM in MN]

Never thought I would be posting a question in this forum!
I am flying out in 2 weeks and will be in WDW in 18 days. Two days ago I had an operation to have my gall bladder out. I also have Lupus.
I was originally just planning to have plenty of rest breaks when I got tired but now, post op, I am thinking I may have to hire a wheel chair for part of the day.
Can I just hire one for a few days in each park as I feel necessary?

You can - each park has wheelchairs. Follow the link in my signature to the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
Post 2 of that thread has information about wheelchairs and ECVs (power mobility scooters).
Many people find it more convenient to rent from one of the off- site companies if they think they may also need it at their resort.
Most of the resorts are quite large and there is a lot of walking involved just getting around the resort.

If I hire one and feel quite able to walk around for a while can I leave it somewhere for a while?

You can park it with the strollers.
A lot of people park a wheelchair in an area, walk around that area and then use the wheelchair to get to the next area?

When I get to the rides, what do I do? Obviously if there is a long line I would like to sit as long as possible, but I will be quite capable of getting out of the wheel chair and getting on a ride without any assistance.

Most attractions have Mainstream lines, which means they are wheelchair accessible thru the regular line.
A few lines were not able to be made 'Mainstream'. For guests with wheelchairs, those lines either have a different entrance (for example, Spaceship Earth) or wait in the regular line, but board somewhere other then the 'regular' boarding area (like Haunted Mansion).

With a wheelchair or ECV, Cast Members will be able to see you need an accessible 'path' so they will send you to the correct area.

All attractions are wheelchair accessible all the way to boarding, so you could stay in a wheelchair all thru the line. (Exceptions: Tomorrowland Transit Authority, Peter Pan and attractions like Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse and Tom Sawyer's Island where guests need to be ambulatory).
You will be asked if you can transfer and if you can walk xx number of feet to board.

If I arrive to a ride without my wheelchair would a DAC be any use to me?
Sorry for all the questions. I have never used a wheel chair before let alone at WDW. Am totally clueless about all this and stressing about it is the last thing I need at the moment so I hope I can get some good, uncomplicated advice.
Thank you

There is a WDW and a Disneyland thread near the top of this board just about DAS. The first post of each of those threads is FAQs about DAS.

In general, DAS is meant for needs that are not related to mobility and/or not met by using a wheelchair or ECV in line.

 

[monty]

Thank you for the advice on wheel chairs and thank you WheeledTraveler for pointing out I may not be able to go on some of the rides. I can't believe I hadn't even thought of that and I will discuss that with my surgeon when I go to my post op appointment next week.
I have never used an ECV before and I don't wish to be a learner at Disney so I will make do with wheel chairs if I have the need. My aim is to only hire a wheel chair if I really need to and I certainly don't want to be using them in the resorts or on the buses. I would much rather be walking and just have a rest here and there although I do understand the comments about conserving energy and such, but my mind set is just 'not there' yet.
If I correctly understand, there is no where at the rides for me to sit and rest to the side and join my family when they get to the front of the queue, so if I have been walking around and arrive at a standby line that involves a longer wait I should go and get my wheel chair to use in the mainstream queue as somewhere to sit as I do not qualify for a DAS card as my disability is mobility and stamina?

 

[SueM in MN]

Thank you for the advice on wheel chairs and thank you WheeledTraveler for pointing out I may not be able to go on some of the rides. I can't believe I hadn't even thought of that and I will discuss that with my surgeon when I go to my post op appointment next week.
I have never used an ECV before and I don't wish to be a learner at Disney so I will make do with wheel chairs if I have the need. My aim is to only hire a wheel chair if I really need to and I certainly don't want to be using them in the resorts or on the buses. I would much rather be walking and just have a rest here and there although I do understand the comments about conserving energy and such, but my mind set is just 'not there' yet.
If I correctly understand, there is no where at the rides for me to sit and rest to the side and join my family when they get to the front of the queue, so if I have been walking around and arrive at a standby line that involves a longer wait I should go and get my wheel chair to use in the mainstream queue as somewhere to sit as I do not qualify for a DAS card as my disability is mobility and stamina?

Most attractions do not have anywhere to sit and wait unless you have a mobility device with you. So, yes. It would be best to have it with you.
The places that do are a few theater shows and the benches in those are up for grabs to anyone.

The way queues are arranged there is no place to wait and join your party when they arrive at the front.

If you think you can walk, but need a place to sit periodically, you may want to check out a rollator rather than a wheelchair. A rollator is a walker with wheels and a fold down seat. So, you could use it to support yourself when you walk and as a place to sit when you need it.

 

[DCDisney]

I totally think renting an ECV is the way to go. You can practice by borrowing one at the grocery, etc in your area before you go. I had my gallbladder out when I was 30 so a pretty energetic stage of life and it was far more of a recovery than I thought it would be mostly in terms of fatigue. Even at 6 weeks out when I was allowed to get back to all normal activities I still tired VERY easily. You'll be less than 3 weeks out at WDW I'd be surprised if your surgeon would be OK with you walking miles a day at that point even if you don't get wiped out. I also had a stage where my digestive system did not work quite the same as before so I would be cautious about not eating in a totally different way on your trip. Lots of people have issues processing a lot of sugar and/or fat after gallbladder surgery.