Wheelchair advice

[Janai]

hello! So I'm heading to Disneyland in August and my grandmother and I were trying to find images of what the Disneyland and Disney world wheelchairs were like (just to see like how awkward it was to sit in or how heavy it is) I have cerebral palsy and I can walk but my legs get awfully tired after a long Walk. So can anyone help me find out what the wheelchairs are like? Thank you!

 

[gap2368]

The wheel chair at disney are the bigger ones ( I think someone said they are large and extra large so 18/20inc. and 20/22 inches)

They are hard to push ( and self pushing is near imposable )

I tied to find a photo but could not.

 

[Janai]

Ah thank you so much for your reply! I'm guessing it might be better for me to just simply walk and take small breaks every thirty minutes rather than my nan or myself try to push the wheel chair. I can't use the scooter because apparently I need a licence and I just don't have one as I can't drive a car. Thanks again!

 

[gap2368]

you can get an off site wheel chair they I have heard are much better.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...disabled-1st-trip-next-trip-wish-trip.595713/


Off-site ECV, Wheelchair, Medical Rental Companies
Renting from off site means the equipment will be available for use at your resort as well as in the parks.
The off-site rental places will usually not rent ECVs for use by someone under 18 yrs old. (A few may occasionally make exceptions for older teens who are experienced ECV drivers - for example a teen with a chronic health problem who has used an ECV before.)
NOTE: Some of the companies have items that may not be on their website. So if you like a company and they do not show exactly what you are looking for, email or call them and ask. The website may show only the most popular or commonly rented.

As of November 1, 2012, WDW Resorts began a new policy regarding ECV and wheelchair delivery to their resorts:

• 
  
  • Featured Vendors are welcome to check equipment with Bell Services for guest retrieval and return.
  • Non-featured vendors are welcome to do business on Disney property, but they must hand the equipment directly to the guest, and collect the equipment directly from the guest.
    
  • Here's some key facts:

• Disney is trying to limit their liability for leased property on their property.
• Disney used a 3rd party company to collect information about companies that do rental business on Disney property.
• Bid packets were sent to a number of primarily ECV rental companies.
• The approval process included business verification, insurance verification, and equipment inspection.
• I have also heard that Disney had 2 other goals - one was to limit the speed of the scooters and the other was to limit the size (to make sure they fit on buses and in queues).
  I have heard that the Featured Vendors also agreed that a certain percentage of their scooters would meet the speed and size guidelines.
  Some very well known and recommended companies were not able to replace their fleet of scooters at this time and did not meet the guidelines for Featured Vendor for that reason.
• Some chose not to apply (Randy's always delivered and picked up in person, for example, and was not interested in being able to drop off)
• Contrary to 'popular opinion', the Featured Providers don't pay a fee to Disney (from my contact with many of the companies and with Disney Disability Srvice).

++ power wheelchairs for experienced renters
This is a list of the Featured Vendors in alphabetical order:

• Apple Scooter
  321-726-6837
  http://www.applescooter.com/
  Apple rents scooters, manual wheelchairs, single and double strollers.
  They do rent smaller, 16 inch wide wheelchairs, suitable for smaller people (and children) between 80 and 135 pounds.
  Apple has many good reviews from DIS posters and is a long time favorite. There have been some recent (2015 and early 2016) negative reviews.
• Best Price Mobility
  321-402-5955
  Toll Free: 866-866-3434
  http://www.bpmobility.com
  Best Price rents scooters, manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs ++, single and double strollers. Little feedback from DIS posters
• Buena Vista
  (407)938-0349 or toll free (866)484-4797
  www.buenavistascooters.com
  Buena Vista rents scooters, manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs ++, transport chairs, single and double strollers, lift chairs, knee walkers and some respiratory equipment.
  They also service and repair personal equipment.
  Buena Vista has many good reviews from DIS posters and is a long time favorite.
• CARE Medical:
  Phone (407) 856-2273 " Toll Free U.S and Canada (800) 741-2282
  http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/
  CARE is a full Service Medical Company, has many good reviews and has been a long time favorite of DIS posters.
  They rent ECVs, manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs++, walkers, companion chairs, strollers, special needs strollers, bath equipment (including pediatric bath chairs), commodes, reclining chairs, hospital beds, oxygen & respiratory equipment, among other things.
  CARE also repairs personal equipment.
• Scooterbug
  1-800-726-8284
  Scooterbugmobility.com
  little feedback from DIS posters.
  They rent ECVs, standing ECVs, manual wheelchairs, single and double strollers (weight limit to 60 pounds).
  From what I can tell, this company provides strollers, wheelchairs and ECVs for the WDW parks; and probably pool chairs. They also rent the large grey ECVs that can be rented in the parks, plus a form of Standing ECV that guests can drive from a standing position. Here is a link to a thread about them, with pictures.

Vendors not on the Featured Provider List:
The specific companies are listed because DIS posters have used and recommended them over the years. The companies with little feedback are listed along with that information.
We will NOT list a company on the FAQs thread without a significant number of recommendations from established posters. Also, some companies encourage/promote allowing children to ride as passengers on scooters. We will not knowingly post a link to any company that encourages behavior that is unsafe and companies that manufacture ECVs specifically warn against in their instruction manuals.

• Randy's Mobility
• According to information from Randy, they have a London, England phone # that connects directly to their US. Office.
  US. & CAN. (321-281-6603)
  UK. (02030062368)
  http://randysmobility.com/randysmobility/rentals/
• Randy's has been a long time favorite of DIS posters.
• Randys rents ECVs, manual wheelchairs and Joovey strollers, including Joovey Caboose where one child can stand behind. Randy's will sometimes rent ECVs to older teens on a case by case basis.
• Walker Mobility:
  1-888-726-6837
  www.walkermobility.com
  Walkers rents ECVs, manual wheelchairs, Power wheelchairs ++, single and double strollers.
  They do rent smaller, 16 inch wide wheelchairs, suitable for smaller people (and children) between 80 and 100 pounds.
  Walker is a longtime favorite of DIS Board posters and Walker Mobility is also a wdwinfo.com sponsor
• Scootarama
  877-736-8328k
  http://www.scootarama.com/
  Scootarama rents scooters and power wheelchairs (which they, confusingly, call another type of scooter).
  Not as much feedback as Randy's, Care and Walker, but people who did post about them reported they had no problems.
• Scooter Vacations
  866-778-4748
  UK 02079 932302
  http://www.scootorlando.com/index.html
  Scooter Vacations rents scooter of various types (which they confusingly call 'electric wheelchairs')
  Not as much feedback as Randys, Care and Walker, but people who did post about them reported no problems. Their website lists them as "Disney Premier Providers" and "Universal Premier Providers". Neither Disney nor Universal has any listing for "Premier Provider".
• Scootaround
  1-888-441-7575
• https://locations.scootaround.com/orlando
  
• Not as much feedback as Randy's, Care and Walker. Scootaround rents ECV, wheelchairs and walkers/rollators. They also rent power wheelchairs.
• They are a nationwide company.

Orlando Medical Rentals
http://www.orlandomedicalrentals.com/medical-equipment-rentals-orlando.asp
If you need specialized equipment, like reclining wheelchairs or tilt in space wheelchairs, I would look here first.
There is little feedback from DIS posters.

 

[Gracie09]

Just to clarify - there is no requirement to have a drivers license to rent an ecv. If you are not familiar with driving one I would recommend meeting the representative at the hotel and spending a few minutes with them going over how to start stop speed turning etc.

 

[gap2368]

hello! So I'm heading to Disneyland in August and my grandmother and I were trying to find images of what the Disneyland and Disney world wheelchairs were like (just to see like how awkward it was to sit in or how heavy it is) I have cerebral palsy and I can walk but my legs get awfully tired after a long Walk. So can anyone help me find out what the wheelchairs are like? Thank you!

are you going to disneyLAND or world the link I posted is for disney world

 

[lanejudy]

Ah thank you so much for your reply! I'm guessing it might be better for me to just simply walk and take small breaks every thirty minutes rather than my nan or myself try to push the wheel chair. I can't use the scooter because apparently I need a licence and I just don't have one as I can't drive a car. Thanks again!

A driver's license is not required to rent or use an ECV, however most rentals do require that the user be at least 18 years old. Maybe that's the confusion? It's also sometimes recommended that if someone is not capable of driving a car (i.e., dementia or other cognitive impairment), an ECV would not be appropriate as one should have good reflexes and ability to pay close attention to others around you when using an ECV.

Have you considered a wheelchair that you can push and then use it to sit and take a break? I don't know if that would be helpful for you. Or a rollator, which is a walker with a seat. There are relatively few benches at the parks.

I think from another post that you are traveling from Australia and will be going to both WDW (in Florida) and DLR (in California). The parks can be different for accessibility. Most of WDW is "mainstreamed" meaning the regular standby and FP+ queues are free from obstacles for those with mobility concerns. On the few that are not, you will be directed accordingly. DLR is a much older park and there may be more alternate entrances; I mention this in case you need to request avoiding stairs or such.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Janai]

I'm going to both. oops, my bad forgot to mention that. I'll do my research more and look around to for more info. I thought a drivers license was required as I thought that's what I read. (terrible at reading it seems) but thank you for your answers and responses! this should hopefully help me work out what's best