I was hoping somebody could provide me some information. We will be flying down to Orlando for our first trip to WDW next week and I will be bringing my own wheelchair. I plan on checking my wheelchair with Delta and will be using ME for our transportation.
Will checking my wheelchair present a problem for getting it to the POFQ using ME? Will they still pick this up and send it to the resort with the rest of our checked luggage? Or should I not tag it and just get it myself?
I won't be needing the wheelchair that first day as it is more for when I'm on my feet for longer periods of time and we're not planning on doing a park on that first day.
Thanks for any help you can provide me.
There are 2 ways to check a wheelchair.
The first is
baggage check, which means you turn it in with your bags when you check in. Baggage checked wheelchairs would be handled the same as other baggage - if you have a DME tag on it, it will be picked up with your other DME tagged luggage. They use large cargo trucks to deliver the checked items to the resort. If you baggage check your wheelchair and
don't want DME to take it, then you would not put a DME tag on it and go to baggage claim to pick it up.
Disadvantages of bag checking your wheelchair include more possibility of damage because it will be handled more. If DME takes it, it won't go on the baggage conveyor belt at baggage claim at the Orlando airport, but will be going on any conveyor belts between when you check it in and when DME picks it up. If you pick it up from baggage claim, it will go on the conveyor at the Orlando airport. Another disadvantage of bag checking it with DME would be that if it's damaged or lost, you won't know until it arrives (or doesn't arrive) at the resort. If your wheelchair is pretty sturdy, damage may not be a concern, but if it has more fragile parts, it could easily get damaged. Any removable parts should be taken off and packed securely (bagged and marked with your identifying information.) A wheelchair doesn't count as a checked bag.
The second way to go it to
gate check your wheelchair. When gate checking, you keep the wheelchair with you until you board at the door of the plane. At that point, you will fold the wheelchair, remove any parts that could fall off or be damaged during the flight. The wheelchair is removed from the gate area by the baggage handlers and is brought directly down to the baggage compartment. Because it's handled less, there is less chance of damage - it's still in the baggage compartment, so not damage proof, but it will be on the top and handled less. At the end of the flight, gate checked items are brought to the door of the plane and left there for pick up. If you want to gate check your wheelchair, let them know when you first check in so that they can give you the correct tag for the wheelchair. A gate checked wheelchair does not count against your baggage or carry on limits.
A third option on some planes is to bring the wheelchair on board the plane with you. Some airplanes have a closet that is large enough to fit a folded wheelchair in it. Many don't, but on the few that do, that may be an option, especially of your chair is not that big.
For DME, you can bring the wheelchair on with you. If you don't want to have the wheelchair in the seating area, your wheelchair can be folded and put in the bottom luggage area with the bags. If you can climb the steps, you won't need a special bus. The steps are pretty high though:
so if you don't think you can climb the stairs, they do have lift buses. You can arrange one ahead of time or can ask when you check in (you will probably have to wait longer if you ask at check in). You check in for your return trip at the same time as you are checking in to leave the airport. If you want/need a lift bus to pick you up from your resort to get back to the airport, make sure they know that when you are checking in at the airport.
Even though most people take the lift in a wheelchair, it's also possible to stand on the lift platform and be lifted into the bus. It IS a VERY high lift though.
