Wheelchair for Distances?

[Chasiti Smith]

Hi all,
My fiancé dislocated his knee a couple days ago and our honeymoon is at DW in May. We are still very excited, but talking with the orthopedic surgeon yesterday we are unsure if he will be able to walk the distances that disney can be at that time. We do not yet know if he will need surgery, we will know in a couple of weeks when we go back for an MRI, but the surgery would not be until after the trip anyway. I am a physical therapy student and there is a slim chance he could walk the distances in time, but very slim and he has past knee problems which make his rehab more complicated anyway. My question is...is there a place to park wheelchairs like there is for strollers? I know that he will be capable of walking through the lines and will be able to stand in lines, he would just most likely need a wheelchair for the distance that the parks are. Thanks for any input!

 

[Sarahraegraham]

To answer your question, yes there are places for the wheelchairs to go, but I would not do a wheelchair. I would rent an ECV, and I would do so from an outside vendor for the duration of your trip. This will give you much more flexibility and a more relaxing trip IMO. Wheelchairs are rough as it is, but pushing yourself or someone else for miles a day, not fun.

 

[bopper]

I would suggest he get an ECV (Electric Convenience Vehicle or scooter). I would suggest an ECV because he will have more freedom and less stress on you or him if he had a manual wheelchair. He can drive that between "lands"or rides or even in the line.
He can walk when he wants to walk and ride when he wants to ride. So he could ride to Fantasy land and park it, or ride between rides, or even ride it through the lines or any combination.
Some lines are way longer than you think...for example, Space Mountain.

I would read stories here on DISabilities...usually what happens is that the person on the first day thinks "I can walk, I don't need a scooter!" and then they over do it and are miserable the rest of the time. Your DF is injured so he should use tools to help him recover and not reinjure the knee. I would counsel him to do less walking than he thinks he can do so he will have more endurance and less pain over the trip.

Also you can rent at Disney or from outside companies. The advantage to an outside company is you have it with you always (at hotel) and you don't have to worry about them "selling out". The ones at Disney stay at the park so you wouldn't have to go on the bus with them if you do not think there is too much walking at your resort.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Hi all,
My fiancé dislocated his knee a couple days ago and our honeymoon is at DW in May. We are still very excited, but talking with the orthopedic surgeon yesterday we are unsure if he will be able to walk the distances that disney can be at that time. We do not yet know if he will need surgery, we will know in a couple of weeks when we go back for an MRI, but the surgery would not be until after the trip anyway. I am a physical therapy student and there is a slim chance he could walk the distances in time, but very slim and he has past knee problems which make his rehab more complicated anyway. My question is...is there a place to park wheelchairs like there is for strollers? I know that he will be capable of walking through the lines and will be able to stand in lines, he would just most likely need a wheelchair for the distance that the parks are. Thanks for any input!

with either an ECV or a wheelchair I would bring in line because most parking has no cover be it rain or sunshine. seat will get hot in sunshine or you will need to cover in case of rain which can blow up while you are in line. nothing worse than needing either and having seat wet or too hot to sit on. don't ask how I know but been there done that. if you do the ECV make sure you cover the controls if leaving and there is any chance of rain even if you expect to be there before it hits

 

[Chasiti Smith]

Thanks for the input we have discussed both options I want him to choose whatever he is most comfortable with. And there is no way I would let him attempt to walk any distance or up hills without first assessing if he can do that without pain at home before we leave. I just want him to have the least amount of pain as possible and also be able to be as independent as possible because that is what he wants. I think I will encourage him to get the ECV though. We are both 26 so I can't blame him for not wanting to use anything at all, but things happen and I don't want him to be in pain on our honeymoon. If we do get a ECV, should we request a accessible room at animal kingdom resort to be able to ride it through the door of our room?

 

[gap2368]

Thanks for the input we have discussed both options I want him to choose whatever he is most comfortable with. And there is no way I would let him attempt to walk any distance or up hills without first assessing if he can do that without pain at home before we leave. I just want him to have the least amount of pain as possible and also be able to be as independent as possible because that is what he wants. I think I will encourage him to get the ECV though. We are both 26 so I can't blame him for not wanting to use anything at all, but things happen and I don't want him to be in pain on our honeymoon. If we do get a ECV, should we request a accessible room at animal kingdom resort to be able to ride it through the door of our room?

you can fit it thought any door at disney and you should have no problem I think a non Handicap room is fine.

 

[happymommy]

If he is okay with you pushing him, a wheelchair may be easier. Just a thought!

 

[scdak]

Rent the ECV for his use and use an outside company to rent it from, it will save your trip As much as he might not like having to use it at age 26, its much easier for both of you - pushing a wheelchair around WDW is exhausting for the pusher , thus making it harder to enjoy your trip, you will already be trying to help him as much as possible anyway as the official "runner" for food, ice, drinks, something you forgot in the room etc. By using the ECV he will be able to do some of those things thus making him feel useful and not a burden to you - and he will feel that way, trust me - been there done that on both sides of the fence - as the pusher of Mom's w/c for several trips and having her worry so much about me doing so much and also as a person having to rely on someone else for things I normally do myself.

 

[gap2368]

for all of those saying to get an ECV an ECV is not the only mobility device and other may be better for the OP ( not saying an ECV is not.

one thing to think about is closer to your trip

how much can he walk if he is getting around Farley well at home ( maybe even going on a few walk) and if he can stand then maybe a wheel chair that he can push ( and use as a walker) and site would when need too, would be good be good.

you have 6 to 8 weeks before you leave for disney and a lot can happen between then and now ( I know people that have broken there leg 8 weeks before and been fine to walk at disney)

I would suggest looking at thing closer to your trip and getting an idea of what he can do if he can walk a good 2 miles ( not at once ) then he could do disney with a wheel chair but I would also have a back up plane with either wheel chair or ECV incase you get there and decide the other will be a better fit for him this way you can do what is best for him.

congratulation on your marriage

 

[Chip_Dale]

He might be able to use a knee walker. But his leg might get bumped in the crowds. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/21/a1/00/21a100795007d41cdbc75a4b908710ff.jpg

 

[gap2368]

He might be able to use a knee walker. But his leg might get bumped in the crowds. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/21/a1/00/21a100795007d41cdbc75a4b908710ff.jpg

this looks good but you are kneeling all day, I am catholic and kneel at mass and after 10 minutes I am done, not to mention he hurt his knee how painful would that be to be kneeling on an already hurt knee, they really are for ankles injuries

on another note I have seen them at disney and I have heard a few people tell the other people in there group "go on with out me I am done" ( or some version of this) I was in space gift shop talking so someone using it and she said it was the worst idea that it was fine at home but not at disney she was getting an ECV the next day.

 

[bucky1023]

If he will be able to walk some and push the wheelchair and only use it when needed then that is fine, however if you get closer and walking/standing starts to be more of an issue I would go with the scooter. While I can push my mom around for periods of time going for a full vacation and having to push someone around everyday for hours at a time is a lot on the person pushing. You will be able to park either ECV/wheelchair outside most rides, and some he will be able to bring them in just incase the lines are long and you don't have FPs.

Also at the resort and if you are planning on visiting other resorts it may be best to rent from an outside vendor

 

[Chasiti Smith]

Alright guys all great ideas! I am about to graduate with my doctorate in physical therapy so from speaking with the orthopedic surgeon, the orthopedic surgeon and I agreed that he most likely will be able to walk just maybe not the long distances. The only reason I was concerned is because of the wheelchair parking that I was unsure of. If he ends up requiring surgery, which will not happen until late summer if he does, his knee joint will still be very unstable, but with a brace he will still be able to ambulate short distances. I am confident I can get him back to at least being able to walk one mile at a time without causing pain. If he is able to do this I think that the wheelchair will be fine and we will not need a ECV. The knee walker is a good idea, but with a dislocation your knee has the most trouble going into flexion, which is how your knee has to bend for this aid. He is currently in an immobilizer that locks his knee into extension (straight leg). The wheelchair will be a whole lot easier for us to get on and off the bus and lug around when he doesn't need it, than a ECV would. It was all great information provided by all and I hope that others see this thread and get some helpful information! All I really needed was to know if there was a place to park the wheelchair like the strollers, which yay! there is! Thanks everyone!

 

[mamabunny]

Hi all,
My fiancé dislocated his knee a couple days ago and our honeymoon is at DW in May. We are still very excited, but talking with the orthopedic surgeon yesterday we are unsure if he will be able to walk the distances that disney can be at that time. We do not yet know if he will need surgery, we will know in a couple of weeks when we go back for an MRI, but the surgery would not be until after the trip anyway. I am a physical therapy student and there is a slim chance he could walk the distances in time, but very slim and he has past knee problems which make his rehab more complicated anyway. My question is...is there a place to park wheelchairs like there is for strollers? I know that he will be capable of walking through the lines and will be able to stand in lines, he would just most likely need a wheelchair for the distance that the parks are. Thanks for any input!

Hey Chasiti - welcome to our little corner of the Dis!

I have two bad knees now - have had since I was 14. I'm an old rabbit now, but I can tell you that even when I was much younger, there was no way I could do a standard "Disney day" with one bad knee, let alone 2...

@gap2368 has a good point - there is no rule that says he *has* to have an ECV. The primary reason I would advocate for one in this case is simply because the ECV will give him back as much of his freedom as possible; as you no doubt know, if he tries to push himself around in a wheelchair without some significant training first, his arms will be so sore that it could put a big damper on your trip.

If he has the ECV, he will still be able to go virtually everywhere he wants to at WDW; there are only a couple of ride lines where he would have to transfer to a ride-supplied wheelchair. And at the Resort it will be a HUGE bonus; if he wants to run down to the QS and fill his mug first thing in the morning, it's a non-issue; he can go by himself, unassisted.

I know that a lot of people get freaked out about using an ECV - especially at WDW. They think that only elderly rabbits like me should be driving them around... LOL Truth is, a personal mobility device is just a TOOL for him to enjoy himself as much as possible. If he needs glasses to see, will he refuse to use them? If he needed to use a calculator to handle a complex math problem, would he refuse to use that? The ECV is simply a way to maximize his time at WDW; it allows him to move around freely, as if his knee wasn't currently out of commission.

And as far as what anyone at WDW will think? No one will care. I promise - the vast majority of folks at WDW are so busy with their own vacations and celebrations that your sweetie on a scooter is simply no big deal. And if someone does notice? Who cares! You'll never see them again anyway - You have a better chance of getting hit by lightning and winning the lottery on the same day. Go, do whatever is best for you two, and have a wonderful life together.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Alright guys all great ideas! I am about to graduate with my doctorate in physical therapy so from speaking with the orthopedic surgeon, the orthopedic surgeon and I agreed that he most likely will be able to walk just maybe not the long distances. The only reason I was concerned is because of the wheelchair parking that I was unsure of. If he ends up requiring surgery, which will not happen until late summer if he does, his knee joint will still be very unstable, but with a brace he will still be able to ambulate short distances. I am confident I can get him back to at least being able to walk one mile at a time without causing pain. If he is able to do this I think that the wheelchair will be fine and we will not need a ECV. The knee walker is a good idea, but with a dislocation your knee has the most trouble going into flexion, which is how your knee has to bend for this aid. He is currently in an immobilizer that locks his knee into extension (straight leg). The wheelchair will be a whole lot easier for us to get on and off the bus and lug around when he doesn't need it, than a ECV would. It was all great information provided by all and I hope that others see this thread and get some helpful information! All I really needed was to know if there was a place to park the wheelchair like the strollers, which yay! there is! Thanks everyone!

are you planning on you pushing him in wheelchair or having him push self? that would make the difference on wheelchair or ECV for me. if he is going to push by himself, I would pick a day that you can have hi push himself around from after breakfast until dinner time and see how he does. Disney is a lot different than walking a mile and resting at home plus you can have people bumping into you or at least causing you to have stop short. also say you have parked wheelchair in stroller parking as that is where you will be parking at, as you get off ride he starts having pain how are you planning on getting back to wheelchair? and yes I have been there and done this. just putting out for you to think more about. as yes you can park in stroller parking but not always right at the ride

 

[Chasiti Smith]

If he is able to walk well and for moderate distances, we will do the wheelchair because he will be able to push himself some, I will push him some, and he will be walking some. We were just at disney last year so we know how hard the terrain is on two good knees! I will mostly not make a bad decision on whether or not he is ready for this type walking, thats what I've been in school for of the past 8 years lol and its my job to get him there or let him know that hey we aren't ready for this yet! But you can't see the future, and if we hit a bumb in the road where he can't do something we thought he could we will change plans and adapt! We adapt pretty easily and I have to do this on the fly all the time. I appreciate all the ideas and concern! This is a great board!

 

[Kenneth Williams]

I used a wheelchair in 2009 for 8 days at disney after I got Diabetic capsulitis and could not work more the 20 ft at a time and that with much pain. [I still have this]
With the wheelchair I rented from Disney, it was such a hassle having my wife and daughter switch off pushing and some short walking and pushing myself. It put a HUGE damper on our trip and still cost almost $200

When I went in 2011 I I bought a power chair [Golden Tech CP600] for $320 total including new batteries; and I can tell you the difference is night and day. Having mobility and freedom to go wherever I needed to AND PWCs are maneuverable enough to go anywhere a wheelchair can go, turn 360 in place and help carry drinks and snacks. It's great. I've been back every two years and I will once again be there in June. Plus I've mod'ed it to charge my mobile devices. I have had to buy new tires in 2015 and I just replaced the batteries. But when you consider a one week rental would cost ~$300-400, it's a good investment to me.

 

[ttintagel]

Sounds like you know what you're doing! I just wanted to share a bit of my story in case it's helpful.

I had to switch from a manual wheelchair to an ECV after one day on the trip where I broke my foot and mediately after checking into my hotel. It turned out there were a lot more hills and ramps in the parks then I ever would have realized if I had never tried to push myself up them or watched my friends try to push me up them.

I called the rental company that night, and by lunchtime the next day they had come and dropped off an ecv at my hotel.

So, the advice I give everybody is: whatever your original plan, listen to your body, be open to changing to plan B, and keep that rental company contact information handy, because you can get that Mobility device changed for a new one pretty quickly.

 

[arminnie]

I have a dead nerve in one leg - I recently walked almost 4 miles (just a fraction of what one walks at WDW) although it was not easy. I have no problem around the house and in dealing with "normal" life.

But using an ECV made a huge difference in my ability to really enjoy my visits at WDW. I would NEVER force my DH to push me around - plus I often want to go to parks when he doesn't have an interest in going.

As most disabled people I want my independence. I love being able to go to a park even if my DH doesn't want to go that day. I love being able to explore all remote corners without worrying that I can't get there and back.

 

[smidgy]

I push my husband in a wheelchair since his major back surgery. no way can he walk around the parks. if he could rent and ecv or electriwheelchair, he would.. but he doesn't see well enough to drive the ecv.

the ecv is pretty expensive. the wheelchair is much more reasonable.. but.. it canbe difficult to push a wheelcahir around all day,e very day.. you'd be amazed at how many little hills there are you don't even notice. when pushing, you learn you want to get momentum going to make it easier to get uphill. but people think you are just trying to "push your way through"

downhill? you better have strong arms to hold that chair back.. let go and "WHEE!" he'll go racing down and knock down anyone in the way like bowling pins!.. and people WILL cut in front of you. yes, I did run into someone's heels with his wheelchair. it was a downslope, and they stopped RIGHT in front of us to check the wait time for a ride. I tried my best to hold the chair back , but with no notice, I just wasn't strong enough.. boy did that guy curse at me!