Wheelchair question

[zmanandshan]

First of all, I do not want to offend anyone. I understand there are only a limited supply of wheelchairs available to rent at DW properties. I hear a lot of complaints about "cheats" who are allowed to get to the front of lines. .

Now my issue. My mom is a very stubborn woman. She has very bad knee issues. She refused to see a specialist because she figures she will need surgury (which she probably would). She is in a lot of pain when she walks and therfore takes a while to get around. She and my dad will be joining my family and I (including 2 DS - 1&5). I was considering getting her a wheelchair so she can avoid the pain of walking around and allow us to move faster through the parks. Once we got to an attraction, she would get out and walk through the normal lines. None of us would want special treatment besides the actual wheelchair (dont want to walk to the front of lines, etc). But before I really considered this an option, I wanted to get the impressions of those who are more permanently disabled. My concern is that I will take a wheelchair from someone else who would need it more than my mom. your thoughts?

 

[blondietink]

I think it all depends of what time of year you are going. I have never had the experience of them running out of wheelchairs at the parks. ECV's YES, but not wheelchairs. Wheelchairs can be hard to push if there is an adult in them and people seem to want to take the less physical route of renting an ECV. However, if you have a concern of the parks running out of wheelchairs, you can rent one for the length of your stay from several off-site agencies. That way you can have it at your hotel, in the parks, outside the parks, wherever you go. You cann also rent a length of stay wheelchair at the parks but you have to walk from the bus/parking lot into the park and present your ticket at the wheelchair/stroller rental booth inside the parks, which at Epcot can be a little hike.

Many of the lines at the rides will let you take a wheelchair up to a certain point int he ride, and then you have to either transfer to the ride directly from the wheelchair or they will store it for you near the ride exit and you can walk the rest of the way. You do not need an GAC to use a wheelchair in the lines. We have found that getting a Fastpass works just as well and sometimes even better than a GAC.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

I think a lot of the people who wait til they get to the parks to get a chair are more in your situation than those permanently disabled. Most people who have long term need of a wheelchair usually have their own, at least as far as I've experienced. Wheelchairs are first come, first serve and if your mother needs a wheelchair, she is entitled to one so long as its available. There's no "well I'm more disabled/I'm in more pain than you". I wouldn't stress yourself out with feeling guilty about "taking it away from someone'' because the truth is, if you look for it, someone will always need something more than you. If you really think she'll need a wheelchair, you may want to look into an offsite rental so you don't have to worry about if a park will have one. Also remember that a wheelchair takes a lot of strength and energy to use, and she will probably not be able to wheel herself around all day. That being said, it also takes a lot of energy and strength to push someone around all day, so just keep that in mind if you decide to use one.

I'm sure the regular chair users will be by soon and they'll be able to answer your questions better.

 

[dclfun]

I wouldn't worry at all about your reason for needing a w/c being lesser than anyone else- your Mom will need one to save her energy and to avoid pain. That said, there are no "front of the line" privileges for someone using a w/c so most people renting them will also be guests who need the assistance.---Kathy

 

[Cheshire Figment]

A couple of things to consider.

Wheelchairs do not get special treatment as far as lines. Almost all lines are "mainstreamed" so a person in a wheelchair or ECV will go through the regular queue all the way to the boarding area.

Some of the lines, especially to Soarin' and the Safari are actually over 1/4 mile long and no seating areas in the lines. Do not think of leaving the wheelchair at the entrance.

Any attraction you go on, if you cannot take the wheelchair on a ride, if load and unload are not the same area either you will be directed to an alternate entrance or the wheelchair will magically arrive at unload befoe you do.

 

[KPeveler]

Most people who need a wheelchair in daily life will be bringing their own. The wheelchairs to rent there at the parks are pretty much for people in exactly your situation. You will not be taking it from people who "need" it. She will need it! There is no "who is worse" game being played (after all, who would want to win that one?)

People walk 7-10 miles a day in Disney, so that is something for your mom to consider.

I suggest keeping it in queues, because as CF said, some of them are VERY long. Almost all lines are mainstreamed (and the ones that are not are almost all at MK), so you will not be skipping lines or anything if you do keep it in queues. If you want to walk in some lines, walk in lines for shows, so you leave the wheelchair spots open and do not have to sit in the back row of the theatre.

Definitely rent one if you need it - your mom has a definite need and that is why they are there!

 

[WheeledTraveler]

Can your mother still drive (mental ability, not in terms of her knee problems)? If she can, you might want to think about an ECV. It will be faster and easier on the family and will give her more independence than being pushed in a wheelchair. (And the Disney wheelchairs are so unwieldy that she's unlikely to be able to self-propel very much)

One thing I don't believe in is disability hierarchy. Your mother sounds like she needs a wheelchair or ECV to get around the parks comfortably and safely so IMO she has just as much need as I do when at Disney (I'm just about a fulltime wheelchair user in my daily life).

 

[zmanandshan]

Thank you all for your comments. I truly appreciate and value the feedback. I will try to talk to my mom about the ECV. It seems like a good option. You know, I think the ride que would be reasonable by foot. Just because she can walk at a much slower pace. But she could always try it and the next attaction change her mind.

A couple other questions, though: Can you take an ECV on the boat (for example from Wilderness Lodge to MK), or on the monorail? What happens if you run out of battery while at the park? Can you "put it in nuetral" and roll it to somewhere to charge it?

Thanks,
John

 

[SueM in MN]

As the others posted, the other guests renting wheelchairs in the parks are really in the same situation as your mom. They are people who do not need a wheelchair or ECV in their ‘regular life’, so don’t have their own.

And, as the others posted, the ‘front of the line with a wheelchair or ECV’ idea is largely a myth. Pretty much the only times where guests with mobility devices use a different entrance, they do it because the regular way is not accessible. That doesn’t mean it is any faster or any less waiting.

Thank you all for your comments. I truly appreciate and value the feedback. I will try to talk to my mom about the ECV. It seems like a good option. You know, I think the ride que would be reasonable by foot. Just because she can walk at a much slower pace. But she could always try it and the next attaction change her mind.

A couple other questions, though: Can you take an ECV on the boat (for example from Wilderness Lodge to MK), or on the monorail? What happens if you run out of battery while at the park? Can you "put it in nuetral" and roll it to somewhere to charge it?

Thanks,
John

Can you take an ECV on the boat (for example from Wilderness Lodge to MK),
The larger boats - the ones that go from TTC to MK are always accessible. The larger boats that go from Wilderness Lodge to MK are occasionally not accessible because of water levels being either too low or too high. When that happens, there will be another way to get there, like a bus.

The small boats that go between the ‘closer to MK resorts’ have a step down to get into the boat, so they are not accessible.
or on the monorail?
The monorails are ECV and wheelchair accessible
What happens if you run out of battery while at the park?
First, that doesn’t happen often - be sure to charge the ECV every night and most people also turn it off during shows and other times like that when you are stopped.
Can you "put it in nuetral" and roll it to somewhere to charge it?
Yes, they are heavy to roll, but you can put it into what is called “freewheel” which allows the ECV to be rolled.

 

[zmanandshan]

As the others posted, the other guests renting wheelchairs in the parks are really in the same situation as your mom. They are people who do not need a wheelchair or ECV in their ‘regular life’, so don’t have their own.

And, as the others posted, the ‘front of the line with a wheelchair or ECV’ idea is largely a myth. Pretty much the only times where guests with mobility devices use a different entrance, they do it because the regular way is not accessible. That doesn’t mean it is any faster or any less waiting.


Can you take an ECV on the boat (for example from Wilderness Lodge to MK),
The larger boats - the ones that go from TTC to MK are always accessible. The larger boats that go from Wilderness Lodge to MK are occasionally not accessible because of water levels being either too low or too high. When that happens, there will be another way to get there, like a bus.

The small boats that go between the ‘closer to MK resorts’ have a step down to get into the boat, so they are not accessible.
or on the monorail?
The monorails are ECV and wheelchair accessible
What happens if you run out of battery while at the park?
First, that doesn’t happen often - be sure to charge the ECV every night and most people also turn it off during shows and other times like that when you are stopped.
Can you "put it in nuetral" and roll it to somewhere to charge it?
Yes, they are heavy to roll, but you can put it into what is called “freewheel” which allows the ECV to be rolled.

Thank you, Sue. And thank you all! I spoke to my mom last night. At first she was very adamant that she didnt need one. Then I explained how many miles per day we would walking, and brought up this past weekend when she couldnt keep up with my 1YO at an Italian festival she started being a little more open. I explained I could rent a unit which would be dropped off at the resort for her, and that I didnt mind at all and would be happy if she were comfortable and had a great time, and I could tell she was a little more open to at least considering it. Then I left her alone to ponder. Lets see what she decides.

John

 

[SueM in MN]

Thank you, Sue. And thank you all! I spoke to my mom last night. At first she was very adamant that she didnt need one. Then I explained how many miles per day we would walking, and brought up this past weekend when she couldnt keep up with my 1YO at an Italian festival she started being a little more open. I explained I could rent a unit which would be dropped off at the resort for her, and that I didnt mind at all and would be happy if she were comfortable and had a great time, and I could tell she was a little more open to at least considering it. Then I left her alone to ponder. Lets see what she decides.

John

Most people don’t have an idea of the distance involved. On our last trip, I was going to try to measure the distance one day at Epcot using an app on my iPod. We walked into the park, walked around World Showcase, went to The Land and over to Ellen’s Energy Adventure. At that point my iPod’s battery was dead, but we had gone well over 3.5 miles - and had not been at the park for more than 1/2 a day.

I think that after she thinks about it for a while, she will come around.

 

[zmanandshan]

Most people don’t have an idea of the distance involved. On our last trip, I was going to try to measure the distance one day at Epcot using an app on my iPod. We walked into the park, walked around World Showcase, went to The Land and over to Ellen’s Energy Adventure. At that point my iPod’s battery was dead, but we had gone well over 3.5 miles - and had not been at the park for more than 1/2 a day.

I think that after she thinks about it for a while, she will come around.

A quick update: SPoke to my mom yesterday. She says she'll be fine, and would rather try to walk on her own. Then, at a picnic, she overheard two people talking about it. One woman needed an ECV and her friend got one to make her feel more comfortable. Both said it was the best thing they could have ever done. My mom looked at me and said "maybe I'll think more about it".

I'll keep working on her. She is definitely not in any position to walk that much. After the first day, she'll be miserable.

Thanks again,
John

 

[Eeyore5]

My mom has been to Disney twice and needed an ECV both times. Last winter she had her knees replaced. She is hoping to walk this time at Disney - we are going in November. My suggestion for her might work for your mom too. I told her to rent the ECV now so they don't run out. Two weeks before the trip, go to the mall and walk all day. Then decide if you need it. If you don't you can cancel.