wheelchair question

[sandee]

We are planning on taking my mom with us on our next disney cruise. She can walk for short periods, but steps are a real "killer".We plan on bringing her folding wheelchair for getting around the ship. My question is, what happens at fire drill time? There is no way she could walk up or down even one flight of stairs. I thought I heard the elevators are not used during the drill. How do people in wheelchairs handle this??? Thanks for you help. Any other info or tips for wheelchair users would also be appreciated.

 

[albiats]

My Mother is in a similar condition except she can walk for short distances with the aid of a folding walker device with wheels on the front, but stairs are very difficult even when going down. For longer periods of walking, we would use a wheelchair for her. She doesn't need a room equipped with full accessible features, just some assistance with walking.

You're correct, the elevators aren't used during the safety drill. We left the cabin about 10 or 15 minutes early so we could use it.

In the event there was a real emergency and we would have to get to the life boat stations, we would probably have to carry her down the stairs.

If you have a Handicap Accessible room, it's my understanding that Castmembers are assigned to assist you, but I'm not certain of that.

hope that helps

 

[Cassi]

We took a Carnival cruise last year, and they told my (disabled) husband and my grandmother (who walks with a cane), that for the muster drill and in the event of an actual emergency, attendants would be there to assist them and that they would ride the elevator. I don't know if Disney does it the same way, but I would imagine they would have to. My husband's in an electric wheelchair, and I can't imagine anyone carrying it and him anywhere! But I'll find out in January!

 

[aprilgail2]

During the drill a whole group knocked on our door to find out if we needed help getting our handicapped passenger to the station....we didn't happen to have a handicapped person with us but since it was a handicapped room I guess they check them all to see who needs help.

 

[sandee]

Thank you for all you help guys- I never fail to get an answer to my questions on the DIS boards. Aprilgail2, I was very moved by your "In memory of Matthew" page.

 

[magyar2]

Thank you for asking this question, Sandee. My MIL will be with us on our cruise, and she will also be in a wheelchair, as she has trouble walking distances, and she absolutely can not do stairs. While I thought I had researched everything to try to make this as comfortable a cruise as possible for her, I completely forgot about the lifeboat drill!

Now I know to take her down earlier, since the elevators are out of commission at that time. You all just saved me from an irritated MIL!