Wheelchair with broken arms

[kikiV]

I posted before but still have a question I hope can be answered. I've tried reading all the disability guidelines, trip reports etc.... but it's a lot of reading.

My sis is going to DW this weekend with 2 broken wrists. She plans to rent a wheelchair to avoid getting bumped (soft casts with incisions from surgery) and to avoid falling.

1. She doesn't need a GAC pass correct? It seems that she would just go to the attractions wheelchair entrance.

2. Do the parks usually run out of wheelchairs or should we not worry about that?

THanks

 

[SueM in MN]

I posted before but still have a question I hope can be answered. I've tried reading all the disability guidelines, trip reports etc.... but it's a lot of reading.

My sis is going to DW this weekend with 2 broken wrists. She plans to rent a wheelchair to avoid getting bumped (soft casts with incisions from surgery) and to avoid falling.

1. She doesn't need a GAC pass correct? It seems that she would just go to the attractions wheelchair entrance.

You do not need a GAC to use a wheelchair. GACs are more for invisible disabilities where the CM won’t be able to tell what the person’s needs are. With a wheelchair, the CMs can see that an accessible way in is needed.
In most cases, the wheelchair entrance is the regular entrance.

When you get to the park - pick up a Guidemap for Guests with Disabilities. There is one for each park. They look like the ‘regular’ park maps, but include some additional information about access - like where to enter the attraction. In most cases, the map will say to enter the standard queue or get a Fastpass for those attractions with Fastpass.
When the parks are pretty quiet, the CMs at some attractions may route guests with wheelchairs/ECVs thru the Fastpass line just to keep the regular line moving slowly. That doesn’t always happen and is usually when the ‘regular’ line has a short wait.

You can find the Park Maps for Disabilities with the other park maps at the park entrance - they will be in a bin marked with a blue wheelchair symbol and the maps have a black band across the front. You can also get a map at the wheelchair rental area, Guest Relations and possibly also at your resort.

2. Do the parks usually run out of wheelchairs or should we not worry about that?

THanks

Wheelchairs are not usually a problem, but they do run out of ECVs.

You may want to look into renting from one of the off-site rental places listed in post #2 of the disABILITIES FAQs. That way, you would have a wheelchair for her to use at the resort, also getting from the resort to the park and if you have a non-park day planned.
Even if you plan to rent from the parks, it’s a good idea to take one or 2 of the phone numbers along, just in case.

Hope she has a great trip - it will be different than she planned, but can still be magical.

 

[peemagg]

I agree with renting one from off-site. Unless she is using her own transpotation to and from the parks, she runs into issues with possbly being bumped or having to stand on a bus. If she had a wheelchair from a off-site vendor, she could stay in it and have the protection of the chair on the buses. Without it she is fair game like everyone else.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

I agree with renting one from off-site. Unless she is using her own transpotation to and from the parks, she runs into issues with possbly being bumped or having to stand on a bus. If she had a wheelchair from a off-site vendor, she could stay in it and have the protection of the chair on the buses. Without it she is fair game like everyone else.

With a wheelchair you're also fair game, when it comes to busy busses. You'll need to have your mouth prepaired if getting bumped into is a problem. If you don't, there will be repeated bumping when on a full bus with folks packed standing around.

 

[LilyWDW]

With a wheelchair you're also fair game, when it comes to busy busses. You'll need to have your mouth prepaired if getting bumped into is a problem. If you don't, there will be repeated bumping when on a full bus with folks packed standing around.

Heck, there really isn't a 100% way to keep someone from bumping into you on the bus. They will pack the bus as full as possible and feel will fill in all the space. Add the movement of the bus and people bump into each other. It's the nature of public transportation.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

Heck, there really isn't a 100% way to keep someone from bumping into you on the bus. They will pack the bus as full as possible and feel will fill in all the space. Add the movement of the bus and people bump into each other. It's the nature of public transportation.

True. Allthough a nice!! big mouth and some explaining can go a long way. Can't count the amount of times I've had folks make a clear space around me on a crowded bus after some nice "I know it's crowded and we all have to manage, but if you could help it, would you mind not leaning on me or the chair as any unexpected smallest bump can cause me great pain? Oh and if you need a place to store that bag; see, here next to the chair is a nice space it wont move and you don't have to juggle it during the drive".

 

[kikiV]

Thanks for all the input. They won't be riding the bus, they are driving.

 

[speicher46]

All the attractions are very wheel chair friendly and cast members go out of their way to help. We have taken my 96 year old mother with us for several years and she has the time of her life. Having a wheel chair in your party sometime reduces your wait time in line...