Wheelchair

[EM Lawrence]

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[Evita_W]

It used to be that you could borrow a wheelchair from the resort for this type of situation, I don't know if that is still the case or not. That being said, there are accessible taxis that can accommodate an ECV, it sounds like bringing the rented ECV and getting such a taxi would have been a better solution. I know it is obviously too late for this now and hindsight is 20/20, but hopefully it can help others to know this.

But I would agree they need a much better setup for this than that and this is absolutely terrible, but again I think your sharing this helps us all to know the potential issues.

 

[Missingmypooh]

It has been this way for many years and it’s VERY frustrating.

 

[Mrsjvb]

Which is why I have my own manual chair that comes with me everywhere because I won’t run the risk of what you ran into. You can get them stupid cheap at thrift stores if your insurance won’t cover one

 

[mamabunny]

It used to be that you could borrow a wheelchair from the resort for this type of situation, I don't know if that is still the case or not. That being said, there are accessible taxis that can accommodate an ECV, it sounds like bringing the rented ECV and getting such a taxi would have been a better solution. I know it is obviously too late for this now and hindsight is 20/20, but hopefully it can help others to know this.

But I would agree they need a much better setup for this than that and this is absolutely terrible, but again I think your sharing this helps us all to know the potential issues.

Sadly, the days of the Resort "loaner chairs" is done and over - it's my understanding that they don't even keep an "emergency" chair anymore, because if you were to (for example) fall and twist your ankle bad enough to need the chair, they would just call EMS instead to make sure you were checked over properly.

As @Mrsjvb said, manual chairs are pretty cheap - and transport chairs can easily be found at most Walgreens/CVS locations and certainly on Amazon for less than $100 new. They are lightweight, fly for free, and most of them fold very flat to slip easily into a car trunk. In this case, however, I think our OP might have been better served by bringing a Rollator - she would have had the walker functionality with a seat - and if she still needed to rent the chair for DS, she could have left the Rollator at Rentals until they were ready to go on to the rest of their evening activities.

 

[paisleys]

Sadly, the days of the Resort "loaner chairs" is done and over - it's my understanding that they don't even keep an "emergency" chair anymore, because if you were to (for example) fall and twist your ankle bad enough to need the chair, they would just call EMS instead to make sure you were checked over properly.

As @Mrsjvb said, manual chairs are pretty cheap - and transport chairs can easily be found at most Walgreens/CVS locations and certainly on Amazon for less than $100 new. They are lightweight, fly for free, and most of them fold very flat to slip easily into a car trunk. In this case, however, I think our OP might have been better served by bringing a Rollator - she would have had the walker functionality with a seat - and if she still needed to rent the chair for DS, she could have left the Rollator at Rentals until they were ready to go on to the rest of their evening activities.

Great advice. Just this past weekend, I saw an assortment of wheelchairs and other devices at our local thrift store. My father had a very lightweight wheelchair he kept in his trunk. A great investment that the OP would benefit from.

 

[EM Lawrence]

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[DL1WDW2]

This is confusing because I have sat on benches and observed a location where it seems Guests were dropping off Disney wheelchairs (and close to 2 public restrooms). It caught my attention because it also looked like guests were retrieving suitcases.
It is located near Town Center DS Bus Loop before the temp screen...
Note for future:
Disney Sundries
On the Disney Guide Map
Guest Services

 

[mamabunny]

This is good advice about getting an inexpensive wheelchair to keep in the trunk. I would not have the stamina to push it by myself, but as long as I had a companion I would be ok. I’ve actually been looking around online at power wheelchairs that can fold easily. But it is not clear yet if my condition is going to be permanent or if I will eventually recover. If it becomes clear that I won’t recover, I think a power chair would be the way to go. I realize this is off topic, but are there some good sites that offer advice about what kind of chair/mobility device to look for? I’m completely clueless.

LOL well, this is as good a place as any to discuss your potential mobility needs!

Really, what you need to consider comes down to some basic concepts: Things like...

How much can you (safely) lift in and out of your vehicle? (the difference between 30 pounds and 50 pounds opens a whole world of possibilities!)

How much space do you have for storage of a device in your vehicle? My power chair, for example, takes up about half of my available cargo space in my Kia Soul with the back seat folded down.

When do you think you will need mobility assistance? (every time you leave the house, or only for longer excursions?)

What is your budget? (you can find Rollators for under $75 - or you can go to $3000 - or beyond - for hyper-lightweight, foldable devices...)

Do you need specialized support when sitting? Or, can you sit upright without needing to support your upper back or neck and/or head?

Power chairs are completely different critters than ECVs. I have 2 ECVs (same model, one is first generation, the other is second generation) and those are so easy and intuitive to drive compared to my folding power chair. I really struggled with learning to control my chair - I didn't realize how precise my TravelScoots were until I sat in my Fold-and-Go chair. It is a whole different type of control, and that's one reason why the vendors in Orlando won't rent power chairs to folks who don't use them regularly at home before coming to WDW. There is a learning curve to drive a power chair that just typically isn't as long for an ECV.

ECVs can be a good choice, especially if you don't need a mobility device at home regularly, but do need one for shopping, museums, fairs, etc. ECVs are often more lightweight and/or foldable, or can be disassembled into smaller easy to lift sections. Smaller and lightweight options are increasingly available, although they do tend to be more expensive, you can sometimes find them used on Craigslist or eBay.

There are folks here who use *all* kinds of mobility devices, from canes, to walkers and Rollators, to manual chairs, ECVs, power chairs and custom power chairs. Ask any questions you want - I bet we can help you find the answers!

 

[EM Lawrence]

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[SteveMouse]

Generally speaking, power wheelchairs have very limited ability to collapse, either by folding down or by coming apart into sections (there are a few exceptions). There are many ECVs that are modular or do collapse.

While they do not work for me for other reasons, I am leery of foldable solutions in general. They tend to get loose over time.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

This is very helpful! Thank you! Here is some more information, if anyone wants to offer advice.

I’m pretty sure I can lift 30 lbs without trouble on a regular basis. I think 50 lbs would be too much for me. Whatever I end up with, I would like something that gives me the freedom to use it without relying on a companion. I have teenagers and a husband who are happy to help, but I want to be able to go about my business without relying on them.

I drive a Buick Enclave with lots of space in the back once the third row is folded down. I have a gigantic teenager, so I bought a really big vehicle on purpose to accommodate him.

I can safely manage at home without assistance, and I can sit upright without support. This would be for trips outside of the house, including trips to grocery or big box stores. I try to walk the 1/2 mile to my mailbox and back every day. Some days it is easy, some days I am struggling by the time I get back to the house, some days I can’t do it at all.

I looked up a Rollator online to see what it is, and I don’t think that it provides the kind of assistance I need. My problems involve stamina, fatigue, and a “dicky ticker” as I‘ve been half-jokingly calling my heart. I’m still working with doctors to figure out what the problem is, which is why I don’t know if this condition is permanent or if I will eventually recover. At 7 months in, this is beginning to feel like it will either be permanent or at least will be with me for the foreseeable future.

I’m willing to spend a lot of money if I need to. I’m a deal-seeker and a cash-saver by nature, which means I’ve got a comfortable savings account. But it also means I don’t want to spend more than necessary, and of course, I like a good deal. But I also know some things are worth paying more for. This seems like it would be on of those times paying more for a product that would make my life easier would be worth it.

As an aside, I have no idea if my insurance would cover something like this. I guess I need to look into that. I assume I would need a doctor to prescribe a mobility device in order for insurance to get involved?

My only experience using mobility devices has been with the rental EVCs and wheelchairs I’ve used at Disney. I have rarely left my house otherwise for the past 7 months. I guess in my mind the ECVs would be too clunky and heavy to regularly carry around in the back of my car and assemble/disassemble every time I need to go somewhere, which is why I had been looking at power chairs. They just seem like they would be more lightweight and easy to handle if I was solo.

But obviously there are more ECVs than just the kind I’ve experienced at Disney, so I’m open to suggestions, and honestly, greatly appreciate any feedback this forum can provide.

I work at a small theme park in Pa and have a coworker who uses an ECV while at work. mostly she uses that to get from parking lot to stand where we work, she uses a walker in the stand to get around. her ECV comes a part and fits in trunk of her small car. she is able to do by self and she is on the small size compared to me. ps from what I have seen power chairs are larger and heavier to move and a lot harder to learn to drive. you would need a SUV or van to transport. something that you would be able to have a ramp to get it inside. had a family member who's dad used one with their small SUV and it always worried me when loading it in a parking lot as the ramp came out the back not the side. he was always in area where cars were while lining up to go up or down the ramp. between the 2 it seems to be a lot easier to load and unload coworkers ECV and put together than getting family members power chair out of SUV. not to mention that power chairs are driven by a joy stick not like an ECV. just saw about your car so my guess is it would be a ramp out the back not the side.

 

[KPeveler]

If you have insurance, and this is going to be a permanent situation for you, find your local rehab hospital or trauma center and see if they have a "wheelchair clinic." They know all about chairs and can help you choose the one that works for you. They will also write for your insurance if it covers wheelchairs.

Once you have their recommendation, you can either go through your insurance or start doing your own shopping.

Also, if this condition is permanent (lasting longer than a year), there is Vocational Rehabilitation. If you are working and need this mobility device to keep or get employment, they may help.

Just a couple quick thoughts!

 

[EM Lawrence]

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[BonnieA]

You could have used an Uber with your scooter. Of course it would have to be one that comes apart. I used an Uber in Hawaii a lot. I would just be the one to take it apart and put together (actually my husband helped) to fit in the trunk and take out. No problems.

 

[mamabunny]

I’ve spent several hours today reading about the Travel Scoot. It looks like it might be the perfect option for me!

LOL I *love* my TravelScoots! (I have 2 Deluxe models - Max is my "original" (named for the palace horse in Tangled) and he is the original belt-driven style. Angus (named after Princess Merida's companion horse in Brave) is my "main" TravelScoot, and he has the rear hub motor.

You can search for my user name and "Travelscoot" using the magnifying glass in the upper right hand corner and see all kinds of stuff I have posted about them over the years LOL

Feel free to call them - Tony, Bonnie and everyone at TravelScoot USA is just so nice.

And as an FYI - if you do decide to look at power chairs, I forgot to tell you that the Fold & Go now has it's own "elevator" that collapses down to nothing, weighs less than 30 pounds, and uses the chairs battery packs for power - so you don't have to be able to lift 50 pounds, just the "elevator" weight! (which helps me to no end). I don't have one yet for my Figgy (because he's purple and sparkly and Figment is my favorite purple thing at Disney World LOL) but I am hoping to get one later this year. Currently I don't go anywhere unaccompanied anyway, as I am recovering from surgery, and my family is keeping me on a short leash LOL.

Feel free to ask any questions about the TravelScoot!

 

[Moliphino]

This is confusing because I have sat on benches and observed a location where it seems Guests were dropping off Disney wheelchairs (and close to 2 public restrooms). It caught my attention because it also looked like guests were retrieving suitcases.
It is located near Town Center DS Bus Loop before the temp screen...
Note for future:
Disney Sundries
On the Disney Guide Map
Guest Services

That's the only wheelchair rental location on the Disney Springs map. Right between Wolfgang Puck and Coca Cola, but with the entrance on the bus loop side of the building. So it should have been close to the Disney bus drop off, but is very far from Uber pickup/dropoff.

 

[EM Lawrence]

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[mamabunny]

...Again, close is a relative concept.

This.

I was at my neurosurgeons office today for a post-op follow up, and he was all "Well, you are *still* using a walker!" and I had to explain to him - twice - that it isn't anything "personal"; I had to use the Rollator before the surgery, and the surgery he performed was not to fix the issues that require the Rollator, and that even though he didn't *like* the Rollator, I was actually doing better (even with it) than I was before the surgery! He was aghast at the notion that ordinarily I would have arrived either in my Fold & Go power chair, or on my TravelScoot, and couldn't see the Rollator as a "win" for me.

He's *younger* than I am. By about 20 years or so, and 20 years ago, I could not imagine being where I am now (although I like to think I at least had some empathy for folks where I am now... ) and he seemingly cannot process that I have other medical conditions outside of the primary condition that he performed surgery to correct.

TL;DR - it's all sunshine and roses until you have to actually walk that path. And if - at 300 yards - that path is too long to walk, then it's too long for that person. Now let's just figure out how to help prevent the issue in the future

 

[EM Lawrence]

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