Wheelchair

[DL1WDW2]

It seems like it would be relatively easy and inexpensive to have locations at all of the entry and exit points where you could call a CM to either deliver or retrieve a wheelchair. Even if we had to wait a while for our turn, so to speak, for the CM to get to us, it would have totally saved the evening. We would have been happy and enjoying what was supposed to be a special evening instead of frustrated and confused and eventually reduced to tears.

I can’t possibly be the only person who has shown up to DS unprepared to deal with a setup that makes you walk long distances to access a mobility device. Did I mention that you have to walk 1/3 of a mile each way to return the chair to the Lime garage if you want to depart via taxi or rideshare? That just isn’t reasonable for a lot of people.

@mamabunny, oh doctors, doctors... Some of them ares so wonderful and helpful and truly HEALING. Others, well, I’ve come out of a doctor’s office doing worse than when I went in because of the way the doctor treated me. I could go on a whole tirade, but I won’t. I’m thankful you are doing better after the surgery, and I can totally see how using a Rollator is a win!

Sorry I did notknow Uber/ lyftt is so inconvenient and only access is Lime Garage... I guess Disney has only responded with guests utilizing the Disney bus transport currently Since Sundries is at the Disney bus loop. Only thing I know for certain is it is all very confusing and should not be this difficult . It seems like this is the third Uber drop off change that Disney has made at Disney Springs. So you are probably not the only person that has been in this predicament.
We all sympathize and want to educate ourselves to help . I will try to be attentive to this issue. Seems like Disney would want to make a better choice in future for Uber drop off. Hopefully

 

[Evita_W]

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

Well said and these forums are a wealth of information in helping to figure out how to help.

To backup what was said here they if 300 yards is too long, it is too long, we are at Disney World right now and we went on Spaceship Earth. Another party was in a wheelchair as well and the lady ended up in tears and almost collapsing walking from the ride vehicle back to her chair. The CMs were quick to bring a chair to her as soon as they saw what was going on, but that is less than 300 yards and it shows how easily this is a problem.

 

[DisneyOma]

It seems like it would be relatively easy and inexpensive to have locations at all of the entry and exit points where you could call a CM to either deliver or retrieve a wheelchair. Even if we had to wait a while for our turn, so to speak, for the CM to get to us, it would have totally saved the evening. We would have been happy and enjoying what was supposed to be a special evening instead of frustrated and confused and eventually reduced to tears.

I can’t possibly be the only person who has shown up to DS unprepared to deal with a setup that makes you walk long distances to access a mobility device. Did I mention that you have to walk 1/3 of a mile each way to return the chair to the Lime garage if you want to depart via taxi or rideshare? That just isn’t reasonable for a lot of people.

Actually, with all of the cost-cutting Disney has made, I'm betting having CMs run around Disney Springs delivering wheelchairs is probably last on their list of where they are willing to spend money. They really don't want to promote having people come unprepared to their property either. I don't think they care about people using rideshare or taxis either, unless they get a cut of the profit. I really don't' think they want to be in the business of supplying mobility devices either, and wouldn't be surprised if the wheelchairs disappear at DS just like they did at the resorts.

 

[mamabunny]

It seems like it would be relatively easy and inexpensive to have locations at all of the entry and exit points where you could call a CM to either deliver or retrieve a wheelchair. Even if we had to wait a while for our turn, so to speak, for the CM to get to us, it would have totally saved the evening. We would have been happy and enjoying what was supposed to be a special evening instead of frustrated and confused and eventually reduced to tears.

I can’t possibly be the only person who has shown up to DS unprepared to deal with a setup that makes you walk long distances to access a mobility device. Did I mention that you have to walk 1/3 of a mile each way to return the chair to the Lime garage if you want to depart via taxi or rideshare? That just isn’t reasonable for a lot of people.

@mamabunny, oh doctors, doctors... Some of them ares so wonderful and helpful and truly HEALING. Others, well, I’ve come out of a doctor’s office doing worse than when I went in because of the way the doctor treated me. I could go on a whole tirade, but I won’t. I’m thankful you are doing better after the surgery, and I can totally see how using a Rollator is a win!

Sadly, I believe (and this is a personal opinion, not based on anything else) that the reason there is just one location for rental/dropoff at Disney Springs (as well as the Parks) is that Disney makes the *assumption* that anyone who wants to rent a device will have enough capacity to get to and from the rental location, and additionally, anyone who doesn't have that capacity will either arrive with their own device in tow, or will rent for delivery to their Resort Hotel. I have seen other theme parks that rent wheelchairs/ECVs do the same thing - the rental location is far enough inside from the parking tram/bus drop off that most of the folks who actually need to rent won't be able to make that trek.

 

[mamabunny]

Actually, with all of the cost-cutting Disney has made, I'm betting having CMs run around Disney Springs delivering wheelchairs is probably last on their list of where they are willing to spend money. They really don't want to promote having people come unprepared to their property either. I don't think they care about people using rideshare or taxis either, unless they get a cut of the profit. I really don't' think they want to be in the business of supplying mobility devices either, and wouldn't be surprised if the wheelchairs disappear at DS just like they did at the resorts.

I think the facts that the wheelchairs at DS are being rented (along with ECVs) - and not "loaned" like they were at the Resorts - is why they won't disappear any time soon.

But I agree that given the current staffing levels, and what we will probably see for a while, it is highly unlikely that Disney would ever assign CMs strictly as "runners" to collect equipment from other locations around DS. They have never done that at the Parks, so I bet they would never do it at DS either.

 

[Lilsia]

Sadly, I believe (and this is a personal opinion, not based on anything else) that the reason there is just one location for rental/dropoff at Disney Springs (as well as the Parks) is that Disney makes the *assumption* that anyone who wants to rent a device will have enough capacity to get to and from the rental location, and additionally, anyone who doesn't have that capacity will either arrive with their own device in tow, or will rent for delivery to their Resort Hotel. I have seen other theme parks that rent wheelchairs/ECVs do the same thing - the rental location is far enough inside from the parking tram/bus drop off that most of the folks who actually need to rent won't be able to make that trek.

This is what I was thinking while reading this thread. The common sense belief would be that if someone needed a chair that badly, that they would have one, or have someone who can walk to the area and get one. It does not make sense to have locations everywhere. I imagine that they rent such a small amount of chairs on any given day that they would just be paying for buildings and cast members to stand around most of the day. Thank you OP for sharing your story. It is a good reminder to everyone to do your research so that you can be prepared and not "stuck" when you get there.

 

[CrankyDad]

It seems like it would be relatively easy and inexpensive to have locations at all of the entry and exit points where you could call a CM to either deliver or retrieve a wheelchair. Even if we had to wait a while for our turn, so to speak, for the CM to get to us, it would have totally saved the evening. We would have been happy and enjoying what was supposed to be a special evening instead of frustrated and confused and eventually reduced to tears.

I can’t possibly be the only person who has shown up to DS unprepared to deal with a setup that makes you walk long distances to access a mobility device. Did I mention that you have to walk 1/3 of a mile each way to return the chair to the Lime garage if you want to depart via taxi or rideshare? That just isn’t reasonable for a lot of people.

It sounds like YOU needed to bring a wheelchair. A lot of this is on the OP and not on Disney.

 

[DL1WDW2]

I also advise the caretaker or “helper” to know their physical limits when assisting . For many years I took care of my mother pushing her in wheelchair at Disney. It is hard work because no shortcuts at Disney and many uphills . I have suffered lower back pain injury as a result and now must monitor my weight to avoid further injury. I worry everytime I see a helper at Disney and wish I could give a fair warning to use caution . I believe Disney has very strict protocol now for castmembers to protect their health and provide respect for themselves and guests.
please know your personal strengths in case of an emergency and Consider all of the what if’s?

 

[EM Lawrence]

*

 

[Lilsia]

You certainly live up to your screen name! You are right. I learned a hard lesson. Shame on me for being new to mobility problems, and shame on me for thinking that a wheelchair would be easy to access and return at Disney Springs. My shame will motivate me never to make that mistake again, and I hope everyone else will learn from my shameful mistake. We should all have perfect knowledge of the things we have not experienced before. Yep.

No one is saying that. The good thing about the internet, and boards like this, is that information is available so that you CAN know these things ahead of time. I know that those of us who grew up without the internet sometimes forget that the info is "out there" and have to remember to check ahead of time to be sure. Your story is a good reminder to the rest of us to always check ahead of time.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

You certainly live up to your screen name! You are right. I learned a hard lesson. Shame on me for being new to mobility problems, and shame on me for thinking that a wheelchair would be easy to access and return at Disney Springs. My shame will motivate me never to make that mistake again, and I hope everyone else will learn from my shameful mistake. We should all have perfect knowledge of the things we have not experienced before. Yep.

also file in case of need, you would need a wheelchair to meet uber at Fort Wilderness as they are not allowed to site or cabin. you would need to walk from bus stop to office area to meet your uber besides walking to bus stop near your site or cabin unless it has changed since I used

 

[mamabunny]

also file in case of need, you would need a wheelchair to meet uber at Fort Wilderness as they are not allowed to site or cabin. you would need to walk from bus stop to office area to meet your uber besides walking to bus stop near your site or cabin unless it has changed since I used

That's good info to know, Betty - I don't remember ever seeing that here before!

 

[DisneyOma]

You certainly live up to your screen name! You are right. I learned a hard lesson. Shame on me for being new to mobility problems, and shame on me for thinking that a wheelchair would be easy to access and return at Disney Springs. My shame will motivate me never to make that mistake again, and I hope everyone else will learn from my shameful mistake. We should all have perfect knowledge of the things we have not experienced before. Yep.

No, not perfect knowledge, but due diligence (in a nonlegal sense) can help. For example,you knew wheelchairs were available. The next step would have been to see where they were located, then where you would be accessing Disney Springs. As Lilsia stated, the internet is a wonderful thing! I love Google maps for that exact reason - I can see where things are located (I'm a visual learner) and figure out where I need to go, etc, before I go someplace.

 

[SueM in MN]

Closing this thread since it appears the OP deleted all their posts.