Wheelchairs at FW

[mamaloya]

OK, this is a hard thread for me. My only complaint on our last trip was that I notified them that I would be in a w/c and needed accessiblity. I did not have enough room to wheel up to the door. I parked our TT all the way to the edge of the concrete on the hookup side. I still only had 1-2 feet of concrete on the entrance side. There was a drop off and very uneven terrain. I would have to get out and limp to the door and then ds would park the w/c under the awning.

I wish that FW would go through and evaluate each site on the w/c accessibililty. Until they do though, I have you guys.

With the new classification of sites, I am not sure which loops are which just yet by memory. As I looked around loops this last trip, it looked like loop 800 and 1000 had enough room to maneuver a wheelchair. Passporter special needs book recommended 800 loop and I should have pushed for that loop.

Now, my question... Can anyone remember any sites that would be particularly w/c friendly or unfriendly? We are hoping to go back in Oct and when I make my ressies would like to give them a list of sites that would accomodate my needs. You help is greatly appreciated.

 

[RvUsa]

Sandra, I feel for ya, I don't need a wc yet, but I have serious mobility issues as well. We were in 1825 last month and it was terrible as well. I was walking sideways on the little piece of concrete between the TT and a CLIFF.


I told them about 30 times that I was disabled and I needed to be closer to the cs, I faxed, I told them at check in, I told them when they said site wasn't ready, and again and again, but was still the farthest a person could possibly be from a cs. I am not kidding. Luckily we rented a golf cart, and my DW is a saint, and was willing to help me out. I thought I was alone in feeling that the fort had a huge shortcoming in being HC friendly.

Hopefully the new "mega" pads will make it easier for all of us that need the extra room. My recommendation would be to tell them about 100 times, and then check your site, and make them move you to a site that fits your needs, if the first one doesn't.

No matter what, it is still the disney, and they probably are the most HC accessible place in the world.

JMHO

JOHN

 

[mamaloya]

OH John, I totally agree. There is no better place to vacation in a w/c. I am worried about our trip out west in Feb/Mar when dh returns. I am still pretty mobile, just some days are worse than others. If I walked even half a day at WDW (or anywhere for that matter) I wouldn't make it home and would not be able to get out of bed the next day. I am only 36 for crying out loud!!!! My ds was upset about the site. He kept saying, "what if you couldn't walk that far." He is quite protective. My site was close to the CS, IF you hiked through the "woods". I tried it, but my footing is not steady enough. I was in site 1605. The bus drivers at the fort were awesome. We got quite familiar with one. He was so friendly towards us. By the end of our trip, he felt like family, except I can't remember his name. He was really watching out for us.

There is no better place in the world, they just need to not the w/c friendly sites.

 

[terri01p]

Ok I have to agree FW is lacking, our last visit to the fort one week before we were to go a CM from special services called and offered us two rooms at the Music Resort for the price of one because they knew my dd was disabled and on a breathing machine at the time. So this lets me know that someone is aware of how the fort isn't up to par.

Frankly I think the CM's booking the sites have no idea what a person in a wheelchair needs. That being said we were in the 500 loop and it was so tight, we couldn't get the wheelchair to the front door either, we had to carry our dd from the end of the tt to the door to get her inside.

The location wasn't that bad of a walk to the marina for an abled body person but someone in a wheelchair had a run for their money. So I'm not sure if I could say the 500 loop was so great either, unless it was just the site we were on and I can't remember the number.

 

[seabee]

We were in the 500 loop in Oct. 512 to be exact. It was not very accessible. DH is a quad. so there is no getting up and walking a bit to the door. We have a toyhauler so that we just wheel him up the back ramp and he is in. However, we couldn't pull all the way back into the site because the back door couldn't drop into the sand. There was absolutely NO room around the side of the camper, and I was parked as far over to the hook up side as I could get. I had to turn DH around and go backwards past our door, and kind of hold up one side of his wheelchair so he didn't tip over. Walking to the marina and pool area wasn't that bad, I did all the pushing, so DH didn't get too tired. It did get tiresome after a while, but it was doable, more so going to the pool area than the marina. We weren't far from the comfort station though, again, I'm the one who does the laundry so it really didn't matter. We are going back again this Oct. and I have upgraded our ressie to the new Premium Sites. The CM I talked to said it was in the 500 loop again, which doesn't bother me any, I didn't mind that loop. I am just glad knowing that the site should be wider and no sand. That should really make things a lot easier. Plus DH finally got the VA to agree to an electric chair so that too will make things nice for me!!

 

[terri01p]

Really, really want to buy a toyhauler for just this reason, gosh they are so expensive, really yea really want one !

 

[des1954]

I am hoping with all the refurbishing planned that they will be bringing in LOTS of fill dirt to deal with the dangerous drop offs. I (fortunately) am not disabled, but when we were there in December, I tripped off the concrete slab and fell. We stayed in site 1731 & at that time there were a multitude of small tree stumps where there had been recent clearing. Thankfully, I didn't land on one of those or I would have impaled myself. I did however injure my foot which made it difficult to enjoy the parks.

As far as the check-in people go... they are mostly kids on the college program and have no idea about the loops or sites. I'm going to venture a guess that the site assigners are the same. It's not like the good old days when the front desk people knew FtW like the back of their hand.

I understand that one of the long-term front desk employees was recently let go and it really bums me out, 'cause she was our favorite. I don't know why - - - but I truly assume that she was making too much money and the Fort manager could replace her with a minimum wage college trainee.

 

[mrsscooter]

First, I wanted to say congrats on the soon to be electric wheelchair. My husband was also in the service and just finished all of his dissablity paperwor and now we are waiting for thier "decission" on his percentage, etc. SO I am glad that your wheeelchair is coming!!!! I am so glad that this thread has been started. We are debating about bring my mom with us when we go, and she is also wheelchair bound. Luckily she has an electric one, but its not easy to take apart and transport. So, I take it I need to ask for a premium site when we call to book.......very good thing to know.

We were in the 500 loop in Oct. 512 to be exact. It was not very accessible. DH is a quad. so there is no getting up and walking a bit to the door. We have a toyhauler so that we just wheel him up the back ramp and he is in. However, we couldn't pull all the way back into the site because the back door couldn't drop into the sand. There was absolutely NO room around the side of the camper, and I was parked as far over to the hook up side as I could get. I had to turn DH around and go backwards past our door, and kind of hold up one side of his wheelchair so he didn't tip over. Walking to the marina and pool area wasn't that bad, I did all the pushing, so DH didn't get too tired. It did get tiresome after a while, but it was doable, more so going to the pool area than the marina. We weren't far from the comfort station though, again, I'm the one who does the laundry so it really didn't matter. We are going back again this Oct. and I have upgraded our ressie to the new Premium Sites. The CM I talked to said it was in the 500 loop again, which doesn't bother me any, I didn't mind that loop. I am just glad knowing that the site should be wider and no sand. That should really make things a lot easier. Plus DH finally got the VA to agree to an electric chair so that too will make things nice for me!!

 

[ntsammy5]

Back in 2001 DW broke her foot on an uneven pad. That was a real problem.

I had to push her in a w/c the rest of the trip. WDW barely acknowledged that it happened.

 

[seabee]

First, I wanted to say congrats on the soon to be electric wheelchair. My husband was also in the service and just finished all of his dissablity paperwor and now we are waiting for thier "decission" on his percentage, etc. SO I am glad that your wheeelchair is coming!!!! I am so glad that this thread has been started. We are debating about bring my mom with us when we go, and she is also wheelchair bound. Luckily she has an electric one, but its not easy to take apart and transport. So, I take it I need to ask for a premium site when we call to book.......very good thing to know.

Good luck with all the paperwork. There was no question what % DH would get, but it still took FOREVER to get everything through. A little advice for you. Really stick to your guns and don't let them tell you no on equiptment or services you are eligible for. The VA likes to take the cheapest way out of anything they can. All in all though it is a blessing that DH is 100%. There is NO WAY we could get him everything he needs.

I think if you are going to bring a wheelchair than premium is the way to go. Comfort and ease goes a long way!

 

[Wistful_Thinking]

I know this may be a hassle but....

MAny times we check in and then go check out our assigned site. If it doesn't suit our needs we scout around for one that does and make a trip back to the front desk to change sites. They have always been accomodating in this respect. If there was no site available we will wait out on the assigned site that night and try to switch again the next day during checkout time. Just a thought...

 

[mdoc]

I am hoping with all the refurbishing planned that they will be bringing in LOTS of fill dirt to deal with the dangerous drop offs. I (fortunately) am not disabled, but when we were there in December, I tripped off the concrete slab and fell.

This sounds like a common occurrence. I sprained my ankle in November "falling off" the concrete drop off. It definitely made walking miles and miles through the parks each day very difficult, and I couldn't go to the parks the first couple days. I was VERY careful when we were there in March when I was anywhere near the edge of the pad. I'll be glad to see wider concrete pads and elimination of the sand behind the concrete - it'll be safer and there will be a lot less MESS. I'm tired of that sand being everywhere on my site and in my camper.