Wheelchairs at OKW?

[MI mom of 3]

We are leaving in 3 weeks. My mom needs a wheelchair to get around large areas (like WDW) but doesn't need it for 'regular life'

She has her own but we would rather not have to bring it down with us.

I think I remember the resorts having complimentary ones for their guests use during their vacation.

Does anyone know about this? Thanks

I will call MS in the morning but thought I could get a quicker answer from all the experts on here.

 

[disneynutz]

We are leaving in 3 weeks. My mom needs a wheelchair to get around large areas (like WDW) but doesn't need it for 'regular life'

She has her own but we would rather not have to bring it down with us.

I think I remember the resorts having complimentary ones for their guests use during their vacation.

Does anyone know about this? Thanks

I will call MS in the morning but thought I could get a quicker answer from all the experts on here.

I would bring hers. The resort chairs can't be taken to the parks and the park chairs can't be taken from the parks. She is comfortable in her chair and she can always have it with her.

 

[dianeschlicht]

You might also consider renting an ECV from one of the many off site rental companys that deliver to any of the WDW resorts. We have done that twice, and it was very easy. They delivered the ECV to the hospitality house, and it was waiting for us when we checked in. It is SUPER easy to get on and off the buses and the smaller units are significantly easier to use than the huge ones in the parks.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I would bring hers. The resort chairs can't be taken to the parks and the park chairs can't be taken from the parks. She is comfortable in her chair and she can always have it with her.

Not true. Several years ago, we brought my mom along. She didn't need a wheelchair at home, but we thought one might help her get around better. When my husband said he would be glad to push the chair around, my mother relented. We dropped her at her sister's house for a few days before we picked her back up to join us at OKW. When we checked into OKW, we asked if they had a w/c that we could use while she was with us. They offered us one for free, we just had to leave a credit card impression in case we didn't return the chair ($250). It was ours for her entire stay, we took it to the parks every day and she had a great time. When we returned the chair, they tore up the credit card slip.

It was first come, first served and it could not reserved.

So if you want to be guaranteed a chair, you probably should book one through a medical service company.

 

[disneynutz]

We were at WL and they let us use a chair but told us that it wasn't to leave the resort. At MK they let us use a chair that had a pole attached to it so you couldn't take it on the bus or monorail.

 

[ChickieToo]

I've also used free resort wheelchairs many times at different resorts over the years for our mobility-challenged parents. One year we even used 2 during one trip at OKW because both MIL and FIL needed one. I've done this also at BCV and once at the All Star Music resort and that was even free with a credit card impression as well. In fact, the last time we were at BCV, the bell service saw my mom stuggling and just wheeled out a chair for her and never even asked for a cc impression.

We took these chairs everywhere. In fact, now that I think about it, I think we even took the chairs from OKW for MIL and FIL to Sea World because they were in the van and we just used them.

The only problems really are that they are first come, first served, so they can run out, and they might not have a wheelchair to fit you. For instance if you need an oversized chair. I know they do have these as they gave us one once, but my mom is small and the large chair was uncomfortable for her, so we brought it back and got a regular-sized chair.

 

[Inkmahm]

One of the best purchases I ever made was buying a transport wheelchair for my mom specifically to use at WDW. We've done two trips with her and the chair so far and have another planned for next March. She loves it At home she uses a cane or a walker. Neither is practical for the airport or the parks. The transport wheelchair is perfect for both and is easy to load and unload from the rental car. I got our chair on ebay for a fraction of the retail cost (I think about $150 total.)

 

[Chuck S]

We flew down last December and used a resort chair from OKW. It rolled along fine, but wasn't in the best shape; rusty from the rain, the mesh for the seat was needing replacing...but it served the purpose so we didn't have to take Mom's on the plane.

In truth, taking a w/c on a plane isn't the problem, the security screenings at some of the airports for w/c guests is another story.

As others have said, the resort w/c are on a first come basis, and they are limited in number. There were no restrictions on usage, as far as taking it to the parks or even offsite.

However, I would check out the disABILITIES! FAQ thread on the disABILITIES! board. The second post has some contact info for offsite rental companies you may want to have handy if the resort doesn't have any w/c available, or if they are just in too bad a shape to use.

The previous poster mentioned a transport chair. While lighter in weight than a standard wheelchair, they also usually have 4 small wheels, rather than the two small front wheels and larger occupant driven wheels. In my personal experience, I've found those smaller wheels to be a disadvantage, especially when trying to cross tracks (like for the trolley on main street), on the rougher textured pathways at Animal Kingdom and when going up steeper sloes, like the bridge between the UK and France at EPCOT, and the steep ramps to the monorails at TTC/MK. (Epcot has elevator access for the monorail )

 

[SueM in MN]

As was already mentioned, there are no guarantees about wheelchairs loaned out at the resorts. They can't be reserved ahead of time and there is no guarantee that they will have one, that it will be the right size or that it will be in good condition.
In addition, posters other than disneynutz have written that they were told the resort wheelchair could only be used in the resort.
The park rental wheelchairs are never allowed to be removed from the park.

If you plan to try getting one loaned from the resort, I would suggest you still take some phone numbers with you from the list in the disABILITIES FAQs thread.

 

[Inkmahm]

The previous poster mentioned a transport chair. While lighter in weight than a standard wheelchair, they also usually have 4 small wheels, rather than the two small front wheels and larger occupant driven wheels. In my personal experience, I've found those smaller wheels to be a disadvantage, especially when trying to cross tracks (like for the trolley on main street), on the rougher textured pathways at Animal Kingdom and when going up steeper sloes, like the bridge between the UK and France at EPCOT, and the steep ramps to the monorails at TTC/MK. (Epcot has elevator access for the monorail )

Mom's has smaller wheels on the front but larger wheels (without air) on the back. About a foot in diameter I'd say. It steers better than the ones with 4 small wheels.