Wheelchairs: Not as great as you think!

[Jennasis]

So there is always the age old debate about people getting wheelchairs who don't "need" them, so they can get to the front of lines, or not have to walk as much or whatever. Then there is always the problem of people being run over by ECV or wheelchair users.

Last week, I was forced to rent a wheelchair for the day. I am completely able-bodied...normally. Well after a LONG day at Epcot in a pair of sandals I THOUGHT were ok, I somehow managed to twist my ankly so badly that putting any weight on that foot caused shooting/stabbing pain in my tendon. I tried to brave the morning at MGM on foot but finally broke down, went to first aid for an ace bandage and went back to the hotel to rest. DH convinced me to go back to the park but in a wheelchair (provided by the concierge at BC).

It was a royal pain in the butt!

Poor DH was so tired from pushing me around all day that he could barely lift his arms that night.

The chair is cumbersome and unwieldy and I tried so hard not to clip people in the ankle...but it was impossible. People always managed to get directly in front of the chair and stop short.

There was NO front of the line access. Despite popular belief, most lines are equipped for wheelchairs, so we waited with everyone else...which was A-Ok with us! I didn't want special treatment. I just didn't want to hurt.

People slammed into my ankle OFTEN, and generally didn't apologize for it. It hurt.

People stared, whispered (or sometimes discussed loudly) about what was likely wrong with me.

The only positive was the handicapped seating area for Fantasmic was honestly the BEST seating in the house (top of the row, Mickey section, dead center).

In summation, it is highly unlikely that anyone out there is renting a wheelchair or even an ECV without a valid need. Perhaps the "not-so-intelligent" will attempt to do so, but I guarantee that within a very short time, they will return the wheelchair to the rental spot as it is much more of a hassle than a convenience.

To those DIS'ers out there who do use a wheelchair or an ECV on a regular basis, my hat is off to you! You must brave a littany of obstacles to enjoy the wonders of WDW and as I have seen, do so with respect to others and dignity at each turn.

 

[CDIO-UK]

I'm an occasional wheelchair user at Disney - I hate it too!

I have had a bad right knee since childhood. I've had 4 operations and many months of physio. I can usually manage a few days at the parks before I have to surcome to wheelchair entrapment! :

I get paranoid that people will see me walking one day then riding the next and think I'm faking. I would love to walk all day every day but it's impossible.

We're back at the world in 4 days, my last op was in June, I've got special tape to help keep my kneecap in place but I know I won't be able to do the 2 weeks without the help of a wheelchair (and my DH pushing me around all day - he burns off twice the calories while I burn none!)

So please try not to judge the seemingly able bodied riding in a chair - you really wouldn't do it unless you had to!

 

[Spaceship Earthfan]

I was with a friend there last week and after walking for 15 hours around MK the first day, there was no way she was going to walk around Epcot the 2nd day...so she rented an ECV for the last 2 days.

It sounds like maybe we got lucky, but we didn't get one rude look or comment the whole time. Although, it could be because I guess she does look like she needed the ECV...she is rather pooh sized so she definitely needed the wheelchair. I imagine it might be different if she didn't "look" like she needed it.

Disney treated us very very well though...we were given front of the line access to a few of the rides (Spaceship Earth, Great Movie Ride, and a bunch of others)...but again, this might be due to her size. I politely explained to the CM at each of those attractions that my friend would not be able to fit through the turnstiles (which was the total truth...we found out real quickly at the Carousel of Progress that turnstiles were going to be a problem). The CMs looked at her and then allowed us up front.

So I can imagine how those who don't look like they need a wheelchair might get treated rudely...but Disney does make every effort to help out those who need help and not everyone is nasty towards those in wheelchairs.

 

[WeLoveThePoly]

My DMIL had to get a wheelchair during our 2000 trip. We don't know what happened but as we were standing in the elevator at our resort her knee gave out - on our 2nd day there. She couldn't put any weight on the bad leg without her knee buckling. My DFIL arranged for a wheelchair. I felt SO bad because my DILs had planned this trip for 3 years; it was our DD's first trip to Disney and DILs paid for everything.

Because DMIL was in the wheelchair we didn't follow the itinerary we were going to follow and DH, DD & I spent most of the trip off on our own while DILs spent alot of time at the resort because it was just too hard getting DMIL around in the wheechair. Maybe if she'd gotten an ECV it would have worked out better.

Debbie

 

[brooke1]

I know what you mean about the looks,but some people just dont think before they speak.

We will be at disney less than 24 hrs and will be getting a wheelchair, my 12 yr old son who has a club foot cant take all that walking. about the 2 nd day he is dying to use the wheelchair and when we come up to a ride we park it and stand in line with the rest of people. and hey sometimes my son will push me for a minute or so

So I could give a fat rats rear end if people look or say something i wish they would say something so i could make them look and feel ashamed. and again think before they speak.

sorry i will get off my soap box........off to disney

 

[SueM in MN]

Disney treated us very very well though...we were given front of the line access to a few of the rides (Spaceship Earth, Great Movie Ride, and a bunch of others)...but again, this might be due to her size.

Actually, the regular line at Spaceship Earth is not wheelchair accessible. The wheelchair entrance is at the exit and you may have quite a wait there. Because of fire/evacuation rules, they can only have a certain number of people with special needs on the ride at one time. Depending on when you come and how many other wheelchair parties are waiting, you could be waiting a long time. We have waited there over an hour at a time when the regular line was less than 5 minutes.

For Great Movie Ride, wheelchair users wait in the regular line until the entrance to the room where movies are shown (I guess it's the preshow). At that point, wheelchair/ECV users are led to the front of that room. It may look like you are bypassing the waiting people, but because of the large number of people who are loaded onto the tram at one time, wheelchair/ECV users are almost always loaded onto the same tram that they would have been on if they had stayed in the regular line.

It's a similar situation for most rides where wheelchair/ECV users are pulled out of the regular line.

 

[disnut8]

My husband had to be in a wheelchair for one Disney trip. Thankfully, his condition has been under control. But that one trip was an eye opener. No, it's not fun. I pushed him around all weekend. I'm 5 feet nothing but I didn't have a problem. Yes, I was tired but it was worth it. He could hobble which was OK but I insisted he stay in the chair as long as possible. The only "special" treatment we were given was at Star Tours. It was a 10 minute stand by line and the Cast Member had us use the FastPass line. And then we had to wait for a while because we had to be loaded into the first empty vehicle. And trust me, handicapped viewing areas aren't all that great. At the Muppets, we were all the way in the back and I couldn't see anything going on behind us, which is one of my favorite things.

Butts in his face, cigarettes dangerously close. We have never again "judged" a wheelchair person. My husband looked and acted just fine. But he couldn't walk. You just never know.

 

[homer424]

It stinks and because of her wheelchair experience, my grandmother is in rehab for knee replacement as we speak. She was just disgusted at how other people treated her and just flat out ignored/stepped over her. She vowed that she would never be in a chair again and went in. I sure as heck don't blame her!

 

[Spaceship Earthfan]

Actually, the regular line at Spaceship Earth is not wheelchair accessible. The wheelchair entrance is at the exit and you may have quite a wait there. Because of fire/evacuation rules, they can only have a certain number of people with special needs on the ride at one time. Depending on when you come and how many other wheelchair parties are waiting, you could be waiting a long time. We have waited there over an hour at a time when the regular line was less than 5 minutes.

For Great Movie Ride, wheelchair users wait in the regular line until the entrance to the room where movies are shown (I guess it's the preshow). At that point, wheelchair/ECV users are led to the front of that room. It may look like you are bypassing the waiting people, but because of the large number of people who are loaded onto the tram at one time, wheelchair/ECV users are almost always loaded onto the same tram that they would have been on if they had stayed in the regular line.

It's a similar situation for most rides where wheelchair/ECV users are pulled out of the regular line.

Yeah, I guess saying "front of the line access" was a bit misleading. Spaceship Earth, we went through the exit and had to wait a few minutes. I can't imagine waiting there an hour, though! We waited in the little seating area no more than 5 minutes.

As far as the Great Movie Ride, we were led to the front of that "preshow" room once we got to that point (yes, we had to wait in the regular line before that). However, we were placed on the next car that came...it was a much shorter wait than had we stayed in the regular line. (I, personally, would rather have waited in that line - I love watching those old movie clips).

Sorry if I was misleading when I said front of the line access...nowhere were we put right in the front of the line. But we were led to handicap accessible areas when necessary, and the waits were shorter than the normal lines in a couple cases.

 

[Skroops]

We just got back and my Mom had to use a wheel chair. She has went through knee surgery and suffers with asthma. She is rather pooh sized, and let me tell you, pushing her around was tough! We had to get the larger chair and they are tougher to push. You don't realize that the pavement goes up and down so much, and people totally jump infront of us without realizing the danger of the non stoppable motion! My Mom also felt very closterphobic when we were exiting the park after the fireworks. She said that she had a new perspective of what other people go through every day. We definately saw no perks to being in a wheel chair. I feel so bad for those who have to do that every day.

 

[Meezers]

I had to spend 10 months in fiberglass from toes to hip many years ago.

I was totally non-weight bearing for several months. You would think people would notice a hot pink cast from toes to butt...right?! Heck no....my DM had to walk like a linebacker in front of me to keep people from knocking the crutches out from under me. Yes..I went everywhere and did everything....GOSH....people are RUDE...stare....like you have never seen a cast before?

So....sometimes I had a wheelchair...just cause let's face it...crutching is not a whole lot of fun...

The chair was worse...doors open the wrong way....there is a handicapped toilet...but you sure couldn't get the chair to a sink to wash your hands....even at home....could stand on one leg to fix something to eat...then no way to get to the table without making a huge mess.

You want sympathy for someone who will never get out of a chair...spend several months in one!

PS...it only took Mom 6 weeks to learn NOT to move my crutches from where I had set them beside the couch...she kept moving them to the corner of the room....AARRRGGGHHH!!!

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

I had to spend 10 months in fiberglass from toes to hip many years ago.

I was totally non-weight bearing for several months. You would think people would notice a hot pink cast from toes to butt...right?! Heck no....my DM had to walk like a linebacker in front of me to keep people from knocking the crutches out from under me. Yes..I went everywhere and did everything....GOSH....people are RUDE...stare....like you have never seen a cast before?

OK, so let me get this straight. If I don't see a hot pink cast, I'm rude. If I'm absorbed by this really long hot pink cast, I'm rude. Make up your mind! You're wearing a long hot pink cast, how could people NOT stare!

Please laugh now. I'm only teasing.

 

[SueM in MN]

Yeah, I guess saying "front of the line access" was a bit misleading. Spaceship Earth, we went through the exit and had to wait a few minutes. I can't imagine waiting there an hour, though! We waited in the little seating area no more than 5 minutes.

As far as the Great Movie Ride, we were led to the front of that "preshow" room once we got to that point (yes, we had to wait in the regular line before that). However, we were placed on the next car that came...it was a much shorter wait than had we stayed in the regular line. (I, personally, would rather have waited in that line - I love watching those old movie clips).

Sorry if I was misleading when I said front of the line access...nowhere were we put right in the front of the line. But we were led to handicap accessible areas when necessary, and the waits were shorter than the normal lines in a couple cases.

We have been in that line at Spaceship Earth when the waiting line was so long that people were not joining it any more; they would come in, see there were 4 or 5 wheelchair parties ahead of them and think they had a short wait. When the CM told them the wait was >35 to 45 minutes, they left. We usually don't go on when the standby line is really long, so in this case, the standby wait was basically walk right on.

Someone on a one time trip using a wheelchair might experience what happened to you for those rides and think that is what usually happens. But, having taken many trips to WDW with someone using a wheelchair over the last 17 years, I can report that's usually the exeption, not the rule.

If there are no other wheelchair parties ahead of you when you arrive at the wheelchair access point, your wait might be short. Our experience at Great Movie Ride is that happens not too often. What is more likely is that we are brought into the loading room before the guests from the preshow theater start getting into the loading room. As we are being loaded into the tram, we can see some of the people who right ahead of us in the regular line getting divided into the boarding lines to board the tram. Usually, they are loaded onto the same "trip" as we are on. They might be in the same tram or the second tram that loads at the same time.
There are a lot of "ifs" though; if they are running one tram or 2, if there are few other wheelchair parties waiting, if your person using a wheelchair can transfer to a ride seat, if the staffing isgood for the ride so they have a CM for loading wheelchair parties.

There are often longer waits for someone who can't transfer (so they need a special wheelchair car) or need a moving walkway stopped to board (because it can only be stopped in a certain time frame or when a certain car comes around).

And trust me, handicapped viewing areas aren't all that great. At the Muppets, we were all the way in the back and I couldn't see anything going on behind us, which is one of my favorite things.

For all the 3D movies/shows (any movie for that matter) and the indoor theater shows (like Little Mermaid, American Adventure), the wheelchair seating is in the very back row. So, it is not the best seats. In some theaters, there is only room for 1 or 2 people to sit with the person using a wheelchair/ecv. For the 3D shows, someone who can't transfer out of a wheelchair into an actual theater seat misses some of the special 3D effect.
For those people with visual disabilities besides using a wheelchair, those types of theaters don't have a way to accomidate both needs at the same time (So someone who can't get out of their wheelchair, but also needs to be close to the front in order to see is out of luck for those attractions).

Some of the live perrformance theaters have some seats in the front, but those are hard to get. A few might be used at the beginning of the seating period, but they are often held until the end so that people with multiple disabilities can sit there. (Like a wheelchair plus visual disabilities that require sitting up in front, or a wheelchair plus needing to be close to a sign language interpreter). My DD is only 5 feet tall and doesn't sit up real straight in her wheelchair. When we are the back row, she often can't see around the person in front of her. For example, at Pocohontas and the Bird show at AK, she could not see anything other than the back of the person ahead of her. We don't have the option of moving and she can't move around in her wheelchair to see around someone. So, if she has a bad view, we are often stuck with it.

 

[MissBubbles]

I went last year with my 80 year old mom who is not very ambulatory, so wheelchair pushing for me. We brought her own chair and experienced all the magic that Disney has to offer. It was so nice to be able to experience a ton of rides where she could stay in her chair and go on the ride. Her absolute favorite of the trip was Ellen's Energy Adventure. We did have quite a few people stop in front of us and dart quickly around us, but I managed not to run over anyone.

I was more than happy to push her for the week. AK was a little bumpy but alright overall. I will be back again this year for the holiday trip - she's 81 years young now and is raring to go.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Actually, the regular line at Spaceship Earth is not wheelchair accessible. The wheelchair entrance is at the exit and you may have quite a wait there. Because of fire/evacuation rules, they can only have a certain number of people with special needs on the ride at one time. Depending on when you come and how many other wheelchair parties are waiting, you could be waiting a long time. We have waited there over an hour at a time when the regular line was less than 5 minutes.

For Great Movie Ride, wheelchair users wait in the regular line until the entrance to the room where movies are shown (I guess it's the preshow). At that point, wheelchair/ECV users are led to the front of that room. It may look like you are bypassing the waiting people, but because of the large number of people who are loaded onto the tram at one time, wheelchair/ECV users are almost always loaded onto the same tram that they would have been on if they had stayed in the regular line.

It's a similar situation for most rides where wheelchair/ECV users are pulled out of the regular line.

That Great Move Ride queue may work for wheelchairs, but it is NOT ECV compatible!!!! When we went this past September, my friend had the EXACT same problem as the OP. An AWFUL ankle problem. She was too proud, and waited two days, but got the ECV. When we went on the Great Movie Ride - she SLAMMED into a pole (the ones with the latches for the queue ropes). It was right in front of Mary Poppins horse. First came the shock and the "Are you okay?!" Then came horrible laughing fits.

But anyway, I'd HIGHLY reccomend an ECV over a wheelchair. They're pricier, but worth the extra money. They give the person who is either injured or handicapped a little bit more freedom, and it saves someone from having to do the pushing.

 

[whimsey]

I use an electric wheelchair and I agree with the OP. I can totally understand about the "rear" views and lighted cigarettes. Sudden stops are no fun for me or the stopee. I've gotten pretty fast at moving my hand from the toggle switch and I can usually avoid the stopee but it's almost impossible to avert a pile up behind me. I try to stay well out of congested areas. During Christmas- New Year's in 2003 that wasn't an option so I became a devotee of the dart and dash. I sorta zig zagged from one open space to another.

Sometimes I'm put on the front row at a show ( Lion King, Country Bear Jamboree ) and sometimes the back row ( Muppets, Beauty and the Beast ). Only complaint I ever had was at the Candlelight Processional. We had reserved seating through the dinner package. My family could sit closer but I was put behind the chairs in sort of a no man's land between the covered and uncovered areas. I told them to go ahead and sit in the covered seating wasn't a biggie 'cept I was behind a pole. I did get a perfect view of my DD's faces when Gary Sinise walked out, I'd managed to keep the fact that he'd be there a surprise.

I did have a moment of bewilderment and semi-panic on our last trip. The toggle switch that directs the movement of my chair looks like a little bitty joystick. I think everybody over the age of 3 must know how to use a joystick. I was just sitting in the AK waiting for my family to return from Kali River and my chair starts moving forward fast. I had the speed turned all the way up because I'd only stopped for a second. To my left is a wee little lad grinning at me and working that toggle switch like it was his job. All I had to do was hit the power switch but for a split second I just went blank. All I could envision was me (a) running over this child, (b) trying to pry his little fingers off the switch and getting reamed out by his parents, I assumed he had parents, or (c) the chair flipping over and me dumping out. Either way, there was going to be "an incident" and I truly did not want to be "an incident. I guess some vestige of my former emergency room, cool under fire, demeanor must remain because I did get it turned off without touching the child. Oddly, he grew bored when the chair stopped moving and he left
in search of other amusements.
You best believe I now turn that sucker off anytime I'm not moving.

 

[SueM in MN]

That Great Move Ride queue may work for wheelchairs, but it is NOT ECV compatible!!!! When we went this past September, my friend had the EXACT same problem as the OP. An AWFUL ankle problem. She was too proud, and waited two days, but got the ECV. When we went on the Great Movie Ride - she SLAMMED into a pole (the ones with the latches for the queue ropes). It was right in front of Mary Poppins horse. First came the shock and the "Are you okay?!" Then came horrible laughing fits.

The lines (like at Great Movie Ride) are technically wheelchair/ecv accessible (ie, they meet the minimum requirements for accessibility set out in the ADA).
But, as your friend found out, being technically accessible and being actually accessible to the average ECV driver who may not have a lot of experience are 2 different things.
My DD is a very good power wheelchair driver - if she has 1/2 inch of space on each side of her wheelchair, she can figure out a way to get there. But many of the ECV drivers are using one for the first time and may not be thinking about things like turning the speed way down when going throught tight areas. They are also thinking like walkers - if you are walking you can use a smaller space and you can make yourself fit into a narrower space by doing things like turning your body. Try doing instinctive things like turning with a power wheelchair or ecv and you are actually wider. You can turn within whatever space your body needs. A minimum turning space for a wheelchair or ECV is usually 5 feet.

My DD's mental picture of the space she needs includes her wheelchair; she has been using a wheelchair since she was 2 and 1/2, so it is part of her body to her. She automatically makes enough room for her footrests when she's trying to go through tight spaces. (She does have to practice a little when getting a new wheelchair - she may take up more space in different places than she is used to).
One of the problems that in-experienced ECV users have with the lines at WDW is that they forget that their feet are sticking out in front of them (which sounds like what happened to your friend).
When you are walking, your feet are mostly within the space under your head and shoulders, so what you see is pretty much the space you need. A wheelchair or ECV adds an extra 18-24 inches that you need in front of you (sort of the difference in space you take up sitting compared to standing). A wheelchair takes a little less space, because the footrests/frame don't extend out that much farther than your feet. An ECV takes up more space because the steering tiller and front wheel(s) extend out in front of your feet. Some people have a harder time making that mental change than others.
Another way to think about it is if you are used to driving a small car and all of a sudden have to drive a full size van. Some people are good about making adjustments, but some will be trying to fit the van into a parking space that is only big enough for a VW Beetle.

 

[princess mom of 4]

We just returned last week from trip with our DS-14 who has cerebral palsy and uses a non-motorized wheelchair. As the days went by, we grew increasingly disgusted by the motorized scooter-using adults who zoomed past us to get to the wheelchair access areas. At Spectromagic on our last night, there was a large man on an ECV and his companion taking up a large portion of the wheelchair accessible viewing area on Main Street. I managed to squeeze my son's wheelchair in, but the next disabled child who arrived couldn't get close enough to view the parade. My DH eventually asked the pair if they would allow the CHILD to go in front to view the parade, and the ECV ADULT could view if over the child's head...I know Disney can't make judgements about people's diabilities, but there is an obvious difference between an adult who can't stand for long periods and a child with developmental disabilities...
no flames please, just had to get this off my chest...

 

[skiwee1]

My mom got to use an ECV for the first time on the this latest trip. I cannot believe the people that literally walked over the front of her ECV! We have never seen so many rude people that couldn't care less about those less fortunate. Yesterday we were getting off the monorail at the Poly. The monorail was pretty empty and only had a few folks waiting to get on. The CM put the ramp down for my mom to back out. As she is backing out and old lady started walking right up on the ramp. The CM stopped her and told her to get off the ramp. My mom was halfway down the ramp when the same old lady walks right up behind her! My mom hit her. Didn't hurt her but ran into her just the same. The lady started hollaring at my mother! I read that old bat the riot act. The CM told her that no one is even allowed to walk on the ramp. It is only used for people in chairs or ECVS. Not foot traffic. The CM then pulled her and her entourage aside and gave them a talking to. It made them miss the monorail too! It made my day. As far as those ECVs using wheelchair access spots, we were told by ALL CMs that they are also for ECVS. All of them. And we used them too!

 

[seashoreCM]

If the wheelchair is not enought to solve the problem, you can get a Guest Assistance Card.

People slammed into my ankle OFTEN, and generally didn't apologize for it. It hurt. .

If DH can't force an apology out of those rude folks maybe next time bring your BIL.

. People stared, whispered (or sometimes discussed loudly) about what was likely wrong with me..

"They" didn't see the ace bandage? How about a script dialog recited by you and DH, about what is wrong with "them".

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

"I can walk -- only to first base."