Wheelchairs: what do you wish you had known?

[cobright]

Again, just cautioning to take your mom's concerns as valid and important. Physical soreness may be much better for y'all's enjoyment of the trip than the mental stress she might feel with an ecv.

Absolutely fair viewpoint. I only suggest getting a little time behind the wheel in advance of the trip before making a decision. With just a little practice, most people take to driving a mobility scooter intuitively. Similarly, most people underestimate the toll pushing someone in a wheelchair for a day takes. If you think about how whipped you are at the end of a day in WDW, the OP'd be supplying the motive effort for a full extra person, and using seldom used muscles to do so.

As a non-sequitur, pushing mom in a wheelchair will put you entirely at the mercy of strangers with regards to closed doors.

The phenomenon, mentioned already, of 'becoming invisible' when using a mobility device like a wheelchair or ECV is very real, and the likely hood of fellow pedestrians stumbling into (or running into, climbing over, etc.) a wheel-bound guest is much higher than the other way around (admittedly with lesser effect, usually). It's my experience that these events are fewer when I can walk alongside my Power-chaired friend.

The OP and his mum should absolutely trust his mum's judgement. At the same time, the general social environment does its best to make using a mobility scooter seem like reckless luxury and the actually rare accidents involving them are very rare, and where the driver is at fault rarer still. Out of all the personal injuries reported within the Disney parks each year, about a half-dozen are ECV or power-chair related.

 

[WinstonC]

Playing devil's advocate here.

Thanks, Steve - I appreciate your perspective and the cautionary tale. Given that my mother has never used an electric scooter and that there simply won't be an opportunity to do so prior to the trip, I think we are making the right decision. Between a thick gel cushion for her, good gloves for me, plenty of breaks, and shortened park hours, I think we'll do just fine.

 

[RaySharpton]

And you pushing her in a wheelchair may just give her the simple joy of being with you.

She won't have to worry about any stress of driving or watching out for guests running in front of her.

She can relax and just enjoy all of the magic in front of her and you being with her.

I think you made the correct choice for her.

And tthe comfy cushion can be used for sitting on other hard surfaces at the parks if needed like a park bench or even an attraction ride or another chair.

Besides pushing her wheelchair in the park, spend time sitting beside her so she can see your face while you talk and people watch and enjoy your company, your voice and the sites.

A lot of those park photo site signs where families take great photos might be a great place to relax.

And don't forget she will spend a lot of time at "butt" height in crowds sitting in a wheelchair. She might not be able to see over other guests as you are pushing her. So maybe hold back from the crouds so she can see the sites like rolling down MK Mainstreet. When stopping to people watch, squat down beside her at her visual lee to see what she sees. Especially when other guests are standing directly beside her. Sitting in a wheelchair is like sitting in a secon row. Scooters feel like sitting in a third row with horse blinders on only seeing what is straight in front of them with smelly butts views to the left and right.

 

[Flynn's Gal]

Although OP said their trip was in September, I'm adding to the thread for someone who comes across it as a reference. My 17 y.o, but adult sized daughter is in a wheelchair and doesn't have the cognitive ability to drive a ECV so pushing her is my only option. We were at MK on Friday, 10/2. It is exhausting, for sure. The weather was nice this time so the heat wasn't as brutal. On a different trip, I wasn't hydrated enough so I ended up with a charlie horse in BOTH calves at the same time and went down. Drinking fluids with electrolytes as well as plenty of water will prevent that from happening. Start before the park day, if you don't do that already.

Get the Disability Access linked to your account so you can wait your turn out of the heat. The metal on the chair can heat up in FL sun. We used the wait time to take a restroom trip because that can take a while with my daughter.

When crossing thresholds in open doors, rolling at a slight angle helps prevent the front wheels catching and tipping the chair forward. I found the same for the tracks on Main St. Another way is to go in and out backwards.

Children will dart in front of you, so you have to be prepared to stop quickly sometimes. If an adult does it intentionally and they clip the chair, I have less sympathy, but I stop as well.

Cast members will almost always open a closed door for you, as will other park guests, if they see that it's closed and you're approaching. If not, go out backwards.

When riding the monorail, bus or boat transportation, go backwards in and out on the ramp.

Several rides with moving sidewalk entries can be stopped or slowed - Peter Pan, Little Mermaid. Ask for it if they don't offer. Boat rides are more difficult with stepping up and stepping down if your wheelchair person is unstable on their feet. Take the time you need to get on and off. The Mad Tea Party has a cup with a wider opening and an attachment to help scoot sit in the cup.

Our trips have been just as magical despite mobility issues. Things take longer and it's hard to push someone around the parks all day, but the fun is still there.

 

[MS_Warrior]

Playing devil's advocate here.

Don't discount your mom's discomfort around using an ECV, even though using a wheelchair will be more tiring for you both. Accidents with ECVs do happen.

I use an ECV and have seen some wild things. I think it’s harder for first-timers especially if they rent one of the park’s ECVs and don’t have time to practice. If she ever decides on an ECV, have one delivered to the room and have her practice quite a bit in an open area. Also, keeping it on turtle mode makes it much easier to control. I rarely get much over turtle mode and I’ve been using one for many years. The first time, however was terrifying.

 

[tink2424]

Get the Disability Access linked to your account so you can wait your turn out of the heat. The metal on the chair can heat up in FL sun. We used the wait time to take a restroom trip because that can take a while with my daughter.

Just adding a comment that if mobility is your only issue you usually cannot get Disability Access. That is reserved for other disabilities that can't wait in line. Be prepared to wait in the usual line if you have a wheelchair/scooter. It usually isn't too bad and since the person is sitting the wait isn't horrible for them.

 

[tinkerbelletreasure]

For me, the biggest downside to the wheelchair was that my husband was always behind me and it made it much harder to talk and share the magic. But I’ve never regretted getting a chair. I used to tough out the pain and stop every 30 minutes to rest. At night I’d be swollen and painful and usually for several days after we got back. My biggest tip is to have the person in the chair engage with the castmembers. You’ll get asked questions about transferring and stuff at almost every ride. It felt weird when they’d ask my husband instead of me, so I proactively make eye contact and interact with the CMs. And they are really helpful to point you in the right direction if they can see you looking. It made it much smoother for me. I recently purchased an electric wheelchair and I’m looking forward to having that little bit more freedom and the ability to be beside hubby.

 

[disneyseniors]

As a one time WC user, I cannot emphasize how much people think you are invisible while in a WC!!!! This has been mentioned before.
I had a huge linebaker of a man push one of those huge strollers OVER my left foot rest, breaking it in the process (the foot rest, not the foot) I had lifted my left foot up for some reason or it would have been badly broken. He was in a rush to 7DMT. We were at place on Main street that you can turn right and cut through the closed pavilion to get to Tomorrowland and on to 7DMT. My husband, with a bad back himself, had to go to the front of the park and get another WC. The CM there said that, sadly, this was not a rare occurance. We saw him at 7DMT later on.
Other's just don't see you, so please look out for that, and have a great trip.

 

[tink2424]

Thanks, Steve - I appreciate your perspective and the cautionary tale. Given that my mother has never used an electric scooter and that there simply won't be an opportunity to do so prior to the trip, I think we are making the right decision. Between a thick gel cushion for her, good gloves for me, plenty of breaks, and shortened park hours, I think we'll do just fine.

Hey WinstonC, How did your trip go... Did you have any tips from others? Anything work better or was any of the advice not good for your trip?

 

[eeyoreandtink]

I have back issue that limits me from standing or walking for long periods of time. i use an ECV at Disney, but have had to use the courtesy chairs sometimes at rides where the ECV cannot go. I STRONGLY suggest that you use an ECV for your mom if at all possible, especially if she has any orthopedic issues or pain. The wheelchair is a ROUGH ride. I cannot imagine my back handling one all day. I worry that you mom will be miserable within a couple of hours.