Wheelchairs

[jott3]

I hurt my foot about 8 weeks ago and my cruise is in two weeks. I am thinking I may have to either reschedule the cruise *sigh* or use a wheelchair onboard. I can get up and walk with a special boot and cane, but not for long distances yet.

So, how difficult is it to get around the ships in a wheelchair? Will it be a problem in the dining rooms, shows or elsewhere? What about for the safety drill and ports of call, especially the tenders on Grand Cayman?

I have heard you should rent a wheelchair from an outside company if you need it the whole week. Is this true? Any suggestions?

If anyone has had to deal with this problem before, did you still have fun?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Talking Hands]

I would rent from an outside vendor to be sure I had it. When I cruised I was able to get my wheelchair provider ( I have a power wheelchair) to lend me a manual wheelchair. Never again. Next trip power wheelchair goes with me. DH was a terrible pusher and I never knew what he was saying because he was behind me.

 

[Leia's Mom]

I have travelled with my mom on 2 Disney cruises. She has several other issues (she is a stroke patient); however, we have tried several different vacations. Disney cruises are the easiest for us. Having said that, there are a few challenges.

First, it is VERY difficult to get elevators during peak travel season. Many people do not think to take the stairs in order to let a wheelchair on. It is not uncommon to have to leave for dinner quite early in order to catch an elevator in time for dinner.

Second, a handicap room is quite useful. They are large with good sized balconies (assuming you have a balcony). Having said that, all of the balcony rooms have the metal rail instead of the plexiglass. That doesn't bother me, but it may affect others.

Third, seating at the shows is acceptable; however, it is at the very rear of the theater. That may not appeal to some.

A number of the stops are not wheelchair accessible. I am not aware of a single excursion offered through Disney that is wheelchair accessible. With there being no ADA in many of the islands, it can be challenging to get around.

Having said all of that, we have a blast when we go on a Disney cruise. However, for us, there is no option of waiting a few weeks to reschedule. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[scrapperjill]

Seeing that you are able to walk some..just not for long distances at this time...I would think you would be alright. Disney is able to make some accomidations for you...ie dinner (making sure your able to get to your table). The dinning areas are large and although we didn't sit way in the back at any time...there was always plenty of room to get around...note we were not in a w/c..but walking wise we had plenty of room...no chairs or table in the way.
The hallways and common areas are also large enough to get around in as are all the decks. Like the previous poster noted...the elevators can be a big hassle. We opted to use the stair about 99% of the time...simpley because they (the elevators) are slow..and not very big at all. I think the forward and aft elevators are easer to use than the mid ship elevators...with the aft ones being less used...between the three sets...but thats JMO.
I could see where getting around from deck to deck could be one of your biggest problems.

And from reading other posts on w/c...you have to rent one from an outside comany because DCL does not supply them...or have any on hand. They do however have some for use at CC....with big sand wheels to get around on the beach.

 

[dclfun]

There is also w/c seating at the front of the Walt Disney theater for the shows ( movie theater seating is in the back only) but you need to arrive early so someone can bring you down there. Kathy

 

[kaykels]

are you able to use crutches for short walks?

 

[DISJen]

That's a tough decisions to make. My husband hurt his foot while on board so we had to use one of their wc's the second half of the cruise. It was basically a pain, but a necessity. The long hallways with rooms were hard to navigate. They're hardly wide enough. There was always a cleaning cart of something in the isle, and we couldn't just fit around it. We always had to move stuff. We got so we would go out of our way to avoid going down the halls if we could which required extra time. You may want to check how far your room is from the elevators. Yes, the elevators were also a tight squeeze. Only enough room for the chair and maybe 1-3 other people. If you can hobble around, you may find it easier, use the chair for only going one end of the ship to the other. There's also no place to store the chair in the room. We had to fold it up just to get it through the doorway and then shoved it b/n the bed and the wall but it still stuck out in the walkway. We had to shuffle around it all the time. Everything was a lot of work, but again, a necessity and I'm not complaining. I'm not trying to be a downer, just giving you our experience. If none of the extra considerations bother you that much, then go. But, if you're concerned, you may get your full money's worth of enjoyment another time when you can fully enjoy everything. You're lucky enough to have that choice.