Won't wear shoes

[jeremeyp]

Heading to WDW at the beginning of June. I've got experience with DAS with my son, but on this trip I will also have my fiancée's daughter with cerebral palsy. She uses a wheelchair and DOES NOT like shoes. Will that be a problem? She has to be picked up to be put in any ride vehicles so she won't be stepping anywhere.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Heading to WDW at the beginning of June. I've got experience with DAS with my son, but on this trip I will also have my fiancée's daughter with cerebral palsy. She uses a wheelchair and DOES NOT like shoes. Will that be a problem? She has to be picked up to be put in any ride vehicles so she won't be stepping anywhere.

can not say for Disney but at small park I work at no shoes no ride even if they are nonwalkers. she may not be stepping but her foot is on the ride and touching the ride vehicle. so yes I would expect it to be a problem unless she is just going to watch everyone else from her chair

 

[herrmannpt]

Would she tolerate a water sock? They are basically like a very thin water shoe. Have a sole but are extremely light weight. They would be easy to slip on and off, so she could just wear them for the duration of the ride. There are lots of different ones on Amazon and they are pretty cheap.

 

[SirDuff]

Not sure about exceptions, but rules state that shoes must be worn.




https://www.disneyworld.eu/park-rules/

 

[SueM in MN]

The general rule is that shoes are required.
I don’t know if they would make exceptions, but I’d highly recommend she wear some foot covering on her feet, even if it’s not traditional shoes.

My youngest daughter has cerebral palsy and we do need to transfer her onto rides that don’t have a wheelchair car.
- when transferring, it’s very easy to hit feet and legs on the sides of the ride vehicle doorways

- the ride vehicle floors are dirty - obviously, people are getting on with shoes they have been walking around the parks with. If it’s raining/has rained, the floor may also be wet or damp

- some ride car floors are not smooth, they have a little bit of rough surface to make them more non-slip

Some of the young ladies in my daughter’s wheelchair dance class didn’t like to wear shoes. In some cases, it was the feel of the shoe (tightness, rough areas, rubbing) and in some cases, their feet had places that protruded out or were not shaped in a way that shoes fit.
Popular types of shoes included water socks or water shoes mentioned by another poster, Muk-Luks, yoga shoes or slippers/slipper socks. Just make sure they are secure and won’t slip off during transfers.

 

[jeremeyp]

Thanks, everyone. We will figure it out for her.

 

[DisneyOma]

Thanks, everyone. We will figure it out for her.

I suggest talking to her physical therapist, doctor, etc., to see what can be done to get her used to wearing something acceptable on her feet? If she is in school, what do they have her do? Start way before the trip getting her into some kind of routine/reward for wearing whatever it is you find she can tolerate. Good luck and hope you find a comfy fit for her.