First Disney Experience with a Wheelchair - advise

[Ripken10]

Heading to Disney this fall with a small group, and it is looking like at least one of us will need a wheel chair. This will be the first time we have ever gone when someone needed a wheelchair (or had any issues really). My mother is joining us, and she just had emergency bypass surgery, and will likely still have a large time getting around without a wheel chair. I broke my foot, and while I am hopeful I will be ok by then, I find out in the next 2 weeks if it requires surgery.

Any advise on how to plan it with a wheelchair?

- best place to get a wheel chair (cost is going to be a factor, and might not need it all the time, hopefully only need it for parks)
- does anybody give discounts on wheel chairs for anything - Visa, DVC (I doubt it, but thought it would be good to ask)
- I know next to nothing about wheel chair access to rides, or the system that they use for it -- who do I contact about that? What is it, and how does it work?

Any thoughts is great, especially personal experience. Links are ok too if it is information that is useful, but especially like personal experience and thoughts. Thanks

 

[JIMINYCR]

A few rides are w/c accessible and you can stay in them, but most arent. You have to transfer out to ride and the w/c will be waiting for you at the end of the ride. The park maps show which ones. Guest Services at Disney has a guide for disabled guests, and there are guide books available in stores also that are helpful. All the buildings and sidewalks are ramped for access but when there are crowds for parades it can be tight and slow maneuvering to get anywhere. The buses , monorail and boats are also accessible. Some restrooms are better set up for w/c users than others. Disney has done a great job making guests in w/c's feel welcome and have access to everything on property.

 

[Ripken10]

A few rides are w/c accessible and you can stay in them, but most arent. You have to transfer out to ride and the w/c will be waiting for you at the end of the ride. The park maps show which ones. Guest Services at Disney has a guide for disabled guests, and there are guide books available in stores also that are helpful. All the buildings and sidewalks are ramped for access but when there are crowds for parades it can be tight and slow maneuvering to get anywhere. The buses , monorail and boats are also accessible. Some restrooms are better set up for w/c users than others. Disney has done a great job making guests in w/c's feel welcome and have access to everything on property.

Thanks....I don't think either of us will be required to be on the wheelchair on rides, but at least one of us (my mom) may need to be in it when in line for rides as she wouldn't be able to stand for long periods of time.

 

[BAChicagoGal]

The parks rent wheelchairs for $12 a day. However, the wheelchair must stay in the park. I'm considering one for myself on my up and coming trip, due to the amount of standing that I might have to do on a trip. The wheelchair sometimes goes right in the line with you, and that is definitely a help in the longer lines. A few days ago, I looked at one of my old park maps from my last trip, and it does show right on there by each attraction listing the wheelchair/ECV directions.

 

[bethymouse]

My Mom has used "courtesy" wheelchairs at resorts before, but we've had to return them after we got her to the room. I would rent one from an off-site provider. Have you ever considered renting an ECV instead of a wheelchair? They may also be rented off-site, and they are delivered to your hotel. We used Walker Mobility, but there are many other approved Disney rentals... just "google" it.

 

[anchorman314]

It sounds like your mom would benefit from renting a wheelchair from one of the Disney Featured Providers. These companies are authorized by Disney to deliver wheelchairs and scooters directly to a hotel, so it is waiting for you upon check-in. (If you're not staying on-site, I believe one of the companies is located in front of / near the Boardwalk.) This way, you will have the chair for the walk from the buses to the front gates.

We've used Buena Vista Scooters and were very satisfied with the service and cost.

If you do go the in-park rental route, two things to keep in mind. First, there aren't always courtesy chairs available at the bus stops to get you to the rental locations. Second, you can do the $12/day fee, or pre-pay for a certain number of days and only pay $10/day.

 

[BAChicagoGal]

I have question about renting a wheelchair. If you rent one in the morning, and then return to your hotel for a midday break, what happens to the chair that you return? Do they hold it for you until you come back to the same park, or is it returned to the inventory for rentable wheelchairs, which then allows that chair to be rented by someone else?

 

[rob0519]

Wheelchairs are $12.00 per day. This is good for the entire calendar day across all parks. Example: Rent a wheel chair in the morning at MK. Save your receipt. Turn in the chair when you leave the park and yes, it is returned to inventory. Later in the day when you return to MK or any of the other 3 parks simply show your receipt and you will be given another chair. You will get a different chair each time.

As someone else posted there are supposed to be courtesy chairs to get you from the parking lot to the park and from the park back to the parking lot, but they are not always available.

Additionally, it is quite difficult to rent a wheelchair at Disney Springs. When we were there we were told there are only a few rentals and there is not only the $12.00 fee, but unlike the parks a deposit of $50 as well.

 

[BAChicagoGal]

What are the chances that if you return at say 6 o'clock after taking a break, that there will be no chairs available.? I can see myself needing a chair more in the evening hours than in the daytime hours, and it would be a real damper if I depended on one, and one was not available. I guess that's the chance you take.

 

[tsesow]

Our experience:
My wife had two different experiences, a broken foot just before our WDW trip and a sprained ankle just before our Disneyland trip.

At WDW, we flew in and purchased a new wheel chair at Wahlgreens on the way in from the airport. After we got back home, we sold it on EBay for $50 less (not a bad price and we had the wheel chair at the airport when leaving). In hindsight, I would have purchased at home, since the airline will take it at the gate. Walking from airplane to rental car at the airport was VERY slow. At the park was pretty easy, you can use Handicapped parking even without a sticker (we were directly told that the first day when we parked in a regular lot at Magic Kingdom).
Transferring at rides was slow since we didn't bring crutches too, but Disney is very helpful, but wear your boot on your foot so that everyone knows you are really needing the wheelchair. If you don't have a boot, consider getting one just to advertise your truthful need for a wheelchair.

At Disneyland, we rented an electric scooter at the hotel (provided by a contract service but charged to our room). The front desk gave us a room in Grand Californian at a corner, so there was plenty of room in the hallway for the scooter and a wallplug to charge it with.

 

[DisAl]

If you can't carry one with you I agree with the people who suggest renting one from an outside source that you will have full time.
We had a similar situation. My 87 year old mother can get around short distances, but in no way could handle the average 7.5 miles walking per day. It can be a long walk from your room to the buss stops and it can be a LONG walk from the buss stops to the parks (at Epcot in particular). The bus drivers are extremely accommodating for people who need wheelchairs. (Do offer to transfer if you can though.) It can also be quite a long walk in the resorts from your room to the restaurants, so having a wheelchair available full time can be a real plus.
Two other tips; 1 - Take along a bag that can hang on the back of the wheelchair to carry your water bottles, etc. 2- Put some sort of large name tag on your chair, and put some "flagging tape" on the chair to make it easy to spot when you come off the rides. Cast members often have to rearrange the stroller and wheelchair parking areas.
The bottom line is that without a wheelchair we would not have covered a third of what we were able to do with the wheelchair. The biggest negative is you have to be extra careful not to run over the idiots who will step right in front of you.

 

[DisAl]

For us it was definitely wheelchair and not scooter. We don't have enough liability insurance to cover my mother driving a scooter.

 

[Donfan]

Another extremely important aspect of using wheelchairs in the parks has to do with pushing the chairs around. I always tell my grandkids, when they want to push grandma's chair, that the pusher is completely responsible for the actions of the chair. If you run into someone, it is the pusher's fault, regardless of the circumstances. You must be able to come to a complete stop at all times, even when someone steps right in front of you, which they will do. I never let a friend of ours push the wheelchair because all she wants to do is go fast and get to the next attraction quickly. Go slowly, and everything with be much more enjoyable for everyone.

 

[DisAl]

Donfan, you are correct. It is just like on the highway; it doesn't matter if someone cuts in front of you and hits the brakes, if you rear-end them you are still responsible. And, just like on the highway you have to watch out for people who are not paying attention. That being said, if you have a member of your group who can't handle the miles of walking at the parks, get a wheelchair. Everybody will have a much better time.

 

[The Mom]

As others have mentioned, it might be cheaper to buy one and bring it with you. There are some very light-weight folding ones for sale.
I was able to borrow one from my church - they have a closet where people have donated wheelchairs, canes, crutches, commodes, etc when no longer needed. It might even be cheaper to rent one from a medical supply company and return it later.

Or, use the company that delivers to your resort as mentioned above.

 

[rob0519]

What are the chances that if you return at say 6 o'clock after taking a break, that there will be no chairs available.? I can see myself needing a chair more in the evening hours than in the daytime hours, and it would be a real damper if I depended on one, and one was not available. I guess that's the chance you take.

Our son needs a chair in the parks. In over 30 visits over 20 years we have always been able to get a wheelchair in any park at any time of day in July, August and December. We've not visited in any other months. There is obviously a finite number of wheelchairs, but we've never had a problem. I have seen the parks run out of ECVs during the really peak months.

 

[Nemo14]

We rented one when I was in a boot just so I'd have it when needed. If I remember right it was slightly cheaper to rent it for multiple days rather than each day, but that may well have changed by now. Also, it isn't always possible to get one once you get past the exit gates, and frankly, that's when you need it the most. I'd say to either buy or borrow one before you go, or rent one from one of the off-site companies so that you'll have it all the time.

 

[rob0519]

A few more tips or warnings.
* Watch out for the trolley tracks on Main St. in the Magic Kingdom. It's really easy to push a wheel into the groove. Stay closer to the sidewalk if possible.
* There are a lot of subtle elevation changes in the parks. Be prepared to push harder uphill and hold on tighter to slow down going down hill.
* Many attractions have steeper ramps than they appear. It's a Small World, Space Mountain, Soarin' and the ramps at the MK, TTC and EPCOT monorail stops are the worst in my opinion. If you're stuck in a crowd on an incline up or down be sure to use the brake lever when standing still.

 

[DisAl]

A few more tips or warnings.
* Watch out for the trolley tracks on Main St. in the Magic Kingdom. It's really easy to push a wheel into the groove. Stay closer to the sidewalk if possible.
* There are a lot of subtle elevation changes in the parks. Be prepared to push harder uphill and hold on tighter to slow down going down hill.
* Many attractions have steeper ramps than they appear. It's a Small World, Space Mountain, Soarin' and the ramps at the MK, TTC and EPCOT monorail stops are the worst in my opinion. If you're stuck in a crowd on an incline up or down be sure to use the brake lever when standing still.

It is not real obvious but there is an elevator at the Epcot monorail station.

 

[BAChicagoGal]

One of the killer walking experiences for me are the ramps up/down at the monorail stations. I remember when my husband and I stayed at the Polynesian back in 1997, we rode the monorail the first day, but then once he discovered the boat, we always used that over to the Magic Kingdom.

I can see both the advantages and disadvantages of wheelchairs/ECV's at the parks. Some people need them 24/7, and some do not. Personally, I don't understand why the themeparks don't have more benches everywhere. Especially at the bus stops. It can be a real pain standing on one's feet after a long day in the park waiting for a bus back to one's hotel.