Oy. I might be "That Guy."

[kalel8145]

I wouldn't even sweat it. If you are like us, we only get to go once every few years. Its Disney World. Do what you need to to enjoy it. If anyone has an issue, you probably will never see them again anyway.

 

[Britt]

No judgement from me! I have never cared who uses/needs/wants a wheelchair or EVC, ever! None of my business and not my experience to worry about!

Do what you need to do! Focus on making memories with you and your family and don't worry yourself with other peoples lack of compassion and their ignorance! That's their problem!

 

[Gig 'Em Mickey]

Do you know of the people? Are you every going to see them? Would you want to be friends with people that would do what you're worried about?

Then I wouldn't give a about what they think. If anybody says something tell them to go pound sand.

 

[WondersOfLife]

The guy that looks like he doesn't need any assistance like a wheelchair, but does and then provokes the ire of everyone around him for "cheating the system."

hey where did you get your wheelchair, loser I want to cut in line too, etc. Wow, you sure got out of that wheelchair easy, jerk, too good to wait in line with the rest of us?

So who cares? They may think of you as a lying jerk, you may think of them is ignorant jerks. It can work both ways.

 

[Pixie VaVoom]

The guy that looks like he doesn't need any assistance like a wheelchair, but does and then provokes the ire of everyone around him for "cheating the system."
I've been diagnosed as having a herniated disc, L3-L4. It's irritating the nerve that runs down my right leg. It's a bit like sciatica. It often feels like something is reaching in my leg and yanking up on it. I can be just standing and then all of a sudden need to lift my right leg like a flamingo. For the past few weeks it's been practically all-consuming. Just agony. I'm seeing a pain specialist and chiropractor and acupuncturist. Apparently, despite decent blood pressure and a low pulse, I am a ball of tension and can relax to the point where a chiropractic adjustment can take the pressure off that nerve to stop the pain in my leg.

I received a painkiller injection last week. I could get another, though a side effect is a raise in my blood sugar; I can be practically on an atkins diet and still have higher blood sugar than I ought to have. So I'm trying to exercise as much as I can (which isn't much) to strengthen my core and make it easier to get the back-crack I need to get to stop irritating the nerve.

The insult to injury - it hurts to pick up and hold my children. To say No, I can't pick you up Daddy's back hurts, to a 2 year old, is like saying I reject you and withhold love from you. Lot of tears in the house until I can get to a couch or on the floor and give hugs.

On top of all this, we're planning our WDW trip. At this point, never mind the kids, *I'VE* been looking forward to this trip too much to cancel it. Even with the 20 hour drive, I won't let this get in the way of going. But I worry that the standing in line is going to be agony if the injected painkiller starts wearing off. If that happens, my doctors told me I should get a wheelchair, plus then my 2 year old can at least be on my lap which will take pressure off my back versus standing and holding her. But I can already hear the comments from other guests - I'm not in a cast, my legs are attached to my body, I show no outside symptoms of injury, no shaking, no nerve damage bending my leg in unnatural ways, etc. Therefore I must be faking it for sympathy and line cutting privileges (yeah, I know, FP+, you still wait, blah blah blah, it's all perception vs reality), hey where did you get your wheelchair, loser I want to cut in line too, etc. Wow, you sure got out of that wheelchair easy, jerk, too good to wait in line with the rest of us?

I gotta get better. Either that or a fake cast so I "look the part."

IMHO - you also need to go to Guest Services on your first entry into the Parks and get a Guest Assistance Card. You have paid good cash money for this trip and you need top get some benefit out of it !! With this injury your family will not be doing the "90 to nothing" Disney Commndo Route - you are going to need to take it slow and easy. The GAC Card will allow you to have the CM at the attraction assign you a ride time, you go sit down and take your meds and keep the weight off of the back, until time to return and ride.

You use GAC because you need it - if you are healed up the next time you visit WDW, then you won't need it !!

 

[Lucky]

So who cares? They may think of you as a lying jerk, you may think of them is ignorant jerks. It can work both ways.

Wow, that sounds magical. I still think it's better not to think of them at all.

 

[WondersOfLife]

Wow, that sounds magical. I still think it's better not to think of them at all.

That too. But you know you're gonna.

 

[LAKid53]

If you need a scooter or wheel chair, then rent one. If folks give you grief or that look, just respond, "the doctor said it would take weeks for me to heal from my _______ (your surgery of choice) and I didn't want the kids to miss their Disney vacation." They will think - what a Dad!

After stupidly injuring the heal on my foot during one of our trips, I was considering renting a scooter. Until my adult daughter said she would ride it with me.

 

[Cubfan300]

The guy that looks like he doesn't need any assistance like a wheelchair, but does and then provokes the ire of everyone around him for "cheating the system."
I've been diagnosed as having a herniated disc, L3-L4. It's irritating the nerve that runs down my right leg. It's a bit like sciatica. It often feels like something is reaching in my leg and yanking up on it. I can be just standing and then all of a sudden need to lift my right leg like a flamingo. For the past few weeks it's been practically all-consuming. Just agony. I'm seeing a pain specialist and chiropractor and acupuncturist. Apparently, despite decent blood pressure and a low pulse, I am a ball of tension and can relax to the point where a chiropractic adjustment can take the pressure off that nerve to stop the pain in my leg.

I received a painkiller injection last week. I could get another, though a side effect is a raise in my blood sugar; I can be practically on an atkins diet and still have higher blood sugar than I ought to have. So I'm trying to exercise as much as I can (which isn't much) to strengthen my core and make it easier to get the back-crack I need to get to stop irritating the nerve.

The insult to injury - it hurts to pick up and hold my children. To say No, I can't pick you up Daddy's back hurts, to a 2 year old, is like saying I reject you and withhold love from you. Lot of tears in the house until I can get to a couch or on the floor and give hugs.

On top of all this, we're planning our WDW trip. At this point, never mind the kids, *I'VE* been looking forward to this trip too much to cancel it. Even with the 20 hour drive, I won't let this get in the way of going. But I worry that the standing in line is going to be agony if the injected painkiller starts wearing off. If that happens, my doctors told me I should get a wheelchair, plus then my 2 year old can at least be on my lap which will take pressure off my back versus standing and holding her. But I can already hear the comments from other guests - I'm not in a cast, my legs are attached to my body, I show no outside symptoms of injury, no shaking, no nerve damage bending my leg in unnatural ways, etc. Therefore I must be faking it for sympathy and line cutting privileges (yeah, I know, FP+, you still wait, blah blah blah, it's all perception vs reality), hey where did you get your wheelchair, loser I want to cut in line too, etc. Wow, you sure got out of that wheelchair easy, jerk, too good to wait in line with the rest of us?

I gotta get better. Either that or a fake cast so I "look the part."

It is as if we are mirror images of one another. We leave in 57 days and I am in physical therapy 3 days a week to be able to just stand still without my left leg going completely numb and then in complete agony when I finally start walking.
Hope you find relief before you go and here's wishing you a great trip!

 

[slappy magoo]

It is as if we are mirror images of one another. We leave in 57 days and I am in physical therapy 3 days a week to be able to just stand still without my left leg going completely numb and then in complete agony when I finally start walking.
Hope you find relief before you go and here's wishing you a great trip!

The same to you and to everyone else trying to heal up!

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

Hope you heal quickly. My brother had to have surgery in his lower back two weeks before our trip due to herniated discs that weren't responding to non surgical treatments.

 

[Laura]

I've had to use a wheelchair in the parks for the first time ever this year. I have a baby due in a couple weeks and have gone to either Disneyland or WDW every month of this pregnancy. When I went at 7 months along, the group I was with did all of Legoland and Epcot in one day, which is miles of walking. I used a wheelchair because it was just way too far for me to manage in the heat and I didn't feel like being swollen and in pain, nor did I want to slow down my group of able-bodied friends. Then a couple weeks ago we went to DHS (8+ months pregnant). I got a wheelchair again because every time I tried to walk I would start having contractions, and I didn't care to give birth in a theme park.

No one ever gave me a dirty look or judged me, even though I was sure they would and I was super embarrassed at first. I never used the chair to skip lines, though. I only used it to get from point A to point B, then got out and walked, so maybe that made a difference. People mostly just mind their own business!

 

[slappy magoo]

I've had to use a wheelchair in the parks for the first time ever this year. I have a baby due in a couple weeks and have gone to either Disneyland or WDW every month of this pregnancy. When I went at 7 months along, the group I was with did all of Legoland and Epcot in one day, which is miles of walking. I used a wheelchair because it was just way too far for me to manage in the heat and I didn't feel like being swollen and in pain, nor did I want to slow down my group of able-bodied friends. Then a couple weeks ago we went to DHS (8+ months pregnant). I got a wheelchair again because every time I tried to walk I would start having contractions, and I didn't care to give birth in a theme park.

No one ever gave me a dirty look or judged me, even though I was sure they would and I was super embarrassed at first. I never used the chair to skip lines, though. I only used it to get from point A to point B, then got out and walked, so maybe that made a difference. People mostly just mind their own business!

Understood but to be fair at 7 or 8 months pregnant I'm sure most people would see you and get it, versus someone who has no outward evidence of a situation that might require a wheelchair. You'll find plenty of comments in this very forum about people who saw "fakers" who didn't need that wheelchair followed by passionate replies about how some people have limited mobility that let's them stand and walk a bit but not be upright for hours online. I personally don't care a bit what strangers might think of me except if they're mouthy or insulting to me and upset my kids.

 

[Laura]

Understood but to be fair at 7 or 8 months pregnant I'm sure most people would see you and get it, versus someone who has no outward evidence of a situation that might require a wheelchair. You'll find plenty of comments in this very forum about people who saw "fakers" who didn't need that wheelchair followed by passionate replies about how some people have limited mobility that let's them stand and walk a bit but not be upright for hours online. I personally don't care a bit what strangers might think of me except if they're mouthy or insulting to me and upset my kids.

Well, the most recent trip, it was pouring and I had a poncho on, so no one could tell that I was the size of a whale underneath.

 

[slappy magoo]

Well, the most recent trip, it was pouring and I had a poncho on, so no one could tell that I was the size of a whale underneath.

You're forgetting about the glow. THE GLOW!! By the time 7-8 months come around you can see Pregnant Lady Glow from space!

 

[DABIGCHEEZ]

My only comment would be... WTH is Prof Bobo doing in a wheelchair?"

 

[seahawk7]

The guy that looks like he doesn't need any assistance like a wheelchair, but does and then provokes the ire of everyone around him for "cheating the system."
I've been diagnosed as having a herniated disc, L3-L4. It's irritating the nerve that runs down my right leg. It's a bit like sciatica. It often feels like something is reaching in my leg and yanking up on it. I can be just standing and then all of a sudden need to lift my right leg like a flamingo. For the past few weeks it's been practically all-consuming. Just agony. I'm seeing a pain specialist and chiropractor and acupuncturist. Apparently, despite decent blood pressure and a low pulse, I am a ball of tension and can relax to the point where a chiropractic adjustment can take the pressure off that nerve to stop the pain in my leg.

I received a painkiller injection last week. I could get another, though a side effect is a raise in my blood sugar; I can be practically on an atkins diet and still have higher blood sugar than I ought to have. So I'm trying to exercise as much as I can (which isn't much) to strengthen my core and make it easier to get the back-crack I need to get to stop irritating the nerve.

The insult to injury - it hurts to pick up and hold my children. To say No, I can't pick you up Daddy's back hurts, to a 2 year old, is like saying I reject you and withhold love from you. Lot of tears in the house until I can get to a couch or on the floor and give hugs.

On top of all this, we're planning our WDW trip. At this point, never mind the kids, *I'VE* been looking forward to this trip too much to cancel it. Even with the 20 hour drive, I won't let this get in the way of going. But I worry that the standing in line is going to be agony if the injected painkiller starts wearing off. If that happens, my doctors told me I should get a wheelchair, plus then my 2 year old can at least be on my lap which will take pressure off my back versus standing and holding her. But I can already hear the comments from other guests - I'm not in a cast, my legs are attached to my body, I show no outside symptoms of injury, no shaking, no nerve damage bending my leg in unnatural ways, etc. Therefore I must be faking it for sympathy and line cutting privileges (yeah, I know, FP+, you still wait, blah blah blah, it's all perception vs reality), hey where did you get your wheelchair, loser I want to cut in line too, etc. Wow, you sure got out of that wheelchair easy, jerk, too good to wait in line with the rest of us?

I gotta get better. Either that or a fake cast so I "look the part."

Try reflexology from an experienced practitioner. It works. Eastern medicine is often better in many cases.

 

[seahawk7]

Thanks all. Were it just me alone, or just my wife and me, I wouldn't care as much. As you may have noticed with my time here, I don't mind the occasional confrontation if I think I'm in the right
But I don't want my kids having to deal with comments from strangers, and as we all know, there's no shortage of pantloads anywhere on Earth even at WDW.

I hope you and your family enjoy your trip. I know it can be hard when it comes to our kids and wanting to protect them from jerks. But your kids are probably equally as protective of you and will stand proud by you if people are jerks. Kids are resilient and strong and they love you. The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree.

 

[Tinkerbell 8]

When I was 16 I had to use a wheelchair in Disney as I recently suffered an injury in gymnastics that resulted in permanent nerve damage in my knee and back. Disney was wonderful and very accommodating, just be prepared to hear very rude comments from other guests. People let their children run into me and told me I need to watch where I'm going, on the bus back to our resort people said I was taking up too much room in my wheelchair and I shouldn't be allowed on the bus, I was called a faker and lazy, all of these comments were by adults. It really upsetting and in the beginning I was regretting going to Disney when I was hurt instead of postponing the trip, but one night my dad told me to just ignore everyone and just remember that I was in Disney and everything would be okay, after that I had a great time.

 

[FettFan]

I was "that guy" once.

At Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor.