WDW w/disability

[hrmom26]

hi all

Since i was last at Disney i was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis now i can walk and so on but i just can't do it for very long periods. has anyone had any experience with going to Disney with a disability like this? what are my options? is a wheelchair my only one? and does any one has any tips on surviving a trip with this disease? i have two children who to be honest have yet to see me in a wheelchair so i am a little hesitant about that i also don't know what kind they have for instance if i needed one and it was a push one i wouldn't most likely be able to push myself with out hurting my hands, elbows, and shoulder joints. So i would end up having to have one of my children do that which i am not so keen on. they are 11 and 14 so not baby's but not really old either lol. i also weirdly enough feel uncomfortable about the wheelchair i am only 35 and i am still adjusting to this myself and my limitations for a single working mother it's not so easy to have to depend on someone else to do things i am so not used to that lol anyway any help anyone can give or advice would be appreciated

thanks

Heather

 

[TinkerChelli]

First of all, I am so sorry to hear about you diag. Disney is one of the best places actually, they will help you..First of all I would call ahead to your resort where you are staying and ask them if they can have one of those electric scooters waiting for you. Those are your best options. I can tell you this there are many people at Disney without any disablilties who rent them because they are just plain lazy to walk. In your case I would definately do this and also, you can inquire about priority seating for most rides, (which means you get to the front of the line no standing and waiting) if not you will be put in a comfortable seating with your family. Please take advantage of these options while at Disney. I love to see people who have true issues going to Disney and take them up on these offers. You totally deserve this...Please call the Hotel and inquire about this they will be more than happy to help you and your family.
I hope this helps out some, if you need anything else please email me..I would love to help more in any way I can.
Have a great day and enjoy your trip down with your family :wave:Tinkerchelli
Oh yes also before I forget let the Hotel know this also, they will try hard to get you a room that is not too far walking distance from the front of the Hotel....

 

[hrmom26]

First of all, I am so sorry to hear about you diag. Disney is one of the best places actually, they will help you..First of all I would call ahead to your resort where you are staying and ask them if they can have one of those electric scooters waiting for you. Those are your best options. I can tell you this there are many people at Disney without any disablilties who rent them because they are just plain lazy to walk. In your case I would definately do this and also, you can inquire about priority seating for most rides, (which means you get to the front of the line no standing and waiting) if not you will be put in a comfortable seating with your family. Please take advantage of these options while at Disney. I love to see people who have true issues going to Disney and take them up on these offers. You totally deserve this...Please call the Hotel and inquire about this they will be more than happy to help you and your family.
I hope this helps out some, if you need anything else please email me..I would love to help more in any way I can.
Have a great day and enjoy your trip down with your family :wave:Tinkerchelli
Oh yes also before I forget let the Hotel know this also, they will try hard to get you a room that is not too far walking distance from the front of the Hotel....

thank you i will for sure call ahead and talk to them i am most likely staying at ASmovies i loved it last time and i think if memory serves the toy story buildings are not only close to the main hall but the bus stops so i will be doing the priority thing and asking to be put there instead on fantasia.

heather

 

[swimmom]

My MIL went with us in 2007. She has arthritis & back problems and it can be difficult for her to stand & walk for lengthy periods of time. By the third day, she was ready to rent an ECV. From our experience, there was no "front of the line" at any attraction. If the queue was not accessible with the ECV, we were directed to either the fastpass line (which sometimes is not that fast) or a seperate entrance, where we waited until there were quite a few people who had accessibility needs or until the next group of people enter a theater.

I would highly recommend that you rent an ECV. If you feel that you need one for your entire visit including the resort there are a few vendors that you can arrange for delivery to your resort. If you feel that you can manage at the resort you can rent at the major parks. We had no problems with availability at any of the parks even when arriving an hour or so after opening. When I made our reservations, I requested rooms close to an elevator so that she didn't have lots of walking at the resort. Disney is very good about room requests that are based on medical needs.

 

[TinkerChelli]

your welcome. I pretty sure you are correct about the toy story bldgs. being nearby to the main check in area bldg.
All buses will accomdate you too, don't worry everyone is happy there and no one will ever make you feel disable ever. Go and Enjoy ok.
~Lucille~

thank you i will for sure call ahead and talk to them i am most likely staying at ASmovies i loved it last time and i think if memory serves the toy story buildings are not only close to the main hall but the bus stops so i will be doing the priority thing and asking to be put there instead on fantasia.

heather

 

[shellydiaz]

I am in the exact same situation!

Thank you for posting! I am also 35 with 2 children (ages 6 and 8). I have severe RA and I am taking the kids now because my mobility is decreasing at an alarming rate. I am afraid I won't be able to do much with them in the future. I also, look perfectly normal and fear the "looks" and judgements from others. I just want to take my kids and have a great time. I know I will need some sort of wheelchair at some point in our trip, based on how much walking/standing. I don't want my children to see me like that either. I try to make them think I am very normal. I needed this info, thank you for posting and GOOD LUCK!! I hope you have a great time.
Shelly

 

[hrmom26]

Thank you for posting! I am also 35 with 2 children (ages 6 and 8). I have severe RA and I am taking the kids now because my mobility is decreasing at an alarming rate. I am afraid I won't be able to do much with them in the future. I also, look perfectly normal and fear the "looks" and judgments from others. I just want to take my kids and have a great time. I know I will need some sort of wheelchair at some point in our trip, based on how much walking/standing. I don't want my children to see me like that either. I try to make them think I am very normal. I needed this info, thank you for posting and GOOD LUCK!! I hope you have a great time.
Shelly

your welcome! you hit it right on the head as i feel i "look" perfectly normal but i am so not and like you i feel my mobility if fast coming to a slow halt the things i took for granted like folding laundry and doing dishes are now a major chore and like you i have tried very hard to keep the extent of my issues from my kids. i'm very worried about there reactions to me in a wheel chair i may rent a ecv because they may think thats fun as apposed to scary. kids no matter what the age look at there parents as indestructible and i have no wish to change that at such an early age.

heather

 

[lovepooh]

I went to disney in 07' and had a slipped disk so it made it hard to get around. I actually rented a scotter with and outside company that dropped it off at my hotel before we arrived and picked it up when we checked out. It was tons easier getting around the parks with it. However We stayed at the CBR and it fit in the room well enough, but getting it on busess was quite a hassle to be honest. There were times we couldn't make a certain bus because there is only room for 2 scooters and if there was somone on there already we had to wait till there was a bus with room on it.

If I need a scotter again for this trip I will try to get one at the parks. I am much like you its not that I cant walk its that long distances aggravated my slipped disk and it makes it extremely painful to walk and enjoy the park.

As I side note I went with my kids on the scotter and it turned out just fine!

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Beccone]

We went last August and got a GAC, I brought 2 notes, one from my son's main pediatrician and one from a behaviorial psychologist that he was getting treatment at from John Hopkins. I was never asked for either note from the CM who gave me the pass on our first day. I was however asked about his limitations, he's autistic so I explained basically what the letters said, that waiting in long lines may be an issue for him and anything they (Disney) could do to ease our trip would be appreciated. My son also uses a walker to walk, he is unable to walk without assisstance. When I called guest relations before our trip to ask about the GAC the CM told me that just because he was handicapped didn't neccesarily mean he qualified for the pass, so to make sure I told the CM at the park about my son's condition. I don't know if they have different levels of the GAC but just make sure you are clear about your limitations when you talk to the CM. We ended up not having a problem getting the pass and it worked out wonderfully. But like another person said the pass does not mean you will never have to wait. For instance when we rode Toy Story Mania, once we went through the main fastpass line, you could either go to the left up a few stairs or to the right where the handicap loading area was. We went to the handicap line of course which was slower than the other line because there are only a few handicap accessable cars for the ride. I'm sure you'll have a great time, Disney is wonderful about making everyone enjoys the park. Our visit went so well we are going back this August!

 

[DisneyMom4]

thank you i will for sure call ahead and talk to them i am most likely staying at ASmovies i loved it last time and i think if memory serves the toy story buildings are not only close to the main hall but the bus stops so i will be doing the priority thing and asking to be put there instead on fantasia.

heather

Heather,

I'm glad that you're getting good information here. Your trip will be all the better for it.

When you book your hotel room please have them note your needs on your reservation (ground floor room certainly due to ECV use). Also, you can call Special Reservations at 407-939-7807. This group of people help to assure that specific accessibility requests are taken care of (such at TTY phones, grab bars and the like).

One thing to consider when requesting a hotel room is handicap accessibility. A handicap accessible room usually means a roll-in shower and larger toilet area (to accommodate wheelchairs and mobility devices). This means no tub. Sometimes with children a tub is a great thing. However, you know your needs the best. A walk-in shower may be better for your hips and knees than a tub.

Have a great time!

 

[hrmom26]

Heather,

I'm glad that you're getting good information here. Your trip will be all the better for it.

When you book your hotel room please have them note your needs on your reservation (ground floor room certainly due to ECV use). Also, you can call Special Reservations at 407-939-7807. This group of people help to assure that specific accessibility requests are taken care of (such at TTY phones, grab bars and the like).

One thing to consider when requesting a hotel room is handicap accessibility. A handicap accessible room usually means a roll-in shower and larger toilet area (to accommodate wheelchairs and mobility devices). This means no tub. Sometimes with children a tub is a great thing. However, you know your needs the best. A walk-in shower may be better for your hips and knees than a tub.

Have a great time!

thanks for the number i will use it i am going to ask to be put in the toy story building and as someone else mentioned next to the elevator. as far as the tub/rollin shower is concerned i actually use it more than my kids lol they use the shower but i like a bath, you see the pain is caused in part by inflammation and swelling of my joints so a nice long soak with epsom salts helps me after a long day. you all are giving me such great suggestions thanks i have started a notebook and am actually writing them all down lol so i won't forget !!

heather

 

[agravette]

Thanks so much for all the great info! I had been wondering, too, whether I should get a wheelchair or scooter for our trip in October. I have lupus and get fatigued really quickly, and I also have arthritis in my feet, hips, and knees. We went last year, but I was on high doses of steroids, and even then I could barely manage it. I'm hoping to be on less medication this year, but like the two of you, I look normal and just didn't want people wondering why I was in a wheelchair. However, I got to thinking, I paid for this trip and I want to enjoy it, so I'm going to do whatever I need to do to be comfortable for myself, my two children, and my husband. So, just ask for what you need and look out for yourself. That's what I'm going to do! Good luck and have an awesome day!:wave:

 

[DisneyWall-E]

When my family was there last christmas my grandparents came with us. They are both able to walk but not able to do it for a long time. We decided to rent them moterized wheelchairs. I looked around for a bit and found a good price at Buena Vista Scooters. It was cheaper than getting them from the parks, which they may run out of before you get there. Also, when you rent from them they deliver the chairs to your resort and pick them up at the end of your trip. And they got to keep them at the resorts so they could ride them right on to the busses. They said those scooters were a life saver.

 

[toystory 3]

This reminds me of the time I drove my friend from West Texas to Disney World and got there and he told me he wouldnt be able to walk because of his knee injury. So I pushed him around the whole time and we had a blast. Everyone is so kind and it is extremely accessible. I know that you will have a great time.

 

[hrmom26]

hi all

i started this thread a while back lol and i wanted to resurrect it since i am finally booking the trip and i have a question

fantasmic

i have read the show has a wait time of like an hour there is no way i can stand that long so my question do they have a separate entrance for disabled? most likely i will either be in a wheel chair of motorized chair. is there a separate entrance or should i get the dinner package so i can get seated quicker?

thanks
heather