Wheelchairs, Scooters, & Mother-Out-Laws - Help!!!

[mickeysaver]

I need help! My honey's mother had a heart attack back in January, 2001. She had quadruple bypass surgery and still has some problems since she is a die hard smoker and has diabetes. In other words, she still isn't in great condition, but she and the rest of my honey's family will be joining us the last day of our trip to tour MK together. Now, she usually uses one of those scooter cart things at Super Target and other stores that offer them. I am guessing that we will need to rent one when we arrive at MK on that Friday. I don't want my "mother-out-law" to be a party pooper due to being pooped. I also don't want this "reunion day" to be any more costly than it looks like it is becoming.

Families......geez.....Anyway.....

1.)How quickly do they run out of the scooters?
2.)How much do they rent for?
3.)If they are out of scooters, can we rent a wheelchair?
4.)How much is wheelchair rental?
5.)Is most of MK accessible from a wheelchair or scooter without much hassle?

Thanks for the info. Mickey

 

[kosherkid411]

My dad is in wheelchair too. His foot is broken permenantly. I think I can sawer you questions.


1.)How quickly do they run out of the scooters?
Pretty quickly, especially if you are going during peak season. Get to the park at least 1/2 hour early.

2.)How much do they rent for?
Around 35 dollars, plus there's a 10 refunable deposit-- in disney dollars
3.)If they are out of scooters, can we rent a wheelchair?
yes

4.)How much is wheelchair rental?
6 dollars with a 1 dollar refunadable

5.)Is most of MK accessible from a wheelchair or scooter without much hassle?
The whole park is accessable. It depends on how much walking she can do if she can walk short distances, she can go on just about everything. Some rides like it's a small world allow you to push the wheelchair dircretly onto the boat. When you ge to the MK go to City Hall and get a disabilities handbook. for some of the rides, you will be able to go through the exits to get her on the ride. Please note though that she can only have three other people gp with her. the rest of the pary must wait in the normal line.

The CM are really good about helping people in wheelchairs. They are very acomadating!

I hope this helps!

 

[CMTinkerBell]

Let me see if I can help you a little bit more...I work in Strollers at AK....
1.)How quickly do they run out of the scooters? I would get there as soon as possible. They are only so many ECV's available, and it's first come, first served.
2.)How much do they rent for? They are $40.00 ($30 rental fee, and $10 key deposit). You get $10 cash (real cash, not Disney Dollars) back once you are done, and return the key and the ECV.
3.)If they are out of scooters, can we rent a wheelchair? Yes.
4.)How much is wheelchair rental? $8.00, and you get $1.00 back and that is a Disney Dollar.
5.)Is most of MK accessible from a wheelchair or scooter without much hassle? It can get crowded...that's would be the only problem I see.

The ECV's are easy to operate. They are walking speed. The receipt for the ECV is transferable to another park for the same day, based on availability. Should you get a regular wheelchair, that receipt is also transferable for the same day. IF you rent the ECV and plan on park hopping, once you are ready to leave one park, have the CM call the park you are headed to, they can check to see if they have an ECV available. If they do, they will hold it for an hour.
Please let me know if there are any other questions!

 

[Tramp]

Originally posted by kosherkid411
Please note though that she can only have three other people gp with her. the rest of the pary must wait in the normal line.

...ARGH...this is a pet peeve of mine...the abuse of wheelchairs by people for the sole purpose of getting on rides without waiting...you see it over and over again...healthy kids jumping out of wheelchairs and into an attraction...leave the wheelchairs and scooters for those guests who need them...

...about the 3 people limit..this is hardly enforced...I've seen entire families file in behind the wheelchair without challenge...

 

[Holly]

You can also rent a scooter from an outside source - Disney reservations was very helpful and gave me a list of 3 different companies to choose from.

The rates are comparable to Disney's - ours is $30 per day - and they're delivering it to the hotel on our day of arrival and will pick it up upon our departure.

Since we're traveling during T'giving and I knew the amount of scooters were limited, I'm thrilled to know that we'll have one that's *ours* (actually, my MIL's) for the entire trip. It's one less thing I have to worry about.

 

[Maria]

Originally posted by Tramp

...about the 3 people limit..this is hardly enforced...I've seen entire families file in behind the wheelchair without challenge...

Not if they encountered ME! :goodnevil
:lol: :animwink: :animwink:

 

[RPMdfw]

?

Originally posted by Tramp



...ARGH...this is a pet peeve of mine...the abuse of wheelchairs by people for the sole purpose of getting on rides without waiting...you see it over and over again...healthy kids jumping out of wheelchairs and into an attraction...leave the wheelchairs and scooters for those guests who need them...

...about the 3 people limit..this is hardly enforced...I've seen entire families file in behind the wheelchair without challenge...

But it sounds to me like his mother in law really does need one, and it didn't sound to me like they're planning on scamming their way onto rides with it . . .

Did I miss something?:veryconfu

 

[Kellylynn322]

Originally posted by Holly
You can also rent a scooter from an outside source - Disney reservations was very helpful and gave me a list of 3 different companies to choose from.

The rates are comparable to Disney's - ours is $30 per day - and they're delivering it to the hotel on our day of arrival and will pick it up upon our departure.

Since we're traveling during T'giving and I knew the amount of scooters were limited, I'm thrilled to know that we'll have one that's *ours* (actually, my MIL's) for the entire trip. It's one less thing I have to worry about.

My future-MIL did this on her trip. It was cheaper than in the park and they dropped it off at her hotel and picked it up when she left. That way you are guaranteed to have a motorized scooter if that is what you really want. When they booked their trip through CRO they gave her a list of people in the area that delivered and their #'s. Good Luck!

 

[Tramp]

Re: ?

Originally posted by RPMdfw


But it sounds to me like his mother in law really does need one, and it didn't sound to me like they're planning on scamming their way onto rides with it . . .

Did I miss something?:veryconfu

Yes, You missed that I wasn't referring to him...I quoted a line from Kosherkid about the number of family members entering an attraction with the wheelchair....please don't put words in my mouth....I was just blowing off steam about people who abuse the wheelchairs, not about people who need them!

The mother-in-law with the heart condition and the dad with the broken foot are all legitimate reasons for using a wheelchair...renting a wheelchair to use as a stroller for heavier kids and then using it to scam your way into an attraction ahead of everyone else puts you into the "SUPER Scumbag" category in my humble opinion.

 

[The Mom]

I have a question. If you rent from an outside source, and the scooter is at your resort, how easy/difficult is it to get it to the parks? Do ALL of the busses/monorails accomodate them? If you're staying offsite, will they fit in your car? Aren't they pretty heavy?

I'm asking because I had promised my mother a trip to WDW this winter, but then she fell and broke her hip! She's advanced to a walker or cane (depending on distance), but may not be up to Disney touring on foot for a while!

 

[Kellylynn322]

Originally posted by The Mom
I have a question. If you rent from an outside source, and the scooter is at your resort, how easy/difficult is it to get it to the parks? Do ALL of the busses/monorails accomodate them? If you're staying offsite, will they fit in your car? Aren't they pretty heavy?

I'm asking because I had promised my mother a trip to WDW this winter, but then she fell and broke her hip! She's advanced to a walker or cane (depending on distance), but may not be up to Disney touring on foot for a while!

My Future-MIL had no problem getting on the busses at the resorts. I think they may be a bit much for the car though.

 

[SpongeScott]

Can you also get a wheelchair from the resort where you are staying? My father will be joining us at EPCOT one day this fall and will need a wheelchair after having knee-replacement surgery. If we choose not to use the exit to get on a ride (I don't want to accused of taking advantage of the system and he probably will not want to do it either), can the chair go through a normal queue?

 

[Tramp]

Originally posted by The Mom


I'm asking because I had promised my mother a trip to WDW this winter, but then she fell and broke her hip! She's advanced to a walker or cane (depending on distance), but may not be up to Disney touring on foot for a while!

...you've had your share of problems this year, hon....I hope you make that trip with her, it would be good for both of you after a tough year!:kiss:

 

[Debbie]

My mother-in-law also needs to use the motorized chairs. We tried a regular wheelchair but it didn't go over well. The motorized one is well worth the money.
We also get some mean stares when we are directed to go up front. She looks fine and has hair and makeup done, but she can't walk from the top of Main Street to the castle. It would take an hour if we tried and then she may not make it. Her diabetes is starting to really affect her circulation and now she has to wear those heavy duty support hose 24/7 to keep the fluid from building up in her feet and legs. I hope she is well enough to travel in December; she just loves the Christmas decorations at WDW!

 

[BigAL]

Wheelchair

This might sound crazy, but I think getting a wheel chair would be your best bet. The scooters are so hard to get around the crowds. I went with an in-law that needed a wheel chair and I actually enjoyed pushing it around. I liked having something to lean on and to me it made it easier to walk aroud the parks.

 

[Tramp]

Originally posted by Debbie
My mother-in-law also needs to use the motorized chairs. We tried a regular wheelchair but it didn't go over well. The motorized one is well worth the money.
We also get some mean stares when we are directed to go up front. She looks fine and has hair and makeup done, but she can't walk from the top of Main Street to the castle. It would take an hour if we tried and then she may not make it. Her diabetes is starting to really affect her circulation and now she has to wear those heavy duty support hose 24/7 to keep the fluid from building up in her feet and legs. I hope she is well enough to travel in December; she just loves the Christmas decorations at WDW!

...my mother-in-law had the same problems...looked healthy but the lack of circulation in her legs prevented her from walking 100 feet without severe pain...she refused to be pushed around in a wheelchair so her experience at Disney was not the best...she died within a year of the visit and I regret not forcing her into the wheelchair so she could've been more comfortable at the Parks.

 

[mightyduck]

If you have someone to push a wheelchair, get that instead (and note that there is a lot of pushing up and down hills, etc, so if the person doing the pushing can't exert him- or herself too much, it's a bad idea.

My parents went last winter and they both had to use scooters, but they didn't ask for them to be reserved at the next park, and consequently, they didn't see much in that park.

Tramp, I am with you completely on the wheelchair abuse problem! I saw people with wheelchairs that were just letting kids take turns sitting in it, etc.

Please remember though, folks, that some people who need wheelchairs or are disabled may not appear disabled! My mother has been permanently disabled for over 10 years, and she's 51. She has a chronic lung condition, so while she's petite and thin, she can't breathe very well. We actually had a man chase us into a store once after we used the handicapped parking (yes, she has a valid parking permit AND identification!) yelling, "You! Hey, you! You don't look crippled!" and calling her names. So (not that I think anyone here would) just use caution if you decide to approach someone....

(btw, I told the guy, "And you don't *look* like an a**hole, but appearances can be deceiving, can't they?" (made mom feel a little better when she laughed at the guy's expression!)

 

[samogram]

I'm one of those, too

I'm brand new to these boards and 96 days away from my first trip to WDW. I am one of those people whose disabilities are not always visible to the naked eye. If I'm having a bad day, I may limp badly (that would be the nasty, bad knees), but otherwise unless I carry my xrays around you can't see the excruciating pain in my back. I'm also a phen-fen survivor and can't go very far without being out of breath, getting dizzy and falling over (now you know if I thought I needed phen-fen, my falling over would be quite a spectacle). I bring my own scooter everywhere I go cause it's candy apple red and very zippy and cool. I think I have a good attitude about my disabilities because while I don't expect people to let me walk all over them and their rights, I sure don't want to miss anything either. I sometimes feel like I should limp when I don't need to or look downtrodden so people will realize that I need my handicapped parking tag. I've even heard people say, "She's not handicapped, she's just fat," but that's another story. The funny thing about people who abuse these accomodations is that I would gladly walk or stand in line if I only could. What an interesting and thoughtful thread this been. Thanks for giving me a forum for my thoughts.

 

[tiggerlover1971]

my mom cannot walk about 5 years ago she broke her pelvis and now she cant even walk a mall without sitting every time she sees a bench we had to get her a wheel chair we got her the motorized one there and she had some much trouble getting into the buses that we had to drive to the parks also the walk from the bus area to epcots front gate is very long without the wheelchair it took a very long time her walking has gotton worse since my dad died. also she had cronic asthma and she has periocarditis which is water around the heart if she couldnt be in a wheelchair we would not be able to go to disney at all because she would not be able to walk it

 

[Invero]

Okay... I tried to post this last night, but my dialup couldnt handle it... but now I have my cable modem back. YAAAY... so here it is.

(A note on Terminology... CM's refer to electric scooters (and sometimes electric wheelchairs) as ECV's... Electric Convenience Vehicles... also note I'm writing this at 3am... and dead tired, so sorry if I jump around or dont make sense)

I can't quite comment too much on the insides of the parks, but I can comment on Disney Transportation...

For the most part, all of Disney Transport is fully accessible, in theory. I say that, because there are certain situations that make things a bit difficult.

Ferryboats, FW/WL Cruisers, and Friendship Cruisers are all wheelchair and ECV (scooter) accessible. However, if the water level becomes too low, this is subject to change. (If the water level does become too low, talk to a cast member, they'll arrange transportation for you.) Note that the Launches to the GF and Poly from the MK are not accessible unless the wheelchair can be folded.

The Monorail is fully accessible, however, at the Magic Kingdom and TTC, there are large ramps that one must go up and down. Most ECV's have no problem with these ramps, however, a low battery might encounter trouble. (Note that going from Resort to Epcot, and Epcot to Resort or Express monorails, you do have to go down, and then back up. Elevators are provided at Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary, and Epcot.


As far as Busses go... Our entire fleet is wheelchair and ECV accessible. However, some busses are temporarily non-wheelchair busses, because of lift problems, or whatnot. Out of our 241 guest busses, probably about 5-10 of them have broken lifts at any given moment. So, 99% of the time, you won't have to worry about that. If a bus does come, and the lift doesnt work, the driver will radio the coordinator, and they'll send out another bus.

Another thing to note, if you're staying at a multi-stop resort, and when the bus gets there... if there are guests sitting in the fold up seats, where the wheelchair straps are, the driver cannot force them to move. Pretty much usually, if there are other seats available, most people will automatically move without being asked. However, there are a few stubborn people out there. If all the seats are filled, the driver cannot ask those guests to give up thier seat. However, due to Federal ADA Law... if the bus cannot accomodate the guest travelling in the wheelchair due to the seats being unavailable, the driver technically cannot board anyone else from that particular stop. The bus is considered "Full." However, at the next stop, the driver is allowed to board passengers again. Once again, this is a Federal ADA (Americans With Disabilities) Act Law... not Disney policy. I had some guests calling me some non-Disney words the other day because I was unable to board them... they didn't seem to understand the law. I felt bad, but there was nothing I could do.

The RTS busses are standard floor busses, and use a hydraulic lift in the rear stairwell. Guests back thier wheelchair/ECV into the lift, and it brings them up like an elevator. The guest then backs the wheelchair/ECV into the designated area, and the cast member will secure the wheelchair. Although one can remain in the wheelchair/ECV (seat belts are provided if desired), Disney recommends that a guest in an ECV transfer to a regular seat if possible.

The new Nova LFS low floor busses that we use, have a ramp located in the rear doorway. The bus will tilt itself, and then the ramp will be deployed. Standard wheelchairs may board forward, but all electric wheelchairs and ECVs MUST board in reverse for safety reasons. (A lot of wheelchairs/ECV's are not balanced properly, and I've seen a lot tip backwards when on the ramp... this is why we ask to board in reverse)

Once on the bus, the driver will secure the wheelchair or ECV into the bus. If you remain in the wheelchair or ECV, there is a seat belt available, but it is optional. However, by declining the seatbelt, you release Walt Disney World of all liability. Typically, if the wheelchair is secured down properly, it's not going anywhere, however, each situation is different. As for an ECV, I always highly recommend transferring to a regular seat for your safety. Most ECV's can not be secured down properly... they weren't designed for it.

Also note... The driver is technically not allowed to assist in the moving of the ECV/Wheelchair for liability reasons, although a lot of drivers will offer assitance. And I know a lot of you want to help us out by setting the straps yourself, however, please leave that one to us. We know where the best areas are to strap (Higher the better).

One more note... If needed, you can have someone else drive the scooter into the bus and park it... and we'll be glad to let the guest needing the scooter to ride the lift up...

Pretty much all of the bus drivers are all VERY friendly and helpful when it comes to guests requiring special assistance. We try to make things as easy as possible. I always hand out "Honorary Bus Driver" cars to those in ECVs, telling them that if they can park the ECV in the bus, then they're good drivers.

As for stops... Most stops are quite easy to get in and out of. However, a few stops were designed by Imagineers who were high on Pixie Dust, and while still acessible, they're not too friendly. Those stops are:
Contemporary (hard to get the bus up to the curb)
Polynesian (Must drive bus into bush, and have guest exit onto side road in bush)
Old Key West - Hospitality House (again, must go into bushes... Other stops are fine)
Some All-Stars (Big light pole, or bushes in the way, must move bus forward)
Stop #7 at Studios - Impossible to get bus into load zone
MK Stop at the Beach Club - Possible... but akward, when bus is "properly" parked, rear door opens into bushes. Must stop short.

I've been working with my manager on trying to solve these situations, however, at this current time, I have no power, and neither does he, in these matters. But, I will keep trying.


Some Tips that I might add...

Once you rent the scooter, set some time aside to "Practice"... I know it sounds corny, but pretend you're on a skills course, and have to do some tough driving. The reason why I suggest this is that all too many times, guests rent the scooters, and don't know how to use them, or how to drive them.

Please be courteous to those around you. In reference to those above, I've had folks behind me in line who would "gun it" and then ram my ankles (ow!).

While we're on the topic... 99% of the scooters have a power setting. Turtle -> Bunny. I can't stress this enough... SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE. I've had guests put thier ECV in Bunny mode, zip up the ramp, into the monorail, and out the other side. When navigating tough areas, PLEASE, use the turtle setting. Ultimatly, I have found that guests using Turtle are able to park thier ECV 10x quicker in the bus than those using Bunny.

Okay... I think I got it all...