Visiting with Disabilities

[EeyoresButterfly]

Here is my *possible* situation. Several friends from work and I are talking about taking a trip to Disney before school starts up again. I am crrently experiencing an ongoing issue with my knee that may or may not require surgery (this has been going on ever since my last CP, Joanna can attest to the issues I was experiencing). I don't know what the situation will be later in the summer (surgery, crutches, braces, all better?) but am wanting to get some perspectives from our more experienced members.

I certainly know about all the accommodations that Disney makes, and have travelled with people with disabilities before. My mom has arthritis and they gave us an AA GAC for her, the same thing for my friend who had leukemia and had her hips replaced. In both instances we rented wheelchairs, and things seemed to be okay. However, I have never been the one in need of accommodation and am wondering if you have any advice. Lately, the more walking I do the more aggravated my knee gets (potential tendon/cartilage tear). I may have to suck it up and rent a wheelchair, but even then, sitting with it bent for too long is just as bad as walking on it for long periods of time.

For those who have experienced this before, what kind of sage advice do you have? What should I plan for, especially since I don't know yet what the situation will be come the end of July/beginning of August.

[mechurchlady]

Disboards has the disabilities section which figment is part of. They are the nicest people who put up with me. They have tons of info on rentals adn what to do.

Basically
Ask your airline for a wheelchair and that way you will not have to walk across the terminal. Bring your handicapped placard if you drive or are with friends who drive.

Wheelchair.
They have great links at disboards. Rent the chair or ECV from one of the sites and they deliver to your room or hotel. Wheelchairs are easier to maneuver and go places in parks that the ECV dont. The ECV is faster and gives you freed while making it easier on your party. Depends on the person and party as well as other things.

All WDW transportation is wheelchair and ECV friendly except for a few small boats in bay lake but there are busses.

GAC
If a person is in a wheelchair or ECV then they do not need the GAC. However if a person has a hidden disability like deafness or vision problems then they need one. I would get one in case a rogue CM demanded one be presented. There is a wealth of info awaiting you. Pss, GAC is not the front of the line pass, lol. In the new Toy Story ride you either wait in line or get a fastpass until the stairs then go into disabled wing where they load you. That is the what Disney is pushing for, rides where the disabled have to stay in line like everyone else.

No matter what everything possible is being done to answer questions and inform the disabled public about the parks.

[EeyoresButterfly]

Thankfully we will be driving, so airplanes will not be a problem :) .

[mechurchlady]

Thankfully we will be driving, so airplanes will not be a problem :) .

Then apply locally for the state's disabled placard. This will allow you to park in the disabled areas. It is a reciprical thing. We are talking WDW, right. Read up as each park whether DCA, DL, Mk, MGM, AK, or Epcot has its own little quarks. DCA and AK are newest so they are most disabled friendly.

Remeber lots of details like onsite or offsite room, time of year, driving, and which park as you said Disney which might mean Tokyo. I love Disboards and that is my home when not here and I am there more than here lately. Sigh, nice people.

[SRT_GB]

My sage advice comes from what I observed working at Strollers.

If you will be renting a wheelchair from the park and you can't keep your leg bent for extended periods of time, you can request a WC with a leg lift.

If someone in your group is willing and able to push you in a manual WC, I recommend that over an ECV. I've had the ECV-eye view of the DLR during the summertime and it's not fun with all the SGs around. I'm sure the same is true for WDW.

[KidAtHeart]

I can give you a point of view of someone who has made all her trips to the World as a walker, until I injured my foot/ankle on my trip in March and had to rent a wheelchair.

I agree that, if you have someone willing to push you, a manual chair is great. You can extend your foot forward and rest your heel against the edge of the foot rest, which keeps your knee from being bent, OR get the leg lift, as was also suggested.

A motorized scooter was great for the first week I was there, when the parks were fairly uncrowded. However, once the spring break crowd started to show up, or around parade time, the scooter was a bit of a pain. But it was nice not having to rely on someone to push me!