Bum knee

[grumpa]

Does anyone know which buildings in Old Key West are designated for the handicapped ? We are booked into Old Key West with our son and family and wouldn't want to spoil the childrens vacation by being away from all the childrens activities and a bus stop. Grandma just had knee surgery and couldn't go all day without a wheelchair in the MK but navigates fine around home.
We have been going to Disney World since 1973 with our children and grand children. This time it is with our last grandchild and don't want to miss one minute of it. It's also our first time as a DVC Club member and can't wait to try it out.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

If she can get around at home, is there actually need for a handicap room? Housekeeping can provide a shower chair. You could contact medical reservations at 407-939-7807 to make sure that you can get a first floor suite or one close to an elevator as well as a bus stop.

You may be better off renting an ECV, as pushing a wheelchair can get very tiresome, especially if you are not used to it. Also it depends on the weight of the passenger and the condition of the pusher(s). Some information for off-site rentals are:

Here are the urls and phone numbers:

Walker Mobility:
888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/
407-856-2273, Toll Free U.S and Canada (800) 741-2282

Randy'S Mobility is in Kissimmee
http://randysmobility.com
407-892-4777

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html
800-747-0246

ScootAround
http://www.scootaround.com
Toll-free, US and Canada 888-441-7575

I have used Walker a few times. They will ask for a credit card and charge it the day before arrival. They will deliver the ECV to your hotel bell services before your arrival and pick it up there after your departure. Their rates, especially for longer than a week, are much better than Disney's. Also, their scooters are much better. If you do decide to rent a wheelchair, using an off-site comopany will get a better chair and it will be available all the time.

You don't say if you are renting a car or what. If you are using a car for getting around, the ECVs break down into five pieces, the heaviest about 39 pounds. They take about a minute or so to take apart and about two minutes (once you are used to it) to put it together.

Another suggestion is find out your state's requirements for a temporary disabled hang tag and get the paper work and have your doctor sign off on it. The tag will allow you to use any of the handicap parking areas (which will be a necessity). Also, with the policy of charging for valet parking, with a handicap hang tag the fees will be waived. Also the valets will usually volunteer to assist in loading/unloading an ECV. In Virginia I printed the required form from the DMV website. When I took the completed form to the DMV Office it took less than 15 minutes from the time I walked in until I had my tag.

If you will be using WDW buses, they are well-equipped and most of the drivers are very knowledgeable for ECVs or wheelchairs.

If she is in a cast, you might want to have the person who puts it on draw a line with a marker where it will be sawn off. Then bring a "Sharpie" type marker pen with you and have the Characters sign the cast. Warn them when signing to not cross the line. After the cast is removed she will have an interesting souvenier.

A couple of other reasons for using an ECV rather than a wheelchair. It will give your mother a greater sense of freedom and will make her feel like less of a burden to others. In addition, there ARE hills at WDW which will get VERY noticeable to people pushing a wheelchair.

You can use a bungee cord to help keep crutches or a folded up walker on the EVC or wheelchair. Usually it would be a short walk with the crutches from the wheelchair or EVC.

Good luck and let us know what finally happens.

 

[SueM in MN]

In addition to what Cheshire Figment wrote, I can add some specifics about OKW since we have been DVC members at OKW for 11 years:

• Handicapped accessible rooms are scattered throughout the resort, not just in one building.
• The fully wheelchair accessible rooms have roll in showers, raised seat toilets and roll under sinks. If you don't need all those things, you probably don't need an accessible room. You didn't say what size villa you are in, but if you will be in a 1 or 2 bedroom unit, there will be plenty of room to manouver a wheelchair or ecv anyplace in the room she wants to go. There is also room to park it without it being in the way. A studio is smaller, but still is more space than a regular hotel room, so you would not have a problem.
• Since you are using DVC points for your reservations, Member Services (MS) takes care of all special needs requests. If someone reserves thru Disney not using points, then the phone number that was posted is the appropriate one to call. You want to request "First floor or building with elevator FOR MEDICAL REASONS". The Medical Reasons part is very important; those rooms are assigned before others for the same request.
• If you've already made reservations, just call MS to add your requests. If you have more than one room reserved, it is possible to link your reservations so that both rooms are assigned in the same area (or as close as possible to each other).
• You can arrange for equipment thru MS, but can also rent things like shower chairs or raised seats to attach to the toilet from Walker, Care or Colonial (contact info listed in the other post).
• The way the resort is arranged, you will be able to park almost outside your door if you have a car. There are also bus stops scattered around the resort, so you are never far from a bus stop.
• The main pool is at the Hospitality House area, along with a full service restaurant, a snack bar, tennis courts, bike rental and the children's activities. There are quiet pools scattered around the property. The pool at Tutle Pond Road also has a play area and a snack bar.
• Here's a link to the DIS information page about OKW. And I also am adding a link to the resort map so you can see where the bus stops and pools are.