Considering a rollator... questions

[LynJ]

Hi all. I'm debating a rollator for our Christmas trip, and have some questions (and hesitations).

I'm in my 40s and don't use a mobility device on a regular basis. I do have a cane that I use on occasion, but rarely, and I have a handicapped parking pass.

I've had 3 knee surgeries, an achilles rebuild, and 2 DVTs in one leg, resulting in post thrombotic syndrome. I wear compression stockings in Disney, and my doctor prefers that I sit when I can, to assist blood flow from the prior DVTs.

In August, we did Disney and I walked it all, and had the Disney rash to prove it. So I can walk it, but it can be painful and exhausting, at times. I'm concerned about my leg bothering me/ lack of places to sit in the Christmas crowds. I know I could rent an ecv, but I don't really want to use an ecv in the crowds, get stuck waiting for busses, or try to find room for it in a DVC studio.

I'm considering getting a rollator to use as needed, which will give me a place to sit while waiting for busses, and balance assistance when my leg gets tired, etc. I don't need it in regular life, so I kind of feel like a wimp or hypochondriac for considering it, especially at my age. Then I look at the list of issues with my leg, and it kind of makes sense. Even hubby and kiddo agree it might help.

So.... would you look weirdly at a person my age with a rollator? Would you use one anyway, if it made park days easier?

And if anyone with experience could answer - how complicated are they with disney busses or boats? Do you just fold and hold it in front of you, or how is that handled? Any issues using one to sit while waiting for fireworks, etc? Any tips or hints? (And yes, I read the FAQ, first).

Thanks!

 

[gap2368]

I would use a roller if it would help you out it sounds like your family is in support of you using one

yes you can fold it on the bus or boat

 

[tobikaye]

My sister used a rollator at WDW while in her early 30s. With the issues you mention, I would use the rollator. Yes, you will just fold up and hold on the bus. On some boats, you might be able to leave it open and sit on it, just lock the brake.

One thing to remember is that some attraction queues will treat like any mobility device so check the guide map for queues you might need to get a return time or go a different way.

 

[SueM in MN]

You will see lots of guests using rollators and all age groups.

They are a perfect solution for being able to walk, but also needing a seat sometimes.
They are handled the same a wheelchairs. Most lines are wheelchair accessible. If you need to do something different than other guests, the CMs will direct you.

There are a couple of attractions which give return times for guests using mobility devices because the regular entrance is not accessible. Most are at MK - Jungle Cruise, Small World, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. EPCOT’s Spaceship Earth has a waiting area at the exit for guests using mobility devices. The CMs at those attractions will make sure you are taken care of.

 

[Selket]

I have a friend who uses a rollator and usually boards the bus with the ramp but folds it up once seated. If you board the bus that way then you are boarding like those who use an ECV or WC. So you'd be stuck waiting for a bus, as you mentioned. If you can fold it up and carry it up the stairs I suppose they let you carry it up the stairs but would that be hard for you to do?

You may still want to consider an ECV. I have badly arthritic knees that need replacing and have used an ECV in the parks for the past 6 years or so. I don't use an ECV at home (nor have a handicap parking permit) but I couldn't make it at WDW without one especially when my knees are really bad. Sometimes I park it and walk more - some trips I'm in it most of the time. You can use it as much as you need to use it. I think we need @mamabunny here with her talk about doing what works best for you to have a pain free vacation vs. what anyone might think.

 

[MARCIAKAZ]

I rented an ECV a few years ago when I was recovering from an achilles injury. Mainly used it to get from area to area, parked then enjoyed 2 or 3 attractions, then used it to move to another area - and it gave me a place to sit for parades and fireworks. It really saved me about 75% of the walking, and kept pain at a manageable level. I didn't really care what anybody thought. Not all disabilities are readily obvious, and are really no one else's business.

 

[ttintagel]

Hi all. I'm debating a rollator for our Christmas trip, and have some questions (and hesitations).

I'm in my 40s and don't use a mobility device on a regular basis. I do have a cane that I use on occasion, but rarely, and I have a handicapped parking pass.

I've had 3 knee surgeries, an achilles rebuild, and 2 DVTs in one leg, resulting in post thrombotic syndrome. I wear compression stockings in Disney, and my doctor prefers that I sit when I can, to assist blood flow from the prior DVTs.

In August, we did Disney and I walked it all, and had the Disney rash to prove it. So I can walk it, but it can be painful and exhausting, at times. I'm concerned about my leg bothering me/ lack of places to sit in the Christmas crowds. I know I could rent an ecv, but I don't really want to use an ecv in the crowds, get stuck waiting for busses, or try to find room for it in a DVC studio.

I'm considering getting a rollator to use as needed, which will give me a place to sit while waiting for busses, and balance assistance when my leg gets tired, etc. I don't need it in regular life, so I kind of feel like a wimp or hypochondriac for considering it, especially at my age. Then I look at the list of issues with my leg, and it kind of makes sense. Even hubby and kiddo agree it might help.

So.... would you look weirdly at a person my age with a rollator? Would you use one anyway, if it made park days easier?

And if anyone with experience could answer - how complicated are they with disney busses or boats? Do you just fold and hold it in front of you, or how is that handled? Any issues using one to sit while waiting for fireworks, etc? Any tips or hints? (And yes, I read the FAQ, first).

Thanks!

So.... would you look weirdly at a person my age with a rollator? Would you use one anyway, if it made park days easier?

No and yes, in that order!

 

[mamabunny]

Hi all. I'm debating a rollator for our Christmas trip, and have some questions (and hesitations).

I'm in my 40s and don't use a mobility device on a regular basis. I do have a cane that I use on occasion, but rarely, and I have a handicapped parking pass.

I've had 3 knee surgeries, an achilles rebuild, and 2 DVTs in one leg, resulting in post thrombotic syndrome. I wear compression stockings in Disney, and my doctor prefers that I sit when I can, to assist blood flow from the prior DVTs.

In August, we did Disney and I walked it all, and had the Disney rash to prove it. So I can walk it, but it can be painful and exhausting, at times. I'm concerned about my leg bothering me/ lack of places to sit in the Christmas crowds. I know I could rent an ecv, but I don't really want to use an ecv in the crowds, get stuck waiting for busses, or try to find room for it in a DVC studio.

I'm considering getting a rollator to use as needed, which will give me a place to sit while waiting for busses, and balance assistance when my leg gets tired, etc. I don't need it in regular life, so I kind of feel like a wimp or hypochondriac for considering it, especially at my age. Then I look at the list of issues with my leg, and it kind of makes sense. Even hubby and kiddo agree it might help.

So.... would you look weirdly at a person my age with a rollator? Would you use one anyway, if it made park days easier?

And if anyone with experience could answer - how complicated are they with disney busses or boats? Do you just fold and hold it in front of you, or how is that handled? Any issues using one to sit while waiting for fireworks, etc? Any tips or hints? (And yes, I read the FAQ, first).

Thanks!

I think you might have to change the way you think about mobility in general when we talk about WDW.

As you probably already know (since you are a veteran of the Disney Rash) the *average* Guest walks between 3 and 10 miles *per day* at WDW. That's way more than a lot of folks walk in a week at home!

Personally, I think that a Rollator is a great choice for you - and especially if your doctor approves. Just please remember that one component of the Disney Rash (for some folks) can be dehydration - so make extra sure you keep that ice water handy! Even if it doesn't feel all that hot in December, that Florida sun will still impact you way more than you think!

Here's what our friend @Selket was alluding to: First of all, remember that the Rollator is nothing more than a *tool* to get a job done. It's not any different than wearing glasses to see better, or hearing aides if you have auditory issues. Using the proper tool to help you get the job done makes you nothing more than smart!

Next, the whole goal for your trip is to have the best possible time, right? Using the proper tool(s) to accomplish that (like a Rollator and hydration and compression socks) helps you do that! The person who "wins" WDW is the one who goes home as good as, or (hopefully) better than when they arrived! I'm actually lucky - WDW is like the best possible therapy for me. When I'm there, I hurt less, sleep better, move easier... so I always "win" WDW!

The last thing I want to remind you of is this: Who cares what anyone who sees you at WDW thinks? The chances that you will see anyone you know from home? Tiny. Wee. Extraordinarily improbable! And if you do? So what! Who cares? You are using a *tool* to have a better vacation at Disney World. And all of those other folks? The ones you *don't* know? I promise you, the vast majority will not spare you another thought ever again once you pass from their view. They are all too busy, posting to social media, or trying to figure out how to use Genie+. In some ways, that's part of the "magic" of Disney; we all get to be a little self-absorbed for a few days in the same way that we were as kids.

That's why it can make us feel so vulnerable when we talk about using a mobility device at WDW. It feels very "public", but the irony is that you are the one place where most folks aren't even going to pay attention! There's too much else going on, and frankly, too many other folks using some form of mobility device or assistance for you to stand out. (I'm sorry to be the one to tell you... but you just won't be that "special" - in a good way!)

You use whatever you - and your medical team - are the most comfortable with. It's inherently what will work the best for you. It sounds to me like you are all ready to go - the only thing I would tell you is to find a nice cupholder for your Rollator (I like this one for Rollators) and if you have a chance, tie a brightly colored bandana or a length of grosgrain ribbon (it stands up better to sudden Florida showers, and long theme park days) somewhere on your Rollator to help it stand out better in a sea of similar mobility devices. That way you can tell the CM who is helping you look for it that "It's the one with the purple and green striped ribbons"

Have a great trip - let us know how it goes! And don't hesitate if you have any more questions!

Oh, and to our little old corner of The DIS!

 

[LynJ]

Thanks so much for the reminders! I spent 3 months in a wheelchair in college, and about a year total on crutches, so the rollator shouldn't have thrown me for a loop, but my mom often worries about appearances, and I think I'm being overly critical of myself since she's coming with us for part of this trip.

We averaged 11-12 miles a day in August, and I really shouldn't be on my feet during the times we aren't actively walking, such as waiting for fireworks or busses. The rollator with the seat is a good compromise. It should help me keep my energy up for the whole trip, and not be in pain, which is the point. I tend to push through and then pay for it later, so it's a learning curve. And this is our longest vacation I've ever taken, so getting worn down early would be bad.

Thanks for the encouragement, everyone. And thanks for the suggestions on the water bottle holder and ribbons.

 

[coolbrook]

Hi, I read your post OP and wanted to share my experience with using a rollator at WDW. The first time I used one was about 6 years ago at age 53 because of a knee injury from a fall. I rented the Vive rollator from Gold Mobility in Orlando. They brought it to me in the lobby of my resort. I liked it so much I bought one when I got home. It folds from right to left instead of front to back like the ones I had always seen before which allows it to be free standing even when folded.

To get on the busses I sometimes ask for the ramp to be put down especially at night when I am more tired, but sometimes we just fold it and my husband carries it on through the front door of the bus with everyone else. If I need the ramp I park and sit on my rollator in the handicap indicated area at the bus stop so the bus driver knows I need that.

In ride lines I bring it with me all the way up to the ride vehicle then get in and a CM takes the rollator to park it and it is waiting for me when I get off. Sometimes I bring my cane from my handy cane holder onto the ride. This is especially helpful for moving walkways and getting in and out of boat rides. Having the rollator in lines is a great thing because you can sit down for a few seconds if you need to when the lines stops moving.

I also do not need my rollator in my everyday life at this point. I use it at the zoo, museum, shopping malls, etc. though and am very glad to have it. It is also very nice to have in airports where there can be long walks and waiting in lines. I keep it with me right down the walkway to the door of the plane where it is gate checked and I bring my cane onto the plane.

I also had to work through a little awkwardness at using a walker, but I like what someone said about thinking of if as a tool that lets you keep
doing what you enjoy.

 

[LynJ]

Ordered my rollator! I'm now excited and, at hubby's encouragement, went for a higher end model than I originally planned, which should be easier to maneuver and store.