disney with wheels

kms234

Earning My Ears
Joined
Aug 29, 2013
Hey everyone!
We (my husband, myself, and some friends) are going to Disney World next week. We are taking my father complete T10. My father is 6'3 215lbs. He can use his arms but has back rods which limits some of him moving independently. This is his first trip to Disney! He gets discouraged and very embarrassed easily as he is only 7 years old from his accident. I usually come up with ideas and once we implement them something always goes wrong and he gets even more discouraged. I am hoping that I can make this trip as easy as I possibly can. I have called the airlines (Southwest) multiple times to ask about his electric wheelchair. It’s my understanding that he can stay in it until he gets to the gate then we will transfer him into the plane wheelchair then into the seat. They will take his wheelchair and put it under the plane without needing to manipulate it (take anything off). Does this sound right?

I have set up Disney Magical Express to pick us up and take us to All Start Movie resort. Does anyone have experience with the Express? I want to make sure he will be allowed to stay in his own wheelchair.

I have rented a lift/ sling for our room to help with transfers. We are taking the sliding board to the park. I have called multiple times to confirm that the lift will fit under the resort bed :)

I read about the wait line for getting on a shuttle to the actual parks from the resorts. We are prepared to wait as my friend’s sister that is going is also wheelchair bound. Will he be able to stay in his wheelchair on the shuttle?

I have been reading about the rides and accessibility. Before my dad’s accident he loved roller coasters. We plan on taking this trip slow… with that being said my goal is to get him on at least 1 roller coaster I am thinking Big Thunder Mountain railroad… My thought is that my husband can ride with my dad to help keep him stable. Can anyone shed some light on how painful this ride might be for him? Or is there a roller coaster that anyone could recommend that might be easier on the body? It seems the easiest to transfer on/off. The sliding board does take us a few minutes to accomplish. Will this be an issue on any rides/ activities?

I am sure we will have to make some trips to the room to get back in bed at least once a day to relief pressure. Any recommendations on a good time of day for this? I want to experience Disney at night so I know this step is a must for us.

We will be going to Chef Mickey yay!! Any suggestions on what to do/ not do? I have requested wheelchair accessibility.

I know that we will hit some road blocks along the way. But if I am prepared for them I can keep the situation calm. Are there any additional things that you guys can prepare me for? Any suggestions, tips, or most knows? Thank you for your help! Fingers crossed this turns into a vacation we can do every so often:)
 
BTMRR is one of the bumpiest Roller coaster I might do 7 DMT instead, and if he is ok with this one then do BTMRR
 
On the plane: yes, although it is a good idea to remove anything that is easily removable to prevent loss/damage.

Be sure to be at the airport in s timely fashion; getting through security can take a few extra minutes, and you will want to be at the gate at least 30 minutes prior to departure time. Also have a restroom plan.

Is your flight nonstop/direct or do you change planes? If you change planes, that can either bring your chair up or use an airport-provided manual chair between planes.


On ME: did you indidcate you (one of your party) needed an accessible bus? They can have one for you, but it's easier with advanced notice.

All of the on property buses accommodate at least 2 wheelchairs (I don't remember how many the ME coaches can carry, but it may be one per bus). You don't have to transfer, but will need to have a seat belt (provided) and the driver will strap the chair in.
 
I have flown on Southwest with my power chair many times. I am able to walk a little so I do not use the aisle chair. However, I have seen others using it. He will drive his chair all the way to the door of the airplane and airline personnel will meet him with the chair, get him seated on it and then get him to a seat in the first row. He leaves his chair at the door and they take it down and put it in with the baggage. When you land, you wait for the plane to empty, they bring his chair up and help him on to aisle chair and wheel him out to his chair. I do take off my chair's head rest, foot plate and detach (unplug) the joy stick, throw them in a bag and take them on the plane. The joy stick is the most sensitive part and this avoids it getting bumped. I leave it in free wheel by moving the lever under the seat. Your Dad will know what that is and where it is on his chair. When they bring my chair back, it just takes a minute to put it back together and motor up the jet way and out into the airport. Remember you have to move the lever to take it out of free wheel.

When you check in at the first Magical Express desk, they will ask if he can do the stairs. When you say no, they will direct to a handicapped waiting line and the bus will have a lift that allows him to stay in his chair. It is at the rear of the bus and is like an open air elevator that you back unto then it lifts you up to an open doorway. You pull into a wheel chair spot that is right by the door and the driver will lock your chair down with you in it. Then the whole process works in reverse when you get to your resort. I always think of the bus lift as my first Disney ride.

All of the buses that take you from your Disney resort to the parks are accessible. At the bus stop by your resort there will be a box with a handicapped symbol. Wait by it. When a bus comes, you the driver will see you and ask if you want that bus. A lot of time, I can catch the driver's eye as the bus pulls up and shake my head yes or no so they know if they need to open the back for me. the driver will let people off the bus and then shut the front door, politely telling the people lined up to get on that the wheelchair is being loaded first. Then he gets the bus to kneel towards the curb, opens the back door and puts the ramp down. Your Dad drives himself up the ramp and then parallel parks his chair in the space the driver has made for him. The driver locks the chair down and seat belts you in, signal the rest of his party (up to 5 more people) to walk up the ramp and get on the bus from the back. The driver raises the ramp, closes the door, returns to his seat and opens the front door to let the rest of the people in.

You mentioned you will have another wheelchair in your party. Most of the buses can only take two chairs or ecvs so if there is someone else with a chair or ecv in the bus line ahead of you, you may get separated or have to wait for the next bus. If the bus cannot take you, the driver will call the bus central and ask for another bus to be sent out as soon as possible.
 
Hi Kim welcome to the DISboards.

We (my husband, myself, and some friends) are going to Disney World next week. We are taking my father complete T10. My father is 6'3 215lbs. He can use his arms but has back rods which limits some of him moving independently. This is his first trip to Disney! He gets discouraged and very embarrassed easily as he is only 7 years old from his accident. I usually come up with ideas and once we implement them something always goes wrong and he gets even more discouraged. I am hoping that I can make this trip as easy as I possibly can."

Yea, it can be rough when you're still working out how things work. Your Dad and I weigh about the same but I'm 5'8" so we're built a bit different, at 6'3" he might find it harder to move his legs into some of the roller coasters but his longer arms will help with transfers. Plus I don't have to worry about rods in my back. But I'll answer as best I can.

I have called the airlines (Southwest) multiple times to ask about his electric wheelchair. It’s my understanding that he can stay in it until he gets to the gate then we will transfer him into the plane wheelchair then into the seat. They will take his wheelchair and put it under the plane without needing to manipulate it (take anything off). Does this sound right?

I use a manual chair and am actually able to roll right onto the plane and reach the very first seat so I can transfer. I suspect he will be able to roll right on down to just outside the door of the plane and then he will have to transfer to the airplane transfer chair. Once there they will roll him onto the plane and he'll have to transfer onto the plane seat. I usually get to the gate at least an hour before the departure time, but I am over cautious about this. Getting there that early makes sure I get to talk to every SWA employee involved in the process. This way they know it's best if I board first and to make sure I get that first row aisle seat.

I have set up Disney Magical Express to pick us up and take us to All Start Movie resort. Does anyone have experience with the Express? I want to make sure he will be allowed to stay in his own wheelchair.

DME is fantastic. You may have to wait just a bit but so is everyone else who is waiting for a bus to your hotel. They will have a lift equipped bus for you and your Dad will be able to stay in his chair for the whole trip.

I have rented a lift/ sling for our room to help with transfers. We are taking the sliding board to the park. I have called multiple times to confirm that the lift will fit under the resort bed :)

I've never needed a lift but I do know the WDW cast members at the hotels have been fantastic about setting up the bed the way I need it. Bed heights have been my problem and about 50% of the time the bed is too high. The cast members have always been able to swap out the mattresses or swap rooms for me to make it work. BTW, if you do have a problem it's best to walk down to the front desk and talk to them in person. I've heard when you "call the front desk" it actually goes to a call center and not the front desk.

Another thing to check is if you reserved a roll-in shower room? Those roll-in shower benches are much easier to transfer to/from than a bathtub. One tip for the bench seat is to put down a towel on the bench to prevent scratching your butt on the wooden bench.

This has nothing to do with WDW but as I've gotten older I've discovered I need a bit more help with some transfers. I never did get used to a transfer board but I found placing a yoga block(Google them) on the seat of my wheelchair and pushing off of that gives me just a little extra height and makes the hard transfers easier.

I read about the wait line for getting on a shuttle to the actual parks from the resorts. We are prepared to wait as my friend’s sister that is going is also wheelchair bound. Will he be able to stay in his wheelchair on the shuttle?

Yep, the buses at WDW are great. He'll be able to stay in his chair.

I have been reading about the rides and accessibility. Before my dad’s accident he loved roller coasters. We plan on taking this trip slow… with that being said my goal is to get him on at least 1 roller coaster I am thinking Big Thunder Mountain railroad… My thought is that my husband can ride with my dad to help keep him stable. Can anyone shed some light on how painful this ride might be for him? Or is there a roller coaster that anyone could recommend that might be easier on the body? It seems the easiest to transfer on/off. The sliding board does take us a few minutes to accomplish. Will this be an issue on any rides/ activities?

Now this is a tough one. I consider most of the transfers to the WDW roller coasters to be about as difficult as transferring into and out of a car. Some of them are straight over into the seat and some it's over to a flat area then down to the seat. Rock and Roller Coaster is down much further than the others and I gave up doing that one years ago. Space Mountain is way too low and I haven't done it in decades. As gap said above the Seven Dwarfs Mine train is the smoothest coaster. I think Expedition Everest is probably easier to transfer in and out of and they have a sample test seat outside of the ride so he can judge if it's doable. He can always change his mind at the last minute.

Soarin might be good for him. The transfer over is about the same as transferring to a bed that is at the same height as the wheelchair seat. If you think your Dad might want some extra security on the ride use the yellow strap that goes between his legs, I know I feel more comfortable with that fastened.

I am sure we will have to make some trips to the room to get back in bed at least once a day to relief pressure. Any recommendations on a good time of day for this? I want to experience Disney at night so I know this step is a must for us.

I tend to sleep in and go over around noon then stay late. Which most people think is crazy since the parks are less crowded in the mornings. :) Hey, I hate waking up early and between sleeping late and the extra prep time in the morning I rarely make it before noon.

We will be going to Chef Mickey yay!! Any suggestions on what to do/ not do? I have requested wheelchair accessibility.

Your Dad will have an electric chair so this may not be an issue but the hill going up and down from the monorail at the Magic Kingdom is REALLY STEEP. To me it's easier to walk to the Contemporary than it is to push up that hill. On the trip back be careful because it's steep going down.

I know that we will hit some road blocks along the way. But if I am prepared for them I can keep the situation calm. Are there any additional things that you guys can prepare me for? Any suggestions, tips, or most knows? Thank you for your help! Fingers crossed this turns into a vacation we can do every so often:)

Have a great trip! If I think of anything else I'll add it later.
 
BTMRR is one of the bumpiest Roller coaster I might do 7 DMT instead, and if he is ok with this one then do BTMRR

Thank you! That ride wasn't there last time I was. This gives me hope that there is more for him to do than I actually anticipated!
 


Hi Kim welcome to the DISboards.



Yea, it can be rough when you're still working out how things work. Your Dad and I weigh about the same but I'm 5'8" so we're built a bit different, at 6'3" he might find it harder to move his legs into some of the roller coasters but his longer arms will help with transfers. Plus I don't have to worry about rods in my back. But I'll answer as best I can.



I use a manual chair and am actually able to roll right onto the plane and reach the very first seat so I can transfer. I suspect he will be able to roll right on down to just outside the door of the plane and then he will have to transfer to the airplane transfer chair. Once there they will roll him onto the plane and he'll have to transfer onto the plane seat. I usually get to the gate at least an hour before the departure time, but I am over cautious about this. Getting there that early makes sure I get to talk to every SWA employee involved in the process. This way they know it's best if I board first and to make sure I get that first row aisle seat.



DME is fantastic. You may have to wait just a bit but so is everyone else who is waiting for a bus to your hotel. They will have a lift equipped bus for you and your Dad will be able to stay in his chair for the whole trip.



I've never needed a lift but I do know the WDW cast members at the hotels have been fantastic about setting up the bed the way I need it. Bed heights have been my problem and about 50% of the time the bed is too high. The cast members have always been able to swap out the mattresses or swap rooms for me to make it work. BTW, if you do have a problem it's best to walk down to the front desk and talk to them in person. I've heard when you "call the front desk" it actually goes to a call center and not the front desk.

Another thing to check is if you reserved a roll-in shower room? Those roll-in shower benches are much easier to transfer to/from than a bathtub. One tip for the bench seat is to put down a towel on the bench to prevent scratching your butt on the wooden bench.

This has nothing to do with WDW but as I've gotten older I've discovered I need a bit more help with some transfers. I never did get used to a transfer board but I found placing a yoga block(Google them) on the seat of my wheelchair and pushing off of that gives me just a little extra height and makes the hard transfers easier.



Yep, the buses at WDW are great. He'll be able to stay in his chair.



Now this is a tough one. I consider most of the transfers to the WDW roller coasters to be about as difficult as transferring into and out of a car. Some of them are straight over into the seat and some it's over to a flat area then down to the seat. Rock and Roller Coaster is down much further than the others and I gave up doing that one years ago. Space Mountain is way too low and I haven't done it in decades. As gap said above the Seven Dwarfs Mine train is the smoothest coaster. I think Expedition Everest is probably easier to transfer in and out of and they have a sample test seat outside of the ride so he can judge if it's doable. He can always change his mind at the last minute.

Soarin might be good for him. The transfer over is about the same as transferring to a bed that is at the same height as the wheelchair seat. If you think your Dad might want some extra security on the ride use the yellow strap that goes between his legs, I know I feel more comfortable with that fastened.



I tend to sleep in and go over around noon then stay late. Which most people think is crazy since the parks are less crowded in the mornings. :) Hey, I hate waking up early and between sleeping late and the extra prep time in the morning I rarely make it before noon.



Your Dad will have an electric chair so this may not be an issue but the hill going up and down from the monorail at the Magic Kingdom is REALLY STEEP. To me it's easier to walk to the Contemporary than it is to push up that hill. On the trip back be careful because it's steep going down.



Have a great trip! If I think of anything else I'll add it later.


This is all such great info! Thank you for taking the time to help us!! I did get the roll in shower however, we have never done a shower without a shower chair so this will be new to us. So far the resort has been so patient and asked every question I have asked. The equipment rental place has been great too if anyone needs a recommendation!
 
Here are a couple of photos of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train accessible car. To get in I take the footrests off of my chair allowing me to get fairly close. Then I put my feet in and slide forward onto that little rectangle area and continue onto the seat. If you look at that first picture you can see a black restraining piece in front of the seat. You have to fit your legs into the center opening and pull the restraining piece into your lap. There is also a grab bar in front of you to hold onto during the ride, since your Dad is a T10 para I assume he has full use of his hands so that would be how he holds himself steady during the ride.

Now getting off is harder. I have the wheelchair brought up right against the ride vehicle with the seat front pushed up against the side. Then a small transfer up to that side rectangle. The harder part is now going up slightly into my chair. I usually reach around a bit to find a good hand holds to help lift me up, usually I think it's the metal piece behind the ride seat and a hand on my chair. I get someone to hold my chair steady so it doesn't slide out from underneath me.

Overall of the 3 coasters I ride, 7DMT, Big Thunder Mountain, and Expedition Everest, this is the hardest transfer. But it is the smoothest roller coaster and unfortunately the shortest. Expedition Everest is the easiest transfer and the medium roughness of roller coasters. Big Thunder Mountain is the second easiest and the roughest of the 3 coasters.

7DMT1.JPG
7DMT2.JPG
 
For the wheelchair, the tech from our mobility company where DD got her wheelchair has always been helpful to us. Her current power chair is a Permobil VS 5, which we will not travel with because it has too many moving parts and we are afraid of damage, no matter how we handle it. But, we've traveled many times with her manual chairs.

The disABILITIES FAQs thread is stuck near the top of this board and has a lot of helpful information, including a post about air travel and Disney's Magical Express (with pictures). I know the Magical Express buses csn accommodate at least 2 wheelchairs because we have been on it with one additional wheelchair besides our daughter's. From looking at the bus, I believe they can probably hold up to 3.

This is an index to the disABILITIES FAQs:
  • Post 2: Wheelchair, ECV, Equipment and Accessible Van Rental
  • Post 3: Helpful Links: Links to WDW official websites, other helpful websites and past DIS Board threads
  • Post 4: Riding WDW Buses with a wheelchair or ECV
  • Post 5: ECVs and Cars
  • Post 6: DAS (Disability Access Service) - also see linked posts about DAS at WDW and at Disneyland Park
  • Post 7: Information about WDW Resorts and WDW Phone numbers for Contact
  • Post 8: Parking, WDW Boats, Monorails, Specialty Cruises at the parks
  • Post 9: Universal
  • Post 10: Sea World, Discovery Cove and Busch Gardens Tampa
  • Post 11: Basic accessibility lists for each park. Includes Mobility Access entrances from WDW Disabilities park maps, attractions requiring a transfer from wheelchair or ECV.
  • Post 12: Kennedy Space Center - including Random Ninja's review of Kennedy Space Center
  • Post 14: DisneyLAND
  • Post 15: Air travel, Orlando specific and some general travel hints
  • Post 16: DME (Disney's Magical Express)
  • Post 17: Zero entry pools
  • Post 18: MK attractions and Accessibility. Lists which have a difficult step on and which have a wheelchair car
  • Post 19: Epcot attractions and Accessibility. Lists which have a difficult step on and which have a wheelchair car
  • Post 20: Disney Hollywood Studios and Accessibility. Lists which may be difficult to board and which have a wheelchair car
PAGE 2
  • Post 21: Animal Kingdom and Accessibility. Lists which may be difficult to board and which have a wheelchair car
  • Post 22: Attractions where guests must stand unless they have mobility device
  • Post 23: Attractions with Warnings
  • Post 24: Attractions with bright or flashes of light
  • Post 25: More about Wish Trips for children with serious medical conditions
  • Post 26: Attractions that are good places to cool off
  • Post 27: Attractions that may cause problems for people with claustrophobia
  • Post 28: Attractions with moving walkways and stairs
  • Post 29: Contacting WDW with questions, complaints or comments
  • Post 30: Travel to WDW with oxygen
  • Post 31: WDW attractions with a long leg cast
  • Post 32: walkers, rollators, leg walkers and other mobility devices
  • Post 33: Cheshire Figment's information about Legoland Florida
  • Post 34: Mobility seating for shows - list of shows/theaters are the location of mobility seating
 
BTMRR is one of the bumpiest Roller coaster I might do 7 DMT instead, and if he is ok with this one then do BTMRR

Except the dad is 6'3", 215 lbs, and 7DMT is a really small-seat roller coaster. Hopefully he will fit, but perhaps the family can scope it out first so he doesn't get disappointed by not fitting.
 
BTMRR is one of the bumpiest Roller coaster I might do 7 DMT instead, and if he is ok with this one then do BTMRR

OP, I second this! I, too, can't do the fast, jerky coasters anymore, but I am happy to report that I 'can' do the 7DMT very easily. Also, may I suggest that you ask for the front seat. It is the smoothest ride - was suggested to me, and I so appreciated it. Thought I could never do coasters again, but love it! It's the only one I can ride. The only issue may be his height - have heard that others have had tight fits. We fit easily (me 5'2" - dh 5'8" and both small built).
The best of pixiedust:and enjoyment for your trip!
 
...Also, may I suggest that you ask for the front seat....

Good idea for smooth but it won't work for Kim's Dad. The only ride car with the side that swings open for easier transfers is the back row. So remember to ask for the ADA vehicle.

The more I think about it the more I think he probably should go on Expedition Everest. It's the easiest transfer and the medium for rough ride. It all depends on how much of a rough ride he can take.

I didn't notice that EE was rough. Do any of you have opinions on it?
 
Good idea for smooth but it won't work for Kim's Dad. The only ride car with the side that swings open for easier transfers is the back row. So remember to ask for the ADA vehicle.

The more I think about it the more I think he probably should go on Expedition Everest. It's the easiest transfer and the medium for rough ride. It all depends on how much of a rough ride he can take.

I didn't notice that EE was rough. Do any of you have opinions on it?

Sorry about that - did not consider needing to transfer!

Have never tried riding Everest - just always assumed it would be too jerky for my neck issues. Dh has ridden it, but says he can't take it anymore.
 
The backward part of Everest is pretty intense - some say it feels like you are going upside down, even when you are not. I can't ride it that often, maybe once a trip at the most, as the forces on it make me sick. It's not 'jerky' to me as much as it is intense.
 
The backward part of Everest is pretty intense - some say it feels like you are going upside down, even when you are not. I can't ride it that often, maybe once a trip at the most, as the forces on it make me sick. It's not 'jerky' to me as much as it is intense.

My Aunt feels the same way. She knows that she isn't going upside down but she doesn't like the feeling that she is. But not jerky is good to hear.
 
Thank you all! I have a really good ride list now! When some of the rides say must trasfer from ECV but they are under the category can stay in wheelchair... does this mean that he will have to transfer from his chair? It is a permobil
images
I actually got a call this morning from my dad who reports "We are going to have a great trip!"
 
Your Dad will be able to stay in his chair. Only the ECV people have to transfer to a manual wheelchair. I think the ECV needs more room make the turns in the line and that is why the transfer to a wheelchair is required. And on side matter, you can request housekeeping to bring you a shower chair for him to use if the seat in the roll-in shower is not right for him. They bring it to your room and you keep it for your entire stay.
 
Thank you all! I have a really good ride list now! When some of the rides say must trasfer from ECV but they are under the category can stay in wheelchair... does this mean that he will have to transfer from his chair? It is a permobil
images
I actually got a call this morning from my dad who reports "We are going to have a great trip!"
my friend uses a power chair like this one and he still had to transfer out of it to get on pooh and a few other rides as his is too big and too heavy so I would check with the CM at the ride on what you need to do
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top