Going to Disney in 42 days with an gastrocnemius injury ("Tennis leg") +++ Several Disabilities..

eleda72

Mouseketeer
Joined
Aug 4, 2014
Hello from Norway!
So.. DH and I are traveling to WDW in 42 (almost 41) days...
We have been to Disney many times before and we are really looking forward to our trip.
Well, about 4 weeks ago I got an injury in my leg called gastrocnemius injury "Tennis leg"
The Dr´s at the hospital told me that I had to rest my leg around 5 days and gave me crutches...
Here we are almost 4 weeks later, and I am still jumping around on these crutches...
My leg is getting SLOWLY better, but I can`t go out the door without the crutches yet.
I am getting some physiotherapy and she told me that our GOAL is to get me on my feet before our Disney vacation. (I am not sure she knows how much walking I would be doing in Disney... 7 days vacation with parks everyday)

So, I am hoping my leg would get A LOT better, but I also try to be realistic...
We all know how much WALKING a Disney vacation involves right? "LOL"
Has anybody traveled to Disney with this kind of injury (I have grade 2 of this injury)

Should I prepare my self to take the Crutches with me?
I am a bit worried that even if my leg is much better, all the walking would be "bad"?
Scooter could be an alternative if my leg is really "Bad"...
But, I have never used a Scooter before, and I don`t drive so I am a bit scared to do that.
Hopefully I will not need a scooter, but maybe take my crutches just in case...

Any tips or informations are highly appreciated :)

PART 2
I also have several disabilities
(PTSD, EPILEPSY, DIABETES, ADHD, OCD ++++ some eye problems)
It would probably be my PTDS and maybe my sight who will be most challenges on this trip.
It is so hard to explain and I really don`t like to make "a big deal" out of all my challenges..
BUT, I don`t always know how my day would be and what would trigger my PTSD
I do feel "safe" at Disney but I am hoping I could get a DAS card IF I feel I have to use it.

I am a childhood abuse SURVIVOUR and I got my PTSD after all the challenges in my childhood and some of my adult years.
When we go to Disney I get to be the "kid" i never got to be during my childhood :)

On top of this I have problems when I get into dark rides...
I don`t see very well when I walk because I have a very bad night sight (not sure if my english is okey so you understand?)
I would probably need some assistance with these rides also.
This seams to be the year with "bad luck", because this summer I was diagnosed with
Cataract. (I really hope this is the correct word in English) on both eyes.
My left eye is the worst.
I will have surgery in January, but I have some trouble with seeing on long distance etc.

I am really a HAPPY PERSON so I know things could be worse... but looking for some tips and input to make my trip as good as possible.

Any tips and input on this post would be great. THANK YOU and have a MAGICAL DAY :)

Best from Adèle Marie




 
If you’ve got someone to push a wheelchair, I would suggest that rather than an ECV for several reasons:
1) you don’t drive and are a bit scared to drive one

2) you have trouble with distance vision

3) you have trouble with seeing in dim light (night vision) . Many of the queues are relatively dark, plus if you are out at night/evening, you will have issues.

All of those things together would make it difficult or possibly dangerous to be driving an ECV.

DAS does do anything to help with walking in line - some of the lines are quite a distance, even if the wait is not that long.

As an alternative to an ECV or wheelchair, you could also look at a rollator - it’s a walker with wheels and a seat. Using one of those, you could walk with a little more support and would always have a seat when you need one.
 
your eyes issues preclude an ECV I think.. regardless of all your other issues. a manual wheelchair would probably be better, especially if someone can do the pushing for you.
 
I’m not familiar with your specific injury, but if you aren’t weight-bearing now I would not expect to be fully recovered enough for all the walking of a WDW vacation in a little over a month. A manual wheelchair might be your best option assuming someone can push; if you are feeling strong enough it can be parked and walk around a bit. Be aware that queues can be long (distance and time), so crutches or a cane may help if you don’t opt to bring the wheelchair through the queue. I would probably use the wheelchair in line, though. Also be aware that there are very few benches in the parks, so few places to sit and rest.

DAS won’t help with the leg issue. A mobility device is the recommended accommodation. If you think the queues could be a challenge for your other issues, you will have to explain your needs related to waiting in a standard queue environment; not just the diagnosis.

What kind of assistance do you have in mind for dark rides? Be prepared to explain what you’ll need at each of these rides, as the DAS does nothing for assistance at ride boarding/exiting. All DAS does is allow you to wait outside the standby queue, you still use the FP+ queue on return.

Enjoy your vacation!
 
Thank you so much everyone for your kind words, thoughts and recommendations...
They are very helpful :)
Yes, I think that an EVC might be a slight problem, but maybe a wheelchair or a rullator would be a good idea along with the churches.
I can walk down on my foot now, but not with much weight on it and I can`t walk out the door without the churches.
"Walked" around one hour with the churches and my leg starts to hurt a bit and it feels very weak.
So, I think I will have to prepare my self that I will have to need some extra help on this trip with DH :)
 
Just remember that there are SO many people who need a little "extra help" at Disney, and not even because they are recovering from a recent injury! It just involves so much walking that a lot of people who have a slight disability/mobility issue who never use assistance in their day to day life use a wheelchair at Disney. So don't worry about "taking advantage" or waiting to see, or anything like that.

If you can (not sure how it works with international rentals), I'd suggest renting from an outside company. That way, you'll have the wheelchair at the resort too, if you need it. A lot of people don't realize how much walking you end up doing at your resort, especially depending on where your particular room is, compared to where the bus stop and restaurant/food is.
 


Just remember that there are SO many people who need a little "extra help" at Disney, and not even because they are recovering from a recent injury! It just involves so much walking that a lot of people who have a slight disability/mobility issue who never use assistance in their day to day life use a wheelchair at Disney. So don't worry about "taking advantage" or waiting to see, or anything like that.

If you can (not sure how it works with international rentals), I'd suggest renting from an outside company. That way, you'll have the wheelchair at the resort too, if you need it. A lot of people don't realize how much walking you end up doing at your resort, especially depending on where your particular room is, compared to where the bus stop and restaurant/food is.

THANK YOU!!
Yes.. I know... and thats why I always walk a LOT before our trips so my feet and body knows what to expect (plus A LOT more)
I had the whole plan mapped out.. and BANG this injury happened... All I could think of when it happened was
"What is going to happen with our Disney trip" LOL...

Well... this is really not "the end of the world"... and we are still going to DISNEY and we will have A GREAT TIME.
I will look into renting a wheelchair... think that would be the best thing to do and have it delivered to our resort...
AND I will have to bring my crutches also I think :)
Maybe I can "decorate" my wheelchair DISNEY STYLE and HAVE A LOT OF FUN :)
 
Is your night vision better when you've had a lot of time to let your eyes adjust? Mine is, so I try to skip the dark rides until after dark. If I come in from the bright sun, I'm almost totally blind for a good long while.

I've sort of resigned myself to the fact that I won't be able to ride the Haunted Mansion by myself, with nobody to lead me, because I get blinded from the lightning flash in the preshow, and the area you have to traverse from the preshow room to the loading area is not only pitch dark but full of people pushing and shoving and little kids running around. I've asked to be able to skip the stretching room and board from the exit like wheelchairs used to do, but they always say no.

Accommodations for low vision are completely at the discretion of whatever CM happens to be Manning the attraction at that day and time, but if you have needs like sitting close to the stage,. that's the person you need to ask.
 
THANK YOU!!
Yes.. I know... and thats why I always walk a LOT before our trips so my feet and body knows what to expect (plus A LOT more)
I had the whole plan mapped out.. and BANG this injury happened... All I could think of when it happened was
"What is going to happen with our Disney trip" LOL...

Well... this is really not "the end of the world"... and we are still going to DISNEY and we will have A GREAT TIME.
I will look into renting a wheelchair... think that would be the best thing to do and have it delivered to our resort...
AND I will have to bring my crutches also I think :)
Maybe I can "decorate" my wheelchair DISNEY STYLE and HAVE A LOT OF FUN :)
I would rent the wheelchair from offsite rather than in the parks as that chair must be left inside the gate at end of day and no matter how you plan to get back to you resort you are most likely going to need the help then plus you could have a long walk back to your room so again having the offsite chair helps. I know it is different than you but last trip for me was first trip in a number that I did have to use either a wheelchair or ECV except for one ride where I had to use a ride chair
 
Have you looked into a mobility 'scooter'? Not an ECV, but the kind of scooter they give to people that have had foot or ankle surgery:

scooter-for-broken-leg.jpg


This might give you the best of both worlds, the ability to move yourself around without too much discomfort, somewhere to sit when waiting, but it also doesn't require someone to push you. If things get too tough you can always rent a wheelchair from the parks and then use this one to go back to the hotel?
 
Have you looked into a mobility 'scooter'? Not an ECV, but the kind of scooter they give to people that have had foot or ankle surgery:

scooter-for-broken-leg.jpg


This might give you the best of both worlds, the ability to move yourself around without too much discomfort, somewhere to sit when waiting, but it also doesn't require someone to push you. If things get too tough you can always rent a wheelchair from the parks and then use this one to go back to the hotel?
I would not recommend this as this would be like kneeling all day long ( I know some have good padding but padding only goes so fair )
 
Is your night vision better when you've had a lot of time to let your eyes adjust? Mine is, so I try to skip the dark rides until after dark. If I come in from the bright sun, I'm almost totally blind for a good long while.

I've sort of resigned myself to the fact that I won't be able to ride the Haunted Mansion by myself, with nobody to lead me, because I get blinded from the lightning flash in the preshow, and the area you have to traverse from the preshow room to the loading area is not only pitch dark but full of people pushing and shoving and little kids running around. I've asked to be able to skip the stretching room and board from the exit like wheelchairs used to do, but they always say no.

Accommodations for low vision are completely at the discretion of whatever CM happens to be Manning the attraction at that day and time, but if you have needs like sitting close to the stage,. that's the person you need to ask.

Yes, it is a bit better when I have had A LOT of time to adjust, but I am a bit worried now that I also have my other eye problems.
I will have DH hold my hand, but I move very slowly and even more now because of my injured leg.
Hopefully it will be okey on most rides.. I will just need some help :)
 
I would rent the wheelchair from offsite rather than in the parks as that chair must be left inside the gate at end of day and no matter how you plan to get back to you resort you are most likely going to need the help then plus you could have a long walk back to your room so again having the offsite chair helps. I know it is different than you but last trip for me was first trip in a number that I did have to use either a wheelchair or ECV except for one ride where I had to use a ride chair

Yes, I am pretty sure I will have to rent that wheelchair (and I think I will do this from offsite)
This week my I was at my physiotherapist and the same night my leg really hurt.
The day after it was stiff and swollen... and she had told me to try walking with just one crutch...
I tried that and just walking a short distance hurt A LOT and again my leg was swollen at night.

Wen`t to see her again today and she told me to go back to using both crutches and that I had to take it more "easy again"
She was not so hard working with my leg today, but it still hurts a lot tonight.

So.. at-least one more week or maybe more on crutches and I am now 36 days from our trip.
I am dreaming of decorating my wheelchair now, because I realize that I will definitely need one with the speed my injury is going right now "LOL"
 
Yes, it is a bit better when I have had A LOT of time to adjust, but I am a bit worried now that I also have my other eye problems.
I will have DH hold my hand, but I move very slowly and even more now because of my injured leg.
Hopefully it will be okey on most rides.. I will just need some help :)

Yeah, I need to move slowly in some queues; I just keep as far to the right as I can and don't worry about it. If people behind me get impatient they can just go around me!
 

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