How to share electric chair - I am disabled mom and mild disabled son

[bizeemom]

I am traveling next month to Disney with my son. I am having a very hard time figuring out how to plan this. I have a hip problem for which I will eventually need surgery. I cannot walk long distances or stand for long periods. I am traveling alone with my 6 year old son who also has a mild disability (also with his hips). Like me, he can also walk but not long distances and also cannot stand for long periods. At first I thought it would be no problem. I planned to rent an electric scooter and he can ride with me. Then I read that they don't allow more than 1 to ride. He is not old enough to be responsible and safe to drive his own. I understand they probably worry he would fall and get injured and I would sue but I could write an affidavit stating our issue and say why we have no other choice and that I will not hold them responsible for his safety or any injury if it occurred due to him riding with me. If they won't allow this, how will we be able to do Disney? We have nobody who can come with us.

 

[TCRAIG]

IIRC - part of the ECV rental contract states only 1 driver and no ‘riders’ allowed…

 

[elvispursley]

Not to mention there is an age requirement

 

[redberyl]

They will not allow you both to ride, there is no way around that. There are people who hire themselves out as companions or nannies for disney, that could help with p7shing a wheelchair or stroller for your son.

 

[DisneyOma]

Since you both have a similar disability, you can take the trip slowly. Perhaps bring a rollator (has a seat) or something that would allow you to have some walking support? You could take turns resting in the seat. Or, if you do get an ECV for yourself, there's no rule that states that you can't stop to rest and let your son sit in the seat (when it is not moving)while you stand beside him.

 

[jo-jo]

Since you both have a similar disability, you can take the trip slowly. Perhaps bring a rollator (has a seat) or something that would allow you to have some walking support? You could take turns resting in the seat. Or, if you do get an ECV for yourself, there's no rule that states that you can't stop to rest and let your son sit in the seat (when it is not moving)while you stand beside him.

Plus plan to do rides, then shows (where you are resting for 15-20 mins), rides, shows. I've never used it, but Genie + might be a help to use to cut down on standing time.

Again, out of my realm, what about a rollator for son. Could that help him with some support and always have a seat?

How do you handle day to day life? Going to school, work, shopping? I realize a trip to walmart is a drop in the bucket compare to a few hours at disney, but perhaps if you break it up in chunks. Do X amount , take long break with snack/meal, tour again. And remember no one does disney in one trip. Too much to cover.

 

[mamabunny]

I am traveling next month to Disney with my son. I am having a very hard time figuring out how to plan this. I have a hip problem for which I will eventually need surgery. I cannot walk long distances or stand for long periods. I am traveling alone with my 6 year old son who also has a mild disability (also with his hips). Like me, he can also walk but not long distances and also cannot stand for long periods. At first I thought it would be no problem. I planned to rent an electric scooter and he can ride with me. Then I read that they don't allow more than 1 to ride. He is not old enough to be responsible and safe to drive his own. I understand they probably worry he would fall and get injured and I would sue but I could write an affidavit stating our issue and say why we have no other choice and that I will not hold them responsible for his safety or any injury if it occurred due to him riding with me. If they won't allow this, how will we be able to do Disney? We have nobody who can come with us.

Disney won't look at your affidavit, or a doctor's note/letter. And "mobility issues" generally speaking do not qualify for a DAS, which is most likely what your hip issues would fall under. Disney will tell you to rent an ECV or wheelchair, or some other mobility device that is appropriate (like a stroller or Rollator)

The last thing I want to do is set an improper expectation that you would get "pixie dusted" somehow and then you arrive, planning on that, only to find that the reality is... it's not going to happen. It could ruin your vacation. Better to plan now (like you are doing) and maybe even develop a backup strategy, than to have to improvise on the fly.

There are "combo" devices that you could push - it's a combination Rollator and transport chair (see this for an example) that would allow you to push your son, and then when you take a break, you could sit while he either stands, or perhaps leans on you, or sits on your lap. 2 things to know: First, they can be a bit more work to push than a standard manual wheelchair, because of the smaller tires. (They sometimes ride really rough as well). Second is that for an all-day rider, the seats can be uncomfortable at best; they are actually designed for use for short distances - like from the parking lot to your doctor's office as an example.

In your position, I might rent a standard wheelchair (or see if you can borrow one from someone at home - like a church or other civic organization that has a lending closet, or ask on FB or other social media if you can borrow one) so that you have it to use at the hotel as well. Even if you aren't staying onsite at a Disney Resort Hotel, some of the hotel complexes can be quite large to get around in.

And if you are flying, you will want to have your own device to get through your home airport, as well as MCO; that way you don't have to wait for someone to show up with a chair, and then have to tip them on both ends of the flight. Medical/mobility devices fly for free on all domestic airlines in the US.

I wish there were better options for you; "boogie boards" that can attach to devices (like strollers, wheelchairs & scooters) are not allowed at Disney, and of course, all mobility devices are limited to one person. Towing another device behind a wheelchair or ECV is also expressly forbidden.

I hope someone comes along with another solution (that remains within Disney's rules) to help you.

 

[Evita_W]

How about adding a child seat (similar to what would be on a bike) to a mobility scooter?

I don’t know if under present rules it would be allowed or not, but this used to be allowed, as DH used to see them at Disneyland frequently.

The current rules state:

• Wheeled mobility devices with less than 3 wheels or devices that cannot maintain stability and balance when stopped, unpowered and/or unoccupied. Training wheels and/or modifications are not permitted. Devices must be manually or electrically powered and operated at a walking pace. Devices should be single rider and not exceed 36" (92 cm) in width and 52" (132 cm) in length.

Now, the interesting thing here is the wording says devices should be single rider and not exceed these dimensions. I know for the buses they can’t exceed these dimensions, but can the be multi-rider if they still fit in these dimensions? I mean other parts state must and this just states should, but at what point is this enforced?

Of course, even if allowed, you would likely need to remove the seat for the buses and this would require an off-site rental. I think staying on property would make this process easier, but an off site rental is likely going to be a must in your situation. As such, call all of the local rental companies and see if they have any ideas as well, DH and I don’t know of any that do offer a solution, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

As others have said, there are likely people out there that you could hire to come into the parks with you, you would likely have to pay for their food and admission though and make sure you are doing it all within the rules of the tickets so you don’t get the person accused of using their admission for commercial use.

DH and I are planning on going to the accessibility expo is LA next weekend though and we will try to keep our eyes out for anything that might help.

Admittedly, there isn’t any great option here that I can see, but maybe this can point you in the right direction.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I have been thinking about this as well. Let’s assume that the minimum wage you’d be able to pay someone is $20/hour plus park tickets/meals, plus overtime. Going through an agency for a “skilled” worker would cost even more.

I’m not sure how many days you plan to be at Disney, but perhaps there is someone in your life that would be willing to help out in exchange for the cost of transportation? Presumably s/he could stay with you in whatever lodging you pick, and the tickets/meals would be paid for in either case.

If the plane ticket is $500, that’s the equivalent of about 20-25 hours (depending on if you pay $20 or $25/hour) of work, or less than 3 days in the park. Anything more than that and you’d come out ahead. You’d also have someone to help out in the airport.

Obviously the math changes if the person needs his/her own room.

Another option would be a VIP tour where the guide would help with everything, but that requires a much larger budget than most are prepared to pay.

 

[jo-jo]

I have been thinking about this as well. Let’s assume that the minimum wage you’d be able to pay someone is $20/hour plus park tickets/meals, plus overtime. Going through an agency for a “skilled” worker would cost even more.

I’m not sure how many days you plan to be at Disney, but perhaps there is someone in your life that would be willing to help out in exchange for the cost of transportation? Presumably s/he could stay with you in whatever lodging you pick, and the tickets/meals would be paid for in either case.

If the plane ticket is $500, that’s the equivalent of about 20-25 hours (depending on if you pay $20 or $25/hour) of work, or less than 3 days in the park. Anything more than that and you’d come out ahead. You’d also have someone to help out in the airport.

Obviously the math changes if the person needs his/her own room.

Another option would be a VIP tour where the guide would help with everything, but that requires a much larger budget than most are prepared to pay.

I wonder if one of the former CM shopping site might have someone who would come to parks to do like you mentioned, $20 an hour etc. Or what about the babysitter agencies, someone willing to walk vs. sitting in room?

 

[Groot]

Do you think your son could possibly push himself in a manual wheelchair that is optimized for pushing? (Like taking the armrests off)

 

[Evita_W]

I have been thinking about this as well. Let’s assume that the minimum wage you’d be able to pay someone is $20/hour plus park tickets/meals, plus overtime. Going through an agency for a “skilled” worker would cost even more.

I’m not sure how many days you plan to be at Disney, but perhaps there is someone in your life that would be willing to help out in exchange for the cost of transportation? Presumably s/he could stay with you in whatever lodging you pick, and the tickets/meals would be paid for in either case.

If the plane ticket is $500, that’s the equivalent of about 20-25 hours (depending on if you pay $20 or $25/hour) of work, or less than 3 days in the park. Anything more than that and you’d come out ahead. You’d also have someone to help out in the airport.

Obviously the math changes if the person needs his/her own room.

Another option would be a VIP tour where the guide would help with everything, but that requires a much larger budget than most are prepared to pay.

I was more thinking that there is likely a local agency that can provide someone just while you are in the park. I can't imagine such a service doesn't exist in Florida. Then all you are taking is food and admission in addition to the hourly wage while actually needing their service.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

There probably is. But an agency is likely going to charge more than $20/hour and most people are in the parks for 10+ hours/day. Eg I found one shop that charges $30/hour for one child plus some other fees with a 4 hour minimum.

I was just trying to think creatively about whether there are alternatives.

 

[SueM in MN]

How about adding a child seat (similar to what would be on a bike) to a mobility scooter?

I don’t know if under present rules it would be allowed or not, but this used to be allowed, as DH used to see them at Disneyland frequently.

The current rules state:

Now, the interesting thing here is the wording says devices should be single rider and not exceed these dimensions. I know for the buses they can’t exceed these dimensions, but can the be multi-rider if they still fit in these dimensions? I mean other parts state must and this just states should, but at what point is this enforced?

Of course, even if allowed, you would likely need to remove the seat for the buses and this would require an off-site rental. I think staying on property would make this process easier, but an off site rental is likely going to be a must in your situation. As such, call all of the local rental companies and see if they have any ideas as well, DH and I don’t know of any that do offer a solution, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

As others have said, there are likely people out there that you could hire to come into the parks with you, you would likely have to pay for their food and admission though and make sure you are doing it all within the rules of the tickets so you don’t get the person accused of using their admission for commercial use.

DH and I are planning on going to the accessibility expo is LA next weekend though and we will try to keep our eyes out for anything that might help.

Admittedly, there isn’t any great option here that I can see, but maybe this can point you in the right direction.

Two important things IF (big IF) able to find a '2 person solution'

1) there is no guarantee it would be allowed into the park. It would be an exception that would not be approved ahead of time and may not be approved at all. This is similar to how it works for wagons used for medical reasons. If you try it, a backup plan would be very important.

2) the size is important, along with turning ability. Bigger or less manouverable devices may be OK in open areas, but not usable in lines or on transportation.

There are children who have their own ECV; they are allowed to use them in the parks. But, small kids need smaller ECVs that are sized to them. Even if someone owned their own ECV, it's not likely it could be adjusted to fit the adult and resized easily to fit the small child.

If the child has Occupational or Physical Therapists working with them, I'd suggest enlisting their help to find a good solution. If no therapists are involved, you could ask the doctor for a referral to help with ways to handle outings - not just WDW, but also helpful for outings closer to home.

 

[Evita_W]

All very valid points, the more I think about it, the more I wonder if there is someone local in Orlando that can be hired to be an assistant, either with or without medical training depending on how much help the OP needs. I would hope that this would fit within the rules and not be considered “commercial use” of the admission media. I mean the OP would simply be hiring someone to assist them, not get them anything special.

 

[TCRAIG]

Two important things IF (big IF) able to find a '2 person solution'

1) there is no guarantee it would be allowed into the park. It would be an exception that would not be approved ahead of time and may not be approved at all. This is similar to how it works for wagons used for medical reasons. If you try it, a backup plan would be very important.

2) the size is important, along with turning ability. Bigger or less manouverable devices may be OK in open areas, but not usable in lines or on transportation.

There are children who have their own ECV; they are allowed to use them in the parks. But, small kids need smaller ECVs that are sized to them. Even if someone owned their own ECV, it's not likely it could be adjusted to fit the adult and resized easily to fit the small child.

If the child has Occupational or Physical Therapists working with them, I'd suggest enlisting their help to find a good solution. If no therapists are involved, you could ask the doctor for a referral to help with ways to handle outings - not just WDW, but also helpful for outings closer to home.

I’ve seen TEENS with their own personal ECVs but NOT 6 year olds -
I do own my own ECV that I take to Disney and, although I could, for safety reasons alone, I would never let my grandgirls try and drive it or ride with me at Disney…it’s just not safe.

 

[WonderlandisReality]

We took a rollator/transport chair. Super helpful if you do have someone who would mostly use a rolling walker. We did not have more than 1 "riding" at any one time. Though, being of equal size, one is able to use the walker and push the other in the wheelchair part. During EPCOT fireworks at viewing area near port of entry, CM couldn't allow one child to sit on ground (cited safety reasons) and suggested both share the seat in our rollator (parked with brakes on) in WC area. After that we typically would have more than one of us using the seat when parked in busy areas.

 

[SueM in MN]

I’ve seen TEENS with their own personal ECVs but NOT 6 year olds -
I do own my own ECV that I take to Disney and, although I could, for safety reasons alone, I would never let my grandgirls try and drive it or ride with me at Disney…it’s just not safe

I have seen preteens at WDW with their own ECV, correctly sized to them. I knew 2 boys quite a few years with Muscular Dystrophy who both had their own appropriately sized ECVs. I think one was 7 when he got his first one and the other boy was a little bit older.
I've also seen some pretty little kids driving their own power wheelchairs at WDW. Our last trip, I saw a little girl who didn't look older than 4 or 5. She was an awesome driver; I don't know if they did long days or were just there for short periods. I'd personally be concerned about stamina

 

[elvispursley]

OT here and I will add that there are kids who have power chairs and small ecv. But these are customized to the child and require a prescription and are typically custom. My recommendation would be for the DS to use a rollator and then can sit whenever he needs to. OP could then rent an ecv. They make pediatric rollators that are definitely less expensive than the powers devices for kids.