Rent wheelchair from WDW or 3rd party vendor?

[mamamelody2]

My oldest son is 15 and does not normally use a wheelchair. However, he was born with club feet and has had several surgeries resulting in lots of foot/ankle pain, especially when he walks a lot. When we went to WDW in 2016, he wasn't sure he'd need one, but after the first day was in terrible pain and agreed he had to have one. We rented daily from WDW. It worked well and at $10/day was reasonably priced. Of course, we then only had the wheelchair at the parks.

We are going again this September. His pain has gotten a bit worse. Should we rent a wheelchair from a 3rd party vendor so that he has it at the resort also? We will be staying at one of the All Stars, standard room, so probably will have a decent amount of walking. How would it work with the busses? We would wait in the wheelchair spot, then he would get on first, correct? Only 2 ACVs/wheelchairs fit, so if more than that, we'd have to wait longer, right? How likely is it that there would be more than 2? Would he have to sit in the chair during the bus ride? What do they do with the chair if he sits in a regular seat? Fold it? It will be me, DH, and our 2 sons. We can all get on with him, then, if I understand correctly. This would mean we would always have a seat. Then, am I correct that we would get off last?

Also, the WDW chairs are kind of a lightweight mesh seat/back, while the 3rd party rentals seem to have solid black seat/back. Is that hotter? More/less comfortable? I want my son to be comfortable and have the best trip possible!

Sorry, lots of questions, trying to understand the logistics!

 

[Summer2018]

My oldest son is 15 and does not normally use a wheelchair. However, he was born with club feet and has had several surgeries resulting in lots of foot/ankle pain, especially when he walks a lot. When we went to WDW in 2016, he wasn't sure he'd need one, but after the first day was in terrible pain and agreed he had to have one. We rented daily from WDW. It worked well and at $10/day was reasonably priced. Of course, we then only had the wheelchair at the parks.

We are going again this September. His pain has gotten a bit worse. Should we rent a wheelchair from a 3rd party vendor so that he has it at the resort also? We will be staying at one of the All Stars, standard room, so probably will have a decent amount of walking. How would it work with the busses? We would wait in the wheelchair spot, then he would get on first, correct? Only 2 ACVs/wheelchairs fit, so if more than that, we'd have to wait longer, right? How likely is it that there would be more than 2? Would he have to sit in the chair during the bus ride? What do they do with the chair if he sits in a regular seat? Fold it? It will be me, DH, and our 2 sons. We can all get on with him, then, if I understand correctly. This would mean we would always have a seat. Then, am I correct that we would get off last?

Also, the WDW chairs are kind of a lightweight mesh seat/back, while the 3rd party rentals seem to have solid black seat/back. Is that hotter? More/less comfortable? I want my son to be comfortable and have the best trip possible!

Sorry, lots of questions, trying to understand the logistics!

Very good questions. The day I booked our upcoming trip, I tore my meniscus. I need a knee replacement, but I’m putting it off until after our trip if I am able. In the meantime, I’m considering renting a wheelchair just for the parks. I’m able to walk, just not very fast. I’m not sure that I will be able to handle all of the walking in the parks. I will only be going in the morning. Will I need a doctor’s note?

 

[gap2368]

Yes you will wait in the handicapped area most of the time sometimes after the fireworks you will wait in line with everyone else and when you get closer the CM will pull your group out to get on the buss. When this happens you will know

 

[rebelbuddhist]

My oldest son is 15 and does not normally use a wheelchair. However, he was born with club feet and has had several surgeries resulting in lots of foot/ankle pain, especially when he walks a lot. When we went to WDW in 2016, he wasn't sure he'd need one, but after the first day was in terrible pain and agreed he had to have one. We rented daily from WDW. It worked well and at $10/day was reasonably priced. Of course, we then only had the wheelchair at the parks.

We are going again this September. His pain has gotten a bit worse. Should we rent a wheelchair from a 3rd party vendor so that he has it at the resort also? We will be staying at one of the All Stars, standard room, so probably will have a decent amount of walking. How would it work with the busses? We would wait in the wheelchair spot, then he would get on first, correct? Only 2 ACVs/wheelchairs fit, so if more than that, we'd have to wait longer, right? How likely is it that there would be more than 2? Would he have to sit in the chair during the bus ride? What do they do with the chair if he sits in a regular seat? Fold it? It will be me, DH, and our 2 sons. We can all get on with him, then, if I understand correctly. This would mean we would always have a seat. Then, am I correct that we would get off last?

Also, the WDW chairs are kind of a lightweight mesh seat/back, while the 3rd party rentals seem to have solid black seat/back. Is that hotter? More/less comfortable? I want my son to be comfortable and have the best trip possible!

Sorry, lots of questions, trying to understand the logistics!

Yes, your family of 4 can all enter the bus together. Yes, you will be first on and last off. I always rent from an outside vendor so I have the chair all the time whenever I need it. They are sturdier than the WDW ones and can be found for not much more than $10 per day. Also, it’s possible although not probable that all the WDW chairs could be rented at the park you are visiting on that day. If you park hop you have to leave the chair at the first park and have no quarantee there will be one at your next park even though you don’t have to pay again. On the bus he can transfer to a seat and the chair will be folded just as strollers are folded and held by the owner. Or he can stay in the chair and be strapped in. At Christmas time with large crowds, we never had to wait for a second bus always got on the first bus that came. So, i would suggest you rent from an outside vendor. You do queue up at the disabled sign at the bus stop— your entire family of 4. Hope this helps. You can always put a pillow or cushion on the seat to be more comfortable. Also a bag with string straps to hang over the back helps with water bottles and other goodies!

 

[rebelbuddhist]

Very good questions. The day I booked our upcoming trip, I tore my meniscus. I need a knee replacement, but I’m putting it off until after our trip if I am able. In the meantime, I’m considering renting a wheelchair just for the parks. I’m able to walk, just not very fast. I’m not sure that I will be able to handle all of the walking in the parks. I will only be going in the morning. Will I need a doctor’s note?

No you don’t need any medical notes signed by a doctor nor will CMs ask for one or accept one from you. It’s up to your integrity to state what you need.

 

[dalmatian7]

I would rent. The distance from the rental return to the bus stops can be long and the courtesy chairs (if they even do this anymore) aren't always there. I know we packed a big beach towel to lesson the sweating from the vinyl seat. You may also want to consider an extra poncho for a rain cover if your son decides to walk into certain attractions.

 

[50surgeries2012]

I would rent one from an off-site vendor. That way your son would be able to use it at his leisure, and you wouldn't have to worry about renting one in the parks. The ones you rent in the parks. You can't take out of the park. Renting one off-site. You can have with you all of the time, and the off-site company can drop-off/pick-up the wheelchair at your resort where you're staying.

 

[mamabunny]

My oldest son is 15 and does not normally use a wheelchair. However, he was born with club feet and has had several surgeries resulting in lots of foot/ankle pain, especially when he walks a lot. When we went to WDW in 2016, he wasn't sure he'd need one, but after the first day was in terrible pain and agreed he had to have one. We rented daily from WDW. It worked well and at $10/day was reasonably priced. Of course, we then only had the wheelchair at the parks.

We are going again this September. His pain has gotten a bit worse. Should we rent a wheelchair from a 3rd party vendor so that he has it at the resort also? We will be staying at one of the All Stars, standard room, so probably will have a decent amount of walking. How would it work with the busses? We would wait in the wheelchair spot, then he would get on first, correct? Only 2 ACVs/wheelchairs fit, so if more than that, we'd have to wait longer, right? How likely is it that there would be more than 2? Would he have to sit in the chair during the bus ride? What do they do with the chair if he sits in a regular seat? Fold it? It will be me, DH, and our 2 sons. We can all get on with him, then, if I understand correctly. This would mean we would always have a seat. Then, am I correct that we would get off last?

Also, the WDW chairs are kind of a lightweight mesh seat/back, while the 3rd party rentals seem to have solid black seat/back. Is that hotter? More/less comfortable? I want my son to be comfortable and have the best trip possible!

Sorry, lots of questions, trying to understand the logistics!

First of all, as others have already said, a folding wheelchair can be accommodated even with all of the ECV spots taken. No worries there.

And yes - board first, get off last. The only reason he might want to ride in the chair (which has to be buckled into the buses tie-downs if he rides in the chair) is if his feet are hurting too much to transfer to a bus seat. You aren't always going to be guaranteed a seat - if the bus you are boarding has, for example, already stopped at another bus stop within your Resort (for example, POR which has multiple stops), or has already stopped at another Resort (for example, the POFQ bus used to stop at POR *after* it loaded at POFQ) then you may find that there will be no seats, and in that case, you may have to wait for another bus. If that happens, simply ask the driver to call for another bus, and explain that your son cannot stand, and must be seated.

Our daughter was born with bilateral club feet; although she was surgically corrected (Shriner's Hospitals), at the age of 24 she is now experiencing greater and greater pain as time passes. She now routinely uses a mobility device at WDW, and events where she knows she will have to walk or stand for more than an hour at a time.

Once he reaches the age of 18, he can rent an ECV (scooter) either from an outside company or WDW. Until then, he will need a wheelchair at WDW. The one exception to this is if he has his own personal scooter, he can bring to WDW with no problems. (Rental companies will not, as a rule, rent to anyone under the age of 18 except in a very limited set of circumstances)

Unless he uses a chair full time at home, his arms/hands/wrists *will* get tired from self-propelling. Make sure that at least one member of your party can push him when he tires out. Additionally, you may want to bring along an inexpensive pair of bike or golf gloves (think Wal-Mart) to protect hands; if his rental chair has the old hard, plastic hand grips, it's very easy for the pusher to get blisters. (Speaking from personal experience)

A beach towel (maybe his favorite Disney/Marvel character?) will go a long way towards keeping the seat/seat back comfy. A gel cushion can help as well - failing that, you can also pad out the seat with extra towels from Housekeeping at the Resort. Remember that the standard "sling" style wheelchair seat can get to be uncomfortable after long periods of sitting; if he wants to get up and walk a bit, someone else can ride, or you can even just fold the chair and roll it along with your group. If he is going to leave the chair parked out in stroller/ECV/chair parking, some colorful bandanas tied to the handlebars or arm rests will help identify it quickly in a sea of black rental devices.

Sitting with his feet in the spa/hot tub at the end of the day can help a lot (if heat helps his muscles release). Our daughter prefers heat to cold; the ice causes her (already shortened) tendons to contract so hard that they spasm. Extra pillows from housekeeping can elevate his feet/ankles at night if that helps.

If you are all flying, you can even consider renting the chair in your hometown, as the wheelchair will fly for free. He can take it all the way down the jetway at the airport, to the door of the plane. The airline will stow it under the plane, and return it at the end of the flight (hint: ask a Flight Attendant to let you know when it comes up to the jetway; you can take your time getting off the plane, and let everyone else get out of your way). Airports can be huge, with long concourses to navigate; I would hate for his trip to start off with pain before he even gets to WDW.

Obviously, if you are driving, then having the chair delivered to WDW makes more sense than hauling it down to Orlando

Last but not least, I know you have probably tried all sorts of braces, inserts, PT and everything under the sun. A relationship with a good Podiatrist who has experience with adult club foot survivors is going to be key. Adult surgical options ("pinning") need to be evaluated carefully, as the success rates are currently hovering around 50%. I'm about 10 years ahead of where you are now, and my best advice to you is to tread carefully... pun intended.

 

[mamamelody2]

Yes, your family of 4 can all enter the bus together. Yes, you will be first on and last off. I always rent from an outside vendor so I have the chair all the time whenever I need it. They are sturdier than the WDW ones and can be found for not much more than $10 per day. Also, it’s possible although not probable that all the WDW chairs could be rented at the park you are visiting on that day. If you park hop you have to leave the chair at the first park and have no quarantee there will be one at your next park even though you don’t have to pay again. On the bus he can transfer to a seat and the chair will be folded just as strollers are folded and held by the owner. Or he can stay in the chair and be strapped in. At Christmas time with large crowds, we never had to wait for a second bus always got on the first bus that came. So, i would suggest you rent from an outside vendor. You do queue up at the disabled sign at the bus stop— your entire family of 4. Hope this helps. You can always put a pillow or cushion on the seat to be more comfortable. Also a bag with string straps to hang over the back helps with water bottles and other goodies!

Am I reading correctly that if he got out of the wheelchair to sit in a bus seat, we would have to hold his folded wheelchair? How does that work? I'm pretty sure he will want to be out of the wheelchair on the bus, to give his butt a break and put it in a different seat. LOL.

 

[Dumbo7]

My husband just helded folded. Sometimes we sat. Others time we just stood by the door. My daughter always sat in a seat unless we monorailed it.

 

[mamamelody2]

First of all, as others have already said, a folding wheelchair can be accommodated even with all of the ECV spots taken. No worries there.

And yes - board first, get off last. The only reason he might want to ride in the chair (which has to be buckled into the buses tie-downs if he rides in the chair) is if his feet are hurting too much to transfer to a bus seat. You aren't always going to be guaranteed a seat - if the bus you are boarding has, for example, already stopped at another bus stop within your Resort (for example, POR which has multiple stops), or has already stopped at another Resort (for example, the POFQ bus used to stop at POR *after* it loaded at POFQ) then you may find that there will be no seats, and in that case, you may have to wait for another bus. If that happens, simply ask the driver to call for another bus, and explain that your son cannot stand, and must be seated.

Our daughter was born with bilateral club feet; although she was surgically corrected (Shriner's Hospitals), at the age of 24 she is now experiencing greater and greater pain as time passes. She now routinely uses a mobility device at WDW, and events where she knows she will have to walk or stand for more than an hour at a time.

Once he reaches the age of 18, he can rent an ECV (scooter) either from an outside company or WDW. Until then, he will need a wheelchair at WDW. The one exception to this is if he has his own personal scooter, he can bring to WDW with no problems. (Rental companies will not, as a rule, rent to anyone under the age of 18 except in a very limited set of circumstances)

Unless he uses a chair full time at home, his arms/hands/wrists *will* get tired from self-propelling. Make sure that at least one member of your party can push him when he tires out. Additionally, you may want to bring along an inexpensive pair of bike or golf gloves (think Wal-Mart) to protect hands; if his rental chair has the old hard, plastic hand grips, it's very easy for the pusher to get blisters. (Speaking from personal experience)

A beach towel (maybe his favorite Disney/Marvel character?) will go a long way towards keeping the seat/seat back comfy. A gel cushion can help as well - failing that, you can also pad out the seat with extra towels from Housekeeping at the Resort. Remember that the standard "sling" style wheelchair seat can get to be uncomfortable after long periods of sitting; if he wants to get up and walk a bit, someone else can ride, or you can even just fold the chair and roll it along with your group. If he is going to leave the chair parked out in stroller/ECV/chair parking, some colorful bandanas tied to the handlebars or arm rests will help identify it quickly in a sea of black rental devices.

Sitting with his feet in the spa/hot tub at the end of the day can help a lot (if heat helps his muscles release). Our daughter prefers heat to cold; the ice causes her (already shortened) tendons to contract so hard that they spasm. Extra pillows from housekeeping can elevate his feet/ankles at night if that helps.

If you are all flying, you can even consider renting the chair in your hometown, as the wheelchair will fly for free. He can take it all the way down the jetway at the airport, to the door of the plane. The airline will stow it under the plane, and return it at the end of the flight (hint: ask a Flight Attendant to let you know when it comes up to the jetway; you can take your time getting off the plane, and let everyone else get out of your way). Airports can be huge, with long concourses to navigate; I would hate for his trip to start off with pain before he even gets to WDW.

Obviously, if you are driving, then having the chair delivered to WDW makes more sense than hauling it down to Orlando

Last but not least, I know you have probably tried all sorts of braces, inserts, PT and everything under the sun. A relationship with a good Podiatrist who has experience with adult club foot survivors is going to be key. Adult surgical options ("pinning") need to be evaluated carefully, as the success rates are currently hovering around 50%. I'm about 10 years ahead of where you are now, and my best advice to you is to tread carefully... pun intended.

Wow, thanks for all the advice, I really appreciate it! I hate how much pain he already experiences at such a young age. Last time we took him in, we were told the only thing they could do for him is fuse his ankle if the pain became too much. Uh, no thanks. He can do stretching, but it doesn't seem to help much. He basically has no "flex" in his ankles. We have tried a number of inserts, and they didn't help. Maybe it's time to try again.

I definitely will bring a cushion and towel to cover that hot, non-breathable black seat.

He hardly pushed himself at all last trip, I did 90% of the pushing. This year, I will have my DH do more of the pushing. I didn't have any problems with blisters and hadn't even considered that, but I see how it could happen.

Anyway, again, thanks for your help!