"Stroller as wheelchair" sticker - cardiac issues

[TimR573]

Hello!

Heading to WDW thanksgiving week for a couple weeks - our oldest (4.5) was born with dilated cardiomyopathy, and has been to the parks previously. However, our previous visits with her were during much slower times of the year - it's going to be busy busy busy this trip!

I have some concerns about her ability to remain on her feet for 60m lines, and I saw that WDW offers a stroller as wheelchair sticker that allows you to bring your stroller into ride queues, which I think would be a great help to keep her experience enjoyable as she has low muscle tone and gets very quickly fatigued due to her condition. I had a couple questions

#1 - Do I just ask for this at guest services our first day? Is the process as involved as getting a DAS pass (interview, photo taken for ID, etc) or is it much more straightforward? Just curious how much time we should allot for it as we have a H&V breakfast reservation that first day.

#2 - Once you have this sticker, you can just take a stroller into the regular queues with you? Is there any notable exceptions where they make you go through a side entrance or an exit stall to wait rather than using the regular queue?

TIA

-T

 

[lanejudy]

The stroller-as-wheelchair is requested at Guest Relations. You may need to give a little explanation as to why you are requesting the SaW tag, but it is a fairly simple process. How quick may depend on how many others are at Guest Relations at the same time, whether or not you have much wait. You can always stop back after breakfast if you don't have time before.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[unwritten01]

Agree - for anyone reading who rents strollers you can get them all the first day to cover your entire stay. Have a fantastic trip!!

 

[seashoreCM]

I think that Splash Mountain, Small World, and Toy Story Mania have separate entrances for wheelchairs (and strollers as wheelchairs) because the regular line has stairs.

At least one ride (Rock n Roller coaster?) has the boarding and alighting areas in different locations and wheelchair guests board at the exit and go around the turning loop to the entrance where the rest of the car is filled. This allows the wheelchair to be left where it will be claimed.

 

[gap2368]

I think that Splash Mountain, Small World, and Toy Story Mania have separate entrances for wheelchairs (and strollers as wheelchairs) because the regular line has stairs.

At least one ride (Rock n Roller coaster?) has the boarding and alighting areas in different locations and wheelchair guests board at the exit and go around the turning loop to the entrance where the rest of the car is filled. This allows the wheelchair to be left where it will be claimed.

the only rides that have a sparest intrence is

BTMRR
JC
space ship earth
IASW

the others do have stars but there is a way around them so you will enter the regular/ FP line and then when you get to the stares you will go another way.

space you get a return time and go though the FP

 

[DisneyOma]

I think that Splash Mountain, Small World, and Toy Story Mania have separate entrances for wheelchairs (and strollers as wheelchairs) because the regular line has stairs.

At least one ride (Rock n Roller coaster?) has the boarding and alighting areas in different locations and wheelchair guests board at the exit and go around the turning loop to the entrance where the rest of the car is filled. This allows the wheelchair to be left where it will be claimed.

RnRC most likely will not be an issue for a 4.5 year old with cardiac issues, as there is a height requirement and a heart warning.

 

[wilkeliza]

I think that Splash Mountain, Small World, and Toy Story Mania have separate entrances for wheelchairs (and strollers as wheelchairs) because the regular line has stairs.

At least one ride (Rock n Roller coaster?) has the boarding and alighting areas in different locations and wheelchair guests board at the exit and go around the turning loop to the entrance where the rest of the car is filled. This allows the wheelchair to be left where it will be claimed.

The new line at TSMM does not require stairs and if you request to go that way the CM may just push the stroller to outside the entrance and back around to the other side or you can pash it through the car to the exit platform. Many have said this is a better option because then you don't have to wait for a HA car.

 

[SueM in MN]

I think that Splash Mountain, Small World, and Toy Story Mania have separate entrances for wheelchairs (and strollers as wheelchairs) because the regular line has stairs.

At least one ride (Rock n Roller coaster?) has the boarding and alighting areas in different locations and wheelchair guests board at the exit and go around the turning loop to the entrance where the rest of the car is filled. This allows the wheelchair to be left where it will be claimed.

Splash Mountain is wheelchair accessible in both the Fastpass and standby line to the point where the line reaches a set of stairs. At that point, there is a wheelchair path that goes toward the exit. It has a 40 inch height requirement and a warning that guests with heart conditions should not ride, so not likely a 4.5 year old with a heart condition would be riding it.

Small World does NOT have any stairs in the line, but the regular boarding area is on one side of the water and the unload area is on the other side. There is a handicapped boarding area on the unload side so that guest with mobility devices load and unload on the same side of the water. The first part of the standby line is accessible; the Fastpass line is not accessible. Guests with wheelchairs who do not have Fastpass may be directed to wait in the standby line until they reach a wheelchair gate. Guests with mobility devices using Fastpass will be given a handwritten pass to go directly to the boarding area. Guests using the standby line may be given a handwritten pass to return to the boarding area later.

You are incorrect about Toy Story Mania. There is a separate boarding area, but not a separate entrance. Guests with mobility devices wait in either the Fastpass line or the standby line until the point where those lines merge.
At that position not, there are 3 choices:
- the new line to the left, which does not have any stairs and operates as wilkeliza mentioned
- the 'old' line to the middle, which goes up stairs then in a hallway to cross the track and back down stairs to board
- the totally accessible boarding area up a ramp to the right (the original accessible boarding area)

The new line at TSMM does not require stairs and if you request to go that way the CM may just push the stroller to outside the entrance and back around to the other side or you can pash it through the car to the exit platform. Many have said this is a better option because then you don't have to wait for a HA car.

We just rode TSM yesterday and were asked whether our DD would be getting out of her wheelchair to transfer. She needs the wheelchair accessible car, so we were sent to the handicapped boarding area.
From what I've been told, guests needing the wheelchair accessible car are only sent to the original handicapped boarding area.
Those who can transfer might be sent to the new boarding area and handled as you mention or to the original handicapped boarding area; the CMs alternate to avoid excessive waits that used to occur in the handicapped boarding area

 

[SueM in MN]

Hello!

Heading to WDW thanksgiving week for a couple weeks - our oldest (4.5) was born with dilated cardiomyopathy, and has been to the parks previously. However, our previous visits with her were during much slower times of the year - it's going to be busy busy busy this trip!

I have some concerns about her ability to remain on her feet for 60m lines, and I saw that WDW offers a stroller as wheelchair sticker that allows you to bring your stroller into ride queues, which I think would be a great help to keep her experience enjoyable as she has low muscle tone and gets very quickly fatigued due to her condition. I had a couple questions

#1 - Do I just ask for this at guest services our first day? Is the process as involved as getting a DAS pass (interview, photo taken for ID, etc) or is it much more straightforward? Just curious how much time we should allot for it as we have a H&V breakfast reservation that first day.

If it is your own stroller or an offsite rental stroller, the sticker will be placed on the stroller and will be valid for your entire stay.
If the stroller is rented in the park, you will need to get a new sticker every day (since the stroller is returned when you leave the park).

#2 - Once you have this sticker, you can just take a stroller into the regular queues with you? Is there any notable exceptions where they make you go through a side entrance or an exit stall to wait rather than using the regular queue?

TIA

-T

with the sticker, you will be able to bring the stroller into lines, theaters and buildings. It will be handled just like a wheelchair.
When you pick up the stroller as wheelchair tag, also ask for a guidemap for guests with disabilities. There is one for each park - look for them at the map kiosk near/just after the entrance. They are marked with a wheelchair symbol and a black border at the top.

Also, keep in mind that every guest can prearrange 3 Fastpass selections.

RnRC most likely will not be an issue for a 4.5 year old with cardiac issues, as there is a height requirement and a heart warning.

Agree.
Besides that, RnRC does not have stairs or a separate entrance.m

 

[gap2368]

I have not seen this said yet but the stroller as a wheel chair tag will not and should not be used on buss, meaning she should not sit in the stroller as it is unsafe for her to do so. ( basically a stroller as a wheel chair tag is a in park accommodation and should be used this way)

 

[TimR573]

RnRC most likely will not be an issue for a 4.5 year old with cardiac issues, as there is a height requirement and a heart warning.

This genuinely made me laugh out loud, thank you She actually doesn't have ride restrictions per her cardiologist as she has never had a whiff of electrical/rhythm issues (just lowered output) - if her EF was extremely low, they would probably restrict due to the risk of developing a rhythm issue but for now she is clear. But, she is pretty small for her age, so there's nothing too exciting she can get into yet anyway.

Thank you all so much for the replies - I think this will help us all (especially my back!) have a much better trip. Most appreciated!

 

[TimR573]

I just wanted to say thank you all for the advice - we just got back on sunday from our trip, and as expected it was much easier to deal with her in a stroller and it let her keep going for longer periods of time.

one suggestion for anyone in the future reading this thread and using this accommodation, don't let the CM put it near the bottom of the stroller! Nobody can see it down there and you will get stopped everywhere by people asking you to park the stroller - make sure they put it right up high so it's easily visible. And if you go to the land pavilion be prepared to get stopped by about 75 cast members on your way in and around the building about it

 

[DopeyDame]

This genuinely made me laugh out loud, thank you She actually doesn't have ride restrictions per her cardiologist as she has never had a whiff of electrical/rhythm issues (just lowered output) - if her EF was extremely low, they would probably restrict due to the risk of developing a rhythm issue but for now she is clear. But, she is pretty small for her age, so there's nothing too exciting she can get into yet anyway.

Thank you all so much for the replies - I think this will help us all (especially my back!) have a much better trip. Most appreciated!

This response made me smile.
I have a congenital heart defect (now an adult with very few issues or restrictions thanks to amazing cardiac surgeons.) One of the "family lore" stories is when my dad was alone with me at WDW when I was five. He said I desperately wanted to ride space mountain, and that my cardiologist told me I didn't have any ride restrictions. But he just kept seeing all the notices about not riding with heart conditions and thinking about how my mom would kill him if she found out he let me ride. After agonizing most of the day, he finally decided he'd let me ride... and then I was just a hair too short and wasn't allowed on anyway! He said he was so relieved I'm short.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I just wanted to say thank you all for the advice - we just got back on sunday from our trip, and as expected it was much easier to deal with her in a stroller and it let her keep going for longer periods of time.

one suggestion for anyone in the future reading this thread and using this accommodation, don't let the CM put it near the bottom of the stroller! Nobody can see it down there and you will get stopped everywhere by people asking you to park the stroller - make sure they put it right up high so it's easily visible. And if you go to the land pavilion be prepared to get stopped by about 75 cast members on your way in and around the building about it

we had to put the sticker down like that because child keep pulling it off when he could reach it.in the Land you will meet every CM as each one seems to have to check for tag

 

[sweetpeama]

Rent a stroller from an off property company if you are not bringing your own that way you have it for transportation. The easiest spot to fasten the sticker is on the side of the handle just below the top if this is your handle
---------
x x
l l
l l

Stroller Canopy for shade

place Sticker at either x

This makes it easiest for you to push one handed and hold the tail of the sticker out so cast members can see it easier. At least that spot worked great for me. I had it on the right side as I was behind the stroller. Since it was above the shade it was not where little hands could reach it. I would say 90% of the time when we entered an attraction the cast member at the entrance was on the right hand side.

Hope this makes sense.