Sudden Illness and upcoming trip

[momto2js]

My 11 year old was just diagnosed with Lyme. He has had good days and not so good days. We are heading to Universal at the end of the week. I suspect I had better have a wheelchair for him along with some reasonable expectations. How do I go about finding a small wheelchair to rent at the last minute? For reference, he is 55 inches tall and weighs about 75 lbs.

 

[gap2368]

here is a list most have wheelchair I hope you have a great trip

++ power wheelchairs for experienced renters
This is a list of the Featured Vendors in alphabetical order:

• Apple Scooter
  321-726-6837
  http://www.applescooter.com/
  Apple rents scooters, manual wheelchairs, single and double strollers.
  They do rent smaller, 16 inch wide wheelchairs, suitable for smaller people (and children) between 80 and 135 pounds.
  Apple has many good reviews from DIS posters and is a long time favorite. There have been some recent (2015 and early 2016) negative reviews.
• Best Price Mobility
  321-402-5955
  Toll Free: 866-866-3434
  http://www.bpmobility.com
  Best Price rents scooters, manual wheelchairs, single and double strollers. Little feedback from DIS posters
• Buena Vista
  (407)938-0349 or toll free (866)484-4797
  www.buenavistascooters.com
  Buena Vista rents scooters, manual wheelchairs, transport chairs, single and double strollers, lift chairs, knee walkers and some respiratory equipment.
  They also service and repair personal equipment.
  Buena Vista has many good reviews from DIS posters and is a long time favorite.
• CARE Medical was a Featured Vendor, but is closing (changed 5/2/17)
  
• Scooterbug
  1-800-726-8284
  Scooterbugmobility.com
  little feedback from DIS posters.
  They rent ECVs, standing ECVs, manual wheelchairs, single and double strollers (weight limit to 60 pounds).
  From what I can tell, this company provides strollers, wheelchairs and ECVs for the WDW parks; and probably pool chairs. They also rent the large grey ECVs that can be rented in the parks, plus a form of Standing ECV that guests can drive from a standing position. Here is a link to a thread about them, with pictures.

Vendors not on the Featured Provider List:
The specific companies are listed because DIS posters have used and recommended them over the years. The companies with little feedback are listed along with that information.
We will NOT list a company on the FAQs thread without a significant number of recommendations from established posters. Also, some companies encourage/promote allowing children to ride as passengers on scooters. We will not knowingly post a link to any company that encourages behavior that is unsafe and companies that manufacture ECVs specifically warn against in their instruction manuals.

• Randy's Mobility
• According to information from Randy, they have a London, England phone # that connects directly to their US. Office.
  US. & CAN. (321-281-6603)
  UK. (02030062368)
  http://randysmobility.com/randysmobility/rentals/
• Randy's has been a long time favorite of DIS posters.
• Randys rents ECVs, manual wheelchairs and Joovey strollers, including Joovey Caboose where one child can stand behind. Randy's will sometimes rent ECVs to older teens on a case by case basis.
• Walker Mobility:
  1-888-726-6837
  www.walkermobility.com
  Walkers rents ECVs, manual wheelchairs, Power wheelchairs ++, single and double strollers.
  They do rent smaller, 16 inch wide wheelchairs, suitable for smaller people (and children) between 80 and 100 pounds.
  Walker is a longtime favorite of DIS Board posters and Walker Mobility is also a wdwinfo.com sponsor
• Scootarama
  877-736-8328k
  http://www.scootarama.com/
  Scootarama rents scooters and power wheelchairs (which they, confusingly, call another type of scooter).
  Not as much feedback as Randy's, Care and Walker, but people who did post about them reported they had no problems.
• Scooter Vacations
  866-778-4748
  UK 02079 932302
  http://www.scootorlando.com/index.html
  Scooter Vacations rents scooter of various types (which they confusingly call 'electric wheelchairs')
  Not as much feedback as Randys, Care and Walker, but people who did post about them reported no problems. Their website lists them as "Disney Premier Providers" and "Universal Premier Providers". Neither Disney nor Universal has any listing for "Premier Provider".
• Scootaround
  1-888-441-7575
• https://locations.scootaround.com/orlando
  
• Not as much feedback as Randy's, Care and Walker. Scootaround rents ECV, wheelchairs and walkers/rollators. They also rent power wheelchairs.
• They are a nationwide company.

Orlando Medical Rentals
http://www.orlandomedicalrentals.com/medical-equipment-rentals-orlando.asp
If you need specialized equipment, like reclining wheelchairs or tilt in space wheelchairs, I would look here first.
They also have a variety of Special Needs Strollers.
There is little feedback from DIS posters, but probably not surprising since they have more specialized equipment.

 

[mamabunny]

My 11 year old was just diagnosed with Lyme. He has had good days and not so good days. We are heading to Universal at the end of the week. I suspect I had better have a wheelchair for him along with some reasonable expectations. How do I go about finding a small wheelchair to rent at the last minute? For reference, he is 55 inches tall and weighs about 75 lbs.

When you call for a wheelchair, be sure to let them know his height/weight. There are smaller/childrens' rental chairs; just ask any of the companies you call - if they don't have one, they may be able to tell you who does.

If you can't find a pediatric or smaller size chair, don't worry - just make sure that you have adequate padding in the chair for him - and try to adjust the foot pedals (that his feet sit on) to as close to the appropriate length as possible. He doesn't have to sit with his feet dangling (unless he wants to!) - he can probably easily sit "criss-cross applesauce" in a standard adult chair.

Maybe grab a beach towel to cover the seatback of his rental with his favorite character or movie; you can find battery powered lights on Amazon to dress it up a bit as well!

 

[wendow]

OP, my dd18 has Lyme. She was diagnosed 2 years ago, but sick much longer. I'm happy to help you if you have any questions about navigating the parks.

We did rent a wheelchair a couple of years but my dd is pretty small, the chairs were uncomfortable and the cost to rent day after day was the same as buying a 'transport chair'. These are smaller versions of wheelchairs but don't have the large wheels in the back. I'm not sure about your ds's strength but my dd is very weak all over so no way was she going to push herself around. The transport chair is lightweight, and inexpensive. For the cost of renting a wheelchair for one trip, she now owns a chair she can use for getting around the resort, getting through the airport and using at home to go to the museum or zoo. So, just something to consider...We have used it for 3 Disney trips now plus a few around town trips.