Using the ship's wheelchairs?

[Sunshine2U]

Great grandma (85) is cruising with us in February on Wonder. She gets around fine - puttering around her house, her solo trips to the small local grocer, things like that. I selected the smaller Wonder for our trip with her in mind. I can, however, foresee a situation where after a long day of moving between Cabanas and around the ship, she could be too tired to go to dinner and the shows. Or perhaps the walk down the CC dock to the tram station is more than she wants to handle. We just won't know until we get into the situation.

How convenient are the wheelchairs provided by guest services? Where do you find them? What do we need to know about them?

TIA!

 

[serenitynow]

Guest Services does not provide wheelchairs for guests. If you think you may need a wheelchair while onboard, you will need to rent on from an outside medical supply company prior to your cruise.

 

[BruinEd03]

You can also rent scooters - thread here: https://www.disboards.com/threads/scooter-rental-for-a-cruise.3672872/

Wheelchair or scooter, you should notify Disney ahead of time: https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faq/guests-with-disabilities/wheelchair-rental/

 

[jdb in AZ]

The cruise line's wheelchairs onboard are for guests who have accidents during the cruise.

If you're flying into Orlando you might consider renting a wheelchair from your home town for her to get around the airports -- those concourses can get really long getting from point A to point B. Also, seating at the cruise terminal is limited, but if ggma has a wheelchair she'll always have a place to sit.

Also, on a cruise the motion of the ocean has been known to cause elderly passengers to lose their balance, which is another reason to have ggma in a wheelchair on the way to/from dinner.

Do you have enough able-bodied family to help push? When our extended family cruised with DMIL (who was the same age as your ggma will be) there were a lot of young-adult grandsons willing and able to push her wheelchair, but she didn't want to inconvenience anyone so she insisted on walking and had a bad fall. She had her own wheelchair on the cruise, but left it in her room -- until she fell, then we insisted on her staying in her wheelchair whenever she was out of her stateroom.

Or your ggma may prefer a scooter, assuming she has the reflexes to drive the thing without running into people. One way to check is to take her to Costco or other store that has klunky electrical scooters for customers to use. If ggma can drive one of those, she can handle a rental scooter on the ship. the scooter would give her mobility and independence, without "inconveniencing" the family.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

Great advice from the PP about renting wheel chairs or scooters. Check with Disney ahead of the cruise to learn about parking the scooter. There are designated areas for scooters, strollers, etc. (and it's not in the hallway outside your stateroom door). The link by @BruinEd03 has the information you need to know.

 

[lanejudy]

As PPs mention, there are relatively few wheelchairs available onboard and intended for guests who unexpectedly need one (i.e., an injury during the cruise). If there is a possibility great grandma may need one, bring it with you. You can rent from an off-site vendor who delivers to the port/ship, buy one (which may be about the same cost as a rental), or you may be able to borrow one from a local Lion's Club or other civic organization at home.

For Port Canaveral closed loop cruises, Walker Mobility, Brevard Medical and Special Needs at Sea are all authorized to deliver directly to the DCL ships.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[allashore]

We purchased a transporter chair/wheelchair for our 81yo Aunt. cost about $160 at a medical pharmacy. they can also be rented weekly. It folds easily and can fit inside her extended veranda cabin. For airplane rides we can push her right up to the airplane door, and it is there when we get off the plane. Airline tags it when we drop luggage.
Our Aunt also uses a cane to walk into ships restaurants, shows etc. She did resist using the wheelchair at first but realized when she could not keep up with extended family, it is a huge help. We have been on 3 cruises using this, well worth every cent.
Enjoy your cruise

 

[Sunshine2U]

Thanks everyone. Decided to go with a transporter chair since we aren't sure we'll need anything. If we do, we'll get a scooter or something better than the transporter - next cruise!