Yea! You guys are great! I never even thought about the First Aid Station. That REALLY got my attention. When Katie was smaller, I would just go ahead and use the accessible stall in the regular restrooms. On our last 2 trips, we used the companion restrooms and my husband would help with the lifting. Geeze, I thought the companion restrooms were a God-send, but to access the First Aid Station every so often would be a big help.
What helped me the most on every trip was PLANNING. Obviously, the first trip was a shot in the dark, but once I had one trip under my belt, I became "Super Planner--leaps small carry-ons in a single bound." I drove everyone NUTS! But the planning ahead payed off. We knew ahead of time the locations of all of the companion restrooms in each park. Then we planned our day around these locations. I planned for "rest stops" mid-morning and mid-afternoon. We also used the double backpack routine. Be sure to use one that isn't too large. We took an extra large backpack with wheels and a telescoping handle one year. It was great, BUT it was sooooo long, we kept kicking it as we took turns pushing the chair. After awhile, it gets REALLY annoying not only for the person kicking it, but also for Katie! She got a little nudge every time we took a step!
The parades were another story. We finally succumbed to the fact that we would have to carve out extra time prior to the parade specifically to find the best place to sit--shaded areas and areas that were narrow enough that the most they could cram in there would be a front row of those who use wheelchairs and a row behind them of family members. We would buy an extra large something to drink and stake out our spot.
The best way for us to manuver the crowds after the fireworks shows was to move out of the way and wait a few minutes for the crowds to clear. At the MK, we would duck into a shop or sit on a bench for awhile. THEN we would take our time leaving the park. At EPCOT, we would watch the fireworks somewhere near Italy. When it was over, we simply waited about 10 or 15 minutes, then we'd "lolly-gag". We were always among the very last people to leave the park! It was my favorite time of the trip. I think the World Showcase is so beautiful at night.
Fortunately, we had the luxury of renting an accessible van on each of our trips. It helped to take some the stress off by not using the transportation system. I know that it's expensive and not always an option, but if you can work it into the budget, it helps. Our next trip will be one of those "bare basics" trips. So, there won't be any rental vans in the budget!
