Wheelchairs at WDW

[ryoung]

We are going down to DWD next week. Due to foot surgery, my wife will need to use a wheelchair. Does anyone know how it works for the lines when there is a wheelchair in the party?

Thanks for your assistance. This is going to be a new experience with a wheelchair and we are not sure what to expect.

Randy

 

[wdwgoofeeee]

I don't have any info about this, but suggest you try the DisABLITIES board. I'm sure you will find the answer over there.

 

[milmore104]

Just returned home and I pushed my 80 yo DGM around in a wheelchair for 12 days. First I have to say is get your muscles ready NOW. It was quite trying to push her specially at AK w/ the hills and rough walkways.
Second I highly suggest paying for your wheelchair use all at once. They give you a $2.00 daily discount if you pay for it all upfront and you don't have to wait in that line everyday. All you have to do is go up to the CM giving them out and show him your ticket. He'll stamp it and give you one. This worked out great seeing the line to rent strollers and wheelchairs is usually rather long.
Third about getting onto rides. Each ride is different about the policy. A CM at the front enterance will tell you were to go. Most rides have a "duck out point" where you enter the regular line and then 1/2 way through you are taken out of line and put in the hanicapped line. If you have questions on a specific ride please feel free to ask me. I'd be more than happy to answer them. Also be sure to read the signs if your wife is not able to transfer. Some rides require that you can. Hope you have a great time!

 

[minnie61650]

Here is the link for the Guidebook for Guests With Disabilities:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/common/Plain?id=PlainHomePage#guidebook

I would also suggest that because of mobility issues she should rent an EVC
from an offsite company.
I have a disability and have rented mine from Care Medical (800-741-2282) and Walker Mobility (888-726-6837) in the past. I would recommend either one.The cost is about $30 a day. The ones at the parks cost $35 a day and are bigger and have 4 wheels kinda like a golf cart. They are harder to steer and to control. If she rents from an offsite rental they will deliver the EVC to bell services at the resort. She can use it to go to the pool, and food court as well as the bus stop. If she is not familar with a scooter have her practice at a store before the trip.Walmart and Target as well as several stores have them for customers.
Almost all the Disney buses are accessible. I love using my EVC it gives me more indepence and helps keep my pain to a minimum. I just back my EVC into the room, plug it in and I ready to go to the parks in the morning.

 

[Disney Bumfords]

We took my daughter to WDW in June (yes like 99 degrees with 100% humidity) and my poor husband had to do allt he pushing. He was soaked with sweat each day, but we did have a great time.

We took our own wheelchair, since she was unable to put any pressure on her foot at all. The bus drivers were all very accomodating, however some of the other guests waiting in line were less than patient. (sorry all!) The buses always load wheelchairs first, so you will rarely ever miss a bus. That is one advantage. Another advantage is the preferred seating area for parades, take advantage of that!!

When you enter the parks, you will be directly to a wheelchair entry line for the wheelchair and one person accompanying. The rest of the party will need to use the regular entrence.

As for lines for rides and such, most will allow you to stand in the regular que. At a certain point, you will be re-directed to the wheelchair entrance.

Do make sure to pick up the Guide for Guests with DISabilities. It's a great tool.

have lots of fun!!

 

[eeyore45]

I also second looking at the disABILITY folder here at the Dis, I fell and sprained both my ankles, and took advantage of an ecv at the parks - because I had been on the Dis and read several threads on ecv's I was prepared to get fastpasses, as most rides do not have "front of the line access" you must go thru the regular line... so FP was the way to go!! Just time your FP - esp for soarin, and the popular rides at busy times - The hardest is Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, you have to have the FP or stand in the regular line until a certain point...

Good Luck!

 

[LakeAriel]

I deleted my posts because someone moved them to the disabilities board when it was originally on the theme park board. I was posting about wheel chairs and buses. It had nothing to do with truly disabled people so Im deleting them.

 

[Tissa]

Most people in wheelchairs waited in line with everyone else at the bus stops, they are sitting after all. Riders got impatient when people pushing someone with, say a sprained ankle, passed by hundreds of people waiting on line and boarded with their entourage of 6 or 7 family and friends and took up the seats! Just wrong! People truly ill or disabled who have difficulty sitting even in the chair for long periods are in a different category and shouldn't wait. Unfortunately people abuse this like everything else and make people less patient when they see the wheelchairs coming.

boy I'm not going to even go there with this one.

 

[waltfan1957]

my wife is in a wheelchair for life not just a trip round disney we have always been told by the drivers to stand at the back of the front line so the driver can see you to load you first, i never take a seat on the bus unless there are spare ones, the trouble is the abuse by able bodied people using wheelchairs to jump lines, disney is to blame for this we once saw a family with the young wife in a wheelchair we both said to each other how sorry we felt for them having two young children, were we stupid that night going for the bus the same family all ran past us minus the wheelchair

 

[LakeAriel]

my wife is in a wheelchair for life not just a trip round disney we have always been told by the drivers to stand at the back of the front line so the driver can see you to load you first, i never take a seat on the bus unless there are spare ones, the trouble is the abuse by able bodied people using wheelchairs to jump lines, disney is to blame for this we once saw a family with the young wife in a wheelchair we both said to each other how sorry e felt for them having two young children, were we stupid that night going for the bus the same family all ran past us minus the wheelchair

delete

 

[LisaBi]

Most people in wheelchairs waited in line with everyone else at the bus stops, they are sitting after all. Riders got impatient when people pushing someone with, say a sprained ankle, passed by hundreds of people waiting on line and boarded with their entourage of 6 or 7 family and friends and took up the seats! Just wrong! People truly ill or disabled who have difficulty sitting even in the chair for long periods are in a different category and shouldn't wait. Unfortunately people abuse this like everything else and make people less patient when they see the wheelchairs coming.

I felt bad about this (my DS uses wheelchairs at the parks). I tried folding the chair and getting in line. Nope - if the line was long and/or the bus took a while to arrive, he couldn't stand that long. And the folded chair won't always manuever thru the queues. At some locations, the queues are wider. Cool! I can push him thru! Nope - Drivers wanted the wheelchair out front. They don't want to get in a situation where there are seats on the bus but the bus has become too congested to load the chair (i.e. manuver it on and out of the way) - so they want to load chairs first. OK - How about if there was a bus load worth of folks already waiting when we walked up, we would wait in the designated area for wheelchairs, but telling the driver we'd wait for the next bus? Nope - the drivers wouldn't hear of it.

I do make DS walk onto the bus, and fold the chair to take it on. That way the rest of the folks don't have to wait for the lift to operate for someone who is capable of walking a bit, and we only take up two seats, holding the folded chair in front of us.

 

[LakeAriel]

No need to feel bad. If your child has a disability that requires him to always use a wheel chair this isn't about you.
It's about the people who only need wheelchairs at Disney and bring large groups onto the back of the bus, no waiting and they all sit! There are so many people standing for an hour with painful joints, blisters, sprains, strains etc, tired children, elderly, all who waited, standing for those seats.

 

[SueM in MN]

The example of people coming out of nowhere with wheelchairs is sometimes not at all what it looks like.
If the bus line is full when we get there, we often wait off to the side until that bus has left and then we go up to the wheelchair loading area before the next bus comes. If there are 15 or less people waiting when we pull up, they would all be getting a seat even if we get on first, so that's kind of our "rule of thumb" to enter the boarding area. When we travel with my DH, DD in her wheelchair, older DD and elderly MIL and FIl, we all usually stand except for MIL and FIL (who are in their mid 70s and both have hip and knee problems that prevent them from standing on the bus). Because neither of them can stand in line, they will sometimes sit on a bench and join us when the bus is arriving.
Also, occasionally, we were waiting for the bus, but when it came there was a wheelchair access problem - it was not an accessible, the ramp/lift did not work or the tiedowns had a problem. Because we couldn't get on that bus, we might pull out of sight until the next bus comes along and then (from what the people waiting can see), we pull out of nowhere, even though we were really there before they were.
Or, we may stay right where we were. Some people who were in line may not have seen us waiting for the other bus and think we are getting on "their" bus without waiting.

DH, older DD and I will sometimes sit if there were few enough people in line when we got to the area so that we would have gotten seats if we had been in line. If we have seats, we often give them up if someone who looks like they need a seat more than we do gets on.

AND.... we have encountered people making rude comments like "they (DD in her wheelchair) shouldn't be allowed on the bus. Her wheelchair takes 2 seats that people could sit in" (I guess a response would be, I will give you the seats if you take my DD's disability. Another response would be - we were here before you, her wheelchair is taking 2 seats, but 2 of us are standing, so you wouldn't have gotten those seats anyway.).

 

[SueM in MN]

Most people in wheelchairs waited in line with everyone else at the bus stops, they are sitting after all. Riders got impatient when people pushing someone with, say a sprained ankle, passed by hundreds of people waiting on line and boarded with their entourage of 6 or 7 family and friends and took up the seats! Just wrong! People truly ill or disabled who have difficulty sitting even in the chair for long periods are in a different category and shouldn't wait. Unfortunately people abuse this like everything else and make people less patient when they see the wheelchairs coming.

We have been to WDW many times over the last 17 yrs, traveling with someone using a wheelchair. The only times I have seen anyone in a wheelchair waiting in the regular line for the bus have been a handful of people who didn't know they were not supposed to wait there.
People with wheelchairs/ECVs are instructed to wait near where the back of the bus will be at the stop. Some stops have a permanent place designated for people with wheelchairs to wait.
There are several reasons for that:

• the bus lines that have bars/chains are not wheelchair accessible.
• wheelchair/ecv users have to load at the back door, not the front where the line is. If they wait in line and board when they get to the front door, will be interrupted while they board anyway.
• at some stops, the driver has to park in a specific manner in order to let down the lift/ramp. If the people with wheelchairs were waiting in the line, the driver would not see them and may not be in the correct position.
• it's much easier and faster for the bus driver to load the wheelchair/ecv first, when they don't have to manouver around as many people.

If people with wheelchairs/ecvs waited in line, if it's too full to manouver a wheelchair on to that bus once they get to the front, to be fair, the people waiting behind the person with a wheelchair should not be allowed to board, even if there are seats or standing room left.
That would be a ridiculous waste of resources though, so we would not expect it.

 

[LakeAriel]

We have been to WDW many times over the last 17 yrs, traveling with someone using a wheelchair. The only times I have seen anyone in a wheelchair waiting in the regular line for the bus have been a handful of people who didn't know they were not supposed to wait there.
People with wheelchairs/ECVs are instructed to wait near where the back of the bus will be at the stop. Some stops have a permanent place designated for people with wheelchairs to wait.
There are several reasons for that:

• the bus lines that have bars/chains are not wheelchair accessible.
• wheelchair/ecv users have to load at the back door, not the front where the line is. If they wait in line and board when they get to the front door, will be interrupted while they board anyway.
• at some stops, the driver has to park in a specific manner in order to let down the lift/ramp. If the people with wheelchairs were waiting in the line, the driver would not see them and may not be in the correct position.
• it's much easier and faster for the bus driver to load the wheelchair/ecv first, when they don't have to manouver around as many people.

If people with wheelchairs/ecvs waited in line, if it's too full to manouver a wheelchair on to that bus once they get to the front, to be fair, the people waiting behind the person with a wheelchair should not be allowed to board, even if there are seats or standing room left.
That would be a ridiculous waste of resources though, so we would not expect it.

Do you know people rent wheel chairs for older children instead of carriages for these perks? There must be a solution that will not increase the hardship for the truly handicapped.

 

[eeyore45]

Most people in wheelchairs waited in line with everyone else at the bus stops, they are sitting after all. Riders got impatient when people pushing someone with, say a sprained ankle, passed by hundreds of people waiting on line and boarded with their entourage of 6 or 7 family and friends and took up the seats! Just wrong! People truly ill or disabled who have difficulty sitting even in the chair for long periods are in a different category and shouldn't wait. Unfortunately people abuse this like everything else and make people less patient when they see the wheelchairs coming.

Just to clarify, I only used the ecv while in the parks, not on a bus, my dad had driven. Also, both my ankles had swollen to 3 times their size, I wear crocs, which are huge boat type shoes, and they didnt fit!

I in no way took advantage, I stated quite clearly that I in no way went to the head of the line, nor did I expect to - I used FP just like anyone else. I am sorry I offended anyone... fyi I cant tell you how many hours I spent crying in pain, I also went to the First Aide station and talked to the nurse there... while the CM was explaining how to use the ecv, I couldnt stop the tears, I too got a glimpse of the abuse, from having people hit me, fall into me, jump in front of me etc...

 

[SueM in MN]

Do you know people rent wheel chairs for older children instead of carriages for these perks? There must be a solution that will not increase the hardship for the truly handicapped.

The wheelchairs and ECVs that are rented in the parks are not allowed to be removed from the parks.
And, it's not really a "perk". It's the way that wheelchairs need to be loaded on the buses.

Most of the ride/attraction lines are wheeelchair accessible, so people wioth wheelchairs/ecvs do most of the time wait in the same lines with everyone else.

 

[SueM in MN]

Just to clarify, I only used the ecv while in the parks, not on a bus, my dad had driven. Also, both my ankles had swollen to 3 times their size, I wear crocs, which are huge boat type shoes, and they didnt fit!

I in no way took advantage, I stated quite clearly that I in no way went to the head of the line, nor did I expect to - I used FP just like anyone else. I am sorry I offended anyone... fyi I cant tell you how many hours I spent crying in pain, I also went to the First Aide station and talked to the nurse there... while the CM was explaining how to use the ecv, I couldnt stop the tears, I too got a glimpse of the abuse, from having people hit me, fall into me, jump in front of me etc...

You did not do anything to offend anyone.

People with temporary need for ECVs or wheelchairs should not feel bad using one. I'm sorry if anyone is making you feel that you did something wrong.

Despite what people think, most of the lines are wheelchair/ecvv accessible and users of wheelchairs or ECVs most of the time wait in the same line with everyone else. The exceptions are usually lines that have something that a wheelchair can't do (like stairs).
The only front of the line access for rides is for people on WISH trips and some people who have life support/limited battery life equipment.

 

[zumbergc]

I just want to say that sometimes you can't see someones illness just by looking at them. If someone has a chronic pain disorder, CF, fibromyalgia, or other things i'm not aware of. Just by looking at them you can't tell they are in need of a wheelchair or scooter.

So, just because you don't see a cast, a missing limb, a knee wrapped, tapped or a big sign that said messed up hip & back, you can't just assume that they are faking it.

I'm really young, and sometimes i tape, or don't tape my knees when we are at disney. I get better treatment when i tape my knees, than if i don't. I get so many looks when my knees aren't taped, or wearing a brace.
I 've got problems all over the place, knees, hip, back, muscle problems. I had been experimenting since my knees were getting stronger not needing the tape, but treatment from strangers varies widely when they can't see what is wrong. For myself walking witha limp is worse because it causes some other mechanical issues when you walk funny that irritate other items. So. if i'm working hard to walk correctly with no limp, its a no win situation.

However for myself, trying to walk all day would leave me in pain for weeks after the trip, if not months. Early trips to disney we didn't rent and i was in massive pain at the end of the first day and it would continue the whole trip, and then leave me with problems to overcome when we came back from disney.

I eventually decided, and figure, most people aren't limping from a vacation they took 3-4 weeks ago, or have muscle problems months later. So for myself wheel chair or scooter is the way to go. Plus my problems have escalated in the years, but when people see a young person in a chair when they don't see a clearly defined injury, they think faker, or cheater. I'd give anything to not have horrible pains every day, and walk, stand and wait in the regular lines. It would be priceless for me to be able to do that, i would love to be able to run and not everything in my legs be out of whack.

I don't need a chair at home. However, i don't go out walking all day either. I would love to be able to walk around my block pain free. I have to limit my activities to not aggrivate things. At disney i'm not going to spend all but an hour here or there in the room, to appease people who think i'm cheating the system. I ride in the scooter and make my life more pain free, and get to enjoy more of disney.

Sometimes i see another person in the special sections who has a bad knee or a bad ankle and boy do i remember the days of roughing it, and having pain all day, from walking around all day. I don't miss that at all.

 

[SueM in MN]

I just want to say that sometimes you can't see someones illness just by looking at them. If someone has a chronic pain disorder, CF, fibromyalgia, or other things i'm not aware of. Just by looking at them you can't tell they are in need of a wheelchair or scooter.

So, just because you don't see a cast, a missing limb, a knee wrapped, tapped or a big sign that said messed up hip & back, you can't just assume that they are faking it.

Unfortunately, there are people who think they can (and have a right to) judge who has a "real disability" and who doesn't.

(I'm sorry to bore people who have heard this story before, but it needs saying for those who haven't)
We have heard people comment as they pass by us that our DD is a "faker".
That was because they saw her sitting on a bench, with her legs crossed and she was swinging her top leg. Her wheelchair was parked next to the bench, so apparently the person who commented didn't understand that someone who needs a wheelchair might want to get out of it sometimes.
Or that someone who needs a wheelchair might be able to swing their leg. That's what they saw.

But, what they didn't see was how she got onto the bench. If she's having a good day, she can support her weight on her legs walk a few steps if someone is holding her around the chest, since she has no balance when walking. On a good day, she can cross one leg over the other (but, she needs to grab onto her sock so that she can pull her leg up).
On a bad day, she needs to be lifted out out the wheelchair and be placed on the bench and have someone sit next to her so she doesn't tip over. On a bad day, she wants her leg crossed, but she can't do it herslf.

Even on her best days, she owns 2 wheelchairs - the manual one cost more than my first car. The power one cost more than my second car. The seat cushion (not the whole seat) cost more than my wedding dress. Besides that, she has a computer with special software to allow it to talk because she's not able to speak. Although she does understand very well and understood very well what that person said when they saw her sitting on the bench. She knew why I had tears in my eyes. I know some of you know why because you have heard similar cruel things.

But, that person didn't care, because he could tell she was faking and just using a wheelchair to get ahead in lines (at least that's what he told the people he was with). Although, he never came with us in any lines, so he didn't see that we only got ahead in those few lines that are not wheelchair accessible.