Wheelchair rental for 10 year old?

mindy lou

Mouseketeer
Joined
Feb 6, 2012
DS doesn't use a wheelchair in daily life, but due to a variety of medical conditions we want to have one available at the parks. He is not interested in using a stroller (he will be 10). Am I better off renting at the park? I assume they only have standard size wheelchairs available? Would he be more comfortable in a smaller chair? Should I look for a preferred off-site rental?

DS likely won't need the wheelchair all the time, and can probably navigate lines etc without it. Are we able to park it in the stroller parking when we don't need it? What about Disney transportation? Would we just fold it up like a stroller if he didn't need it at that time?

I apologize for all the questions. As I said, he doesn't use a wheelchair in daily life, so this is all new to me. Last time he used a stroller.

Thank you
 
Some of the offsite vendors list smaller size wheelchairs available to rent, but not all. An average-sized 10 yr old is likely to find a standard size chair too large for comfort I feel used much more than briefly, because he'll have to slouch to make his knees bend at the edge of the seat, leaving little back support. I'd call around to check which offsite rental has an appropriate sized chair before deciding between featured vs non-featured vendors.

Yes, you can park in stroller parking if he plans to walk for a bit. CMs will direct you if they want it parked elsewhere. The manual wheelchair can be strapped down on the bus and he can either transfer to a seat or be belted in to remain in the chair. Or you have the option to fold the chair and hold it (like for a stroller).

Enjoy your vacation!
 
We had to rent one the year my nephew broke a growth plate in his foot. We didn't need it every day, so we rented in the parks. Having the large size one wasn't an issue (he was 8). We used it to carry stuff also.

We rented at the park gate when needed, mostly just Epcot due to the amount of walking and Animal Kingdom because of the terrain.
 
DS likely won't need the wheelchair all the time, and can probably navigate lines etc without it. Are we able to park it in the stroller parking when we don't need it? What about Disney transportation? Would we just fold it up like a stroller if he didn't need it at that time?


Thank you

If you rent one at the parks, you can only use it at that park. You can't take it with you to another park. If you decide to go to another park, they will give you a receipt to get a replacement at the next park, as long as they have one available. Keep that in mind when you decide what you need and want to do.
 
Looking for advice along the same lines as the OP. My daughter has a foot condition (venous malformation - an extra clump of veins that happens to be in the arch her foot - she has to grow a bit more before we can have a therapeutic procedure) which can make walking painful. She doesn't usually have problems in regular life (does sports for an hour or two a few days a week, walks in the mall, etc.) but on our first day at Disney this past summer her foot swelled quite significantly and was apparently quite painful. I guess this makes sense, as the most she walks in an ordinary day is a few miles, but my pedometer had us regularly doing 10+ miles at Disney.

Anyway, on the second day (and each day thereafter) we rented a double Disney strollers. Ummm...she was a little big for it:
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I was thinking this year we might do in-park wheelchair rentals instead. Any advice one-way or the other? Should we stick with the double stroller if the kids don't mind being cozy?

My thinking is we'd only need it to get around parks. As I said, she doesn't have limitations at home, but we don't ask her walk anything like the distance/amount of time we do at Disney. I'd assume we'd use a wheelchair the same way we used a stroller, meaning we'd park it like a stroller and go through the usual queues. Are there any pitfalls to that strategy?
as long as they have one available
Is availability an issue with wheelchairs? Do they sometimes run-out?
 
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I don't think I have ever heard a report that they had run out of in-park manual wheelchair rentals. Not saying it isn't possible, but much less likely (than for ECVs).

Enjoy your vacation!
 


Thanks for the advice and suggestions! I am glad I have plenty of time to do some additional research before our trip. I know we will have fun no matter what, I just want to make things as easy and pain free as possible for DS. Thank you!
 
My current 11 year old is medically complex but doesn't use a wheelchair in normal everyday life. In 2012 was his wish trip ( he was very small and underweight extremely low endurance) we used a park rental everyday. That made him mad that people thought he couldn't walk. In 2014 he was medically doing so much better and he refused to let me rent a chair. Then our last day we where in fantasy land and he said I really need a wheelchair I'm so tired. Well needless to say they are not readily available next to the castle. So this past year ( he is doing better than ever) I reminded him before we entered every park that now was the time to get a wheelchair and on our last day at AK he wanted one after reviewing the map. So I guess what I'm saying is encourage but don't force one on your child. Have a great trip!
 
I don't think I have ever heard a report that they had run out of in-park manual wheelchair rentals. Not saying it isn't possible, but much less likely (than for ECVs).

Enjoy your vacation!
I remember seeing a sing on New Years eve I think it was at EPCOT that they had run out of wheel chair and ECV, but beside this I do not think they run out of wheel chairs.
 
They used to run out when people figured out the wheelchair got you GAC benefits - people were renting them instead of strollers for their kids. Once that was taken care of, wheelchairs have been more available, but we had to wait for them to find us one once, and it was a bit ragged.
 
Comfort is a relative thing.

My youngest daughter has her own wheelchair, so we would not be renting one for her.
On my mom's last trip with us before she passed, we did rent a wheelchair in the park - the smallest size they had, which was fairly large. She was about 5 foot 5 and about 115 pounds. She found the chair uncomfortably wide, especially the footrests, as they didn't go all the way to the middle of the chair. She was more comfortable sitting with her legs a little to one side so they could both be on one footrest.
 
That is kind of how I pictured the situation playing out for us. We would probably be at the absolute farthest end of the park when he needed a wheelchair! That is why I was thinking of just renting one (either in the park or off-site) from the get go. That way it is there when or if he needs it. I just want it available for him, if he feels he needs it. It would also probably help him a little if he were to push a wheelchair when he was walking.
 
DS will probably be about 4'8" and 65 lbs at the time we travel, so I think a full size chair probably would be uncomfortable for an extended period of time. It would probably be ok for shorter periods of time. It will probably depend on how he is doing beforehand, if he is flaring, his any injuries or dislocations etc.

Thanks again for all the help!
 
I can't say if this works today, but when my sister and I went to Disney with mom about 20 years ago and my sister needed a w/c, she has cp and as a kid was in and out of w/c' never two years she actually had one all year due to surgeries. Anyway, my mom would ask doctor for a note, and then get a w/c her size from the home aid people/pharmacy. It worked great for several reasons. She had one from the time we left the house, she had one so I did not have to carry luggage, she had it at hotels and in the parks, she had one that fit her, and she had one mom did not pay for insurance did. I would say if you need a manual one this would work. I would never say EVC because if you travel and it breaks down your out of luck.
 
I know I'm late in finding this post, but I have the same issue with my son. I'm actually considering buying this.. http://www.target.com/p/drive-medical-duet-dual-function-transport-wheelchair-walker-rollator-blue/-/A-51695680?
lnk=rec|pdpipadh1|related_prods_vv|pdpipadh1|51695680|0
to take with us.

We don't leave for 5 months, so not late for me! This is actually an interesting option too, that I hadn't thought of. DS also has a shoulder that dislocates often and causes him a lot of pain when walking. Using a walking stick helps minimize that pain, so I had also considered a cane of some sort for when he is walking. This could possibly work for all of his issues. Thanks for the idea!
 
It's important to compare options on rollators. The one that was posted from Target is more expensive than some others, but is adaptable to allow it to be used as a rollator, for walks no. But, it can be switched around to be pushed as a transport chair. Most of the rollators can only be used for walking or sitting.
Some are more adjustable than others or have better tires.

You will see a lot of people using rollators at WDW.
 

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