Any advice would be great!!

[IluvtheAKL]

Hello everyone!! This is my first post here. I have been lurking for quite a while. This is a great board, very informative. I need some advice, please.

My sisters and I are taking our Mom to WDW for her first trip in December. My Mom is a diabetic. She has had good luck so far with not developing any foot problems. We have been talking to her about the possible use of a wheelchair while in the parks. After hearing about how big the parks are, she is becoming more open to this possibility. Now, my multiple questions......

-My Mom has access to a standard wheelchair that we can fly down with us. My concern is it possibly "disappearing" while we are enjoying an attraction. Anyone ever had this happen? I would hope that at WDW it wouldn't happen, but you never know.

-We are going to have a rented SUV for the length of stay, we were just going to drive to the parks (we will be staying at Pop and AKL). If we fly one down with us or rent one from an independent medical equipment company while we are down there, how do I get the wheelchair from the parking lot to the front of the park?

-If we just opt to rent one each day at the parks, is there a good possibility of getting one if we get there for park opening? We were going to avoid the park with early entry each day.

Whew!! Lots of questions!! Sorry this post is so long, but I could use some good suggestions. Thanks!!

 

[SueM in MN]

Hello everyone!! This is my first post here. I have been lurking for quite a while. This is a great board, very informative. I need some advice, please.

Welcome. Glad to see you making your first post.

-My Mom has access to a standard wheelchair that we can fly down with us. My concern is it possibly "disappearing" while we are enjoying an attraction. Anyone ever had this happen? I would hope that at WDW it wouldn't happen, but you never know.

There is more of a problem with the rental wheelchairs disapeearing than someone's personal one. For one thing, all the rental ones look the same, so people take one they think was theirs; this is probably the largest cause of disappearing wheelchairs. For another, because they are rented some people feel like they are "fair game" to steal because the original user can go get another replacement one (obviously, not right, but sometimes happens).
In most cases, she would either just stay in the wheelchair for the whole attraction or transfer at the wheelchair boarding area to a ride car. The wheelchair would stay there and be waiting for her when she gets off. There isn't a lot of opportunity for people to take one that is at the exit like that. Most of the ones that get taken would be parked outside the rides.
If you feel more comfortable locking it, you can. You just can't lock it to anything or lock it in a way that makes it impossible for the CMs to move if they need to.

-We are going to have a rented SUV for the length of stay, we were just going to drive to the parks (we will be staying at Pop and AKL). If we fly one down with us or rent one from an independent medical equipment company while we are down there, how do I get the wheelchair from the parking lot to the front of the park?

I'd suggest you take the bus to MK. The buses leave you off at that park very close to the park entrance turnstiles. If you drive to MK, you will need to take the boat or monorail from the TTC to the actual park entrance. Almost 100% of the buses are wheelchair accessible. If you haven't checked out the disABILITIES FAQs thread near the top of this board, there is a lot of info about the buses (as well as places to rent wheelchairs and ecvs).
If she has a handicapped parking permit, you can park in the handicapped parking area (they call it "Medical Parking"). Tell the first CM that you see directing traffic. If she doesn't have a wheelchair, she may be better off parking in the regular lot - there is no tram service from the handicapped parking lots to the front of the park.
If she can step up onto the trams and you can fold the wheelchair and hold it while riding the trams, you can park in the regular lot and use the trams.

-If we just opt to rent one each day at the parks, is there a good possibility of getting one if we get there for park opening? We were going to avoid the park with early entry each day.

If you were wanting to rent an ecv, there are less of those and you may find they are all rented soon after a park opens. But wheelchairs are more plentiful and as long as you are going soon after opening and are not going at a really busy time, you should not have a problem.
I'll let the resident disABILITIES ECV users chime in about the advantages of ecvs.

 

[IluvtheAKL]

Thank you so much, Sue, for all of the information. Magic Kingdom was my biggest concern. Currently, my Mom does not have a medical parking permit. At home, she only goes to small stores and doctor's offices where parking happens to be close. I am just concerned about blisters developing, her endurance with that much walking, and how the amount of walking involved will affect her blood sugar. I didn't realize that you could take the wheelchair on the trams. Thanks for that!!

We are going to be there Dec 15-20. Would we be gambling too much if we just....got there at park opening, avoided the early entry park, and tried to rent a standard w/c there?

Again, thanks so much!!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I would suggest going to http://oldhamcounty.state.ky.us/pdf/dispark.pdf to get an application for a disabled permit and get it for her. Having the hang tag available is like insurance to be used when needed.

 

[IluvtheAKL]

Thank you for the info!! I knew that I would receive good suggestions here!!

I will be talking to Mom about the parking permit. Thank you for the link.