This is a whole new world for me!

[razster]

Guys,

I don’t know where to start. I have been on these boards for many many years. We have been going to Disney for an eternity.

We are a family of 4 who travel from the UK and have been multiple times per year. We are long standing DVC members. In the last few years I was diagnosed with metastatic head and neck cancer. After several surgeries and treatments I was on the upside, then 9 months ago, I was suddenly semi paralysed, which they are still trying to work out cause but they think possibly a side effect of radiation.


I won’t go in to detail here, I have a Facebook blog if anyone is interested in the detail and my attempt at motivation and observations of life’s challenges, I am not sure if I am allowed to post a link so just search Facebook for @surmountology

Anyway, our lives have turned upside down these past 9 months. Sadly it meant we lost our Caribbean cruise for my 40th and our planned Disney World stay this summer. The first time we haven’t been in the US for 15 years.

I am confined to a chair or sometimes I can use a scooter with my food arm.

I have a million questions and don’t know where to start. Some are just comments and thoughts rather than questions I guess.

I am hoping first of all that I will again be able to secure travel insurance to travel to the US again. I will have to wait and see on that front.

I am wondering if I will manage the flight and how the whole disabled transit processes work. Will I manage with a relatively young family in tow to travel with relevant assistance? I wouldn’t be able to walk on/off aircraft.

I have seen many disabled people in the parks, is it relatively easy to still enjoy a vacation if you are unable to walk. Is there any option for assisting those less able on to atttactions, or course my wife will help me in the main.

I now require handles and such like for standing and in the bathroom etc. Do they many accessible rooms across Disney?

Is accessing restaurants and stuff okay?

Are there show viewing locations for wheelchairs or ECVs? I wouldn’t manage the seating.

I am assuming there is some way of accessing the parks for disabled parking as again I wouldn’t be able to do the trams now? I know from our experience the buses have great provision for disabled guests.

Does anyone know if my blue badge in the UK would be recognised in Florida?

If there is anyone that has become disabled having previously been able bodied at Disney and has any particular tips? I have always managed the heat fine but am assuming being sat in a chair all day is very different.

I really want to find a way to head back to our happy place but at same time don’t want it to be a bad experience that may sour so many treasured memories.

I also fully accept its going to require a revised mental approach too. 15 years of able bodied visiting then this will for sure take some readjustment.

So in truth I would like some reassurance if possible that it’s perfectly workable. I know of course it must be, but right now it all seems such a huge undertaking.

Thanks for any responses, sorry if these are all ridiculous questions

Best wishes from a rather warm London, UK

Razster Family

 

[gap2368]

the red is my replay and I am sorry this happened to you I hope for more recovery for you and that you will get to go to Disney sooner then you think.

Guys,

I don’t know where to start. I have been on these boards for many many years. We have been going to Disney for an eternity.

We are a family of 4 who travel from the UK and have been multiple times per year. We are long standing DVC members. In the last few years I was diagnosed with metastatic head and neck cancer. After several surgeries and treatments I was on the upside, then 9 months ago, I was suddenly semi paralysed, which they are still trying to work out cause but they think possibly a side effect of radiation.


I won’t go in to detail here, I have a Facebook blog if anyone is interested in the detail and my attempt at motivation and observations of life’s challenges, I am not sure if I am allowed to post a link so just search Facebook for @surmountology

Anyway, our lives have turned upside down these past 9 months. Sadly it meant we lost our Caribbean cruise for my 40th and our planned Disney World stay this summer. The first time we haven’t been in the US for 15 years.

I am confined to a chair or sometimes I can use a scooter with my food arm.

I have a million questions and don’t know where to start. Some are just comments and thoughts rather than questions I guess.

I am hoping first of all that I will again be able to secure travel insurance to travel to the US again. I will have to wait and see on that front. I hope you can get travels insurance too

I am wondering if I will manage the flight and how the whole disabled transit processes work. Will I manage with a relatively young family in tow to travel with relevant assistance? I wouldn’t be able to walk on/off aircraft. I think you will have to contact the airlines and let them know you need help with gettin on and off the plan. if you are using DME then you need to let them know that you are wheelchair bound and can not walk they have accessible bus but need to know too ( from what I understand)

I have seen many disabled pthe pareople in the parks, is it relatively easy to still enjoy a vacation if you are unable to walk. Is there any option for assisting those less able on to atttactions, or course my wife will help me in the main. Disney is problems one of the most accessible place in the world for people that can not walk. while CM can not help you with getting on or off the rides ( some can give you an arm to help steady your self) they can for most rides stop the moving walk way ( all but Peter Pan and the people mover) they can get you very close to the ride vehicle and some door on the coster swing open to make getting on and off easer so have other things to help with transferring are you working with any TP that could help you learn how to transfer into out of differencing ( like maybe work on getting in and out of something similar to a boat ride so you know if you can do it getting in and out of a set with a little lip on the side

I now require handles and such like for standing and in the bathroom etc. Do they many accessible rooms across Disney? the marks have companion /family bathroom all over they are bigger single stall rooms with handle on the side of the wall they are for anyone that needs them

Is accessing restaurants and stuff okay? as fair as I know yes I would add on that you are in a wheelchair so they can give you a table that is easy to get too

Are there show viewing locations for wheelchairs or ECVs? I wouldn’t manage the seating. Yes for the MK they do have areas for people with disability to use it is first come first served so if it is very busy you will want to get there early if not so busy you should be fine getting to it 5-10 minutes early for other show like the lion King at AK yes they do have spots they could be first row or back row or both depending on the show

I am assuming there is some way of accessing the parks for disabled parking as again I wouldn’t be able to do the trams now? I know from our experience the buses have great provision for disabled guests. Yes they do

Does anyone know if my blue badge in the UK would be recognised in Florida? I am not too sure I think yes but I just do not know for sure

If there is anyone that has become disabled having previously been able bodied at Disney and has any particular tips? I have always managed the heat fine but am assuming being sat in a chair all day is very different. you will find that you will have a great time it will be different in some ways but different is not bad the parks have also changes in the last year so there is that there are new rides new show and more people

I really want to find a way to head back to our happy place but at same time don’t want it to be a bad experience that may sour so many treasured memories. it will only be bad if you let it you might not be able to do something because of your disability but that is not the end of the world ( unless you make it) but there might be something ( like a show you would not have seen if you did not have a disability ) it is how you think about things that is what truly matters

I also fully accept its going to require a revised mental approach too. 15 years of able bodied visiting then this will for sure take some readjustment. Yes and this can be a good things

So in truth I would like some reassurance if possible that it’s perfectly workable. I know of course it must be, but right now it all seems such a huge undertaking. I love telling my self when thing do not go as planed at disney. " I could be at work right now" this will be a new kind of trip for you will it be perfect no will you have bumps in the road yes will you have a good time yes

Thanks for any responses, sorry if these are all ridiculous questions no not at all this is new for you ask all the question you have I am sure other have had then too

Best wishes from a rather warm London, UK

Razster Family

 

[kaytieeldr]

Does anyone know if my blue badge in the UK would be recognised in Florida?

@gap2368 did a great job of answering your questions; only because she isn't sure of the answer to this specific one - yes, your blue badge is definitely usable at Walt Disney World, and should be valid anywhere.

 

[gap2368]

@gap2368 did a great job of answering your questions; only because she isn't sure of the answer to this specific one - yes, your blue badge is definitely usable at Walt Disney World, and should be valid anywhere.

I was thinking it was ok to use just was not 100% sure and with the fines being $250 for parking in a spot without a tag I wanted to be sure

 

[Smittolis]

The reverse is also true just in case anyone was wondering, the UK will honor US Placards too. Use mine there all the time and have had many a good conversation with officers etc..

Sorry to hear you are going through some unfortunate transitions, sounds like you are tackling it with a positive 'can do' attitude. As was stated in one of the answers, Disney is probably one of the most accommodating places on earth for people with a range of disabilities so it would be a great choice!

 

[arminnie]

I too am a long-time WDW visitor who visited several times a year for decades. And I’ve owned DVC for about 15 years. About half that time I lived in Northern California so I also had a fairly long trip. When I was working I traveled all over the world. It was nothing for me to be in Australia for a couple of weeks then off to London and then maybe the following week in Singapore.

I was totally able bodied until late 2016. I have a very rare degenerative nerve disease, and went from me being slow to needing a cane, then a walker to using a power wheelchair about a year ago.

After averaging 3 trips a year for the last several years I have not been since early 2018. This is the first year I have not been in decades.

OMG - I just read your blog. You have all the symptoms of what I have - CIDP - chronic inflammatory demyelination polyneuropathy. I do not have cancer.

CIDP is an autoimmune disease - with no known cause. There’s a FB group CIDP that has patients from all over the world. I highly recommend it.

Back to WDW. I can stand and pivot to transfer while holding on to something - but I think on my next trip - Jan 2020 - I am only going to do things where I can stay in my chair. There’s a real possibility of a fall every time I transfer.

This will be a very different trip. But I am much older, and it will just be me and my husband. He’s not crazy about Disney so he is okay about whatever I choose to do.

I realize that you have other family members including children so I am sure you are also concerned about not keeping them from doing the things they like. But remember after what you have been through they are going to be thrilled to just be with you.

 

[DisneyOma]

I hope you have a wonderful trip. Could you bring another adult along to help you, as the CMs will not be able to assist getting you on and off rides.

You need to check in with your airline to see how they handle your specific needs for boarding.

I'd recommend an electric wheelchair, but coming from the UK, it would need a transformer thing so you could charge it here.

 

[nyviolet]

I'm a manual wheelchair user who is not able to walk and have visited Disney. I also visited walking though that was when I was a child. Was able to get on most of the rides. I did have family members to assist - not lift and carry, but help out somewhat, with transfers into the rides as I can't stand up. To get on an airplane if you're not able to walk down the aisle at all, you contact the airline and request an aisle chair. It's a kind of narrow chair they strap you into and fits down the aisle of the plane. You are first on and last off. Not comfortable but gets the job done. Buses and restaurants were all accessible. I used a hotel room with a bathtub and used the seat they provided. Some prefer the roll in showers. Pool at my resort had a zero entry and I used a pool wheelchair to get in and then swam out of it. I tolerate the heat well and doesn't make a difference that I use a chair even though I pushed my own chair all over Disney World in hot weather, but that's me. Enjoy your trip!

 

[Bete]

All shows have handicap access. You do need to arrive early. There is a limited amount of spaces available for wheelchairs and scooters. Parades and fireworks have special viewing handicap areas, too. Again, you need to arrive early to get into those designated areas.

Some rides like Buzz Lightyear in MK and Toy Story Mania in HS have special cars where your wheelchair can go on the ride, but not a scooter or power wheelchair. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of rides where this is true.

World Showcase in Epcot has some movies and exhibits you can enjoy. AK has some zoo areas where you can see tigers and gorillas. There's a bird show, too. There's live street entertainment in every park.

Personally, I think there's enough to do without going on rides.

 

[Karin1984]

I work for a European airline, and it's best is to contact them, there are about four or five different types of wheelchair services to request. The differences are in can you walk small bits, can you walk stairs or indeed none of the above and you need to be carried in. Then there is the option of a stretcher for when you cannot sit up straight and only lie down.
I am no expert on the details of this, but we have a department for all kinds of medical questions which passengers can call. I would check your airline to see their options.