Thinking about a new trip but concerned.. About This Page:

[luvin_disney]

My family and I have been to Disney several times the last time in 2013. We have been thinking of going again next year, but as much as I love Disney, I am starting to dread the thought of it. I have chronic joint pain especially in my knees and hip. I take arthritis meds and have pain meds that help some, but it has gotten worse since my last trip. I have in the past used a WC, but it isn't a fix because, sitting for very long causes stiffness and pain also. I can walk or stand for short periods and I can sit for short periods but I have to alternate between the 2. It is exhausting at times. I had a GAP the last few times, and it helped, but from what I understand it has been replaced with a new option that I wouldn't qualify for. So I would appreciate any opinions...I love Disney, but cant bear the though of being in pain all week.
TIA for any replies.

[CinderAbby]

Yes, the GAC was changed to the DAS and basically anyone needing a scooter or a wheelchair do not qualify for it and I truthfully don't know how it could help you based on your condition. I guess the only thing I could really suggest to you is planning a trip where you use the wheelchair they way you have been but do short days in the parks so you don't end up in so much pain. I know a few other people here on the boards only do a few hours in the parks and then fill the rest of their time with activities at the hotels, dining reservations, etc. So I guess that's my suggestion - go for quality time in the parks, not quantity.

[yalibrarian]

My husband must ride a scooter due to diabetic neuropathy and I have bad knees myself. We are among those Darlene wrote about who limit our park time to not more than about 6 hours at a time. Then we go back to our resort to swim or rest and have a meal. I sometimes take our son out to see fireworks in the evening but my husband does not go. If you make good use of FP+ and get to the park early, you can do quite a few things in a short time. We are lucky enough to be able to stay at least a week each trip and we do get park hoppers which gives us the flexibility to fill in with attractions we might have missed at a different park from the main one we visited during the day.

[Kynna]

I have severe RA and a condition called Vasculitis that can make standing or sitting in one position for extended periods of time painful and darn near impossible. I totally know how you feel because going on a big trip or adventure can be intimidating. Here is the best advice I have.

1. Know your must do attractions and plan them for your best time of day. If your family has to break off for a bit while you rest have them do things you don't care much about and be happy they are having fun. A bench in Disney is still better than watching TV at home.

2.The new DAS is really handy for spacing things out. You can have a member of your party get a return time for you while you sit and rest. My kids like doing the Sorcerers game while we wait for the return time.

3. Give yourself the best possible chance for success. Don't give in to trigger foods, use the best meds, get enough rest, drink water, and matter how ugly they may be wear the shoes you can last the longest in.

4. If things get rough SMILE! Don't let your mind go to a place where you feel sorry for yourself because you could be hurting no matter where you are it may as well be where Disney can be a little bit of a distraction.

[Eeyore Tattoo]

I have fibromyalgia,chronic fatigue, chronic pain and all the fun stuff that goes with it. I use my scooter when we go and I do get really stiff end start hurting from being on my scooter too much. what I do is park the scooter and walk for probably half an hour just to stretch my body out then I'll go back on the scooter for a while and get back up again and walk it works pretty well for me. We are going on a 10 night trip in a few months, plus 4 nights on the road.

[Sandra Bostwick]

I agree on the scooter and say Pace yourself. Don't spoil the fun going an extra 15 minutes if you need rest.

[revral]

I have severe osteoarthritis in both knees (it's bone on bone & I'm going to have to have both replaced) and have my own scooter. The only thing I'll add on to what others have said is don't let your condition stop you from going to Disney. The people at Disney, both cast members and other guests, are amazing. The cast members will do what they can to accommodate and help you and the other guests will surprise you with their helpfulness. Another guest walking down the path that went by my room when he saw that I was leaving on my scooter and stopped to hold the door to my room open for me. Depending on where you live maybe you could do a long weekend trip instead of a full week that would let you test the waters so to speak and if it didn't work out you wouldn't end up feeling like you wasted all your vacation time/money on something that doesn't work for you.

[CinderAbby]

other guests, are amazing.

You've been very lucky then with the other guests. While some are nice and will hold doors, that is not the norm that I've ever found - and we just took our 9th trip with Lenny using a scooter. As a matter of fact, one of our nights, we had a real jerk tell Lenny he doesn't even need a scooter, he's just using it to get on rides quicker. I'd like to know how that's even a possibility with queues being wheelchair and scooter accessible. The ones that aren't, we have to get a return time and go back. In addition to that, we've had guests cut Lenny off when he's trying to get in lines with us and when I've asked that my husband be allowed to join us (basically asking the people to wait their turn) they give us dirty looks or the occasional "we didn't see him" which is bull. How can you miss a scooter with a big canopy on it?? Especially since I've witnessed people walking to the line but the minute they see Lenny, they actually run to get in front of him. Had they continued to walk, he would have been with us instead of having a family between us and him, so even though they say they didn't see him, they did. Using a scooter can be an exercise in patience and for those that don't use one and assume it's easier than walking - it's not.

[Starwind]

I have a couple medical issues which result in painful joints and feet. I can do short distances, and at home do not need a mobility aid.

At WDW (and recently, the Zoo), however, the distances are way too much for me.

So, after one trip where I was in severe pain after the first few hours, my two subsequent trips I have rented an ECV from an offsite vendor.

The ECV has made a massive difference: I am not in pain for the majority of the trip. I can rest when I need to, walk when I need to. I can have more time at the parks because I have more energy and am not in significant pain the whole time.

What I usually do is use the scooter to get to an area (e.g. a "land" in MK), and then park it at a safe, central location. I then walk to the attractions in that area. Depending on how the day is going that may be a couple attractions and then relocate the scooter, or it may be a half dozen on a particularly good day.

I make use of FP+ to get times for my "must do" attractions. I also have a DAS (for non-mobility issues), but find most days I only end up using it for 1 or 2 things; sometimes not even any. The combo of FP for long-wait items combined with traveling at less busy times and being selective in what I go on means most of the things I want to do have reasonable short waits.

We travel in low season, usually in winter (the heat in FL is way too much for me for most of the year anyway). We pick parks that are projected to be the least busy the day we visit. We acknowledge we cannot do everything and cannot do an entire day from rope drop to close, and plan accordingly. We build in rest time and resort-exploring-and-hopping time.

I don't do most rollercoasters, but my sister really likes them. So, while she does Space Mountain or Rockin'Rollercoaster or Barn Stormer etc I take the opportunity to take a break. I might explore nearby shops, hit the washroom, grab a snack, or just relax on the scooter and do some reading. She likes that she can use the single rider line which is usually pretty short so she gets on and done quicker. Sometimes she'll even do a second ride in a row if the line/single rider line is really short. If she is going to do that, I usually go ride the peoplemover a few times (probably my favourite ride) :-)

For our last trip, which was bookended to a DCL B2B cruise, we only visted the parks via the MVMCP. In 2017 when we again visit WDW, also coupled with a B2B cruise, we plan on just enjoying our resorts and only visiting a water park if the weather is nice - no other parks.

I was hesitant to use the ECV the first time. But once I did I was so glad I had. I could enjoy the trip so much more, and that translated into my family enjoying it more too. I had control over the pace I set and how I managed things.

Now, an ECV is not without its downside. A PP has spoken about some of it. Navigating through crowded walkways is challenging. You have to be aware of what is ahead so you don't trap the scooter. Using any of the Disney transportation is done somewhat differently than if you were walking: from where you wait to when you load, to loading itself (I still have not mastered loading the ECV onto the bus... well, basically the parallel parking part on the bus... but do a pretty good job and for the msot part the drivers are really helpful, too. It gets done :-) ). sometimes we have to wait for an accessible boat or another bus, so we plan extra time accordingly.

Airports are another challenge. Some of them have a huge amount of walking, while others, like my home airport, are fairly compact. Navigating a huge airport for a connecting flight is particularly challengiing when you have joints that are unhappy at having just been stuck in an airplane seat for some number of hours.

so, I intentionaly book the more expensive more-leg-room economy seats. Fortunately, with my airline of choice those seats come with two checked bags and some other benefits, so the net cost is actually not that much more than the cheaper no-leg-room-that-we-would-try-to-upgrade-at-checkin seats.

I also arrange for airline wheelchair assistance at least for the connection and sometimes for the destination. THis has made a significant difference the last couple times I have traveled.

I also got myself a Nexus card, which makes me eligible for Nexus security lines in Canada and TSA Pre-check in the USA, as well as expedited Canada and US Customs lines. IMO, well worth the cost. The reduced waiting in lines time has been significant and helpful.

SW

[luvin_disney]

Thank you all so much for all the wonderful advice. I have considered using an EVC, but I get so nervous thinking about getting on and off the buses. I know, it's crazy lol but I can't help it lol. I have used a cane in the past and it helped a lot, but still ended up getting a Wheel chair from Guest services before the end of the trip and my knees and hips are much worse now. We take breaks and try to make the most of FP. I guess I need to conquer my EVC phobia and make the most of it lol Any recommendations for a good place
to rent from?

[CinderAbby]

We always rent from Walker Mobility. They are an off site company which means you have to set up a delivery time but they will show you how to use the scooter before leaving if you're not sure of how to operate them. Plus, if for any reason the scooter isn't working correctly, they'll come to you with a new one. That happened to us in Animal Kingdom once and they came and found us in the park with the new one.

[revral]

I agree with Darlene's recommendation of Walker Mobility.

[Her Dotness]

We rented from Randy's Mobility before DH got his own powerchair. They were very helpful about setting a delivery and pickup time as well as explaining how to drive the scooter and connect the charger.

Considering your hip problems, I suspect you would be well advised to rent a seat cushion or maybe better still for your needs, buy one from a medical supply store at home. Yes, it'd be one more thing to haul with you but would be a cushion you've used and know will be comfortable.

Even though scooter seats are more "bun friendly" than wheelchair seats, they're still not that comfy to the extent needed in the parks. That's especially true of the rough decorative pavements you'll encounter where least expected.

[Happymommy]

I don't have any tips yet....sorry I also have pretty severe arthritis (ankylosing spondylosis) in my back and all of my joints (hips knees, wrists, fingers and toes)........I'm on arthritis injections and anti inflammatories. The joint pain was so bad on the last trip that I just wanted to lay in the room (thats my fault though because I was determined to run the Disney half marathon and just made everything 100 percent worse.....I would say I cried through the last few miles). The last trip I really did no more than 3 hours at a time in the park. I was on chemo pills at the time for my arthritis and my family found me asleep on a bench in france in Epcot lol.....that's so not like me....I love Epcot...so it was weird to not be enjoying it as much. I do understand the not wanting to be in pain issue. Lots of that you figure out what works for you. My arthritis has gotten much worse in the past few years, and I'm wondering if I'll need a scooter in years to come. We went to Hershey Park last summer and I had a really hard time. I actually think Disney is easier than other places....you can do the scooter if you need to. I have a really hard time at the beach now -----my knees and hips kill walking through the sand and carrying everything to our spot, and sitting that long kills me............and that's making me sad because I love the beach. I think the ECV is a great idea. I would definitely give that a try. Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!