5 year old in wheelchair

imabusy

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jan 13, 2001
This is our first time taking our daughter to WDW. She is 5 and in a wheelchair. We can only afford to go one day and of course, have picked MK. We will be going the first week in May. Was looking for any suggestions or helpful hints.

Thanks
 
I copied this link from below - I bet it has lots of tips!


http://wdwinfo.infopop.net/OpenTopic/page?q=Y&a=tpc&s=40009993&f=87009194&m=24009987&p=1

You may also want to call Disney and get the Guidebook for guests with disabilities. It's not great, but will give you time to study at home which rides will be good for you and your daughter!

Sue
Sue

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Welcome to disABILITIES.
Click here for a link to the DIS site page about mobility information. When you get there, scroll all the way to the bottom of the page. There is a section that tells which rides your child can stay in the wheelchair and ride a special wheelchair car and which rides require a transfer to the regular ride car.
If you go to the offical Disney site, you can download a copy of the Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities. It doesn't have a lot of information, but you may find it useful.
If you can post a little more about the rides/attractions you are interested in and a little more about your child (like can you lift her out of her chair easily, how is her sitting balance if she's not in her chair, etc) we can help you with more specific information.
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SueM in MN
Co-Moderator of disABILITIES
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Thank you so much for your replies. We are able to lift her from her wheelchair with no problem. She does not weight much but does get heavy if holding her for long periods. She has no problems sitting and can balance herself quite well. She is so looking forward to our trip and I want to make the most out of it for her.
 
The best advice is remember you can never see it all! Even after multiple trips we still have things we want to do next trip!

So with that in mind plan on having a great day and enjoy what you do see. Have a few must sees that she will wait in line for and then play some things by air that she might enjoy.

Lots of things depend on your child. How is her endurance, does she need an afternoon nap, or can she go all day long and into the evening. Would pirates and ghosts be scary or would she prefer Small world, dumbo, and Pooh! She can choose trains, driving cars, or riding with Buzz Lightyear. The choices are endless and which ever direction you head she can have a wonderful day!

Is there a must see characteur. If she wants Mickey you can find him at his house but if it is Cinderella you might need to go to the restaurant
at the castle.

Giving a few more details will help the great folks here offer suggestions ! As I started out the whole place is magical and enjoy what ever she sees. So many people want to see it all and it is impossible and slwoing down a little can increase the enjoyment. I will admit it took a few trips for me to beleive my own advice!

Happy planning Linda

Disneyland-'66,'81,
Car. Beach '89,
FW cabins 94,95
Joined the DVC 95 !
HH 9x, OKW 2x, BW 1x, Vero 2x, & Magic 2x
 
I agree with LindaDVC, WDW is a huge place, I have been several times and still have not seen it all. I would focus on one area of one park, probably around Fantasyland for a child that age, and then make may way around to the other lands, slowly. Pace yourselves and take it easy. Many first-timers think thy can see it all in one day, it is impossible and people get burned out if they try to do it that way.

I hope you have a wonderful trip!

galc.gif

"My brain takes a vacation just to give my heart more room..."
teri@iluvdisney.com
 
Thanks again. After reading your posts and doing some research, I think FantasyLand will be perfect. Only ride I am not sure she can ride in the Winnie the Pooh one. We will also want to get to Mickey's Toontown Fair as she wants to see Mick (as she calls him). After reading some posts we will probably go on Sunday. Would it be better to start off in Toontown Fair or FantasyLand? She would also like to see Tigger. I am thinking of taking her to the Breakfast at Old Key West to see him. Has anyone ever done that? One place said the characters are there two days and another three days. Will have to check it out further.

Thanks again for all your help.
 


I would start in Fantasyland first it is alway crowded no matter what time you do it.

You won't have a problem with Winnie the Pooh. (I have 2 girls with Spina Bifida one just turned three last Saturday and the other will be 11 on Tuesday.) The Winnie the Pooh ride has a honey pot that the wheelchair can go on with a seat next to it for someone in your party to ride with her.

If Tigger is her favorite and you want to do a character breakfast I highly recommend Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge. We do that meal everytime we go. It is a sit down (not buffet)all you can eat meal so you don't have to push a chair and fill plates at the same time. The characters are Winnie the Pooh, Tigger and Eeyore. We have had the same waiter everytime I think his name is Lee he is wonderful with the kids he makes hats out of the napkins.
 
I agree with everything the rest have posted. My daughter has also ridden in the Pooh honey pot car in her wheelchair like Michigan mentions. It is great. The side of the car opens up and the wheelchair can drive right in. The story of the ride is cute; l ike being in the pages of the book. If she likes Little Mermaid, there is a Little Mermaid grotto where she sees people and signs autographs. If there is a long line, you may not want to spend time waiting there, but it is pretty neat.
Here is a link to the WDW official disabilities info page. You can download the Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities there.
Since you can lift your dd out of her wheelchair, and she has good sitting balance, I don't see much problem with any ride. My dd has cerebral palsy, can't walk and has some sitting balance problems. The only rides she has not been on in all the parks are Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and Rock in Roller Coaster..

SueM in MN
Co-Moderator of disABILITIES
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Artist Pointe is the best character breakfast, by far. However, you may not have enough time to be at WL, then get to MK - of course - could they monorail over? (I am not at all familiar with WL.)

Anyway - here's what I was thinking -
Morning - hit Fantasyland early. Dumbo first. (Look for the wheelchair ramp.) Pooh, more Dumbo, Tea Cups??? Snow White? Small World?

How about lunch at Crystal Palace? That has Pooh, Piglet, Tigger and Eeyore! That would make a nice break in the day!

Then back to Fantasyland and Toon Town! What about story time? Anyone have any tips on that?

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