My family and I will be going to our 5th HHN next week. Since I will be in my mobility
scooter, as I have been for a while, I have had to make many modifications/accommodations/additions to ensure I am able to enjoy HHN along with my family. We almost always go the 1st or 2nd week of October.
Now, keep in mind that I can’t take my ‘Scoot’ with me in in the line, so I either have to transfer to a wheelchair or I go through with my cane. I am able to go the ‘cane route’ for a bit, as long as I am not standing too long and get some good ‘sit and scoot’ recovery time in between.
In the past we have always gone 2 nights (man, I miss the buy one night, get a night free promotion), getting express passes for the first night, to get through all of the houses, and the 2nd night using my disability pass or regular lines, focusing on our favorite houses.
The first 2 years we went (pre-Covid) this worked fine. The lines weren’t bad and moved quickly.
Post Covid, things have gotten much worse, along with my ability to manage standing in lines.
In 2021 we went the ‘transfer to wheelchair’ method which made waiting in line great, but stunk for everything else. Because the houses are all so dimly lit my rotating ‘drivers’ had great difficulty navigating the paths without constantly bumping me into walls and scare actors. I spent more time apologizing for crushed toes and bruised knees, than enjoying the houses. (Once again, I am very sorry to any scare actor that had to receive medical assistance due to my wheelchair mishaps)
Last year was the 1st year I plunged and got the RIP tour for the 1st night and no more EP for the 2nd night. (I am not exactly rich on my disability payments, I budget like a mad-woman all year for this)
The RIP tour was a game changer for me and my ‘drivers’. I was able to scoot all of the way to the entrance, cane it through the houses, and my Scoot was waiting for me at the exit.
The 2nd night was rougher as we relied on my disability pass for return times so I could cane it through the EP lines. Some of the EP lines were 45 minutes to an hour and I was destroyed by the 3rd house. I basically scooted my way around the remainder of the park and hung out while my family enjoyed what houses they could get through in the regular lines.
So, this year we are doing the same plan as last year and I was determined to find a way to bring my walker with me, along with my Scoot. This will give me the ability the 2nd night to transfer to my walker, so I have more stability when I stand and opportunities to sit when the line isn’t moving. A walker attachment does not exist for my Travelscoot, so I spent months designing one and finding parts that would meet my needs for it. I put the final product together yesterday and am thrilled to say it works, so YAY!
Because of incidents in the past I have also added lights to my Scoot, because most people can’t see me at night. I have found a great deal of people will not care if they run out right in front of me, bump me, or shove me, because they are not paying attention. My reactions are slower, due to my condition, so I want to be safe and safe for those around me (and not running over anyone would be nice too).
From the posts I have read, the crowds are going to be even worse. (Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences this year). I am as prepared as I am going to be for this year’s event and will do whatever I can to ensure I can enjoy HHN for many years to come.
