What kinds of things should I prepare for: trip w/Mom-low vision, heart failure, etc.

[matthewsmom1]

My 58 year old mom will accompany us on our next trip in October. She has diabetes which have lead to other conditions: congestive heart failure (CHF), neuropathy, low vision, etc.

What she cannot do: walk/stand for extended periods. She can see well enough to use the ECVs @ WalMart, etc. so we will be renting her one of those. However, some of the rides (I noticed during our last trip) have really LONG walks from where you leave the ECV/strollers and where you enter the ride. How do they handle that? I think she will exhaust quicker if she has to walk/stand in line. We don't mind waiting our turn, but the standing/walking really needs to be kept to a minimum.

Do I need to do anything special? Would the GAC benefit her (so that she does not have to stand for an extended period in line)?

 

[Ambassador]

Others here can better answer your questions about GAC; we have not used it yet. FastPass has made a huge difference in waiting times; we have not experienced waits longer than fifteen minutes.

What does she want to do and see in the Parks? She may delight in seeing more shows and pageants, than flying a spaceship to Mars. Or a cool drink with a view of the Castle. There are sublime pleasures perhaps more fun and enduring for your mother than rides. She may want some independence and time apart from the rest of the family, if her health allows.

Check the disAbilities FAQ on these boards for similar threads.

 

[SueM in MN]

For most rides/attractions, she will be able to bring the ecv right into the line with her. There are some (like Pirates) where an ecv can't be brought into line, but those attractions have wheelchairs at the entrance so you can trade the ecv for one of the wheelchairs.
If you go to the disABILITIES FAQs page and go to post #3, you will find some links that will be helpful to you. One of the links to the official DIsney pages includes a list of "Mainstream Lines", those are lines that are arranged so that someone using a wheelchair or ecv can wait in the regular line. At the top of the Disney pages, you will find individual links for each park. Those links lead you to the Guidebook for Guest with Disabilities for each park, which includes a bit about boarding rides (not in great detail).

And, here's a link to a past DIS Board thread about boarding rides.

She probably won't need a GAC because the CMs will know from seeing her ecv that she needs to use a wheelchair accessible entrance. The only thing that might make a difference is that for some shows, the wheelchair seating is in the back row. She may need to sit in the front in order to see. She would either have to explain that to CMs for those shows (it doesn't matter for rides) or have a GAC that mentions her visual disability.

 

[Talking Hands]

I would advise getting the GAC because of the visual problems. If she is only using an ECV that is what the castmember will see and use to determine where to place her in a show. With the GAC he has to accommodate both.
I wear my GAC in a clear packet on my neck with my pass and id. GAC is folded but easy removed for reading. Most of the castmembersjust asks what is needed when they see it.