Options when an unexpected injury happens within weeks of your trip

[cobright]

Without the ability to bend at all, we will really have to be creative as there are not many attractions where you don't have to "bend the knee".

I hit WDW a couple times a year with a friend who is mostly confined to her power chair and I can assure you there is still very much to enjoy there even if she cannot do a few attractions. But to be honest, even most roller coasters allow for a straightened leg. I can think of a few rides where having one straight leg might slow you down a bit and maybe Space Mountain would be too much of a hassle because you ride so low. But if she's been using it to some degree since the injury she'll likely be alright.

That said, I tell people dealing with a disability or injury that a day on vacation is not a normal day. Talk to the doctor about pain meds if appropriate and on the understanding that you aren't planning to subject his patient to damaging levels of physical activity. WDW is a great place to push yourself and even beneficial levels of exertion can make resting at night impossible.

 

[finedice]

Thank you Cobright! That's great news because my recollection was that you pretty much have to bend at the knee for almost all the coasters. We are just ready to make it a great trip for her, no matter how it changes our experience from the norm!

 

[cobright]

Thank you Cobright! That's great news because my recollection was that you pretty much have to bend at the knee for almost all the coasters. We are just ready to make it a great trip for her, no matter how it changes our experience from the norm!

To be sure, it helps. But if she's got fair upper body strength and can man-handle (sexist term?) herself a bit the coasters usually have ample grab-handles.

Another thing to consider/discuss with doc. Does he leg brace need to be pegged straight, or is it merely there to immobilize the joint? I straight leg, even one you can stand on a bit might actually get in the way more than if the brace immobilized the joint with a 15 or 20 deg. bend at the knee.

And... I usually pass on a "don't worry, you'll be fine" sort of message when these questions come up, and the last thing I want to do is come off as condescending. There will probably be a few things that are just impossible or too much of a trial to do with her leg like this. But there is so much other fun to be had. Go find a show or a character to play with.

Last bit of advise. When you get to the park each day, scout out the rides you have FP for. Talk to the CMs at the ride entrance and get their opinion on if your kiddo will be able to do it. If there are any that the CM says are definitely or probably a bad idea, head back to guest services and explain your situation, that the ride CM said it was a bad idea, and then just ask if it's possible to get those FPs switched up to a different attraction. It's a fair ask, for a FP you have to commit to so far in advance and then this happens unexpectedly.

 

[finedice]

Another thing to consider/discuss with doc. Does he leg brace need to be pegged straight, or is it merely there to immobilize the joint? I straight leg, even one you can stand on a bit might actually get in the way more than if the brace immobilized the joint with a 15 or 20 deg. bend at the knee.

Yes. That is the real issue. Weight bearing is fine, but the knee needs to be straight (so far). We will know more Wednesday (2 days before we fly out). The doc said she would "try to get her into something that offered a bit more flexibility" at that time, but right now, she is still at immobilized 180. We were so relieved, that we neglected to ask for specifics on "a bit more flexibility".

 

[arminnie]

The rooms with roll-in showers and accessible tubs should all have lower height beds at WDW. Can't speak for any non-Disney Resorts in the area; it has been my recent experience that many hotels are putting those stupidly high beds into roll-in shower rooms.

I recently started at a Marriott property in a HC room with a roll in shower. The bed was very high. And there was only one mirror in the room. - positioned high over the sink where I couldn’t even see the top of my head while in my chair.

 

[mamabunny]

I recently started at a Marriott property in a HC room with a roll in shower. The bed was very high. And there was only one mirror in the room. - positioned high over the sink where I couldn’t even see the top of my head while in my chair.

Yep. We just hit three different hotels in the three different cities - one Marriott, one IHG and one Westin. All three rooms were HA Roll in shower - and all three had beds so high that I had to use my (newly purchased) folding step stool to get in and out.

Seriously - so tired of this, and can't wait for my own bed at home.

 

[Evita_W]

This is a prime example of why we need an agency that has the ability to impose fines and even temporarily shut down business when they fail to comply with ADA laws. The agency should fine larger business like the large brand hotel chains with very large fines and then use the fines to assist smaller businesses to come into compliance along with finding the agency.

But you should definitely write to corporate at all of these hotel chains, be specific about hotel locations and even room numbers, let them know the issues, as there is ZERO excuses for doing this in an ADA room.

 

[mamabunny]

This is a prime example of why we need an agency that has the ability to impose fines and even temporarily shut down business when they fail to comply with ADA laws. The agency should fine larger business like the large brand hotel chains with very large fines and then use the fines to assist smaller businesses to come into compliance along with finding the agency.

But you should definitely write to corporate at all of these hotel chains, be specific about hotel locations and even room numbers, let them know the issues, as there is ZERO excuses for doing this in an ADA room.

I have been, for several years when traveling.

Time and again, we get the same response "This is the first complaint that we have had about this! All of our OTHER guests LOVE the high beds!"

Bullsquat.

The chain hotels are all almost exclusively owned by franchisees. That IHG property we just stayed at was owned not by IHG, but by a local hotel group that pays IHG for the right to use their "designs" logo, trademarks, and most importantly - the power of their name & online access for guests, past, present and potential.

So you can yell at Hilton, Westin & Marriott all day, and they actually have (relatively) little power over what happens at the guest level because the hotel we stay in as guests is owned by some other little company that has purchased franchise & name rights.

 

[Evita_W]

I have been, for several years when traveling.

Time and again, we get the same response "This is the first complaint that we have had about this! All of our OTHER guests LOVE the high beds!"

Bullsquat.

The chain hotels are all almost exclusively owned by franchisees. That IHG property we just stayed at was owned not by IHG, but by a local hotel group that pays IHG for the right to use their "designs" logo, trademarks, and most importantly - the power of their name & online access for guests, past, present and potential.

So you can yell at Hilton, Westin & Marriott all day, and they actually have (relatively) little power over what happens at the guest level because the hotel we stay in as guests is owned by some other little company that has purchased franchise & name rights.

Actually they have more power than you might think, they can and will revoke the right to use their name if the hotel doesn't fix issues like this. I know of two Ramadas that lost their rights to use the Ramada name because of such complaints.