Wheelchair parking?

ariel53098

Mouseketeer
Joined
May 28, 2007
My 11 year old daughter has a wheelchair for endurance reasons. She has been fighting an illness for the past year and this is our first vacation since she’s been diagnosed and our first trip to universal for all of us. All 3 of my kids are hardcore HP fans.

She has made INCREDIBLE progress just in the last 2.5 months. She’s a tough cookie and has a lot of pride.

We are staying at Portafino (club level) in early November. We talked to her about the physical demand this trip can take on her and have talked her into bringing her wheelchair just in case. She really hates the wheelchair because, to her, it’s admitting defeat. I was truly surprised she easily agreed that she should bring the chair.

The problem is, she may not need it the whole time, but we don’t get much warning when her body is DONE. She gets what she calls “spaghetti legs” and literally falls to the ground if we don’t catch her.

So we need to bring the chair into the park, but she will NOT ride in it until she NEEDS it. Is there possibly a place we can park the chair in the park until she needs it? Even something like at MK where you can park it at Snow White and knock out all of the Fantasyland rides?
TIA!
 
You leave a wheelchair out someplace in the park chances are it will be moved by staff or some visitor will take it to use it.

Have your child push the wc if not using it.

When you do a ride, place the wc in the marked designated place.


Since you said she gets spaghetti legs without warning, you should not chance it not to have the wc with you at all times.
 
you can see if guest services will store it for you, but that would mean someone having to schlep all the way back there to get it when it becomes necessary. and if you are park hopping via Hogwarts Express, that's also a concern. she'll be able to last much longer if she uses it all day. she can always get out and push it if her butt starts to get sore. the two HP lands are cobblestone and that can do a number on your endurance. being at Portofino you get the Express pass anyway. while I use my chair in line, I do transfer at ride load. I suppose there are spots to leave ECVs and WC at ride entrances/near the exits if she wants to do the line on foot. one thing that was massively helpful to me was that all the rides were zero entry! no stepping up or down to get into or out of ride vehicles. it was awesome.
 
Thanks for the input. My husband is physically fit to the point that heading back to the front while I sit with the kids with a snack or something wouldn’t phase him. However, you make a good point about the park to park.
I may talk to her some more and point out what you’ve said about lasting longer, etc. She has a lot of pride and is quite stubborn (which overall is an asset for her facing a lifetime of health issues). She doesn’t have permanent mobility issues so she could transfer from chair to ride without a second thought when she’s 100% she could also do it if we support her under her arm if she’s struggling with her legs. My husband is also strong enough that he can lift her and put her in a seat if needed.
Today she broke down crying because she can’t ride certain things and doesn’t want to prevent other family members from riding because someone has to wait with her. I explained child swap to her (as best I knew...need to read up on the details) and explained that there are a TON of things to do besides Gringots and Hippograff. I gave her the link to the sticky for the HP touring plan to show her. She’s perked up a bit just reading and looking at the pictures.
She’s not concerned about HER missing out. She’s concerned that someone else in the family will miss out (her siblings definitely won’t and my husband and I are just along for the adventure - it’s all about the kids and rewarding them all for surviving the last year).
I think she is just going to have to embrace the chair and see it as a way to help her last vs. something that (in her mind) makes her look weak or makes people feel sorry for her.
I’ve got until the beginning of November to try to ease her into the idea of just using the chair.
Thanks again!!!
 


I use a chair full time and it has not stopped me one bit.

I agree she needs to keep the chair with her at all times.

It will probably be hot and that zaps you all by itself. Not to mention the excitement and how big the place is.

She needs to stop worring about what she can't do and get out there and do what she can.
 
I have similar issues but use a ECV so I can keep up with my kids. I had no issues parking it with the strollers and leaving it while we walked in the shops at HP and even while we ate at 3 Broomsticks. I had a backpack tied onto the back of the seat which contained 2 umbrellas, ponchos, sunscreen spray and a cover for my ECV. I never removed it the 4 days we were there. In the front basket we stored our park maps and refillable drink cups and my daughters wand. Whenever we left it I just threw a towel over the basket and folded the set down and took the key(and her wand) with me... As long as you put it in designated stroller parking the staff most likely won't move it. Use the wheelchair as an easy way to carry belongings. We met a couple from the same county we live in at our hotels and they had a fitbit. He calculated that he and his girls walked 6-13 miles per day in the parks. That's a lot of walking. Most of the rides allow wheelchairs in que but not ECV's. I learned to ask if the attraction had stairs (which my knees can't handle) and had very few issues. Even the water taxis had no issues with wheelchairs or ECV's. If she has an issue while in Que or on a ride they have standby wheelchairs that they can get her to get back to her personal chair. Best of luck and hope she has a great time...Its a fun place but HOT and exhausting.
 
Depending on her personality - maybe "bling" out her chair a bit. Some fairy lights around the back. Just like we used to do to our school lockers. Make the chair snazzy (of course, if that would embarrass her - totally never mind). I do that to DH's ECV. He gets lots of compliments, and it makes finding him in the dark
 


Depending on her personality - maybe "bling" out her chair a bit. Some fairy lights around the back. Just like we used to do to our school lockers. Make the chair snazzy (of course, if that would embarrass her - totally never mind). I do that to DH's ECV. He gets lots of compliments, and it makes finding him in the dark

That may be a good idea! I’ll have to see what she thinks but I like the lights idea especially!
 
I injured my knee last year on the first day of our October trip. We chose to rent a wheelchair for me. I never had any issues with parking that chair while I entered stores, a few rides and restaurants. Just park it by the strollers. It did have a big sign on the back from the rental place so maybe a sign like "The Smiths Wheelchair" would prevent anyone walking off with it. Good advice on kind of blinging it up so you could spot it.
As far as being "stuck" in the chair - may I suggest get her a camera or use a phone for pics. While everyone was riding rides I could not stand in the queues for I was taking pictures. I have the most incredible pictures of many windows in Diagon Alley etc. My family was constantly asking where did you get that picture. You discover a whole different viewpoint of the parks at a seated level. Seuss Landing and Toon Lagoon are awesome places for photos too. I saw things the others in my group missed!

One thing I loved doing while others shopped etc at Diagon Alley - I had them park me off to the side and pointed towards the dragon and I waited till he roared and spewed fire and took so many awesome pics. She will treasure those.
Give her the challenge of getting photos with the Transformers, Poppy from Trolls, Scooby Doo, Beetlejuice etc. When you do not ride the rides you discover a whole different Universal!
I think when she is busy with her own trip agenda she will worry less about the others. :)
 

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