Advice for Disneyland with a broken foot?

ginakap

Earning My Ears
Joined
Nov 10, 2019
Hi there! So my husband and I are leaving for Disneyland for our honeymoon next week and I unfortunately broke my foot last weekend (the day after our wedding). It's a relatively minor break so my doctor said I can walk on my foot as long as I'm wearing my aircast. I really don't have any pain when I walk in it but my main concern is that walking around Disney for two full days will be very fatiguing because the boot goes up to my knee and is extremely heavy. My husband is worried about me walking around for that long and suggested I rent a knee walker/scooter to rest my leg on but I think that'll be inconvenient and unnecessary. After I broke my foot I did get a pair of crutches just in case I need them but I think they would be even more inconvenient than a knee walker and way more tiring than just walking.

I thought about maybe just getting the shorter version of the boot my doctor gave me, one that goes up to my mid-calf so it won't be as heavy/tiring and I probably wouldn't need to take as many breaks. It's also kind of difficult to go up stairs and walk on inclines/hills because it's hard to move and bend my leg in the tall one so right now I'm leaning towards just getting the shorter version.

I've been to Disneyland several times so I know much walking is involved but I'm hoping it'll be ok. Has anyone done Disney with a broken foot/ankle or any type of leg injury? Any tips or advice? Thanks so much!
 
I would rent a electric chair vehicle... I tried to manage on my own in a similar situation a couple years ago and while I could handle the pain and just bully through the biggest issue was getting knocked around in the crowds. I didn't even realize how much constant subtle weaving and darting happens all the time at DL even if you aren't actively trying to navigate through crowds until that trip... little kids bumping you in line, people coming around you suddenly from behind, groups ahead of you making random stops.... little things you hardly notice otherwise because it just all comes with the territory become so incredibly difficult when you don't have full mobility of your foot and your stability is compromised. If I had to do it over again I would absolutely have gotten a scooter even though I thought I could manage on my own all that getting knocked around meant I was spending a lot more time sitting off on the sidelines than I would've liked anyway in addition to putting myself through unnecessary extra pain and swelling because I didn't think I needed it.
 
I'd go for the ECV... Yes, it's not as easy to deal with, but after a whole day (10+ miles) in the aircast, your hip/thigh is going to be as sore as heck, and then you're going to do the same thing the next day, but starting with sore bum/thigh muscles.

It's fairly easy to avoid stairs--you can use the handicap entrance for the rides with steps. I've done that many times when my nerve condition in my feet would flare up. But, even without steps, there's still inclines, and the additional weight of the boot. Most important is enjoying your honeymoon trip. Are you going to enjoy it if you are sore, in pain, and needing to take a break--again!--because you just didn't want to deal with an ECV?

Another way to look at it....I have a condition where I have heat intolerance, and when we went to DLR on our honeymoon, it was in the mid- to high-80s. I didn't want to "impede" our trip at all, so I refused to use a ECV. Know what happened? I overdid it, and ended up laying on concrete by the lockers trying to cool myself down so that I could manage to walk back to our hotel room. I couldn't even get to first aid at that point. Embarrassing as heck, and frustrated me all the more that I could have avoided it by renting an ECV so that I didn't expend all my energy walking. I'm very pro-ECV now!
 


I agree, do an ECV. Practice on one at a grocery store first though so you get a feel for how the work before you have to deal with crowds. Congratulations on your marriage.
 
If you decide to rent the ECV, go to Target or Walmart first to practice "driving" one of the motorized carts. Practice driving in crowds, turning, stopping (especially sensing how long it takes to stop -- braking isn't the same as with a car or bike), maneuvering around things, etc. ECV's aren't exactly intuitive and DLR isn't the ideal place to learn how to drive one for the first time. Your trip will be much more enjoyable if you are already at ease with an ECV. If you decide to rent from an off site vendor, Scooterbug is the Disney approved vendor that can deliver to the on site hotels to bell services. The other vendors must meet you in person for delivery and pick up. Deckert's gets great reviews here. If you'll be staying off site, check with your hotel to see what their rules are about ECV delivery.
 


Another vote for ECV! Walking in any kind of a boot will put your natural gait off kilter, and before you know it, your knee(s) and back will be complaining. Also, you are not chained to an ECV. It can be parked when you need to stretch your legs or would like to explore tighter spaces, such as shops.

I would not worry about practicing in advance. My 89 yr old mother caught on to driving one instantly, although she was not comfortable in the thick WDW crowds after dark as the parks emptied. A few times she opted to walk, and one of us would drive her ECV through the throng. If she was tired, we just slipped it in neutral and pushed it along with her still in her seat.

Most of all, you just need patience for the people who will unthinkingly (and inevitably) cut across your path and so me times stop dead in front of you. For the most part, no one means to be discourteous, but the parks are a very distracting environment. That’s important to remember for ECV drivers, as well - you don’t want to bump into someone because you were looking the other way!
 
... I would not worry about practicing in advance. My 89 yr old mother caught on to driving one instantly, although she was not comfortable in the thick WDW crowds after dark as the parks emptied...
WDW and DL are very different -- DL is an older park and can be very congested with narrow paths and tight spaces, especially during Holiday Time when the OP will be visiting. It can be hard enough to maneuver a stroller through the walkways and crowds. OP: practicing before your trip cannot hurt and can only help you have less stress. Give it a try, at least to find out whether renting an ECV would be something you'd like to try at DL. It won't cost you a rental fee to try out a motorized cart at Target or Walmart.
 
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Did miles on a knee scooter with a broken foot on a trip to Europe once. Get the ECV! The knee scooter will be painful after a while, and you can damage your knee & good foot by overusing it.
 
I would rent a scooter as everyone else has said. Also look into getting a shoe leveler for your other foot. Saved my back when I was in a boot for 6 weeks.
 
I would recommend the ECV also. It will present some challenges and obviously nothing is as ideal as your own two feet, but in your situation the ECV is probably the best--I can attest that your knee (on a knee scooter) gets sore and for the amount of "walking" around the parks would not be a good mobility device. I broke my heel bone in August and had to cancel our planned September trip--it's a horrible injury, there was no way the trip was doable. I was non-weight bearing for just over three months and am finally able to start putting weight on it, it's a super slow recovery. Glad your break sounds less severe and you can still do your Disney trip. Speedy recovery to you and have fun!
 
It's a relatively minor break so my doctor said I can walk on my foot as long as I'm wearing my aircast.

When your doctor said you can walk on it, was the context your trip to Disneyland? Or just general, everyday getting-around?

If you doctor said you could walk on in and he/she meant at Disneyland all day, I would tend to start with that. Try it for a day, and if you find it too taxing, then switch to an EVC.

And I'd modify your touring plan to limit steps and favor those attractions where you sit down for longer periods of time (like Frozen or Mickey and the Magic Map).
 
When your doctor said you can walk on it, was the context your trip to Disneyland? Or just general, everyday getting-around?

If you doctor said you could walk on in and he/she meant at Disneyland all day, I would tend to start with that. Try it for a day, and if you find it too taxing, then switch to an EVC.

And I'd modify your touring plan to limit steps and favor those attractions where you sit down for longer periods of time (like Frozen or Mickey and the Magic Map).

I had an appointment with my doctor today and I asked him this just to make sure. He said absolutely no walking around Disney. I was really hoping and thought it would be ok because I don't feel any pain right now, but he said I need to use a knee walker at the very least.
 
I would recommend the ECV also. It will present some challenges and obviously nothing is as ideal as your own two feet, but in your situation the ECV is probably the best--I can attest that your knee (on a knee scooter) gets sore and for the amount of "walking" around the parks would not be a good mobility device. I broke my heel bone in August and had to cancel our planned September trip--it's a horrible injury, there was no way the trip was doable. I was non-weight bearing for just over three months and am finally able to start putting weight on it, it's a super slow recovery. Glad your break sounds less severe and you can still do your Disney trip. Speedy recovery to you and have fun!

Ok, thank you for the insight. I thought a knee walker looked pretty comfortable so I appreciate the insight that that isn't so. The last thing I would want is to bring a mobility aid and be in pain or feel more uncomfortable.
 
Did miles on a knee scooter with a broken foot on a trip to Europe once. Get the ECV! The knee scooter will be painful after a while, and you can damage your knee & good foot by overusing it.

So the knee scooter hurt your knee? Was it just because you used it for long distances or did it hurt every time you used it? My doctor prescribed me one today to get for longer distances so basically when I leave the house because he thinks I'm over-stressing my foot. But I'm hesitant to get it if it causes additional pain when I don't really even have pain now.
 
So the knee scooter hurt your knee? Was it just because you used it for long distances or did it hurt every time you used it? My doctor prescribed me one today to get for longer distances so basically when I leave the house because he thinks I'm over-stressing my foot. But I'm hesitant to get it if it causes additional pain when I don't really even have pain now.

Knee scooters are fairly comfortable and you can add a fleecy cover for additional padding, but our knees aren't meant to rest on something for extended periods of time and so soreness does set in. Keep in mind, I've been using one daily for 3 months … but even with the risk of bursitis using the scooter has been the best alternative for me, however I can't imagine using one for the long Disney days. Especially with the uneven and varying surfaces at the parks (cobblestones, wood planking, etc.) , it would be difficult to navigate comfortably and safely (even one with slightly larger chunkier wheels), while they're fairly secure on smooth surfaces, they can easily tip on uneven surfaces, and add large crowds into the mix...that's why I think you'd be safer and better off with an ECV. I hope that helps.
 
Knee scooters are fairly comfortable and you can add a fleecy cover for additional padding, but our knees aren't meant to rest on something for extended periods of time and so soreness does set in. Keep in mind, I've been using one daily for 3 months … but even with the risk of bursitis using the scooter has been the best alternative for me, however I can't imagine using one for the long Disney days. Especially with the uneven and varying surfaces at the parks (cobblestones, wood planking, etc.) , it would be difficult to navigate comfortably and safely (even one with slightly larger chunkier wheels), while they're fairly secure on smooth surfaces, they can easily tip on uneven surfaces, and add large crowds into the mix...that's why I think you'd be safer and better off with an ECV. I hope that helps.


Thank you! That's very helpful.
 

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