Fractured Pelvis and Disney Trip in 3 weeks

DemonLlama

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jun 27, 2000
So, MRI results today were a bit of a surprise. Two weeks ago I thought I'd strained a muscle, joking, "yay, just a month ahead of the Disney trip!"

But it's a little more serious and a little less recoverable from before the trip.

At this point, I think our plan is to rent a wheelchair from Walker Mobility since I can't walk more than around the house without needing crutches by the end of the day.

I've got my hubby, my strapping football coach son, and my daughter's SO, also fit and strong, all saying they will gladly push as I know my arms are not going to be up for the challenge of a week at Disney World.

Renting from off-site makes sense to me because I'll likely need it all around the resort and wasting time lining up for one at every park (and not having one to get to the busses or the room and back) would be a problem.

We can fold up the standard chairs and carry them on the buses, correct?

There are six of us, and we had the request in for adjoining rooms. Now it appears we need to call and change that request to a wheelchair accessible room? Do they make adjoining rooms that are also WC access?

We aren't cancelling. The two years of planning and getting six people's work and school schedules in line for all of us to be together for one week this year means we are going. My son lives in Texas and my daughter in Florida. This will be only the second week all year we'll have together.

My kids joked it wasn't enough to have this be our first trip all six of us, I had to up the ante.

So, other than the wheelchair thoughts and room request changes, I'm lost.

What else do we need to consider? Bring?

I have Mobileg crutches from hip surgery years ago that I can bring so when it's better to park the chair and use the crutches in queues, I should be able to handle that. But I'm not sure how we cart those around with us. Strap them to the back of the chair?

Help?

And thank you!
 
sorry, this happened to you.

if you have a few people that can bush you then a wheelchair could work, but I would have some numbers if you find out you can not ( the pusher) push you in a wheelchair.

a wheelchair can go in all but 5 lines at Disney so I would just keep it with you in lines 9f you need to walk you can use the wheelchair as a walker and walk and push it.

you really do not need a wheelchair room as it sounds like you are ok walking some, The only thing can you get in a bathtub.

for the buss I have seen some CM tell guest to use the handicap entrance with a wheelchair so you might want too you can fold the cair up when you get on and just hold it. you will be the first one on so you will have a set otherwise you may not.
 
Sad to hear about your ‘tough break’, but you can do it!
At this point, I think our plan is to rent a wheelchair from Walker Mobility since I can't walk more than around the house without needing crutches by the end of the day.

I've got my hubby, my strapping football coach son, and my daughter's SO, also fit and strong, all saying they will gladly push as I know my arms are not going to be up for the challenge of a week at Disney World.

Renting from off-site makes sense to me because I'll likely need it all around the resort and wasting time lining up for one at every park (and not having one to get to the busses or the room and back) would be a problem.
If you are flying, let your airline know that you will need wheelchair assistance. They can arrange for a skycap with a wheelchair to meet you at checkin, take you thru security and to your gate. If you can stand to use the scanner, you will be screened as usual. If you can’t, Security will do a pat down.

The airline can arrange the same skyway service to meet you at the gate in Orlando. Your crutches can be brought onto the plane and put in the overhead bin.
An alternative would be to rent a wheelchair at your home location and bring it with you. Mobility devices fly free and don’t count toward your baggage allowance.

If you are taking Magical Express, they do have wheelchair accessible buses with lifts if you don’t think you can climb the (rather steep) steps. It should be a shorter wait if you arrange ahead of time for an accessible bus than if you have to wait for one to be routed to pick you up.
Guests are not allowed to stand on the lift, so you would need to ride a wheelchair up. As far as I know, all the buses with lifts carry a wheelchair in their cargo area for those situations. If you arrange for a lift bus, let them know you don’t have a wheelchair, but do need to use the lift.
We can fold up the standard chairs and carry them on the buses, correct?
Yes. You can choose to fold it or stay in it on the bus.
Follow the link in my signature or look near the top of this board for the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
The first post is an index which will point you toward posts in that thread that will be useful to you. There is a post about buses (as well as one about air travel and one on Magical Express).
There are six of us, and we had the request in for adjoining rooms. Now it appears we need to call and change that request to a wheelchair accessible room? Do they make adjoining rooms that are also WC access?
It’s important to be aware that adjointing rooms are just next to or across the hall from each other. They do not necessarily connect to each other with a door inside the room - those are called ‘connecting rooms’.
They are just a request, not a guarantee.
You do not need to change to a wheelchair accessible room unless you need the features that are only available in that type of room (for example, a roll in shower in place of a tub in a fully wheelchair accessible room).
In general, the wheelchair accessible rooms are the same size as the ‘regular’ rooms; the difference is mostly in how the room is arranged to make room for a larger bathroom to accommodate a roll in shower.

I have Mobileg crutches from hip surgery years ago that I can bring so when it's better to park the chair and use the crutches in queues, I should be able to handle that. But I'm not sure how we cart those around with us. Strap them to the back of the chair?

Help?

And thank you!
As long as you have pushers, a wheelchair sounds like the best choice. When renting, you can request crutch holders be added to the chair - let them know the type of cruches you have. People have also rigged up holders, like bungee cords. I’ve seen people riding a wheelchair with crutches next to them on the seat, with the bottom of the crutch on the footrest.
Some people like more freedom of using an ECV, but they do take some practice to drive, you need to be always attentive and ready to stop. Some people just feel more comfortable using a wheelchair.

All lines/attractions are wheelchair accessible to the point of boarding except the few that are listed as ‘ambulatory only’ (things like Tomorrowland Transit Authority, Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, Tom Sawyer Island).
As was already mentioned, you could be pushed in the wheelchair, walk or walk holding the wheelchair and using it like a walker.

In most cases, the main line is wheelchair accessible, with some attractions routing you to a different boarding area, which is usually near the regular boarding area.
Not all lines are ECV accessible, which would mean if you have an ECV you would either be walking in line or transferring to an attraction wheelchair.
Some attractions also have wheelchair accessible ride cars. If you want to use those, the wheelchair can be placed right in the ride car. Most of those are not ECV accessible, so if you were using an ECV, you would either need to board the ‘regular’ way (that’s where crutches can be useful) or transfer to an attraction wheelchair. Each transfer takes some energy, so using a wheelchair would save you energy in the long run.
 
Hi fellow fractured pelvis person. Mine fractured 6 days ago. And we spent all today flying to Disney's Hilton Head Resort. The airlines will be great helping you out, at least I know Southwest is. Last time I went to Orlando and used DME, I had wheelchair assistance. They took me from the gate all the way to DME and waited with me until it was time for meet get on the bus. I strongly support your desire not to cancel. When we arrived at DHHIR today, I cried tears of joy, "We MADE it!" Although this is our 12th Thanksgiving here, in some ways it will go down as the best.
Check your PMs. I PMed you.
 
Hi fellow fractured pelvis person. Mine fractured 6 days ago. And we spent all today flying to Disney's Hilton Head Resort. The airlines will be great helping you out, at least I know Southwest is. Last time I went to Orlando and used DME, I had wheelchair assistance. They took me from the gate all the way to DME and waited with me until it was time for meet get on the bus. I strongly support your desire not to cancel. When we arrived at DHHIR today, I cried tears of joy, "We MADE it!" Although this is our 12th Thanksgiving here, in some ways it will go down as the best.
Check your PMs. I PMed you.

I'm so glad you made it :)

We are flying Southwest as well, so yay!

I am bringing a wheelchair with me, so this will be all new territory for us, and I keep going back and forth with whether to also bring the Mobilegs crutches. They won't be too easy to pack or carry with us to the parks. And it seems like we don't need a WC room since a regular room is maneuverable in the chair and I don't need a roll in shower. (Don't have one now!) I certainly don't want to take up a room that someone else needs much more than I do.

One wrinkle is that we ended up finding much cheaper flights the day prior to our Disney room reservation, so we are staying with friends that first night and getting dropped back at the airport the next morning to catch the ME. I can navigate the bus steps (I'm already navigating steps multiple times a day, slowly, just pulling up on the left, but I can make it) and would rather just stow the wheelchair under the bus with our luggage. That works right?

I'm hoping with another few weeks under my belt, the pain will be more tolerable and I won't have to worry as much as I would right now about which rides might exacerbate the pain (or, worse, re-break it).

I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving despite the awful timing of your injury!
 
One wrinkle is that we ended up finding much cheaper flights the day prior to our Disney room reservation, so we are staying with friends that first night and getting dropped back at the airport the next morning to catch the ME.
You will want to doublecheck to make sure you can still schedule Magical Express.
They base your reservation on your airline, flight number and time.
I can navigate the bus steps (I'm already navigating steps multiple times a day, slowly, just pulling up on the left, but I can make it) and would rather just stow the wheelchair under the bus with our luggage. That works right?
My daughter needs to stay in her wheelchair, so we don’t have experience with stowing. I have seen other people’s wheelchairs stowed under the bus in the luggage area though.

I'm hoping with another few weeks under my belt, the pain will be more tolerable and I won't have to worry as much as I would right now about which rides might exacerbate the pain (or, worse, re-break it).

I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving despite the awful timing of your injury!
Hope your trip goes well.
 
You will want to doublecheck to make sure you can still schedule Magical Express.
They base your reservation on your airline, flight number and time.
Hope your trip goes well.

Yep, we scheduled ME by the earliest flight on the 14th, just won't be using the luggage tags and stowing everything underneath the bus. Thank you!
 


When you get to the airport, how will you be getting to your gate? With my fractured pelvis, I'm totally wheelchair bound, and they told me that all that needs to happen in order to get a wheelchair to meet the DME bus is to have my driver "call ahead". I forgot to ask him who my DME driver needs to call ahead TO. Please let us know how you make out-and enjoy your trip as best as you can.
 
When you get to the airport, how will you be getting to your gate? With my fractured pelvis, I'm totally wheelchair bound, and they told me that all that needs to happen in order to get a wheelchair to meet the DME bus is to have my driver "call ahead". I forgot to ask him who my DME driver needs to call ahead TO. Please let us know how you make out-and enjoy your trip as best as you can.

I will bringing my own wheelchair with me, so we'll gate check it as we board, and have it for arrival from the gate/stow in under the bus (since I'm able to walk short distances).

But I had read that if you make arrangements with ME they'll be able to have a wheelchair transport bus to the resort, and that driver will call ahead for the resort personnel to have a wheelchair at the door for your arrival.
 
But I had read that if you make arrangements with ME they'll be able to have a wheelchair transport bus to the resort, and that driver will call ahead for the resort personnel to have a wheelchair at the door for your arrival.

Sorry, I left out the fact that the driver calling ahead referred to the trip to the airport and then to your gate. I don't know if he meant that the driver was supposed to call the airline or whom?
 
ah, gotcha -- I knew I was missing something there. I supposed they must've meant the ME driver then. I always hear them calling for guest assistance for wheelchairs at the airport, so I'd bet if he radios ahead, you won't have to wait and they'll be there with a chair as soon as you pull up.
 
So after another 10 days, how does the trip look? More or less do-able? Wheelchair or ECV? I know I couldn't do an ECV now, at 2 weeks after my pelvic fracture. Wish I could, but for me, still a wheelchair, and one leg won't hold any weight, so walking's out. But this trip has been super for my recovery, so I really hope you can go. BTW, I see your son's from Texas. Me too-"down in the Valley"-Your DS might know where that is.
 
I fractured my pelvis in two places years ago, along with my sacrum. I went from not being able to walk to a walker in a few days then crutches and then needing no aids in a month, then back to running 30 miles a week a few months later. At the time it seemed like my midsection was a bag of marbles when I stood up and I couldn't even stand without my meds kicking in. I felt like I would always be in pain and never run again. I think the key is to keep moving. Once I could move my one leg that wouldn't budge for two weeks, I started walking slowly on crutches every day and I really feel that helped. Can't imagine going to WDW with this injury, but the ECV will really help. Remember to try and get a little exercise without it here and there. Good luck to you!
 
So after another 10 days, how does the trip look? More or less do-able? Wheelchair or ECV? I know I couldn't do an ECV now, at 2 weeks after my pelvic fracture. Wish I could, but for me, still a wheelchair, and one leg won't hold any weight, so walking's out. But this trip has been super for my recovery, so I really hope you can go. BTW, I see your son's from Texas. Me too-"down in the Valley"-Your DS might know where that is.

The pain started Friday, Nov. 3 so I'm hitting one month this coming weekend and it's surprisingly not a lot better. Any amount of walking makes the pain flare. I limp around the house slowly, have to do the stairs just on my left leg, dragging the right one behind. It pretty much sucks. But I've been told I can't do more damage just walking on it. I'm beginning to wonder.

Got my chair delivered and have been practicing. I know my arms will be noodles in no time and will have to have my other five take turns pushing a lot, but I'm relieved I don't have to try to walk on this pain in two weeks.
 
I fractured my pelvis in two places years ago, along with my sacrum. I went from not being able to walk to a walker in a few days then crutches and then needing no aids in a month, then back to running 30 miles a week a few months later. At the time it seemed like my midsection was a bag of marbles when I stood up and I couldn't even stand without my meds kicking in. I felt like I would always be in pain and never run again. I think the key is to keep moving. Once I could move my one leg that wouldn't budge for two weeks, I started walking slowly on crutches every day and I really feel that helped. Can't imagine going to WDW with this injury, but the ECV will really help. Remember to try and get a little exercise without it here and there. Good luck to you!

I really hope in a few months I look back on this and can say the same! Thank you for the encouragement!
 
I really hope in a few months I look back on this and can say the same! Thank you for the encouragement!
I felt like it was the end of the world with my pelvis fractures, but I was surprised at how quickly I healed. In contrast, my broken toe from 3+ years ago still hurts! Good luck to you! It will be fine! Eat healthfully and take it one day at a time. Have a great time at Disney!
 
How quickly? I guess I'm a slow healer-3 weeks later and I'm just now starting to take a couple steps without the wheelchair. Hoping to be able to "graduate" to a rollator in a few more days, by 1 month from the date of fracture. And DH says it'll probably be a few more weeks until I can drive.
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!






Top