This is the correct place. Welcome to disABILITIES.
First suggestion is to read the disABILITIES FAQs thread near the top of the board if you haven't already. There is information there are nbout wheelchairs, some ride boarding information, links to the park Guidebooks for Guests with Disabilities on the WDW website and information about GACs (Guest Assistance Cards).
Second, if he/your family haven't already spoken to his doctor about going, someone should ASAP. If he is on palliative care, you may need to move up the date of of his trip. May is a pretty long way away and a lot can change by then for someone who has less than 6 months.
He will need some information from his doctor (like a short summary of his care and contact information for the doctor who might be caring for him in Florida). His doctor may also know someone to refer him to in Florida if any trouble/ unexpected things happen.
Even though he probably would like the independence of having an
ECV, I would suggest a wheelchair might be a better option, given the circumstances.
When driving an ECV, the user must be alert all the time to things they need to avoid, how fast they are going, other people, etc. It's similar to driving a car and can be very tiring. Since he already has limited energy, it may be too tiring for him.
Also, depending on the medication he is on, especially pain medication may make him unable to safely drive (increased drowsiness, decreased reaction time). Even if he is OK to drive early in the day, as he becomes tired, it may be too difficult for him and no one can rake over and drive an ecv for him.
Another thing to think about is the some attractions have queues that don't accomidate
ECVs. For those attractions, ECV users need to switch to a wheelchair. Transfers back and forth use energy and tire out both the person and any caregivers who need to help. If he was in a wheelchair already, he would have less transfers and could even go on some attractions without leaving the wheelchair (Small World and the Kilimanjari Safari are examples).
If you haven't already made reservations, plan to stay close to the park you plan to visit most. Also plan that you might be spending a lot of time at the resort. If it's MK, a resort on the monorail is a good choice because a wheelchair/ecv can be driven right onto the monorail. Any of the Epcot resorts give you easy wheelchair accessible walkways or boats to 2 parks.
Plan short trips to the parks and make your plans very flexible. Some things to think about for planning your days (at least things I would think about):
- Think of energy like a checking account. Each activity has an energy cost (each transfer in and out of the wheelchair/ECV, each attraction, time spent sitting up, walking, bathroom trips). He only has so much energy budgetted for each day in his account. If he uses too much early in the day, he either will not have enough left to cover the rest of the day or will have to "borrow" from the next day.
Just like in a store, it's easy to "overspend" if the activity is fun and things may be more expensive (require more energy) than they look like they will when you start them.
- It takes time and energy to get to/from the parks and each transfer in/out of the wheelchair or ECV takes energy. Plan on ways that use the least energy. You want to save the energy (as much as possible) for things that are fun, not just for getting around.
- Is he better in the morning or later in the day? Plan the most activity for when he is best. Keep in mind that the same activity might have a higher "energy cost" at a different time of day.
If he is good early in the morning, it's a good idea to ge to the parks as early as possible. There are less people, less waits and it's cooler and less of a problem with the sun than later. The middle of the day, from 10 to 2 or 3 (or after a parade) are usually the busiest.
If he's better later in the day, many of the parks are less busy if you go late. For example, AK might be very busy in the middle of the day, with long standby waits. Later in the day, those same attractions might be walk right on.
- If he needs a short rest, it often takes more energy to go back to the resort. First Aid is a great place to rest. They have cots in individual cubicles and it is cool and quiet there.
Also, if he needs to do any procedures on himself or needs to store any equipment or medication, First Aid can store things and provide a private place for procedures.
- Some rides have low energy cost (there is no transfer required, the ride itself is relaxing - an example might be Small World or shows like Baeuty and the Beast).
Some have a medium energy cost (a transfer is involved, but it's an easy one and the ride is fairly relaxing).
Some have a high energy cost (may be a relaxing ride like Pirates, which has a fairly hard transfer - or be a ride like TOT or Test Track which have easy transfers or are more intense rides).
Keep in mind the energy costs of the rides when planning your day. Plan the ones with the highest cost for when he is best and plan some time between the higher cost attractions. (From experience - don't plan a full morning of rides that require transfers, intersperce them).
There is a Passporter Guide for Touring with Special Needs that might be useful to you.
- Have a sort of "tiered" plan for the parks - the must sees, the nice to sees, the do it if possible, the don't want to use the energy on these.
Plan each day to do a few must sees - and plan that might be all you are able to do. if you can do more - great. If you can't, you have done the most important things.
Keep in mind that getting around the parks takes energy, so you want to stay in one area and not be crisscrossing around if possible.
- Be alert for signs of fatigue - not just in him, but in everyone. Most people don't want to "spoil" the fun for everyone else and will pretend (sometimes even to themselves) that they are tired. Plan breaks.
- Walkie talkies or cell phones are great if you have to split up. He could be resting somewhere with one member of your party and you can easily hook up with the others later (or call them from the resort room) if you have some way of communication.
Keep in mind that if you can't temporarily contact someone, it's not necessarily a problem. Walkie talkies don't work from far distances and cell phones/walkie talkies should be off during attractions (or at least on mute). There are some cell phone "islands" where the cell phone won't work.
- Don't be afraid to split up your party, especially if it's big.
- If you split up your party and plan to meet up later, have clear directions for where to meet. Somewhere like "in front of the castle" or "in front of Spaceship Earth" are very busy places. It's also a good idea to define things like "front". DH's idea of "front of Spaceship Earth" was the side where you come into Epcot and enter the ride; my "front" was the area further inside the park that faces the big fountain. You can waste a lot of time looking for each other (although cell phones help with that - you can call and see where they are).
Hope this is helpful. Ask as many questions as you need.
