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Old 8 Jun 18, 11:23 AM  
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#11
hipthehippo
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Originally Posted by Pluto76 View Post
My daughter has CFS amongst other issues We travel with her own wheelchair but you should request special assistance and think about requesting a wheelchair at the airports.
Don't under estimate the amount of walking at the airports.
With special assistance you will be boarded first, usually last off but you and your family will be taken through priority lane at MCO.
Hope that helps x
Thank you - I really appreciate the information. As disneydaft83 says, part of it is also feeling like a bit of a fraud and part of it is trying to balance some of the issues with DD - eg the routines that we would normally have at the airport - she tends to get overly stressed if we don't quite manage to do them. She has social anxiety and knowing that we have a set routine and that we do them seems to keep her calm.

Ah well, we'll see what happens!
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Old 24 Jun 18, 05:01 PM  
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scottish mama
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I've got Me and fibro and have been going to Florida for the last 10 years.
As said by others, contact your airline and book special assistance, as airports are very big places and other people's idea of 'not very far' is often way beyond what we are capable of. The same goes when the ask how many steps you can walk up.

We take my travel wheelchair and then use the airport wheelchair as have found this means they push you and they know the more accessible routes (and frees up the family to bring the cases). However, this does mean that you're then stuck to their timetable (waiting for a chair to come to the plane when getting off).

I've hired an EVC each trip we've been doing the Orlando parks -we've also done parkless trips or just BG so have used my wheelchair then). It's cheaper to hire your own (we've used Apple scooters and Randy's) and had them drop off at the villa after we've arrived. Most of them are the ones that come to bits and can go in the boot. I have one like this at home and they're really easy to take apart once you've done it a couple of times. You can lift the battery out for charging which means you can leave the scooter in the car and just take the battery into the bill/ hotel to charge. You could also take the charging plug to the park so you can recharge if needs be, although they usually hold the charge for long enough. Make sure you've hired a car large enough to take a scooter- we use an intermediate SUV.
I totally understand the reluctance to use wheelchair or scooters, but at the end of the day it means you can do things or not. It also gives you a seat when waiting for people or rides etc. I also take a folding walking stick for those places where you can't get the scooter in i.e. Restaurants. If you really don't want to use one, then I'd suggest just targeting one area of the park and focus on that so your not walking round and round. The rest of the family can do more rides while you sit in a cafe or go to one of the shows.

We factor in rest days by the pool as I can't manage consecutive park days, and the kids actually benefit from this too.

Drink lots of water, take rest as need be and let the others go off - they'll have plenty to do! Above all, enjoy! Ironically we've chosen to go to Florida each year as I feel I impact less on the family's holiday than if we were in the Med and wanting to do touristy things which are not always accessible or are very tiring.
Feel free to pm me if you want.
Enjoy!
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Old 24 Jun 18, 05:04 PM  
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Ps, please do not feel a fraud! This is a genuine, disabling, neurological but unfortunately hidden illness.
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Old 24 Jun 18, 07:55 PM  
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hipthehippo
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Originally Posted by scottish mama View Post
Ps, please do not feel a fraud! This is a genuine, disabling, neurological but unfortunately hidden illness.
Thank you for all your advice in your previous post - much appreciated. I have used an ECV in the parks and last year hired one for the whole time as I knew there was no way I was going to be able to keep up with the friends we went with. This year it's just DD and myself, but I am definitely worse than I was last year. I'm just aware that when I'm tired I can't walk in a straight line and can't stand for very long without starting to list to one side (bit like the Titanic! ). Remembering MCO last year I know that I wouldn't be able to do it this year - but I'm not very good at asking for help...

I have definitely taken on board all the advice and will arrange for assistance - it's better than keeling over in the arrival hall on the way in or immigration on the way back
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Sam

Growing old is mandatory, but, growing up is optional
"Live a Life that Matters" - Michael Josephson - RIP Dad 20.07.05
2006, 2007 - Rolling Hills / 2008 - Villa - can't remember! / 2009, 2010 - Sunset Lakes / 2011 - Indian Creek / 2012 - Sunset Lakes / 2013 - Emerald Island / 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023 - Sunset Lakes
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