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Old 16 Oct 18, 12:12 PM  
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pineapple515
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Join Date: Jul 17
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Eds

Hi All,

Me, my Husband(32) and Daughter(2) are going to WDW next sep.

It's mine and hubbys fourth trip, but we are staying onsite for the first time with dining plan.

My husband has been having health issues the past couple of years and got diagnosed with EDS this year. He is awaiting spinal surgery, but this hasn't put him off wanting to go.

Plan is to take it slow, he has walking sticks but bless him his mobility in the past year has decreased greatly. He said he is willing to take wheelchair if needs be.

Just wondering if anyone has been through anything similar? Any tips? We know its not a *relaxing* holiday but plan to take it slow, with plenty of rest breaks. Just wondering if anyone had some experience/tips they'd like to shed a light on!

Thank you!
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Old 16 Oct 18, 01:27 PM  
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Merryweather
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Maybe hire an ECV rather than a wheelchair so that you don’t have to push the chair in the heat, provided your DH would be comfortable on one. As you’re staying on site, with some companies it can be at your hotel for your arrival if you hire from a Disney approved company as you don’t need to be there to sign for it. The two I can think of are Buena Vista and Apple scooter hire - both very reliable! If he wanted to try a scooter before you go check shopmobility in your area to see if the hire them - that’s what I did! BTW I also take my stick with me as I can walk a little bit and I could use it to get between the ECV and some of the rides.
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Old 17 Oct 18, 12:19 PM  
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pineapple515
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Originally Posted by Merryweather View Post
Maybe hire an ECV rather than a wheelchair so that you don’t have to push the chair in the heat, provided your DH would be comfortable on one. As you’re staying on site, with some companies it can be at your hotel for your arrival if you hire from a Disney approved company as you don’t need to be there to sign for it. The two I can think of are Buena Vista and Apple scooter hire - both very reliable! If he wanted to try a scooter before you go check shopmobility in your area to see if the hire them - that’s what I did! BTW I also take my stick with me as I can walk a little bit and I could use it to get between the ECV and some of the rides.
Thank you. Will do that, and i'll keep those companies in mind. Thanks!
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Old 18 Oct 18, 12:29 AM  
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Merryweather
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Glad I could help!
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Old 26 Oct 18, 06:56 AM  
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Grace2007
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Hi, we are here now, my husband has health issues including some mobility issues that means although the can potter around at home there is no way he could walk around a theme park. We were lucky with MCO immigration as only 10 minute queue but our friends who arrived 3 days later had over an hour wait - so if we ever came again I would definitely book wheelchair assistance. It took some persuading to get my husband to agree to an ECV rather than a wheelchair but I’m glad we have gone for this option ... it’s far too hot to push someone around ! I think he was bothered about standing out and everyone looking at him but there are so many people on them it’s not an issue. Only doing Disney so can’t comment about other parks but Disney staff are really helpful and can take ecv’s into the ride queues. It’s been a godsend as there would be no way we could have done as much as we have without it, we have used a scooter from Randy’s mobility and haven’t had any issues with it - it comes apart and fits into our 7 seater quite easily.
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Old 26 Oct 18, 08:00 AM  
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GezzasGem
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Just reiterating the above and I think you are being realistic about things 👌 definitely hire the ECV and factor in plenty of rest breaks. This will be perfect with a 2 year old anyway 😉
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Old 26 Oct 18, 12:43 PM  
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pineapple515
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Thank you! Great tip about immigration as well, didn't think of that! Honestly thanks guys, we both feel a lot better about everything now. Esp hubby, think he had same issue, doesn't want people to "be looking at him".
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Old 27 Oct 18, 12:54 AM  
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Merryweather
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Have a great time!
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Old 30 Oct 18, 01:10 PM  
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Scaramouche
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Originally Posted by pineapple515 View Post
Hi All,

Me, my Husband(32) and Daughter(2) are going to WDW next sep.

It's mine and hubbys fourth trip, but we are staying onsite for the first time with dining plan.

My husband has been having health issues the past couple of years and got diagnosed with EDS this year. He is awaiting spinal surgery, but this hasn't put him off wanting to go.

Plan is to take it slow, he has walking sticks but bless him his mobility in the past year has decreased greatly. He said he is willing to take wheelchair if needs be.

Just wondering if anyone has been through anything similar? Any tips? We know its not a *relaxing* holiday but plan to take it slow, with plenty of rest breaks. Just wondering if anyone had some experience/tips they'd like to shed a light on!

Thank you!
Hi,

I have JHS (Part of EDS) and I take both my crutches and a wheelchair. I'm really stubborn about going in the wheelchair (we're 25 days out and I'm yet to buy one!) but we had one for our last trip and I couldn't believe how much we had missed out on previous trips due to the pain.

I cannot sit in a wheelchair for a long time so I have to mix between legs, crutches and wheelchairs.

Speak to Disney about the DAS pass, they may say that he can have one. I can get one because I can't just sit in a wheelchair and get on with it, I have to be able to sit/walk/stand at any time and when you're trapped in a queue you can't just walk. Also mine is getting worse and the other symptoms unrelated to joints are starting to come through a bit more now. When the pain gets severe I get quite upset and anxious because I genuinely feel like I'm going to collapse and I cannot sit at that point.

Plenty of rest breaks, plenty of time in the water (depending on his back but I don't suffer as much in water and it's one way of coping if I am in agony. Most of my joints can't dislocate under water due to the pressure - Shoulders didn't get the memo and go out regardless!)

Take a mixture of painkillers - if the GP are providing painkillers, take your prescriptions and a letter from the GP stating that they are provided for your husband due to EDS. I travel with a full pack of Cocodamol 30/500 and a full pack of Naproxen 500mg and your normal ibuprofen and paracetamol so it might look like I've got enough to run a small chemist!
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Old 30 Oct 18, 01:13 PM  
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Scaramouche
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Originally Posted by pineapple515 View Post
Thank you! Great tip about immigration as well, didn't think of that! Honestly thanks guys, we both feel a lot better about everything now. Esp hubby, think he had same issue, doesn't want people to "be looking at him".
I completely get that. I'm 26 and it doesn't feel right because with EDS/JHS we look completely normal and until the pain kicks in - to the outside world there is nothing wrong at all. Honestly you could look at me now and you would have no idea that my back is in quite a lot of pain.

I don't get a lot of warning, I used to have about an hour between "it's really starting to hurt now" to "I can't move". I've now got about 30 minutes between "I think there's a bit of pain" to "I can't move". But there are times when I can get by for hours without any help of crutches/wheelchair because we take a lot of breaks. Other days, I can't get out of the hotel room without them!
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August 2013 - 9 Nights Port Orleans French Quarter
August 2015 - 4 Nights Hard Rock Hotel, 12 Nights Coronado Springs Resort
September 2016 - Florida with my Prince!
Forget Regrets... Or Life Is Yours To Miss.. No Other Road, No Other Way.. No Day But Today.. ♪
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