Wheelchair rental at Universal

[Sthack Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sthack]

We will be visiting Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios during Spring break. Unfortunately, my 9 YO daughter has a hard walking cast on her foot (below the knee) and can't walk for an extended time. We were debating if we should bring a wheelchair on the plane or should we rent one at the park. Has anyone rented their wheelchairs and can share with me some tips/concerns? What is the cost to rent wheelchairs at IOA and US?

Thanks in advance!

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Due to a knee injury on my first day to Orlando a few years back. I was forced to get a moterized wheel chair for the parks. The cost if I recall at the time was about $45 a day. The problem is there are not enough to go around. You can not take them from Disney park to Disney park. They will reissue you a new one at the other park that you viste during that day but there is a good chance that they may not have one to give you. IMO if you have one bring it. As for the non moterized I would say that they should have but I would bring my own if I needed it.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

My experience with rental was at Disneyland in California. My dd was on crutches and we knew she couldn't manage that for three days. And I didn't want to push a wheelchair for that long. So, we rented a motorized scooter. We rented directly from an outside company. That way they delivered it to the hotel and we could take it from one park to another, into Downtown Disney and back to the hotel. I think I remember the total cost being $200 for the 3 or 4 days we had it. More expensive than the daily rental at the park, but again we didn't have the hassle of picking it up and returning it at each park, worrying if there would be enough, etc., etc. It worked out great. They even fit the scooter to the size of the rider. I found the company by doing a google search for scooter companies. I found later that the Disney tour books have contact information for outside scooter companies as well.

The other thing I want to mention is how impressed we were with how wonderfully Disney was set up for people with disabilities. One "funny" incident was when we were in the restroom waiting for one of the handicapped stalls. There was a woman in front of me with a child in a stroller. She started to go into the handicap stall and the restroom attendent almost tackled her, told her the handicap stall was NOT for her, it was for people who were disabled and told my daughter and I to go in.

Ooops, just realized how long ago this was posted. My advice is way, way out of date.

[PeterS Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close PeterS]

If you know you are going to need one for all the parks, Disney, Universal,etc.. you may want to rent a wheelchair from a local surgical supply place.

My wife broke her foot before a Disney trip and when we checked the daily park rental and also realized she would be limited outside the park, we did this.

We used the courtesy ones at the airports at each end and we had the rental company drop it off at the front desk at OLCC and it was waiting there when we checked in... left it there when we checked out and they picked it up.

It was a number of years ago but I will try to dig up a name but I bet a quick web search for "rent wheelchair orlando" will raise some prospects..

Make sure the rental car is large enough to handle it....

Pete