I have RA and a number of other medical conditions. The only way I can do WDW is using an
ECV. I do NOT need or use an ECV anywhere else except when visiting a large zoo.
At WDW I also use a
DAS but I wualify for it not because of the RA, but because of (1) issues related to the side effects of one of my RA medications, and (2) issues other medical conditions. The RA issues themselves, as noted by previous posters, are mobility/stamina issues and are addressed by the ECV and careful planning.
I absolutely get not wanting to use an ECV, but at the end of the day it is a TOOL, just like wearing glasses. At WDW, it can be a very necessary tool. On my first trip with the ECV a number of years ago, the first day we were just going to do DHS for a few hours in the evening to see the holiday lights. I figured no big deal, I'll leave the ECV in the hotel room its only a few hours. So we went to DHS. By hour two I was in severe pain. By hour 3 I could barely walk. In the fourth hour we left and I was in more severe pain that I had been in years, could barely walk, and barely made it back to the hotel room. We had to stop freuently. I was crying the whole way. The pain continued for days. We nearly didn't go to the parks the next day [we did, later in the day, using the ECV]. That silly decision, to not use the ECV, nearly ruined the vacation. I used the ECV for the rest of the trip and it made a MASSIVE difference. I have used it all subsequent WDW trips when we visit parks and the difference is light and day, for both myself, and for my family. I have more energy, so much less pain, and we are all able to enjoy the trip so much more.
It is absolutely NOT about marking a progression of the disease. It is about a very unique situation that is unlike ANY other situation you are in. A park day at WDW is MILES of walking a day. 6-8 miles or more easily. It is standing around/on your feet for hours combined with that walking. With RA, that is usually a unique recipe for problems. I'm reasonably sure if you had a conversation with your rhuematologist about visiting Disney World and the amount of walking and standing involved they would be supporting of using an ECV **for that specific unique situation**. I know mine was, he thought it was a great and appropriate solution.
And using the ECV does NOT mean using it 100% of the time. This is how I make use of it:
- I use it if going to the parks
- I may or may not use it around the resort, depending on how I feel at the moment/day -- crappy day, I use it, great day I probably won't unless I am doing a massive amount of walking exploring the resort or doing a "resort tour" of multiple resorts [we like down days where we do no parks and explore other resorts or hang out at ours]
- when going to the parks, if I am having a bad day I will take the ECV into the ride lines that allow it (almost all do) and then transfer to the ride vehicle
- if having a good day, I will park the ECV in an area then walk the ride line(s), I may do more than one ride in an area this way, then go back to the ECV and move it to the next ride or next area depending on how I am feeling
- this gives me flexibility throughout the day to adjust how I use the ECV... have a good hour, park and walk, need to move around, do some walking, need to sit and ride, then ride it.
- if I am in a line and need to get up and move, my sister takes over the ecv and i walk a bit then switch back
- I will often park outside stores or restaurants too and walk inside
Also, an advantage of the ECV is I can wiggle like crazy on it, keeping myself mobile and minimizing the chance that stiffness will set in. I can move pretty much any joint around easily, big movements or small. So I am not technically in any "one" position for any length of time.
So, I control how much I walk versus "ride", and how I make use of the ECV.
Finally, with regard to the DAS. It works differently than the old GAC did. You get a "return time" which allows you to return in a specified amount of time (based on the standby time for the attraction) and then you enter the Fastpass line, which is generally a shorter line than the standby line. But still a line.
The DAS is issued for those who have difficulty with being in the line environment and who would be better being able to spend their time waiting outside the line environment. The issue is related to the line environment itself. DAS is not issued for mobility/stamina issues because the issue is not with the line environment itself, and the issue is felt to be resolvable with the use of a wheelchair or ECV or other mobility device.
Is a person with a mobility/stamina issue uses a mobility device and it still isn't working for them, then they can certainly approach guest services to discuss their continuuing difficulty and see what guest services can offer in way of assistance.
Note that for any discussion of assistance needs with guest services they do NOT need to know your medical issues. They need to know your NEEDS. Whatever the medical issue is, it results in a need/issue/problem that needs a solution. They don't need to know the medical issue (and in fact, knowing won't help that much as they are not medically trained), they need to understand the need/issue/problem that results so they can identify the appropriate solution (be that mobility device, DAS, or something else).
Hope this helps.
SW