My husband and I planned a trip to New York a few months ago and leave on Sept 2nd.
Last week my husband broke a bone in his foot, the talus, and will be in a cast for at least 6 to eight weeks. We leave in five weeks. He is currently using a walker but hopping as he cant put weight on it at all. He is too unsteady for crutches.

We dont have cancellation insurance so we are going anyhow. We had hoped to do a lot of walking around time square, central park etc. Museums, art galleries and sightseeing were all on the list as well as good resteraunts and broadway plays. I am hoping that all of the latter items wont be an issue, but what about the first ones?


We have tickets to a Yankees game, I think the seats from the map are on the top tier of our section. We were probably going to take the metro there. We are staying across from Rockafella Centre.

We also arranged to take the train to DC for a night and then back by Mega Bus. Walking around Captial hill was on the agenda, I already have tickets to 'The Monument'

So , here comes the question. Would a wheelchair be okay to get around most places, and how wc friendly is the city? Any things that we definately will not be able to do and things that may be more realistic . Any ideas ahead of time so that we may be more realistic about what we can/cant do will be appreciated. Thanks very much

Using the subway is not very practical as most of the stations are not accessible and the ones that do have elevators are pretty smelly. But all the buses are kneeling buses so that's an option as are taxis if the wheelchair is easily foldable. The Met Museum and perhaps others offer wheelchairs for free. I would bag Washington but if you've invested a lot of money, that's up to you. bigapplegreeter.org has an accessibility program that may be useful for you.

Do not use the subways. They are anything but accessible hadicapped (even when temporary). The buses, however, all have devices for wheelchairs. The larger museums are wheelchair accessible and restuarants are hit or miss.

Chelsea has many buildings filled with galleries. Look on-line at Time Out NY for locations and call. Unfortunately many are closed just now, but you can try any way.


Have you checked with Mega, do make sure they are wheelchair accessible?

thanks to you both, I will look into this info.

Mclaurie why bag DC?

several things:

• who is going to push the wheelchair all around? I am assuming it won't be motorized. That will be a lot pushing if you plan to do even the minimum of walking.

• My experience is that while many restaurants are wheelchair accessible the restrooms aren't so be sure to check before you committ.

• You definitely will have difficulty on buses at any times near rush hour on weekdays so you'll need to time your trips more carefully than otherwise.

• is it possible that by time you leave your husband could use a walker or a cane?

• Part of the issue will be just the sheer numbers of people everywhere esp in early September and especially in tourist spots. I see you are from Vancouver Island, so NYC is about as different from there as you can get in terms of people per square inch.

I agree with dropping DC if you were just going to go for one night. Most of the appeal of DC is walking around the museums and the Capitol etc as tourists so if that is not feasible it seems like a waste.

Obviously it's a financial issue since you don't have insurance but unless you have prepaid all your hotels etc I'd be very tempted to eat the airfare and reschedule the trip. I am from NYC and can't imagine having a happy time as a tourist in a wheelchair.

yup, prepaid all...invested over $3000 so far. All with priceline and non refundable airfare. Thought I had cancellation insurance with my visa card. Didnt!. Wont make that mistake again.

I am hoping he will be a bit mobile by then, and it will be me pushing the wheelchair.

I recently did a tour for a family where the son was (more permanently) in a wheelchair. They did very well in the City on their own using buses. They went to a few museums and down to the statue and ellis Island. For the Yankee game, they found that the trip by train from Grand Central was totally accessible.

To and From the airport and for our half day city tour, they used a company called Vega Vans
http://vegatransportation.com/

The driver, Nick was awesome. Vega hired me through Beyond Times Square.

The city can be done by wheelchair - but really not the subway. You basically need to stick to buses (not at rush hour when they are mobbed - as in people standing packed in like sardines) but OK at other times. Many of the major museums allow you to hire a wheelchair - but it's first come, first served - and you need to check which entrance to use (main entrances are inaccessible due to large flights of stairs).

As for the Yankee game, there is now Metro North train service to the stadium, leaving from Grand Central.

Why bag DC? Sounded like unnecessary travel to me given your situation. But if you want to go for it, that's up to you. I'd try to arrange some sort of minibus tour while you're there.

This is the access program I was talking about. http://bigapplegreeter.org/03-what_i...is_access.html

Yankee stadium has special arrangements for wheelchair patrons. Check the following:

Disabled Services: (718) 579-4510 (voice) or (718) 579-4595 (TTY) or [email protected]

While at Yankee Stadium during a game, guests may request to speak with a member of Disabled Services in person at any Guest Services Booth or in the Yankee Stadium Lobby near Gate 2.

Thanks everyone. I am hoping that he will me more mobile by then but this is all great information. I will print a lot of it out.

Well the good news is that after 5 weeks in a cast, he will probably be pretty good at getting around. Is his cast knee high cast or above the knee? Will he be able to put weight on the foot ? If not, can you ask the doctor to re-do the cast in a few weeks to make it more "walkable"?

I once had TWO knee high casts and was able to ride my bike, go dancing, etc. The main thing was that my legs would get tired or the cast would rub if I did it too long.

If you can get a really light wheelchair, I think it might help, at least in places where the ground is level. . If he can walk up limited steps, go in a bathroom, or sit at a regular table, you won't need to push him everywhere.

Keep in mind that ADA requires most places to provide access. In reality, it doesn't happen- elevators break down, the" person with the key" goes missing, or whatever, but if you do some homework like looking at museum maps and subway station maps you'll have a better chance. Sometimes you just have to ask for help or insist that employees to give out the secret location of their elevators!

Fodor's former editor Katie H did a trip report that may be very helpful:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...-the-brain.cfm

Good luck! I hope your DH becomes more mobile in the next month. I look forward to your trip report.

Resist the impulse to get a motorized scooter or wheelchair. In his situation this would make him more disabled. These can not be folded or easily assembled/dissembled. They are too heavy to lift up over even a step or 2. They are too bulky to leave outside places (where he could walk in a few steps), thief targets, and terrible in the rain. (I know you did not mention getting one - but someone is sure to suggest it). If they have one available for short-time use in place such as museum, fine, but not for the entire trip.

Stadiums (especially new ones) have all sorts of services and seats for those with disabillities. You might call the Yankees and see if they can switch your seats to ones more accessible.

Request from his MD immediately that he get a physical therapy consultation in preparation for the trip. The PT will teach him how to use stairs at varying levels of ability to bear weight, how to use cane, crutches, walker appropriately - it is not as easy as it looks and most people put the cane in the wrong hand (it goes on the good side of the body). PT will also be able to suggest upper body boot camp exercises since the stronger his upper body is the easier it will be to get around using whatever assistive devices he will need at the time. (I am a rehab RN)

Thanks for the replies. We went to see the orthopedic surgeon yesterday and he put my husband into a new fiberglass cast, just below the knee and told it will be on for at LEAST two more months.
He can not put any weight on it, because it is a bone that needs to heal or it will cause real problems down the road. So tomorrow we will rent a collapsable wheelchair to take with us. We will also have a collapseable walker for short distances in the room etc.
I called the airline to request assistance, I arranged with the train to Washington and the bus back to have accessable seats and they were all really good about it.

I called the hotel, Le'enfant in DC and they will put us in a room that is accessable with a wheel in shower and the same for the Club Quarters Rockefella Centre in New york and they will do the same thing.

I sent an email to the Yankees stadium asking if the seats we have are easy to access as well and will wait to hear. I am sure that if they aren't they will move us or something.

I think it will all work out, we will make sure it does.

I appreciate all the suggestions and we post a report on this (unexpected) adventure upon our return.

lcuy thanks for the link to the report by Katie H. Very helpful and I will print some of it out to take with us.

and Gail, yes we are starting to do some weight bearing exercises for him. Thank you.

Besides the email to Yankee Stadium - you might try calling them on their line for accessible seating at: 718 579 4510 and speak about changing your seating.

Both cities are more difficult with mobility limitations. Key, is to not over plan and give yourself plenty of time for transiting. DC is much more expansive to get around. So, you may want to consider taxis, or the HOHO tour bus. The METROS are long distances away from most attractions.

Thanks Jroth, I was looking for a phone number and couldnt find one.

BudgetQueen the good thing about this trip is that we really didnt have much of an agenda and were discussing this morning how we will just have to allow lots more time for everything. We will do mostly cabs I think. Thanks.