Holiday ideas for a semi-disabled single adult and 8 year old child

[SewingBees]

Hoping the MN hive mind can help me with good holiday ideas.

I'm disabled in that I can't walk very far or stand for long. I use an electric wheelchair when I need to. I can drive.

My daughter is really good with my disability but when we're out her activities are limited to what I can manage.

She also loves playing with other children and is an only child.

Any good ideas for holidays where she will get the chance to be active and around other children but that I can also manage. We went to Australia last year together and coped ok, we went on a lot of organised trips, but I didn't need the wheelchair then and could walk further. The downside was that the opportunities to spend time with other children and be active were very limited.

I don't have a limitless budget but don't mind paying for a really good experience that we would both enjoy.

Can you manage without the wheelchair if you can rent a mobility scooter or is the wheelchair coming with you now?

Do you know if the batteries are safe for flights or cruises?

A cruise could be ideal - it's not unusual to see people in a wheelchair onboard and some cruise lines bend over backwards to accommodate all disabilities. There's actually a blog written by a woman who regularly cruises called Cruising Wheelchair.

Center Parcs in the Netherlands have some disabled access cottages now. It's a very safe place to let a 8 year roam around, meet other kids and do activities. Much more affordable than Center parks UK. You need to be confident with her swimming though as it sounds like you can't follow her around in the pool.

Thank you for the responses so far. To answer the questions - I can do without the wheelchair but it severely limits how far I can go. Hiring a mobility scooter or wheelchair at the destination is a possibility, but my own wheelchair is safe for airline or other travel.

My daughter is a strong pool swimmer so as long as I was keeping an eye on her that would be fine. She's not experienced as a sea swimmer though and I wouldn't be able to accompany her in the sea.

I was looking at cruises last night but kid friendly ones seem a bit limited around Europe and I'm not fussed about visiting Florida/the Caribbean, but I'm happy to be told I'm being short sighted and/or missing something.

I'll check that out - she would be ok in the pool if I was watching or blobbing about in the shallow end, I'm quite a strong swimmer myself even though walking is difficult.

Celebrity cruises are perfect for kids - the Europe ones in school holidays are lots of kids. V wheelchair friendly and you won’t need to worry about her if she wants to wander

Have you looked at P&O Cruises? Lots of kids clubs, even an evening one on some.

You'll need to book direct to get a disabled cabin with most companies, as they restrict them. We happened to be placed in a disabled cabin last year with TUI and I think it was pretty good for a wheelchair, but I'm no expert!

Have a look for family friendly options. There are short cruises from the UK with Disney Cruises if you wanted to do a short test run?

Disney do cruises in the Norwegian Fjords and RC and Celebrity do some California cruises.

Most standard deck pools on cruise ships require you to go in via vertical ladders, and have no hoist, shallow access or steps. Just one thing to be aware of when you're looking.

Hopefully some are a bit more enlightened these days but it was a problem on the TUI ship for anyone with mobility issues.

How about a neilson holiday? They have amazing kids clubs so she would be off swimming, sailing, windsurfing etc with a bunch of similarly aged kids, whilst you relax! They are really brilliant holidays and most of the resorts are accessible (but do check as some are much better than others)

I'd do an AI with kids club / activities. We were in Ibiza last year and the hotel had pool hoists, the beach had accessible water entry. Es Cana.

Useful information, thank you. Ladders aren't a problem for me, luckily.

FYI an example:

Premium cottage wheelchair friendly

I agree with @welshweasel about Neilsons being great for active kids. Their kids club is amazing, they were constantly entertained with a whole range of activities and if she's a confident swimmer she'll love it. The only downside might be that you'll hardly see her if she enjoys it as much as the ones I went with did! And you'd be very much on a lazing by the pool type holiday if you couldn't join in with activities as there's not much in the way excursions to do off site. But you could possibly hire a car for day or two.

Cruise would be great they are all very helpful with disabilities, Celebrity, Holland America and Royal Caribbean all cater well for children with very good kids clubs

I am like you and travel a lot.

You don't specify when but do say you could afford a reasonable budget so....

Every year in winter I go to Puerto Vallarta in Mexico (west coast) for, amongst other reasons, whale watching. Nobody of any age could possibly hate it! But also this area is absolutely fabulous at disability. A largely flat area helps, but there are loads of accessible hotels and facilities, and even the not perfectly accessible will go out of their way to help you. And there are several hire shops for every sort of disability aid you could want if you don't want to bring things with you. In the entire world I have seldom found anywhere better at disability!

If you aren't looking for a winter holiday this year, keep it on the list for a future year. I can promise you will both be enchanted.

Marella family cruises would be ideal.

Benalmadena in Spain has a great promenade along the beach that goes for
miles. Could be worth looking for a disability friendly hotel there with a kids club?

The other resort which has a great flat promenade is Matagorda-playa los pocillos and playa del Carmen in Lanzarote. Flat pedestrianised promenade that goes for miles and lots of lovely hotels. PDC is quite hilly though.