Exploring Disney World with MS, a New Set of Wheels, and a World Series to Remember
It's been a while since I've sat down to write a personal blog. Not because I haven't had anything to say, but because, well, life happens. Sometimes you get busy living it and forget to write about it.
Fortunately, we just got back from a trip to Florida that gave me plenty to talk about.
Between Disney World, a new power wheelchair, and one of the greatest sporting experiences of my life, I'd say this trip deserves its own post.
Running at Disney (Well, Not Me)
The main reason for our trip was to support my in-laws, who were participating in Disney's Wine & Dine race weekend.
Now, anyone who knows me knows that running isn't exactly on my list of hobbies these days. Actually, I never thought I'd say this, I miss it. But I'm always happy to cheer on people who willingly get up at an ungodly hour to run around Disney World.
Especially when I can cheer them on from a comfortable seat.
It was great getting to support the family, enjoy some Disney magic, and spend time together. And while the runners were putting their legs to work, I was getting acquainted with my newest purchase.
Exploring Disney World with MS: My New Wheels Were a Hit
Before this trip, I decided to buy myself a power wheelchair.
I've been using a Pride Go-Go Sport scooter up until now, but I wanted to try something different. Something that would make getting around easier without spending the kind of money that makes you question every financial decision you've ever made.
Enter Amazon.
I found a lightweight electric wheelchair from a company called BIQISSI. Never heard of them? Yeah, me neither.
But here's the thing. It cost me roughly a quarter of what I would have paid for a comparable name-brand power wheelchair.
A QUARTER.
Naturally, I was a little skeptical. There's usually a reason something costs significantly less than its competitors, and I wasn't particularly interested in discovering that reason halfway through Magic Kingdom.
But I figured I'd give it a shot. After all, I could buy 4 of them before matching the price of a low end Pride one.
And you know what? I'm glad I did.
Honestly, this thing is better than my mobility scooter.
First off, it's incredibly lightweight, weighing just 35 pounds. It also turns on a dime (Almost like one of those zero-turn lawn mowers), which is a pretty big deal when you're navigating Disney crowds and tight lines. Anyone who's tried maneuvering a mobility scooter through a packed theme park knows that sometimes you need the turning radius of a shopping cart, not a small SUV.
And the battery life? Fantastic.
We spent our days exploring Disney World, and I think there was only one day when the battery even dropped to two out of five bars. That's pretty impressive considering how much ground you cover at Disney.
The wheelchair gave me the freedom to get around without worrying nearly as much about how far I could walk or how much energy I had left.
Exploring Disney World with MS means constantly thinking about things most people never have to consider. How far away is something? How long will I be standing? Will the heat make my symptoms worse? Am I going to pay for this activity tomorrow?
Having a reliable way to get around takes a lot of those concerns off my plate.
But apparently, I wasn't the only person impressed with my new ride.
I swear I sold at least six of these wheelchairs while we were at Disney.
Every single day, at least one person stopped me to ask about it. What brand is it? Where did I get it? How much did it cost? Do I like it?
At some point, I started feeling like I should be getting a commission.
Seriously, BIQISSI, if you're reading this, we should talk.
I was happy to answer people's questions because I know how expensive mobility equipment can be. And if something more affordable can give someone a little more independence, that's worth sharing.
For anyone interested, here's the exact wheelchair I purchased:
Here's the Amazon listing. It's a little cheaper: BIQISSI Amazon
I'm not sponsored, and nobody paid me to say any of this. I just found something that worked well for me and wanted to share it.
Oh, and We Went to the World Series
As if Disney World wasn't enough excitement for one trip, we also got to attend a World Series game while we were in Florida.
And not just any game.
We got to cheer on our Milwaukee Brewers. In the World Series. Something that I've been waiting for my entire life.
Let me tell you something. I've been to sporting events before. I've watched some incredible games on television and in person. But nothing, and I mean NOTHING, compares to being there in person for a World Series game involving your favorite team.
We attended the game on Monday, October 26. Game 3. It was without a doubt the greatest sporting event I've ever experienced.
The Brewers won 10–1 and had an incredible 8-run 5th that was a sight to behold.
TEN TO ONE.
At the World Series.
I don't think I could have scripted a better night if someone had handed me a pen and told me to write my dream baseball game. We even got to see Brandon Woodruff pitch to end the game. Possibly his, in our opinion, last out outing.
And the fans? Incredible.
I swear there were more Brewers fans in that stadium than Tampa Bay fans. Everywhere I looked, there was someone supporting Milwaukee.
And thanks to how noisy our fans were, it almost felt like a home game.
The atmosphere was electric. The excitement, the cheering, the energy of the crowd. Everything about it was amazing.
But one of my favorite memories from the night actually happened after the game was over. But let's be honest, winning was the best.
My wife and I have a little tradition whenever we visit a new baseball stadium. We buy a pint glass from the team store. It's a fun way to remember all the different ballparks we've visited, and we've built up a pretty nice collection over the years.
So naturally, we needed to add a Tampa Bay Rays glass to the collection.
Unfortunately, apparently everyone else in the stadium decided they needed to visit the team store at the exact same time.
My wife, being the wonderful person she is, volunteered to wait in the ridiculously long line while I hung out near the escalator.
That's when I made a new friend.
Out of nowhere, a very drunk, very wobbly Rays fan came strolling over to me.
And when I say drunk, I mean DRUNK.
But he was also quite possibly the friendliest drunk person I've ever encountered.
He walked right up, gave me a fist bump, and proceeded to tell me that the Brewers were going to win the whole thing and that the Rays were finished.
Now, I certainly wasn't going to argue with that assessment.
I thanked him, but I also told him that anything could happen, figuring that would be the end of our interaction.
Nope.
My new friend apparently decided a fist bump wasn't enough to properly express his feelings about the Brewers' championship chances.
So he gave me a hug. And not a quick, friendly hug, either.
I'm talking about one of those unnecessarily long, overly enthusiastic hugs where you start wondering at what point you're supposed to politely ask the other person to let go.
There I was, sitting in my wheelchair near an escalator, being embraced by a complete stranger who smelled like he'd personally helped the stadium meet its beer sales goals for the evening.
And honestly? I couldn't stop laughing after he left.
Drunk sports fans are the best.
Well, at least the friendly ones.
It was such a ridiculous, unexpected interaction, but it's exactly the kind of thing that makes attending sporting events in person so memorable.
The Brewers winning 10–1 was incredible. But getting a lengthy, unsolicited hug from a drunk Rays fan who had already accepted his team's fate?
That's a memory I'll be laughing about for years.
I've been a Brewers fan for a long time, and getting to experience something like that in person is something I'll never forget.
There are certain experiences in life that you know you'll be talking about for years.
This was one of them.
Sometimes You Just Have to Get Out There
I know I talk about MS quite a bit, and it's hard not to. It's a pretty significant part of my life.
But one thing I've learned over the years is that having MS doesn't mean I have to stop doing the things I love.
It just means I might have to do them a little differently.
A few years ago, I probably wouldn't have imagined myself navigating Disney World or baseball stadium in a power wheelchair. And I'll admit, accepting that I need mobility equipment hasn't always been easy.
But you know what's worse than using a wheelchair?
Missing out on experiences because I'm too stubborn to use one.
I could have spent this trip worrying about my limitations, or really just not going... Instead, I got to support family, enjoy Disney World, meet a bunch of people who apparently wanted to buy my wheelchair, and watch my Brewers absolutely dominate a World Series game.
That's a pretty good trade-off.
The wheelchair didn't take anything away from the trip. It helped make the trip possible.
And that's something I'm continuing to learn. Independence doesn't always mean doing everything on your own two feet. Sometimes it means finding the right tools to keep doing the things that make life worth living.
So here's to family, baseball, Disney magic, and finding a great deal on Amazon.
And if anyone from BIQISSI happens to stumble across this post, I'm still waiting on that commission check. I kid, but seriously, if by some miracle you saw this, let's talk. :-)
-J
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