Observations from behind a wheelchair

Ok, so we're two days in, and having a good time, but I thought I'd make some notes as I go to help out anyone else who wants to do the Orlando thing with a child in a wheelchair.

First some background. My elder daughter is nearly 10, and has a inherited metabolic condition that leads to long term neurologial problems. At this stage she gets tired easily, can be unco-ordinated and grumpy. We decided to use a wheelchair to help her with the walking bit of the parks so that she could enjoy the rides. She can get herself around, but the chair gives her a break, and a chance to sit as often as she needs it.

We had arranged wheelchair hire with Care Medical Services. The chair was delivered to our hotel and ready for us from the moment we arrived.

We've been to the two Universal Parks. We don't have formal disabled accreditation, but have a letter from our community nurse explaining the situation. We've been able to use the disabled parking areas, and one day got to park for free. We decided to not go for any ride access perks, as we felt that would be asking a lot for our situation.

All the rides were accessible to us, but there are one or two things to highlight:
Many of the smaller rollercoasters (The Unicorn, and Woody Woodpecker's) have a special "bridge" carriage at the back which allows the chair to be pushed across and be ready for when you get off. This is very neat and works really well.
For rides like Shrek 4D and Jimmy Neutron, if you can get out of the wheelchair to use the ride seats, you will get a much better experience.
You will be at the front of the action for Poseidon - this gets hot with the flame effects.
The wheelchair exit to Flying Pteranodons is not well signposted and a wrong turn ends up in stairs.
You will be at the front of the action for Poseidon - this gets hot with the flame effects.

Hat off to you sir, I hope u and yours are having a great time

Glad you're having a good time.

I was in the process of looking for wheelchair hire for my Dad who has Parkinsons disease wants to come to MCO with me in May.

Last year we just hired at the various parks but this time he will need one more of the time.

Thanks for the link - If you don't mind I may need your advice regarding what size vehicle I need to accommodate the wheelchair nearer the time.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday!

Jilly

Jilly,
Definitely do the CARE medical thing. They were fantstic. Make sure you phone them rather than just fax - they sound like great people too, and the service is excellent.

CARE will almost certainly be cheaper over a few days than hiring in the parks. More convenient too since:
- you have the chair for the walk from the car parks (can't use the travellators though)
- you don't have to queue to hire one once you're inside
- you're not giving up a deposit or photo id. (CARE has your credit card number though!)

I loved turning up to our apartment complex reception and asking the guy "has our wheelchair arrived" he looked a little surprised but went out back and came back pushing the thing.

We have a Dodge Town and Country - a seven seat "van". There are six of us travelling, so a four to five seat car would be no good. The chair fits into the trunk folded no problem. I would think that a standard push along wheel chair would fit into most cars, but you may want to ask someone with direct experience first. If you're going electric, then that may be a different story.

Another quick note - we did Discovery Cove yesterday. We didn't use the chairas the walks are not too far, so I have no hands on experience to give.

There are special wide wheeled chairs that were being used, and most of the pools were accessible via ramps or the sloping beach. It's a grand day out - I'll post more in my "thank you" thread in this forum.

Thanks Chris. I'm just waiting for the go ahead from my Dad's doctor at the minute - I know the trip would do him the world of good but don't want to take any risks, he's the only Dad I've got!

Electric is not much good due to the shaking but I'm happy to push him around.

Read your DC thread - sounds wonderful, hopefully you will be able to post some photos.

Thanks again - enjoy the weather it's freezing here.

Jilly

We did Animal Kingdom yesterday. Not much special to report - everything is accessible via normal queues. Some random observations though...
- For "It's Tough to be a Bug", same advice as Shrek 4D. Sit in the theatre seats if you can.
- Kali River Rapids offered us a "stable" boat. Don't know what that is, but we declined. Perhaps they can wheel the chair in (or maybe the boat is available for anyone who simply needs a less bumpy ride.
- On the way in to the Rapids, we were offered capes, which the two senior female members of our party used. We then passed them on to someone else. It would be nice to think those same capes will be there for ever...
- There are some very long walks to do at AK - this was partly down to some fast pass madness on my part, but you may be able to do better with a more scientific approach.

EPCOT on Tuesday (well, the Future World part of it anyway).

Called at Guest Services on the way in (advised to do this at each Disney park). We were given a pass that would allow us to use the disabled access entrances. In contrast to everywhere else we have been so far, for some rides you can not use the normal queues. Please note that I think they only give these passes out on medical grounds - we have a letter from our community nurse asking for special assistance, as we are not officially registered disabled, so if you just hire a chair for an easy ride round, you may not get this access.

We have been able to use disabled parking everywhere though. It is easier to get in if you have a proper blue badge, but we have the wheelchair in the boot of the car, and have shown the letter when asked. I hope no-one thinks we are trying it on...

Walkways at EPCOT were much less crowded (possibly wider) than Animal Kingdom. For many of the cinema style rides, the wheelchair area is at the back.

In "Honey I Shrunk...", the back row is for wheelchairs. The floor moves, and the wheelchair with it, but neither Mrs csparker, nor the elder little one got all of the effects.

Entry to "Test Track" is via the exit (a schlep through the shop, a big GM display and the interactive area), and we didn't have to give in our Fast Pass tickets (damm what a waste!). Again, I think we only got there with our disabled pass, as we had to show it to the guy at the Fast Track entry, who wrote us out another ticket to hand in at the ride. The ride though was great fun - think everyone is getting the idea of the faster rides, so I can't use their fast passes to go round twice [n].

There are disabled viewing areas for the fireworks shows - less crowded than the non-segregated areas, so it is easier to be near the front without arriving too early.

[fozzyo]

Originally posted by csparker
There are disabled viewing areas for the fireworks shows - less crowded than the non-segregated areas, so it is easier to be near the front without arriving too early.

Illuminations: Reflections of Earth? I love that show! It is by far my fave firework display, very uplifiting in a Disney everybody loves each other way. And the bit at the start where he blows the torches out ... got very excited by that first time i saw it.

Thanks for sharing your insight on Disney stuff here - much appreciated. And a great help for those that follow.

Enjoy the rest of the trip.

Mat xx

[ChuckC]

Christopher,
Your posting is an outstanding service to V-Flyer. Please accept our thanks for your willingness to share your trip with us. No doubt your creative search for the perfect Disney experience for your daughter will be something she'll remember always.

Many thanks and please tell your family that your V-Flyer "family" says "hi".

Chuck-

Thanks all for the comments. We're having a great time and trying to give back some of what we got from the VF family.

Went to Magic Kingdom yesterday. Similar picture to EPCOT, including some FastPasses that may have been wasted on Peter Pan. Disabled access is via the exit. I guess the only way to sort this out is by asking the ride attendants.

At both EPCOT and MK, we were given a leaflet that gave details on wheelchair access to rides. Make sure you pick one up at guest services.

One other thing on the Magic Kingdom. You reach it from the car parks via monorail or ferry - this took half an hour or more out of our day there. We hadn't spotted this in the guide books (not too clever huh?).

Had a character dinner at Liberty Tree in Magic Kingdom. We eat late, which meant we were one of the last to leave. I am sure this gave us extra time with the characters, who were hilarious, especially with the kids, and the birthday boy (my Dad). We saw Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Chip and Dale. Wish I'd shot video rather than taken stills.

Something new today - we're going to SeaWorld.

[HighFlyer]

Chris

Many thanks for your continued contributions on this, a great resource for many who may be considering the practicalities of the Theme Parks with a wheelchair. Im sure many are going to benefit from your advice and observations.

Hope you and your family continue to have a fantastic time. Just reading this is making me so keen to book my proposed MCO jaunt later this year!

Safe travels!

Thanks,
Sarah

Chris,

Is there any chance you can let me have a copy of the wheelchair access leaflets you picked up on your travels?

Paul

ps. Sarah, Just Book IT!

Paul, Will try to keep them, though they are spending much of the day in a back pocket. PM me an e-mail address (and a reminder on March 24th), and I will scan them for you.

Here is the news from Seaworld...

We were able to use Disabled parking without a blue badge (sight of our nurse's letter and the chair in the boot was good enough). There was a blue card put under the wiper, which got us directed to the right parking area.

Inside, it is pretty reasonable - no major hills, and plenty of access ramps.

The first show we went to was the dolphin / bird show. If you follow the disabled access signs up the slope, you end up at the top of the auditorium, and are unable to see the highest parts of the act - divers and bungee artists. There is a ground-level area to the right as you approach from outside the auditorium which should alleviate that problem.

The Nautilus theatre has disabled seats at the back - not too much of a problem provided you have a reasonable view over the crowd.

Shamu stadium is patchy - there are disabled and companion seats for the full width at the back of the first block of seats (in theory you are in the splash zone, but none of our group got wet there). The rows in front are reserved for others in the wheelchair parties, but those seats seemed to have been taken by anyone (black marks to them - [V]). If you want to sit together in a wheelchair group, arrive even earlier than everyone else. To make matters worse, half way through the killer whale show, a warning was given out that it was big splash time, and loads of people moved out of the splash zone to somewhere drier.

Not too many staff went out of their way to help us out beyond giving directions. The exception were the guys on Journey to Atlantis - they got us on the ride (via the gift shop, exit, and the child swap gate - a little convoluted), and offered us a second go round. This was toward the end of the day, so that may have been a factor.

In general, it was difficult for us to spend the day and see the shows as a group. To do this requires even more planning and foresight than you would apply to a normal day. Of course if people read the signs and sat where they were supposed to...

Different bits of Magic Kingdom today...

The stitch ride starts with two walk through areas, which get a bit crowded with the chair - we stuck to the back, but you miss out on some of the introductory spiel each time. Once in the main theatre area, there are spots for chairs with the neccessary sensory kit, but we all sat in the ride seats.

The ride is a disappointment - clever stuff with the close proximity speakers and gas blowers, but once you twig that everyone is getting the same experience as you, some of the magic goes away. There is no real movement, and I am sure there could be a more subtle way of having Stitch jumping on your shoulders.

Had lunch in the noodle place nearby - very short queue and quick service. I was OK with the food, but Mrs csparker didn't go a bundle on the chicken noodles, and the kids' macaroni cheese was not nice at all. Probably a combination of bad American cheese and too much salt.

For Buzz Lightyear, the wheelchair was directed to the exit conveyor. Make sure the group sticks together as we lost a couple to the ride and didn't get through as a group.

Somehow we missed the wheelchair entry for the Indy cars. Look out for it on the right of the snake. Cars are difficult to steer.

TTL cars were easy to get onto, and the ride was nice and gentle.

Big Thunder Mountain was another wasted FastPass - we were directed to the exit line, where we were met by a ride team member who took us to the load/unload area. Had to wait a while to get on, which was no bad thing as we had to deal with a late panic attack. All calmed down and the ride was enjoyed by all.

One other comment on today, nothing to do with the thread topic. We had a really good dinner at the Polynesian resort in the Kona (?sp) cafe. Good choice of entrees, and deserts that will spend a lifetime on the hips, and possibly designed to share. 4 adults and 2 kids with main courses and four deserts came to USD190 including drinks and tip. In and out in about an hour, with 5-10 minutes to allow for the monorail ride.

Disabled area for the afternoon parade at the castle end of Main Street was pretty empty. For the evening parade it was chok-a-block by 7.30 (8pm start). There is no special viewing area for fireworks, but it wasn't so crowded that the view from the chair (or for a child standing up) was too impeded.

Disney MGM Today. What a great one!

Some conversation with the parking attendant - this was the most controlled of the Disney car parks, but we got our spot without a disabled badge thanks to the note we got from our nurse.

The park was not crowded at all - some of the shows were full, (the Indiana Jones one was sold out when we went) but there were very few waits for shows and rides. I am soo glad we didn't waste a weekday on the Studios. The only rides there were long queues for were the Rock'n'Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror. No wheelchair comments for these, as the elder csparker junior passed on them, but I was unimpressed with the fast pass on the Rock'n'Roller - you join the main line very early, and it still took us 20 mins or so to get on (c.f. 40 minute wait on the standby line!).

Access to the Lights, Motors, Action show is via an elevator. This gives you a good view, and you are not constrained to ground level. Unlike SeaWorld, they keep the rows in front free for the rest of the group, so we were all able to sit together. Getting out may be a wait as there are only two elevators, and potentially many chairs and scooters to get down.

Similar situation with Indiana Jones, with the companion rows actually chained off. Get there early though, but we didn't need fast passes.

Access to Star Wars was also pretty easy - pushed the chair right into the simulator, and it was brought back for us at the end. I was so chuffed when it became clear we were going into the trench. Shame it wasn't longer and we didn't go for the whole Death Star destruction experience.

Autograph lines were shorter here in general. We got Buzz, Jessie, Woody in about five minutes flat this morning.

Muppet 3D has a good ratio of companion to wheelchair spots, so again, we were all sat together. Enjoyed the show (says something about my sense of humour...)

Back Lot tour could be improved. The wheelchairs are guided to the front row of the tank sequence (presumably to get the best view of the live action), but the playback screens need to be about six feet further forward for anyone at the front to be able to see them. Once on the train though things are fine. We walked on, but there are bridges that take a chair to the front row.

The disabled viewing area we chose for the parade (near the magic hat on the right as you face the entrance) was in full sunlight. Would have been better to be in the shade somewhere. Made for an awful camera angle too - straight into the sun. Not too busy though - perhaps that was why.

Did the animation studios and Narnia walk throughs, which were really well marshalled for us.

The light show was cancelled tody due to technical difficulties. Hope to be able to report on that tomorrow.

[buns]

Chris

Thanks for the fantastic running commentaries[y][y][y]

Reading them reminds me of how much stamina you need to do the parks and even more so yourself as you are driving the wheelchair[oo][oo]

It really does look like you are all having a fab time - I notice that Monday's weather is forecast to be in the upper 80's[8D] You will no doubt be pleased to learn that it is absolutely freezing this side of the pond

all the best

buns

Thanks buns - weather has been lovely for the whole time. We're heading to New York on Tuesday, so we'll get our fair share of cold weather.

Did the rest of EPCOT today. The World Pavilions were a bit dull - I suspect they are the only taste of non-US culture certain of our American friends get. Very little of interest to the kids (or the adults for that matter!). Wheelchair access to el Rio del Tiempo and Maelstrom were pretty easy, and these rides may prove a diversion while you're waiting to go on something decent in Future World.

If you want to go on Soarin', get there early. I picked up fast passes timed at 3.15-4.15 at about 11.45, and the queue time was 70 minutes. Nothing special for wheelchairs - you need a FastPass or you're in the main line. You can wheel the chair up to the ride, and it will be close by at the end. As for what goes on in between, I wasn't too impressed. Maybe I shouldn't have been looking away from the screen (you can see the guy sitting at the control desk and the edge, which obviously do not move). It looked like one of those old 360 degree cinema things with added tipping, wind and smells (no, those last two are not related). Everyone else in the group had a great time on the ride though.

This evening, we went to see Fantasmic at Disney-MGM. WOW! Wasn't sure what to expect, but the show includes lights, fireworks, water, boats, dancers, a snake, dragon, boats, guns... It was amazing! The way they do the projections was just great - really innovative (well, I hadn't seen it before anyway). Wheelchair access is via the main entrances, then you will be directed to an appropriate seat near the back of the auditorium. It filled up very quickly - we were there over half an hour beforehand, and the wheelchair seats were more than half taken. If you are early enough, you should be able to sit together. Leaving was slow as well - not unexpected given the number of people they have to move.

Chris - know what you mean about Soarin' - I looked sideways and saw peoples legs dangling over California's wine country - sort of spoilt the effect!

Jilly

Just wanted to add my thanks for the in-depth reports from the parks.

Were you able to hire a pediatric wheelchair or is it a standard sized one?

Hope you are all having a fantastic time.

EC

Edna,
We got a paediatric size - I think that is 18" wide (CARE do a range of widths, including for the ahem, larger size).

Chris...I agree on many things...
EPCOT world pavilions = a bit dull!
Soarin' can easily be spoilt - you need to be on the top row and nearish the middle
Fanstasmic is pretty breathtaking (and worth the two hour wait to get the best seats)

Did you go to Mickey's Philharmagic in Magic Kingdom? For a screen-based show that's prety flippin' good - saw it abut 3 times in one trip [:I] Well, you can smell pie for goodness sake!

Agree with you Jacq on Philharmagic - the second best 3D show we saw here (after Shrek 4-D).

Originally posted by csparker
Agree with you Jacq on Philharmagic - the second best 3D show we saw here (after Shrek 4-D).

Was that your first time on 4D? The reason I ask is that I went on it in 2004 and 2005, but something wasn't as good the second time. Now, I'm not sure whether it was because I knew what was coming or whether there was some kind of fault that made it feel like the seats were broken...but it wasn't quite as seamless as the first time. But hey, if it was your first time then it might not have even occurred to you. Maybe I should lay off Orlando for a bit?! [ii]