How do the handicapped areas work for F! and WOC?

[starshine514]

I haven't really seen anything on this, but does anyone have any advice on the handicapped accessible areas for F! and WOC? We're going mid-May, probably doing WOC on Thursday, May 19 and F! on Friday, May 20. I'm hoping to do the second F! show b/c we would also like to see the fireworks - and that's the only night we're there that both of those are running.

I'm especially curious about:

1. How early to line up for WOC (hoping to get blue FPs) - one show that night @ 8:45
2. Where to go to have a decent view of the fireworks and still make it over to F! - I'm almost afraid to just follow the regular suggestions, as the entrance for handicapped may be quite different, as may the speed navigating through a crowd (we'll have a wheelchair, an ECV and a stroller in our group) - two F! that night 9:00 and 10:30, fireworks at 9:30

TIA!

 

[LoveMyBeautifulGift]

Have you seen the WoC superthread? It should be able to explain the layout/procedure for you...as to our experience, we had mom in an ECV and the 6yo in a stroller...we did Fantasmic dessert, so I can't help w/ the general viewing, but I will say the second show had a much smaller crowd than the first; and we were able to see the fireworks from the Fantasmic seating area...for WoC, line up early, and, depending on your FP color, they will direct you to the handicapped seating area for that FP...there are a few benches in each section and standing space behind them (for those who are going to be with you)...the chart from the thread above really helps to get oriented w/ where you want to head once you get in...HTH!

 

[SeattleTink]

I can help you out when it comes to WOC.

Last summer, we had my mom with us and she can't stand for long periods of time due to a surgery on her ankle, so we asked a CM about handicapped seating. You don't have to line up early (although we did, not knowing this). Although, there are limited benches, so if they need to sit on a bench I would arrive a bit early to secure seating. When you walk through where they check fast passes tell the CM that you require handicapped seating. We were in the Blue Section, but I think there is handicapped seating in all colors. They directed us to an area where there were benches for her to sit. We got to sit in the area with her, standing behind the benches.

It was easy and very convenient for my mom, and quite frankly us too. The area wasn't very crowded, so we had lots of breathing room.

If you still aren't clear after my ramblings, just approach any CM before WOC begins and they should be able to assist you.

 

[skiingfast]

I haven't really seen anything on this, but does anyone have any advice on the handicapped accessible areas for F! and WOC? We're going mid-May, probably doing WOC on Thursday, May 19 and F! on Friday, May 20. I'm hoping to do the second F! show b/c we would also like to see the fireworks - and that's the only night we're there that both of those are running.

I'm especially curious about:

1. How early to line up for WOC (hoping to get blue FPs) - one show that night @ 8:45
2. Where to go to have a decent view of the fireworks and still make it over to F! - I'm almost afraid to just follow the regular suggestions, as the entrance for handicapped may be quite different, as may the speed navigating through a crowd (we'll have a wheelchair, an ECV and a stroller in our group) - two F! that night 9:00 and 10:30, fireworks at 9:30

TIA!

1. WoC even the HA areas will get filled up. Still give at least 45 minutes to get good spots especially for the stroller. For Blue I think every enters in the same area. If you watch from Red or Yellow WC and ECV enter from the far end of Red and will go back across the tiers to the HA areas, but the others will enter at the regular entrances and go down the stairs.

2. Yes aim to view RDCT from the hub will need to show early for those HA areas and get over to F! right after. I would still try to go forward right after RDCT ends, in front of the castle then go left toward the Frontierland Entrance or cut through Plaza Gardens (much easier to go through and will take you past a restroom). On RoA there is a HA area right on the end you come to about 50 feet from the Mark Twain dock. You might have the group split and see if another area has more room, but there is a lot of crowd to work your way through.

 

[JaxsonsMom]

I did not have such a nice time with WOC with my mom.

We arrived early and sat in the staging area and waited to be seated. They try to seat you before they let everyone else in.
Well they kept stacking more and more people in front of us and by the time they seated us the benchs were full and there were already people standing behind -so where did they place us? behind that group of people of course!

a WC behind standing people???

I had to raise a little scene to get us moved - it was a mess and a disaster and I am not doing it again when we go the beginning of May.

Maybe later- but it was not fun.

 

[starshine514]

Thanks for all the WOC advice! We'll get there early and hopefully not get people standing in front of my mom and DH. We won't try to bring the stroller in, I don't think (if my mom and DH have an OK view, then my girls can sit on their laps; otherwise, I think that me and (most likely) my sister's BF will hold them high enough to see (but not on shoulders, I read that thread too...))

2. Yes aim to view RDCT from the hub will need to show early for those HA areas and get over to F! right after. I would still try to go forward right after RDCT ends, in front of the castle then go left toward the Frontierland Entrance or cut through Plaza Gardens (much easier to go through and will take you past a restroom). On RoA there is a HA area right on the end you come to about 50 feet from the Mark Twain dock. You might have the group split and see if another area has more room, but there is a lot of crowd to work your way through.

Thanks for the description of how to get from point A to point B (and where points A & B are). I have a suspicion that if we did it wrong, we might end up stuck in a crowd and miss Fantasmic! I'm going to map it out and make sure that we're all familiar with how to navigate.

 

[KPeveler]

something important to be aware of is that if the WC viewing area is crowded for Fantasmic, only people in ECVs and wheelchairs will be allowed to sit in the front row along the railing. Others in your party will have to stand behind the people with the wheelchair and ECV. Also, strollers are allowed in the area, but they will not be allowed to park in the front row along the railing - they try to leave that area open for people in wheelchairs who have no other choice.

I did not have great luck seeing WOC in a wheelchair - the wheelchair section we had had a row of benches along the front of the seating area, and NO room for wheelchairs except behind! I am a very small person and I can not see over the people sitting in the benches (I am only 3 feet tall in my manual chair!) and I cannot transfer. I had to get some help finding a spot where I could actually sit in my wheelchair and see! Also, they were not enforcing "needs" for the bench - whoever got there first could sit there.

 

[starshine514]

something important to be aware of is that if the WC viewing area is crowded for Fantasmic, only people in ECVs and wheelchairs will be allowed to sit in the front row along the railing. Others in your party will have to stand behind the people with the wheelchair and ECV. Also, strollers are allowed in the area, but they will not be allowed to park in the front row along the railing - they try to leave that area open for people in wheelchairs who have no other choice.

That is actually what I expected. We went to WDW last year and they had a similar policy for parade viewing. They also didn't even want to entertain the idea of a group of 6 being allowed in the area (so the in-laws went somewhere else while the girls and I stayed with DH).

I did not have great luck seeing WOC in a wheelchair - the wheelchair section we had had a row of benches along the front of the seating area, and NO room for wheelchairs except behind! I am a very small person and I can not see over the people sitting in the benches (I am only 3 feet tall in my manual chair!) and I cannot transfer. I had to get some help finding a spot where I could actually sit in my wheelchair and see! Also, they were not enforcing "needs" for the bench - whoever got there first could sit there.

It sounds like this is going to be random whether it works out for us or not. Hopefully, everybody (especially my mom) will get to see. Luckily, my mom can transfer. I'm surprised that they don't have places for the wheelchairs to go other than behind. That makes no sense. Maybe I'm just spoiled by the Sea World seating. We never have any trouble there.

 

[OrthoDad]

We have 2 sons with cerebral palsy who are in wheelchairs, so we've done the Fantasmic and Fireworks things alot. We did WoC once last visit, and it ended up working pretty well for us. But, there had been a lot of threads about WoC and wheelchairs, and some of the problems other folks had, so we were pretty well prepared.

1. Fireworks at the hub: not to be discouraging, but this quite frankly, is the worst part of our vacation-time at DL or at WDW. There is NOT a dedicated handicapped section for the fireworks. And, since everyone stands in the hub, it is extremely difficult to keep a good line of sight for someone who is sitting in a chair or ECV. Yes, the fireworks are up in the sky, so it shouldn't matter about sitting (that's what Disney says when they explain no handicapped seating). But, so much of the show is projected on the castle, and even up with the fireworks up in the sky, they're actually behind the castle, so if someone stands in front of you and you're in a chair, you won't be able to see much. Our best bet has been to find a place in the hub, and park the chair up against a railing. There may be some trees that obscure some of the view, but at least you won't have someone who at the last minute will stand right in front of you and give you the great view of their back all through the show! To get those railing spots we often line up 2 hrs ahead of time. Because of all the hassles, we only do this about once every 2 yr.

2. F! The handicapped section there works well. It can fill up, but they are very good about letting chairs up in the front, and the other well-bodied folks in the party can stand behind. It is off to the side, so you don't get the best front view of the show, but it's still very good. You don't have to be there as early, but if it is a very busy night, you still want to be there at least 1 hr before hand. You can also camp out and park chairs at the back of the F! viewing area, where everyone ahead of you has to sit. But, you have to be there 2-3 hr before the show. You were asking about the 2nd Fantasmic after the fireworks. With the kids, we haven't done this, but you should have an easier time finding spots.

3. WoC. I would suggest you really look at that superthread and another thread in the disABILITIES board about WoC. We got there early, in order to make sure we were in the "front" of the little tier, and sure enough, they packed folks in there. There were people in wheelchairs with people standing right in front of them, with no ability to see whatsoever. And, then all the folks even in the lower tiers who had climbed on the railings or with kids on their shoulders, it was still a tough place to watch a show in a wheelchair. We thought it was amazing, and we will go back, but we will make sure we do it like we did this time and get there very early.

Hope this all helps! Have fun!
W