Handicap Entrance for disabilities still open??

[PrincessAli]

My husband who is retired USNavy and I travel to Disney at least twice a year--sometimes more often, we were there last August before his accident. He suffered a fractured back and now has to use a ECV as he can't stand or walk for any length of time. With the new FP I was wondering if the special entrances for disabilities were still available? I read somewhere (possibly on this site) that we would wait in the regular line just as if he were walking. How the heck would we get onto Toy Story Mania if this is true!!!
Thanks.

 

[SueM in MN]

Most attractions at WDW parks have what are called Mainstream Lines. That means the attraction is accessible thru the main (regular) line.

Toy Story Mania is a Mainstream Line to the point of the stairs. So, guests using wheelchairs or ECVs can wait to that point in the regular line (or Fastpass Plus line if they are using Fastpass Plus for that attraction). After that point, they are routed to the ramped area that avoids the stairs just like before.

Attractions like Small World, Spaceship Earth and Jungle Cruise are not accessible thru the regular entrance and do have handicapped entrances. In the past, you just got into line. Now, especially when it is busy, you will be given a wheelchair return time that is approximately equal to the standby wait. This is similar to a Fastpass and when the time comes, you will have a one hour window to come back and get into the handicapped line.

 

[Toffeewoffy]

Star Tours has a wheelchair ramped entrance/queue which takes you up and round the ordinary entrance, and you meet at the top. From there we were taken to the exit side and after parking up my scooter we were led in via the exit where they'd left the front row empty for us.

Test Track I took my scooter right through the queue/car designing section right up to the platform, where they took the scooter with the key and, while we were in the ride, moved it to the exit side of the platform.

Pirates won't allow scooters in. I had to park up and use my stick - and the ramp up was actually quite difficult for me. There is a wheelchair entrance, but you have to wait round the side and someone will come and get you and take you in that way.

Buzz Lightyear also won't allow scooters in - probably because of the narrowness of the ride loading area. While we were parked in that area (the scooter parking place is with all the strollers next to the entrance to the TTT), I went up to the TTT on foot/stick (again, the slope is a killer if you have dodgy knees). We also walked across to Carousel of Progress. I don't know if you can take a scooter in there as I didn't try, but you can definitely take a wheelchair: the special spaces are right in the front.

I don't think you can get onto Jungle Cruise in a scooter: I left mine on the dock. The same with Kilimanjaro Safari at AK - but they do funnel you off to a different queue as they collect a few up and put them in a special ride bus which will take wheelchairs.

This is just a selection, of course.

 

[PrincessAli]

Thanks -I appreciate your help.

 

[POOHsie]

Star Tours has a wheelchair ramped entrance/queue which takes you up and round the ordinary entrance, and you meet at the top. From there we were taken to the exit side and after parking up my scooter we were led in via the exit where they'd left the front row empty for us.

Test Track I took my scooter right through the queue/car designing section right up to the platform, where they took the scooter with the key and, while we were in the ride, moved it to the exit side of the platform.

Pirates won't allow scooters in. I had to park up and use my stick - and the ramp up was actually quite difficult for me. There is a wheelchair entrance, but you have to wait round the side and someone will come and get you and take you in that way.

Buzz Lightyear also won't allow scooters in - probably because of the narrowness of the ride loading area. While we were parked in that area (the scooter parking place is with all the strollers next to the entrance to the TTT), I went up to the TTT on foot/stick (again, the slope is a killer if you have dodgy knees). We also walked across to Carousel of Progress. I don't know if you can take a scooter in there as I didn't try, but you can definitely take a wheelchair: the special spaces are right in the front.

I don't think you can get onto Jungle Cruise in a scooter: I left mine on the dock. The same with Kilimanjaro Safari at AK - but they do funnel you off to a different queue as they collect a few up and put them in a special ride bus which will take wheelchairs.

This is just a selection, of course.

My experience at Pirates was, you had to park your scooter. Take a wheelchair from the parking area and go thru the line. CMs will direct you. At the ride end, get a wheelchair (I had one brought to me at the boat), and take the elevator upstairs. Don't try to walk the usual exit ramp.

Carousel of Progress - You can take your scooter in, park it nearby and sit in a regular audience chair. They will let you stay seated in your ECV, but since the floor is tilted downward like any theater, you'd soon be sliding forward out of your seat.

Jungle Cruise - There is a special boat for you and your ECV. A ramp swings 90 degrees and you drive your ECV onto it from the dock. They put chocks front and back of your ECV and swing the ramp 90 degrees, back to original position in the center of the boat. You'll be level with the dock and above the ppl seated on the boat, but it's OK. There's usually only one special boat versus all the rest of the JC boats, so it could be a wait. If you don't need your ECV, there are plenty of poles to grab when entering and exiting the regular boats.

Kali River Rapids - Separate entrance for Handicapped, so no need for FP+. Usually a short wait. The HA raft sets off from a separate dock, and you have to walk onto the raft, but I (who can't walk unassisted) never had a problem as there were seat backs and things to hang on to. Nice thing about the HA raft is, when you arrive back at the dock after the ride, if there's no Handicapped person waiting to ride, you can go again, and again. It's really fun!

As a general tip, if you need a special ride vehicle, ask at the end of the ride if you can ride again. The answer is usually "yes" if no one else (handicapped) needs your ride vehicle.

 

[SueM in MN]

Posts 18-21 on page 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread has information about the kind of accessibility you are asking about. It also includes hints about attractions with difficult transfers. Here is a link to page 2
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=595713&page=2

And some comments about other posts:
At Pirates, they make you park your ECV outside because the loading area is actually in one building and unload is in another and down one floor. It is difficult for them to get the ECVs back out from the loading area. They do have wheelchairs you can borrow to use in the queue.
The side entrance mentioned by Toffywoffy is not actually the handicapped entrance and I would not count on using it. I do not know if they are using it at all since the addition of Fastpass Plus. Being able to use it in the past depended on staff availability since it is backstage.

Kali River Rapids regular and Fastpass Plus lines are accessible to a point, then guests with a mobility device are routed to a special boarding area.
At the regular boarding area, the rafts are free floating and boarded from a rotating platform. At the accessible area, the rafts can be trapped so they don't move during board. The wheelchair or ECV is left at the boarding area send the boat will return there.

We have always used Fastpasses for Kali River Rapids.

For the attractions like Small World and Jungle Cruise, which have a separate accessible entrance, guests may be given a wheelchair return time. This is similar to a Fastpass and gives a time to return with a 1 hour window. If the standby wait is short, they may not be giving wheelchair return times.
If the standby wait is long, expect you will get a wheelchair return time, which will be similar to the wait in the standby (regular) line.
This is where having Fastpass Plus for the attraction will help you....
When you come to one of those attractions with Fastpass Plus, you will be given a wheelchair return time starting at the present time.
So - let's say it is 1pm and Small World has a standby wait time of 1 hour.
A guest with a wheelchair or ECV will be given a wheelchair return time of 2-3pm.
Another guest with an ECV has a Fastpass Plus with a return time of 1pm. After scanning their Magicbands, his group will be given a wheelchair return time of 1pm. They could go to the handicapped entrance right away or any time in the one hour return window.

 

[JenniBugInPink]

...
For the attractions like Small World and Jungle Cruise, which have a separate accessible entrance, guests may be given a wheelchair return time. This is similar to a Fastpass and gives a time to return with a 1 hour window. If the standby wait is short, they may not be giving wheelchair return times.
If the standby wait is long, expect you will get a wheelchair return time, which will be similar to the wait in the standby (regular) line.
This is where having Fastpass Plus for the attraction will help you....
When you come to one of those attractions with Fastpass Plus, you will be given a wheelchair return time starting at the present time.
So - let's say it is 1pm and Small World has a standby wait time of 1 hour.
A guest with a wheelchair or ECV will be given a wheelchair return time of 2-3pm.
Another guest with an ECV has a Fastpass Plus with a return time of 1pm. After scanning their Magicbands, his group will be given a wheelchair return time of 1pm. They could go to the handicapped entrance right away or any time in the one hour return window.

Just to make sure I understand, when you talk about the ECV user being given a 'return time', you're talking about a regular ECV user without a DAS, correct? I wasn't aware of this procedure. I've tried to read all the stickies, and get caught up on all of the changes, but I must have missed this somewhere. Is this just at rides where the ECV can't go all the way through the regular line or have a separate entrance? Thanks.

 

[lanejudy]

Wheelchair return times may be given at attractions where wheelchair/ECV users need an alternate entrance. Any attractions allowing the wheelchair/ECV to enter the regular line queue and then split-off (such as Splash, TSMM) will not issue wheelchair return times. While I understand this has become a fairly common practice at DL, it is a "may or may not" be at WDW depending on crowd levels. If you check the maps for disabilities, you can see which attractions are noted "Mobility Access: See a Cast Member..." These maps can be found here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/guests-with-disabilities/

Wheelchair return times have no direct connection to attractions requiring a guest to transfer from an ECV to an attraction provided wheelchair.

This is separate from DAS and does not require a DAS to obtain a wheelchair return time, if in use at that time.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[WheeledTraveler]

Just to make sure I understand, when you talk about the ECV user being given a 'return time', you're talking about a regular ECV user without a DAS, correct? I wasn't aware of this procedure. I've tried to read all the stickies, and get caught up on all of the changes, but I must have missed this somewhere. Is this just at rides where the ECV can't go all the way through the regular line or have a separate entrance? Thanks.

Wheelchair return times are new (apparently they've always been an option, but with DAS it's now more standard). They are only for rides where the standby and FP+ queues are not wheelchair accessible so mobility aid users go in a separate entrance (i.e. Small World and Jungle Cruise). If the standby has a short wait and the accessible line isn't backed up, some of the rides don't give out return times. With a wheelchair return time you do need to return within an hour after the return card (so like old FP was). You can have multiple wheelchair return cards at the same time (unlike the DAS where you can only have one return time at a time).

Wheelchair return times are *not* given for standby queues that are wheelchair accessible, but not ECV accessible. For those there should be a wheelchair available for you to use or you can choose to walk. If you choose to walk, you do need to be able to walk/stand the wait of the standby queue. If that doesn't work for you, you might want consider bringing something you could put over attraction wheelchairs to give you a barrier from the chair being used by multiple people. (I'm thinking along the lines of a vinyl table cloth maybe? It would be less porous than a sheet or blanket.)

 

[WantToGoNow]

Just to make sure I understand, when you talk about the ECV user being given a 'return time', you're talking about a regular ECV user without a DAS, correct? I wasn't aware of this procedure. I've tried to read all the stickies, and get caught up on all of the changes, but I must have missed this somewhere. Is this just at rides where the ECV can't go all the way through the regular line or have a separate entrance? Thanks.

If you have a DAS and have already been given your return time, you come back and they send you through the FP+ or wheelchair entrance.