Difficulty walking up and down stairs

[Dumbo Mad]

Hi, I'm looking for some advice for my father. We are going to Disney in October taking my elderly father with us. He is completely fine with lots of walking, however he has an issue with walking down stairs. He is not very stable walking down them and has fallen before. We have spoken to him about maybe hiring a scooter but he is adamant that he is happy to walk. When we went to Disney a couple of years ago, we had an issue at Fantasmic. I tried explaing my fathers problem to a cast member and asked if we could sit at the top but was told this was reserved for disabled guests and we were told to sit further down the stadium. Now we are going back two years later and his mobility walking down stairs has got worse and we don't want to miss not seeing the shows due to the stairs as these are our favourite part of Disney. Please can anyone give me some suggestions on what to do?

 

[DisneyOma]

When you say he likes to walk, wants to walk - ask him if he can do 4-6 miles a day.

For attractions with stairs, you have to let the CM at the entrance know that there is a member in your party who can't do stairs. They should direct you to the appropriate place to go.

For Fantasmic, you would only need to go down a row or two to be out of the accessible reserved seating area, were you allowed to do that? IMO, your father, and one member of the party to keep him company, should have been allowed to sit in the accessible seating.

 

[Dumbo Mad]

When you say he likes to walk, wants to walk - ask him if he can do 4-6 miles a day.

For attractions with stairs, you have to let the CM at the entrance know that there is a member in your party who can't do stairs. They should direct you to the appropriate place to go.

For Fantasmic, you would only need to go down a row or two to be out of the accessible reserved seating area, were you allowed to do that? IMO, your father, and one member of the party to keep him company, should have been allowed to sit in the accessible seating.

He currently walks about 3 - 4 miles a day and likes walking. It is just stairs that he has a problem with and sometimes getting on the bus if the step up is very high. We always take lots of breaks throughout the day to ensure he doesn't get too tired. Is there a way to find out what attractions have stairs in them? I know the Toy Story ride has stairs, but I can't think of others. With Fantasmic we had the dining package and had to go halfway down the stadium which was extremely difficult for him. We are only a party of three. Appreciate the advice.

 

[nikkislaght]

Using a cane may help the CM's recognize him as someone that needs assistance , and they will then a bit more tolerant of him using different areas

 

[minnie mum]

. With Fantasmic we had the dining package and had to go halfway down the stadium which was extremely difficult for him. We are only a party of three. Appreciate the advice.

As a PP advised, having a cane will be a visual cue to CMs that he has mobility problems. Other than that, since there are so few HC spots, arriving early to F! is the only way to ensure a seat at or near the top of the amphitheater, even in the reserved section.

Speaking from experience, a cane can also be helpful in negotiating stairs, especially if there isn't a handrail. When it comes to rides, TSM and Splash Mountain both have them. But there are alternate routes for guests who can't do stairs. Just speak with the CM at the entrance for directions. Many, if not most, of the theatres have stairs. BATB, NEMO the Musical, FOTLK, COP, Am. Adv. all come to mind.

 

[lanejudy]

The disABILITIES FAQ thread pinned near the top of this forum had info about which attractions have stairs.

Enjoy your vacation!