Has anyone been to Universal Studios Orlando in their wheelchair? I just read the FAQ and queue restrictions.

[RaySharpton]

Has anyone been to Universal Studios Orlando in their wheelchair? I just read the FAQ and queue restrictions.

I just finished reading the FAQ here and the Universal Studios Orlando Guidemap restrictions for electric wheelchairs that can't be used in many of their attraction queues.

Link to Universal Rider's Guide. This is the Universal version of the Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities. It includes quite a bit of specific information about the attractions, including what abilities riders need to have to ride.

Universal/Islands of Adventure has GAP (Guest Assistance Passes), which work fairly similar to Disney's DAS (Disability Access Service).
You do not need a doctor's note. Just be able to tell them what assistance you need at Guest Services.
At each attraction, you will be able to enter right away if the wait is less than 30 minutes. For wait of longer then 30 minutes, you will be given a Return Time, similar to the standby wait time. When you return to the attraction when the return time has come, you will go in the a Express Pass line, which will be a shorter wait.

Both parks are ADA compliant and, as such, are wheelchair accessible. There is seldom a need for a separate line for wheelchairs as the wheelchair just goes through the regular line.
It's important to know though, Universal/Islands of Adventure do not allow power wheelchairs or ECVs in their lines/attractions.

Universal/Islands of Adventure does have an Express Card that guests can purchase or you can get by staying at a Universal hotel. That allows guests to use an Express Pass entrance to access attractions without waiting, but not all attractions have Express Pass.

VIP Gap (back door access--mostly for Make a Wish Kids or Give Kids the World)

Bill Sears did a very comprehensive report about Universal Studio/Island of Adventure in May 2008.The report includes many ride car pictures and descriptions of transfers.

Harry Potter area at Universal

• Information from disABILITIES Board from Aug 2010 - 2 page thread which includes links to some pictures and videos.
  From information posted on this thread, whether or not Guest Assistance Passes are used or not depends on how busy it is, among other things.
• Carbs in butterbeer

SueM in MN
Moderator of disABILITIES
Link to disABILITIES FAQs thread

https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/index.html

https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/plan-your-visit/accessibility-information

https://www.universalorlando.com/webdata/k2/en/us/files/Documents/universal-orlando-riders-guide.pdf

https://www.universalorlando.com/we...e-entertainment,citywalk&attraction_interest=

I also just read JimC's comment about WDW restricting electric wheelchairs like his wife's wheelchair and mine from using the Flights of Passage queue.

I hope WDW doesn't start restrictions like Universal Studios Orlando has done.

I was just curious if anyone else here in a wheelchair could tell me of their experiences using a wheelchair at Universal Studios Orlando.

I also posted in the Orlando Boards.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/h...rlando-i-couldnt-find-much-searching.3760809/

I would really appreciate it.

I have a trip this September where I am renting a car for the second time using my Fold and Go Wheelchair.

I usually fly to WDW because of DME and accessibility transportation.

But this time I am renting a car to visit Daytona Beach and Orlando.

This is only the second time renting a car and using my Fold and Go Wheelchair.

The SUV rental was too expensive to rent this time.

I have a Costco rental for something similar to a Hyundai Elantra with an upgrade to something similar to a Volkswagen Jetta.

I've never driven either type of car before.

I'll take photos of me loading my Fold and Go Wheelchair into the trunk.

This time I am staying at an Orlando resort called Westgate Towers Resort for two weeks because of an excellent offer for a specific two weeks.

I was just going to relax and maybe go to WDW and Universal and Seaworld.

I saw the Westgate Towers Resort had limited bus transportation to the various parks.

I was going to wait until my December trip to buy my annual pass, so I don't know if I would visit the parks this time. Maybe just relax at the resort. Maybe go to WDW without going to the parks. I don't know right now.

I could spend more time at Disney Springs or visit the different resorts and check out what is going on at the Disney Skyliner Gondola Stations, I guess.

But I haven't been to Universal Studios Orlando in decades.

I plan on visiting NASA and the Speedway in Daytona Beach, too.

Thank you in advance.

 

[CJN]

Okay, up to this point I’ve hesitated to report on my experience at Universal because I have - or used to have - a real soft spot for the place. But keeping quiet isn’t doing anybody any good either. My experience was with using an ECV which isn’t exactly what you asked for. Also our last trip was 2017 so maybe, hopefully, things have improved since then. Here goes.

As compared to previous trips there was a marked difference in the ease of accessing rides and not for the better. In my vacation journal I wrote the words “Universal’s new approach to accessibility is dismal”. It was a huge disappointment since, up until that time, we thought of Universal as actually more accommodating and therefore easier to traverse than WDW. It had been our favorite relaxing way to end a Florida trip. We’d even talked of doing an all-Universal vacation. Instead, we’ve now skipped it on our last few trips and have no plans to go back even though we’ll be at WDW twice within the next 12 months.

No ECV was allowed through any queue. We had to switch to a courtesy wheelchair. Okay, that was new policy and I was prepared to deal with it. What I couldn’t deal with was that a courtesy chair was often not available. We’d wait and wait and wait for a TM to hunt one down. And they didn’t always look happy about being asked to do so. It also wasn’t uncommon for the one they (finally!) arrived with to be only marginally usable - as in beat up, wobbly and very hard to push on all that cobblestone. And the reason the courtesy chairs were so scarce wasn’t because so many other people were using them. They were just....scarce. In fact, we saw very few other guests using ECVs or wheelchairs so one would think courtesy chairs would be plentiful. But nope. Which left me feeling more than a bit unwelcome and wondering if that’s why we were seeing so few other ECVs/WCs. It also left me wondering if it was a deliberate attempt to cut down on our numbers - as in, the more inconvenienced we felt, the more we’ll stay away, the easier for them - which is an awful thing to think about a place I formerly loved.

We discussed many many times with TMs at the front of rides about the poor accessibility. The stock answer we were given repeatedly was a simple two word “I’m sorry” as they looked off to the side, or off in the distance, or looked anywhere but at us. I kid you not. Avoiding eye contact seemed to be a deliberate tactic. We started to joke that their training must’ve consisted of 45 seconds of memorizing “Say you’re sorry, don’t make eye contact, they’ll go away and you can get back to the real guests.” And yet we didn’t blame them and tried not to get upset with them because it seemed obvious that there had been some kind of policy change concerning not only accessing the rides but in TM training, or lack thereof. And that wasn’t their fault. Even the boat captains seemed untrained regarding accessibility. There was no consistency to loading/unloading ECVs and some seemed baffled. Each had their own method, some of which worked well, while some were downright preposterous - like the captain who insisted an elderly woman BACK her ecv from the other side of the boat, with the toes and knees of seated passengers in the way, AND made her back down the ramp, and THEN had the seated passengers disembark. It. Made. No. Sense. (And she ended up in tears). Ditto going through security lines. The lack of any consistent training dealing with ECVs/WCs was obvious.

In our first three days there we ended up at guest relations four times discussing these matters until by the fourth day we were so tired of it my sister and I just spent the day by the pool. And I want to emphasize I am not a fussy person, despite how it sounds from this long complaining post. I just want to go, not draw attention to myself and relax. But they made it impossible. And we’d been to Universal so many times, always having such a great time, that this was a shocker.

All that said, Ray, I hope things have improved since then. Maybe we were just there when they were going through growing pains of implementing the new policies. I hope it’s back to the place I loved and that you have a great time. I hope when you get back I’ll read your glowing report about it and then feel the need to work it into our next trip. I hope.

 

[Selket]

No ECV was allowed through any queue. We had to switch to a courtesy wheelchair. Okay, that was new policy and I was prepared to deal with it. What I couldn’t deal with was that a courtesy chair was often not available.

I had the same exact experience at US/IOA a couple of years ago as an ECV user and won't go back if it stays like that. They were awful - terribly untrained and the workers had no idea what to do with me which is weird I think.

Ray, I think you use a power WC and I did see the workers allowing some people in power chairs to go into the que at the HP ride - Gringotts bank (I"m probably not spelling it correctly) - I don't know what happened to them after that - lol! This was also 2 years ago...

 

[RaySharpton]

Hi, CJN. Thank you so much for your heartfelt report. Thank you for taking the time to help understand. You have confirmed what I have read on the Universal Studio's Disability Guides.

But to hear your personal response is so sad. I can't understand why a company would do this.

I do use an electric wheelchair, but I used to use a mobility scooter, too.

This explains why not many guests respond to this thread.

I surmise that most mobility scooter and wheelchairs users have not been going to Universal Studio Orlando.

Thank you again.

Okay, up to this point I’ve hesitated to report on my experience at Universal because I have - or used to have - a real soft spot for the place. But keeping quiet isn’t doing anybody any good either. My experience was with using an ECV which isn’t exactly what you asked for. Also our last trip was 2017 so maybe, hopefully, things have improved since then. Here goes.

As compared to previous trips there was a marked difference in the ease of accessing rides and not for the better. In my vacation journal I wrote the words “Universal’s new approach to accessibility is dismal”. It was a huge disappointment since, up until that time, we thought of Universal as actually more accommodating and therefore easier to traverse than WDW. It had been our favorite relaxing way to end a Florida trip. We’d even talked of doing an all-Universal vacation. Instead, we’ve now skipped it on our last few trips and have no plans to go back even though we’ll be at WDW twice within the next 12 months.

No ECV was allowed through any queue. We had to switch to a courtesy wheelchair. Okay, that was new policy and I was prepared to deal with it. What I couldn’t deal with was that a courtesy chair was often not available. We’d wait and wait and wait for a TM to hunt one down. And they didn’t always look happy about being asked to do so. It also wasn’t uncommon for the one they (finally!) arrived with to be only marginally usable - as in beat up, wobbly and very hard to push on all that cobblestone. And the reason the courtesy chairs were so scarce wasn’t because so many other people were using them. They were just....scarce. In fact, we saw very few other guests using ECVs or wheelchairs so one would think courtesy chairs would be plentiful. But nope. Which left me feeling more than a bit unwelcome and wondering if that’s why we were seeing so few other ECVs/WCs. It also left me wondering if it was a deliberate attempt to cut down on our numbers - as in, the more inconvenienced we felt, the more we’ll stay away, the easier for them - which is an awful thing to think about a place I formerly loved.

We discussed many many times with TMs at the front of rides about the poor accessibility. The stock answer we were given repeatedly was a simple two word “I’m sorry” as they looked off to the side, or off in the distance, or looked anywhere but at us. I kid you not. Avoiding eye contact seemed to be a deliberate tactic. We started to joke that their training must’ve consisted of 45 seconds of memorizing “Say you’re sorry, don’t make eye contact, they’ll go away and you can get back to the real guests.” And yet we didn’t blame them and tried not to get upset with them because it seemed obvious that there had been some kind of policy change concerning not only accessing the rides but in TM training, or lack thereof. And that wasn’t their fault. Even the boat captains seemed untrained regarding accessibility. There was no consistency to loading/unloading ECVs and some seemed baffled. Each had their own method, some of which worked well, while some were downright preposterous - like the captain who insisted an elderly woman BACK her ecv from the other side of the boat, with the toes and knees of seated passengers in the way, AND made her back down the ramp, and THEN had the seated passengers disembark. It. Made. No. Sense. (And she ended up in tears). Ditto going through security lines. The lack of any consistent training dealing with ECVs/WCs was obvious.

In our first three days there we ended up at guest relations four times discussing these matters until by the fourth day we were so tired of it my sister and I just spent the day by the pool. And I want to emphasize I am not a fussy person, despite how it sounds from this long complaining post. I just want to go, not draw attention to myself and relax. But they made it impossible. And we’d been to Universal so many times, always having such a great time, that this was a shocker.

All that said, Ray, I hope things have improved since then. Maybe we were just there when they were going through growing pains of implementing the new policies. I hope it’s back to the place I loved and that you have a great time. I hope when you get back I’ll read your glowing report about it and then feel the need to work it into our next trip. I hope.

 

[RaySharpton]

Hi, Carol. Thank you for posting your experience.

I used to use a mobility scooter, but now I use an electric wheelchair.

I am going to have to think about this. I don't have to make immediate plans to visit Universal Studios since I will be down there for two weeks to relax and visit WDW and maybe other places.

Ray

I had the same exact experience at US/IOA a couple of years ago as an ECV user and won't go back if it stays like that. They were awful - terribly untrained and the workers had no idea what to do with me which is weird I think.

Ray, I think you use a power WC and I did see the workers allowing some people in power chairs to go into the que at the HP ride - Gringotts bank (I"m probably not spelling it correctly) - I don't know what happened to them after that - lol! This was also 2 years ago...

 

[Keetchino]

For WDW I had to use a scooter for a few days my last trip after I hurt my ankle. The manual wheelchairs were NOT fun, because it was just me, my husband, and young daughter that we had to use rider swap for. Which meant that when it was my turn to go I didn't have my husband to push me, I had to do it myself. No cast member offered to help me, they would just stare as I tried to struggle up an incline (On that note Soarin' absolutely SUCKED to get through on my own, that whole queue line is one massive ramp). Oftentimes one of the guest behind me would offer to help push me, for which I was grateful. Sooo if you are gonna be by yourself, just be prepared to be aggravated. Don't know how Universal is, I'd have to imagine similar though.

 

[RaySharpton]

I haven't been to Universal Studio in such a long time because I always wanted to go to WDW because of the WDW transportation.

I think that it has been two decades.

I didn't really want to nor did I really know how to transport from WDW to Universal Studios Orlando years ago so I didn't plan to make plans until now that I am retired. Maybe if I wasn't solo, I would have made plans to find transportation from WDW to USO and back to WDW. But when I was at WDW, I just didn't follow through with going.

I don't have to make plans now to go, but I have been looking at ticket prices, etc. just in case. I may wait until I get to Orlando.

This is the first time in a long time that I plan on renting a car and driving down to Daytona Beach, Florida and then to drive to Orlando, Florida.

I even made plans to rent a car and visit the Smoky Mountains this October for the Fall foliage.

Before I would fly to Orlando and use D.M.E.

I am getting really excited about the trips.

I usually use Lyft/Uber when arriving at Daytona Beach, Fl. But now with a rental car, I plan on visiting the Kennedy Space Center and other places while I am there.

With my new Fold and Go Wheelchair, I think that I can put it in the rental car trunk for each destination.

I don't see why not.

I still have bad memories of when I had such a hard time disassembling my old mobility scooter and lifting all of the parts and putting in my car trunk. I don't own a car anymore.

What seemed more difficult for me as I aged was reversing the process and removing each piece of my mobility scooter and then putting it back together.

Don't get me wrong. When I was younger, I thought that it was perfect for me. But as I got older and after losing my car, I just decided it was easier to fly to WDW and use DME and use WDW transportation.

I must say that I am getting so excited just typing these words about renting a car and spending four weeks in Florida and then a week in the Smoky Mountains.

I plan on visiting Universal Studios Orlando if only to visit City Walk. I may ask the customer service about using my wheelchair at their parks before and if I buy tickets online.

The other thing is the Orlando resort offers bus shuttle transport to the various parks and I may try using their transportation at least once or if on that day where I may not feel like loading my wheelchair.

This will all be new to me.

I have only rented a car one time since losing my car years ago. I used it to go to the Smoky Mountains last October.

But I am on a roll and I keep planning on renting more cars for more trips.

Now I won't be limited by Lyft/Uber on my vacations.

We'll see how I do and I will report back with info and photos.

Especially loading and unloading my wheelchair and if I go to Universel Studios Orlando.

.

 

[RaySharpton]

Hi, Keetchino. Thank you for your report.

I remember a long time ago before I started renting a mobility scooter from a vendor for WDW use, I used to use rent the WDW mobility scooter in the parks. I would use my cane getting from the park to the WDW bus and to my resort room.

One day after returning my WDW mobility scooter at EPCOT, they let me use one of their wheelchairs to get to the bus.

I had such a hard time rolling it by myself. I don't remember why. I finally gave up and used my cane back to the bus.

It took me forever to make it back to my resort room stopping at benches along the way.

That was the scary part for me at that time in my life. I would need to sit down when walking any distance and I would always plan my walks around the benches or chairs along my path.

I know...sad.

I haven't been on the WDW Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in years because I used to use a mobility scooter and I would have to roll myself up in one of their WDW wheelchairs in their queue with many hills.

They wouldn't even allow my electric wheelchair.

I thought about using one of the WDW wheelchairs as a walker in their queue, but then I convinced myself that I may not be able to make it all of the way, so I didn't do it.

I am going to try it again though.

For WDW I had to use a scooter for a few days my last trip after I hurt my ankle. The manual wheelchairs were NOT fun, because it was just me, my husband, and young daughter that we had to use rider swap for. Which meant that when it was my turn to go I didn't have my husband to push me, I had to do it myself. No cast member offered to help me, they would just stare as I tried to struggle up an incline (On that note Soarin' absolutely SUCKED to get through on my own, that whole queue line is one massive ramp). Oftentimes one of the guest behind me would offer to help push me, for which I was grateful. Sooo if you are gonna be by yourself, just be prepared to be aggravated. Don't know how Universal is, I'd have to imagine similar though.

 

[Monykalyn]

Hi Ray!
I am a member of the "Universal Orlando Annual Passholder 2.0 Unofficial" group on Facebook and one of the admins on the page is great with assisting on questions for guests with disabilities. Maybe ask to join (even if not a passholder-make sure it is the Unofficial group though-the regular group is...not always...nice) just to ask this question? This is one of the few NICE groups on facebook and you will get up to date feedback on your questions

I hope you do get to experience Universal!

 

[RaySharpton]

Hi, Monykalyn. Thank you. I just signed up for your group.

Universal Orlando Annual Passholder 2.0 Unofficial

 

[CJN]

Ray, if you do visit Universal it’ll be great to read your trip report when you get back. We already know how detailed you are with reports

We live in Oregon and yet used to be Universal Orlando AP holders - that’s how much we used to love the place. But as I said earlier we haven’t been back since that 2017 experience, with no plans for the future. If things go well for you maybe that’ll change my mind.

 

[kaytieeldr]

No cast member offered to help me, they would just stare as I tried to struggle up an incline

They can't. It's a liability thing.

 

[keishashadow]

They can't. It's a liability thing.

True, it’s the world we live in, unfortunately

one size does not fit all when it come to describing a park’s disability protocol. Those that I’ve read are often so vague it has to be discouraging for many, especially first-time visitors.

 

[BonnieA]

I have been going to Universal since they opened. When I first started using a scooter they were allowed in all the lines. Little by little they started taking them away. Also lying about ever letting them in (really?). Just recently I got a real answer of why they don't allow them thru the lines. It seems like the big clunky scooters that they rent don't easily fit thru the lines, so they penalize all scooter drivers. I suggested they start renting smaller scooters or making the lines wider for their bigger ones but that will never happen.

 

[LoveToDisney]

I have taken a Go Go Sport 3-wheel Scooter to Universal. Since they have changed their security, they will spot you on an ECV/wheelchair and direct you to where they want to check your things. They were really nice to me.

The one que that will allow ECVs is to ride the train between the two Harry Potter lands. They will load you separately from your ECV if you can walk a little. If not, there's a car near the front where you can stay on your scooter or wheelchair.

They do not let ECVs in any other lines. While WDW was making ques wider so everyone waited in the same line in the newer parks like Animal Kingdom, Universal has never seen itself as a park that wanted ECVs or strollers. One time, my sister wanted to ride Spiderman but you had to go with a manual wheelchair. She was willing but needed someone to push her. I could use my cane and make it okay to walk but could not push her because I have no strength in my hands. When they finally found a wheelchair for her, the young man offered to push her through the que when he saw that I could not. He was very nice to us.

I remember using my rollater to go through the Express que at The Mummy in former years. I loaded with the Express Pass side so the Rollator was on the non-stairs side (if memory serves me correctly). I think we were staying onsite and had Express Pass. When they helped us at Spiderman, we were Express Pass, too. I think they are nicer to the people who are staying at one of their expensive hotels.

We never had trouble taking the ECV on the boat. You have to stay on the upper level so if it is crowded, you would need to wait for the next boat. They come pretty frequently, but we started taking the pathway to and from the resort rather than waiting for the boat.

There are some really great attractions and I could use my rollator to get through the ques before I needed an ECV. They have a lot less walking room in their park so having ECVs and strollers is rather hazardous. No one in the park will give a second thought about stepping out in front of you without looking so be really careful.

I had no trouble shopping while at either park using an ECV except the shop that Forbidden Journey dumps into. That shop is too tiny even for those who can walk.

My sister road Forbidden Journey and used a wheelchair to go the the entrance where they load you more slowly since she cannot do a moving walkway. She had no trouble having the extra time to get seated on the bench. I have not tried that since the last time I road, I could still walk a short distance and manage the moving walkway...something I can't do now.

I wish my memory was better. Enjoy your trip and I look forward to your report.

 

[RaySharpton]

Thank you, everyone, for your experiences.

 

[kwdietrich1]

Hi. My DH, my mother and myself just got back last week from a trip to Universal. We did not stay on site, so I cannot attest to transportation via the boats.

I used my power wheelchair through every queue without any problems. Of course, in some queues a cast member will direct you through an alternate route so that you can take an elevator to bypass the stairs at some attractions.

My 72 year old mother was using her personal scooter and could not take it through any queue except Hogwarts express. At every queue entrance a CM politely told my mother she could not take her scooter through the line, but offered her a readily available manual chair. Every queue we went through during our 4 day visit had multiple manual chairs available at the entrance.

You shouldn’t have any trouble with your power wheelchair at the parks.

 

[RaySharpton]

Hi, kwdietrich1. Thank you for your recent experience.

Hi. My DH, my mother and myself just got back last week from a trip to Universal. We did not stay on-site, so I cannot attest to transportation via the boats.

I'm not staying on-site either. I'll either be using the offsite resort bus or my rental car. I probably won't need to use the boats either, but I'll check them out and take some photos if I go.

I used my power wheelchair through every queue without any problems. Of course, in some queues, a cast member will direct you through an alternate route so that you can take an elevator to bypass the stairs at some attractions.

This is good to know. I am curious, what does your power chair look like. I use an electric Fold and Go Wheelchair that only weighs 55-lbs.

My 72 year old mother was using her personal scooter and could not take it through any queue except Hogwarts express. At every queue entrance a CM politely told my mother she could not take her scooter through the line, but offered her a readily available manual chair. Every queue we went through during our 4 day visit had multiple manual chairs available at the entrance.

You shouldn’t have any trouble with your power wheelchair at the parks.

Thank you again for taking the time to post your experiences.

I really appreciate everyone's posts.

 

[CJN]

Hi. My DH, my mother and myself just got back last week from a trip to Universal. We did not stay on site, so I cannot attest to transportation via the boats.

I used my power wheelchair through every queue without any problems. Of course, in some queues a cast member will direct you through an alternate route so that you can take an elevator to bypass the stairs at some attractions.

My 72 year old mother was using her personal scooter and could not take it through any queue except Hogwarts express. At every queue entrance a CM politely told my mother she could not take her scooter through the line, but offered her a readily available manual chair. Every queue we went through during our 4 day visit had multiple manual chairs available at the entrance.

You shouldn’t have any trouble with your power wheelchair at the parks.

I love hearing this!

 

[kwdietrich1]

This is good to know. I am curious, what does your power chair look like. I use an electric Fold and Go Wheelchair that only weighs 55-lbs.

My wheelchair weighs 68 lbs with the battery and folds.