How much harder is Disneyland for my wheelchair-bound DS?

[pumpkinboy]

We haven't been to Disneyland since the kids were born, now 9 and 7. My DS, now 9, has pretty severe CP and does not move independently at all. Now we are used to WDW where he can go almost anywhere and ride just about anything he wants to ride (except Pirates, grrr ).

Given that Disneyland is so much older and smaller than the WDW parks, is it significantly more difficutl to navigate in a wheelchair? Are there many rides that he will be able to go on in his chair? He does transfer, but things are so much easier if he can roll on.

Any insights would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

DL is much more difficult to navigate. For many attractions you will have to use the alternate entrances (usually the exits). Often the alternate entrances get so backed up that it is actually longer wait than the main line.

DCA, on the other hand, is completely mainstreamed and accessible since it was only built a few years ago.

 

[pumpkinboy]

I had understood that Pirates of the Caribbean was easier to get on at DL than the one at WDW. Is this in fact the case. At MK, I have to leave DS's wheelchair at the entrance and either carry him thru the loooooong queue or use one of their wheelchairs. So he's only been on it once in our 8+ WDW visits. I had heard something about being able to get on at the exit at DL, which we are not able to do at MK.

 

[Wade Shrader]

Our 2 sons have CP (triplets), and we've been to DL a good bit. Although many of the lines aren't accessible at DL, the size of the park (much, much smaller than MK), makes it easier in some ways for us. I agree that the alternate entrances can make for longer waits, but that has only happened to us on Splash and Space Mt, and that's when we waited until later in the day. When we hit any of the Fantasyland rides or the Mt's early in the AM, we walk right on, through the alternate entrances.

And, you're right, POTC is MUCH easier in DL. They have an alternate entrance, through the exit (the boat loading/unloading area at DL is in the same vicinity, NOT like at WDW). Again, if you wait until later in the day, you may have a longer wait. But if you go within the first couple of hours of park opening, you won't have to wait long at all.

Also, if you stay on site, it's an easy walk to the parks.

W

 

[SueM in MN]

We have not been to Disneyland with Dd and her wheelchair, but i have looked at the Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities for DL.
You can access the information for people with mobility disabilities at this link.

 

[pumpkinboy]

Thanks for the input folks! I am glad to hear that at least Pirates is easier.

We're there just 3 days, staying at the Grand Californian on DVC points, so super convenient, especially to the more accessible DCA. We're going at the end of summer, so we've got plenty of lead time here.

Thanks again!

 

[Judy from Boise]

Please drop by the DL board, and we will help you plan

 

[labidometer]

I have heard from one of my friend that DL is not disabled friendly.

 

[SueM in MN]

I have heard from one of my friend that DL is not disabled friendly.

Because it is older than WDW, it is not as accessible.
There is a link in my other reply to the Disneyland Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities that tells what is accessible.

 

[pumpkinboy]

Please drop by the DL board, and we will help you plan

Oh, but Judy, I have been dropping by. Your very helpful board-mates have advised me on making dining ressies already. I just figured that folks over here would have more specific knowledge of wheelchair accessibility issues (which they have; thanks guys!).

We've still got a good long while until we go, so you'll see me surfing over there more frequently as time goes on. In the past, all of my Disneyland visits have been for just a day, which is nowhere near enough time. Now with very accessible Disney's California Adventure to add to it, we will be able to make it a vacation destination, rather than just a small portion of a SoCal trip (tho we're still gonna be seeing friends and relatives in LA and doing San Diego stuff).

 

[ohdisco]

My family lives very close to DL, so we go all the time. DL uses a lot of the exits for their disabled entrances. I've never had the disabled entrances backed up very much. If my mom has my boyfriend to hoist her into the ride, getting to the docking station at POTC is really easy; she just scoots up there in her ECV and gets out, and gets into the boat. Most of the rides are like that at DL.

 

[ms_mckenna]

OK I am scratching my head here. We are talking about Pirates at WDW in the MK? As in POTC? DS, moderate CP, was in a w/c the whole time we were at WDW in November and we had no problems with pirates. DD pushed him up to the place where we got on the ride. We did have to pick him up and put him in the ride nbd and they had his w/c waiting for us on the other side. There is a elevator when we got off and we did have to wait a minute for his wc much like you do at Space mountain. I actually think I took a picture of the kids and hubby waiting for the elevator after the ride because DD is a pirate lover lol.
The only ride we found that we could not get him on that we tried was peter pan. I was lot more dissapointed in this than he was.

 

[SueM in MN]

We did have to pick him up and put him in the ride nbd and they had his w/c waiting for us on the other side. There is a elevator when we got off and we did have to wait a minute for his wc much like you do at Space mountain. I actually think I took a picture of the kids and hubby waiting for the elevator after the ride because DD is a pirate lover lol.
The only ride we found that we could not get him on that we tried was peter pan. I was lot more dissapointed in this than he was.

Sometimes the 'wheelchair waiting at the exit' part doesn't work so smoothly at WDW.
At WDW, POTC exit and entrance are actually in 2 different buildings, quite a ways away from each other. If it all works out right, the wheelchair is taken from the boarding area and a CM has to bring it to the exit (hopefully before your boat gets there).

One person higher up in the thread was describing Disneyland's POTC, which has the exit and entrance close together. On rides like that, wheelchair users can board at the exit and ride thru to the usual boarding area. Since the boarded at the exit, their wheelchair is already sitting there waiting for them before they even leave for their ride.
At WDW, it's not possible to board at the exit because after people get off, the boats go thru an area just high enough for the boats to fit before they reach the boarding area again.

 

[ms_mckenna]

O Ok ty for clarifing. I have been thinking about this off and on all day trying to remember POTC thinking there must be something I didn't remember.

 

[PirateFairy8]

I went to Disneyland in 2005 when I graduated from high school. My brother-in-law and my sister, both WDW cast members at the time took me. I have 2 Invisible Disabilities and have to be in wheelchairs at theme parks. It was hard for my brother-in-law to push me at times, but generally we managed to navigate fairly well. Both of us are pirate fanatics so we went on it 4 times while we were there! It was a 4 day, 3 night trip and most of the time things went fairly well. We ran into some problems around Toontown because of the steep incline and anywhere else there was either a lot of foot traffic, such as Fantasyland by Alice & Wonderland and the teacups, but generally it wasn't too horrible.

 

[pumpkinboy]

Well, I'm glad I sterted this thread, since it is yielding lots of good info.

The last time we tried Pirates in MK at WDW (Jan. '05) we had to park DS's wheelchair at the top, and switched to one of Disney's wheelchairs (one with a lot less support). Then we rolled down thru the regular line, I carried him on board (at that point 65lbs). After riding, I hoisted him up again (well, he rode in my lap), put him in another Disney wheelchair, and rolled him back to where we had left his wheelchair. Yeah, it was a hassle; but he really liked the ride, so I am feeling like I ought to take him on it again.

As for Peter Pan's Flight in MK at WDW, DS and I go to a special spot at the exit, I park his wheelchair, pick him up and he rides on my lap. The moving sidewalk is tough, but I have it worked out so we can do it once or twice per trip (DS loves Peter Pan's Flight, as do DD and DW). I dunno if we'll do PPF at Disneyland, since we'll only have three days there, and the accessibility of DCA will be beckoning (plus we'll be at the Grand Californian which has a special entrance to DCA right from the hotel; ooh the temptation).

Again, thanks for the discussion. Keep the tips and ideas coming.

 

[ms_mckenna]

Pumpkinboy
We did Pirates in Nov 06. Alex wieghed about 80 lbs at the time and honestly do not remember having to carry him any great distance. I may have had to but I really thought we just put him into the boat. I know they recently renovated to update the look not sure on the date maybe they changed something? We did have to wait a few minutes for his w/c when we got out at the end.
I am really impressed you did peter pan. The CM just pretty much flat out told me no he could not do it if he could not walk it would not be possible. I was scared to death to get on a moving belt carring him anyway. Just afraid it would be to difficult to get him seated and then back out again. When we go back in 08 DD and I are going to do a lot of mk when DH and DS are fishing and other guy things. So I may try PP by myself with her and see how doable it would be for us, or if it is something he would even enjoy seeing.

 

[SueM in MN]

Pumpkinboy
We did Pirates in Nov 06. Alex wieghed about 80 lbs at the time and honestly do not remember having to carry him any great distance. I may have had to but I really thought we just put him into the boat. I know they recently renovated to update the look not sure on the date maybe they changed something? We did have to wait a few minutes for his w/c when we got out at the end.

They did not change anything at the boarding or exit area during the renovation at WDW.
What we did notice was that they were using the second boarding area for people with wheelchairs/ecvs. From there, they can take the wheelchairs to the exit easier (the CM takes it after you board if it is not able to 'slung' onto the boat after you board).
We could drive the wheelchair almost up to the boat. My DD is not able to sit in one of the WDW chairs at all (well, she might be able physically, but she is not able mentally), so if she can't bring her own wheelchair on, she can't ride. (Plus, changing to one of their wheelchairs would mean lifting her 4 times for one ride.

I am really impressed you did peter pan. The CM just pretty much flat out told me no he could not do it if he could not walk it would not be possible. I was scared to death to get on a moving belt carring him anyway. Just afraid it would be to difficult to get him seated and then back out again. When we go back in 08 DD and I are going to do a lot of mk when DH and DS are fishing and other guy things. So I may try PP by myself with her and see how doable it would be for us, or if it is something he would even enjoy seeing.

The last time we rode Peter Pan at WDW, DH almost ran out of space getting off carrying DD. The getting in part was not too bad, but they had DH and DD get into a boat and then loaded our other DD and I into a boat behind them (so we could help them get in). More about that later.
DH said that by the time he got DD settled, the ride was almost over and he had to get out. Unfortunatley, there is not much moving walkway to get out and if you take too much time, you will end up hitting a wall!

Since other DD and I were in a boat 2 boats behind him, all we could do was watch and hope he didn't hit anything. I VERY much doubt we will ever try it again, but if we did, I would insist that another member of our party be in a boat ahead of DD and DH, one behind (or maybe not riding to help getting on and off). I would also request they be allowed to ride twice because the ride is only about 1.5 minutes long - not enough to catch your breath after getting on.

Almost forgot - Peter Pan is one ride where they can't slow of stop the moving walkway. The CM explained it had to do with the fact that the boats switch from being on the ground to being in the air and also the fact that they are off the ground with no restraints.
They can do an EMERGENCY stop, but even my DH almost running out of walkway didn't quite meet the level of stopping.

 

[mbb]

Sometimes the 'wheelchair waiting at the exit' part doesn't work so smoothly at WDW.....

And when it goes poorly, it *really* goes poorly

Mom has her own wc, and we've never, ever had any issues leaving it when boarding the few rides that she can go on.

Somehow, her very personalized chair got "lost"...

Many phone calls from the CM at the "Yoo-hoo, yoo-hoo, please exit your boats now" to the boarding area, and 15 minutes later, we were on our way...in the very teeny , tiny elevator...which exits in a completely different spot than where the regular exit does.

Which led to another 10 minutes of trying to locate the rest of our family.

POTC was busy, and the CMs were great...it's just stressful.

I wish, wish, wish that during the rehab, they had refurbished this to be a little more accomodating.

Still better than that hallway at El Rio del Tiempo!