4 yo in wheelchair at AK and MK...any tips?

[nanett]

HI all...

We are going to the AK and MK with my 4 yo son who is in a wheelchair. We will also have his triplet sisters and a two year old. We've never been to either park and have no idea what to expect as far as accessibility. Is the AK fairly easy to manuevor in a wheelchair. He can not operate an electronic wheelchair, so his push chair is the only option. Any things we should be sure to see in the two parks for this age group? Any things we should avoid? Hope to hear soon...we are leaving in two days. TIA for any help...Nan

 

[Talking Hands]

Be sure to see Festival of the Lion King in Animal Kingdom. If he has any other special needs such as staying out of the sun get a Guest Assisitance Card so you can be accommodated. Relax and enjoy.
Also there is special seating for the parades so take advantage of that.

 

[SueM in MN]

Welcome to disABILITIES.
MK is the oldest park, so it is the least accessible, requiring a transfer into the ride cars for most rides. Most of the queues are wheelchair accessible, at least for most of the wait and all the fastpass lines are accessible. We didn't have trouble lifting our DD out of her wheelchair for rides when she was 4 (but we were only traveling with one other DD - who was 3 years older than the child in the wheelchair). All of the restrooms at MK have wheelchair stalls, but many are too small to get a wheelchair in and close the door. Depending on the size of your child's wheelchair, that might not be much of a problem for you. When DD was little, her wheelchair fit in almost all the stalls, but as she grew, her wheelchair did too and now there are many stalls at MK where she doesn't fit. They do have "Companion Restrooms" scattered thru the parks that you can use.
AK is very accessible since it was opened not that long ago. The only thing some people complain about is that the themed walkways are sometimes kind of bumpy. My DD happens to think that's fun, though, so not a problem for us. Besides Lion King that Lisa mentioned, ther are lots of good shows. There's a neat bird show in India and a lot of kids like the Tarzan Rocks show (with kind of loud music, but also skateboarding animals and acrobats).

What kind of things are your kids interested in? That would be how I would pick the "don't miss" things. If you have questions about boarding or about certain rides, ask as many questions as you like.
At the official Disney site, you can download copies of the Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities for each park. They don't give a lot of info, but do give an idea of what sort of ride it is (quiet boat ride vs turbulent thrill ride) and a little (very little) about boarding for each ride. They also tell how long each ride/attraction is, which might help you with planning (especially with a 2 yr old).

 

[nanett]

Thanks so much for the input! Sev has seizures that are aggravated by the heat, so the sun is an issue. Do most rides have a shady place to wait in while we are waiting our turn? How long is the wait generally? We are bringing a little mister fan and one of the things that you get wet and drap over the neck to keep cool...hopefully that will be enough. Sev's not potty trained, so we need large changing tables to change his diaper. Do most of the bathrooms have one with a strap to keep him secure?

Thanks for the Festival of the Lion King tip...what time does it start? They all LOVE animals and rides. Wild rides generally don't bother them, though one is bothered by loud noises. Funny enough, Sev is the one that loves the wild/loud things the MOST.

Do most rides have a good restraint system or do the chidlren mostly just sit there. I know we won't be riding any of the 'rollercoaster' type rides, but what about the rafting type things and the kiddie land rides? He can sit and has good head control but needs a good restraint to keep him from falling. We're hoping he can experience as much as possible. I HATE to go places where he ends up on the sidelines much of the day. Can the parents get on most of the kiddie rides with the children?

To help you guys point us in the right direction...Sev is visually impaired. He can see, but doesn't really focus on things like shows and stuff. He will enjoy music and singing. Mostly, he likes things that are very social, wild, noisy and active. He is VERY noisy...chatters and sings nonstop. Are there any places where he would be expected to be quiet? Seems the more we try to quiet him down, the more excited he gets....so quiet isn't an option.

In the Animal Kingdom...how much of a challenge with the 'theme' walkways be? I'm in fairly good shape and am used to pushing and pulling him in is wheelchair and wagon up and down the beach. It's just my mom and I this trip though....my husband is deployed right now, so it'll mostly be me pushing him around. Are there plenty of shady places to rest with fun things for the kids to do? OK...I would guess I've bombarded you guys with enough questions. I really do appreciate the input. Nan

 

[Wade Shrader]

Hello,

We also have triplets (6 yr old), and one of them uses a wheelchair and another uses crutches. I think you will find that WDW is one of the most magical places in the world, especially for special needs kids. We know what you mean when you say you hate to go to places where he's left out. Well, it's like my wife says, WDW is the one place where our kids get to do almost everything that every other kids do, and sometimes more. The CM's usually go out of their way for most kids, but especially for special needs kids. The parades and shows like Lion King, for example.

As far as the rides, different rides load in different ways, and there are other posts and posters who can give more info about that. But, most of the rides (kid rides like you call them), you can carry your child on and sit beside him to help support him. We usually carry our DS on, and he sits beside us or in our lap. There are height requirements for the larger rides, and that may make a difference. And, the paths at AK are not that bad; just a little more bumpy, but you should be able to push the chair.

I hope you have a wonderful trip!

Wade