Accomodations for disabled guests at Tokyo Disney Resort

[Absimilliard]

I'm not too sure if this is the right section or if this will eventually concern anyone here, but here goes, since I already did the research for my mom.

Tokyo Disney Resort has a program called "Barrier Free", which covers foreigners who speak other languages (other than japanese, basically) and disabled guests.

One interesting is that they allow guests on special diets to bring their own food, even offering to heat them up or chop it up if needed at many restaurants.

The parks offer 3 kinds of wheelchairs to rent: manual, motorized (ECV probably) and power assisted (that, I didn't see when I went last time).

To be frank, the restrictions to get on attractions are BRUTAL! For example, the 3 rollercoasters at Tokyo Disneyland, which are Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and Gadget Go Coaster require guests to be able to go up and down stairs on their own to ride. To emphazise that, there is even stairs in the exit of Big Thunder Mountain. Peter Pan's Flight also has the same restriction (same as in Paris, in this case). The rest of the attractions have the "Must be able to go up and down stairs with the help of their party" restriction in order to be able to ride.

In the case of Tokyo Disney Sea, which is the newer theme park there, Raging Spirits (looping rollercoaster), 20000 leagues under the Sea (a very clever dark ride here...), Sindbad Seven Voyages (amazing dark ride, similar to Pirates of the Caribbean, with no drops) and the 4 kid attractions in the Mermaid Lagoon section have the "must be able to go up and down stairs on their own" restriction. Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull, Journey To the Center of the Earth (imagine Test Track in an active volcano!) and Tower of Terror have the "Must be able to go up and down stairs with the help of their party" to ride. Tokyo Disney Sea is pretty good still for guests in wheelchairs, as it has a ton of amazing shows.

I hope this will help and I'll try to answer any questions you may have.

 

[mechurchlady]

http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/tdr/english/bfree/index.html
That is the disabled guide for the Tokyo parks. They do not have laws like in America. In America a restaurant cannot take your food and serve it for example. I cannot explain why there would be so many stairs either but that is what they say.

Found this
http://www.mickeyxtreme.com/tokyodisneyland.htm
not much help so me and Sue should be sent on an exploring expedition to Tokyo.

 

[KPeveler]

I'm not too sure if this is the right section or if this will eventually concern anyone here, but here goes, since I already did the research for my mom.

Tokyo Disney Resort has a program called "Barrier Free", which covers foreigners who speak other languages (other than japanese, basically) and disabled guests.

One interesting is that they allow guests on special diets to bring their own food, even offering to heat them up or chop it up if needed at many restaurants.

The parks offer 3 kinds of wheelchairs to rent: manual, motorized (ECV probably) and power assisted (that, I didn't see when I went last time).

To be frank, the restrictions to get on attractions are BRUTAL! For example, the 3 rollercoasters at Tokyo Disneyland, which are Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and Gadget Go Coaster require guests to be able to go up and down stairs on their own to ride. To emphazise that, there is even stairs in the exit of Big Thunder Mountain. Peter Pan's Flight also has the same restriction (same as in Paris, in this case). The rest of the attractions have the "Must be able to go up and down stairs with the help of their party" restriction in order to be able to ride.

In the case of Tokyo Disney Sea, which is the newer theme park there, Raging Spirits (looping rollercoaster), 20000 leagues under the Sea (a very clever dark ride here...), Sindbad Seven Voyages (amazing dark ride, similar to Pirates of the Caribbean, with no drops) and the 4 kid attractions in the Mermaid Lagoon section have the "must be able to go up and down stairs on their own" restriction. Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull, Journey To the Center of the Earth (imagine Test Track in an active volcano!) and Tower of Terror have the "Must be able to go up and down stairs with the help of their party" to ride. Tokyo Disney Sea is pretty good still for guests in wheelchairs, as it has a ton of amazing shows.

I hope this will help and I'll try to answer any questions you may have.

what is "power assisted"?

 

[Absimilliard]

Found this [url]http://www.mickeyxtreme.com/tokyodisneyland.htm
not much help so me and Sue should be sent on an exploring expedition to Tokyo.

Its not much help unfortunately. Seems like it was last updated in 2002 or 2003... Since then, Cinderella's Castle Mystery tour closed down and Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster opened in Tomorrowland. Tiki room got updated this summer with a new Stitch show.

One thing I noticed is that I saw only one guest travelling in a wheelchair over 4 days there last year. It was strange to ride say Buzz Lightyear or Haunted Mansion and have no stops during the ride.

Mom should be coming for my next trip, so I should have detailed information and I'll e-mail them regarding the "power assisted" chair.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

what is "power assisted"?

Maybe it's one of those options where one can get power assisted wheels on their manual chair? The wheels (because of the power assisting) need less power to get them moving, so it saves energy. Somehow don't think this is explaining it very wel (darned english of mine), so for those wanting real info, google on it or have a look at this site for instance; http://www.anelco.com.au/e-motion.htm (hope it's ok to post a link)

These aids can be a good option in between a manual chair and powerchair. It's less strengous than totally selfpropelling but still would be a lot more strengous than using a powerchair (or ECV).

I tried them, and found myself to be able to do about 25-50% more distance than when using 'standard' wheels on my manual chair. As that's not enough for every day life, that's no way near enough for WDW for me personally. I do think they are great, but they do come with the risk of people overestimating their helpfulness and/or underestimating the amount of distance covered at any park.

 

[KPeveler]

Maybe it's one of those options where one can get power assisted wheels on their manual chair? The wheels (because of the power assisting) need less power to get them moving, so it saves energy. Somehow don't think this is explaining it very wel (darned english of mine), so for those wanting real info, google on it or have a look at this site for instance; http://www.anelco.com.au/e-motion.htm (hope it's ok to post a link)

These aids can be a good option in between a manual chair and powerchair. It's less strengous than totally selfpropelling but still would be a lot more strengous than using a powerchair (or ECV).

I tried them, and found myself to be able to do about 25-50% more distance than when using 'standard' wheels on my manual chair. As that's not enough for every day life, that's no way near enough for WDW for me personally. I do think they are great, but they do come with the risk of people overestimating their helpfulness and/or underestimating the amount of distance covered at any park.

I have tried those and found they required practice to use. i can hardly imagine myself with pretty good arm control using them, much less a grandmother who can barely open a soda bottle... they were pretty hard to use for the first while, depending on your learning curve

 

[mechurchlady]

Your English is fine. I know all about them power wheels and the problem is that we are dealing with a foreighn land with foreign ideas and language so who knows what that chair could be. Might have jet propulsion as far as I know. I may still have a set of their brochure I got from a dude while pin trading.

Not many of us can get to WDW let alone Tokyo, Hong Kong or Paris. I have wanted to see the parks but when I read up on the place I am not sure that I could trust my dietary limitations let alone getting on the rides. America is making rides with Pooh in mind but what about a country where most people are not Poo sized.

I do not have a passport, drat, so want to go with Sue on an expedition and explorative party to Tokyo, lol. I will keep looking for videos of the lines but not had any luck.

 

[Absimilliard]

Your English is fine. I know all about them power wheels and the problem is that we are dealing with a foreighn land with foreign ideas and language so who knows what that chair could be. Might have jet propulsion as far as I know. I may still have a set of their brochure I got from a dude while pin trading.

Not many of us can get to WDW let alone Tokyo, Hong Kong or Paris. I have wanted to see the parks but when I read up on the place I am not sure that I could trust my dietary limitations let alone getting on the rides. America is making rides with Pooh in mind but what about a country where most people are not Poo sized.

I do not have a passport, drat, so want to go with Sue on an expedition and explorative party to Tokyo, lol. I will keep looking for videos of the lines but not had any luck.

Its not that bad! I'm 6'3, 240 lbs and had no problems on any rides. Only thing I had to look out for was Journey to the Center of the Earth (tight legroom) and Raging Spirits (6'4 max height limit).

Video of the full Journey to the Center of the Earth, showing part of the line: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaNUGugbEZU&feature=related . The basic ride system is Test Track, but the cars here are 3 rows, 2 riders per row. Instead of seat belts, it uses lap bars. The ride ends with a drop similar to Splash Mountain. The stairs for this ride are after you exit the ride.

Tower of Terror there has the same basic set up as Tower of Terror at Disney California Adventure, meaning the boiler room has 2 levels: ground floor and third floor. Guests in wheelchairs would automatically be sent to the right library and that lead to the ground floor. The seats are a bit smaller than the US Tower of Terror and the seatbelts are a 3 points system, like your car.

Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull has the same cars and ride system as Dinosaur at WDW. The ride itself is a lot wilder. The line features stairs when you go down to the loading stations.

Raging Spirits is a small looping rollercoaster in an abandoned mexican temple with fire, water and water mist effects during the ride. The cars feature an over the shoulder restraint, but it will be a tight fit, as the cast member have a small ruler that when straight on the car, the closed restraint must touch or you cannot ride. They do not have a test car, but like when I rode for the first time, they will take you to the exit, let you try the restraint (it uses a separate loading station for unload) and if you're fine, they'll let you ride. If you don't ride, but people in your party does, the ride features a very quick single rider line. This ride was built in 2006 and if I'm not mistaken, features a lift from the unload station to the exit path (the stations are under the exit path)

Big Thunder Mountain would be the hardest attraction to ride I think. It features an impressive line that snakes up through a mine all the way to a wooden shed, from there, you got the lines that go down to the loading station. The ride exit has a few stairs to bring you back to Westernland.

Splash Mountain was closed for rehab when I went, but based on videos, it features the same basic set up and boats as the WDW version.

Pooh's Honey Hunt is an interesting dark ride, featuring 5 passengers track honey pots. From row has 2 seats, back row 3.

Space Mountain there is like the California version. It features a waiting line at the bottom, then, if you got a fast pass or waited that in the stand by, you got to take a speed ramp to the 3rd floor, which is where you got another waiting line (split for fast pass and non fast pass riders). After that, you finally get access to the Mountain, with an indoor waiting line that snake all the way down to the ground floor. The last room/loading station is impressive, with a huge starship attached to the ceiling and the waiting line going down all around the room. The rockets here are a lot more comfortable than WDW, featuring an individual U shaped lap bar and 2 seats per row. 2 rockets per train, 3 rows per rocket. The ride itself is all turns. The exit has some stairs to go over the ride track to bring you back to Tomorrowland. Edit: found a video showing the loading station: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMwSCS-pihs&feature=related