Another Adventure - Two Wheelchairs this time - LOTS of questions

[maroo]

I am embarking on an adventure over Spring Break where we are taking Lauren (pictured below and former Wish Child) to Disney! She wanted her BFF to go, so she is coming along with her sister. But, this will leave us with 2 adults, 2 teenagers in wheelchairs and one typical teenager. I think I have lost my mind.

Lauren has a lot more needs - can't transfer onto any ride vehicle and needs help with everything, including eating, etc.

Her BFF (Jess) has a spinal cord injury that is relatively low on her back, so she is able to transfer. She can handle most activities of daily living. But she will need help transferring to any ride vehicles. She wants to ride all of the coasters, etc.

Lauren doesn't really want to ride much of anything - just the smaller stuff.


So, I have a few questions...I have done Disney with Lauren before and remember a lot of things, but I just can't remember it all and am now trying to think through things with 2 wheelchairs.


Main question: IF a ride breaks - that is up high...How do they get Jess out? If she is riding EE, or Space Mountain or whatever...how do they get her out??



MK:
1. Buzz only has one wheelchair car, right? So they will just have to swap off riding it? Or do they have two accessible cars so that they could both ride at the same time, just opposite each other? I think it would be too hard to transfer Jess while the thing is moving...but if they stop it to load Lauren, then we might could transfer Jess real quick? Do you think they would do that, so they could ride at the same time?

2. Space Mountain - I know this is a transfer that is pretty low into the car and pretty high as she gets back out...is there anything else I need to know about Space Mountain? Jess really wants to ride it. I think I have a pretty good idea for Splash and BTMMR.

3. Jungle Cruise - can it hold two wheelchairs? If not, can Jess put her wheelchair on the boat to transfer and then unload her chair to load Laurens? That is going to take forever...I am glad they have a separate loading area.

4. Pooh - I know there is a wheelchair car for Pooh...but I can't remember if anyone else can ride in it with the person in a chair?



Epcot:

1. Spaceship Earth. I am a little weary of this ride - because it is so high and seems to break a lot? At least I read on here about it breaking a lot. Can they both ride at the same time? How many disabled riders do they allow on the ride at once?

2. Mexico Ride - can two wheelchairs ride at once? I can't remember.

3. Test Track - It seems like it would be hard to transfer on to this ride? I remember having a hard time getting in and out of it and I am walking. Is there an alternate place to load somewhere that I don't know about?

4. Nemo Ride - can they stop this one? With the shells?



AK:

1. Safari - can those cars hold two wheelchairs or just one? I wish I had a picture of that one....can she load in that spot where the wheelchair goes and transfer to a seat that is right there? And let Lauren load and stay in her chair beside her? Also...I have been on this so many times...and sometimes it is really bumpy and other times the driver drives fairly smoothly...can we ask the driver to go easy on us as he/she is driving? Or do we just need to not let Lauren ride? Lauren really can't be jostled around too much.

2. EE - I have read somewhere that this is made so that it is easy for someone in a wheelchair to transfer...but I have never seen them do it? Can an arm go up on the coaster car - maybe the last one? Am I remembering that wrong? If so...this is going to be a great ride for her and a lot easier than the other coasters.

3. Primeval Whirl...is this going to be refurbed in March? I hate the way this ride even looks, although I have never been on it. Is there any way to transfer to it??


DHS:

1. RnR - I have seen someone in a chair transfer herself on this one...is there anything else I need to know about this one?

2. ToT - she just transfers on this one, right? We can just ask for the front row, right?



I can't think of any more. The rest of the attractions, shows, etc, I think I am familiar with enough to know how we should approach them. We will have a GAC for Lauren, but that shouldn't affect the answer to any of these questions anyway.

Thanks for your help!!!

 

[WheeledTraveler]

I've got different issues from either Jess or Lauren, but here's what I've noticed.

MK:
1. Buzz only has one wheelchair car, right? So they will just have to swap off riding it? Or do they have two accessible cars so that they could both ride at the same time, just opposite each other? I think it would be too hard to transfer Jess while the thing is moving...but if they stop it to load Lauren, then we might could transfer Jess real quick? Do you think they would do that, so they could ride at the same time?

Buzz only has one car. They used to have two, but one is now gone (a CM I know who works Buzz is not happy about this).

2. Space Mountain - I know this is a transfer that is pretty low into the car and pretty high as she gets back out...is there anything else I need to know about Space Mountain? Jess really wants to ride it. I think I have a pretty good idea for Splash and BTMMR.

The big things on SM are the low transfer and the fact that it's a very rough ride. I won't ride it anymore because of the neck and back pain I've gotten from it (and I haven't had problems on the Safari, RnR, or EE). That said, it sounds like she's probably in good enough shape that the roughness shouldn't be an issue.

Epcot:

1. Spaceship Earth. I am a little weary of this ride - because it is so high and seems to break a lot? At least I read on here about it breaking a lot. Can they both ride at the same time? How many disabled riders do they allow on the ride at once?

I think Spaceship Earth is something that requires a transfer. As far as breaking down, I think it broke down for a couple minutes while I was on it in November, but they didn't evacuate or anything, we just stopped for about 5 minutes.

1. Safari - can those cars hold two wheelchairs or just one? I wish I had a picture of that one....can she load in that spot where the wheelchair goes and transfer to a seat that is right there? And let Lauren load and stay in her chair beside her? Also...I have been on this so many times...and sometimes it is really bumpy and other times the driver drives fairly smoothly...can we ask the driver to go easy on us as he/she is driving? Or do we just need to not let Lauren ride? Lauren really can't be jostled around too much.

I think Safari can only handle one wheelchair as last time I was on it, there was already someone loaded and so I was given the option of transferring or waiting for the next time the accessible vehicle came around. I don't think they'd have an issue letting Jess transfer, though. As far as jostling goes, I don't know how much even a driver can really do gentle vs. non-gentle.

2. EE - I have read somewhere that this is made so that it is easy for someone in a wheelchair to transfer...but I have never seen them do it? Can an arm go up on the coaster car - maybe the last one? Am I remembering that wrong? If so...this is going to be a great ride for her and a lot easier than the other coasters.

EE the side of the last car opens up. It's a really easy transfer.


I hope you all have fun!

 

[dclfun]

I can only comment on the safari ride- don't do it! I can't take much jostling either but my work location had a team-building activity at AK and one of the things we did was to ride the safari vehicle. We had the accessible vehicle and even though the driver knew about my issues and went slowly, I almost came out of my chair many,many times. The CM doing the "tour" kept making comments about how our 15 minute tour would seem like 15 days to "some of us" as she looked at me with alarm. I don't usually do this attraction for that reason but figured with a vehicle dedicated to my group and an aware driver I'd be okay. Nope.---Kathy

 

[SueM in MN]

Main question: IF a ride breaks - that is up high...How do they get Jess out? If she is riding EE, or Space Mountain or whatever...how do they get her out??

She would have to wait to be evacuated by the Fire Department.
We have never been on anything that needed to be evacuated, so I can't tell with personal experience, but that is what I have been told.

MK:
1. Buzz only has one wheelchair car, right? So they will just have to swap off riding it? Or do they have two accessible cars so that they could both ride at the same time, just opposite each other? I think it would be too hard to transfer Jess while the thing is moving...but if they stop it to load Lauren, then we might could transfer Jess real quick? Do you think they would do that, so they could ride at the same time?

As WheeledTraveler mentioned, there is only one ride car that is accessible. They would have the first person in a wheelchair ride while the second one waits off to the side.
This is not a very good picture of the Buzz Lightyear accessible ride car, but it does show the companion seat.

It's possible that Jess could pull her wheelchair in, transfer to the seat and then the CM could remove her wheelchair so that Lauren's wheelchair could be put in. I don't know just how much space there would be for a transfer or if there would be enough handholds for Jess to pull herself in.
Here's a picture (kind of dark) of the regular Buzz ride car.

Someone else took this picture of the regular ride cars.

The front of the car is 'loose' so could not be used for pulling herself in, but Jess might be able to transfer to a regular ride car - she could park her wheelchair on the moving walkway close to the ride car at the same time as Lauren's wheelchair is being transferred to the accessible car. After Jess is done transferring, the CM could move the wheelchair for her. The seats are fairly slippery plastic and the seat is not very deep, so if she would have any difficulty sitting up in that kind of condition, she may not be able to stay upright without someone next to her.

2. Space Mountain - I know this is a transfer that is pretty low into the car and pretty high as she gets back out...is there anything else I need to know about Space Mountain? Jess really wants to ride it. I think I have a pretty good idea for Splash and BTMMR.

Space Mountain has a pretty short time to make a transfer. I have not read it in a long time, so can't comment other than that. I agree that it is low, so might be quite hard to transfer on (and those low ones are usually harder getting off than on - getting on gravity is helping, but getting off, you are working against gravity).

3. Jungle Cruise - can it hold two wheelchairs? If not, can Jess put her wheelchair on the boat to transfer and then unload her chair to load Laurens? That is going to take forever...I am glad they have a separate loading area.

No. That would not work. The person in the wheelchair sits much higher than the boat seats, as you can see on this picture of my DD in the wheelchair accessible Jungle boat. There are also bars in the sides which makes the wheelchair more secure, but would also block a transfer.

Here's a picture of the wheelchair lift in lifted position, ready to be turned and the side put down for a ramp for the wheelchair to be loaded.
http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/2590PA090154.JPG[/quote]
[quote]4. Pooh - I know there is a wheelchair car for Pooh...but I can't remember if anyone else can ride in it with the person in a chair?[/quote]
This is a picture of the regular Pooh ride honey pot.
[img]http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/data/500/medium/P5102399.JPG
I have seen people with lower body paralysis who parked their wheelchairs next to the ride car and transferred to the seat of the regular ride car.
This is a picture of the accessible Pooh ride car:

The picture is not the best, but it does have a companion seat.

Epcot:

1. Spaceship Earth. I am a little weary of this ride - because it is so high and seems to break a lot? At least I read on here about it breaking a lot. Can they both ride at the same time? How many disabled riders do they allow on the ride at once?

A transfer is required. There is a ride car that opens a bit wider. Don't think I have a picture of it, but it would be helpful (the ADA car). It is possible to park the wheelchair on the moving walkway and then transfer over to the ride seat.
The ADA car does have room for 2 guests, but both have to transfer, so it would be best for them to be in different ride cars. We have ridden when they loaded several other people with disabilities at the same time. I know that they can only have a certain number on at the same time who will require evacuation in an emergency. I think most of the 'stops/malfunctions' are probably for people with disabilities to get on and off.

2. Mexico Ride - can two wheelchairs ride at once? I can't remember.

It may depend on the wheelchairs. We have not been on Small World when there was another wheelchair parked behind DD's. The Mexico boat is essentially very similar to the Small World.

3. Test Track - It seems like it would be hard to transfer on to this ride? I remember having a hard time getting in and out of it and I am walking. Is there an alternate place to load somewhere that I don't know about?

Yes. If you load at the regular loading area, the ride car is pretty much even with the floor, requiring a big step down.
The alternate loading area is at the seat belt check area. This allows you to roll a wheelchair right up to the ride car and transfer over. They also have an optional grab bar that you can request be put on. The transfer is still not easy, it's similar to getting over the side of a bathtub. Here's a picture of the area.

4. Nemo Ride - can they stop this one? With the shells?

Yes. There is a wheelchair car with a companion seat and room for one wheelchair.
I've got pictures, but none posted - too late to post any tonight.

AK:

1. Safari - can those cars hold two wheelchairs or just one? I wish I had a picture of that one....can she load in that spot where the wheelchair goes and transfer to a seat that is right there? And let Lauren load and stay in her chair beside her? Also...I have been on this so many times...and sometimes it is really bumpy and other times the driver drives fairly smoothly...can we ask the driver to go easy on us as he/she is driving? Or do we just need to not let Lauren ride? Lauren really can't be jostled around too much.

It only holds one wheelchair. I agree with the others that it is very bumpy and would probably be best for Lauren not to ride. Some of it is random and just which bumps the driver hits.
I do have pictures, but not posted.

2. EE - I have read somewhere that this is made so that it is easy for someone in a wheelchair to transfer...but I have never seen them do it? Can an arm go up on the coaster car - maybe the last one? Am I remembering that wrong? If so...this is going to be a great ride for her and a lot easier than the other coasters.

I think Bill Sears has pictures.

3. Primeval Whirl...is this going to be refurbed in March? I hate the way this ride even looks, although I have never been on it. Is there any way to transfer to it??

I would HIGHLY recommend not riding this. It looks very tame from the ground, so we thought it would be safe for my younger DD to ride with her sister. BIG MISTAKE. By the time the ride was over, she had slid down far enough that the lap bar was almost to her armpits and she was nearly slid off the seat. It is VERY rough and riders get bounced off the sides of the ride car as it turns.
As my tag says, it's a roller coaster combined with the teacups.

DHS:

1. RnR - I have seen someone in a chair transfer herself on this one...is there anything else I need to know about this one?

2. ToT - she just transfers on this one, right? We can just ask for the front row, right?

TOT, you can park the wheelchair close to the seats and transfer into the ride seat. There are individual seat belts which do a good job of holding you to the seat, although arms and legs may move since they are not strapped down.
DO ask for the front row. For some reason they gave us second row once - that did not work at all because you have to go up one step.
I have pictures, but have not posted them yet. Hope to in the next few weeks.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

As far as the Safari goes; it does have at least 2 accessible trucks. I know this because in 2009 I did a trip with a friend of mine that also uses a wheelchair. As we were staying CL at AKL we did the sunrise safari. For her it was a first and "must" (THE reason for her to stay at AKL) and I went along as a "not going to dump you", knowing the ride would wreck our bodies. It is VERY jerky. Combine that with the knowledge that I normally have a specialy built system put into my powerchair to reduce any bumpiness because my body already does not tolerate a simple bump from a set of tiles not all being perfectly leveled, you could see where this safari was going to leave us with (she has the same condition).

Anyhow we did the safari and concierge had already figured out there would be no transferring for either. Not with the combo of idiotic bumping and the regular seats on the trucks. So they had 2 accessible trucks waiting for us when we got to the safari. The group got split in two and obviously we had to split to use the accessible features. But there were 2 trucks and we could see eachother in a distance constantly.

If anybody wants to do the safari, I would def. recommend one of the tours rather than the ride itself. The tours allow for much time standing still. Still bump-the-bump bumpy as there simply are bumps they can not avoid, but a LOT less bumpy than the continues driving through. We actually had drivers that more or less tried to make the ride smoother, what do you mean aiming for the impossible?


As far as 2 wheelchairs go? We didn't do all of the rides and did split up at times. Shows obviously is no problem, if seating is still available. Those rides we did do together had us splitting up each and every time. If possible my friend would transfer (has somewhat more options) but was not an option a lot of the times. For example the jungleride in MK would result in one of us doing the ride and the other one having to wait until the first comes back, as there was only one accessible boat available/being used at that time.

If you are rather quick I think it's doable to lift Jess into a cart at rides that have moving walkways like Buzz. The walkway is rather lengthy and once on it, you'll not have to deal with "movement" between walkway and cart. They'll stay put in regards to eachother. If in doubt; ask to stand back and see how long it takes for the walkway to "reach the end". Count the time and know how long you need to safely transfer Jess. Built in a few extra seconds for those "just in case something doesn't go as smooth as usual" moments. This way you'll know if you can safely transfer Jess within the time you'll be given or not. If not; do not hesitate to use what she needs!

 

[Piper]

I agree that this one is a miss. My family was just there and my very fit fireman nephew and mountain climbing (he climbed to the top of Everest) brother complained of how jerky the ride was and how their neck hurt after!

 

[maroo]

You guys are AWESOME!!!!

I knew you guys would know that stuff!

I have not been able to read it all or comment yet...hopefully tonight...

But I have to tell you this...

Lauren said she isn't scared to ride any of the rides that go up high...so that maybe she can be evacuated by the fire department. Cute boys...

 

[SueM in MN]

Just one note about Buzz Lightyear - that moving walkway can be stopped if you need it to be. You do need to ask. I have seen people who either had paralysis of their legs from spinal cord injuries or from spins bifida park their chairs next to the ride car and then transfer it by themselves. Whether you will have to lift Jess at all will depend on her transferring abilities. Lauren can rode in the wheelchair accessible car for Buzz.

 

[BillSears]

2. EE - I have read somewhere that this is made so that it is easy for someone in a wheelchair to transfer...but I have never seen them do it? Can an arm go up on the coaster car - maybe the last one? Am I remembering that wrong? If so...this is going to be a great ride for her and a lot easier than the other coasters.

I think Bill Sears has pictures.

Here is a picture of the "test" vehicle. You can see how the door will open to allow easy access.

Here's a picture of the ride vehicle with the wider opening on Spaceship Earth.

 

[SueM in MN]

Here is a picture of the "test" vehicle. You can see how the door will open to allow easy access.

Here's a picture of the ride vehicle with the wider opening on Spaceship Earth.

Great pics, Bill.
I think I stole them once before when you posted them. Do you mind if I steal them to post in my wdwinfo photo album?

I can't always get good pictures because both DH and I have to help get DD in and DH doesn't want to take any more time than we need. So, a lot of my photos are taken 'on the move' and some are not clear because of that.

 

[BillSears]

Feel free. I'd be happy if you used them.

 

[SueM in MN]

Feel free. I'd be happy if you used them.

 

[twinmum]

WHOO HOO!!! Another WDW trip for Lauren...and you too! I was checking around for info on DCL accessibility (more on that later) and found this thread. I don't know that I have much more info than what you already have. Mark transfers out of his w/c so we don't often use the special cars. I do remember that Test Track has an alternate loading area if you need it, but don't know the details. I could find them for you if you like, though.

I'll echo the others' sentiments about not riding Primeval Whirl, definitely a jerky ride...which made it fun for us, but I remember my hubby hanging on for dear life...to Mark, that is!

And as far as DCL goes...we're going! We've booked a 4 night DCL cruise (Bahamas) - our first cruise ever. We're going to spend 2 nights at the Beach Club before (probably just going to Epcot for a day and otherwise simply enjoy the report, the Boardwalk etc) and we're also going to Universal for 2 nights at the Hard Rock Hotel after the cruise. The boys will enjoy Harry Potter, I'm sure. I'll PM you the dates...just in case you're in WDW when we are!!!

Happy planning!

 

[SueM in MN]

WHOO HOO!!! Another WDW trip for Lauren...and you too! I was checking around for info on DCL accessibility (more on that later) and found this thread. I don't know that I have much more info than what you already have. Mark transfers out of his w/c so we don't often use the special cars. I do remember that Test Track has an alternate loading area if you need it, but don't know the details. I could find them for you if you like, though.

I'll echo the others' sentiments about not riding Primeval Whirl, definitely a jerky ride...which made it fun for us, but I remember my hubby hanging on for dear life...to Mark, that is!

And as far as DCL goes...we're going! We've booked a 4 night DCL cruise (Bahamas) - our first cruise ever. We're going to spend 2 nights at the Beach Club before (probably just going to Epcot for a day and otherwise simply enjoy the report, the Boardwalk etc) and we're also going to Universal for 2 nights at the Hard Rock Hotel after the cruise. The boys will enjoy Harry Potter, I'm sure. I'll PM you the dates...just in case you're in WDW when we are!!!

Happy planning!

Don't worry about looking for the alternate load area information for Test Track. I already covered that - I have better pictures than the one I posted. They are just on my computer, not on line yet.