Are any trips handicap accessible

[disneycruisedreams]

Are any accessible for someone who is handicapped? Have a friend that can walk short distances with a walker but would need a wheelchair otherwise.

 

[sayhello]

Are any accessible for someone who is handicapped? Have a friend that can walk short distances with a walker but would need a wheelchair otherwise.

You'd really need to contact ABD and go over the trips with them. They definitely don't have separate handicapped accessible trips, and there's bound to be parts of any trip that would be prohibitive. You'd need to find out which one(s) offered the most access, and which ones would be problematic.

A lot of places in Europe have cobblestone streets, which are extremely hard to navigate with a wheelchair. You might be able to manage the Disneyland trip, except I'm pretty sure that Walt's Apartment is not accessible. I'm not sure if the Riverboats are accessible or not, but again, the places you visit might not be even if the ship is.

You'd have to manage all of the transfers to and from the wheelchair, getting on and off the motorcoach, etc, as the Adventure Guides and Local Guides/providers are not allowed to help with any of that. I can't think of a single ABD that does not include a motorcoach as part of the transportation.

But I do encourage you to talk to a Vacationista. You can't be the only person with this question, so I'm sure they've looked at the trips with this in mind, and can help you see if it's the kind of thing you and your friend could manage.

Sayhello

 

[SteveMouse]

Any trip in the US would need to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. While not all motorcoaches are accessible, they are available. At least under US law, for a US trip, if the request were made, the motor coach would be made available. Riverboats in the US again have to comply with the ADA. River trips in Europe are notoriously difficult for wheelchair users as the boats often tie up next to each other, requiring guests to traverse one or two boats to get ashore. There are not usually wheelchair accessible ramps.

 

[aggiedog]

Agreed. Riverboats themselves are fairly accessible, but the docks, gangways, and stairs that may be needed to get on and off, or up/over/through another rafted ship next to you definitely are not.

 

[jimmymc]

It varies a lot by trip. The US and Canada trips would probably be the best options for wheelchair accessibility, but those may still have some activities that would be difficult. The European trips are generally not wheelchair friendly.

We had a few people in similar situations on a recent Southern California and Disneyland trip, where they mainly used a wheelchair but could take a few steps if needed. The bus had a wheelchair lift, and they were able to wheel almost anywhere during the tours, even backstage at the theaters and Disney World. The one exception was Walt's apartment, which involves climbing one floor of stairs. I believe one of the people in a chair did this and the other did not.

 

[Eastridge]

Assuming your friend can handle the stairs in the buses, most of the Canadian Rockies trip seems accessible. I would suggest investigating the Banff Gondola ride to see if that can carry a portable wheelchair, or if a wheelchair can get close to the entry/exit points of the float trip. On my trip there was a person who used a cane and was limited in how far he could walk, but he participated in many of the activities.

The Columbia Icefields tour uses special, large vehicles where you must climb around 15 feet of stairs to enter/exit the vehicle, and then walk on the ice field itself. Maybe your friend might have to skip that but he/she could wait at the visitor center.

I don't know if Canada has an equivalent of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

I haven't been on the Alaska ABD trip but that might be another one to consider.

 

[clansac]

I just did the Backstage Disney trip with a wheelchair in the parks only. I have a foot injury and can't walk or stand very long with the CAM book. It was fine- but some of the studio and theatre tours were very long, with lots of steps. I could have found an elevator, but it wouldn't have been easy and would slow the group.

In the parks, it was totally accessible in a wheelchair, even backstage. Walt's apartment has stairs and no ada access, but otherwise I wouldn't have missed anything.

 

[disneycruisedreams]

Thanks for all of the replies. It seems we may have to do some re-thinking.

 

[SteveMouse]

Traveling with wheels (and especially full-sized power wheelchairs) is an experience that often requires some speciali planning and attention to details, factoring in what the individual using the equipment is capable of and the capabilities of the equipment.

I've been a wheels user for about 15 years and have pretty significantly limited mobility in both my legs and arms.

 

[TheHulamuffins]

Are any accessible for someone who is handicapped? Have a friend that can walk short distances with a walker but would need a wheelchair otherwise.

Based on my experience, I can highly recommend the Seine River cruise for someone who can walk short distances but needs a wheelchair otherwise. My daughter and I took this trip in late June, and we both had a wonderful time. I use a cane. I don't normally use a wheelchair, though when I am at Disney World, I use an ECV scooter.

Disney provides wheelchairs, so there is no need to bring one along, (I didn't have one to bring, anyway.). They are not electric, but if someone in the party can push a wheelchair, it should work fine. The ability to climb a few stairs into a bus is important, though the guides or fellow travelers will help out with a hand or arm.

At several of the spots, the travelers were divided into groups. I sort of suspect that the groups were based on walking speed or stamina, but this was done unobtrusively.

I was able to participate in almost all of the excursions. At Les Andelys and the ruins of the Castle of Richard the Lionheart, I took the bus and then walked (not long distances). My daughter walked, and part of the group rode Disney-provided bicycles. To reach Omaha Beach, everyone took the bus. At Omaha Beach, I walked, and I also rode in an actual WW II era truck, while others rode in jeeps. Going out to Pointe du Hoc, where the Rangers scaled the cliffs, I used a wheelchair. At most of the ports along the way back, I was able to walk. A few exceptions included Giverny, where I used a wheelchair in Monet's garden. I did not go into Monet's house, due to the number of steps required. On one of the excursions, I was in a wheelchair, but the sidewalk became too narrow for it at one point, and I did not know what was ahead. So I stayed in the open garden of a famous French detective writer, and just enjoyed examining the grounds, flowers, and statuary. Most of that time I was in a wheelchair, but I walked a little. My daughter went on the kayaking excursion, but I did not.

We went on the Disney Paris Escape immediately after the cruise, and this also worked very well. I used a wheelchair for the tour through Saint Germain des Pres, the Louvre, and the trip to the Eiffel Tower. It is true, it became bumpy when there were cobblestones, but it was fine. The Paris sidewalks almost all have curb cuts when you need to cross the street. One side benefit: Tourists in wheelchairs and one accompanying person are allowed to go up essentially all the way to the Mona Lisa, while others have to remain back.

Overall, I had an absolutely wonderful time! I missed maybe two excursions, but I did not feel left out at all.