Are the children's pirate cruises accessible?

[IncredibleboysMom]

Thought my 6 and 8 year old DS's would like this. The younger one uses a wheelchair, can walk short distances with crutches. I was specifically looking at the one at POR if it matters.

Thanks!

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

Your best bet would be call Disney directly on that one, possibly even try and call POR and ask if you can talk to someone at the boat dock about it.

 

[disneyobessed]

I tried doing with with my son who had the time needed to be in a wheelchair/assited walking.. I called stating I wanted to book this for him and my husband would need to be with him for assistance and they wouldnt allow it.. This was back in 2006. Hopefully things have changed.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

They do not allow adults on the children's pirate cruises. Even for a disabled child.

 

[Michigan]

I have 2 daughters with spina bifida that are full time wheelchair users and both have done the pirates cruise at Grand Floridian. The oldest one is now 22 and she was 10 when she did it. They carried her on and lifted her chair onto the boat. My 14 year old did it when she was 10 and it rained the day she was suppose to go so they had an indoor pirate adventure in the hotel.

 

[twinmum]

Ours is also not a recent report...but our son (who has cerebral palsy and uses a walker generally but a wheelchair in the parks) went on the pirate cruise when he was 8. I also asked whether one parent could accompany, but was told no parents. At the time, DH and I were too nervous to really enjoy that hour or so of freedom (how long is it?) but our son and his twin certainly had fun!

Please ask about the plan for the cruise and whether they ever get off the boat...I seem to remember a time when they go exploring on an island? Our son stayed on the boat, but the CMs did a good job of giving him an important role so he felt included.

 

[SueM in MN]

According to the official WDW website, the Pirates and Pals Fireworks cruise that leaves Contemporary is accessible.
There have also been posters in the last few years who have reported going on it with their wheelchairs.

The information on the WDW website is not specific, for the other Pirate cruises but the picture and information on the wdwinfo.com website (parent site of the DIS Boards) show that they use pontoon boats.

We have not been on a Pirate Cruise, but have rented pontoon boats from POR and OKW. The doorway was large enough to get DD’s wheelchair onto the boat, with a little room to spare. DD’s manual wheelchair is 6 inches wide at the widest point.
They do have ramps at the POR dock to get wheelchairs and ECVs onto the boats that go from the resort to Downtown Disney. So, if they could not get his wheelchair onto the boat, they should be at least able to have him park his wheelchair and put a ramp up for him to walk on the boat with his crutches.
I don’t know if they use the same boats for all the Pirates Cruises, so it may be different boats at the different resorts.
allearsnet.com has pictures of the cruise from POR, which shows a pontoon boat and says the boat stopped at PO French Quarter, OKW, SSR and then back to POR.
We have been to all of those docks and they all have ramps. I am not sure whether or not they would have your son stay on the boat for those stops, but as other posters have written, when their children stayed on the boat, they still had a good time.

You should be able to get the information you need from the reservation number at 407-WDW-PLAY (407-939-7529).