Are there any TS restaurants where one can be dropped off at the door?

[arminnie]

I love the accessibility of WDW - but my DH and I often find it easier to eat off site. Note: - We drive so we always have a car. I also have a lift in our van so transporting my ECV is not a problem.

But TBH I prefer just taking my rollator into a restaurant as I find it much easier to navigate the room to get to a table. The rollator that I have also can easily be folded in the middle to be narrower to get through narrow openings. Much, much easier to wind my way through a crowded restaurant to get to a table.

To date I find that I need to use my ECV to just get to the entrance of WDW restaurants. If we go offsite my DH can usually either park close to a restaurant's entrance or can drop me off at the door. I can walk with my rollator for maybe 30 yards - but much more than that just wipes me out and I have to stop for rests.

 

[ttintagel]

Some - maybe most? Somebody correct me if I've got it wrong - table service restaurants don't have the space to safely accommodate an ECV inside their dining room. As long as you can make it in with your rollover. A maître d', hostess, or other restaurant cast member can tell you where near the door to leave your ECV, just in case there aren't others there to make it obvious.

 

[SteveMouse]

I’ve taken an ECV in multiple restaurants on property, but only when using a small ECV and being very careful.


The only restaurants I can think of that are about 100 feet from the front door are those in the Polynesian.

Edited to add: I thought of a few more: Citricos in the Grand Floridian is probably a bit over 100 feet. Flying Fish @ the Boardwalk is probably 200 feet (make two right turns when entering the lobby to get to the elevator; take the elevator down a level.) Cape May is probably about the same distance.

 

[limabeanmom2003]

Whispering Canyon at wilderness lodge is very close to the front doors of the resort and the driveway.

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

I think many of the resort restaurants. We love the Wave at the CR - also in the lobby.

 

[tobikaye]

I can only think of two TS that I think had drops basically right at the restaurant entrance.

Olivia’s
Turf Club

Whispering Canyon is close if you can lift your rollator up the stairs. I think the ramp is a bit of a route, but I could be mixing it up with a different restaurant.

It really depends on what is considered too far as there are a few in lobbies, but some are on the far side of a lobby.

 

[SueM in MN]

I can only think of two TS that I think had drops basically right at the restaurant entrance.

Olivia’s
Turf Club

Whispering Canyon is close if you can lift your rollator up the stairs. I think the ramp is a bit of a route, but I could be mixing it up with a different restaurant.

It really depends on what is considered too far as there are a few in lobbies, but some are on the far side of a lobby.

Whispering Canyon has a pretty long ramp if you can’t do stairs.

For most of the resort restaurants, you would need to first go thru the lobby. You would be able to find someplace to park the ECV in the lobby, if not in the restaurant, and then use the rollator inside.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Relatively close to the door: Olivia's.

If you can operate the ECV with one hand, you can lock the rollator in the closed position and pull it alongside or behind you (or you drive the ECV to the restaurant entrance and your husband takes the rollator.)

 

[cmwade77]

Honestly, we have never had an issue taking an ECV inside a restaurant as long as we noted we needed an accessible table on our reservation.

All restaurants should be able to handle an ECV or wheelchair. Now at some locations it may be best to transfer for space reasons, but there should always be a path of travel that is at minimum 60 inches wide (can be 36 inches, IF there are passing cutouts every 200 feet) and any turn around should have a clear turning diameter of at least 60 inches (that is a 60 inch diameter circle that is clear). If it is less than that, then it is in violation of ADA. Now they don't have to provide that throughout the entire restaurant, but they do have to provide it to where they are going to seat you and from there to the restrooms, as well as from the entrance to the restrooms. Accessible paths would also be required for any unique features of a restaurant that they could reasonably expect you might want to get to, say a stage or character meet and greet for example.

Alternatively, if they can't handle an ECV for some reason (i.e. it was built before the current ADA laws and hasn't had a major remodel since), I would think you could ask for a wheelchair to take you to your table.

 

[mamabunny]

I book an accessible table, I drive the ECV to the table, and if needed, it is removed from the dining area for the duration of the meal and returned when I am ready to leave. Sometimes a family member will move it, other times a CM will. I really haven't had any problems at any TS at WDW!