Avoiding stairs...

[Wazzo]

Hello everyone!

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for all the great information provided in this forum. It has been a fantastic resource!

My Mom and I are headed to WDW soon, and we are looking forward to celebrating! My Mom is a recent cancer survivor, and is still recovering from her surgery. She had an entire lung removed due to cancer (even though she's a non-smoker!), and is slowly building back her stamina.

I am thinking we may want to rent a wheelchair for her on some days so that she will not have to worry about endurance. She will definitely be able to stand and walk in lines, but I was wondering what happens in queues with stairs. I remember, for example, that if the line is very long at Splash Mountain, that there is a portion where you have to climb up stairs. She will have trouble with this. Is there a way to avoid stairs? Should I speak to the CM before entering rides?

Any advice would be much appreciated! TIA!!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

If you go to Guest Relations in the first park you go to and explain there is a need to avoid stairs. You will be gven a GAC which will allow you to use the wheelchair entrance for those attractions where you have to avoid stairs.

I think the only attactions with stairs in the queue are Splash Mountain, Toy Story, Big Thunder Mountain and Tomorrowland Speedway. The first two have a cutoff to bypass the stairs partway through the queue while the latter two you will have to go in the exit (which is marked as the accessible entrance). There may be others, but usually they will be four or fewer steps; the four I mention have large flights of stairs.

 

[Chuck S]

Almost all queues at MK, including Splash Mountain have a bypass for the stairs. At Splash, you will enter the normal queue, and be pulled out of line before you enter the building where the stairs are, to enter via the exit. Simply ask the CM that is normally stationed at the beginning of the ride queues if it is possible to avoid the stairs, and what the procedure may be.

Most attractions at the other parks have no stairs. The Land pavilion will be an exception, but there are bypasses there as well.

 

[Wazzo]

Thank you very much! I appreciate your help.

 

[SueM in MN]

Also, keep in mind that some of the lines have a very far distance to walk from the time you enter the queue until you board, even if there are no steps.

The Land has a elevator to get from the building entrance door to the lower floor where the attractions are. You don't need a GAC to use the elevator; just look for it on the left side down the ramp.

American Adventure at Epcot has stairs to get up to the theater from the ground floor where you wait for the attraction to start. There are escalators along with the stairs. Anyone can choose the stairs or escalators. There is also an elevator used for guests using wheelchairs/ECVs; you would need a GAC to use the elevator if you don't have a wheelchair/ECV.

 

[Wazzo]

Thank you SueM. Perhaps we will consider talking to Guest Services about a GAC too.

I am assuming that we do not need a doctor's note (or anything) to rent a wheelchair. Is this correct?

TIA!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

That is correct. Anyone can rent a wheelchair or ECV.

 

[SueM in MN]

I'm not sure if you saw the GAC (Guest Assistance Card) information in the disABILITIES FAQs thread, but post #6 of that thread is all about GACs.

Also, if you check post #3 of that thread, there are some links that might be helpful - there is specifically one about boarding rides for people who need extra time to board.
Also, if you have not looked at it, the EPCOT FAQs thread is not completed yet, but there are some pictures ans descriptions that should help you.