Caring for Giants - Accessible Vehicle

[DisneyWishes14]

I was wondering if anyone has done the Caring for Giants tour in an accessible vehicle? We booked the tour for tomorrow and one in our party cannot transfer from his wheelchair. I've called the special phone line to request the accessible vehicle multiple times and no one has called me back. I am going to try again tomorrow, but, we are already prepared to show up and be told the vehicle isn't available. It's quite frustrating, but I'm not really sure what else to do at this point. I spoke with a CM today on the tour phone line and she has placed a note on our reservation to refund 3 guests should we show up and the vehicle is not available. I'm just wondering if anyone else has done this tour in an accessible vehicle and has had this kind of trouble getting a call back regarding the vehicle? Thank you for any info you may have.

 

[RaySharpton]

I didn't know what caring for giants was about until I saw the article in the Johanna Beaven link below.

https://www.wdwinfo.com/walt-disney-world/animal-kingdom/review-caring-for-giants-tour/

I was wondering if anyone has done the Caring for Giants tour in an accessible vehicle? We booked the tour for tomorrow and one in our party cannot transfer from his wheelchair. I've called the special phone line to request the accessible vehicle multiple times and no one has called me back. I am going to try again tomorrow, but, we are already prepared to show up and be told the vehicle isn't available. It's quite frustrating, but I'm not really sure what else to do at this point. I spoke with a CM today on the tour phone line and she has placed a note on our reservation to refund 3 guests should we show up and the vehicle is not available. I'm just wondering if anyone else has done this tour in an accessible vehicle and has had this kind of trouble getting a call back regarding the vehicle? Thank you for any info you may have.

I have never been on this particular tour, but for $30.00 per person, it sounds really nice.

Johanna Beaven says,

Lasting 60 minutes and at $30 per person, it is one of the cheaper tours that Disney runs. Currently, the experience is offered at numerous times throughout the day — 9:30 am, 10:00 am, 10:30 am, 11:00 am, 12:30 pm, 1:00 pm, 1:30 pm, 3:00 pm, 3:30 pm and 4:00 pm — so you have plenty of choices to fit it around your plans for the day. It’s also worth noting that you have to be at least 4 years old to participate.

One of the giants.

I don't have an answer for you about the Minnie Mouse Handicap van availability since I have never used one and it seems you have called and you have done everything that I would have thought to do. Maybe someone else here will have an answer for you.

In the article Johanna Beaven says,

We got into a minivan that was waiting to take us to the elephant viewing location, and another cast member took over. While driving, she interacted with us by giving facts about our surroundings and the elephants; we even had a little quiz about the Animal Kingdom, which was fun.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I did the tour in September and I use an ECV. They didn’t give me the option of remaining in my ECV, just told me I could use the ECV to about 200 feet from the van and then need to walk, then walk up the ramp at elephants. When we returned, someone did bring my ECV to the van. I’d really be interested to know if an accessible van is an option. It wasn’t 2 months ago

 

[BillSears]

Simba's Mom, it looks like the tour is wheelchair accessible but not ECV accessible. You'd have to transfer to a wheelchair.

 

[arminnie]

I did the tour in September and I use an ECV. They didn’t give me the option of remaining in my ECV, just told me I could use the ECV to about 200 feet from the van and then need to walk, then walk up the ramp at elephants. When we returned, someone did bring my ECV to the van. I’d really be interested to know if an accessible van is an option. It wasn’t 2 months ago

Part of the reason that I upgraded from my practically new ECV (a year old) to a power chair is that most people assume that someone using an ECV can walk some. I am grateful that I can stand for a few seconds while holding on to something to turn around for a transfer, but I cannot walk at all.

 

[BillSears]

I was wondering if anyone has done the Caring for Giants tour in an accessible vehicle? We booked the tour for tomorrow and one in our party cannot transfer from his wheelchair. I've called the special phone line to request the accessible vehicle multiple times and no one has called me back. I am going to try again tomorrow, but, we are already prepared to show up and be told the vehicle isn't available. It's quite frustrating, but I'm not really sure what else to do at this point. I spoke with a CM today on the tour phone line and she has placed a note on our reservation to refund 3 guests should we show up and the vehicle is not available. I'm just wondering if anyone else has done this tour in an accessible vehicle and has had this kind of trouble getting a call back regarding the vehicle? Thank you for any info you may have.

So how did it turn out? Was it wheelchair accessible? Did you like it? I'm thinking about doing this in March and would love your opinion.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Thank you all for your responses! I'm so sorry it took so long to respond - it's been quite busy here in WDW!! Everything worked out! At 8:00 am on the morning of our tour, a CM from Caring for Giants called and told me the accessible vehicle would be ready and waiting for our group and it was! Everyone enjoyed it. I was so happy they got back to me before the tour and were able to accommodate us on such short notice. This has been a great trip! The cast members have been incredibly helpful!

 

[BillSears]

Thanks for the review! I just booked a tour for 11/29. I was surprised that anything was available. I told the CM on the phone that I required the wheelchair accessible vehicle and that I would be using a wheelchair during the tour. She indicated it on the reservation so hopefully that's all I need.

 

[BillSears]

I decided to play it safe and also call the special number for requesting a lift equipped vehicle and telling them I'd be remaining in my own wheelchair throughout the tour. I had to leave a message but I did get a call back within the hour and they said everything was set up for my needs.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I decided to play it safe and also call the special number for requesting a lift equipped vehicle and telling them I'd be remaining in my own wheelchair throughout the tour. I had to leave a message but I did get a call back within the hour and they said everything was set up for my needs.

Oh good, I'm glad you called the special services number! I read your first post from today and was about to suggest calling when I saw that you did! That was the number I called as well and got a fairly quick response. I'm wondering how popular this tour is. When I called on Nov. 17 to book a tour for the next day, I had my pick of times for a party of 6. I really hope they continue these smaller, more unique tours. The child in our party absolutely loves elephants and this was one of the highlights of her trip. I really love the WDW has so many unique offerings for people with varied interests!

 

[BillSears]

Yea, it amazed me that I was able to book for next week. But I think they had plenty of open space. At the price it seems like it would be really popular once it becomes well known.