Disability access to all rides?

[BrookieCookie]

Would I have trouble using a wheelchair and having access to all rides? In particular I'm thinking about Big Thunder Mountain. I've never seen a handicap entrance. There's no way my wheelchair could navigate that regular line!

 

[Michigan]

Wheelchair entrance for Thunder Mountain is at the exit. There is also a car that has a slide in transfer seat.

 

[Schmeck]

Would I have trouble using a wheelchair and having access to all rides? In particular I'm thinking about Big Thunder Mountain. I've never seen a handicap entrance. There's no way my wheelchair could navigate that regular line!

You need to check with the CM at the entrance of each queue to see what the policy is for that specific frame of time. Luckily, most queues at WDW are ADA accessible for wheelchairs. The few that aren't usually have 2-3 possible scenarios for access which vary according to how many guests are asking for access at a specific time.

 

[fairydust1278]

I was wondering the same thing since my mom will be on an ecv. I would hate for her to have to miss out on a lot of the rides due to her disability.

 

[pbrim]

I use an ECV at WDW. If she can walk a few feet from ECV to ride car, she should be able to ride just about everything. There are few (most notably PotC and ToT) where she will need to transfer to a wheel chair and get pushed through the ride line. As far as I can remember, the Tree House and Tom Sawyer Island are the only ones that require you to be ambulatory.

If she can't walk at all, some of the rides may be more problematic, but she should be able to ride most.

 

[fairydust1278]

She can walk as long as it is not a very long distance. She will also have her portable concentrator with her as well. Will it be an issue using it on rides?

 

[Bete]

She can walk as long as it is not a very long distance. She will also have her portable concentrator with her as well. Will it be an issue using it on rides?

I think there will be an issue on some rides with the portable concentrator. I don't think there is a list available about it, but others will hopefully chime in and give some info.

 

[pbrim]

She should be able to ride the ECV or wheel chair pretty much right up to the ride car. Whether the O2 concentrator is a problem will depend on how well it can be secured and whether it can handle getting wet.

Rides like PotC and IaSW are basically just gentle boat rides, so there should be no problem. (PoTC has a small drop, she'll need to hang on to it for that, but no big deal.) Rides like BTMRR have a net pouch in front of you to stow things in which should restrain it OK, if it's not too large/heavy and that's not too far a reach. Splash Mountain also has a net, but if it can't get wet that could be an issue. On thrill rides such as EE or RnR it would need to be secured pretty well and may not be permitted. I think there is an official ride guide in one of the stickies that talks about what is and isn't allowed on each ride. You will probably want to talk to the CM at the front of each ride to check before getting in line.

She may not be able to ride some of the more extreme rides with a concentrator, but WDW is geared to offer something to everyone, so there should be plenty of rides and shows she can enjoy.

 

[fairydust1278]

BTMRR is one she wants to ride. We wont be doing any water rides like splash or kali river and she doesnt like rollercoasters so no issues there. Thanks for the quick responses. This will be our first visit and i want to make sure she has as much as fun as the rest of us.

 

[SueM in MN]

I just have a few minutes, but wanted to point out some places to check out.

Near the top of this board, there is a thread called the disABILITIES FAQs thread ( you can also follow the link in my signature to get there).
Post one of that thread is an index that tells what information you will find in which post. Here are some I want to point out that should be helpful to you:

Post 11: Basic accessibility lists for each park. Includes Mobility Access entrances from WDW Disabilities park maps, attractions requiring a transfer from wheelchair or ECV.
All attractions except Swiss Familiy Robinson Treehouse, Tomorrowland Transit Authority (Peoplemover) and Tom Sawyer's Island are wheelchair accessible to the point of boarding. Peter Pan is listed as "must be ambulatory", but can be ridden by someone who can walk a short distance.

Some attractions do not have lines that are ECV accessible, but will have a wheelchair that you can transfer to on request.

Post 18: MK attractions and ECVs. Lists which have a difficult step on and which have a wheelchair car
Post 19: Epcot attractions and ECVs. Lists which have a difficult step on and which have a wheelchair car
Post 20: Disney Hollywood Studios and ECVs. Lists which may be difficult to board and which have a wheelchair car
Post 21: Animal Kingdom and ECVs. Lists which may be difficult to board and which have a wheelchair car
Post 22: Attractions where guests must stand unless they have mobility device

For those that involve sending, you would want to consider bringing the wheelchair/ECV into the attraction with you, even if you are parking it for other attractions.

Post 30: Travel to WDW with oxygen
There is no official WDW list of attractions where oxygen is/is not allowed, but this list was made from information from people ho traveled to WDW with oxygen.

 

[fairydust1278]

I just have a few minutes, but wanted to point out some places to check out.

Near the top of this board, there is a thread called the disABILITIES FAQs thread ( you can also follow the link in my signature to get there).
Post one of that thread is an index that tells what information you will find in which post. Here are some I want to point out that should be helpful to you:

Post 11: Basic accessibility lists for each park. Includes Mobility Access entrances from WDW Disabilities park maps, attractions requiring a transfer from wheelchair or ECV.
All attractions except Swiss Familiy Robinson Treehouse, Tomorrowland Transit Authority (Peoplemover) and Tom Sawyer's Island are wheelchair accessible to the point of boarding. Peter Pan is listed as "must be ambulatory", but can be ridden by someone who can walk a short distance.

Some attractions do not have lines that are ECV accessible, but will have a wheelchair that you can transfer to on request.

Post 18: MK attractions and ECVs. Lists which have a difficult step on and which have a wheelchair car
Post 19: Epcot attractions and ECVs. Lists which have a difficult step on and which have a wheelchair car
Post 20: Disney Hollywood Studios and ECVs. Lists which may be difficult to board and which have a wheelchair car
Post 21: Animal Kingdom and ECVs. Lists which may be difficult to board and which have a wheelchair car
Post 22: Attractions where guests must stand unless they have mobility device

For those that involve sending, you would want to consider bringing the wheelchair/ECV into the attraction with you, even if you are parking it for other attractions.

Post 30: Travel to WDW with oxygen
There is no official WDW list of attractions where oxygen is/is not allowed, but this list was made from information from people ho traveled to WDW with oxygen.

Thank you so much. I will make sure to go and check out all the information you have given me.

 

[Schmeck]

BTMRR is one she wants to ride. We wont be doing any water rides like splash or kali river and she doesnt like rollercoasters so no issues there. Thanks for the quick responses. This will be our first visit and i want to make sure she has as much as fun as the rest of us.

If she doesn't like roller coasters, does she know BTMRR is a roller coaster?

 

[fairydust1278]

She likes some. We have watched ride videos on youtube and she is ok with btmrr but ee, sm or rnr are a no go, lol.

 

[bidnow5]

My wife didn't do roller coasters she used to watch us then one day we convinced her to try it she loved it so much she tried all the coasters now the coasters are her favorites

 

[ttintagel]

My sister and I have both been in wheelchairs and have ridden everything we wanted to.

 

[pbrim]

If she doesn't like roller coasters, does she know BTMRR is a roller coaster?

BTMRR is in different from most coasters. Lots of fast curves and some small drops, but not the big drops and loops of the more extreme coasters. A lot of people can handle BTMRR that wouldn't think of getting on RnR or EE.

 

[Schmeck]

BTMRR is in different from most coasters. Lots of fast curves and some small drops, but not the big drops and loops of the more extreme coasters. A lot of people can handle BTMRR that wouldn't think of getting on RnR or EE.

But the OP stated that the mom does not like roller coasters in the previous post, then clarified. Some people think BTMRR is the train that goes around the park, and I wanted to make sure that the OP's mom knew that it wasn't.

 

[fairydust1278]

She has ridden similar rides back when her health was good and btmrr is similar to a ride here at six flags over texas called the runaway mine train so she is fine with riding btmrr. Even when we watched he video she said the same thing.

 

[old lady]

The real problem I do believe is people giving you bad looks that you cut ahead of them because you are disable and getting mad that you stopped the line. I wish they had rides where you could ride with your wheelchair even though it might impossible to have such thing with a double looped barrel rolling coaster.