Disney In a Wheelchair

[Rachel Polkowska]

so I have extremely weak knees, and I'm going to have to have a highly invasive surgery which basically means no walking and especially not long periods of time. So it's looking like I might be like that during our trip. I think I'll be able to transfer into the rides with some help but I'll feel bad if I hold it up even just a little. Has anyone ever been to the parks with something like this?

 

[rwdavis2]

Don't worry about briefly holding things up. Most folks understand. But be aware, just in case, I don't believe CMs are allowed to help you move between the wheel chair and the ride.

 

[lanejudy]

LOTS of people visit WDW every year in wheelchairs. You'll want to make sure you have a wheelchair accessible room booked at your resort, otherwise you may have to deal with more transfers and walking.

As for within the parks, as mentioned, many many people visit WDW in wheelchairs. The vast majority of queues are accessible with your wheelchair, or at least part-way at which point you may be re-directed to avoid stairs or something. You can ask to have most moving walkways slowed; the exceptions are Peter Pan (they may slow it but will not stop it) and the People Mover (which requires guests to be ambulatory due to a moving walkway up a ramp and then at boarding). There is lots of information on the disABILITIES FAQs thread on the disABILITIES Forum, and lots of posters there willing to answer questions.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Octoberbaby]

Disney is wonderful with people in a wheelchair, and most guests are understanding about waiting for people in a wheelchair to board the rides and buses. My daughter, who was wheelchair bound from a brain tumor, went to Disney with us many times. It was her happy place. Most people didn't mind waiting.

 

[minnie mum]

Here's the link to the disABILITIES forum:

http://www.disboards.com/forums/disabilities.20/

Be sure to read the FAQ sticky there at the top of the main page.

 

[j2thomason]

Be sure to get your DAS card!! Even though Disney's own website says that you don't need one if you are in a wheelchair, we were denied access to several atractions a few weeks ago with my 88yo mom in her wheelchair. So get the card anyway!! Here is a link about the DAS card:
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/disney-parks-disability-access-service-card-fact-sheet/

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Forget the wheelchair and rent a scooter!

 

[minnie mum]

Be sure to get your DAS card!! Even though Disney's own website says that you don't need one if you are in a wheelchair, we were denied access to several atractions a few weeks ago with my 88yo mom in her wheelchair. So get the card anyway!! Here is a link about the DAS card:
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/disney-parks-disability-access-service-card-fact-sheet/

I don't know why your DM was denied access to attractions ( I've used a wheelchair at WDW for many trips, and only recall 4 attractions I couldn't physically access from my chair: The SFR Treehouse, Tom Sawyer Island, The People Mover, and Peter Pan. The DAS would not have helped in any of these cases. All that a DAS does is avoid prolonged time in a standby line.

If the only problem that the OP has is related to mobility, then she will not be given a DAS.

 

[deidre74]

We've done both...scooter and manual wheelchair and while someone has to be the unfortunate one to push the manual chair it was actually easier as the manual wheelchair could get into almost every line where on some rides the person in the scooter would have to transfer from the scooter to a manual wheelchair and then get in line.

 

[Hopefully]

Forget the wheelchair and rent a scooter!

Driving a Scooter is not for everyone.
I have had to use one our last 2 trips. I can unequivocally state it is exhausting. You need to totally focus on your surroundings and the rude folks who will dart in front of you, cut you off, stop dead in front of you, threaten to knock you over (Yup really happened to me).
My time in WS at Epcot was a totally different experience. I could not take in my surroundings because I was totally concentrating on where I was going.
I am so grateful I experienced WDW pre scooter. I too am grateful I can still go with the scooter or I wouldn't be able to go at all.
But driving a scooter is not an easy task.

 

[Rachel Polkowska]

Thank you everyone for the kind words and information! I feel a lot more secure in event that I'm in a chair

 

[Lynne M]

I'm going to move this to the disABILITIES board.

 

[SueM in MN]

I don't know why your DM was denied access to attractions ( I've used a wheelchair at WDW for many trips, and only recall 4 attractions I couldn't physically access from my chair: The SFR Treehouse, Tom Sawyer Island, The People Mover, and Peter Pan. The DAS would not have helped in any of these cases. All that a DAS does is avoid prolonged time in a standby line.

If the only problem that the OP has is related to mobility, then she will not be given a DAS.

Agree with this.
My daughter uses a wheelchair full time and can't walk or stand.
There are no attractions where a DAS is needed to use a wheelchair. If the needs are mobility related and met by using a mobility device in line, DAS will generally not be given. CMs can see the guest needs to use the accessible boarding area if it's not the usual boarding area.

I can think of 3 attractions where it would be easy to misunderstand....
Small World has a separate wheelchair boarding area. Guests with Fastpass usually are sent directly to that boarding area. Guests who have a wheelchair and also DAS because of additional needs are usually given a time to return to that area unless the Standby wait time is very short. The regular line is accessible to the point of the last turn before starting down the ramp. Guests who have a mobility device and not DAS will either be asked yo wait in line or given a time to return (same as DAS).
Guests who go directly to the boarding area are usually asked if they have DAS, so I can see why it might appear DAS was required.

Peter Pan has a similar situation. The Standby and Fastpass lines are accessible to the point of about 10 feet from boarding (so guests need to be ambulatory to get on). The handicapped entrance used to be at the exit, so I have seen guests come there to board and get turned away.

Jungle Cruise also has a separate accessible boarding area and guests with wheelchairs or other mobility devices don't wait in the regular line. Guests using Fastpass will be able to enter that area right away. Guests with mobility devices who don't have Fastpass will be given a return time,whether or they have DAS.

We've done both...scooter and manual wheelchair and while someone has to be the unfortunate one to push the manual chair it was actually easier as the manual wheelchair could get into almost every line where on some rides the person in the scooter would have to transfer from the scooter to a manual wheelchair and then get in line.

Agree.
All the attractions are wheelchair to the point of boarding except for the couple of attractions where guests need to be ambulatory in order to get on.
If transferring is difficult, a wheelchair will be easier and less transfers.