ECV and 6 other people for ride queues?

[darkpixie08]

I have read that in lines (depending on the ride), if you have an ECV you and 5 other members will be directed to the wheelchair accessible entrance. However We will have 7 people in our party, not 6. Will most cast members allow the extra person to stay with the party, or will we more often than not be split into two groups?

I understand that we would be bending the rules slightly, and some cast members may feel the need to keep to the letter of the law, or perhaps certain accessible entrances can't really accommodate larger groups, and that's fine. I understand that they are just doing their jobs. I'm just really hoping to keep everyone together for the most part. After all, the whole reason we are planning this vacation is to spend time with family we don't get to see very often.

 

[SueM in MN]

Check the disABILITIES FAQs thread, which is located near the top of this board or you can follow the link in my signature.

Most attractions don't have a separate wheelchair entrance because the line is accessible and you will be waiting in the regular line with the rest of your party. These are called Mainstream Lines.
Animal Kingdom and The Studio were built with mostly Mainstream Lines. Magic Kingdom and Epcot had Mainstream access added to attractions as much as possible.
Post 11 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread lists the 'Mobility Access' for different attractions. All attractions are wheelchair accessible to the point of boarding.
Some are not ECV accessible, but for those, the attraction will have a wheelchair to transfer to (it is possible you may have to wait if someone is using it). Those attractions are also listed in post 11 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
The disABILITIES FAQs thread also has some specific ride information for guests using ECVs, including information about the step down into ride cars.

For some attractions, like Soarin' , you will all be able to wait in line and board together.
For some, you will wait together until almost at the boarding area, where there will be a pull off to a different boarding area for the guest with an ECV/wheelchair and 5 others ( usually only 5 others). Examples of this are Haunted Mansion and Imagination. For those, you would not be in the same ride car anyway, so separating at boarding will not make any difference.

For others, like Toy Story Mania, you will be able to wait in line until the point of a set of stairs, then you will need to separate into 2 groups, with the ECV group no larger than 6.
When they ask you to split into smaller groups, it is usually because the accessible ride car will not hold a group bigger than 6 ( for those with a wheelchair accessible car) or because the accessible waiting/boarding area is small. For shows, there is usually one companion seat right next to the wheelchair/ECV spot and the rest of your family will be directed to seats nearby or told they can sit anywhere in the theater.

So, be prepared to split into smaller groups, including a group of 2 if asked.