ECV/wheelchair access

[treesinger]

Are there any lines that are simply impassable with an ECV? I know most lines stay on ground level but I know some of them have stairways which are, of course, impossible. It's something I never took much note of before since we've always been able to go to DW on foot and now we need two wheelchairs.

jason

 

[SueM in MN]

Welcome, treesinger.
There are some lines that have steps or something else, like narrow spaces, that an ecv or wheelchair can't get thru. Usually, wheelchairs/ecvs are just routed around those. For example, in the line for Splash Mountain, at one point the line goes up some steps. Wheelchair/ecv users are detoured at that point to avoid the steps.
Here is a link to the DIS page about travel with mobility disabilities. It lists the rides/attractions where you can stay in the ecv or wheelchair for the entire ride. There are a few rides where ecv users have to switch to a manual wheelchair to go thru the line. There should be a manual wheelchair waiting there for you to switch to. Those rides are marked on the park map with an icon that shows a person getting out of the ecv and into a wheelchair. Sometimes you will need to transfer to a ride car - those are marked with an icon that shows someone standing by a wheelchair.

 

[SueM in MN]

When I doubled checked the link in my other post, I noticed some mistakes in the "Must switch from ecv to manual wheelchair" part, so I'm just listing them for all the parks.
According to my park maps, at MK the rides where you must do that are:
WDW Railroad
Pirates of Caribbean (and move to ride car)
Small World
Winnie the Pooh
Goofy's Barnstormer (and must transfer to ride car)
Alien Encounter
Space Mountain (transfer to ride car also)

At Epcot, the rides are:
Body Wars (and move to ride car)
the Mexico boat ride
Honey I shrunk the Audience
Living with the Land
the line for Spaceship Earth is not accessible at all, so wheelchair and ecv users wait in line and board at the exit

At the Studio:
Star Tours (and transfer)
Disney Animation
Great Movie Ride
Rock N Roller Coaster

At AK, Kilimanjari Safari is the only one.

We have never been to WDW with a power wheelchair (DD will be using one in March, if everything works out). From what I have read on the boards and in personal emails, a power wheelchair can go on many of the rides that a manual wheelchair can go on. The xceptions I know of are Pirates (where they don't have a way to board wheelchair users at the exit) and Goofy's Barnstormer (where they drive the wheelchair over the track). I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
I also know that people whose manual wheelchair is a more unusual style (ie, Jazzy power chair) have gotten hassled because the CMs don't recognize that it is really a power wheelchair.

 

[lisapooh]

Killamanjo Safari is accessible by ECV but you must transfer to the ride vehicle. Power Chair can go on ride but not ECV.