Fantasmic seating question

[pat fan]

My mom will be using a WC (standard) but I would like to sit in the middle, not the front row (too wet) or the back row (too far away). Is there somewhere safe to put her WC while the show is going on? I think if she's used the chair all day she would be able to use the stairs for that one event.I know it says there is a place to leave strollers, but can we put her chair there? And would someone take it?

Thanks.

 

[tacomaranch]

I am not an expert but we take in our stroller with DS as a wheelchair. They park it up on the top and have the very back rows for SN people. She could transfer but would be in the last rows. We go in and then find a place to sit.

Good luck and I am sure more people could help with this question.

 

[cquick]

I am not an expert but we take in our stroller with DS as a wheelchair. They park it up on the top and have the very back rows for SN people. She could transfer but would be in the last rows. We go in and then find a place to sit.

Good luck and I am sure more people could help with this question.

Yes, that's what I would do. We have done this at many other shows withour son who has cerebral palsy, and not just at Disney either. He can't see very well, so many times we get front row seats, but not handicapped seats, so we park the wheelchair near an exit in case he has some problems during the show.
Hope this helps.

 

[pat fan]

I am not an expert but we take in our stroller with DS as a wheelchair. They park it up on the top and have the very back rows for SN people. She could transfer but would be in the last rows. We go in and then find a place to sit.

It's early, so that's probably it, but I don't understand what it is you do. Leave the WC/Stroller near an exit and just sit where you want? I don't mind this, but I just worry someone would take the WC (not very Disney-ish, I know, but...). Or did you mean something else?

Sorry to be obtuse, but like I said, it is a tad early

 

[Talking Hands]

Personally I would not leave a wheelchair parked away from me unless it is locked against theft. I have had Disney rentals taken and have been unable to get a replacement in the past. Now I have my own PWC and no way it is being placed somewhere away from me. Maybe I am overly cautious but it ain't happening.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

If you decided to park the wheelchair, you could put a bike lock through one of the back wheels to make sure no one could take it (don't lock it to anything though, in case it needs to be moved). I'm sure a CM would stop anyone trying to wheel off a chair with one wheel locked, and I would think the majority of Disney wheelchair thefts would be accidental (people thinking it was their chair).

I don't know how your mother is on her feet, but if she's at all wobbly, I wouldn't be happy about her tackling those stairs; they are made of concrete and really long. I've always found the view from the wheelchair seating at the back to be great, you're far enough back that you can see everything at once, but not so far away as to make things hard to see.

I seem to remember that the stroller parking is quite a way from the seats, back near the beginning of the queue. From the way you're talking, I guess this would be too great a distance for your mother to walk happily.

Hope this helps!

 

[MN Dis Fans]

Excellent question - I'm glad you asked this!

 

[pat fan]

Personally I would not leave a wheelchair parked away from me unless it is locked against theft.

That's really how I fel too. we will be renting one from an off-site place, and I don't want to have someone take it .

If we were able to get the front row handicap seating, would we be able to sit together? Or at least some of us in the row right behind her? There will be 11 of us, but really only 7 that I care are together. My DS says that the back row is too far away, I'm just nervous about getting my parents soaked sitting in the front row. Anyone sat there? Also, is the handicap seating on the left, middle or right? Or all of the front row? Thanks.

 

[Michigan]

That's really how I fel too. we will be renting one from an off-site place, and I don't want to have someone take it .

If we were able to get the front row handicap seating, would we be able to sit together? Or at least some of us in the row right behind her? There will be 11 of us, but really only 7 that I care are together. My DS says that the back row is too far away, I'm just nervous about getting my parents soaked sitting in the front row. Anyone sat there? Also, is the handicap seating on the left, middle or right? Or all of the front row? Thanks.

There is no front row wheelchair seating. It's the row behind the back row in the middle and on the right.

 

[Talking Hands]

Yes there is a small area of wheelchair seating in the front row unless they have done away with it. We've been seated there several times before hearing became and issue and I had to resort to reflective captioning.

 

[SueM in MN]

Yes there is a small area of wheelchair seating in the front row unless they have done away with it. We've been seated there several times before hearing became and issue and I had to resort to reflective captioning.

We sat there once and as far as I know it is still there. There are only a few spots, so unless you get there first someone else will get those seats.
You are very likely to get wet in those front row seats because the movies are projected onto screens made of water mist.
The night we were there with DD in her wheelchair, it was a pretty calm night (no wind) and we just got a light misting. One time when DH and I sat in the front row without having DD along, it was pretty windy and we got quite wet from the wind blowing the mist at us. There are CMs selling large beach towels in the front 1/4 of the amphitheater. We could not figure out why until we sat there.

The theater is much wider than it is deep, so the back row is not as far away from the stage as you might think. As other mentioned, the wheelchair seating in the back row allows you to see an overview of the whole show. We noticed when we sat up in front that we only really saw what was in front of us.

It is a long distance from the stroller parking area to the seating area, so I would not suggest doing that unless she can walk well for a distance of at least 1/2 block or so. Also, as you come in, the CMs direct people to sit in specific areas. If they are seating in the far left middle section when you come in, that's where you will be directed. If she is at all unsteady on her feet, keep in mind that there will be a slowly moving crowd being directed to the same area you are being directed too. If she comes in with the wheelchair, the CMs will direct her to the handicapped rows. If she doesn't want to sit right in the back row, the 2 rows in front of that row are also handicapped and we have seen people drive to the area with a wheelchair or ECV, get out and walk down a few rows, then the CM parks the wheelchair/ECV.

Another thing you could do (which we have done with large groups) is have a few people sit with the person using the wheelchair and the rest get seats where they want (a wheelchair party is usually considered to be a total of 5 plus the person using the wheelchair). Since you already know the wheelchair seating is in the back row, it's pretty easy to 'hook up' with people after the show.