Fast pass for wheelchair user when "pusher" not going on the ride

[DISNEY1975]

First off Kuddos to your Mom for wanting to ride the rides

Second, now I just may be an odd duck, but I would have zero problems assisting someone, even a stranger, in a line or getting in/out of a ride, if they needed help. Maybe you could ask someone in line to assist her so you dont have to use a FP.

 

[DisneyFanPatrick]

Thank you for the thoughts everybody! I agree with the "kudos to mom" because there are a lot of rides that she doesn't even want to consider, but she did well with things like Star Tours and Mission Space and her favorite ride was Soarin' on her first trip. Since our AK day is going to be the 7th of our trip, we are hopeful that a 60+7 day fast pass would be possible!

I think I am going to try and just book them for both of us to guarantee her an easy time into the ride, and also try out the test seat. If I don't end up going on it, there are lots of other options, and something like Everest that she doesn't want to go on has single rider which I have used with lots of success in the past so she won't be waiting around for too long. I just don't want to rely on a CM or another guest because sometimes people can be in their own world on vacation, or the ride could be understaffed for a number of reasons - while that would likely not be the case, she is really excited about it so I want to make sure she has a pleasant experience.

And thank you for sharing that video as well!

 

[SueM in MN]

Just so people are aware - the official policy is that CMs don’t push guests’ wheelchairs in line.
If a CM does do it, it’s major pixie dust and not expected assistance for the attraction.
There are a few attractions where the CM pushes a wheelchair from the boarding area a few feet onto the ride car. That is the extent of what is expected of CMs.

 

[ttintagel]

I only know that if you can't go through the queu, a CM will most likely offer to push your Mom. Whenever I've been solo, and had a FP+, a CM would offer to push me at the attractions requiring transfer to a wheelchair (like Pooh and Pirates).

I've also had cast members tell me they're not allowed to push a guest in a wheelchair, so I wouldn't go in counting on that as your only option without having a backup plan.

(I've heard of this happening more than once: one cast member will tell one guest they're not allowed to do something, but another cast member is happy to do it for another guest. My best guess about why it happens is that they're not *required* to do things like that if they're not comfortable with it, and are allowed to tell the guests that they're not allowed to do it to avoid arguments or upset guests.)

I think that whatever accommodation you end up getting at the attraction, whether it be a cast member pushing her wheelchair or some way to let you into the queue with her without using up your existing Fastpass, it will be pixie dust at the discretion of the individual cast member. But you never know until you ask!

 

[Simba's Mom]

I've also had cast members tell me they're not allowed to push a guest in a wheelchair, so I wouldn't go in counting on that as your only option without having a backup plan.

(I've heard of this happening more than once: one cast member will tell one guest they're not allowed to do something, but another cast member is happy to do it for another guest. My best guess about why it happens is that they're not *required* to do things like that if they're not comfortable with it, and are allowed to tell the guests that they're not allowed to do it to avoid arguments or upset guests.)

I think that whatever accommodation you end up getting at the attraction, whether it be a cast member pushing her wheelchair or some way to let you into the queue with her without using up your existing Fastpass, it will be pixie dust at the discretion of the individual cast member. But you never know until you ask!

Sorry, I was only going by what the CMs told me they'd do. I had no way of knowing it was against policy. Again, sorry!

 

[gap2368]

Sorry, I was only going by what the CMs told me they'd do. I had no way of knowing it was against policy. Again, sorry!

At some ride it is not ageist policy I know for sure at space they will push you if you are alone.

I know I have said this a number of time but I have used a wheelchair a few times at Disney ( I want to say 4). The first time I went to space the CM asked if I would like someone to push me. I was like I thought you could not she said at space they have to offer since the incline is so steep ( something like that ) any ways when the CM was pushing me ( he was a cordnator) and got a radio call for something and said I am doing a code ( forgot the code). I asked him what the code was and he said pushing a wheelchair guest. I was like so you do this a lot he said yes we Prefer To push people that do not have anyone to push them. My next visit I saw when he was talking about when I was stopped at the bottom of the first down hill the person be hind me let go of her friend wheelchair and the one in the wheelchair hit the cut out bare with her face ( not a good site)

The next time I needed a wheelchair the person pushing me said into his Walkie-talkie I am doing a code — I was like yep I know that code we them talked about a few different codes they used at space and when he brought me back up to the gift shop he thanked me for waiting ( the CM insisted thst I had someone push me) I told him it was no problem that I was there just a few weeks ago when someone went out of control down the hill and hit the railing. He was there thst night and said since them they were stricter on self pushing wheelchair ( this was a few years ago and do not know if they are still this strict )

The other time a CM offered to push me was at the exit for TT. I wish I said yes as I almost lost control but did not.

 

[Tallis]

In Disney terms, I am pooh-sized and I think I will have issues with getting the back to latch. I don't have a problem with any of the over head harnesses or the lap bars, but from what I have seen, I think that the restraints will be an issue. Assuming we are able to get them, I may try out the test seat out front and be pleasantly surprised, but I didn't want to waste one if not able to ride.

Don't even worry about wasting an FP, just go ahead and reserve it. Once, one of my son's calves were to big and they gave everyone in our party 3 anytime/any ride FPs to compensate for it. In every account I've ever read, if a person doesn't fit, their entire party has gotten at least 2 free FPs. If anyone has any different experience, feel free to share.

Also, about a year after FoP opened, I "think" they may have adjusted the restraints in some way. My son, who was previously unable to ride, has rode many times since then and he has not gotten any smaller.

 

[SueM in MN]

At some ride it is not ageist policy I know for sure at space they will push you if you are alone.

I know I have said this a number of time but I have used a wheelchair a few times at Disney ( I want to say 4). The first time I went to space the CM asked if I would like someone to push me. I was like I thought you could not she said at space they have to offer since the incline is so steep ( something like that ) any ways when the CM was pushing me ( he was a cordnator) and got a radio call for something and said I am doing a code ( forgot the code). I asked him what the code was and he said pushing a wheelchair guest. I was like so you do this a lot he said yes we Prefer To push people that do not have anyone to push them. My next visit I saw when he was talking about when I was stopped at the bottom of the first down hill the person be hind me let go of her friend wheelchair and the one in the wheelchair hit the cut out bare with her face ( not a good site)

The next time I needed a wheelchair the person pushing me said into his Walkie-talkie I am doing a code — I was like yep I know that code we them talked about a few different codes they used at space and when he brought me back up to the gift shop he thanked me for waiting ( the CM insisted thst I had someone push me) I told him it was no problem that I was there just a few weeks ago when someone went out of control down the hill and hit the railing. He was there thst night and said since them they were stricter on self pushing wheelchair ( this was a few years ago and do not know if they are still this strict )

The other time a CM offered to push me was at the exit for TT. I wish I said yes as I almost lost control but did not.

I would not count on that being provided.

I had actually written to someone I know in disability services when this was posted before. The answer I got was that CMs were not in a position to be able to push guest’s wheelchairs in queues.
They can push wheelchairs for short distances or in manouvering into wheelchair accessible wheelchairs or wheelchair spots in theaters.

So, whether there is a CM free and able to do it is strictly pixie dust. The code you heard may have been a general ‘I’m busy with a guest situation’ but not a specific code for wheelchair pushing since that is not expected job duty.

 

[SueM in MN]

Sorry, I was only going by what the CMs told me they'd do. I had no way of knowing it was against policy. Again, sorry!

No problem - that was your experience and it doesn’t hurt to ask.
We just want to make sure people know it may not happen.

 

[ttintagel]

Sorry, I was only going by what the CMs told me they'd do. I had no way of knowing it was against policy. Again, sorry!

I don't think it IS against policy. I think that's just something CM's can say if they don't want to/aren't able to do it.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I don't think it IS against policy. I think that's just something CM's can say if they don't want to/aren't able to do it.

I don't now that it isn't against policy. Ths Unifficial Guide has always indicated that CMs can't physically assist guests.