Handicap Parking Locations at the Theme Parks

[StitchInCT]

Hello,

This is be my family's first trip to Disney World where we do not stay on property and will be using a rental car to park in the parking lots. My mother requires a wheelchair because she cannot walk long periods at a time. So we will be using the handicap accessible parking areas at each of the 4 parks. I have read online that each park's handicap parking is very close to the entrance. Does anyone have an actual location, using landmarks for how close to the entrance it is at each of the parks? In other words, where do we end up after leaving the parking lot in each park.
Also, where and when do I pay for parking, will there will be a booth (do they accept credit cards?) that will direct us towards the handicap parking location within the lot? Is there an extra fee for handicap or is it the base $20 fee?
I just want to be prepared for our trip.

Thank you so very much for any information (and advice) you can provide for my family and I.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Hello. Welcome. I am in a wheelchair. Each park has a different distance for disabled parking. DHS is the closest if you get there early. Magic Kingdom you park at the TTC and then ride the monorail or boat. AK in my view can be the most distant. But get there early to score a near space. EPCOT same as MK. All are much nearer compared to other parking but the rows can be long. When you get there you pay at a booth. I don't know if they take Credit cards I would have thought so. You then are directed by cast members that stand and point where to park. You also follow a blue line. Hth.

 

[serenitynow]

You still need a valid disabled parking (blue) placard or a handicapped license plate to park in Disney disabled parking areas. As soon as you pay the $20.00 parking fee by cash or credit card, the CM will see your handicapped placard hanging from the rear view mirror and will direct you where to go. Basically, yes, follow the blue line, slow down as you approach parking lot CMs directing traffic, they will look for your blue placard and direct you through. Have a great vacation!

 

[StitchInCT]

Hello. Welcome. I am in a wheelchair. Each park has a different distance for disabled parking. DHS is the closest if you get there early. Magic Kingdom you park at the TTC and then ride the monorail or boat. AK in my view can be the most distant. But get there early to score a near space. EPCOT same as MK. All are much nearer compared to other parking but the rows can be long. When you get there you pay at a booth. I don't know if they take Credit cards I would have thought so. You then are directed by cast members that stand and point where to park. You also follow a blue line. Hth.

Thank you so much for your assistance! So your best advice is get there early, would my best bet to be there when the park opens, a little before, or are we talking more like an hour before? We are visiting Dec 5 - 14, certainly not a real busy time but we would like to make sure we have a spot in close proximity. Also, when we arrive at the Magic Kingdom, will they direct us to the TTC or should we just go straight there?

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

We are DVC owners and go to the parks a lot. So we aren't rope droppers. I would say no need to be there like super early just as park has opened. Not before. We went at that time and it was fine in December but try and park in the afternoon or evening no way! So we did mornings in the parks then if we wanted a break got the bus back to our resort. I know you are staying of world though.

Just drive to the gates and pay your car park then you are directed to TTC.

Most of all have fun! Disney is so good in my view to me as a disabled person. We tried Universal holy moly did not work for me. Seaworld were very good though.

 

[SueM in MN]

Don't just follow the blue line - if the handicapped area of the lot is full or has been temporarily moved, just following the blue line could lead you to a dead end.
As you drive in, make sure each CM that you come to has seen the handicapped parking hangtag.

Some of the handicapped parking areas are large and will still require quite a walk in - specifically Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom. If you are not there early, the far areas of Epcot's parking area can be quite a walk. The Studio has the smallest lot and it is often full when we get there.

If she can step into the parking lot trams, she will actually have a shorter walk by parking in the regular lot and using the parking lot trams.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Thank you so much for your assistance! So your best advice is get there early, would my best bet to be there when the park opens, a little before, or are we talking more like an hour before? We are visiting Dec 5 - 14, certainly not a real busy time but we would like to make sure we have a spot in close proximity. Also, when we arrive at the Magic Kingdom, will they direct us to the TTC or should we just go straight there?

all parking for MK uses the TTC and a there is a slight uphill ramp to get to from parking area to either the monorail or ferry. if you also have small children in the group there is cars passing you as you walk on the walkway from the lot. there is no tram for handicapped parking. will you be offsite renting wheelchair or bringing your own? park rentals are not allowed outside the gates so you would not be able to send someone to rent and bring to you in parking lot. you will need your hangtag for the rental car. at MK only buses are allowed to stop at gates they say there is away to drop off near monorail and ferry then have someone park the car but I am not sure how that would work to pick up and end of day. at MK I would allow at least an hour for getting from lot to gate with wheelchair

 

[joelkfla]

park rentals are not allowed outside the gates so you would not be able to send someone to rent and bring to you in parking lot.

Courtesy chairs may be available for use between the corner of handicapped parking & the wc rental location at each park, especially in the a.m. They used to be replenished thru out the day, but apparently that was dropped in the budget cuts.

At TTC, I believe manual chairs can be rented at Mickey's Gift Station and brought along on the monorail or ferryboat to the MK.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

I made a mistake about EPCOT it has its own parking area my wife reminds me...it's just MK for the TTC...

 

[SueM in MN]

This is the handicapped parking information from the disABILITIES FAQs thread....
The handicapped parking areas and some of the bus areas have courtesy shuttle wheelchairs that can be used to get from that area to the wheelchair/ECV rental area in the park. There is no guarantee any will be available.

Handicapped Parking for the WDW parks/resorts

• 
  Handicapped Parking Permits
• If you don't have a Handicapped Parking Permit, check the Department of Transportation or Motor Vehicles website in your state. Many states have the form available online. You would still need to print it and have your doctor complete it, but you may qualify for a temporary permit.
• If you have a Handicapped Parking Permit, bring it with to park in Handicapped parking at resorts and parks.
• All states have reciprocity with Florida; a valid Handicapped Parking Permit from one state is recognized as valid by Florida.
• For travelers from the UK, this is a link to information about use of Blue Badges in Florida

• Handicapped parking lots/Medical Parking
• To use handicapped parking lots at the parks, have your parking permit visible and show it to each CM (Cast Member) you come to.
• All of the parks have handicapped parking available. WDW calls these lots "Medical parking". This is the closest parking area to the park entrance, but may still mean a fairly long walk.
• The spots that are the closest to the entrance are marked with handicapped signs or with blue paint. Only guests with a valid government issued Handicapped Parking Permit may park in these spots. The County police do patrol and you can be ticketed if you park in one of those spots without a valid handicapped parking permit.
• Some of the handicapped parking spots are labeled "Van Accessible" or have a wide cross-hatched spot next to them so that a lift or ramp can be put down from the van. If you don't need this feature, please don't park in those spots, if possible. Someone with a ramp or lift van is not able to use a regular handicapped parking spot.
• Some spots in the Medical parking lots are not marked and can be used by people without a Handicapped Parking Permit. CMs also save some spots at the front of the regular parking areas for people with wheelchairs or ECVs who don't have parking permits. Explain your needs to each CM that you come to and they will direct you.
• Handicapped parking lots are very large and if you are on the end of a row or the back row, you will have a fairly long walk to the park entry. If you don't have a wheelchair or ECV with you, there are some courtesy wheelchairs available in the handicapped lots. There is no guarantee there will be one available when you get there though.
• If you are concerned about walking distance, you would actually have a shorter walking distance by parking in the regular lot and using the parking lot trams. There are no trams serving the Medical Parking. To use the tram, you need to be able able to step up to get in.
• Sometimes, especially at Epcot, the regular handicapped area is full or they have moved Handicapped Parking temporarily, so it is best to go where the CMs direct you, rather than just following the pavement markings that you followed before.
• The Studio has a small parking lot, which often fills up quickly. The buses stop in the same area, so walking distance at the Studio would be about the same whether parking in the handicapped parking area or using the buses.

• Parking lot trams
• The regular parking lots are served by parking lot trams; the handicapped parking lots are not.
• Parking lot trams are not wheelchair or ECV accessible (folding wheelchair or special needs stroller can be folded and held on the tram, if you are able).
• If you don't have a wheelchair or ECV with you, Disney actually recommends parking in the regular lot and using the parking trams if you are able to step up onto the tram and ride it. Trams drop guests off as close as possible to the park turnstiles.
  Parking lot CMs save spots on the end of the row closest to the tram stops for people with mobility disabilities.

• Specific Information about MK
• When going to MK from a WDW resort, the bus is usually the best way to get there.
  If you are staying at a WDW resort, you will have the least walking by taking the bus when going to MK. The MK bus drops you off at the park, close to the entry turnstiles.
  If you park at MK, you will need to get from the parking area to the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC). From there, you either take a boat or a monorail. The boat is a longer walk, but is more level. Using the monorail at TTC and MK involves going up a long steep ramp to get to the monorail boarding area at the TTC and down one at MK.

• Drop off points and TAXI service for Parks
  Ask about front drop off points at the payment booth when you enter the parking area.
  As you drive in, tell CMs you see that you want to drop someone off and they will direct you to the correct place.
  Magic Kingdom All guests not using WDW buses or resort monorails will end up at the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC). Taxis drop off and pick up in the drop off lot at the TTC.
  
  Epcot - taxis drop off and pickup in the bus loop 1-8
  
  Studios - taxis drop off and pickup in the parking lot opposite from the charter lot
  
  Animal Kingdom - taxis drop off and pickup at the HC / charter lot.

• Resorts
• Handicapped parking lots are patrolled by County police and they will ticket cars not displaying a valid handicapped parking permit if you are parked in a marked handicapped spot. The actual handicapped spots have a sign or are marked with blue paint.
• Some of the handicapped parking spots are labeled "Van Accessible" or have a wide cross-hatched spot next to them so that a lift or ramp can be put down from the van. If you don't need this feature, please don't park in those spots, if possible. Someone with a ramp or lift van is not able to use a regular handicapped parking spot.
• Valet parking at the deluxe and DVC resorts is free for people with Handicapped Parking permits, although tips are appreciated.
  This is not really a 'perk', it is so that the resort doesn't have to have as much handicapped parking right near the door.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Courtesy chairs may be available for use between the corner of handicapped parking & the wc rental location at each park, especially in the a.m. They used to be replenished thru out the day, but apparently that was dropped in the budget cuts.

At TTC, I believe manual chairs can be rented at Mickey's Gift Station and brought along on the monorail or ferryboat to the MK.

we have never been lucky enough to find a Courtesy chair available at MK and that has always been in the morning. we did see a couple in the evening as we returned to car.

 

[suzzzze]

I've seen people using the Courtesy chairs in the parks instead of renting them.

 

[SueM in MN]

I've seen people using the Courtesy chairs in the parks instead of renting them.

I have too - or one of the wheelchairs from an attraction that are meant for guests to use temporarily at that attraction. If you see someone all over the park with a wheelchair labeled "Pirates of the Caribbean" , chances are they borrowed it at Pirates to use in line and just kept it.

 

[Bete]

If you leave for a rest and want to come back later for fireworks or whatever there should be empty spots in the handicap parking, here and there. There will be a spot here and a spot there. You may have to go up down several parking lanes to find a vacant spot. These spots are available from those who have left for the day and not returning. We have had good luck doing this. Your parking fee is good for as many returns you would like to do.

You can also get your mom to the closest handicap parking lane and drop her off there and whoever else and then go park you car wherever in the handicap parking. That saves a few steps. Then catch up to your party and then go to the park.

Also, you can use the first aid stations for a rest. Your mom can have a cot to take a nap. Then, in a few hours go back and have her join up again. It would be nice if someone stayed with her. Now, if there are others with serious medical needs I would never take up the space for a nap, but if empty it should be okay.