Haunted Mansion and wheelchair transfer

[tinkandpan]

I have always thought that HM was a nonstopping transfer, but i see on another thread that they are willing to stop the ride if you cannot walk. My dad will be coming down with us this next trip and i think he would really love the HM. Especially with the new interactive cues- esp since waiting outside for us all is not too much fun!

So- first off, with the new que, if he decides he does not want to ride the ride due to the transfer, can he come through the que with us and then leave while we ride? Is there a separate exit? Would that be before or after the stretching room now?

He can not walk and will be doing a transfer, how easy or hard is the transfer into the dune buggy? Is there a certain amount of time they will allow the ride to stop (ie Spaceship earth doesn't give a whole lot of time so that's a very quick transfer)

 

[SueM in MN]

For most attraction with moving walkways, they will slow the moving walkway, but not stop it unless you specifically request it to be stopped. Exceptions are Peter Pan and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (Peoplemover) which can only be stopped for emergency.
The assumption is that guests will be proactive about their needs and since most guests don't need a full stop, it works out fine. The CM controlling the walkway/boarding are also watching and for Spaceship Earth specifically, we have had them slow it to a crawl or even stop it when they see we need more time. This is one of the reasons they have guests with special needs board at the exit for attractions with moving walkways. The CM has more control and there is more space, which translates into more time to board.
Also, at Spaceship Earth, make sure they know he needs the ADA car ( or transfer car). It has a wider opening, which can make a transfer easier. We park DD's wheelchair right on the moving walkway next to the car to shorten the distance she needs to be moved ( she is not able to walk or transfer herself).

We do ask for a full stop at Haunted Mansion and have not had any problem with this. From what we have been told, they can only do a full stop on one particular car- which is the ADA car. Like Spaceship Earth, that car has a wider opening, which can make a transfer easier. I can't post a link to a picture in this thread right now, but there is a picture in the post about Epcot in page 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
We park DD's wheelchair right on the moving walkway for transfer and have never had a problem with time. If your dad is able to make the transfer to Spaceship Earth, he will find this very similar.
Spaceship Earth is a transfer to the left. HM is a transfer to the right, if that makes a difference to him.

The accessible entrance from the Stretching Room to the exit for boarding is described in the thread I started about Haunted Mansion a few weeks ago. Your family would use that entrance, so whoever wants to ride with him would stay in the Stretching room for further instructions as the other guests are leaving to board thru the usual way. Let the CM directing you know if he needs to watch boarding for a while to see if he can do it. They have places they can position your family so he can watch while he waits for the ADA car to arrive.
If he decides he can't make the transfer, he would let the CM know and be directed to the exit. He could just park in the exit courtyard and wait for you.
The rest of your family would board at the exit as if he was with you.

 

[tinkandpan]

Thank you for your detailed help. It's been many years since he has done the transfer at spaceship earth- they didn't stop it and i think it was before the ADA car (years back) so he hasn't done it in awhile (it left him a little gun shy) but i know he would be williing to take a look at HM and see if he can handle it.
Thank you

 

[SueM in MN]

I'm typing on my iPod touch, so it's kind of hard to review things, but I meant to add that we have had a full stop at Haunted Mansion for at least the last 5 years with no problem each time we ride it. It's probably more like 10 years, but I can say for sure it's at least 5.

At Spaceship Earth, we do usually ask for a full stop, but they often don't do it. They are watching carefully though and do stop it if needed.