Hello....again

[LisaBi]

Hi everyone - I used to be on DISboards, and particularly the disABILITIES forum quite a bit, but haven't been here much for a few years. Life's been nuts - I went back to school leaving no free time. We haven't been to WDW since Sept. 2009. But we are planning a trip for this coming September. I can't wait. DS has been begging nearly daily for the past year "I hope we go Disney soon." Life just wouldn't allow it. And now my older son has left to join the Air Force, and Connor is really missing him. So I think a trip will be a good diversion.

I finally have some free time, so I'll be reading these boards until my eyes are bleary.

As little about us - My son is 18, has Down Syndrome, and WDW is his favorite place on earth next to Camp Barnabas in Missouri (he is there now). I started taking him to WDW, just the two of us, as much as I could back in 2004. He just has such a great time - its a place he can enjoy, and it gives him an opportunity to do the same things any other kid does.

We always use a WC in the parks. While he can be quite energetic, his stamina doesn't last long. I'm a little concerned for this upcoming trip -he's gained a lot of weight in the last two years - I hope I can push! He couldn't handle a scooter or electric chair. Oh my - he'd be running over way too many people. We've used a GAC in the past, but on the last trip, we did pretty good without one - I think the only meltdown was on Aladdin, so we ended up skipping it. I'll have to see how this trip goes to decide if I need to get one.

Like I said, I'll be reading thru these forums, but if anyone has any info on things that have changed in the last two years (disability related or not) I'd appreciate the info.

Thanks, and looking forward to getting to "know" everyone.

Lisa

 

[SueM in MN]

Welcome back!

A couple of changes in the past 2 years that you and your son may enjoy:

- Interactive elements were added to the Haunted Mansion line. These are all accessible from a wheelchair.

- Guests with wheelchairs and ECVs can now go into the Stretching Room at the Haunted Mansion (if your son doesn't like it, he can still skip it. Just let the CMs know what you need).

- Winnie the Pooh's ride also now has interactive elements in the line. Again, all accessible to guests in wheelchairs.

- Star Tours movie got a major update at the Studio.

- Toy Story Mania opened at the Studio ( not sure if this was open when you were last to WDW or not). It is an interactive 3D game where guests shoot at targets.

So, anyway, things have changed and I hope you and your son will enjoy.

 

[LisaBi]

Thanks for the welcome back Sue.

The Haunted Mansion changes probably won't matter - for some reason he refuses to go on that. It seems that the last time, I tried parking the chair and going thru the normal queue (it was very short that day) and stretching room, and he wanted nothing to do with it. I think the stretching room freaks him out, so I may actually try to do it this time but skip that. I know he would like the ride if he would go on it.

He loves Star Tours, so that should be good. Of course, that never had a line, and I bet it does now. TSM had just opened last time we were there, and he loved it. I'm hoping the lines have shortened a bit. Last time they were very long, and the WC line was even longer.

I'm not sure about the interactive stuff in some of the lines - that could actually be bad. He LOVES video games - he can spend hours "playing" games that aren't even activated in an arcade. I thinking we could potentially end up spending hours in a line because he would want to stay at an interactive station a long time. I avoid the Innovations pavillions at Epcot because of all the video games. He would spend all day "playing" them.

I would like to talk to someone privately about Space Mountain WC and GAC procedures. That is the one ride that gives us fits. He loves it - I think he would ride repeatedly all day if he could. But out of all the attractions, that one seems to have the most variability in terms of how they handle WC and/or GAC. Unfortunately, he is such a creature of habit that the changes really mess with him. He has an expectation that is something is a certain way once, it will ALWAYS be that way.