Is there a party size limit?

[lilaznrat1]

I have plans to go to DLR on Sunday. I am in a wheelchair. I know with a DAS card there's a limit of 5 more guests in your party. Since I don't need a DAS, do I have a limit? I may have 6 more in my party.

 

[peemagg]

To use the alternate areas they will limit you to you and 5 others for a total of 6 people with or without a DAS.

 

[aubriee]

To use the alternate areas they will limit you to you and 5 others for a total of 6 people with or without a DAS.

True, plus for shows if there are several wheelchair parties, they may limit that handicap seating to just the wheelchair guest, plus one more guest. I know this past May I was there with my mom who uses an ECV and my husband. For several of the shows, we were told that only one of us could sit in the handicap row next to my mom, but the other one would have to find other seating, just below us. This happened at Hall of Presidents, Fantasmic, Bugs Life, and Little Mermaid.

 

[KPeveler]

True, plus for shows if there are several wheelchair parties, they may limit that handicap seating to just the wheelchair guest, plus one more guest. I know this past May I was there with my mom who uses an ECV. For several of the shows, we were told that only one of us could sit in the handicap row next to my mom, but the other one would have to find other seating, just below us. This happened at Hall of Presidents, Fantasmic, Bugs Life, and Little Mermaid.

Even though you are talking about WDW and not DLR, the same holds true - for most shows you will be limited as to the number of people who can sit with the person in the wheelchair/ECV, assuming that person does not transfer.

The party limit is 6 (5 plus the person in the wheelchair). Some places as a little more relaxed about this, some are not. Fantasyland in particular is very strict about that number - this is because there can often only be 2 people per ride vehicle, and large parties would delay the ride considerably.

For the few rides which have use the Wheelchair Return Ticket system (8-10 rides in DLR, none in DCA), you will need to have your entire party with you when you go to GET the ticket - you cannot send part of the party nor a runner ahead. My personal opinion of this aside, it is something you need to be aware of.

Be aware that in the Aladdin show, only ONE seat is available for a companion to the person using the wheelchair - the rest of the party will have to find seats nearby or elsewhere in the theatre. Depending on how crowded the theatre is, and which wheelchair seat you go to, there may be room for only one or two people directly next to you in Mickey and the Magical Map. There is also limited space in the Fantasy Faire theatre - only 4 wheelchairs/scooters can be in the theatre and only one spot is reserved next to the wheelchair spot.

In Fantasmic and WOC wheelchair viewing areas, as well as parades (though this is enforced a little less in parades sometimes), only the person with the wheelchair will be allowed along the front. The rest of the party (and they are strict about party size as well, in general), will be asked to stand behind the person with the wheelchair. Sometimes there may be two or even three rows of wheelchairs, and the rest of the party will have to be behind those people using wheelchairs, scooters, or walkers with seats. It is common to see kids sitting on the lap of a person in a wheelchair once they have parked for the show. PLEASE make sure that scooters are turned off and the key removed before allowing a child to sit on a lap during a show. Children will not be allowed to block the view of people in wheelchairs behind you (i.e. I often see kids who sit on the armrests and end up blocking the view of the wheelchair user behind - these children are politely asked to move by CMs). Also, the children will not be allowed to stand up in front of any wheelchairs once the show has started. (I go to Fantasmic a lot, and these are the issues that I see come up frequently).

So a group of up to 5 can go with a person in a wheelchair or scooter, and the entire party that wishes to ride one of the Wheelchair Return Ticket attractions must be present when getting the Return Ticket. (This is technically the rule, though I have sometimes not seen it enforced)

 

[Wendydagny]

Follow up question? If you have a DAS that allows for a party of >6 (in our case it's 8 because we have 6 kids), does this party size trump the standard party size at a wheelchair only entrance? This could be a big issue for us because our immediate family is larger than 6 and they are mostly kids. Also because of my daughter's medical needs, my husband can't split up while he waits in a queue with my other kids.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Follow up question? If you have a DAS that allows for a party of >6 . . .

1) I have not seen a DAS for greater than six people.
2) The DAS is meant for the handicap.
3) Not the entire family - especially big families or extended families.
4) It would not be fair to other guests.

 

[Wendydagny]

Wow that was harsh. And not accurate.

They will give a DAS (and would give a GAC in the past) for more than 6 people if it is a parent and children, and there is an actual reason. My kids are not old enough to wait in long queues or go to the parks alone, and my youngest daughter is on a ventilator for a significant portion of the day and attached to IV fluids and medications through a central line all day long while she tours. This requires that my husband and I stay together for HER safety.

I simply wanted to know if having a DAS for >6 people would allow us all to enter the wheelchair entrance since they are now limiting it. Does anyone else know?

 

[Wendydagny]

For anyone else reading this, I just called disability services to verify information, and was told that in our situation there is no question that we will not be forced to split up and the limit would be increased. They were very nice and reassuring.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . was told that in our situation there is no question that we will not be forced to split up and the limit would be increased . . .

1) That is good.
2) I will pass it along.
3) Our internal literature says "limit 6".

 

[WheeledTraveler]

1) That is good.
2) I will pass it along.
3) Our internal literature says "limit 6".

IIRC your information is based on working/volunteering at GKTW. While that information is accurate, it doesn't take into account the flexibility Disney can have when needed. When it comes to WDW and DL given passes, there has always been the ability for CMs to make allowances, especially when dealing with families with many children and only 2 adults. The new DAS card can be issued up to 10 people (if there are more than 4 people in the party at DLR/DCA, 6 at WDW, they require the entire party to be there when the card is issued). My guess is that there are similar things happening now with wheelchair return cards and alternate accessible entrances. Either way, there have always been allowances made to deal with families where the limit would cause safety issues with young children waiting alone/without enough supervision. This was also true when the GAC was a strict 6 person party limit.

I suspect that there are actually families who are on Wish Trips who get some leniency on numbers when they're actually in the parks that is not then reported back to GKTW. Some of it is Wish Trip pixie dust and some of it is just practicality.