Looking for travel w/disabilities info

[Juliah]

I mentioned in another thread that our family, including two DDs who use power chairs, is planning a trip west. I'm having a hard time finding info on the accessibility of the places we want to see and hotels along the way. Is there a forum out there like Disboards only about travel for people with disabilties to places besides WDW? Or any web sites anyone could recommend? Trip reports? Hotel reviews?

Thanks!

 

[tacomaranch]

I don't have a solid answer but what about fordors, tripadvisor, etc. I think they have feedback areas. I know if you look up say "best western" it will show in the review if they have accessible rooms.

I wish I could help out more. Good luck!

 

[Juliah]

Thanks! I will try those sites. What I have been finding so far is very hit or miss--a little info here and a little there. I wish there was one great site like the Dis with lots of info in one place. Maybe someone needs to start one.

 

[mechurchlady]

Here are a few sites that might help.

http://www.access-able.com/
This is one of the best sites I have come accross thought some info is general they have lots of links and enough info to get your started.

http://www.access-able.com/dBase/details.cfm?id=181
This is their typical report on a hotel.

http://www.globaldialysis.com/
Travel site for persons with Dialysis

http://www.disabledtravelers.com/

 

[lovedcookie]

This site isn't specifically for travel (its just a general resource/community page) but I've found a lot of useful travel info for people with disabilities just by searching around. . . http://www.disaboom.com
Hope this helps.
Erica

 

[Juliah]

Mechurchlady, thanks, there's some great stuff in those links. I especially like the hotel reviews. Very helpful.

That looks like a great site, lovedcookie. I've never seen that one. I'm definitely adding that to my favorites. Thanks!

 

[mechurchlady]

If you have questions about southern California I would gladly try to answer them. I do not travel much any more but do have some fond memories of some great places like SeaWorld.

I got a room with Days Inn in Escondido and said that mom was in a wheelchair. There was two types of disabled rooms. One with a tub and one with a roll in shower. They moved us into a roll in shower which was easier for me as well as her.

The disabled bathroom was fine but basically they took from the bedroom to enlarge the bathroom/ I had to push furniture out of her way. It was very cramped and we had to share a bed. I wish someone had told me so we would not have been wedge into that room.

I am glad to have helped.

 

[Juliah]

We run into problems with space in hotel rooms a lot. It's very common, as you said, to steal space out of the bedroom to enlarge the bathroom. Often, that means there's only room left for one bed, which obviously doesn't work for a family of four. Worse yet, a lot of reservationists don't even realize there aren't two beds in the rooms and book us into them (no matter how many times I ask them, "Are you sure there are two beds?") Then it's a disaster when we get there and there's isn't any wheelchair accessible room that accommodates us. Hotels built after the ADA went into effect are supposed to have two beds in at least some of their accessible rooms under the principle of offering rooms to people with disabilities that are equivalent to those offered to the non-disabled. Doesn't always happen, but I do think things are getting a little better (Justice Dept. brought suite against some hotels a few years ago on this point); I try to look for hotels that are as new as possible, since I think designers are finally getting it.

I would love to hear more about S. California! We are planning to go to San Diego and Anaheim and may go up the coast a ways--Santa Barbara or maybe even as far as Monterey and over to Yosemite--depending on time and money. In San Diego, we are thinking about Old Town, Sea World, the zoo, and a beach. I've heard some of the beaches have beach wheelchairs that can be borrowed. Do you have thoughts on any of these attractions or any others that would be good to visit? In Anaheim, we plan to go to Disneyland (of course!) and my starry-eyed DD would like to go to Hollywood. I thought about Joshua Tree park, but can't tell if it's accessible enough to be worth visiting.

 

[mechurchlady]

Long shopping list, lol. Give me some time to get in a wide awake mode and I already posted in the sticky about the Wild Animal park.

I can tell you about SeaWorld right now. Parking is close and all roads and paths are easy on chairs and ECVs. Call ahead if you have diet problems as once I decorated the bushes after a major reaction. It was my fault for not asking and assuming. The people who work there were nice and helpful that time.

Atlantis is a fun ride and it has a seperate entance and you can drive right up to the boats with an ECV. Did I mention the helpful and friendly staff? Atlantis had plenty of room for this fat lady.

The artic ride has a nonmoving version or you can ride the simulator. I done both and it is not the same really but still fun. MOM you are staying here or getting on the elevator. They have elevators inside the exhibit but mom freaked out because there was a bridge that you can see through. Very nice exhibits and a bit on the cool side so bring a sweater if your internal regulator is not working. Some bumps but I had no problem in an ECV or pushing the wheelchair.

Shamu stadium has an elevator hidden it seems but in the middle, never mind on me explaining. You can try going up the hill. Disable seating is along the main walkway and high enough to see well without getting wet.

The raft ride was fun and I love to ride it. They have a ramp you go down and like other parks they pull it to the side so you can get in easier and at your leisure.

The Skyride uses the rear entrance and is like the buckets at Disney parks.

The Skytower allows one wheelchair per level and there are two. Assistance dogs are allowed to ride but they will be alone in their own level. I got that from http://www.seaworld.com/sandiego/default.aspx so not sure why.

http://www.seaworld.com/SitePage.aspx?PageID=89 is their guide for the disabled.

They have a free assitance dog kit and the above guide covers everything. ASL is on Saturdays or with advance notice for groups. I love this park and have done it pushing a chair and in an ECV. They have helpful staff, companion bathrooms, and all sorts of services.
--------------------------

Old Town San Diego is at http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=663
It is two streets and about two blocks wide. Some things may not be accessible and it is older but still worth seeing. They are working to make is more accesible and you can call them to arrange for accessible tours.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7H0IeJn7hc
That video's first half shows Old Town. I was there a couple years ago and it was pretty much easy to walk around but does have brick paths in some places. I cannot remember the restaurant's name but the food was good.

 

[Juliah]

Wow--great info! That's all so helpful. Once I get DD off to school, I'm going to check all the links.

Thanks!

 

[mechurchlady]

As for disabled access at beaches it varies and I have not gone to the beach in years.

http://www.sandiego.gov/lifeguards/beaches/mb.shtml
Mission Beach has a first come beach wheelchair.

http://www.accessandiego.org/vvvvv
This is a good source on San Diego accessibility.

I was hoping to go to Santa Barbara or San Diego for my 50th birthday but doubt it. Next vacation I will report everything.

 

[Juliah]

I have printed out the Mission Beach site for my trip binder, and I am having lots of fun looking through the San Diego site. I wish there was something like that for every city.

Thanks again!

 

[Michigan]

There are only 3 states that my girls haven't been to and the only problem with traveling west has been that most of the hotels are 2 story and are not required to have an elevator so you will need to make advance reservations if you are driving because you will find the only thing left will be the second floor.

 

[Juliah]

Thanks for the tip, Michigan. We've had enough disasters over the years with lack of accessibility at hotels that we will probably make reservations for most, if not all of our trip.

Any places that were especially wheelchair friendly that your girls enjoyed in the West? Any particular hotels you would recommend?

 

[mechurchlady]

Most hotels and motels have elevators or the rooms are on the ground floor. In those states where the laws are not that strict it just takes good research and a network of local people to help you.

Judith skip the Qual Gardens as it is a bit too much for anyone who is not active and a good hill walker. Pretty though but me gong down a steep incline barefoot and with bad knees and joints is not fun. I did have a lot of fun but in some spots it was very hard to get up the hills or keep from losing mother on a steep hill.

Next let me find Joshua Tree and the Desert as they are state or federal parks so they should have ADA stuff. The rest stop in San Diego is ADA and ok for rest stops but not like the pretty ones in Illinois.

I went to Calico Ghost Town which was lots of fun but it can be a bit of a grade for some people. get that Eddy Rabbit song out of my mind, steep grade up ahead... They have worked to make it accessible but it can be hot or at times breezy and chilly. It is the desert. The train ride allows a wheelchair to roll up and transfer. Give me time to get my mind clear on more details as it has been 3 years and I was not thinking disabled just "Dear Lord let my brakes hold tight on this hill" as that is my main problem there.

 

[Michigan]

Thanks for the tip, Michigan. We've had enough disasters over the years with lack of accessibility at hotels that we will probably make reservations for most, if not all of our trip.

Any places that were especially wheelchair friendly that your girls enjoyed in the West? Any particular hotels you would recommend?

It depends where you are going from and to.

 

[Juliah]

It depends where you are going from and to.

Sorry, I meant to post the states.

New Mexico -- I-40 (including a stay in Santa Fe or Albuquerque)
Arizona -- Grand Canyon (South Rim) and points between there and San Diego (through Phoenix?)
California -- San Diego, Anaheim, some of the coast, and Yosemite
Nevada -- I-15
Utah -- I-15, I-70
Colorado -- I-70 or Hwy 40

Obviously, this is still very rough; I'm hoping to shape our route as I find out what parks/locales/activities are the most accessible.

Thanks, Michigan!

 

[Juliah]

mechurchlady,

Thanks for the tip on Qual Gardens. It looks very pretty, but I believe I'll hold out for something without such steep hills. I was thinking we might spend a couple of days in Santa Barbara, and I saw that they have a botanic garden. Perhaps it's a little more chair friendly than Qual.

Joshua Tree looks so cool. I checked their web site, and it said that the nature trails at Bajada, Cap Rock, and the Oasis of Mara are wheelchair accessible, but it didn't give any details, like whether they're paved or what you can see from those trails.

Thanks again for helping me plan!

 

[Juliah]

Oops, I take that back. I found more about what you can see from those particular trails on the Nature Hikes page.

 

[mechurchlady]

http://www.arboretum.org/
That is the Los Angeles County Arboretum. Nice place but I do not remember much.

http://www.descansogardens.org/site/
Descanso Gardens is my favourite garden site.

It is handicapped accessible and lots on nice docents to help guests with information. There are old buildings and you can call to find out the disabled details. They have a train on weekends and a beautiful rose garden. We saw a tea house. There are some outlying areas that can be steep but old waddlebutt here made the trip ok. There is also a tram tour. There is a lilac garden, cafe, book store, forests, California landscaping and on the right is the rose garden.

Joshua Tree is a large area of land and has 3 disabled accessible visitor centers. I have been there once about 3 years ago. You can drive the roads and there are trails for hiking.

http://www.desertusa.com/jtree/jtmain.html
As you can see the three centers are all accessible.