Only 7 1/2 lines are not accessible?

[kaytieeldr]

Annam25 - couple of observations that may make your next visit even a little more fun

First, at Fantasmic! if you arrive early enough and ask, you may be able to sit up front - I've never tried but I understand there IS some wheelchair seating up close... although you may get 'misted' during the show. There's also up-front wheelchair seating for Beauty and the Beast - but the ramp zig-zags a lot, and it's possible, especially leaving, that you'll be sharing it with Guests on foot. Oh, and there's some space for wheelchairs (two, I think) in the front row at Carousel of Progress, and there MAY be a spot or two up front at American Adventure. You just have to ask.

Also, if you can transfer to a car, see a Greeter at at the Indy Speedway. There IS a way they can take you in that doesn't involve the stairs at all! Again, I didn't actually ride this, but it was explained/pointed out to me by a Cast Member.

And, dclfun? You're a nicer person than I. That ramp is the only place I feel justified in being "demanding", in expecting the right of way - and I will make my feelings known to anyone who criticizes me

Oh, and MulansMom? The bus thing? Now, Going pack to Annam26's post about things 'they' don't notice - yes, sure, wheelchairs get on the bus first. And off LAST,,, but nobody complains about THAT.

 

[BillSears]

Hey you guys, what thread was this?

It was just another one of those "Why do wheelchair/ECV users get all of the perks in the world?" types of threads. Here's the link to it:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1266578

 

[Annam26]

Thanks for your replies, guys.

Annam26,

"From now on I'll be more aware of people noticing me, and wondering how often when they look at me, they'll interpret any isolated incident they happen to see where I'm enjoying something theytake for granted as me getting some "privilege" or "advantage" that I shouldn't get. And how it'd be better for me to be out of sight."

Please don't let the postings of the ignorant cause you stress. Why should you even waste your time caring what they think? I understand it's easy to feel that way, given how often you are conspicuous by virtue of your disability. I'm not disabled...was for a bit when I fractured my ankle and it gave me a small taste of what it's like. Hubby has MD and is gradually declining. Yes, we get those looks when he has to load his ECV onto the bus or we have to take the exit onto Test Track, but let me hear one person make a crack about it and I have no reservations telling them, "He'll gladly trade you his diagnosis and stand in line." Then I imagine I'd do the mature thing and punctuate it by stomping my foot and sticking out my tongue at the offender. Naw, wouldn't want to bring myself down to their level!

Isn't there a quote floating around somewhere about "suffering the ignorant"?

I guess we have to suffer them......MulanMom, I try no to care what strangers think, and I usually succeed. You have to take take that approach, otherwise people would drive you crazy. It's just that reading another post of "how the disabled get privileges all the time" got to me.

Annam25 - couple of observations that may make your next visit even a little more fun

First, at Fantasmic! if you arrive early enough and ask, you may be able to sit up front - I've never tried but I understand there IS some wheelchair seating up close... although you may get 'misted' during the show. There's also up-front wheelchair seating for Beauty and the Beast - but the ramp zig-zags a lot, and it's possible, especially leaving, that you'll be sharing it with Guests on foot. Oh, and there's some space for wheelchairs (two, I think) in the front row at Carousel of Progress, and there MAY be a spot or two up front at American Adventure. You just have to ask.

Thanks for the tips, kaytieeldr. I usually just go where the CM directs me without asking. I'll keep all of this in mind.

Also, if you can transfer to a car, see a Greeter at at the Indy Speedway. There IS a way they can take you in that doesn't involve the stairs at all! Again, I didn't actually ride this, but it was explained/pointed out to me by a Cast Member.

When we were there, after seeing all the steps, I figured there was a way to get in. I mean, the cars are always at ground level. I approached the CM asking for an alternate way to board, and she said that it was not possible. It's a problem that so much depends on the CM. Their knowdlege of the rides, their attitude in general and even the mood they are in when you approach can mean the difference in what you get/don't get to do at WDW.

Annam, just a little piece of advice. You will never see those rude people again. I just give them a mental moon and smile

That is some GREAT advice, Lindsay

 

[kimbac3]

I've been trying to come up with a list of rides where wheelchair/ECV users do not go through the normal lines and have only thought of 7 1/2. Peter Pan, It's a Small World, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Jungle Cruise, Space Ship Earth, Star Tours and the last part of the line in Splash Mountain are the only ones I can think of with a shorter line for wheelchar/ECV users.

So did I miss any?

I have a question about Haunted Mansion. Do you get to do the stretching room or no?

Kimba

 

[BillSears]

I have a question about Haunted Mansion. Do you get to do the stretching room or no?

Kimba

The basic answer is no but sometimes it's maybe. If it's not very busy you can ask and sometimes the CM will take you backstage to the stretching room. Sometimes they'll do it and sometimes they'll say they can't do it. I've never seen the parts in front of and back of the stretching room but I have seen the room itself.

 

[rascalmom]

There is access to the Speedway - there is a little gate with a disability symbol just to the right of the regular entrance. A couple of trips ago I had a broken ankle & was using a ECV. I wasn't really intending to try to ride, I had just pulled up to that area to make sure my dd was doing ok in the line. A CM saw me & took me through - found my dd & we got to ride together. I could hobble - it would probably be a tough transfer for some, but it is accessable (not the regular line though).

 

[kaytieeldr]

Thanks, rascalmom - I knew it exists, the CM even showed me how I'd enter... but I couldn't remember enough to describe the wheelchair entrance to anyone.

 

[Annam26]

There is access to the Speedway - there is a little gate with a disability symbol just to the right of the regular entrance. A couple of trips ago I had a broken ankle & was using a ECV. I wasn't really intending to try to ride, I had just pulled up to that area to make sure my dd was doing ok in the line. A CM saw me & took me through - found my dd & we got to ride together. I could hobble - it would probably be a tough transfer for some, but it is accessable (not the regular line though).

Well, what a nice CM. I wonder why the CM I asked said that there wasn't any way to ride other than through the stairs. Was it ignorance on her part, or what.

Plenty of CMs saw me too, because I pulled near a fence to watch my sisters as they rode by. I waited quite a while until the passed by , so they must have seen me, but none said anything. Perhaps it was because it was 1 A.M. and they were tired.

I really wanted to ride....I've read that it's nor such a great ride, but I would have liked to try at least once and see for myself.

 

[SueM in MN]

Well, what a nice CM. I wonder why the CM I asked said that there wasn't any way to ride other than through the stairs. Was it ignorance on her part, or what.

Sometimes things like that are due to how busy the attraction is or how many CMs are working at the time. Some of the attractions have an alternate entrance that can be used if absolutely necessary; they try to avoid using some of them because the path to use them leads thru a backstage area. That means the entrance can only be used when there is a CM available to take the guest into the area.
That's what Bill mentioned about Haunted Mansion.

 

[kimbac3]

The basic answer is no but sometimes it's maybe. If it's not very busy you can ask and sometimes the CM will take you backstage to the stretching room. Sometimes they'll do it and sometimes they'll say they can't do it. I've never seen the parts in front of and back of the stretching room but I have seen the room itself.

Thanks Bill!

 

[ducklite]

With the Living Seas rehab going on now, everyone enters through the gift shop.

But the original entranceway had this curving twisting pathway that was too narrow for some electric chairs and most ECV's to make the turns required without doing a three pointer and bumping everyone and everything around them.

Anne

 

[Schmeck]

I thought the Living Seas was open again - I've seen photos of the queue area online - still looks winding, but maybe it is wider now?

 

[Twende]

We had trouble last year on Dinosaur.

My mom can walk but is very unsteady at times. It just depends on the moment if she is going into a line in a chair or if she stands.

Steps are just way too much for her.

She was walking as we entered and we took an elevator to get on the attraction. But when we exited they forgot about us and I think pulled up beyond where we should have gotten off to get to the elevator. It may have been that they just exited us the wrong direction but either way it seemed they could not get us to the elevators we used to enter, so we were stuck at the base of the steps.

It was not pleasant and we ended up very slowly helping my mom climb all the stairs.

Any ideas what went wrong and how we avoid this happening again?

 

[Schmeck]

On Dinosaur, you enter on one side of the vehicle, and exit on the other side, so you can't get to the entrance elevators after the ride. You'd have to find out if they have elevators on the exit side.

 

[BillSears]

On Dinosaur, you enter on one side of the vehicle, and exit on the other side, so you can't get to the entrance elevators after the ride. You'd have to find out if they have elevators on the exit side.

As a wheelchair user they had me board and exit on the exit side. There was an elevator there.

 

[SueM in MN]

We had trouble last year on Dinosaur.

My mom can walk but is very unsteady at times. It just depends on the moment if she is going into a line in a chair or if she stands.

Steps are just way too much for her.

She was walking as we entered and we took an elevator to get on the attraction. But when we exited they forgot about us and I think pulled up beyond where we should have gotten off to get to the elevator. It may have been that they just exited us the wrong direction but either way it seemed they could not get us to the elevators we used to enter, so we were stuck at the base of the steps.

It was not pleasant and we ended up very slowly helping my mom climb all the stairs.

Any ideas what went wrong and how we avoid this happening again?

On Dinosaur, you enter on one side of the vehicle, and exit on the other side, so you can't get to the entrance elevators after the ride. You'd have to find out if they have elevators on the exit side.

If you were using the regular entrance and exit, you would be getting on the vehicle on the 'passenger' side and getting off at the 'driver's' side.

When we have ridden with DD who uses a wheelchair, we used the elevator to get down to the wheelchair accessible boarding area (the elevator is to the left just after the preshow/instruction area). The elevator is set up so that the door to get off is directly opposite of the door where you got into the elevator. When you get off of the elevator, the boarding area is straight ahead of you and you board on the 'driver' side of the car. That is also the 'regular' boarding area, but guests with disabilities are boarding on 'driver' side and the other guests are boarding from the other side.
When we get off after riding, we get off in exactly the same place that we got on (we get off on the driver side of the vehicle). I believe (but I am not absolutely sure), that all guests get off at the same place. I think as guests are getting off toward the driver's side of the vehicle, other guests are entering from the passenger side. I don't remember riding Dinosaur without having DD in her wheelchair, so I don't know where the guests without disabilities go after they get off. For guests with disabilities, you can't use the same elevator to exit. That elevator only goes between the preshow area and the boarding area. When you get off, tell the CM at the exit that you can't do the stairs and they will direct you to the elevator. It's not a problem if you are using a wheelchair or ECV; the wheelchair or ECV is waiting there are the exit. But you may have just 'blended' in with the other guests and the CM at the exit did not know you needed to avoid the stairs.

 

[ducklite]

I thought the Living Seas was open again - I've seen photos of the queue area online - still looks winding, but maybe it is wider now?

It wasn't open (the original entrance) as of two weeks ago.

Anne