Parking at WDW without a handicap placard

[WishMom09]

My son has Muscular Dystrophy and we will be visiting next month.
He can still walk, but gets tired very easily. We are renting a wheelchair for the parks...but I wondered if we could use the handicap parking without a placard?
Or do you think I should try and apply for a handicap placard??
Every step counts!!
Thanks!

 

[bdoyledimou]

You need the placard, otherwise the enforcement folks don't know that you are legit, and will ticket/tow..

in these parts, the fine is $300 .. don't know what it would be like at the World.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The parking lots are patrolled by the Orange County Sheriff's Office. And the ticket cost is $250 for the violation.

Even though he is too young to drive, you should get a placard for him.

You can get the application here and get mor information here and turn in the form at the County Tax Assessor's Office.

It can be used any time it is needed, not just at Disney.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Couple of other options:
You could - probably should - rent the wheelchair from an offsite company. He will have it 24 hours a day if he needs it, and you will be able to rent a chair that fits him. WDW has only one, possibly two wheelchair sizes, and they're both for adults. SueM will be along eventually to explain HOW uncomfortable and awkward a mis-sized wheelchair is for a child. Bonus is, parking won't be an issue.

Second, there are medical parking spaces at the beginning of EVERY row in every parking lot. This puts you as close to the tram as possible, therefore as little walking as possible.

but I wondered if we could use the handicap parking without a placard?

As the above two posters indicate - absolutely not. It's illegal and expensive. However, according to Cheshire Figment's link, your son definitely seems eligible for a handicapped parking placard in everyday life.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Do you have one from your home state:

Here is the information from the state re: out of state placards.

Parking Information


Out-of-State Visitors
Florida has an agreement with every state which allows out-of-state permits to be used in Florida. These states also recognize Florida permits along with all Canadian Provinces and Territories except Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Out-of-Country Visitors
Visitors from other countries who have valid disabled parking permits from their resident country may purchase a temporary permit for $15.00. This permit is valid for 6 months. They must show the valid out-of-country permit and a passport (or other comparable identification). This permit cannot be issued through the mail. Original documents and identification may be brought to any of our office locations. The documents may be brought in by a family member, friend or guardian and will be returned.


If so, just bring yours from home.

 

[tink32081]

When you get to the lot they will be directing you to a spot. Generally, the closest spot in each row is left open since it is shorter. If you mention to the parking attendant, they will allow you to park closer to the end of the row, nearer the trams. HTH!

 

[visitingapril09]

Do you have one from your home state:

Here is the information from the state re: out of state placards.

Parking Information


Out-of-State Visitors
Florida has an agreement with every state which allows out-of-state permits to be used in Florida. These states also recognize Florida permits along with all Canadian Provinces and Territories except Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Out-of-Country Visitors
Visitors from other countries who have valid disabled parking permits from their resident country may purchase a temporary permit for $15.00. This permit is valid for 6 months. They must show the valid out-of-country permit and a passport (or other comparable identification). This permit cannot be issued through the mail. Original documents and identification may be brought to any of our office locations. The documents may be brought in by a family member, friend or guardian and will be returned.


If so, just bring yours from home.

We are in BC Canada and we use our decal from home. There are reciprocating agreements in North America that honors them regardless of where you are from so you can take your one from home. If you don't have one, I would get one in your home state as you likely will need it in the future and then take it with you.

 

[Janell]

I don't know if this is possible. Is there a drop off locations close to the gates. Where you could drop off your son and then go park the car? More walking for the rest of the family but less for your son.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I think you should apply for one in your home state, just to have.

We use one at WDW to park close, because my 20 year old son is in a large stroller/chair. He can walk short distances, but that chair is SO heavy, I cannot collapse it and load it onto a parking lot tram. (when DH is along, no problem). Even loading into the back of a rental car is a stretch, I have to really focus to get it up and in.

 

[Orangeandwild]

You definitely will need a placard, I have seen them checking cars for the placards or license plates several times when we were coming or going from our car.

In our state it was not that hard to get, just a doctor form which his office had and we turned it into the DMV and got it right that day. It would make it a lot easier for him not only at WDW with the closer places but also anywhere you go with less walking for him.

 

[WishMom09]

OK thanks for the help!
I just feel bad getting a placard..because he CAN walk ...just walks slow!
And tires easily!

 

[peemagg]

I can walk too, but not distances. There is no reason to feel bad. Just because he has one does not mean that you need to use it everytime. If I am having a good day, I don't use the spots or if there is a regular space available that is close by. You could do the same, but use the other as a backup system.

 

[mousebymarriage]

you DO NOT need a place card to park in the medical area in the Disney parking lot! We were there in Feb. and DH had a medical "boot" on his left foot but refused to use a wheelchair or scooter. DH could walk short distances but too much walking was very painful (he pulled the tendons in his foot/ankle right before the trip). When we drove to the parks and the attendants would direct us where to go we just told them we needed medical parking, they would then advise us to continue straight ahead following the blue line in the road. The attendant working that area would stop us and ask the situation (because we didn't have a handicapped plate or place card) and they would then wave us into the medical lot. The medical lot has spaces that are handicapped (with a handicapped sign) and other that weren't, those are the ones we could use. The medical lot is very close to the gate and we never, ever had an isssue in any park lot. We didn't need a note from the doctor or a handicapped plate/place card. Parking that close to the gate was a tremendous help especially at the end of the day when DH was limping really badly because he was in so much pain.

*all four of the Diney parks have a medical lot with spots that you can use without a handicapped plate/place card. the resort lots only have regular handicapped spots and you do need a handicapped plate/place card for those.

*please be sure to get a GAC (guest assist card) so that your son can use the handicapped entrances for the rides, it will be a bit less of a wait so he won't have to stand as long if he isn't feeling up to it. You can get the card at any of the parks, just go to guest services. Just explain the situation and they will give you the card, you don't need to bring a doctors note.

 

[SueM in MN]

If you don't have a wheelchair or ECV and are worried about walking distance, WDW actually advises that parking in the regular lot and using the parking lot trams will be the shortest distance to walk. The trams actually drop you off with the shortest walking distance from the park. As tink32081 mentioned, the parking lot CMs do save the spots at the ends of rows for people with special need to be closer to the tram.

The Medical parking does not have any tram service and the distance from some of the farthest parking spots in that lot to the park entrance is much farther than you would walk from a 'regular' parking spot to the tram.
There are 'shuttle wheelchairs' in the Medical parking area that you can use to get to the park entrance, but there is no guarantee there will be any wheelchairs in that area when you need one. We have usually seen an empty wheelchair storage area more often than a full one.

If you park in the Medical Parking lot without a handicapped parking permit, it's important to be aware that only some of the handicapped spots have signs designating them as handicapped parking. The majority have blue lines separating the parking spots and that is a legally defined handicapped parking spot in Florida. If you park in a spot with blue lines, you can get a ticket.
There are other spots in the same lot which are separated by white lines; you can park in those without a handicapped parking permit.

There is more information about parking in the disABILITIES FAQs thread.

One other thing - if you are staying at one of the WDW resorts, most people find it is easier to take the buses to MK since the buses drop you off right at the park entrance. If you drive, you need to get from your car to the Ticket and Transportation Center. From there you will take a boat or monorail to the MK. The monorail ramp is quite steep and there is no elevator to the monorail station, which is high in the sky.

Also, since most lines are Mainstreamed (wheelchair accessible), most attractions do not have a handicapped entrance. A GAC that allows for use of the handicapped accessible entrance will allow you to avoid stairs in the few attractions with stairs and will allow you to board the attractions with moving walkways in a place where the moving walkway can be slowed or stopped. The distance walked if using a GAC will not usually be much, if any, shorter than not using a GAC. Some lines have very long distances - for example - it is over 1/4 mile to walk from the queue entrance to the boarding area at Soarin' and is the same distance back out again.