Pictures of wheelchair ride vehicles

[Marie14625]

Another question. Kim, the lady I am traveling with uses a power chair. Think it can get in? She is able to do a pivot transfer with my help, but it will be great if she does not have to.

 

[SueM in MN]

Another question. Kim, the lady I am traveling with uses a power chair. Think it can get in? She is able to do a pivot transfer with my help, but it will be great if she does not have to.

She can park the wheelchair as close as she needs to be to the ride car.
I'd suggest asking if she can park where she can watch the loading process and see the cars for a minute or 2. That will help her get an idea of how she will do it.

 

[allie_to_you]

I'm so excited about the new wheelchair cars for the HM. I just wish they would put in a wheelchair accessible ride vehicle for Spaceship Earth with the new renovation. My DH has been dying to ride that one.

He transfers in and out of his van he drives and into and out of bed and stuff, but he's been very hesitant about trying transfers at Disney. How is the transfer to a regular car at Spaceship Earth?

 

[BillSears]

How is the transfer to a regular car at Spaceship Earth?

For me it's one of the toughest transfers that I do. I skip Space Mountain/Splash Mountain and a few others because of the transfer. The problem with Spaship Earth is the seat is fairly high and the opening you have to get through is about 18 inches. There are plenty of solid spots to grab onto but to transfer in I have to grab them, lift myself up to the seat level(I'd guess it's about 6-10 inches higher then my seat chair) then fit myself through the small gap to get to the seat. I have to sort of twist sideways while holding myself up in the air with just my arms. It's getting tougher and tougher as I get older and older. I spoke to a CM at the exit of Spaceship Earth just before it closed for the rehab and asked her if they were going to widen the opening on the car they set aside for nonabulatory guests. She said that they were aware of the problem with the narrow opening but that Seimans, the sponser of the rehab, didn't want to pay for the change to make a few openings wider. I'll be pleasently surprised if they do make it easier but I expect the new version will use the same cars as the old one.

 

[Michigan]

My oldest has a hard time getting into spaceship earth too. She sort of ends up kind of going over the top to get out and in the seat. They also have to completely stop the ride because she can't do it if its moving even slow.

When you think about the seats it wouldn't be that hard to make a wider opening by just removing the section between the front and back seat doing away with the front seat and replacing that with a ramp/flip up door.

 

[BillSears]

My oldest has a hard time getting into spaceship earth too. She sort of ends up kind of going over the top to get out and in the seat. They also have to completely stop the ride because she can't do it if its moving even slow.

When you think about the seats it wouldn't be that hard to make a wider opening by just removing the section between the front and back seat doing away with the front seat and replacing that with a ramp/flip up door.

Yea it gets tough as we get bigger. Sometimes I get frustrated with trying to get the perfect angle to squeeze through the opening and I've done the up and over the top thing too. I also have them stop the ride for me, I don't rush as much then and actually I think it makes it faster since I don't make those stupid mistakes you make when trying to get it done fast.

I'd like to see them just cut away the back seat abit like they did with the Haunted Mansion ride cars long ago. Just another 6 inches would make that transfer so much easier.

 

[SueM in MN]

My oldest has a hard time getting into spaceship earth too. She sort of ends up kind of going over the top to get out and in the seat. They also have to completely stop the ride because she can't do it if its moving even slow.

When you think about the seats it wouldn't be that hard to make a wider opening by just removing the section between the front and back seat doing away with the front seat and replacing that with a ramp/flip up door.

agree.
We have the same problem getting DD in.

Yea it gets tough as we get bigger.

My DD is pretty little and it's still hard for her (she's 5 feet tall and about 88-90 pounds).

 

[OneLittleSpark]

When are they reopening? They WILL be open in Mid November, won't they?

Marie, the schedule says they should be opening again on the 12th September (see here to check for changes: http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/rehab.htm ), so that's plenty of time for you guys, even if they run over a little. I hope they don't run over though, as we'll be there until the 20th September, and it's one of our favourites. I'm afraid I won't be able to provide a report of the accessible doombuggies, as I can transfer well enough and don't want to take the car away from someone who really needs it. You'll just have to wait for Sue's report (I think it was Sue who said she'd be there soon, please correct me if I'm wrong) to find out all the details.

 

[SueM in MN]

You'll just have to wait for Sue's report (I think it was Sue who said she'd be there soon, please correct me if I'm wrong) to find out all the details.

It was me.
Since DD can't transfer without a lot of assistance, she will be staying in her wheelchair. I'm hoping the lines won't be too long so we can go.
Hopefully, I'll have pictures too.

 

[Marie14625]

Well, I am glad to hear what you have to say about Spaceship Earth. I will have to do a stand pivot transfer to help Kim into any ride she cannot get her chair into. From the way you describe it, I am not sure we will be able to do it.
I rode Spaceship Earth when I was there 10 years ago, but really do not remember the seats. And at the time, I was there alone, and not looking at the accessibility of the rides.

 

[SueM in MN]

Well, I am glad to hear what you have to say about Spaceship Earth. I will have to do a stand pivot transfer to help Kim into any ride she cannot get her chair into. From the way you describe it, I am not sure we will be able to do it.
I rode Spaceship Earth when I was there 10 years ago, but really do not remember the seats. And at the time, I was there alone, and not looking at the accessibility of the rides.

If I am going on Spaceship Earth, I ask them to do a complete stop of the moving walkway, park DD's wheelchair very close to the ride car (almost touching) and we do a stand pivot. It is a narrow doorway, but is doable as she is small and thin.
When DH takes her on, he parks the wheelchair a few feet away and lifts her on. That is harder (at least I think) because it takes more space.

A found a site with a picture of the place where guests with wheelchairs/disabilities board. It's in Spanish and the picture is kind of small, but it is a picture. Here is the link. The picture is just a little way down the page.
Also, the ride car for Spaceship Earth is different, but the door opening space and the step up is very similar to this picture of the Tomorrowland Transit Authority from allears.net

Spaceship Earth has a single seat that is where the seat on the right side of the picture would be. You get off and on at the same place and from the same side.

 

[allie_to_you]

I wish they would make TTA more accessible. That is another vehicle that they could make a wheelchair accessible vehicle for fairly easily, but as it is, my DH probably will never get to ride it.

 

[Marie14625]

Thanks, SueM for the picture, that helps. As I will be doing transfers with Kim that I am not used to doing (or have only done a couple of times) she is planning to ask her Physical Therapist to do an inservice with me, to help with transfers. I am going to print out some of the info from here, so she will see what Kim and I will be transfering onto.
Also, being that I now have this bad hip, I want to be able to do the transfers so that Kim and I are not put into any precarious situations, or are hurt.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks, SueM for the picture, that helps. As I will be doing transfers with Kim that I am not used to doing (or have only done a couple of times) she is planning to ask her Physical Therapist to do an inservice with me, to help with transfers. I am going to print out some of the info from here, so she will see what Kim and I will be transfering onto.
Also, being that I now have this bad hip, I want to be able to do the transfers so that Kim and I are not put into any precarious situations, or are hurt.

when are you going?
I do have some pictures of the accessible ride cars on my computer, but they are 'hidden' in a 2 iphoto libraries of over 5,000 pictures. I have some time now and will be able to look for them.

 

[tinkandpan]

I am so excited to see about the HM. We go quite often with my dad and we all feel bad leaving him behind while we do the rides. He can't do a standing pivot and is paralyzed from the waist down so he really is hesitant about the transfers- never did the HM transfer. As for Spaceship, I think that has got to be one of the hardest transfers. We did it with my "uncle" a few years ago and we literally felt like we were tossing him in as they were basically yelling at us that they needed to speed up the cars- it's just too high and too narrow. Such a shame with all the money spent on a refurb that they won't do it for a car. Now if we could get TTA and Peter Pan......

 

[mrsksomeday]

My son transfered my b/f onto Spaceship Earth when we were there in Feb. 2006. We did not go on it when we went November 2006, I did not feel comfortable attempting it. We are hoping to talk my son into going with us if we go back in 2008.

 

[surgefest]

Has anyone been able to try the haunted mansions new wheelchair car???? If so what was it like?? Were you able to go through the normal line?? Did they just slow down the moving platform?

 

[SueM in MN]

Has anyone been able to try the haunted mansions new wheelchair car???? If so what was it like?? Were you able to go through the normal line?? Did they just slow down the moving platform?

Cheshire Figment posted after it re-opened to update to the changes on Haunted Mansion on this thread.
Unfortunatly, the wheelchair car that was being written about is not ready.
The boarding is still pretty much the way it was.

PS- they always have been able to completely stop the moving platform if necessary. They usually only slow it unless you tell them that it needs to be stopped. That's because most people only need it slowed and it saves time if it is not stopped.

 

[BroganMc]

I can't believe Seimens won't pay for a modified car in Spaceship Earth! Well that's a company I can gladly boycott. What idiots!
I've been on the ride twice, both times with assistance in the transfers. It is insanely tight. I can't imagine how larger-size AB guests manage it.

Now HM has been my favorite ride since they put in the transfer car. I bet Ginger had some hand in the wheelchair car. I hope everyone gets to enjoy it soon.

My only request would be they put an accessible vehicle in the Snow White ride. It is virtually identical to Pooh and yet I've never been able to ride it. Even the CMs are stumped as to why it hasn't been updated.