POTC rules changed for Wheelchairs

[Schmeck]

Why can't ppl who must have wheelchairs just load at the exit?

Last time I went my friend, who was using an ECV, was in the First Aid Station resting (she was in too much pain to carry on the rest of the day) when I went on POTC, so I don't have any experience with access for an ECV on that ride. Just me and my service dog (whose favorite ride was POTC, by the way! I think it's 'cause they added Johnny Depp and even though she is spayed, she ain't stupid! LOL).

SueMN Explained in post #6 that the boats go through a steep, low clearance ramp between the exit and the beginning of the ride - no one can ride in the boats up the ramp, it is not safe.

 

[dclfun]

Lately I have seen many more rental ECV's in the parks and resorts, including large ones with canopies, etc. I can imagine that having the possibility of having quite a few ECV's in one exit loading area would be a fire and safety hazard. I really wouldn't want anyone to be handling my personal power chair anyway even if I could transfer as there is too much delicate medical equipment attached. I don't think it's fair or reasonable to ask a CM to take personal liability for my chair if it's damaged. I haven't been able to ride this attraction in a few years- there are just some things I have to accept that aren't accessible to me travelling in a w/c and often travelling solo with my SD now. Universal has had this policy for years- asking you to transfer to a ride w/c for many of their attractions or not being able to ride at all.They do not consider it to be a reasonable accomodation to have a CM assist you with either a transfer or by pushing the chair for you and I'd imagine Disney is following that as well. There's too much liability involved both for the guest and a possible injury for the CM. I don't think there's any easy solution. Even putting benches along the queue line wouldn't guarantee that they'd be available for someone who had to sit (unless they were marked as such and then how would they enforce it?). While disappointing I'm not sure what else could be done to make the ride and loading area safe for everyone.---Kathy

 

[Camster0307]

We have never been brought thru a back entrance (I know the entrance you went in though and they don't use it often because it is backstage)

Yes - we "bumped" into Capt.Hook & Smee coming out of a trailer when we were brought back there!

So, I guess if we go at a less-crowded time, we could keep my DD in her chair up until the ride and then have a CM bring the chair to where we exit the ride - rather than me carry her off the ride and up through the store to the exit? I certainly wouldn't "demand" this to happen - I accept there are things that my DD will just not be able to do. But, it doesn't hurt to ask and if there is a chance I can get her on POTC this way, I'd give it a try.

 

[SueM in MN]

SueMN Explained in post #6 that the boats go through a steep, low clearance ramp between the exit and the beginning of the ride - no one can ride in the boats up the ramp, it is not safe.

That is true. The space is just high enough for the boats to go thru - not the passengers. The ramp is needed to get the boats back up to ground level. They go 'underground at the point where the 'waterfall' (a drop in the dark) occurs during the ride.
This is different than at DL, where they go back up the 'waterfall' as part of the ride and they end up in the same general area as they started.

Quote:
Originally Posted by LindaBabe
Sure doesn't work if you're an ecv rider and alone with no one to push the manual chair, either.
At this point, I would request a CM to push you back to you ECV, I think that is a reasonable accomodation for this issue, luckily here at DL you load & unload in the same spot, just opposite sides of the boats, so wheelchairs actually load from where everyone else unloads.

That would not be a reasonable accomodation at WDW because it would mean that a CM would need to stationed at the exit just for that purpose. I posted a link to a MK map on page 1 of this thread that shows the distance (and it's quite a way). The CM would need to push the wheelchair from the exit to the elevator, go up the elevator and come up behind some restrooms, go around by the restrooms, past a large shop and around to the entrance to POC where the ECV would be parked. The CM would be gone at least 10 minutes, so even if they dedicated a CM for that purpose, they might miss the next guest who needed assistance.

Yes - we "bumped" into Capt.Hook & Smee coming out of a trailer when we were brought back there!

So, I guess if we go at a less-crowded time, we could keep my DD in her chair up until the ride and then have a CM bring the chair to where we exit the ride - rather than me carry her off the ride and up through the store to the exit? I certainly wouldn't "demand" this to happen - I accept there are things that my DD will just not be able to do. But, it doesn't hurt to ask and if there is a chance I can get her on POTC this way, I'd give it a try.

Yes, ask.
That's how we have been able to do it; especially if you say you realize it might not be possible right then, but you would be willing to come back at a better time (better may not necessarily mean less busy, better might mean more staff so someone is free to do it).
Good luck.

 

[Piper]

I have not been on POTC for quite a while, nor can I do a lot of the other rides because they are too jerky or bumpy. Would I like to be able to-----of course! But that is just not a part of my life any more, so I "got over it!"

I am glad to be provided a place to wait out of the sun and I don't mind waiting. I am happy to have a place where I can actually be able to have fun.

If what the doctors (and my body) tell me is right, I will be making my last trip to WDW soon. I get to see the magic through the eyes of a 5 year old princess on her first trip to WDW. Will I get to do everything with her--no, but that is okay. If you focus on what you can't do, you will be miserable. I concentrate on what I can do and wring every ounce of joy that I can out of life!

 

[SueM in MN]

I have not been on POTC for quite a while, nor can I do a lot of the other rides because they are too jerky or bumpy. Would I like to be able to-----of course! But that is just not a part of my life any more, so I "got over it!"

I am glad to be provided a place to wait out of the sun and I don't mind waiting. I am happy to have a place where I can actually be able to have fun.

If what the doctors (and my body) tell me is right, I will be making my last trip to WDW soon. I get to see the magic through the eyes of a 5 year old princess on her first trip to WDW. Will I get to do everything with her--no, but that is okay. If you focus on what you can't do, you will be miserable. I concentrate on what I can do and wring every ounce of joy that I can out of life!

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

That is true. The space is just high enough for the boats to go thru - not the passengers. The ramp is needed to get the boats back up to ground level. They go 'underground at the point where the 'waterfall' (a drop in the dark) occurs during the ride.
This is different than at DL, where they go back up the 'waterfall' as part of the ride and they end up in the same general area as they started.

Ah, gotcha. That's too bad.

Until just know, I didn't really notice the ride is underground when you exit, even though now that I think about the exit spot (I do recall that from my last trip for some reason, otherwise my memory is so bad that every ride is new to me! If I hadn't known that Haunted Mansion was about to undergo a rennovation after I was there last year, I would have sworn that it had been completely redone 'cause I didn't remember any of it and have been to Disney tons of times since the early 80s!) it definitely is underground. Duh me!

I haven't been to Disneyland, but that is interesting that the ride there goes back up the waterfall.

I guess ppl with WCs and ECVs are just gonna have to bring somebody with them to the park and do a rider switch - their friend/family member moves their chair for them while they're on the ride. Similar to how I have to bring somebody with me to the park so that I can go on rides my service dog can't go on, so they hold her while I ride and if they want to ride, I wait for them to ride. I hope Disney gives out rider swap tickets for ppl with WC/ECVs on this ride (if the person cannot walk back to the WC/ECV) so the second person doesn't have to wait in the whole line for a second time when they never rode.

 

[SeaSpray]

My DH and I both seem to remember me taking my ECV right down to the loading area of PotC (riding it right through the regular line), then finding it at the end someplace else... Are we both remembering incorrectly??? LOL

 

[SueM in MN]

I hope Disney gives out rider swap tickets for ppl with WC/ECVs on this ride (if the person cannot walk back to the WC/ECV) so the second person doesn't have to wait in the whole line for a second time when they never rode.

That would be nice, but the problem with it is that, unless a CM takes them backstage to a way that bypasses the line to get to the boarding area, the only way in is the regular line. There is not a way to bypass people in that line unless they would be accompanied by a CM.

 

[BCV23]

Add us to the families that have always had to transfer. Our daughter can't walk or stand on her own either but can sit in a WDW wheelchair. She's always had to transfer at the entrance.

For many years, the WDW wheechair was loaded in the backseat of the boat by my DH and/or the CM. Maybe 5 or so years ago, they started to have wheelchairs at the end too. So she just transfers into those and then we use the elevator to return to the main level and fetch her powerchair.

Getting in and out of the boat is the hard part of the transfer IMO.

Piper, more Have a wonderful trip!

 

[Camster0307]

Piper -

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I was at Pirates today and had a long conversation with one of the senior CMs. I will start a new thread on the topic and close this one, and will give a link here to the new thread.