Proper Etiquette

[puck4343]

What is the proper etiquette when travelling with someone who is in a wheel chair?

I will also have my 2-yr old who will be in a stroller.

What are the "unsaid" rules about rides? If my mother-in-law, who is in a wheel chair, is able to go on a ride, does she have special privileges in regards to waiting in line? Also, what if she is waiting for us and is not on a ride, do we have special privileges while she waits for us?

I do not want to anger the masses. Thank you.

 

[Joanna71985]

What is the proper etiquette when travelling with someone who is in a wheel chair?

I will also have my 2-yr old who will be in a stroller.

What are the "unsaid" rules about rides? If my mother-in-law, who is in a wheel chair, is able to go on a ride, does she have special privileges in regards to waiting in line? Also, what if she is waiting for us and is not on a ride, do we have special privileges while she waits for us?

I do not want to anger the masses. Thank you.

Most ride queue lines are wheelchair accessable, so the wheelchair can go through the normal lines. For the rides that aren't, you would either go through the FP line, go through the exit, or go partway through the line then split off (Splash Mountain, for example).

For the second part, if she isn't going on a ride with you, you would use the normal lines for any ride.

 

[skiingfast]

What is the proper etiquette when travelling with someone who is in a wheel chair?

I will also have my 2-yr old who will be in a stroller.

What are the "unsaid" rules about rides? If my mother-in-law, who is in a wheel chair, is able to go on a ride, does she have special privileges in regards to waiting in line? Also, what if she is waiting for us and is not on a ride, do we have special privileges while she waits for us?

I do not want to anger the masses. Thank you.

You will want to stop by guest services first thing when you enter the park and get a GAC card. Present this card to a CM at the attractions you want to attend. They can inform you of what line to use in order to accomodate your parties needs.

Also you can use Rider Swap for any rides the 2yo won't be able to go on or is too scary. Still use FP's as well.

 

[livndisney]

What is the proper etiquette when travelling with someone who is in a wheel chair?

I will also have my 2-yr old who will be in a stroller.

What are the "unsaid" rules about rides? If my mother-in-law, who is in a wheel chair, is able to go on a ride, does she have special privileges in regards to waiting in line? Also, what if she is waiting for us and is not on a ride, do we have special privileges while she waits for us?

I do not want to anger the masses. Thank you.

You may want to read the stickees at the top of this thread. Most lines at WDW are wheelchair accessible.

 

[SueM in MN]

Although people think there are 'wheelchair privileges,' that does not exist.
For situations where a guest with a wheelchair does not use the regular line, it is because the regular line or boarding is not accessible.

As Joanna71985 posted, most attractions have Mainstream Lines, which are wheelchair accessible through the regular line. So, in most cases, you will just enter the regular line with the wheelchair.
Strollers are not allowed in most lines - there are stroller parking areas outside/in the area of each attraction. Other than a few attractions, you will need to park your child's stroller before entering the line.
The Safari at AK, Fantasmic at the Studio and Bug's Life at AK are examples of attractions which allow guests to enter the line with a stroller and then have stroller parking partway thru the line.

When you enter the park, pick up a park map for Guests with Disabilities. There is one for each park and they are located with the other park maps in the map kiosks at the park entrance. Look for the blue wheelchair symbol on the bin where the maps are; the map has a wide black band on the top and says it is for Guests with Disabilities. The maps list the "Mobility Access" for each attraction. In most cases, it says to "Enter the Standard Queue" . For attractions with Fastpass, it most of the time says "Obtain a Disney's FASTPASS or enter the Standard Queue."

All of the attractions at the Studio and AK are Mainstream (accessible) lines where guests with wheelchairs wait in the same line with everyone else; most at Epcot are also accessible.
MK is an older park and they were not able to make accessible lines for some attractions. In those cases, the map or CM at the attraction entrance will tell you where to go to wait. Even if it says to enter through the exit, you will probably still wait the same or close to the same time as other guests.
There are also some attractions where the boarding area is not accessible, but the line is. In those cases, you will wait in the regular line to a certain point and then will be directed by a CM or a wheelchair symbol to go somewhere else.
For situations where guests with wheelchairs are directed somewhere else, the guest with a wheelchair and 5 members of their party are usually able to remain together.

For those attractions where you want to ride, but she will not be, you would just go through the regular line. In some cases, she would be able to wait with you in line, but then would bypass the loading area and go directly to the exit.

 

[KPeveler]

There really is no special procedure for riding with a wheelchair. Almost every attraction is mainstreamed, so you will wait in the normal line with everyone else. I would definitely make use of fastpasses to avoid the long waits.

Any line which is not mainsteamed, you will be directed to the proper place with the wheelchair. The wheelchair user and up to 5 other people will be able to go with the her.

Be advised you cannot bring strollers in the line. If your MIL will be using an ECV she CANNOT have the child on her lap. EVER. This is incredibly unsafe.

There are no special privileges that go with using a wheelchair. You will pretty much wait in the same line for the same amount of time as everyone else.

I would second the suggestion to read the FAQs at the top of the page.

If your MIL's needs are met by using the wheelchair, she will NOT need a GAC. A GAC is for invisible needs that are not met by a wheelchair or ECV (such as the need to avoid waiting in sunlight)

 

[puck4343]

Thank you all for the feedback. Of course I should have read the FAQ first, but thanks for clearing it all up