Question about Alt. Entrances & GAC

[Stitch76]

Hello, I have a question that I really haven't been able to find an answer to, and hoping someone with experience in this can help.
Last year my DS was diagnosed with Autism, he has trouble waiting in lines, taking turns, climbing, jumping, running off, and respecting others personal space (may walk up and kiss or hug someone out of the blue, even a stranger). We plan on getting a GAC for him, so that we can have a bit easier time in lines with him.
However I have heard that some lines actually have a longer wait for the alternate (handicapped) entrances, than the regular lines. We would like to make the wait as short as possible for him, I understand a GAC does not automatically get us to the front, and plan on using FP when we can, but would like to avoid actually making the wait longer.
My question is, in your experience, which rides/attractions would we be better off not using his stroller and entering through the regular lines. For example I have heard Space Ship Earth is notorious for REALLY long waits for the alt. entrance, even when the reg. line is not that bad.
We will be going to Epcot, HS, and AK, (we are skipping MK this time, so I can sucker my DH into 2 Disney trips, by coming back in 2014 when MK is done). We brought DS to WDW in 2010, but he was not yet diagnosed and was much smaller and easier to handle, this will be our first time actually dealing with getting a GAC.
Sorry for rambling, but any info on this matter, would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!

 

[bookwormde]

My experience is that if you explain your child's needs and limitations that the vast majority of CMs will be able to find a way to make it work. When we used it often the CMs would have us wait off to the side and call us over when it was our turn. If we ever had to wait longer we did not notice since we were in a place where our child was comfortable ( and could busy himself). We did have a few offer to let us in sooner, by my son would not hear of it since if would not be "fair" so we just waited. It was a actually nice since it always got a big smile from the CMs when they heard my son's "fairness" insistence.

 

[SueM in MN]

A good touring plan or an app with wait times will help you more than a Guest Assistance Card in many cases. Not to blindly follow a touring plan, but a touring plan can help you to be at the least busy areas of the least busy park. That helps not only with attractions, but with things like eating and bathrooms that the GAC won’t help with.
Touring plans commonly recommended here are easywdw.com and touringplans.com
There are also smartphone apps that can help you with waits by letting you know the current waits for attractions.

Guest Assistance Cards are not used for outdoor character meet and greets and won’t get you in any faster for the indoor ones, although the CM may be able to give you a more appropriate place to wait.

Using Fastpasses also helps because they give a fairly consistent experience. Many people with children with autism find this is especially helpful because the experience using a GAC may vary, depending on what time you go/how many other people are waiting/what the staffing is. Many children with ASD or OCD expect things to happen exactly the same each time and do not understand/respond well to being told to do something a different way.

For most attractions, the entrance you will be using with a stroller as a wheelchair will be the regular line.
You can find a list of the “Mobility Entrances” in post 11 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread. You will also find information about Guest Assistance Cards in post 6 of that same thread. There is a link in my signature to get to the disABILITIES FAQs thread or you can find it near the top of this board.
The disABILITIES FAQs thread has some other information that may be helpful to you, including attractions that are loud or that some people find claustrophobic and attractions with stairs or moving walkways.

Having the stroller in line will be very helpful to you, both from the standpoint of giving him some space and containment and also serving as a ‘safe refuge’ to him.
The “Mobility Entrance” for most attractions is the regular line. The few that do not use the ‘regular’ line are basically those that have something about the line or the boarding area that makes it not accessible. That is why there is sometimes a long line/wait there. Someone who needs to stay in their wheelchair/ECV or can’t climb steps has no other choice and the line can sometimes get very long. If you don’t need to board there, check out the regular line because your wait will usually be shorter.

For Epcot
There is an Epcot FAQs thread that has some pictures and more information about Epcot attractions. Also, page 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread has a list of ‘loud’ attractions that may be helpful for you.

• Spaceship Earth: This attraction has an accessible waiting area with some bench seats. The regular entrance has a moving walkway and is not accessible. The wait in the accessible boarding area can be very long, depending on how many others are waiting.
  In the mid-morning, the line for Spaceship Earth may be 1 hour or longer. If you go in late afternoon to early evening, the posted wait is likely to be 5 to 10 minutes and the real wait will be as fast as you can walk in. If he can handle the moving walkway, I would park the stroller for this one.
• Ellen’s Energy Adventure: Mainstream Line. There is not usually a long wait for this one. The first part is a short movie where guests stand. I would suggest asking the CM when the movie is going to start and go in right before it starts. He could stay in the stroller, transfer out to go into the ride car. The stroller will be waiting when you get out. The ride part lasts for about 30 minutes in a moving ‘theater car’ . There is no exit during the ride part. Some parts are loud and some are dark. The middle part involves riding thru a simulated dinosaur environment.
• Test Track: This has a Mainstream Line, so the “Mobility Entrance” is the regular entrance and is is helpful to get Fastpasses here. The queue (both Fastpass and regular) has a lot of banging noises and kid of crash sounds. If you go at the right time, you may have only a 15-20 minute wait in the regular line. He could bring the stroller in line and follow the directions of the CMs for where to go. Boarding is on one side of the track and unloading is on the other. For wheelchairs and ECVs, there is an elevator to take them over the track so they will be waiting for the guest when they get off. They may do this with your special needs stroller, but they sometimes just pass strollers across the ride car to the other side.
• The Seas: Nemo: If you go at the right time, it is boarding essentially as fast as people can walk in and board. This is a Mainstream Line and he could stay in the stroller to the boarding area, then the CM will remove the stroller and it will be waiting for him when he gets off. My DD needs the wheelchair car, so we do have to wait for that to come along. Even when it is not busy and people are not walking in to load continually, we typically see 100-150 people board while we are waiting for the wheelchair car.
• Turtle Talk: There is a separate room that they usually use for guests with wheelchairs or special needs to wait in. One of the biggest reasons they have this is that there are limited numbers of wheelchair spaces and they don’t want more guests with wheelchairs than there are spots for. A CM will also come lead those guests to enter before the rest of the guests so that they can get settled and other guests will not sit in the spots they need. That room can be empty - our family has been in there before when we were the only guests - or it can be quite full. It is a small room, so 20 or 30 people makes it full. You can stake out a spot along a wall though so you can wait away from other guests.
• Soarin’: Mainstream Line and Fastpass are both accessible and he can stay in the stroller until boarding. This attraction loads in ‘batches’ so you will be standing in one spot for 3-5 minutes, then move for a few minutes, then stand again. Whether you are in the Fastpass line or the regular line, the distance is the same and is about 1/4 mile from the time you enter the line until boarding. So, I would suggest you keep the stroller for this one. The CMs direct you to park wheelchairs/ special needs strollers/ECVs in the ‘show room’. It will be in the same spot when you get done with the attraction.
• Living with the Land: This seldom has more than a fe minute wait. There is a separate entrance for guests with wheelchairs and ECVs, mostly so the CMs can load them onto an accessible boat or get the wheelchair/ECV out of the way. We usually wait longer here than other guests, so I’d suggest parking the stroller and using the regular line.
• Circle of Life: This is a movie and has a separate area roped off along the right side for guests using wheelchairs and other mobility devices. Everyone is waiting for the same show, but there are limited numbers of wheelchair spots and bring in the other waiting area involves going down stairs to get to a seat and up stairs to get out. The wait will be the same where ever you are. The wheelchair area is quite small though and can get crowded.
• Journey into Imagination with Figment: Mainstream Line until the boarding area. There is usually not any wait for this attraction when we go in the early afternoon and some ride cars are sent out unfilled. We have to wait extra for the wheelchair accessible ride car, but your wait will probably be the same whether or not you have the stroller in line.
• 3D movie, currently Captain EO: Mainstream line until you get into the building. The Preshow area has a raised platform where guests with wheelchairs, special needs strollers/ECVs can watch the preshow. This is fairly small, but there are limited numbers of seats for guests with mobility devices, so it is not usually very full. The area opens into the back rows of the theater, which contain some wheelchair parking spots and some companion seats next to them. If you choose to not bring the stroller in, the preshow is standing and you can stay off to the wall on the right side - guests are directed to move all the way to the front and to the left.
• Gran Fiesta Tour Staring the 3 Caballeros: This is inside Mexico and if you don’t bring the stroller in, you will park it outside of the building. There is a wheelchair line to the left of the ‘regular’ line for the attraction. Most of the time, this is not very busy when we have gone and the wait in the regular line is pretty much as fast as people can walk on. We typically wait longer because we need the accessible boat. If you bring the stroller in line and there are people waiting for the wheelchair boat, you will usually need to wait until they board because there is not space to get by.
• Maelstrom in Norway: This is a Mainstream Line, but the CM will take the stroller from you. If you see the wait is posted as more than 20 minutes, pick up a Fastpass or come back later because it is often much shorter by the end of the day (basically walk on).
• Reflections of China in China: Mainstream Line with a waiting area with benches where people sit until the show is ready to start. All guests wait in the same place and enter at the same time. The show itself is a movie all around you and guests stand or lean against lean rails. Stroller could be brought in, but he will need to stand to see anything in the show. (DD can stay in her wheelchair, but she is sitting fairly high).
• American Adventure in America: This is a long show, about 1/2 hour. During the period before the show, guests wait in the rotunda area where there is sometimes a a singing group. If he does not have the stroller in here, it is permissible to sit on the floor (and encouraged during the singing). When the show is about to begin, the CM will open a curtain on the front of the room. This leads to stairs and escalators to get up to the 2nd floor entrance to the theater. If he does keep the stroller, you need to be there at least 15 minutes before the show to use the elevator used by guests with mobility devices to get up to 2nd floor.The wait will be the same whichever you choose to do since everyone will be going into the same show. Guests with mobility devices enter the theater a few minutes before the other guests. There are limited numbers of wheelchair/ECV spots in the top row of the theater, but you can park his stroller and walk a few rows down to take seats.
• Impressions de France in France: Mainstream Entrance where everyone waits in the same area. He could wait in the stroller. All guests enter the theater at the same time. Limited number of wheelchair spots in the top row.
• O Canada! in Canada: Mainstream Entrance. The set up in the theater is the same as for the China movie. The waiting area has very few benches, so it may be best to bring the stroller in here. The wait will be the same and all guests enter at the same time.

 

[Stitch76]

thank you so much for the info on Epcot. That will help us so much!!

is there a place with this kind of info for AK and HS??

 

[SueM in MN]

Unless I have written otherwise, you need a stroller tagged as being used as a wheelchair to bring it into the attraction.
For Animal Kingdom

• It’s Tough to Be a Bug: Mainstream Line. This attraction does have Fastpass, but when we go, the CMs are usually outside the entrance trying to get people to come in. This is a loud, dark 3D show that many people choose to skip. There are certain points where the show is in total darkness and the show involves some ‘bug attacks.’ There is a stroller drop off point about 3/4 way through the line where guests who brought strollers into the line can drop them off. The waiting area is dark and somewhat claustrophobic with a low ceiling, simulating an ant burrow. There is a handicapped area roped off to the left of the general waiting area. It has the same lighting and low ceiling and the wait will be the same. The advantage of using it is that the seating area it leads to inside is usually not as full and some of the effects that come down from the ceiling don’t occur there. The seats do have some effects in them that you feel while seated.
• Festival of the Lion King: Mainstream line until close to the building. He could bring the stroller in here - the wait would be the same because all the guests are going to be in the same show. I might bring the stroller in here simply because of the number of people and the crush leaving the area. If you choose to not bring the stroller into the show, just hang back while most guests are leaving. There are limited number of wheelchair spots for each show.
• Camp Mickey Minnie Greeting Trails: Mainstream Line. Each character has their own line, so make sure you know which you are in line for. They tend to be busy when people are either waiting for the next show of Lion King or have just gotten out. If you wait a bit, the line will clear.
• Kilimanjaro Safari: Mainstream Line or use Fastpass. All guests can keep a stroller in line until about 3/4 of the way thru the line. There is a handicapped boarding area soon after the stroller drop off and anyone using a wheelchair/ECV/stroller as wheelchair is forced to use that handicapped boarding area unless they leave their mobility device in stroller parking. THIS IS ONE YOU WANT TO LEAVE THE STROLLER. I have been on this in the early to mid afternoon where the regular line is posted as 10 -20 minutes and guests are basically walking in and boarding as fast as they get to the boarding area; some vehicles even sent out with whole empty benches. At the same time, we have waited for up to 40 minutes in that handicapped boarding area.
• Pangani Forest Exploration Trail: Mainstream Access for a self guided walking/rolling tour. Anyone can bring a stroller in here and you proceed at your own pace. If your child really likes part, or an area is too busy, you can stay to the side and let the crowd pass.
• Wildlife Express Train to Rafiki’s Animal Watch: This is usually not busy mid-to late afternoon when we go. You start in the regular line with everyone else; near the boarding area, there is a fenced area for guests with wheelchairs. You can use that or just stay in the regular area.
• Rafiki’s Planet Watch: This is all Mainstream. There is no set show, so no set wait.
• Flights of Wonder: Mainstream Access. Everyone enters together. He could stay in the stroller and would be seated with guests with wheelchairs (limited number of wheelchair spots) or you could park the stroller, wait to the side away from other guests and then go into the show.
• Maharajah Jungle Trek: This is basically the same set up as the Pangani Forest Trail.
• Kali River Rapids: Mainstream Access or Fastpass. At a spot near to the boarding area, there is a handicapped pull off point where they can pull a boat off of the regular boarding area to stabilize it for boarding for guests with special needs. The wait here is usually longer, but may not be significantly longer. They can only have a limited number of guests with special needs who would need to be evacuated in an emergency on the attraction at once. So, you may have to wait for several ride cycles to get on. We have ridden several times in a row without DD toward the end of the day because the wait was so short.
• Expedition Everest: Mainstream Access or use Fastpass. My DH has ridden this at times with no wait at all. Handicapped access is similar up to boarding.
• Finding Nemo, the Musical: Mainstream Access. Because this is a large theater, guests wait in a long line until the doors to the theater open. Guests with special needs wait in that line until very close to the theater when guests with wheelchairs/ECVs/etc are pulled off to be brought into the theater to one of the limited number of spots. You can have part of your party wait in the line and part outside until the line begins moving. There is (at least at the present time) also a Nemo meal deal at Tusker House where you eat lunch and get a voucher that allows you to come in thru a less crowded door aboput 30 minutes before show time.
• Primeval Whirl: Mainstream Access until getting to the loading area or use Fastpass. There wheelchair pull off point is at the boarding area and it is not unusual to have to wait 2-3 extra cycles than if using the regular boarding area. You can’t see the boarding area from the line entrance, so can’t tell if other guests are already waiting there.
• TriceraTop Spin: Mainstream Access until getting to the loading area. There wheelchair pull off point is at the boarding area and it is not unusual to have to wait 2-3 extra cycles than if using the regular boarding area, even when no one is waiting there. The whole line is visible and you can see strollers or wheelchairs in line ahead of you.
• Dinosaur: Mainstream Access or Fastpass. Both lines are accessible until leaving the preshow movie. The path to the regular boarding area has stairs so there is an elevator to take guests with mobility devices down to the loading area. The elevator is small and the waiting area for special needs boarding is small and can get crowded.

 

[SueM in MN]

thank you so much for the info on Epcot. That will help us so much!!

is there a place with this kind of info for AK and HS??

Yes, as soon as I write it!

 

[Stitch76]

Yes, as soon as I write it!

Thank you sooooo much,
You can't even believe how much this info will help us on our trip. I am so super stressed trying to figure out what I can ahead of time. I know I can't plan everything, but I am a firm believer in having all the info i can possibly have on hand just in case.
Thanks again!

 

[SueM in MN]

Unless I have written otherwise, you need a stroller tagged as being used as a wheelchair to bring it into the attraction.
The Studio
As I started writing this at 7:15 Orlando time, these are the longest wait times listed for standby lines for the Studio on the TouringPlans app on my iPhone. This is a worst case scenario since the Studio is listed on the app as the Red park (the one to avoid) and it is New Year’s Eve!
Star Tours = 25 minutes
Tower of Terror = 50 minutes
Rock N Roller Coaster = 85 minutes
Toy Story Mania = 95 minutes

• Great Movie Ride: Mainstream Line until the Preshow area. The preshow is a standing theater with rails dividing it into paths. The show loads in ‘batches’ and you will stand in one spot for about 5 minutes, then they open the doors into the loading area and the line moves fairly quickly forward. As you enter the preshow area, there is a wheelchair pull off point to the left that a CM will direct you to with either a stroller or a GAC. That area has no rails in front of it for most of the distance and it does separate you from the guests in the railed area. Guests like my DD who need to stay in their wheelchair will usually have a longer wait than they would if they could walk. Since your child can get out of the stroller, he will probably bypass those who are waiting in that area for the accessible tram. For those who can get out, the CMs have you park it at the boarding area and get into a ride tram. The tram unloads in the same place as it loads and mobility devices will be in exactly the same place you left it. There is not usually a long wait for the Great Movie Ride (right now it was 15 minutes, which is basically walk right on). I would use the stroller probably to avoid all the stand then quick walking.
• American Idol Experience: Mainstream line with a marked handicapped area before entering into the building. The wait will be the same and the handicapped waiting area is in the same area, just avoids stairs. Limited number of accessible seats, but a child using a stroller as a wheelchair should still be able to see if they remain in the stroller.
• Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular: Mainstream line or get Fastpass. There may be a line of guests waiting before they start allowing guests into the theater, but once guests start coming in, it’s kind of a steady slow walk in without waiting in line. Guests with mobility devices stay in the same line with everyone else until just before entering the theater. They do start bringing guests with mobility devices into the theater before the other guests. There is some wheelchair seating in the very front row on the right, but you will be very close to explosions and fire during the show, so I would advise NOT asking to sit there. The other handicapped seating is along the top row with spaces to park wheelchairs/ECVs/Etc. and a spot for one person to sit alongside and the rest in front. Guests using Fastpass can enter about 30 minutes before the show and won’t be standing in line - they will basically walk right in. This show holds a huge number of guests and often does not totally fill.
• Muppet Vision 3D: Mainstream Line until you get into the preshow area. Inside the preshow area, there is a handicapped waiting area blocked off from the rest of the theater to the right side. It can get pretty full if there are many guests with mobility devices, but you can wait just outside this area to the right side of the preshow area, use other members of your party to isolate your child or wait along the back or side wall of the area. This is a 3D movie and is a good one to start with. There are a few dark scenes, but generally it is kid-friendly. Wheelchair seating is in the back row with empty ‘parking spots’ and a companion seat next to them. You could also park your stroller in the rear of the theater and walk up to a seat.
• Lights, Motors, Action Extreme Stunt Show: Mainstream access or get Fastpass. There may be a line of people waiting to get in, but once they open the doors into the theater area, it is a slow walk in, with plenty of space around you. It is quote a distance to walk in - at least 10 minutes. There are limited numbers of spots for mobility devices and they sometime all fill up. The majority of those spots are upstairs and involve a ride in an elevator (just in case that is a problem for you). There is a small accessible area that you can get to without using the elevator, but they are ‘close to the action’ and you will be close to explosions and fire during the show. The whole show is very loud. If you don’t have a mobility device, it is stadium seating, so you will need to go up and down stairs inside the theater.
• Studio Backlot Tour: Mainstream Line and any strollers are allowed. All guests enter a sort of gathering area, which leads into lines divided by bars where guests wait for the show to begin. You can hold off going into a line until they actually start entering the show area. if using a mobility device, stay to the right to avoid stairs - There will be no line to the right of that line, so if you place your child closer to the right side of that line, he will be beside a wall. If you don’t bring the stroller with, go in the line to the far left and he will have a wall to the left. The first part of the experience involves explosions, large splashes of water and fire. Those using mobility devices are the closest to the ‘action’. If you are in that area and want to stay dry, look on the ground and avoid the areas with wet concrete because they are in the splash zone. The second part of the show involves a walk to the tram loading area. The crowd moves fairly slowly and you can use other members of your party to separate the child from other guests. At the tram boarding area, you will leave your stroller and CMs will move it to the unload area.
  At the unload area, you walk thru a building to get out of the area. Currently, that building is housing a display of Villains, so may be a bit scary.
• Toy Story Midway Mania: Mainstream Access or get Fastpass. The last part of the line includes a set of stairs up to a sort of bridge that goes over the ride track, then a set of stairs down to the boarding area. Because of this, there is a handicapped bypass right before the stairs for guests using mobility devices or who can’t do stairs. This bypass area can sometimes be very busy because it is the only access some people are able to use. We have been there when the wait was all the way up the ramp to the ramp entrance and some of our party took the stairs, while the rest went with our DD to the accessible entrance. Those of us using the stairs were done while DD was still waiting to get on. If this is not going to work for you, see a host/hostess for other options on this attraction. There is a video of the whole ride queue, boarding and ride in post 3 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
• Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream is a walk thru sort of museum tour at your own pace. It is accessible and has a Mainstream entrance. At the end, there is a movie, with spaces for mobility devices in the back row. If you want to skip the movie, walk all the way thru the theater to exit.
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid: Obtain a Fastpass or see a Host for options. The first part of the wait is in an outdoor covered area. The regular queue is accessible or there is larger area outside of the queue where guests with special needs can wait. After waiting there, guests enter a dimly lit room; if you entered the room when it first opened, you will wait for the duration of one whole show (about 12 minutes). Guests with mobility devices/special needs are told to stay to the left, along the wall. We park DD’s wheelchair along the wall and use other members of our party to separate from other guests.
• Magic of Disney Animation:Mainstream Access. 3 parts to this
  - a movie about character development which you can skip. Everyone waits in the same line for this, but the line is kind of disorganized. There is very limited seating for guests with mobility devices in the back row. The only reason we waited in line was that there were already other guests with mobility devices in line and we would not have gotten in otherwise. Guests without mobility devices just waited in the courtyard area and walked in when the doors opened.
  - an interactive area with individual computer stations where you can add sound effects, voices, singing, colors to animated clips. In that same area, there are character meet and greets, including Mickey as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice and one or more other characters (those vary). Some of your party could wait in line while one or 2 wait with your child outside the line.
  - a character drawing experience which you can bypass. The waiting area for this is not that large, but if you need to wait outside of that area, let the CM know, stay within sight and they will keep you in the count for seating. There are individual stool seats at a long drawing desk. The whole experience is about 15 minutes and involves a CM at the front explaining what to draw and the guests follow the directions.
• Playhouse Disney - Live on Stage: Mobility Access is thru the Mainstream Line. We have never done this, but have seen the line waiting to get in. Once they start letting guests in, the line keeps moving.
• Beauty and the Beast: Mainstream Access; There may be a line before they start letting guests into the theater, but once they start letting people in, there will no longer be a line. At the top of the theater, there will be a CM directing guests. You may want to not bring the stroller for this since not having it will give you more options for where you sit. The majority of the accessible seating is at the very rear. There is some accessible seating in the very front row, but be aware there are some parts of the show which include fire.
• Rock n Roller Coaster: Mainstream Access or get Fastpass. My DD has not ridden this, so I am not sure what the handicapped access is.
• Tower of Terror: Mainstream Access or get Fastpass. The preshow is in a darkened ‘library’ and the queue for the actual ride goes thru a dimly lit ‘basement’ area with boilers and other equipment you would expect in a basement. Accessible all the way to the boarding area, then guests leave their mobility device and a CM will bring it to the unload area. The ride includes a spooky elevator ride where your elevator stops at certain floors and you see ghosts walking in the hallways. At one point, your elevator leaves the shaft and goes along a hallway where you enter the “Twilight Zone” and the elevator drops and is pulled back up a number of times (just how many times is random). This is a pretty scary attraction. My DD loves it, but I barely tolerate it.
• Fantasmic: Mainstream Access. There is a link to a thread about Fantasmic in post 3 of the disABILITIES FAqs thread that explains how this works. Besides just getting into the line, there are some other options - a Fantasmic Dinner package that includes access to a part of the theater entering about 45 minutes before the show and not waiting in line. There was a trial program with picnic foods during December this year that may or may not show up again.

 

[bouncycat]

Hey Sue!! RnRC access is mainstream or FP. there are little doors when you go to the wait area before the preshow that fills to the max. They pack the people in. I go into the preshow with my powerchair and use the far right door, and stay towards the wall to let the masses go. When you get to the area where you board, they ask if you can transfer, and take your chair to the exit. I can get away with lines with my powerchair because it is considered a "travel" power chair, and can convert to a manual chair in 2 seconds. Somebody is usually always with me, and if it's not my DH or DS, the ones I take with me area always concerned and always help. My best advice, surround yourself with good people, and you'll be taken care of!! MOST of the CM's in HS know us....cause we're there so much...so we usually just get waived in without having to flash a GAC or anything. Other parks are hit and miss with the attractions on knowing CM's. I do love your writings on accessability, and IMO, no one does accessability like Disney does. We've been to other parks, since we are local, and no one comes close to Disney!!

 

[SueM in MN]

Hey Sue!! RnRC access is mainstream or FP. there are little doors when you go to the wait area before the preshow that fills to the max. They pack the people in. I go into the preshow with my powerchair and use the far right door, and stay towards the wall to let the masses go. When you get to the area where you board, they ask if you can transfer, and take your chair to the exit. I can get away with lines with my powerchair because it is considered a "travel" power chair, and can convert to a manual chair in 2 seconds. Somebody is usually always with me, and if it's not my DH or DS, the ones I take with me area always concerned and always help. My best advice, surround yourself with good people, and you'll be taken care of!! MOST of the CM's in HS know us....cause we're there so much...so we usually just get waived in without having to flash a GAC or anything. Other parks are hit and miss with the attractions on knowing CM's. I do love your writings on accessability, and IMO, no one does accessability like Disney does. We've been to other parks, since we are local, and no one comes close to Disney!!

Thanks for that info and the praise
DH loves RnRC, but I am not brave enough to ride. I think DD would like it, but don't trust DH to judge if it would be OK for her or not. He basically says all roller coasters are "nothing".

I didn't mention, but in most cases, a power wheelchair is handled like a manual wheelchair since they have the same 'footprint' and because they have 4 wheels (OK, some have 6).
ECVs are different because of their size and the fact that they have a different weight distribution - with more proportion of weight at the top because of the driver.

 

[bouncycat]

We have been told to keep it out of certain rides like POTC, and DH shows them how to turn it to manual, but those sort of issues only happen in MK. I take it in Space, TM, haven't gone on Splash since I've had it...too cold for my FL hiney!! LOL we frequent HS more, since it's DH's favorite park. RnRC isn't too bad, it's all inside, and you only see what they want you to see, and only go upside down 3 times. As long as it's not a jerky ride like Dinosaur, I can do it. Dino, Stitch, and some low to the ground ones like Tomorrowland Speedway I can't do.

 

[DisneySonia]

This is my first time to WDW this Jan 20th!!
So I have tried my best looking every threads possible and want to share my experience, hope you will not mind.

I have been to Tokyo Disney land and Sea for many many times but I am having trouble walking long distance because my knee surgery so I always rent ECV.

I really love their system over there regarding the waiting times, so I am a bit surprise it is different in WDW.

If the attraction need 30 min waiting time, the CM will reserve for us coming back after 30 min so we do not need to get in line for the whole 30 min. (they will have a GAC with blank tables so they can write the time).
If you reserve this attraction then you cannot go to other attraction because they considering you "getting in line" at the reserved attraction.
I think this is a very good system and I think can save many people's trouble having wheelchair / ECVs in line.

And I would like to thank the great FAQ threads!! It is very very helpful for a first time visitors like me.

 

[sharadoc]

We found alternate wait times longer at Haunted Mansion, Pirates, IASW sometimes, Spaceship Earth, Soarin' (the same as regular line), Toy Story Mania. We have found that he is usually okay if he's alone and not in a crowd, so he can wait longer that way. Standing in line is brutal for us, he's now decided he won't do Soarin' because of the lines.

 

[anonymousegirl]

Thanks Sue for such detailed responses. I will be accompanying my sister's family to WDW this June. She has three special needs kids and one will definitely need a stroller as a wheelchair and another will possibly need a manual chair as well so your info is very welcome.

 

[mousireid]

OMG! I cannot tell you what an amazing thread this is! Our local support group S.O.A.K would LOVE to know this information, living so close I have tried and successfully used our GAC with our APs and LOVE this feature about Disney but BOY you have just made my day with this amazing wait info! Thank you so very much, I am excited to share!

 

[WheeledTraveler]

Thanks for that info and the praise
DH loves RnRC, but I am not brave enough to ride. I think DD would like it, but don't trust DH to judge if it would be OK for her or not. He basically says all roller coasters are "nothing".

I didn't mention, but in most cases, a power wheelchair is handled like a manual wheelchair since they have the same 'footprint' and because they have 4 wheels (OK, some have 6).
ECVs are different because of their size and the fact that they have a different weight distribution - with more proportion of weight at the top because of the driver.

Sue, I can't remember, but does your DD have seizures? If she does and some of them are photosensitivity related, I wouldn't sugged RnRC. Most of it would be fine, but when you go into the first tunnel there's a few seconds of flashing lights in a tunnel; it was enough that I found it disturbing and I didn't have photosensitive seizures when I did go through a period of having seizures

Otherwise, it's not tame, but it's less jerky than BTM, Space Mountain, EE, and quite honestly most coasters I've been on anywhere. It's also probably the coaster I've been on where I've felt most supported and most safe, even though it does have the inversion. Because of how it's lit once you're really on the ride, in a lot of ways the inversions weren't as noticable, and certainly not as "frightening", as most coasters are. And the harness is very good for keeping you in place. I, personally, also found the speaker positioning helps me feel supported. Since I don't think I'm ever going to be allowed to ride coasters again, it's certainly one I'm going to miss! It was a good one for me as a sensory junkie.

 

[Stitch76]

A good touring plan or an app with wait times will help you more than a Guest Assistance Card in many cases. Not to blindly follow a touring plan, but a touring plan can help you to be at the least busy areas of the least busy park. That helps not only with attractions, but with things like eating and bathrooms that the GAC won’t help with.
Touring plans commonly recommended here are easywdw.com and touringplans.com
There are also smartphone apps that can help you with waits by letting you know the current waits for attractions.

Guest Assistance Cards are not used for outdoor character meet and greets and won’t get you in any faster for the indoor ones, although the CM may be able to give you a more appropriate place to wait.

Using Fastpasses also helps because they give a fairly consistent experience. Many people with children with autism find this is especially helpful because the experience using a GAC may vary, depending on what time you go/how many other people are waiting/what the staffing is. Many children with ASD or OCD expect things to happen exactly the same each time and do not understand/respond well to being told to do something a different way.

For most attractions, the entrance you will be using with a stroller as a wheelchair will be the regular line.
You can find a list of the “Mobility Entrances” in post 11 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread. You will also find information about Guest Assistance Cards in post 6 of that same thread. There is a link in my signature to get to the disABILITIES FAQs thread or you can find it near the top of this board.
The disABILITIES FAQs thread has some other information that may be helpful to you, including attractions that are loud or that some people find claustrophobic and attractions with stairs or moving walkways.

Having the stroller in line will be very helpful to you, both from the standpoint of giving him some space and containment and also serving as a ‘safe refuge’ to him.
The “Mobility Entrance” for most attractions is the regular line. The few that do not use the ‘regular’ line are basically those that have something about the line or the boarding area that makes it not accessible. That is why there is sometimes a long line/wait there. Someone who needs to stay in their wheelchair/ECV or can’t climb steps has no other choice and the line can sometimes get very long. If you don’t need to board there, check out the regular line because your wait will usually be shorter.
[/list]

Your information has really helped in our planning.
When I first inquired about this information we weren't planning on visiting MK. However, things have changed. All DS has been talking about lately is "the castle", and we feared if he didn't get at least one day in MK, we would probably never hear the end of it, lol.
I hate to ask, but could you please provide the info on MK, like you did on the other 3 parks. I would be forever grateful. You have already been a godsend to our family. We look forward to using your tips, and making this trip as smooth for DS (and the rest of our family), as we can. Thank you!

BTW, my little man has been so excited, I feel I will probably be in tears most of the trip, from seeing his reactions. He has really started talking and noticing things around him more lately, and I think this trip will be amazing for us. His speech frequency, has doubled in the past few months, just from him talking about Disney World. It's been wonderful!

 

[ladyjubilee]

My question is, in your experience, which rides/attractions would we be better off not using his stroller and entering through the regular lines. For example I have heard Space Ship Earth is notorious for REALLY long waits for the alt. entrance, even when the reg. line is not that bad.

I don't know about Spaceship Earth having a long wait at the alternate entrance....maybe it is, but the waiting area is WIDE open. With my son that's a bigger key than the time. For instance the wait at Haunted Mansion isn't really that long---but being crowded between the walls then squished in to the stretch room is really challenging (which now happens even with alternate entrance). Or like at Small World--the wait at the alternate entrance can be a while, but there's far more space than if we'd had to endure the cramped, crowded regular line. None of the regular lines would really have worked with my son. Its not time so much as the crush of people and the restriction in space, added to noise volumne. At alternate entrance there's enough room for my son to bounce and spin and stim---and less comments and stares (which add to his agitation) than in the regular line.

 

[gilesmt]

Thank you Sue, for years I stated a touring plan helps more than any GAC could but people just feel they need a GAC. But with all 4of our disabilities we work a touring plan way more than a GAC card, I still need the GAC for my blindness, but my CP daughter and my bipolar, OCD daughter do just fine with a great touring plan. Actully I am one who fights many times when they ask me to use the alternative entrance, because I hate missing all the tactile information I get going thru the real lines. No one does tactile information like Disney, I can imagine going the short way thru Indiana jone in DL, or Roger rabbit in DL. I would miss so mush with my hands. Usually after explaining they allow my dog to come thru the regular line, but I am always told I can use the alt entrance. So with a CP daughter and a OCD daughter and me blind and when we throw in my ex with two knee replacements from veitnam we are really needing short lines to accommodate. We went last year and got on oh can't remember the name but the car ride at epcot, 7 times before we had a 10 minute wait, then we moved on, we just did the park on a non magic morning, first thing in the morning and go to the gate at least 30 minutes early. We then back tracked and picked up souring tickets, and went on space with a 10 minute wait, did the rest of the park and went back to soaring, before trey changed fast pass rules. This is how we do every park now, I spend a week or two researching the parks and times and then set up a little plan that works the best and we always do everything we want as much as we want without much lines. So thank you so much, when you have time do the same for DL, or maybe I should work on that one for you.

People if you are going to spend $4000 to 10,000 on a vacation and you have any disability and want to cut wait time down, invest $20 to $30 for a good touring plan, you don't have to walk around with it in your hands, but find out what time of day is best for what part of the park, which rides do not matter if you are first or get a fast pass because it will be crowded, like toy story. Find out what parks to visit on which days. And you will cut down on times by hours and hours.

Thanks again sue.

 

[kathleendsm]

Great info! Our son has developmental delays, stamina and some anxiety issues due to a chromosome abnormality. We use stroller as a wheelchair, but here are a few that stick out to me as places where, if you can avoid the stroller as wheelchair/GAC route, you might want to.

(Epcot) Spaceship Earth: already discussed

(AK) Killomanjaro Safaris: The wait for an accessible car can be WAY longer. Whenever possible we ditch the stroller in stroller parking (which is partway through either the FP or standby line). We did have one time when we entered with a FP that the CM would not let us leave the stroller, she kept saying that it has the wheelchair tag and we needed to take it for our own safety. We kept telling her that DS can walk some, and we can carry him if necessary, but she would not budge. It was very annoying, as we waited a good 25 minutes for an accessible car that we didn't need, and the rest of the line was practically a walk on! For good measure, after that, we tried to shield the big red sticker on it when we parked it in stroller parking.

(MK) It's a Small World: Frequently the lines are relatively short, so if you don't need to use a stroller or wheelchair full time, it's easier to walk on. We have waited a lot longer again for that accessible vehicle.

(MK) Jungle Cruise: VERY long waits typically for the accessible boat. Use FP whenever possible.

(HS) Toy Story Mania: We've only done this once, but I hear the waits can be super long for an accessible car, so FP if you can get it!

Those are the ones that jump to mind when I think of how we tour. Good luck!