So disappointed... lack of new attractions that accomodate wheelchairs

[smscrapbooks]

I am so terribly disappointed in Disney for not providing any rides in the last 10 years that are accessible for wheelchairs. Disney used to be so great about this and when we first started going to Disney, we became loyal fans. But now they never come out with an option for wheelchairs to ride. Just found out tonight you have to transfer to ride Ratatouille. Same for Mickey and Minnie's Railway. Same for both Galaxy's Edge rides. Same for the Avatar rides. Shame on Disney.

Disney used to be known for their creativity and their amazing Imagineers. Why can't there be a modified experience so a person in a wheelchair can enjoy Soarin' from their chair? As a family we would gladly enjoy a modified experience so my three children and I can ride with my husband.

My husband is a quadriplegic and uses an electric wheelchair. It is unsafe for him to transfer. Our kids are young and they want Daddy to be part of the experience, but there are less options now then there used to be.

 

[SueM in MN]

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure has a wheelchair accessible ride car and it is AMAZING!
My family has ridden it twice in November using the wheelchair accessible ride vehicle.
Both the Standby and Lightning Lane are wheelchair/ECV accessible. The Lightning Lane queue inside the building has floor to ceiling walls on both sides. There are a few pictures (actual paintings) and an animated ‘painting’ that gives instructions about boarding and using 3D glasses.
View attachment 621436

Guests pick up 3D glasses and then tap their Magicbands/tickets a second time just before reaching the boarding area. Lightning Lane is totally separate from the Standby queue until the boarding area.
This was our view at the end of the Lightning Lane.The boarding area is a very large, with a dedicated wheelchair boarding area to the far left outside of the photo.
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We saw some people with ECVs/wheelchairs board at the main boarding area, then the CM brought the mobility device past the wheelchair loading area to the unload area. Some guests drove their mobility device to the unload area and boarded there.

The dedicated wheelchair ride vehicle loads at its own loading area. The ’rat’ vehicle backs into the loading area and a a door on the back is opened, then a panel folds down to form a ramp. Either the CM or guest pushes/drives the wheelchair up the slight ramp into the vehicle.

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There are ONLY 2 tie down straps - one for the back left side of the wheelchair and one for the front right. We were told the reason for 2 on opposite sides is to keep the wheelchair centered when the ‘rat’ vehicle turns. After the wheelchair tie down is completed, the guest accompanying the guest in the wheelchair enters the vehicle thru a door on the right.
My daughter had her manual wheelchair on the trip, not her Permobil F5VS power chair, but we did see a guest using a power chair use the accessible ride car.

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The rest of the party is sent through a short hallway to the left to get on at the unload area. The ride vehicles with the rest of the party join the accessible car in a group after boarding.

 

[SueM in MN]

I had copied the other post from a post I made during Our trip. The photos show up only as attachments you need to click to view. These are the pictures from that post.

 

[smscrapbooks]

This is so awesome! When I was on Disney's site under accessibility it says "must transfer from wheelchair/ECV". This made my day! Thanks for all the pictures!

 

[SueM in MN]

My daughter needs to be lifted out of her wheelchair for transfers, so I am sad that many older wheelchair accessible attractions have gone and been replaced with attractions that require transfer.
I was really happy that Ratatouille is accessible - I’m not sure why the website and app are listing it as ‘must transfer’ - that’s weird.

The next 2 coming up will apparently not be wheelchair accessible - TRON and Guradians of the Galaxy. I have not ridden Rise of the Resistance yet, but the videos I’ve seen and what I’ve read, I can see why the ride portion is not (although the part up to boarding the second vehicle is accessible, so they could offer an accessible portion to that point. I have ridden the other Galaxy’s Edge ride and it’s very turbulent.
We also rode Mickey’s Runaway Railroad and although it looks like a very tame ride, it’s jerky and quick turns (I was told the ride manufacturer would not certify it for wheelchairs).

All of the newer attractions suffer from the same issue - trying to be more thrilling. When Little Mermaid opened, I read a lot of reports that labeled it as ‘boring’ and ‘not thrilling enough’. The same thing with Ratatouille. But, ‘thrilling’ often doesn’t mix with wheelchair accessibility or guests who would prefer more ‘tame’ rides.

 

[Evita_W]

But I can think of several (albeit expensive) ways that they could make at least some thrill rides fully accessible and others at least easier for those thst need more time to transfer.

Even so, the following recent attractions all could have been made fully accessible with some slight modificstions for the wheelchair seat/vehicle (most still could with some creativity):
Flights of Passage
Navi River Journey
Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway (beauty of a trackless ride is they could simply tone down the movements on a wheelchair vehicle)
Soarin - I have been on similar rides that are at tourist traps
Rise of the Resistance - Would be possible with simply modifying the speed of the drop at the end and/or the vehicle ride movement, again trackless rides make this easy

Really, with a little thought and effort all of thse could be made accessible. It would also take a bit of money at this point, but still doable.

 

[MS_Warrior]

My daughter needs to be lifted out of her wheelchair for transfers, so I am sad that many older wheelchair accessible attractions have gone and been replaced with attractions that require transfer.
I was really happy that Ratatouille is accessible - I’m not sure why the website and app are listing it as ‘must transfer’ - that’s weird.

The next 2 coming up will apparently not be wheelchair accessible - TRON and Guradians of the Galaxy. I have not ridden Rise of the Resistance yet, but the videos I’ve seen and what I’ve read, I can see why the ride portion is not (although the part up to boarding the second vehicle is accessible, so they could offer an accessible portion to that point. I have ridden the other Galaxy’s Edge ride and it’s very turbulent.
We also rode Mickey’s Runaway Railroad and although it looks like a very tame ride, it’s jerky and quick turns (I was told the ride manufacturer would not certify it for wheelchairs).

All of the newer attractions suffer from the same issue - trying to be more thrilling. When Little Mermaid opened, I read a lot of reports that labeled it as ‘boring’ and ‘not thrilling enough’. The same thing with Ratatouille. But, ‘thrilling’ often doesn’t mix with wheelchair accessibility or guests who would prefer more ‘tame’ rides.

I stayed in my chair up to boarding the 2nd ride vehicle.

 

[SueM in MN]

I stayed in my chair up to boarding the 2nd ride vehicle.

yes.
The first vehicle is kind of similar to the Orlando airport trams. Did you transfer to the second vehicle?
I was meaning that it would be possible to have an experience where guests who can’t transfer could experience the attraction to the point of the 2Ned ride vehicle, then leave

 

[MS_Warrior]

yes.
The first vehicle is kind of similar to the Orlando airport trams. Did you transfer to the second vehicle?
I was meaning that it would be possible to have an experience where guests who can’t transfer could experience the attraction to the point of the 2Ned ride vehicle, then leave

Ahh. I misunderstood. Yes I can still transfer, so I was able to do the entire ride.

 

[smscrapbooks]

But I can think of several (albeit expensive) ways that they could make at least some thrill rides fully accessible and others at least easier for those thst need more time to transfer.

Even so, the following recent attractions all could have been made fully accessible with some slight modificstions for the wheelchair seat/vehicle (most still could with some creativity):
Flights of Passage
Navi River Journey
Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway (beauty of a trackless ride is they could simply tone down the movements on a wheelchair vehicle)
Soarin - I have been on similar rides that are at tourist traps
Rise of the Resistance - Would be possible with simply modifying the speed of the drop at the end and/or the vehicle ride movement, again trackless rides make this easy

Really, with a little thought and effort all of thse could be made accessible. It would also take a bit of money at this point, but still doable.

YES!!! My thoughts exactly!

 

[smscrapbooks]

The reality is there are even non-disabled people such as children and senior adults who prefer not to ride on turbulent rides. My friend's child who is 9 is terrified and will only go on the "tame" rides.

 

[MS_Warrior]

But I can think of several (albeit expensive) ways that they could make at least some thrill rides fully accessible and others at least easier for those thst need more time to transfer.

Even so, the following recent attractions all could have been made fully accessible with some slight modificstions for the wheelchair seat/vehicle (most still could with some creativity):
Flights of Passage
Navi River Journey
Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway (beauty of a trackless ride is they could simply tone down the movements on a wheelchair vehicle)
Soarin - I have been on similar rides that are at tourist traps
Rise of the Resistance - Would be possible with simply modifying the speed of the drop at the end and/or the vehicle ride movement, again trackless rides make this easy

Really, with a little thought and effort all of thse could be made accessible. It would also take a bit of money at this point, but still doable.

Toy Story Mania is a tad wild. They just lock the chair in place. They could do that on some of these and not even have to modify much in the movement.

 

[Evita_W]

yes.
The first vehicle is kind of similar to the Orlando airport trams. Did you transfer to the second vehicle?
I was meaning that it would be possible to have an experience where guests who can’t transfer could experience the attraction to the point of the 2Ned ride vehicle, then leave

I would think it is possible since they can move your device to the end of the attraction to have it waiting for you.

 

[Evita_W]

The reality is there are even non-disabled people such as children and senior adults who prefer not to ride on turbulent rides. My friend's child who is 9 is terrified and will only go on the "tame" rides.

SeaWorld Orlando has a Penguin ride where you can choose between the wild or mild version of the ride, why not with these rides?

 

[Evita_W]

Toy Story Mania is a tad wild. They just lock the chair in place. They could do that on some of these and not even have to modify much in the movement.

Exactly, there really is no excuse on these newer rides other than laziness and cost.

 

[MS_Warrior]

Exactly, there really is no excuse on these newer rides other than laziness and cost.

I honestly think it’s mostly about $$. The cost to go has increased dramatically. We’re here now and the Lightning Lane and Genie + have us running back and forth across the park. My son made the comment that he was tired of acting like the Easter bunny and hopping all of the place. And it’s all about money.

 

[Evita_W]

I honestly think it’s mostly about $$. The cost to go has increased dramatically. We’re here now and the Lightning Lane and Genie + have us running back and forth across the park. My son made the comment that he was tired of acting like the Easter bunny and hopping all of the place. And it’s all about money.

DH and I won't do the running back and forth. Even if we do Genie+, we will treat it like Maxpass at Disneyland and simply get the next available return time for the next attraction we want to go on. We generally take each park in order, although we don't always start at the front.

Magic Kingdom, we tend to start in Adventurland

Hollywood Studios, we tend to start with Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway

Animal Kingdom, Kilimanjaro Safaris

EPCOT, Spaceship earth if we aren't staying at an EPCOT resort, otherwise Figment (this was before Rattatoule).

But given the amount of money they are making, they definitely could and should make more rides fully accessible.

 

[old lady]

I wish there were roller coaster ride vehicles that let paraplegic vets who love thrill rides shoot the g forces.

 

[Evita_W]

I wish there were roller coaster ride vehicles that let paraplegic vets who love thrill rides shoot the g forces.

DH can't remember where, but he did see one once where a person could remain in their wheelchair on a rollercoaster. It wasn't an extreme coaster by any means, something around the thrill level of slinky dog dash, ut it proves it CAN be done.

 

[MS_Warrior]

DH and I won't do the running back and forth. Even if we do Genie+, we will treat it like Maxpass at Disneyland and simply get the next available return time for the next attraction we want to go on. We generally take each park in order, although we don't always start at the front.

Magic Kingdom, we tend to start in Adventurland

Hollywood Studios, we tend to start with Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway

Animal Kingdom, Kilimanjaro Safaris

EPCOT, Spaceship earth if we aren't staying at an EPCOT resort, otherwise Figment (this was before Rattatoule).

But given the amount of money they are making, they definitely could and should make more rides fully accessible.

We found when trying to do that, they were out of Genie+ by the time we got to another area.