Stroller as wheelchair question (Shows)

[ArielRae]

For those with experience how does it work for shows. Do they give you a wheelchair spot at shows for your stroller that has been tagged as a wheelchair or do you leave it outside? I particularly am interested with the Nemo show in AK. DS can walk and sit in the theater but will they give us a wheelchair spot if we like one? Would we let the CM know and line up in the wheelchair line. How early do we need to show up for that kind of spot? Like to plan ahead incase DS needs his comfortable space (Autistic) I don't want him to miss the show as I think he will really like it and keep his attention.

 

[Kellykins1218]

For those with experience how does it work for shows. Do they give you a wheelchair spot at shows for your stroller that has been tagged as a wheelchair or do you leave it outside? I particularly am interested with the Nemo show in AK. DS can walk and sit in the theater but will they give us a wheelchair spot if we like one? Would we let the CM know and line up in the wheelchair line. How early do we need to show up for that kind of spot? Like to plan ahead incase DS needs his comfortable space (Autistic) I don't want him to miss the show as I think he will really like it and keep his attention.

You take your stroller in just like a wheelchair and sit in the one of the handicapped rows. For some shows you will be in the front row. At Nemo, they can take you down near the front or you can take the top row. They have benches with room at either end for a wheelchair so your party can stay together. We've gotten to Nemo fairly last minute and have gotten decent seats even during Spring Break. There's always CMs out in front of the shows or in the lobbies and you just need to show your GAC to them & they'll direct you where to go. Some will notice the Stroller as a Wheelchair tag but usually they start to tell us no strollers and then we point it out to them.

 

[ttintagel]

When we've been in W/C seating at shows, there have been strollers-as-wheelchars right there with us.

 

[KPeveler]

The only restriction I could see is if your stroller did not fit within the wheelchair spots. Pretty much all strollers will, unless you have a huge double/triple stroller or something like that. You should not have a problem.

Some people find that strollers sit too low for the child to see well from the wheelchair spots (strollers are sometimes much shorter than the theatre seats), so if you end up wanting to transfer, you can do that too.

I am not sure about Nemo but depending on the show, sometimes you have to get there very early to get a wheelchair spot, as opposed to a regular seat. Someone here should be able to tell you how early to get there if he cannot transfer.

Also something to know is that sometimes the number of people who can sit with him will be restricted, usually to 3 or 4 members of the party. The rest of the group will generally sit in the row in front of the wheelchair spots. In American Adventure, it is 1 person. Everyone else in the group must sit elsewhere. I mention this because sometimes autistic children become anxious if the family splits up, and he may do better if he is prepared for it.

Some shows (actually most I can think of) have two wheelchair spots next to each other, with family on either side. This means that there could be a stranger in a wheelchair or scooter sitting to the far side of your child. At least one person will always be allowed to sit next to your child, but your family will not be able to surround him - there may be a stranger sitting next to him. Also something some children do better to know about ahead of time.

Hope this helps. The only venue I have ever seen CMs really try to get people to transfer if they can is American Adventure and Festival of the Lion King - those two have very few wheelchair spots. You would still be allowed to use the stroller as wheelchair, absolutely, this are just the only two shows I have ever been in where they ask more than once if I can transfer to a regular seat.

In both of those theatres, if you do keep use the wheelchair spots and think your child may need to exit early, tell a CM as soon as you get to the waiting area - it is hard to get out of the AA theatre wheelchair spots unless you are on an end (same as the regular seats - it is a huge theatre) and due to the nature of the Lion King show (theatre in the round-style), there are some spots that you may not be able to leave in the middle of the show.

Sorry my posts tend to be long - I try to answer all the questions I can think of at once. The short answer is that you can use a stroller as a wheelchair anywhere a wheelchair can go, with the exception of transportation (he must get out of the stroller on buses) and I am not sure with the wheelchair vehicles on rides, but I think he needs to transfer for those too.

 

[SueM in MN]

If you are using a mobility device (wheelchair, ECV, rollator, stroller as wheelchair ), many shows have separate waiting areas as you get to the theater entrance. This is not a 'perk' , but is a way for the CMs to make sure they don't send more guests with mobility devices into the theater thn there are spots for them. Those guests are sometimes brought into the theater 30-90 seconds before the other guests; this allows the CMs to get them into to their spots before the rest of the guests come in as a large group.
Guests with mobility devices will be sent to those waiting areas without needing a GAC. Guests without a mobility device would need a GAC to wait there.

Depending on the hight of your child hike sitting in the stroller, it may be better to park the stroller in the wheelchair spot and sit in a theater seat.

There are some shows where all the accessible seating is in the back row.
These attractions have accessible seating only in the back of the theater for guests with mobility devices:

• Hall of Presidents at MK

• - You may be able to park in the rear and walk to the front. Ask the CM at the entrance and the one seating guests with special needs.
• Mickey’s Philharmagic at MK The mobility seating is in the rear, but the theater is small, so you are not that far from the screen. You may actually see better from the back because you would see more of the screen.
• Stitch’s Great Escape at MKThe theater is not that deep. There are spaces for mobility devices to park in the rear. Going to a further down seat would be difficult because the seats are in tiers of steps and not get you a much better view. Much of the action takes place in the dark. The theater is dark, so walking around to get a spot would be difficult.
• American Adventure at Epcot The seating is in the rear and there is a very steeply sloped floor from the rear to the front. CMs are likely to NOT let you park and walk to the front because of the slope. But, you could ask the CM who is seating guests with special needs. Just expect to be told no.
• Impressions de France at Epcot The accessible seating is in the back row. The theater is not that large. You may be able to park at the rear and walk down toward the front. Ask the CM. The screen is around you to about 180 degrees. If you go down to the front, you will see less of what goes on to the sides, so back is actually better.
• Movie in Norway at Epcot This is normally accessed by going into the theater directly after riding the attraction. If you want to only view the movie, ask a CM at the entrance to the attraction. The wheelchair seating is usually at the rear because that is the only place where the rows are wide enough apart for a mobility device to get thru.
• Captain EO at Epcot
• Circle of Life at Epcot The seating for guests with mobility devices is at the back of the theater. Going down any further involves going down steps to be seated and up steps to leave the show.
• Ellen’s Energy Adventure at Epcot The mobility seating is in the back of the rear theater car. You can ask the CM if you can park the mobility device and then you would be able to walk in and sit in any row. Guests using strollers as wheelchairs would generally park them because the wheelchair space is small.
• Muppets 3D at Hollywood Studio Guests with mobility devices enter along with the other guests, so it would be difficult to park a mobility device at the rear and then walk further to the front. As guests from one show are leaving, guests for the next show are starting to arrive, so you need to be quick getting back to your mobility device.
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid at Hollywood Studio Similar in how it ‘loads’ the theater to Muppets 3D. It is dark and tight, o styling in the mobility device is best.
• Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream at Hollywood Studio There is an optional movie at the end of the walk thru exhibition. Mobility device setting is the back ow.
• Magic of Disney Animation at Hollywood Studio There is a movie at the start with seating in the rear. There is also an interactive drawing class that is optional at the end to the tour. Seating is at the rear, but there are big screens that show what the CM demonstrating drawing a character is doing. For both, there is not really time to park in the rear and move to a further front seat because guests with mobility devices are ‘loaded’ into the theater at the same time as other guests.
• Bug’s Life at Animal Kingdom
  

These attractions have accessible seating in the front for all guests with mobility devices. No need for a GAC with a mobility device because that is where you would go anyway:

• Country Bear Jamboree at MK - There is a ramp to the front row and all guests with mobility devices sit in the front. The stage is slightly above head height, so guests with mobility devices may have to crane thir necks to see.
• Tiki Birds at MK
• Carousel of Progress at MK The mobility seating is at the end of rows at the front of the theater.
• Laugh Floor at MK The mobility seating is in the front several rows.
• Turtle Talk at Epcot The mobility seating is at the ends of rows at the front of the theater. The only places farther front are sitting on the floor, which is for children.
• American Idol at Hollywood Studios
• Festival of the Lion King at AK All of the mobility seating is at the front since the other seating involves going up and down steps.

These attractions have seating in the front and rear - you don’t need a GAC with a mobility device. Just tell the CM seating guests with special needs that you need/want to sit in front.

• Reflections of China - 360 film at Epcot There is no seating here unless you bring a mobility device. They do have lean rails that you can lean forward or against. The film takes place all around you and you can go where ever you want in the theater, without needing to talk to a CM. You will have less people around you if you are in the rear of the theater. There are no lean rails there, the CM who introduces the film will be in the front. At China, as you come in, the rear is to the left.
• O Canada at Epcot Another 360 film, similar to China in the way it works.
• Lights, Motors, Action Stunt show at Hollywood Studios Let the CM seating people with mobility devices know you need to sit in the front. The elevator leads to the higher up and farther seating, so when you get to the elevator, let the CM directing people know you need to sit closer and they will direct you somewhere other than going up in the elevator if any closer seats are still available.
• Indiana Jones Stunt Show at Hollywood Studios The majority of the accessible seating is at the rear of the theater, but there are a few spots in the front row.
• Beauty and the Beast at Hollywood Studios Ask the CM at the rear of the theater who is directing seating. The level of the stage is at floor height for the font row, o you may need to cane your neck.
• Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios This is a night show, with the majority of the wheelchair seating at the top row. There are a few spots in the very front row. If you want to request them, be prepared to come early (an hour or more, depending on the crowd) and be prepared to get wet from spray from water screens and spray during certain parts of the show.
• Flights of Wonder Bird Show at AK
• Nemo Show at AK The majority of the mobility seating is at the rear. There is a small amount in the middle and a few seats in the front.
  The front area seats have limited view because part of the stage juts out toward the middle. Some guests may also find by need to crane their necks to see.