The Everything DISNEYLAND Thread!

[KPeveler]

I am working on creating FAQs for the Disneyland Resort area, but I wanted to start this thread where people can ask questions, get ideas, share tips, and learn about Disney's original Happiest Place on Earth!

Also, I wanted to get an idea of what people needed to know about DLR so that I can shape the FAQs.

I am especially looking for reviews of equipment rental companies.

So here is my first tip of the day:

There are NO double stroller rentals in Disneyland. There are single stroller rentals only. They are soft jogging type strollers. I will post a pic of the DL ones, but I have recently discovered they are MacLaren City Mini strollers. They do have seatbelts but do not have five-point harnesses. They are bright green in color.

I know some parents of sensory-needs kids liked the hard plastic strollers at WDW, so I figured this is important to know!

 

[SueM in MN]

Good start

 

[clanmcculloch]

Great idea!!! THANK YOU!!

Something that really surprised me when we looked at going to DL was the difference in how DL and WDW handle food allergies. At WDW, Special Diets will send a bunch of attachments detailing where you can get different allergy safe foods and what is free of different allergies. At DL, this doesn't exist. You have to ask at each CS and snack location to read through the allergy book. It's the same kind of allergy book that's found at WDW, but you can't find out ahead of time just what options will be available. Wrapping my head around this was difficult and actually was one of the big factors in not proceeding in our plans to go to DL. There is no Special Diets department for coordinating allergy info and they don't have a form to fill out to send to restaurants. It's just a VERY different experience and including info about these kinds of differences would be extremely helpful. I probably worded this badly, but some kind of info explaining this would be great! I know that there are people on the DL board who freely share info about food allergies and I'm sure they'd love to contribute info for the FAQ. In fact, there may be info in the stickies on the DL board which would be helpful here. It's been a long time since I looked so I really can't remember.

 

[dclfun]

We'll be at DL in April for 6 nights staying at GCH before our cruise on the Wonder ( heading up to Vancouver). I have been there 2X before as an adult but only once using my power w/c and never with a service animal. I would love to know about the special viewing areas for parades, shows, WOC, or Fantasmic. I have no idea how early to arrive, for instance or where to enter. Thanks so much for starting this thread. I'll be sure to check for updates as really I'm not even sure *what* to ask! Oh...and what about the shuttles from the airport? Are all accessible?---Kathy

 

[Cheshire Figment]

.and what about the shuttles from the airport? Are all accessible?---Kathy

My last few trips to DL I took my ECV.

I have found that Super Shuttle has accessible vans which can be reserved. I have used them from both LAX and John Wayne. Contact is either 800-BLUE-VAN or www.supershuttle.net.

The Disneyland Express has some accessible buses, but they definitely have to be scheduled in advance, and they did not seem happy to do the scheduling. And last time I was going back to LAX from Anaheim they were unable to provide an accessible bus, but my ECV was able to be put in the baggage compartment, which I know cannot be done for you.

For my next trip I have already reserved Super Shuttle.

 

[KPeveler]

We'll be at DL in April for 6 nights staying at GCH before our cruise on the Wonder ( heading up to Vancouver). I have been there 2X before as an adult but only once using my power w/c and never with a service animal. I would love to know about the special viewing areas for parades, shows, WOC, or Fantasmic. I have no idea how early to arrive, for instance or where to enter. Thanks so much for starting this thread. I'll be sure to check for updates as really I'm not even sure *what* to ask! Oh...and what about the shuttles from the airport? Are all accessible?---Kathy

Shows: There are almost no shows in Disneyland as compared to WDW. There is Aladdin and Muppets in DCA, and Golden Horseshoe and Capt Eo in DL. Muppets and Capt Eo load just like their counterparts in WDW, except Muppets has more spots you can choose from, and they are not all in the back. A CM there will explain everything.

I don't know much about Golden Horseshoe, but it is a restaurant without tiers as far as I know, so nothing major there.

Aladdin is a different story. There are a bunch of wheelchair spots, and they fill up fast. I suggest getting there at least an hour early (spring break time!) unless you have a VIP ticket. VIP tickets are not fastpasses and I honestly have no idea how to get them. Aladdin is more than worth the wait, though!


Fireworks: This is easy in that it is like WDW - there are no wheelchair viewing areas.

Parades: There are two wheelchair viewing areas - one by Small World and the other on Main Street. These are NOT strictly controlled and I have not even bothered with them. The last time I tried, there were families spread out all down the curb with blankets and stuff, and there was ONE empty ecv parked at the rear of the wc viewing area. The best place I have found for parade viewing is across from the bathrooms at the Alice in Wonderland ride. there is a smooth parade area that is line with brick walkways. People are allowed to sit on the brick areas, but not the smooth parade route. There are a few areas that are only deep enough for one person, so I go there and managed not to get squished, sat on, or moved.

There won't be a DL parade when you are there, but I wanted to give the info anyway.

I have no idea what parades will be like in DCA with all the construction, and I don't know yet where the wc viewing areas are - I will ask soon.

Fantasmic - The wheelchair viewing areas are all the way to the right side, next to the loading dock for the Mark Twain (riverboat). This area is VERY strictly controlled. During popular times, I would get there an hour early. The second showing is always going to be less crowded.
The area is to the right of the show area (think like the Dinner Package area in DHS), but I think the view is fine. The rest of the area is walkways and narrow viewing areas, and given the delicate nature of your equipment and your SD, I would not even try it. There are desert or picnic packages that let you get a better seat, but these are in areas where everyone must sit on the ground - not always friendly for a wc. In the WC area, wheelchairs go up against the rail and everyone else goes behind the wheelchairs.

One other bit of advice - when it comes to the train, try the Toontown station. Most wheelchairs avoid that one because it is at the top of a steep hill. I have found there is little hope of getting on at the New Orleans Square station (you cant see the wheelchair car from where they make you wait, so they also have a tendency to lie to you and tell you it is full to avoid doing any work). Tomorrowland can be hit or miss.

The Jungle Cruise wheelchair boat will NOT be working when you are there - it is down for a 6 month overhaul. Pooh bear, Small World, the Train, Capt Eo, Innoventions, Tiki Room (which I never have a problem getting in to), toontown houses, Buzz Lightyear, Accessible experiences with Tarzan's Treehouse, Sleeping Beauty, and Finding Nemo, Mark Twain Riverboat, and tom Sawyer Island can all be done without leaving your chair.

In the other park, it is Monsters Inc, Toy Story Mania, Aladdin, i think the Fun Wheel, Blue Sky Cellar, and all the fun things to look at!

Let me know when you will be here, and I will definitely meet up with you!

 

[KPeveler]

Service Dog information:

I am working on getting a list of where SD can go and what attraction they cannot be on, but this is new info, and so I wanted to share it here.

Effective Saturday March 5th the Disneyland Resort will have designated "service animal relief areas" at both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. The areas will now appear on park maps and will be listed in the “Guests with Service Animals” hand out available from Guest Relations.

The Disneyland locations are listed as:

* The transition between Frontierland and Fantasyland
* The Fantasyland planter across from “it’s a small world.”


The DCA locations are listed as:

* Grizzly River Run near the Grizzly Peak Pass sign
* Left side of the Flik’s Fun Fair main path.


Service animals can continue to use the Disneyland Kennel or any open outdoor area outside of the parks.

I will try to post photos of this soon. I did notice that to use these areas, you will have to open a gate for the dog to go through, and a wheelchair/person does not really fit there to go with the dog. Basically you will stay on the other side of the fence and let the leash go as far as possible.

 

[KPeveler]

I am also creating photo albums of mobility related info, ride/restaurant signs for alternate communications, and ride interiors.

Here are the links:

Mobility Related

Ride Interiors

Ride Signs

 

[kjscrafts]

In the other park, it is Monsters Inc, Toy Story Mania, Aladdin, i think the Fun Wheel, Blue Sky Cellar, and all the fun things to look at!

I just wanted to confirm that yes the Fun Wheel is wheelchair accessible. I go to Disneyland yearly with my teenage brother and he cannot transfer. He will only go on the Sky Wheel and Toy Story Mania. He refuses to try Monster Inc ever again, as he said the lap bar for the wheelchair accessible vehicle came down uncomfortably.

Similar issue on Winnie the Pooh ride for him, but that one is due to the tigger bouncing and him not having the best upper body control yet enough to not have a chest strap on his wheelchair anymore. He had no problem with the regular lap bar the few times we went and my dad transferred him when he was smaller.

Edit: I just looked at the photo of the pooh accessible vehicle and it probably is not an actual lap bar, but that sorta padded bar in front that he ended up bumping against too much at almost neck level that annoyed him.

 

[KPeveler]

I just wanted to confirm that yes the Fun Wheel is wheelchair accessible. I go to Disneyland yearly with my teenage brother and he cannot transfer. He will only go on the Sky Wheel and Toy Story Mania. He refuses to try Monster Inc ever again, as he said the lap bar for the wheelchair accessible vehicle came down uncomfortably.

Similar issue on Winnie the Pooh ride for him, but that one is due to the tigger bouncing and him not having the best upper body control yet enough to not have a chest strap on his wheelchair anymore. He had no problem with the regular lap bar the few times we went and my dad transferred him when he was smaller.

Edit: I just looked at the photo of the pooh accessible vehicle and it probably is not an actual lap bar, but that sorta padded bar in front that he ended up bumping against too much at almost neck level that annoyed him.

The wheelchair car on Winnie the Pooh does not bounce at all - it just goes through the ride smoothly.

Sometimes the CMs pull down the lap bar on Monsters Inc too far, so I've started just doing it myself.

 

[dclfun]

Thanks for the info, and Katy I will be in touch closer to our trip as I'd love to meet you!---Kathy

 

[kjscrafts]

The wheelchair car on Winnie the Pooh does not bounce at all - it just goes through the ride smoothly.

Sometimes the CMs pull down the lap bar on Monsters Inc too far, so I've started just doing it myself.

Ok, so I am remembering the bouncing from the non-wheelchair ones. Did they happen to redo the vehicle a few years ago to be smoother? I am just trying to figure out why he had such a problem with it, as I always assumed it was the tigger part. I know he likes the scenery of the ride and maybe if even if it has not changed I can convince him it was a weird one time thing and get him to give it a try next trip. There is so little to ride that it would be nice to readd that to our can do list.

Monsters Inc. that was probably the problem. I will give him the idea that he can pull it down himself and maybe he will give it another try.

 

[KPeveler]

Ok, so I am remembering the bouncing from the non-wheelchair ones. Did they happen to redo the vehicle a few years ago to be smoother? I am just trying to figure out why he had such a problem with it, as I always assumed it was the tigger part. I know he likes the scenery of the ride and maybe if even if it has not changed I can convince him it was a weird one time thing and get him to give it a try next trip. There is so little to ride that it would be nice to readd that to our can do list.

Monsters Inc. that was probably the problem. I will give him the idea that he can pull it down himself and maybe he will give it another try.

Winnie the Pooh is a tight fit, but it does not rock. I am not sure if it ever did, and even the movement of the other cars should not have made it difficult for him to stay in a chair - it is very smooth and gentle side-to-side rocking motion. It definitely never bounces.

On Monsters Inc I just pull down the bar, but it would be difficult to pull it down so far as to be a problem. My chair sits higher than any other powerchair out there, and I even have room to tilt back on that ride...

 

[toocherie]

There are desert or picnic packages that let you get a better seat, but these are in areas where everyone must sit on the ground - not always friendly for a wc. In the WC area, wheelchairs go up against the rail and everyone else goes behind the wheelchairs.

One other bit of advice - when it comes to the train, try the Toontown station. Most wheelchairs avoid that one because it is at the top of a steep hill. I have found there is little hope of getting on at the New Orleans Square station (you cant see the wheelchair car from where they make you wait, so they also have a tendency to lie to you and tell you it is full to avoid doing any work). Tomorrowland can be hit or miss.

The Jungle Cruise wheelchair boat will NOT be working when you are there - it is down for a 6 month overhaul. Pooh bear, Small World, the Train, Capt Eo, Innoventions, Tiki Room (which I never have a problem getting in to), toontown houses, Buzz Lightyear, Accessible experiences with Tarzan's Treehouse, Sleeping Beauty, and Finding Nemo, Mark Twain Riverboat, and tom Sawyer Island can all be done without leaving your chair.

Let me know when you will be here, and I will definitely meet up with you!

A couple of clarifications:

There is not a picnic package for Fantasmic! There is only a dessert box package (cost is $59) and you do not sit on the ground--they give you folding chairs. You also get a non-alcoholic beverage (soda, water, coffee or hot cocoa). The premium seating area is up above where people sit on the ground. I'm sure for someone in a power chair who is unable to transfer they will remove one or two of the folding chairs. I use an ECV and can transfer so they usually have me park it behind the folding chairs and I walk to my seat.

There are dinner and picnic packages for World of Color at DCA--but I have found that the handicapped area for WoC is good. It is slightly left of center and up a tier or two.

As for trains, I have never had the experience of CM's "lying" to me about whether there was room for an ECV or power chair. People should also keep in mind that the Main Street Station at Disneyland is NOT accessible. So the only accessible options are New Orleans Square, Toontown and Tomorrowland.

Finally, the Island (now called Pirate's Lair?) is accessible but be very careful as some of the trails are quite uneven and more than once I thought I was going to tip over!

Enjoy!

 

[KPeveler]

A couple of clarifications:

As for trains, I have never had the experience of CM's "lying" to me about whether there was room for an ECV or power chair. People should also keep in mind that the Main Street Station at Disneyland is NOT accessible. So the only accessible options are New Orleans Square, Toontown and Tomorrowland.

It's happened to me more than once - leads involved, emails to disney.... The other train stations let you see that car, so I can tell easily if it is full. But more than once I have had CMs at New Orleans Square tell me it is full and then when the train pulls by the rear car is totally empty.

 

[toocherie]

It's happened to me more than once - leads involved, emails to disney.... The other train stations let you see that car, so I can tell easily if it is full. But more than once I have had CMs at New Orleans Square tell me it is full and then when the train pulls by the rear car is totally empty.

That's unfortunate. Is there anything beyond pulling down the ramp to the car that they would need to do for your power chair? Usually what happens is one of the CMs calls down to the CM at the end of the train who signals whether it's a go or not. LIke I said, it's never happened to me and I'm grateful.

 

[KPeveler]

That's unfortunate. Is there anything beyond pulling down the ramp to the car that they would need to do for your power chair? Usually what happens is one of the CMs calls down to the CM at the end of the train who signals whether it's a go or not. LIke I said, it's never happened to me and I'm grateful.

nope - and most of the time when I ride, I am in my manual chair, which is very small.

I have also found there tends to be longer lines at NO Sq than toontown, so I usually just head to toontown when i want to ride.

That is one of the few attractions where they don't seem to handle wheelchairs well all the time. Really I have almost no problems anywhere else (except the tram, but that is a whole different story!)

 

[toocherie]

nope - and most of the time when I ride, I am in my manual chair, which is very small.

I have also found there tends to be longer lines at NO Sq than toontown, so I usually just head to toontown when i want to ride.

That is one of the few attractions where they don't seem to handle wheelchairs well all the time. Really I have almost no problems anywhere else (except the tram, but that is a whole different story!)

I hate the tram.

Recently I found that using the Toy Story parking lot is a lot easier than attempting the Mickey and Friends tram. They use busses very similar to WDWs (with ramps and everything!) If you haven't tried it I would suggest that you do try it--it may take a couple extra minutes to get to the park than taking the tram but the ease of transport makes it much nicer (plus it drops you off on the side where the kennels are and you're closer to the gate!

 

[KPeveler]

I hate the tram.

Recently I found that using the Toy Story parking lot is a lot easier than attempting the Mickey and Friends tram. They use busses very similar to WDWs (with ramps and everything!) If you haven't tried it I would suggest that you do try it--it may take a couple extra minutes to get to the park than taking the tram but the ease of transport makes it much nicer (plus it drops you off on the side where the kennels are and you're closer to the gate!

I tried that a couple times - the buses refused to load me. Took me 3 buses telling me they were "too full" to get to to the park! They refused to get up and ask people (politely of course) to move from the seats to load me. After that I started taking the tram, because I can always roll from the parking structure to the parks easily.

 

[KPeveler]

Ok, I really don't mean to sound negative on this thread! I just realized it didn't sound very happy.

Disneyland is an amazing place, and when it comes to attractions I have never had problems (except occassional little mistakes that had nothing to do with disabilities) except that one thing I said about the trains.

Getting in from the parking lots or buses is a different story, but Disney is working now on fixing the problems (I have been speaking extensively with leads on this), so I am sure things will improve in that area.


I am trying to be honest about the issues I have faced, to make it easier for others later, but please don't think Disney is not a fun place because of it! It really is wonderful - I am there all the time!

The Fantasyland CMs and the Jungle Cruise CMs are especially wonderful! (They all recognize me!)