Tips for single parents with disabled children in DLR

[Kindermouse]

I wanted to share a Tip I had to come up with on the fly while I was in DLR in March incase it could save anyone else the headache.

To get a DAS you need to go to city hall. City hall has stairs in front with a ramp on the side. A line, sometimes a pretty long line, can form on the stairs that you need to wait in. So when you are alone with a child in a wheelchair this can be a problem. You have to wait, you can't leave your child alone outside obviously (even if your child is older and comfortable with this they have to be present to get the DAS, and chances are if you can leave them unaccompanied for 30 minutes outside you wouldn't need the DAS that your trying to get in the first place) and the line goes over the stairs and not the ramp so what do you do? I was in this situation and the cast members outside didnt really have any advice for me so I had to get creative before I got frustrated.

To fix this problem I got in the line with my son in his wheelchair before It got to the stairs. I explained to the people behind me that I would have to wait there and then go around using the ramp when it was my turn becuase I couldnt follow the line up the stairs. Then I walked up to the cast member at the door and pointed to my son and said "we are in that spot in the line, we obviously can come up the stairs. When that spots gets to the front we will come around on the ramp. This worked out just fine.

If anyone else has any other tips for issues that arise out of being alone in the park with disabled children I would love to hear them since I never have any other adult help in the park.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I just went up the ramp, and the CM saw me enter City Hall, and told me to wait over by where the line enters the building. After 5 minutes or so, he pointed me over to a CM to issue DS his DAS.

Your way sounds more "fair", but I just did not think about of it myself. If the line is long, I will try it. Unfortunately, because I am a CM I have to get a new DAS for DS EVERY DAY we go to the parks, last time it was 6 days in a row. (but I am fine with doing that, I am lucky to be a CM!) Lines at DCA are much shorter, it seemed like to me.

 

[BillSears]

I don't use a DAS but I do use a wheelchair. I do the same thing when I'm solo and want to use Guest Services in the MK. Just wait in line until you reach the steps and then ask the person behind you to save your spot while you go around to the ramp. Works perfectly.