Transferring to rides fromw/c??

[MichelleC]

We are going to WDW with my mom, who has MS and is in a w/c for all mobility. She does transfer into cars, toilets, bed, w/o assistance. How hard is it to transfer onto rides? I'm sure it depends on the ride.

Any advice or tips?

Thanks!

Michelle

 

[SueM in MN]

Hi and welcome to disABILTIES.

There are many rides where she can stay right in the wheelchair for the attraction and I would highly recommend that. I can't psot a link from the computer I'm working on right now, but if you go to www.wdwinfo.com and look under the Theme Parks area on the left side of the screen, you will see alink for "Disability Information". The page that link leads to has a list of rides where a transfer is not necessary to experience the ride/attraction.

She may transfer by herself, but she probably doesn't transfer anywhere near the number of times that she will at WDW. Another thing to think about is how long the ride is. Some of the MK rides are only 2 minutes long - much harder to transfer back out again than a ride that is longer. You can get ride length information from the GUIDEBOOK FOR GUESTS WITH DISABILITIES, available at Guest Services at any of the parks or on-line at the official Disney site (I will post a link after I get home if no one else has done it).

You are right that how hard it is to transfer depends on the ride. For example, the Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, The Maelstrom in Norway, the ride in Mexico and Small World are all boat rides. Small World and Mexico have a wheelchair boat that a wheelchair can roll right on to. The others all have boats where you have to step over and then step down onto the seat of the ride and then step down again to sit on the seat. Splash Mountain has a pretty tight car to get in and out, so even though the rides are all boats, they are not all the same.
Many rides have moving walkways for gettting on and off, but CMs can slow them way down or stop them for baording if necessary (the exception is Peter Pan - that ride can't be stopped for boarding).
I do have one resource (an out of print disability book) that has more specific info about sizes or car doors, etc. Between that, info I have from lifting DD onto rides and experiences that people will share on the board, you should get some good info for planning.

Are there any particular rides that she wants to go on? Also, can she walk a few steps or does she do a sliding transfer? Are her arms affected or mostly her legs?
Thanks for further info. THat should help you get the best answers to your questions.

 

[MichelleC]

It's all in her legs, but by nature she doesn't have a lot of upper bnody strength and she's a little heavy. She does what I'd call a limited standing transfer, supporting herself mostly with her arms, taking a couple of steps to get herself into the desired position. She really can't step up or down confidently, not enough leg strength.

Thank you for answering. I really hope I get some more responses. This trip was my mom's idea, on her "dime" so to speak! She just wants to see the grandkids have fun. Small World is her favorite, so I'm glad she'll have no problem getting on there. can a few other family members join her on the accessible boat?

Thanks again!

Michelle

 

[SueM in MN]

She'll still have lots of fun even if she can't transfer out at all.
Here's the link to the DIS page about touring with mobility disabilities. That page has a list of rides where a wheelchair user doesn't need to transfer out to experience the ride.
For Small World, the wheelchair car has a ramp at the back whcih leads to the front of the boat. Other people on the boat can sit in individual seats on either side of the ramp. I know at least 4 others can ride, but that boat might hold 6 people besides the wheelchair.

Here's a link to the official Disney site's disabilities page. You'll find a link there to theme park inforamtion. After you get to the theme park page, you can click on a link titled something like "Attraction Descriptions". That's basically the information in the Guidebook. It has a limited amount of information about boarding rides and has the length of time each ride lasts. This will be helpful if she is getting tired; it's really useful to know whether a tranfer is "getting" you a 2 minute rest until the ride ends or if you will have an 8 to 10 minute ride to recuperate for the transfer out. Some rides may be too hard for her to transfer into. For example, Pirates of Caribbean, besides being a step down to get in, doesn't really have any good places to hold onto in order to help you transfer in.
Are there other things she wants to ride that you'd like info about?

 

[Figaro]

Hi Michelle!

Your mom’s transferring ability sounds pretty close to what mine is, so here is what I remember about the transferring needed for various rides at WDW.

Magic Kingdom: I can’t ride any of the horse drawn of horseless carriages because you have to be able to step up into them. Same for me with the railroad. The treehouse is all steps, so I’ve never seen it. The Tiki room is fine, as it is a show that I can be wheeled right into. The Jungle Cruise has a boat that wheelchairs can roll right onto, but I haven’t tried it yet (maybe this trip!)(smile). Can only manage Pirates because my spouse can lift me down and pull me up, but your mom probably doesn’t have the leg strength/balance to manage this one.

Splash Mountain is out for me because I can’t step down into the log (or up to get out of the log). I don’t care for the roller coasters, so I don’t know about Space Mountain or Big Thunder Mountain. I can roll right into the Country Bear Jamboree and the Diamond Horseshoe Jamboree (both are shows). I’ve never been to Tom Sawyer Island, mostly because there didn’t seem to be too many places to go in a wheelchair. The Liberty Belle Riverboat is just fine, as I can stay in my chair (enter through the exit) for the whole thing. The Hall of Presidents is another show and the wheelchair is just fine there. The Haunted Mansion is also okay because they do a full ride stop and I can manage the little up step into it. (Make sure you tell them you need a full ride stop, as there is one car that they use for that).

Cinderella’s Carousel is possible for me because my spouse can lift me up and down on it. It’s a Small World has a boat the wheelchair can slide right onto. Can’t do Peter Pan’s Flight any more because it is a continuous loader and can’t stop. Snow White’s scary adventure can be stopped and I can transfer. There is a wheelchair car on the Winnie the Pooh ride. Haven’t ever tried the teacups or Dumbo.

I can stay in my wheelchair for the Alien Encounter, Timekeeper and Carousel of Progress. Never tried Space Mountain. Can’t manage the Tomorrowland Transit Authority unless I am having a really good day (steep moving ramp up to it and it is a continuous loader), so she might want to skip that one. I believe there is a wheelchair car for Buzz Lightyear, but I don’t really remember. Never tried the Astro Orbiter or Speedway.

I haven’t bee to Mickey’s Toontown Fair, since our kids were too old when it opened, so I don’t know what is accessible there.

Whew, this is turning into a book, so I will post this and see what I can remember about Epcot, the Studios and Animal Kingdom.

 

[Figaro]

Okay, on to Epcot (our favorite park). Spaceship Earth can do a complete ride stop, so I can transfer on and off of it (one of our favorite rides). Don’t do Body Wars, so I have no idea about that one. No problem with The Making of Me (film) and Cranium Command (show), as I can stay in my wheelchair for it. Also can stay in my wheelchair for Ellen’s Energy Adventure. Honey I Shrunk the Audience is also okay because I don’t have to transfer, but I don’t know how the revamped Journey Into the Imagination is, since I haven’t been on it.

The Living Seas doesn’t have a ride, but my spouse and I spend a fair amount of time there looking at all of the sea life. Living with the Land has a wheelchair boat so no transfer is necessary. Food Rocks (show) and Circle of Life (film) are no problem, since I just stay in my wheelchair. I haven’t been on Test Track (I can’t handle the rides that have too many twists and turns very easily since I can’t really brace myself, so I don’t know how they handle the wheelchair transfers there.

The River of Time in Mexico has a wheelchair boat (like It’s a Small World does), so not a problem going on that one. If I am having a good day and my spouse can lift me up and down, I can manage the Malestrom, but it is a boat with a significant step down and then back up and out. All of the movies in the World Showcase are completely accessible and I just stay in my wheelchair. Or as my spouse says, I get to sit through all of the movies other people have to stand for(smile). The American Adventure show is totally accessible. The host/hostesses will take you and your party to an elevator to go up to the show, and you will come down the same ramp leaving that everyone else comes down.

 

[Figaro]

Disney Studios has lots and lots of shows that are all accessible and I just stay in my wheelchair for them. I can’t manage Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, so I don’t know how accessible that ride is. And I’m not quite brave enough any more for Tower of Terror. When I last went on it a few years ago, I could manage more steps, so I don’t know how it would be to transfer to.

Beauty and the Beast (show), Fantasmic (show), Voyage of the Little Mermaid (show), Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular (show)and Muppets 4-D (show), I just stay in my wheelchair for these. The Disney Animation tour is all wheelchair accessible and I never leave my chair. I also stay in my chair for the Backlot Tour, as they have a tram that the wheelchair can roll up the ramp and then they hook the wheelchair in, much the same way that they do on the buses. I don’t know about Star Tours, since I was on that years ago when the park first opened and could walk quite a bit more then I can now. The Great Movie Ride is also accessible and the wheelchair can roll right up and on it.

 

[Figaro]

At Animal Kingdom, the biggest problem I have is that it is so authentic that I bounce all over the place on the rough “streets.” The It’s Tough to Be a Bug show is completely accessible (I just stay in my wheelchair and miss some of the effects which is fine with me since I really don’t like insects all that much)(smile). The Kilimanjaro Safaris has a wheelchair truck where the wheelchair can be strapped in, but there is often a bit of a wait for that truck to put in an appearance. The Pangani Forest and Maharajah Jungle Trek are wonderful and I stay right in my wheelchair as we explore those areas of the Animal Kingdom.

The Wildlife Express to the Conservation Station has wheelchairs roll right on via a ramp, so no transferring is necessary. The Flights of Wonder is a live bird show where I stay right in my wheelchair for the entire thing. Kali River Rapids has a step down into the raft that is too much for me to manage any more. I don’t go on the Dinosaur ride (too rough for me now days), but I enjoy the stage show Tarzan Rocks (stay right in my wheelchair for it and wear ear plugs)(smile).

The Festival of the Lion King is a wonderful show that I stay right in my wheelchair to see. I haven’t been on any of the rides in Chester and Hester (hope I got the name right!), mostly because they sound like the kind of carnival rides I can’t manage to do any more.

Well, that’s about all I can remember. I’m sure other people will fill in and let you know what their experiences are. There is a lot of fun stuff that I can do at WDW, which is one of the reasons we love going there so much(smile).

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[Absimilliard]

Big Thunder Mountain, if the car is the same shape as the DLP one, stepping over the side of the car is not really required, its more walking toward the bench of the ride (will have to check that next week at WDW).

Space Mountain and RnRC, unfortunately not (good steps required for those).


P.S.: You may be interested in knowing that Disney and Vekoma (the company that do some of the rollercoasters at WDW and DLP) came up with modifications to the trains of the all new Rock n Roller Coaster at the Walt Disney Studios Paris. These includes bigger cars and check this one out... a small door on the side of the last row that opens to allow persons who unfortunately can't step over the side of the car to just walk into the seats. When the riders for the row are secured, the door close and stay locked during the ride. Great innovention! Now, since its a major success at the new RnRC, perhaps we can hope WDW will modify their RnRC?

 

[MichelleC]

Thank you so much!! I will print out al of your great info! This such a huge help.

Looking forward to any updates, too.

Michelle

 

[SueM in MN]

I'll add some of the things the other posters didn't know.
These rides all have similar wheelchair cars where one side of the car folds down to make a ramp.
A person in a wheelchair and one other peson can ride in the same car:
Buzz Lightyear
Winnie the Pooh
Magic Carpets of Aladdin in Adventureland
Imagination

For the rides in Chester and Hester at AK, the dinosaur ride that is like Dumbo has a wheelchair car like listed above. The ride called TriceraTop Spin is deceptive. We watched it for a while and felt it would be OK for DD to ride. I don't like spinning, so I stayed off, but my DD's and DH went on. Youngest DD has cerebral palsy with pretty good sitting balance. She almost fell out of her seat. The combination of spinning with going up and down was too hard for her. My older DD said that she had used her feet to brace herself, which my younger DD is not able to do. So, I would not recommend that ride.

They have been trying for about 2 years to get a wheelchair accessible boat for the Jungle Cruise to work correctly. Maybe it will be when you get there. Otherwise, it is 2 long steps down onto a boat which can be bobbing a little on the water.

The Dinosaur ride in AK is very rough (as Figaro mentioned), but it wouldn't be much harder to get in than a car transfer. Body Wars in Epcot and Space Tours in MGM are individual seats that you can park the wheelchair in front of them and transfer in. The rides themselves are very rough since they are simulator rides. They do have 4 point restraints available (you have to ask) to help, but she would still get thrown around quite a bit.

For Test Track, the usual loading area involves the ride car being a step down. They do have a loading area where a wheelchair can be pulled next to the car, so you can transfer more on a level. The ride is not that rough, but does toss you around a bit since you make sudden stops and some sharp turns.

For Tower of Terror, you can pull a wheelchair almost into the ride elevator. She would need to walk a few steps to a bench in the bottom row, and slide down the bench a bit. The floor of the elevator is the same height as the floor. There were rumors that this ride was changing from having a grab abr that goes all the way across the row to having individual seat belts, so I'm not sure how that changes things.

 

[Absimilliard]

Having worked on Star Tours at DLP, I can help you with this:

ECV or electric wheelchair (that can't pass in manual mode) aren't allowed in the simulator. Instead, you have to ask a CM so you can switch to a "standard" wheelchair available at the ride. This is because its sure to fit inside the narrow walkways to the simulator and to make sure the CM can get the wheelchair out (we fumbled for 5 minutes once with an electric wheelchair, finally, we ask the parent to move the wheelchair outside). when you exit the ride, you go back to the CM and can switch for your chair.

If the child use a molded seat when in the wheelchair, its actually possible to just take the child which is still seated in the molded seat and install him in one of the 2 special seats in the front row. Then, if you want, you can ask the CM for the 4 points seatbelts.

As people said, the ride is quite turbulent (I reserve "rough" for something like Back to the Future at USF!), but if you want to make it less jerky, the front row is the best, as opposed to the back (especially the outer seats! Best seats in the house for thrill seekers with good stomachs, lol).

Ohhh and I almost forgot... if something goes akward (somebody is sick, child is crying/screaming, etc.), make big gestures and hopefully, the cast member monitoring the simulators will catch your gestures.

 

[Andrew Bichard]

Some extra pieces of information, no-one else has covered:

Test Track and Rock n' Roller Coaster each have test cars for you to practice getting in and out before going on the ride proper. I think the CMs call them 'test buckets' - you will have to ask a CM where they are.

Did amyone mention that the backlot tour at MGM (includes Catastrophy Canyon) can be ridden in a wheelchair? Your wheelchair gets loaded onto the first car right next to the tour guide.

When I last checked out Spaceship Earth a year ago, the CM dealing with wheelchairs told me that they were getting a new car for wheelchair users. You will still have to transfer, but the transfer will be easier.

Even if you can't transfer onto a ride, you can still go through the pre-shows and then take the connecting door into the inevitable gift shop. The basement and pre-show of Tower of Terror are fun and the post show at Test Track is OK if you like automobile.

Maybe we should get together some reviews of pre and post shows!

Why doesn't Disney have films of rides for those of us that cannot transfer to the rides.

Andrew

Andrew

 

[SueM in MN]

I found a page that might be useful to see what the ride cars look like:
Deb Wills ride car pictures: http://www.wdwig.com/gal_ride.htm

There are only a few rides shown, but I think this page just started and will probably be more complete as time goes on. Some of the pictures are not very good since they only show the seat and not the step up or down into the ride, but at least it's something.

It would be useful if WDW had a picture file like this on a guest accessible computer at Guest Services at each park. They could add special things about the rides (like the info Andrew posted about "practice cars" and that the "full stop" car at HM opens wider), plus the information that is currently in the Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities. That way people who can transfer could see what they are up against and make a decision about whether to even get into a line or not. If they also had printer and a way to check off the rides that the guest felt they could transfer into, each person could get an individualized list of which rides they want to try. Sort of like an individualized Guidebook. They could put the same info on their website, so that people would be able to do trip planning right from home. I can dream, can't I?

 

[Talking Hands]

Actually on the stimulator rides at WDW they allow me to bring the PC up to the door and then I walk the few steps to the first seat and sit. After they bring the chair back and I transfer back to it and then go out the chicken escape route. Last time I was there I actually took the PC through the ride vehicle as mine is small enough. ECVs cannot be taken through the line but the PC can.