Universal Help, PLease!

[catne]

Anyone been to Universal/IOA lately?

Here's the problem...I'm reading various reviews/reports about handicap accessibility at Universal...including their own brochure about individual ride rules. What I keep seeing is references to wheelchairs in the queue lines. Nowhere do I see a review that talks about riding an ECV through the lines (like Disney has scooter accessibility at almost every ride and attraction) Looks to me like you have to transfer from the scooter to a manual wheelchair at the entrance of the ride and go through the line in a wheelchair. I have no trouble at Disney with transferring from my scooter to the ride vehicle at the end of the line. But it appears that Universal/IOA did not make the lines accessible to anything except manual wheelchairs.

I am not able to wheel myself (limited stamina) My husband is not able to push me in a wheelchair (muscle issue) While we would not ride the wildest roller coasters, there are many attractions we could ride...if we could get to the loading area!

I saw one report that was from several years ago that made it sound like there are other options besides the manual wheelchair...this person reported going in through the gift shop exit or some side door at various rides. But that report was from 5+ years ago. All the more recent reviews seemed to be slamming Univ/IOA for limited accessibility, so I almost suspect that they no longer allow any access except through the regular lines in a manual wheelchair. Is this true, or does Universal/IOA have any other option for people on scooters? Do they still have "back door" or "through the exit" options that I could ride my scooter to the loading area? Do I need to get a Guest Assistance pass or whatever their version is, if they have one.

Please, if anyone has current info, please let me know. WE are not going to waste our money going there in September if there is no way to get on rides for us.

THANKS!

 

[aubriee]

We took my mom to Universal this past Oct/Nov and again this past May. She does not ride any of the big rides, but did want to see the Forbidden Journey queue and the wand show in the Harry Potter World. For the Forbidden Journey queue you do have to transfer to a wheelchair in order to see it. At the end you are placed in an elevator to go back down to the gift shop. The only way to see the queue though is in a wheelchair and believe me that ramp area in the green house is a pain to push a wheelchair through.

For the wand show, it guess it depends on the CM. We were staying onsite both trips, so got into IoA an hour early, beating the crowds. Even so, in Oct/Nov we were told that neither ECVs nor wheelchairs were allowed in the Olivander's wand show as the room was just too small to accommodate them and unless she could stand for the show, my mom could not go in at all. After we got home, I read on here that that was not true and ECVs and wheelchairs were allowed in there. In May we got there first thing and again asked the CM at the door. After adding us to his counter, he had us stand right beside him, instead of getting in the queue, then once everyone was in, he told us to go in, but to stand right next to the door and for us to not go into the wand/gift shop area after the show with the rest of the crowd, but to instead have my mom back right back out of the door we were going in and he'd be there to hold the door.

My mom really didn't ride much over there, so I don't know about the rest of the rides and I don't remember seeing any other ECVs or wheelchairs the times we were there. Wheelchairs and ECVs are just not as prevalent at Universal as they are at WDW. Sorry!

 

[catne]

Thanks for the info, Aubriee. Every little bit helps!

 

[ibcrazie4dizney]

it has been a few years for us since we last went there with a ecv. but just don't expect Disney convenience. I was in a boot, so I was able to scooter around and park to enter rides. I don't remember having a problem. my dad the trip before that, he needs it up til the end, he didn't ride many but I remember the train that goes above you in seuss area, we had to take an elevator up the back way and it was not an easy manuveur for him, but it is do able. like I said, not as good as Disney, but you'll be ok.

 

[catne]

it has been a few years for us since we last went there with a ecv. but just don't expect Disney convenience. I was in a boot, so I was able to scooter around and park to enter rides. I don't remember having a problem. my dad the trip before that, he needs it up til the end, he didn't ride many but I remember the train that goes above you in seuss area, we had to take an elevator up the back way and it was not an easy manuveur for him, but it is do able. like I said, not as good as Disney, but you'll be ok.

thanks for the additional info!

 

[bedogged]

Anyone been to Universal/IOA lately?

Here's the problem...I'm reading various reviews/reports about handicap accessibility at Universal...including their own brochure about individual ride rules. What I keep seeing is references to wheelchairs in the queue lines. Nowhere do I see a review that talks about riding an ECV through the lines (like Disney has scooter accessibility at almost every ride and attraction) Looks to me like you have to transfer from the scooter to a manual wheelchair at the entrance of the ride and go through the line in a wheelchair. I have no trouble at Disney with transferring from my scooter to the ride vehicle at the end of the line. But it appears that Universal/IOA did not make the lines accessible to anything except manual wheelchairs.

I am not able to wheel myself (limited stamina) My husband is not able to push me in a wheelchair (muscle issue) While we would not ride the wildest roller coasters, there are many attractions we could ride...if we could get to the loading area!

I saw one report that was from several years ago that made it sound like there are other options besides the manual wheelchair...this person reported going in through the gift shop exit or some side door at various rides. But that report was from 5+ years ago. All the more recent reviews seemed to be slamming Univ/IOA for limited accessibility, so I almost suspect that they no longer allow any access except through the regular lines in a manual wheelchair. Is this true, or does Universal/IOA have any other option for people on scooters? Do they still have "back door" or "through the exit" options that I could ride my scooter to the loading area? Do I need to get a Guest Assistance pass or whatever their version is, if they have one.

Please, if anyone has current info, please let me know. WE are not going to waste our money going there in September if there is no way to get on rides for us.

THANKS!

We stayed onsite at Universal a year ago last May. We found it to be pretty unfriendly to people using ECVs. I use an ECV, but can walk shorter distances. We did not get Universal's form of GAC. Perhaps our experience would have been different had we taken the time to get one.

Almost all rides will require that you park and use a wheelchair. Most of the shows allow you to remain on the ECV. I was able to wait outside for The Wand Show and then walk in and join my party when they made the front of the line.

The real problem that I found is that the CMs at Universal are completely untrained and do not have a clue regarding handicapped access for the ride that they are working. When you pull up to a ride, they simply do not know what to do. It is also complicated by the fact that at that time they had to scan your pass at each ride. I had a CM reach over and scan my pass then motion me forward where I promptly ran over her foot because she did not realize she had to step back to let me pass. Also, the hotel did not even have automatic door openers which means you have to wait for someone to open the door for you. I hope that things have gotten better in the past year, but I am not anxious to return.