visually impaired, solo trip, and dark queues?

[disney world dreamer]

i'm 28, visually impaired (no vision in my left eye and very poor vision in my right eye with poor night vision), and i'm considering a solo trip.

i've been to disney world many times and know it pretty well so i can get around in general especially in daylight.

but when it comes to dark and sometimes complex queues i usually hold onto a friend or family member.
for example splash mountain has stairs and a couple dark areas, pirates is dark, space mountain has stairs and is dark, thunder mountain is dark once you go down the ramp, haunted mansion is dark, mickey's philharmagic is dim, tower of terror is dark, rock n roller caoster is dim in the preshow and alley, the great movie ride is dim to dark, muppet vision is dim, the seas with nemo and friends is down right dark with a winding path.....

i'm sure that with a lot of bumping into railings and such and using my cane which i typically don't use i can get through the queues but of course i'd prefer not to have all the frustration.

so i'm wondering about a couple things...

1. would it be terribly inappropriate to use a small LED flashlight in the dim/dark lines if i am just pointing it at the ground. (obviously in the haunted mansion it would really ruin the experience but what about space mountain, or rock n roller coaster, or tower of terror just in the boiler room, or muppet vision 3d just to get to a row and sit?)
should i perhaps contact disney world directly and ask or ask at guest services?

2. is it possible to get on some rides at the exit since i can more easily see at the exits such as splash mountain?
if so would i explain my situation to guest services or at each individual ride?

3. do you have any other suggestions for me that would help me get through dark queues or get around better at night in general?

 

[ttintagel]

I'm in a similar situation to yours.

When the GAC to DAS switch was first implemented, what we were hearing from the parks was that we should explain our needs to the CM's at each attraction and see what accommodation they were willing to offer, at their discretion.

However, in the last few weeks, I've heard more and more people saying that they were successful in going to Guest Services, explaining their needs, and being given a DAS. You take that to the attraction and are given a time to come back later and be admitted through another entrance (usually the Fastpass entrance, which is generally more accessible, but some attractions have a different accessible entrance). That's an EXTREMELY brief description of the DAS that leaves a lot of detail out; more information is available in the sticky at the top of the board. N.B. that there's no guarantee you'll get one, but I've been very encouraged lately to hear that others in our situation have.

 

[ttintagel]

As far as flashlights go, I prefer the old-fashioned non-LED ones for two reasons:

1. They light up a slightly bigger area, but the light is more diffused. That's more helpful to me, and less disruptive to others.

2. LED lights in the dark have a blinding effect on me, and even though they probably don't do that to the majority of other people I'd hate to be responsible for doing it to even one person in a crowd.

They may be a little bulkier and less energy-efficient, but it's worth it to me for those. YMMV.

 

[ttintagel]

One more thing!

Even though I don't use a white cane at all at home, and I haven't even been though training, I've pretty much decided that next time I go to WDW I need to carry an ID cane, at least at night, in dimly-lit buildings, and in crowds.

If people walked around with the same level of common sense and common courtesy as they do at home, it probably wouldn't be an issue - but the fact of the matter is, foot traffic at WDW is just different, and if I don't want to get knocked down it appears that I need to make my invisible disability a bit more visible.

 

[MaggiesMomNJ]

One more thing!

Even though I don't use a white cane at all at home, and I haven't even been though training, I've pretty much decided that next time I go to WDW I need to carry an ID cane, at least at night, in dimly-lit buildings, and in crowds.

If people walked around with the same level of common sense and common courtesy as they do at home, it probably wouldn't be an issue - but the fact of the matter is, foot traffic at WDW is just different, and if I don't want to get knocked down it appears that I need to make my invisible disability a bit more visible.

My hubby uses his cane to alert people of his disability - although he is beginning to need it more.