Waiting in the "Accessible" queue on older attractions

[faitheroo]

I saw on Sue's Pinned post about the DAS card a photo of a very crowded handicapped accessible queue for "It's a Small World", where she thought the estimated wait time would be about an hour. (eep!)

My mother is oxygen dependent and has some mobility issues, so we will be using a wheelchair in the parks because she cannot walk long or for far distances.

But with a cane, and at a slower pace, she can walk. For a ride like "it's a small world" where there is a separate handicapped line, would it make more sense for her to get out her cane and try to navigate the regular queue in order to make the wait time more manageable?

(her oxygen concentrator battery is only good for about 6 hours, so I've got my Fastpasses scheduled and our TouringPlans all worked out, but an unexpected wait of an hour for an attraction like "small world" will throw everything out of whack)

 

[lanejudy]

I think you may have misinterpreted the post showing the lines at It's a Small World. Those were pre-DAS, showing how many people with GAC were using the "alternate" entrance, not all are using wheelchairs or mobility devices.

To keep the accessible entrance lines under control, Disney now uses "wheelchair return times" at rides where the regular entrance is not accessible. These are similar to a FP -- with a one-hour window when you should return to the accessible entrance to be admitted. These may or may not be in use during your visit, and may or may not be in use at all such attractions; use depends on crowds that day, that time of day, in that area, at that attraction.

If she needs an accessible ride vehicle, be aware there may be longer waits. Otherwise, if she can transfer to a regular ride vehicle (just needs the wheelchair to get through the line), it should be more like a FP return line. Those are not immediate access, but should be within 10-15 minutes or less depending on crowds.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Nennie]

The regular small world entrance and exit entails quite a bit of walking. Although the wheelchair entrance can get backed up sometimes, I think it's generally better to use that entrance to avoid all f that walking. You could always check it out and come back later if it's backed up. It really depends on whether the guests in front of you can transfer to a regular boat or if they are waiting for a wheelchair accessible boat. Transfers obviously go much quicker.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[faitheroo]

Thank you both

I am a bit of a control freak, and an obsessive planner.

This our third visit to WDW, but my mother has never been before. I want her to be able to experience as many iconic rides as possible, and of course, enjoy herself as much as possible. The days are necessarily short because she tires easily and too much exertion makes her use oxygen at a faster rate.

I will just have to talk myself down off the ledge and just "go with the flow" when it comes down to it. My mom herself has already said that she's just excited to be going, and getting on rides is just gravy

Our last day in the parks we'll be spending as a second day at MK, and we will be leaving right from the park to drive to our hotel in Savannah. If worse comes to worse, we'll just make that park day a little longer than planned if there is anything my carefully planned schedule misses

 

[bidnow5]

We just went 2 weeks ago there was a line earlier in the day but not even close to those photos later in the day we were able to go right on the ride

 

[zaksmom]

Just got back yesterday. On Sunday we were there. A pretty long standby line, but only a couple of people in the "wheelchair" line. We were the only group that needed the wheelchair accessible boat. We were not given a return time and escorted directly to the accessible entrance. Earlier in the day there was a similar situation at Jungle Cruise and we were given a return time for 15 minutes later. When we returned about 1/2 hour later, we got immediately on the accessible boat.

 

[SueM in MN]

I think you may have misinterpreted the post showing the lines at It's a Small World. Those were pre-DAS, showing how many people with GAC were using the "alternate" entrance, not all are using wheelchairs or mobility devices.

To keep the accessible entrance lines under control, Disney now uses "wheelchair return times" at rides where the regular entrance is not accessible. These are similar to a FP -- with a one-hour window when you should return to the accessible entrance to be admitted. These may or may not be in use during your visit, and may or may not be in use at all such attractions; use depends on crowds that day, that time of day, in that area, at that attraction.

If she needs an accessible ride vehicle, be aware there may be longer waits. Otherwise, if she can transfer to a regular ride vehicle (just needs the wheelchair to get through the line), it should be more like a FP return line. Those are not immediate access, but should be within 10-15 minutes or less depending on crowds.

Enjoy your vacation!

yes - that is exactly what the picture showed.BEFORE DAS, those accessible lines often got very backed up. We've been to WDW for 3 long trips since DAS began and have NOT seem lines like that for Small World.
The only long lines we have been in were the Safari at Animal Kingdom. There have always been long lines for that attraction because guests with mobilty devices must boa d there if they want to bring the device all the way to the boarding area.

 

[pampam]

First, faitheroo, to the dis.

DD uses O2 as well, so I am very well aquainted with your situation. It sounds like you will be using a POC. I'm asuming it uses batteries that need to be charged, and the battery will only last 6 hours before it is drained. If this is correct, you might want to consider a rest at first aid, and recharge the POC while resting, to get more O2 time. It will also reduce the anxiety of running out of O2.

We have also left spare batteries at first aid, so we were not lugging around extra stuff. One POC we used had an auxilary battery charger, so we could charge a battery at first aid, while touring the parks, going back to first aid to get the now charged battery when we needed it. Just a thought.

 

[Mrsjvb]

For a ride like "it's a small world" where there is a separate handicapped line, would it make more sense for her to get out her cane and try to navigate the regular queue in order to make the wait time more manageable?

(her oxygen concentrator battery is only good for about 6 hours, so I've got my Fastpasses scheduled and our TouringPlans all worked out, but an unexpected wait of an hour for an attraction like "small world" will throw everything out of whack)

the SB line at IASW is often that long or longer so unless you have FP+ it will make no difference in the wait.

also if only one of the HA boats is running, it will take forever.. I was the only one in line and i waited over 20 minutes.