Water parks and accessibility

[WaterLinds]

We’re planning an offsite trip to the Orlando area in late March, currently not planning any theme park days but if the weather is hot my kids would enjoy a water park day. Open to any park in the area, so reading reviews currently to get an idea of what would be fun.

But I wondered if any parks have any accommodations for visitors with physical disabilities who struggle with steps for water slides? My youngest is ambulatory but wears leg braces (very built up AFOs), which can’t go in the water. He can slowly get himself up some steps barefoot but can’t do a day of water slides that way.

In the past I’ve carried him up steps at great wolf lodge and elsewhere, but as he grows that’s getting less and less practical. We did that this past spring, and managed a few slides each day but again—can’t do it all day. And every time we take a trip he becomes a bit more of a thrill seeker, eager to keep up with his big brother and do everything.

Are there water parks that have managed to make the slides accessible in some way? Creative ideas I should think about that would help us have a smooth day without hurting his feet or my back?

 

[ajsamett]

Water parks in general aren't very accessible. I know a fair amount about Volcano Bay, and they have 3 slides with elevators to get to the top (the coaster and another that takes to the top of Mako Puihi (2 group tube slides)). Also one of my favorite activities is the rapid fearless river (like a lazy river meets wave pool)! With the Tapu Tapu, you (or another sibling) might want to wear his band so he doesn't have to go back and forth getting return times (i found that took a lot of steps, going back and forth).

 

[RoseGold]

Honestly, I would skip the waterpark. March can be weird cold, so it's risky anyway.

 

[SueM in MN]

The last time we were at a water park was many years ago. Our wheelchair user is not a swimming fan and the rest of us are OK with just the resort pool.
A YouTube poster named wheelsnoheels did a video on accessibility at both Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. She is a paraplegic and showed how she transferred. She’s from the UK and I believe her visit was in 2018 or 2019.
Blizzard Beach had some renovation recently, but I think it was mostly cosmetic.

Link to Blizzard Beach video

Link to Typhoon Lagoon video

 

[Yoshi]

At Blizzard Beach you can take the ski lift to the top of Mount Gushmore instead of stairs. The body slide Slush Gusher and the family raft slide Teamboat Springs are both at the top without having to climb any stairs. Summit Plummet still has 40 or 50 more stairs.

The inner tube slides at Ski Patrol Training Camp also either do not have any steps or have just a few steps (most of the way up is an elevated path) but those are tamer.

 

[doubletoast]

The last time we were at a water park was many years ago. Our wheelchair user is not a swimming fan and the rest of us are OK with just the resort pool.
A YouTube poster named wheelsnoheels did a video on accessibility at both Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. She is a paraplegic and showed how she transferred. She’s from the UK and I believe her visit was in 2018 or 2019.
Blizzard Beach had some renovation recently, but I think it was mostly cosmetic.

Link to Blizzard Beach video

Link to Typhoon Lagoon video

These YouTube videos are great and answer a LOT of questions.

 

[WaterLinds]

Thanks all! I’m so glad I asked, these answers give me more hope than I expected. We did Typhoon lagoon once before he was born, but otherwise our water park experiences have mostly been great wolf lodge and smaller hotel “water parks”, none of which have any accessibility accommodations. I was afraid the answer was going to be that was standard, so it’s nice to hear there are parks that do it a bit better.

We won’t be prebooking anything—I grew up in Sarasota so I know the changeable weather of March well! But I’d like to have a plan in my back pocket if the weather cooperates. With almost two weeks there, I’d be surprised if we don’t have a few good days. (And although I grew up in FL and NC, my kids are thoroughly Canadian so our standards for “warm enough” are low…) I’ll be checking out those YouTube videos to help make some decisions!