waterparks with wheelchair

[pampam]

We want to use the waterparks but are not sure of how acessable they are. My daughter can walk but not too far. If there is shoving then there could be a problem. Also she can only do a few stairs slowly. We enjoy the water but can't swim. Any suggestions? Has anybody had a problem before?

 

[SueM in MN]

Hi.
I don't have a lot of answers for your question, but I'm bumping it up, so hopefully someone will see it. We've only been to the water parks once with our DD. Her idea of perfect swimming pool temperature is a hot tub, so swimming anywhere else does not last too long.
The only "ride" that we took our DD on was the Lazy River. It's a slowly moving river of water, about 4 feet deep that carries you around the park. You ride on/in inner tubes. There is a wheelchair accessible laodong are for the lazy river. You can leave the wheelchair there and make a round trip.
A place I would suggest NOT going is the Wave Pool. The waves are quite strong and can knock a smaller person over, so I wouldn't take someone with balance problems in there.

 

[DisneyVillain]

Originally posted by pampam
We want to use the waterparks but are not sure of how acessable they are. My daughter can walk but not too far. If there is shoving then there could be a problem. Also she can only do a few stairs slowly. We enjoy the water but can't swim. Any suggestions? Has anybody had a problem before?

Blizzard Beach is mostly about the slides, and Typhoon Lagoon is mostly about the wave pool. Both have an inner tube float that goes all the way around the park.

I think that the only slide at either park that is easily accessible is the family raft ride at Blizzard Beach. (I don't remember the name.) There is a chairlift to take you to the top of the mountain, where most of the slides begin. The problem with most of them is that the bottom of the slides is not close to the bottom of the chairlift. Also, for the biggest slide, there is a staircase of several flights to climb to get to the top. For the family raft ride, they will trade you. You leave your wheelchair at the bottom of the chairlift, and ride up in one that is made plastic pipe and net fabric. At the top, you wait in line with everyone else. When you get to the front of the line, they stop the ride and load the plastic wheelchair into a raft, strap it down, and send it on its way. Your family loads into the next raft, and the plastic chair is at the bottom waiting for you, and you use it to return to the bottom of the chairlift. (To ride again, of course!)

Blizzard Beach also has a smaller, less exciting wave pool, which might suit you better than the 3-6 foot waves at TL.

The float rivers at the two parks are similar, but the one at BB gets over crowded pretty early.

Have Fun!