What Is With All The Wheelchairs and Scooters??

[skiwee1]

Sue, when we approached the Pooh line with mom on her ECV we asked if there was a handicap entrance, much like the one at Snow White. We were told that my mom had to stay in line with her ECV or get ourselves a fast pass. By then, the fast passes were for 5 hours from then and we had no plans to be there at that time. Another family came up and was told the same thing about their ECV. That family actually stood in line with the ECV. I don't know how they did it as the area is very narrow. There was no way my mom could have stood in that line for any amount of time and we were never offered any other option. That was in October. In December we got a GAC to go along with the ECV and never had this problem. We parked the ECV and walked through the fastpast at Pooh with no problems what so ever.

 

[SueM in MN]

From Disney's WDW website: "The Walt Disney World® Resort strives to provide mainstream access whenever possible; that is, all Guests utilize the main entrance to the attraction. However, accessibility varies from attraction to attraction within our Parks. The Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities and Park Guidemaps use symbols to indicate boarding procedures for each attraction. In addition, Guests should contact a host or hostess at each attraction before entering."

If I counted right, there are 22 attractions in MK with mainstream access for all, 14 in Epcot, 14 in MGM, and 12 in AK. This includes most of the more popular attractions although IASW and Peter Pan are two of the attractions that do have auxiliary entrances for disabled guests.

See the following link for more information: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/common/Plain?id=PlainMobilityDPage

-- Rob

you are right, Rob.

AK and the Studio were built with Mainstream Access, so most attractions there are Mainstream.
AK has a total of 18 attractions, if you count the character greetings at Camp Mickey Minnie and all the trails. All are Mainstream Lines according to the webpage listed above. (The list on the official WDW only includes 12, but doesn't include all the trails and the character greetings).

Disney MGM Studio has a total of 14 attractions listed as Mainstream, out of 16 attractions. The only ones not listed that way on the webpage are Beauty and the Beast and the Indiana Jones Stunt Show. I'm not sure why, but both of them usually still have seats at the start of the show for people who are not using wheelchairs/ecvs. Sometimes the wheelchair spots fill and wheelchair/ecv guests have to wait for the next show.
The Little Mermaid is listed as Mainstream, but there is a separate waiting area for wheelchair users. There are only 8 wheelchair slots in the theater, so we have arrived in the past to use our Fastpasses and had to wait for the next show because all the wheelchair spots were already filled.

Epcot has a total of 14 attractions listed as Mainstream accessible, but they list some things like "Imagination - all Attractions.....Wonders of Life - all attractions." The only attraction I can think of offhand that is NOT Mainstream is Spaceship Earth, which has a completely inaccessible line/entry. Because of fire codes, a limited number of guests with special needs are allowed on the ride at a time. How long the wait is depends on how many other people with special needs are waiting at the time. We typically go there when the regular line is a 5 minute wait and wait in the wheelchair area for 1/2 hour.

MK has 22 attractions listed as Mainstream. Most of the non-mainstream attractions are in Fantasyland. Those are the attractions with the least amount of space for adding Mainstream Access. IASW is not listed there, but the renovation added Mainstream Access.
Some of the MK attractions are very difficult for someone with limited mobility to transfer to. The only Fantasyland attractions that my DD can still do are IASW and Pooh. Sometimes, she can do the Teacups, but DH (who has to walk her in) doesn't like to do it because he has to compete with faster, more mobile people for the teacups. By the time he gets to the one they are "aiming" for, it is often occupied by people who could "outrun" them.

 

[mattsdragon]

WDW is a magical place for everyone. It's where nobody has an age, we are all children again.

As long as people practice common courtesy, then it shouldn't matter how many people are in wheelchair, scooters or baby strollers.

Everytime some one abbreviates wheelchair as W/C, I think they are saying water closet and getting quite a nice giggle.

 

[SueM in MN]

Sue, when we approached the Pooh line with mom on her ECV we asked if there was a handicap entrance, much like the one at Snow White. We were told that my mom had to stay in line with her ECV or get ourselves a fast pass. By then, the fast passes were for 5 hours from then and we had no plans to be there at that time. Another family came up and was told the same thing about their ECV. That family actually stood in line with the ECV. I don't know how they did it as the area is very narrow. There was no way my mom could have stood in that line for any amount of time and we were never offered any other option. That was in October. In December we got a GAC to go along with the ECV and never had this problem. We parked the ECV and walked through the fastpast at Pooh with no problems what so ever.

Here's what it says on the official Disney website:

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Visit all your friends from the Hundred-Acre Wood for a "hunny" of an adventure. It's the ride in which you get put in the middle of Pooh's blustery day. You'll bounce along with Tigger. Float through a floody place with Piglet. Even enter the mysterious world of Heffalumps and Woozles. It's a willy nilly silly good time.

Location: Fantasyland®

Guests must transfer from motorized scooter or ECV to an available wheelchair.

Handheld Captioning devices which display text for segments at this location are available at Guest Relations.

If you come up and are willing to wait for the Standby time (the regular line), it is up to them to follow their policy and make it accessible. If they say there is an available wheelchair, there should be one. If all their wheelchairs are in use, they can do other things. What they often do if the regular line is not accessible is give a slip of paper with a return time equal to approximately the Standby line time. At that time, you return to the Fastpass return line (which is wheelchair accessible or at least would be a shorter time to walk if she doesn't have a wheelchair).
We have at times had to show the CM the information in the Guidebook when they told us something that was not correct. You can get a Guidebook for each park in Guest Relations and the supervisors/leads at each attraction are usually well up on what their procedure is for that attraction.

 

[babar41]

DH and I were at WDW Nov 27 thru Dec 7. During that time I actually thought there were fewer strollers and wheelchairs than in past visits. Especially in Fantasyland! On a past visit walking through Fantasyland was almost impossible, it looked like a sea of strollers. This time it seemed that the "parking lot" didn't take over the walking area.

Was their abuse or rude people? Sure. They come in all groups, walkers, stollers and wheelchairs. Did it ruin my vacation? Nope! Only 3 incidents really come to mind. One was of a younger couple, probably 19 to 21 years old. Over in ToonTown they were taking turns riding the wheelchair while the other was pushing it as fast and as wildly as they could for a "scary" ride. Run up the little hill, run down the little hill. Made me wonder if it was needed, but decided it wasn't my job to judge. Just made sure to get out of their way. The second was over by Haunted Mansion. I was taking pictures at the exit of the crypts, trying to get close enough to get all of the words. To older gentlemen, probably mid 60's, came up in their ECV's and almost knocked me over, then parked right in front of what I was trying to get a picture of even though there was a lot of empty spaces on either side where it would not block someones view. They were laughing and having a good time, obviously not paying attention to anyone else around them, so I thought.... Hey, at least they were enjoying themselves. I could always come back. The third was at a parade. We had arrived about 45 minutes early to get a seat up front. We had sat on the cold damp ground for quite awhile. Right before the parade started someone with a stroller came up behind me and started pushing it forward trying to get me to move. There wasn't room for it unless I gave up my position. I just turned around and said "Excuse me but your stroller is pushing into my back. Could you please back up a little?" They did and that was the end of that. When the parade started I did scoot myself sideways so the stroller baby could see.

All in all, it was a great trip!

 

[Daisimae]

I am an ECV user who is still in my thirties. I don't look sick. But, I am and I cannot walk the parks. The first time I used an ECV was in 2000. If you would like to read about my experience it is here: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=85081&postcount=42

After that trip, when I went to WDW again in 2003, I found myself ahead of my Sister by one day. What to do with that day? MK of course!! I decided that since I was only don't Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Spectromagic and the fireworks, I didn't need an ECV. For one day, I would be fine. BOY WAS I WRONG!! Those few hours of walking nearly ruined the entire trip. Even though I had an EVC for the rest of it. I experienced ongoing exaustion, swollen ankles and legs, pain like you would never believe all from an afternoon of walking.

It is much easier to get around without a scooter than it is with one. No one who doesn't need one will put up with it for long. For the person who suggested that people who are with persons who need a scooter take another bus: How would you like to be seperated from your party? I don't think that party would like it either. Fortunately, I do know how to back them up onto the bus. In addition to the experience I get at WDW, I also use ECV's at places like Wal*Mart, Target and Home Depot. Most of us here have been to WDW multiple times and know it like the back of our hands, but, those who don't, or may not have cell phones, do not relish the idea of being seperated and then having to re-group in a strange place. I've been on the receiving end of rude comments and glares because I'm on the bus first and my party, which is never more that three other people come with me. I ignore them. Fact is, I'd gladly trade the ECV and any "perks" that come with it, not to have to experience the pain and problems my illnesses cause.

Did you know that there are some rides that unescorted people in w/c and ECV's can't ride? When we went in 2000, my DH had to push me in a manual w/c so I could ride things like Space Mountain, Tower of Terror and Rockin' Rollercoaster. The buildings queues can't accomodate an EVC. When I went later by myself, the CM's let me go thru the back so I could still ride, without being pushed. Well, by 2003, thanks to people complaining, when I was alone I could not ride, why? Well, the CM's were not allowed to let me up the back, I had to go in a regular line, which I couldn't do because I couldn't use the ECV in the building and I couldn't propel myself up those steep queues in the building. Sometimes a CM will push you, but, they were busy that day and couldn't, so it was just too bad for me. Does that sound fair? Remember, I did pay the same price to see all of the attractions there, but, I couldn't. At least not until my Sister was available to push me.

The ECV experience hasn't gotten any easier over the years. Thos invisiblilty pills I spoke of in my post in 2000 still work. People still walk in front of you, thinking you will stop. Then, get suprised when they get nicked, because you couldn't. Kids think of you as a step stool during parades. Parents get upset at you for telling their child not to cross in front of you. I had to tell a child to get off the back of mine, just this past trip. You get a good look at , and sometimes smell eveyone's butt.

Take it from someone who tried to ditch her's and and failed. No one who doesn't need to use these devices would. Just be happy, you and no one in your party need one. One day it may be something you or they need and then you will see too.