Wheelchair Accommodations for Rides

[bellepearle]

Hi,
My physical therapist has a patient who is going to WDW for the first time with his family. He is 13 years old and uses a motorized wheelchair and is on a ventilator. I have been to WDW several times but for most of the rides I prefer to transfer from my pediatric-sized motorized scooter into a ride vehicle but there have been times (such as for Kiliminjaro Safaris and Toy Story Midway Mania) that I have stayed in my wheelchair for a ride (I use a scooter and a motorized wheelchair for different purposes). I was wondering if there is a list somewhere of what accommodations there are for each attraction (eg. able to stay in motorized wheelchair, must transfer, wider ride vehicle making it easier to transfer, CMs able to slow down ride to facilitate transfer, etc.). I checked the WDW website but their list is not accurate. They say you must transfer to an available wheelchair at Toy Story Midway Mania but that is not true. I went in my motorized wheelchair on the accessible ride vehicle - it was great! Also, they say on the list that for Pirates of the Caribbean you must transfer to a wheelchair and then to the ride vehicle. I was able to stay in my motorized scooter because I was able to maneuver through the queue and then just met up with my scooter after the ride was finished. I'm just wondering if there is a more accurate list of all the attractions with the accommodations that can be made at each attraction for a motorized wheelchair user. I would like to be able to give my physical therapist some info on ride accommodations for this little boy so he and his family will know what to expect. Thanks so much!

Lindsay (dying to get back to my happy place)

 

[minnie mum]

There is a sticky at the top of the Disabilities page that should answer most of your questions. Here's a link:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/di...disabled-1st-trip-next-trip-wish-trip.595713/

Especially post 11, and several of the posts on page 2.

 

[SueM in MN]

Power wheelchairs are handled the same as manual (push) wheelchairs. Most power wheelchairs fit the same space as a manual wheelchair. Because of the joystick and caster wheels, they can make sharp turns and can manouver into small spaces.

ECVs in general are not as manouverable. Sometimes the line itself is the problem, although WDW is changing to wider lines as they do renovations. Sometimes it is the boarding area - for example, Buzz Lightyear is a very tight area without much space for parking.

Where you see the ECV to wheelchair symbol, ECV users in general will be asked to switch from their ECV to a manual wheelchair at the entrance to the line. Guests using power wheelchairs will not.
Where you see just a wheelchair symbol, that means both manual and power wheelchairs and ECVs are fine.

There may be some exceptions if a person has an unusual wheelchair, whether it is power or manual. For example, a reclined wheelchair, an oversize one, a very tiny/low pediatric one or one with a lot of pieces sticking out beyond the frame may not fit. The wheelchair spots are designed for a wheelchair no larger than 30 inches wide and no longer than 48 inches long. If a wheelchair is larger than that, it may not fit, even though the line or the ride car is accessible.

There is some information that will be helpful in posts 18-21 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread. Those list more specifics about each attraction.

 

[SueM in MN]

In general, those attractions which indicate a person needs to switch from an ECV to a wheelchair are accurate. CMs can sometimes make exceptions based on the particular attraction and the individual guest.
A guest with a very small, manouvable ECV might be allowed to bring it into line even though the sign/website/maps indicate guests must transfer.
In most cases, the guests using ECVs will need to transfer or walk in line, so the website and other information indicates that.
It's easier to make exceptions for the few than explain to the many that their ECV can't be used, even though the signs say it can.

Pirates is a much different issue - it's not the line, it's the building. Even guests using manual wheelchairs may be asked to transfer to an attraction wheelchair if possible.
The reason is not the line - that is plenty wide. The issue is that the boarding area is in one building and the unload area is in a totally different building and is one floor down from loading.
A CM has to be available to transfer the mobility device from loading to unloading. Sometimes they don't have staffing to do that and can't guarantee the mobility device will be there when the guest exits.
They can get rid of that issue by having the guest use an attraction wheelchair. That way they don't need to get a particular guest's wheelchair to the exit: all they need is an attraction wheelchair - and they have a number of those.

As you may have noticed, Pirates also involves using a rather small elevators or get from the unload area back outside. Your ECV was small enough to use it, but larger ones would not be (especially the park rentsl ones).

 

[SueM in MN]

I think it is very sweet of you to try to get information for this trip.

I have a link to a trip report in my signature you might be interested in and I copied it here:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/driving-6000-miles-for-the-magic-a-miracle-trip.1427306/

It is an old report, from 2006, so some attractions are not the same any more and some don't even exist. The writer was using a power wheelchair and was ventilator dependent. She has since died, but her writing skills and overall delight in life deserve to live on, which is why I kept the link in my signature.

Even though you may not get much useful information from her trip report, you will get a lot of knowledge and enjoyment.

Hope the young man has a great trip and you get back to your happy place soon.

 

[bellepearle]

There is a sticky at the top of the Disabilities page that should answer most of your questions. Here's a link:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/di...disabled-1st-trip-next-trip-wish-trip.595713/

Especially post 11, and several of the posts on page 2.

Thanks so much! There's some great info there!

 

[bellepearle]

Power wheelchairs are handled the same as manual (push) wheelchairs. Most power wheelchairs fit the same space as a manual wheelchair. Because of the joystick and caster wheels, they can make sharp turns and can manouver into small spaces.

ECVs in general are not as manouverable. Sometimes the line itself is the problem, although WDW is changing to wider lines as they do renovations. Sometimes it is the boarding area - for example, Buzz Lightyear is a very tight area without much space for parking.

Where you see the ECV to wheelchair symbol, ECV users in general will be asked to switch from their ECV to a manual wheelchair at the entrance to the line. Guests using power wheelchairs will not.
Where you see just a wheelchair symbol, that means both manual and power wheelchairs and ECVs are fine.

There may be some exceptions if a person has an unusual wheelchair, whether it is power or manual. For example, a reclined wheelchair, an oversize one, a very tiny/low pediatric one or one with a lot of pieces sticking out beyond the frame may not fit. The wheelchair spots are designed for a wheelchair no larger than 30 inches wide and no longer than 48 inches long. If a wheelchair is larger than that, it may not fit, even though the line or the ride car is accessible.

There is some information that will be helpful in posts 18-21 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread. Those list more specifics about each attraction.

Thanks so much!

 

[bellepearle]

In general, those attractions which indicate a person needs to switch from an ECV to a wheelchair are accurate. CMs can sometimes make exceptions based on the particular attraction and the individual guest.
A guest with a very small, manouvable ECV might be allowed to bring it into line even though the sign/website/maps indicate guests must transfer.
In most cases, the guests using ECVs will need to transfer or walk in line, so the website and other information indicates that.
It's easier to make exceptions for the few than explain to the many that their ECV can't be used, even though the signs say it can.

Pirates is a much different issue - it's not the line, it's the building. Even guests using manual wheelchairs may be asked to transfer to an attraction wheelchair if possible.
The reason is not the line - that is plenty wide. The issue is that the boarding area is in one building and the unload area is in a totally different building and is one floor down from loading.
A CM has to be available to transfer the mobility device from loading to unloading. Sometimes they don't have staffing to do that and can't guarantee the mobility device will be there when the guest exits.
They can get rid of that issue by having the guest use an attraction wheelchair. That way they don't need to get a particular guest's wheelchair to the exit: all they need is an attraction wheelchair - and they have a number of those.

As you may have noticed, Pirates also involves using a rather small elevators or get from the unload area back outside. Your ECV was small enough to use it, but larger ones would not be (especially the park rentsl ones).

That's really interesting about Pirates. We actually had a problem with Pirates in 2010. The CMs let me drive my scooter all the way to the boarding area and promised that they would bring my scooter to the unload area. We finished the ride, ending up at the unload area, and my scooter was nowhere in sight. My mom was pissed. My dad had to carry me all the way from the unload area, through halls, and onto that elevator you wrote about until we got outside where my dad sat me on a high wall that I was not happy about. Even when we got outside, the scooter never arrived. My mom had to go find it and brought it outside to us. I was never so happy to see my scooter!

 

[bellepearle]

In general, those attractions which indicate a person needs to switch from an ECV to a wheelchair are accurate. CMs can sometimes make exceptions based on the particular attraction and the individual guest.
A guest with a very small, manouvable ECV might be allowed to bring it into line even though the sign/website/maps indicate guests must transfer.
In most cases, the guests using ECVs will need to transfer or walk in line, so the website and other information indicates that.
It's easier to make exceptions for the few than explain to the many that their ECV can't be used, even though the signs say it can.

Pirates is a much different issue - it's not the line, it's the building. Even guests using manual wheelchairs may be asked to transfer to an attraction wheelchair if possible.
The reason is not the line - that is plenty wide. The issue is that the boarding area is in one building and the unload area is in a totally different building and is one floor down from loading.
A CM has to be available to transfer the mobility device from loading to unloading. Sometimes they don't have staffing to do that and can't guarantee the mobility device will be there when the guest exits.
They can get rid of that issue by having the guest use an attraction wheelchair. That way they don't need to get a particular guest's wheelchair to the exit: all they need is an attraction wheelchair - and they have a number of those.

As you may have noticed, Pirates also involves using a rather small elevators or get from the unload area back outside. Your ECV was small enough to use it, but larger ones would not be (especially the park rentsl ones).

Just for a reference, here's a pic of my scooter. The 2 scooters are exactly alike, it's just 1 was pre-refurb by Pride and 1 was post-furb. Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel for me, they refurbed my 2 scooters for free.

 

[bellepearle]

I think it is very sweet of you to try to get information for this trip.

I have a link to a trip report in my signature you might be interested in and I copied it here:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/driving-6000-miles-for-the-magic-a-miracle-trip.1427306/

It is an old report, from 2006, so some attractions are not the same any more and some don't even exist. The writer was using a power wheelchair and was ventilator dependent. She has since died, but her writing skills and overall delight in life deserve to live on, which is why I kept the link in my signature.

Even though you may not get much useful information from her trip report, you will get a lot of knowledge and enjoyment.

Hope the young man has a great trip and you get back to your happy place soon.

Thank you very much for all your help! All this Disney talk is making me "Disney-sick" - my version of "homesick" lol.

 

[Glittercat]

Thank you very much for all your help! All this Disney talk is making me "Disney-sick" - my version of "homesick" lol.

You'll be there soon! Lovely scooter by the way!