Wheelchair parking without a disabled permit.

[barnum42]

I’m taking my Mother to WDW as a 70th birthday present this month. Due to her having a short walking / standing range and a difficulty with stairs, she is the new owner of a manual wheelchair. So yours truly will be doing a lot of pushing which will help me work off some of the over eating we plan to do in the parks. This will be her third trip, but the first for over a decade.

I have scanned the boards here and at wdwmagic for parking information and see there are a couple of options – at the ends of the regular rows, where the tram will need to be used or in the disabled parking lots.

I was last at the parks two years ago, so I know the regular lots, the distances involved from them and the deal with MK ferry and monorail. We are staying offsite so will have to drive in.

My only concerns about parking in the regular lots are the big step into and out of the tram, plus where do you put the wheelchair? I know it folds flat, but it will still take up a lot of space! Of course I can always push the chair to the gates when parked close enough.

Regarding the disabled parking lots, there seems to be a difference of opinions – some posts have said the Magic Kingdom one is a long way from the entrance, plus you must display a disabled parking permit. Unfortunately the UK local authority where Mother lives has decided that because she can walk a short distance, regardless of her needing a stick and being in pain that they will not grant her a disabled parking permit. I have read on another post where a CM has said they take you at your word, so you do not need the permit.

So, to anyone still reading this (and I thank you for making it this far) have you any tips / advice regarding the above.

Thanks

 

[Talking Hands]

If you park a handicapped space in Florida you risk a $500 fine. I would not do it because someone is likely to call the police. This is even on property.

 

[barnum42]

Originally posted by Talking Hands
If you park a handicapped space in Florida you risk a $500 fine. I would not do it because someone is likely to call the police. This is even on property.

This is where the confusion comes in - they say you are allowed to park in the disabled slots at the end of the regular parking lots without a permit.

 

[Talking Hands]

That is because the are not really handicapped spots but spots set aside by Disney. They are not part of the required spots and are not blue lined and marked. Disney's CM just keep them free. We tried to use them once before I got my placard because I use a cane to walk and were waved away to a spot far distant from the tram and I ended up limping to the tram. CM was really unsympathetic possibly because I am younger.

 

[SueM in MN]

That is because the are not really handicapped spots but spots set aside by Disney. They are not part of the required spots and are not blue lined and marked. Disney's CM just keep them free.

Lisa expalined it very well. The Handicapped Parking (Disney calls it "Medical Parking" sometimes) lot has marked spots with signs that say they are Handicapped Parking spots and that you may receive a ticket if you park there.
The parking spots at the end of rows in the regular parking area are just regular parking spots that Disney saves for use by people who have disabilities, but don't have a handicapped parking permit. Disney does this as a courtesy for people who don't have permits.

Tell each parking CMs you come to that you have a wheelchair, but don't have a handicapped parking permit. They will direct you to an appropriate spot.

 

[cupcake]

My husband either folds up the wc once the tram comes or (more usually) drops me and the wc, gets me positioned in a nice shady spot, and then parks the car so I don't have to hop in and out of the tram. When we chose to park and take the tram, we park at the end of the row where a HC permit is not required. I am in my mid 30s and just tell the parking CM that I have a wc. I have never had a problem, and am sorry if anyone else has.

The MK is, no matter how you slice it, a pain to commute to and from. I love it, but it is also very draining comparatively speaking compared to the other parks given the pre-ADA layout. We are always sure to chose a non-early entry day in the hope that it cuts down a bit on the crowds.

Cupcake

 

[Michigan]

You didn't say where you are staying but if you are staying on the Disney property, Swan, Dolphin or Downtown Disney transportation to and from the parks with a wheelchair will be a breeze.

 

[barnum42]

Originally posted by Michigan
You didn't say where you are staying but if you are staying on the Disney property, Swan, Dolphin or Downtown Disney transportation to and from the parks with a wheelchair will be a breeze.

We are staying off-site in Lake Buena Vista.

 

[barnum42]

On the official WDW site you can download PDF copies of the guidebooks for guests with disabilities. I've just noticed in one of these guides that it states

“Parking for guests with mobility disabilities, or who are travelling with personal wheelchairs, is available adjacent to the Entrance Complex”.

As we will be travelling with a personal wheelchair the implication here is that we may use the special parking lots.

 

[SueM in MN]

“Parking for guests with mobility disabilities, or who are travelling with personal wheelchairs, is available adjacent to the Entrance Complex”.
As we will be travelling with a personal wheelchair the implication here is that we may use the special parking lots.

Not necessarily. It just says it is available, not whether you can park there without a parking permit.
I'll try to explain a little better since you might not be familiar with US law on parking:
By US law, any parking area has to designate and mark a certain number of spots as official handicapped parking spots. The number of spots depends on the size of the business and the size of the parking lot and is specified in the law. The official spots are marked with blue lines and a sign or marking that says they are "Handicapped Parking" or the wheelchair symbol. In order to park there legally, you have to have a handicapped parking permit. These are government issued and the company that has the parking lot can't issue parking permits or tell you it's OK to park there without a permit. There are penalties to parking there without having an appropriate government-issued handicapped parking permit. The lots (even at the parks) are checked by the police and they can ticket someone parked in one of those spots without a permit. Individual people also can call the police and ask for a car without a permit to be ticketed if it is parked in one of those spots. People do call if they have a permit, can't find a parking spot and see a lot of spots filled with cars/vans without permits.
One year we forgot our parking permit at home. We explained to the CMs that we could not use the trams because DD had a no-folding wheelchair (among other issues). We were told that if we chose to park in a designated handicapped spot, we might get a ticket.

Some of the "Medical Parking" lots have some spots without signs. Anyone in the lot could park in one of those spots and not be at risk of getting a ticket. I don't know about MK parking, but I do know there are some spots like that at Epcot, AK and the Studio because we have sometimes parked in those unmarked spots when the marked spots in that lot have been full.

Another alternative would be to drop off part of your party close to the park entrance and then have the car driver park and meet up later. I know there are drop offs at Epcot and AK and I'm almost positive also at the Studio. They are in the Medical Parking area. I believe there is a drop off also at the TTC at MK (although we use the buses to get to MK, so I don't know for sure about MK). You can ask the parking lot CM when you first drive in where the drop off point is. It would be a little more driving around, but you would not have to deal with the tram.

The main points are to let the parking CMs know what your situation is. They will direct you to an appropriate place where you can park without getting a ticket. The other point is that if you park in a marked spot without having a parking permit, you could get a ticket.

 

[theladyjess]

Check with her doctor about getting a tempoary disabled parking plackard, thus allowing you to use disabled parking stalls. If you explain the situation to him/her you should be able to get one. It's not limited to a certian car, so it can be taken with you and used in your car as well as a rental. The tempoary plackards are usually red and are good for anywhere from one to six months.

 

[barnum42]

Originally posted by theladyjess
Check with her doctor about getting a tempoary disabled parking plackard, thus allowing you to use disabled parking stalls. If you explain the situation to him/her you should be able to get one. It's not limited to a certian car, so it can be taken with you and used in your car as well as a rental. The tempoary plackards are usually red and are good for anywhere from one to six months.

Sadly, in the UK the doctor does not have the power to grant a permit. It is the local authority that does it. Mother's a local authority has a simple test - if you can walk with an aid (no matter for how short a distance, or in how much pain) you don't get the permit.

I shall just have to see what happens when we get to Disney (Tomorrow )

 

[oliviaT]

Firstly, we went to MK last year and did not bring a badge from UK. We told the CM at the entrance and were immediately directed to the handicapped parking lots. They will also do this if you have a temporary disability eg broken leg etc.
Secondly, and probably most importantly, you sound like you actually should have a blue badge. There is a right of appeal against decisions by both the local authority and DSS and more applications for both badges and benefits are sucessful on appeal than on first application.
I used to work for DSS and now help others to complete application forms for benefits (usually disability benefits) and am constantly telling people to appeal against a decision you don't like. The DSS refuse something like over 80% of applications for benefits on first application but on appeal the refusal rate is something like 10%. It makes people wonder whether the DSS try it on sometimes.
If you or anyone else needs any help in that direction just post this board.

 

[barnum42]

Olivia

Great post - this should give Mother the motivation to appeal against the decision. Thanks for info.

 

[barnum42]

Just come back from my holiday – parking in the medical sections was not a problem without the badge. Every cast member I asked said it was OK to park there as we were travelling with a wheelchair. As we had no badge cast members often stopped us on our way down the blue line, but as soon as they knew we had a wheelchair they happily waved us on.

Also, in my opinion, contrary to what I have read elsewhere I don’t think the medical parking in Magic Kingdom is very far from the Transportation and Ticket Centre. Certainly not when compared the shoe leather I expended in the parks!

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks for the report.