Wheelchair Transfer Questions

[allie_to_you]

Couple quick questions regarding transfers to rides from wheelchair...

1. Spaceship Earth...have any of these cars been adapted with a wider opening? To ride this, my DH would have to get parralel to the ride vehicle and have me assist him with a pivot from his chair into the seat as he has no use of his legs.

2. Test Track...I have heard that they have a separate platform for transfers to this ride vehicle. He would still have to transfer down into the seat & then back up to the platform correct or is the ride vehicle and the wheelchair seat at the same height?

3. Big Thunder mountain/Expedition Everest...I think my DH could transfer to these ride vehicles with my assistance, but do they give you enough time for us to attempt it...we haven't even attempted it before because it looked as if they were really speedy with the start & stop of the ride.

4. Tower of Terror...do they give you time for a possible transfer with thsi ride? Do they bring your wheelchair to the place where you exit?

5. Star Tours...someone else said this was an easy transfer, like transfering to a car...The last time I rode it, numerous years ago, it was a narrow entrance and I dont' remember there being enough room to get the wheelchair right up next to the seat where he could transfer.

Thanks everyone! We leave in 28 days and are just hoping to possibly give him the opportunity to ride a few things we've never attempted before.

 

[Mary976]

1. There is an "ADA car" at Spaceship Earth. Wheelchairs board at the exit, and be sure to tell them you need the ADA car, as it has a wider opening. That being said, you still have to get through the opening and into the seat. It's not a parallel slide transfer, and it may not work as a regular standing pivot transfer either. I think SueM has a pic so maybe she can post it for you.

2. For Test Track, boarding at the wheelchair area is a two step process. You first have to transfer laterally to the side of the car, then down into the car. Then the reverse process when you get off.

3. EE is an easy lateral transfer, plus I think there might be a sample vehicle somewhere if you want to eyeball it first. I think Big Thunder is harder. What makes EE so easy is that one of the sides of the cars is cut out for the transfer, but I don't remember that on Big Thunder.

4. For ToT they will bring your chair to the exit. I know DD has ridden many times, but I don't remember the specifics of how she gets on. I think this transfer might be somewhere in between. It's not super hard but not one of the easiest.

And we haven't ridden the new Star Tours, so I can't help you out there. I will say that the only ride where you absolutely have to be ready to go in a certain time frame is Space Mountain. Other than that, we've done okay time wise. Plus the cast members are good about letting you watch for awhile first if you want to think about how you might approach it.

Good luck!
Mary

 

[Michigan]

I have 2 daughters with spina bifida neither of which can stand but I can still lift the 13 year old. On test track you take an elevator down and get in the car just before the hill. My oldest that I can't lift requests the booster seat that makes the transfer even from the chair to the car. On thunder mountain the second to the last car the side opens downward to become a transfer seat to slide onto the ride from the chair.

 

[DuchessOnWheels]

Hi Allie, I have ridden them all (Star Tours last year before revision) with my L-2 spinal cord injury. None are quick and easy but all are doable.

1. SE has a moving platform to keep you up with the ride car and it has an opening mainly for leg space. It is a pivot, but not a 180 and with a wider opening than the other cars, and they will stop the ride if you haven't boarded by the time it gets near the end of the loading platform. W/C stays put. Load and unload at the same spot.

2. TT is tough if you don't have good upper body strength. You need to get your rear up from the seat to the "back" of the seat. Think prom queens riding in the convertible around a track. Then up a little from that to the seat of your chair. I usually have 2 friends/family members with me. One at my feet/knee area and one behind me. Wheelchair users are taken out of line at a halfway point and brought to the loading platform. Again, the CM's will give you all the time you need to load/unload. However, if peer pressure is a problem for you, the next car is RIGHT behind you and all riders are watching and waiting.

3. EE is the easiest! Because of the great car design you may not need lots of extra time, but they will allow it with a smile. Thunder Mtn is more difficult. It's kind of like SE with the opening but my feet get hung up. Taller people may have a rougher time. Thank goodness I'm short. As before, they'll give you time.

4. ToT has 3 or 4 fixed benches with an aisle in the middle. If your DH has an average to smaller chair, the footrest area will fit right between the opening for the front seat. It is almost a complete 180 degree transfer/pivot. I hold onto the seat and the short wall in the front of the first row and then plop down. A CM then pulls my chair out of the way and I arrange my legs. They magically (OK, with an elevator) have my chair reappear at the end of the ride and bring it right to the seat after all other passengers have exited.

5. ST is pretty easy. Yup, it's pretty close to the car transfer thing. And, once again, the chair magically disappears and then reappears right next to me.

I'll add my own number...6: Not sure if you've ever done POTC, but it's the one that makes me grimace. I've heard rumors that they are going to change.....First, you must transfer into one of their manual chairs, go down a narrow pathway, get into the boat which is below your knee-height for the edge and then a little lower for the seat. Then reverse it on the way back. But, of course, I SUFFER through it every trip.

Hope this helps. Enjoy your trip!

 

[Michigan]

TT is tough if you don't have good upper body strength. You need to get your rear up from the seat to the "back" of the seat. Think prom queens riding in the convertible around a track. Then up a little from that to the seat of your chair. I usually have 2 friends/family members with me. One at my feet/knee area and one behind me. Wheelchair users are taken out of line at a halfway point and brought to the loading platform. Again, the CM's will give you all the time you need to load/unload. However, if peer pressure is a problem for you, the next car is RIGHT behind you and all riders are watching and waiting.

Ask for the transfer booster seat. All my 21 year old does is lifts her one leg and puts it in the car and then slides over on the seat and puts the other leg in. She says it's the easiest transfer at WDW.

 

[zaksmom]

Wonderful to hear this about TT. We've been avoiding this for the past few years.
The new Star Tours is very easy. In fact the first seat (closest to the entrance) in the first row has an arm rest that swings totally out of the way and then locks back in place.

 

[DuchessOnWheels]

Ask for the transfer booster seat. All my 21 year old does is lifts her one leg and puts it in the car and then slides over on the seat and puts the other leg in. She says it's the easiest transfer at WDW.

Wow! Thank you for that tidbit. I love that ride but hate the transfer. I wish they could all have a pull-out loading area like Toy Story. I'm going to relax and try this on our trip in January.

 

[SueM in MN]

To add a little to what other posters mentioned (and some pictures)

Couple quick questions regarding transfers to rides from wheelchair...

1. Spaceship Earth...have any of these cars been adapted with a wider opening? To ride this, my DH would have to get parralel to the ride vehicle and have me assist him with a pivot from his chair into the seat as he has no use of his legs.

This is a picture of the ADA car for Spaceship Earth (thanks to Bill Sears)

and a link to a bigger picture:
http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/member-galleries/p71664-spaceship-earth-ada-car.html

The door opens wider for an easier way in. They usually don’t stop the moving walkway, but do slow it. If they see that you will have trouble transferring before you run out of walkway, they will do an emergency stop.
This is the boarding area:

and a link to a bigger picture:
http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/member-galleries/p68000-spaceship-earth-ride-car.html
For the transfer, you can park the wheelchair where ever it will be easiest to transfer. Once you are in, the CM will move the wheelchair to the control platform and will move it back when you return to the same area to unload.

2. Test Track...I have heard that they have a separate platform for transfers to this ride vehicle. He would still have to transfer down into the seat & then back up to the platform correct or is the ride vehicle and the wheelchair seat at the same height?

This is the elevator that goes to the alternate boarding area.

and a link to a larger picture:
http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/member-galleries/p71665-test-track-elevator.html"]and a link to a larger picture.

Rather than go down to ground level to get into the car, you can board at the seat belt check area where the ride car if above ground. If not before, at the point where the CM asks how many are in your party, ask to board at the alternate boarding area if you want to board there. (Some guests using wheelchairs who can walk do board at the regular spot - their wheelchair is brought over the track using the elevator).
The guest with a wheelchair uses the small elevator (and I do mean small, barely large enough to fit the wheelchair). The rest of the party uses the stair to get up to the boarding area. At the end of the ride, the process is reversed.

This is a picture of the ride car sitting at the alternate boarding area. We were waiting for the OK to come into the area. It is kind of tight, so hard to get pictures and I am involved in transferring DD. If anyone has a better picture (or one with the transfer booster), I would appreciate it.

Without a transfer booster, it is sort of like transferring into a bathtub. The top of the side is about the same height as my DD’s wheelchair seat (about 24 inches).
And a link to a larger photo:
http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/member-galleries/p24258-test-track-alternate-boarding.html

3. Big Thunder mountain/Expedition Everest...I think my DH could transfer to these ride vehicles with my assistance, but do they give you enough time for us to attempt it...we haven't even attempted it before because it looked as if they were really speedy with the start & stop of the ride.

This is a picture of the Big Thunder Mountain RR ADA car (thanks to Bill)

and a link to a bigger picture:
http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/member-galleries/p71668-btmrr-ada-car-mk.html
The side becomes a transfer board.

Here is a picture of the regular car.

and a link to a bigger picture:
http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/member-galleries/p71666-big-thunder-mountain-rr-ride-car.html
BTMRR is being renovated next year and I have no idea how the accessibility will change. The ride is dispatched by a CM - the time is short, but they will not dispatch if someone is not in or out.
There are no seat belts, just a lap bar and guests can get thrown from side to side if they don’t fill the ride car.

Expedition Everest has a trial car where you can practice in a sort of private area. This is a picture of the trial car (Thanks to Bill Sears).

and a link to a larger picture:
http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/member...ition-everest93trial-car-26amp-3bquot-3b.html

4. Tower of Terror...do they give you time for a possible transfer with thsi ride? Do they bring your wheelchair to the place where you exit?

You board at the ‘regular’ spot and the wheelchair will be brought to the unload area for you.
This is a picture of the seats:

and a link to a bigger picture.
http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/member-galleries/p71669-tot-ride-seat-.html

The ride stops completely for load and unload and the CM will not dispatch your elevator unless everyone is seated and belted in. There are individual seat belts for each guest.
This is not the best picture, but it somewhat shows the space between the sections of seats.

And a link to a bigger picture.
http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/member-galleries/p71670-ride-elevator-and-waiting-area-for-tot.html

My DD’s narrow adult wheelchair did not fit into the space to make boarding easier. Guests wait in numbered rows outside of the elevator. There are 3 rows in the car, with 3 seats on each side of the aisle in the first row. The back row goes all the way across.
The last time we rode, the CM had everyone else board and then told us to board - in row 2, up one step. We told him that was not possible, that we needed to be on the lowest row because we could not lift DD up a narrow step. So, he dispatched that car without us and we got on the next one.

5. Star Tours...someone else said this was an easy transfer, like transfering to a car...The last time I rode it, numerous years ago, it was a narrow entrance and I dont' remember there being enough room to get the wheelchair right up next to the seat where he could transfer.

Thanks everyone! We leave in 28 days and are just hoping to possibly give him the opportunity to ride a few things we've never attempted before.

I have not ridden it since the renovation because it was not working when we were at the park. DH did ride it and said DD’s wheelchair would be the same as before.

Here’s how it was: The first door went to the front row. That door was wide enough to fit a wheelchair (at least 36 inches). There was a space/aisle between the front row of seats and the screen/“Captain’s area”. That aisle was at least 36 inches wide.
The guest with a wheelchair was brought in the front door and there was space for the wheelchair to be parked by the seat. As was mentioned, this is the last seat in the first row and did have a fold down armrest. They also used to have a 5 point harness, available on request, rather than just the seat belt.
After the guest was seated, the CM took the wheelchair out and it was brought back in after the ride.

This video shows the new ride, including the queue. At about point 1:50 in the video, you can see all the doors into the ride car area and you can see that the front door is very wide compared to the other doors.
http://youtu.be/aDluGy4xays

 

[allie_to_you]

Thanks for all the information everyone...very helpful. I think we may try a few more rides this year than we have in the past...we'll see how it works.