wheelchairs and rides

[GoingEaster07]

we will be bringing my mom with us in augus who will be in a wheelchair. Is there a shorter line we can get on for the rides or does she wait in the regular lines? It has been while since we traveled with her and I can't remember

thanks

 

[Robo]

we will be bringing my mom with us in augus who will be in a wheelchair. Is there a shorter line we can get on for the rides or does she wait in the regular lines? It has been while since we traveled with her and I can't remember

thanks

A lot of attractions have queues that accommodate wheelchairs along with walking guests.

Those that don't will have signs that point to special entrances.

 

[KPeveler]

Check out the FAQs on the disabilities boards - you will wait in normal lines almost everytime.

Be aware that you may wait longer sometimes. Disney can only allow so many people with wheelchairs/disabilities on a ride at a time for safety/evacuation reasons, so if there are 5 wheelchairs in front of you, you may have to wait even longer - this doesnt always happen, but it can, so it is important to be aware of if you are a minute-to-minute planner

 

[RMulieri]

The 2 PP are correct.Mostly you will be waiting in lines.I think they may have been a handful of rides that the wheelchair wouldn't fit thru the regular line, but we still had to wait

 

[SueM in MN]

just agreeing with the other posters.

AK and the Sudio were built with Mainstream Lines, which means they are wheelchair/ECV accessible and everyone waits in the same line.

Epcot and MK are older parks and not all attractions have Mainstream Lines, but they did add it as much as possible as attractions were added or renovated. For attractions where you need to wait or board somewhere else, the bypass to the special boarding area is usually close to where the regular boarding area is. Each attraction has a sign in front that gives information about access and you can also ask the greeting CM.

For more information, check out the disABILITIES FAQs thread in the link in my signature. Post #3 will be helpful for answers to this type of question. Post #2 has information about renting ECVs and wheelchairs.

 

[Dawn68PA]

Magic Kingdom - don't use FPs as your line is seperate for most rides and the FPs won't apply. We didn't know this and just gave our FPs to random guests once we found out we didn't need them. You will have one heck of a wait at JC - just so you know

The other 3 parks you tour like everyone else. The 3 main AK rides will seperate you once your so far into the regular line so you can board a handicapped vehicle. Still use FPs here though.

TSM had a separate entrance but it's a wait. There's a separate vehicle for us and you have to wait a while for it sometimes. Especially if there's a line of handicappers in front of you. ToT will have a separate entrance but you still need to FP the ride. If you're a scooter rider, you'll have to park it and transfer to a wheelchair.

All in all it will average out that you'll wait as long as every else till your trip is over. Some rides you get on a little quicker, some you wait longer and some are the same.

If you would like to ask any questions, feel free to pm me. I learned a lot on our last trip as it was my first with a scooter.

 

[CptJackSparrowsGirl]

Yes there is a lot of rides and shows at Disney that has a line for the wheelchairs. My mom had her back out and so we barrowed the wheelchair from the hotel and used it in the parks. Got through a lot quicker and had better sets as well lol

 

[disnut8]

Yes there is a lot of rides and shows at Disney that has a line for the wheelchairs. My mom had her back out and so we barrowed the wheelchair from the hotel and used it in the parks. Got through a lot quicker and had better sets as well lol

That is not true for all attractions. Most of the time, the seats for handicapped parties in shows are all the way in the back. We did not like those seats at all in MuppetVision as you couldn't see anything going on behind you. Likewise, unless you are the very first wheelchair party taken into Flights of Wonder, you will be in the back of the floor seats. And the only thing we found about getting in "quicker" was we just had to wait longer for the show to start since we were in there first.

We only had to use a wheelchair once and as far as we could see, there's really no advantages to using it as far as access to any attraction. There are no disadvantages either.

 

[Debbie-TN]

The one attraction that's strange to get into is Spaceship Earth. You have to go in a door on either side of it. There is a handicapped sign where you enter. Go around to where the people exit the ride and sign in with one of the CM's. You sit on a bench for a few minutes until they're ready for you to board the ride. They will take you to the cars and help you on. They can also stop the ride if you're having trouble walking on the moving belt. Also if you're going to see Beauty and the Beast, if you get there early enough, you can sit on the front row if there's room. There's a ramp at the side that will take you down there. Just ask.

 

[TillyMarigold]

We only had to use a wheelchair once and as far as we could see, there's really no advantages to using it as far as access to any attraction. There are no disadvantages either.

Do guests in wheelchairs (and their parties) still enter Big Thunder Mountain through the exit? I'm a little sad that I won't be visiting with my former roommate this time (who used a wheelchair for the parks--normally she walked with crutches), we used to ride BTMRR a *lot* because the wait was almost so much shorter (and I miss her too, of course!).

 

[Robo]

Do guests in wheelchairs (and their parties) still enter Big Thunder Mountain through the exit?

Yup.

 

[SueM in MN]

Do guests in wheelchairs (and their parties) still enter Big Thunder Mountain through the exit? I'm a little sad that I won't be visiting with my former roommate this time (who used a wheelchair for the parks--normally she walked with crutches), we used to ride BTMRR a *lot* because the wait was almost so much shorter (and I miss her too, of course!).

The Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities gies the instructions to obtain a Fastpass if any are available and then enter thru the Fastpass line in the regular way.
If no Fastpasses are available, it says to contact a CM for assistance.
So, if you just show up at the exit and try to board there, chances are good that you will be asked to go get a Fastpass.

 

[KPeveler]

I have noticed that the wheelchair lines are much longer for BTMRR recently - I usually end up waiting a lot longer than standby time...

Sue, do you really go through the normal fastpass line with everyone else, or do they still take you in the exit but at your appointed time?

 

[SueM in MN]

BTMRR is one thar is not safe for my DD to ride, so I have not entered that with a wheelchair. The Guidebook is not that specific - it just says to get anduse s Fastpass.
Having used the Fastpass line without a wheelchair - I would say that it is steep enough that being in it with a wheelchair may be a problem. It may also place you on the wrong side of the track for exiting

 

[Brian_WDW74]

I've moved this thread to the disABILITIES! board.