Worried About Doing Disneyland Disabled

[KPeterso]

They have at least one boat that a wheelchair can roll on to. It is specially designed and has a place to secure it where the center bench usually is. Here is a picture:

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Once you roll onto the platform, the ramp folds up behind you, so it's very secure. The platform then turns 90 degrees and lowers down into the boat.

Yeah, I've never really seen it work, but I have seen people on it.

So a bit more info. When you check in for the return time, you let the cast member that you need the special boat. They know what that means. There is only 1 so if someone is already waiting for it, it will be a bit of a wait. After the boat unloads, the cast member actually backs it up a little and they actually put a rope on it to make it more stable (I guess). The skipper will then raise the lift thing and a cast member will hop in to turn it and open it up for the guest. Then the guest is rolled on and brakes locked. Family will wait while the cast members secure the wheelchair (put wheel barriers around it, close up the ramp) and then turn it and have the skipper lower it into place. Once it is lowered into place, the family is then invited to board and are told to go to the far side and sit on a specific square on the bench. And then back up to pull the rope off and then off to pick up everyone else.

Upon return, everyone disembarks the boat (including the family of the wheelchair). And the rope placed and then lift and opened up to get the family member off. If on a scooter, they actually turn it the other way coming off so the person can pull off facing forward.

 

[LAS2AMS]

Regarding food… DLR is mostly locals whereas WDW is mostly vacationers. This means more counter service and less sit down. Most people at DLR aren’t interested in sit down, since they aren’t captive to theme park pricing. I’m not going to pay $40 for a mediocre seafood dinner at DLR when I can pay a similar amount for a fantastic fresh seafood dinner just a few miles away up the coast.

The food at DLR caters to locals and because the local population is far more diverse than that of WDW, you’ll find far more Mexican and Asian entrees. DLR loves its spices.

Disney has long catered to the local health craze at DLR. you could substitute fries for furor, for example, long before WDW would allow this. Oggie Boogie Bash features healthy snacks whereas MNSSHP is all candy. Fruit, etc. is more readily available in DLR than WDW (although this has changed in recent years).

Most notably, you often won’t get the supersized portions at DLR that you do in WDW. For example, we ordered the platter at Golden Horseshoe after coming back from WDW. We thought it’d be more than enough to share, but nope!

WDW has had far more treats than DLR but much of it has come over in recent years. If something is successful and popular at either DLR or WDW, it will eventually find its way into the other park.

Still looking for my pickle shake though (featured at Epcot last year).