SorcererMickey
July 5th, 2005, 23:48
Found this great multi-part article about visiting WDW and guests with diabilities.
The author, Jessica Steinmetz, has cerebral palsy and goes into detail about each park and gives tips and advise on planning, traveling and getting around WDW.
Even if you do not have a disability, please read, it will definitely open your eyes :yes: .
There might be other articles/parts to the series. I will check and post when they come out.
Part 1: Walt Disney World with Cerebral Palsy
Between May 1 - May 7, 2005, my husband and I took a vacation to Walt Disney World Florida. The trip was to mark our third wedding anniversary. I'd like to give you suggestions for your Walt Disney World trip.
I have athetoid/spastic cerebral palsy. I need assistance in daily personal care and I use a motorized wheelchair. For this trip, I took my AT'M motorized chair. It's a very good chair for travel.
PLANNING THE TRIP AND ORDERING TICKETS:
1. You cannot buy accessible rooms over the Internet on the Walt Disney web site. I'm not quite sure why that is, but you need to fill out a form and they email you. Instead of that hassle, I suggest calling Walt Disney directly. Explore their site and figure out what you want and then call and book it.
2. We choose to fly on Southwest Airlines. We never flew them before, but I'm afraid of flying so we picked the number one safest airline. I really don't have any complaints. They sat us in the first row. They don't have first class or in flight entertainment, but the flight was smooth.
3. Now that they have Magical Express you don't have to worry too much about transportation when you arrive. You might want to mention you need a lift on the bus, but it looked like a lot of the buses had wheelchair lifts.
PACKING TIPS:
1. Try to pack enough clothes because laundry service is expensive. Remember you can wear clothes for multiple days by rinsing or cleaning them in the sink and drying them on a drying rack.
2. Pack medicines. If you're like me, you get sick frequently and easily. I regretted not asking my doctor for antibiotics to take with me. The first day we were there, I got strep throat and we had to take time and money to go to the medical facility to get treated. Also pack cold medicine, headache medicine, and any other medicine you might need.
3. Pack plenty of sunscreen and sunglasses. I wore a lot of capris because they cover a lot of the thigh of the leg that can easily be burned when sitting in a wheelchair.
4. Pack rain ponchos and rain jackets. It does rain in Florida and the rain is not good for your wheelchair.
:ears: :ears: :ears:
Part 2
My husband and I had my Dad drive us to the airport. Lucky for us, he could do it. I took my ATM wheelchair, one big suitcase, and one bookbag. The charger for my wheelchair could fit in our suitcase.
My dad dropped us off and we immediately checked our bag in at curbside check in. They also asked me what kind of battery I had, and I didn't know. It wasn't a huge problem, but you might want to find out before you go.
SECURITY
1. When you're in a wheelchair, you still need to go through security. Make sure that you take off your bookbag so it can go through the bag check. The security people will usually have you pull into a separate room and they'll scan you to make sure you don't have anything you shouldn't.
AIRPLANE
1. Make sure you check in with your airline after security so they know what assistance you'll need. They will probably want to put you on the plane before anyone else.
2. I'm afraid of flying, but I took this free online course - Fear of Flying Course and it helped me a great deal. It also helps if you tell the flight staff because they try to comfort you.
3. Try to use the bathroom ahead of time because the bathroom on the airplane is really small.
GETTING TO THE HOTEL
1. If you're staying at a Disney Resort hotel, you'll probably use a Magical Express Bus. They have wheelchair lifts and the drivers are very helpful. You just need to tell them what hotel you're staying at. They'll also take you back to the airport. The Magical Express buses have TVs that help give you ideas about your trip. The bus ride is about 30 minutes.
HOTEL
Israel and I stayed at Pop Century which is a Disney Resort Value Hotel. We got a room with a king size bed and a roll in shower. We liked the room except there could be more room between the TV and bed. The roll in shower didn't have a slope or lip so the water went all over the bathroom.
:ears: :ears: :ears:
Part 3
DINING PLAN
Israel and I choose the dining plan where you get a table service meal, snack, and counter service meal. We found this plan to be very effective. It was all paid for and even the tip was included. All you do is look at the brochure and see the lists of restaurants participating in the plan. Many are.
MAGIC KINGDOM
The Magic Kingdom turned out to be our favorite park. I've been there twice before, but my husband has never been. The accessibility is very good and easy to navigate. Many rides we were interested in, I didn't need to transfer.
Our Favorites:
It's a Small World - If you're in a wheelchair, you can go right in. This makes it so much easier and you don't bump into others. They have a couple boats that you can drive or wheel your chair right on. It's not scary at all and a must see.
Buzz Lightyear - This ride might seem for younger children, but it's for people of all ages. You can drive or wheel into a wheelchair accessible car and participate. It is a little loud and lots of flashing lights, but it's not scary. We rode this twice.
Mickey's PhilharMagic - This was definitely our favorite. It was a 3D movie with music, smells, and feelings. We were amazed by it. You don't have to get out of your wheelchair. Some parts might be a little loud, but it is not scary.
Cinderellabration - We only saw this from afar, but it was good. It shows all the princes and princessess together. At the end the shoot off a few fireworks even in the daytime. I found the fireworks startling and you can hear them no matter where you are in the park.
Haunted Mansion - This ride Israel had to transfer me. They made it very easy by stopping the ride so he could put me on/off. The ride is gentle, but a little spooky.
:ears: :ears: :ears:
Part 4
Israel and I went to Epcot a few days because there is so much to see and do. It's a very large park with a lot of walking. Israel sure had a work out. We did hit a few rain showers too.
We went when the flower festival was going on. It was all very beautiful and great for pictures.
Our Favorites:
Soarin - This is a new ride and lots of fun. You can get fastpass for this, and if you do not, be prepared for a very long wait. You do need to get out of your wheelchair.
360 Movies in Canada & Japan - These were really neat movies. You can stay in your wheelchair.
Spasceship Earth - You need to transfer out of your wheelchair. It's a really neat ride though. There are no seatbelts, but it's smooth.
US Film - Very neat and you can stay in your wheelchair.
US Presidents - This was a neat show and you can stay in your wheelchair.
Illuminations - An intense laser and firework display. Best to be seen from a building if you have a startle reflex.
We did not attempt Mission Space or Race Track because we weren't sure about the restraints.
All the different countries are accessible and easy to get in/out of.
:ears: :ears: :ears:
Part 5
MGM is a fun park in Disney World. Find out the accomodations for someone with cerebral palsy.
Israel and I had a feeling that MGM was going to be our least favorite of all four parks. With CP, I have a pretty big startle reflex so I tend to jump at loud noises. MGM has a lot of shows that make you jump.
Our Favorites:
The Great American Movie Ride - Israel went on this ride himself because I went on it a previous year. It's on the loud side with a shoot out scene and unexpected things happen. I went shopping when he was on the ride. He liked it.
Mama's Restaurant - We ate here for lunch and had fun! The decor resembles a 50's style family house. When you're seated, they tell you to set the table. The food was delicious. They remind you to eat your vegetables.
Star Tours - This ride is very enjoyable. You need to transfer from your wheelchair on to a seat. They have a 3 point seatbelt if you ask for it. It's not that rocky or loud.
Muppet 3D Movie - Very fun and funny with a lot of 3D effects.
:ears: :ears: :ears:
Part 6
Animal Kingdom is a fun place to go. The park is also accessible. We went to Animal Kingdom on our last full day at Disney World. Animal Kingdom isn't as big as the other parks, but it's definitely worth seeing.
I noticed the park might have had more hills than some of the other parks. My wheels sometimes got stuck in the gravel. My wheelchair isn't the best for outside travels.
Favorites:
Lion King Show: Lots of music and dancing. It's a lot of fun. You might jump here and there, but it isn't scary.
Safari Ride: We had to wait pretty long for this ride, but it was worth it. They offer a wheelchair accessible van so you can stay in your wheelchair. It might be a little bumpy, but it's not bad or scary.
Tarzan Show: This show is on the loud side, but not scary. It's a lot of fun.
:ears: :ears: :ears:
Source: http://www.bellaonline.com/
The author, Jessica Steinmetz, has cerebral palsy and goes into detail about each park and gives tips and advise on planning, traveling and getting around WDW.
Even if you do not have a disability, please read, it will definitely open your eyes :yes: .
There might be other articles/parts to the series. I will check and post when they come out.
Part 1: Walt Disney World with Cerebral Palsy
Between May 1 - May 7, 2005, my husband and I took a vacation to Walt Disney World Florida. The trip was to mark our third wedding anniversary. I'd like to give you suggestions for your Walt Disney World trip.
I have athetoid/spastic cerebral palsy. I need assistance in daily personal care and I use a motorized wheelchair. For this trip, I took my AT'M motorized chair. It's a very good chair for travel.
PLANNING THE TRIP AND ORDERING TICKETS:
1. You cannot buy accessible rooms over the Internet on the Walt Disney web site. I'm not quite sure why that is, but you need to fill out a form and they email you. Instead of that hassle, I suggest calling Walt Disney directly. Explore their site and figure out what you want and then call and book it.
2. We choose to fly on Southwest Airlines. We never flew them before, but I'm afraid of flying so we picked the number one safest airline. I really don't have any complaints. They sat us in the first row. They don't have first class or in flight entertainment, but the flight was smooth.
3. Now that they have Magical Express you don't have to worry too much about transportation when you arrive. You might want to mention you need a lift on the bus, but it looked like a lot of the buses had wheelchair lifts.
PACKING TIPS:
1. Try to pack enough clothes because laundry service is expensive. Remember you can wear clothes for multiple days by rinsing or cleaning them in the sink and drying them on a drying rack.
2. Pack medicines. If you're like me, you get sick frequently and easily. I regretted not asking my doctor for antibiotics to take with me. The first day we were there, I got strep throat and we had to take time and money to go to the medical facility to get treated. Also pack cold medicine, headache medicine, and any other medicine you might need.
3. Pack plenty of sunscreen and sunglasses. I wore a lot of capris because they cover a lot of the thigh of the leg that can easily be burned when sitting in a wheelchair.
4. Pack rain ponchos and rain jackets. It does rain in Florida and the rain is not good for your wheelchair.
:ears: :ears: :ears:
Part 2
My husband and I had my Dad drive us to the airport. Lucky for us, he could do it. I took my ATM wheelchair, one big suitcase, and one bookbag. The charger for my wheelchair could fit in our suitcase.
My dad dropped us off and we immediately checked our bag in at curbside check in. They also asked me what kind of battery I had, and I didn't know. It wasn't a huge problem, but you might want to find out before you go.
SECURITY
1. When you're in a wheelchair, you still need to go through security. Make sure that you take off your bookbag so it can go through the bag check. The security people will usually have you pull into a separate room and they'll scan you to make sure you don't have anything you shouldn't.
AIRPLANE
1. Make sure you check in with your airline after security so they know what assistance you'll need. They will probably want to put you on the plane before anyone else.
2. I'm afraid of flying, but I took this free online course - Fear of Flying Course and it helped me a great deal. It also helps if you tell the flight staff because they try to comfort you.
3. Try to use the bathroom ahead of time because the bathroom on the airplane is really small.
GETTING TO THE HOTEL
1. If you're staying at a Disney Resort hotel, you'll probably use a Magical Express Bus. They have wheelchair lifts and the drivers are very helpful. You just need to tell them what hotel you're staying at. They'll also take you back to the airport. The Magical Express buses have TVs that help give you ideas about your trip. The bus ride is about 30 minutes.
HOTEL
Israel and I stayed at Pop Century which is a Disney Resort Value Hotel. We got a room with a king size bed and a roll in shower. We liked the room except there could be more room between the TV and bed. The roll in shower didn't have a slope or lip so the water went all over the bathroom.
:ears: :ears: :ears:
Part 3
DINING PLAN
Israel and I choose the dining plan where you get a table service meal, snack, and counter service meal. We found this plan to be very effective. It was all paid for and even the tip was included. All you do is look at the brochure and see the lists of restaurants participating in the plan. Many are.
MAGIC KINGDOM
The Magic Kingdom turned out to be our favorite park. I've been there twice before, but my husband has never been. The accessibility is very good and easy to navigate. Many rides we were interested in, I didn't need to transfer.
Our Favorites:
It's a Small World - If you're in a wheelchair, you can go right in. This makes it so much easier and you don't bump into others. They have a couple boats that you can drive or wheel your chair right on. It's not scary at all and a must see.
Buzz Lightyear - This ride might seem for younger children, but it's for people of all ages. You can drive or wheel into a wheelchair accessible car and participate. It is a little loud and lots of flashing lights, but it's not scary. We rode this twice.
Mickey's PhilharMagic - This was definitely our favorite. It was a 3D movie with music, smells, and feelings. We were amazed by it. You don't have to get out of your wheelchair. Some parts might be a little loud, but it is not scary.
Cinderellabration - We only saw this from afar, but it was good. It shows all the princes and princessess together. At the end the shoot off a few fireworks even in the daytime. I found the fireworks startling and you can hear them no matter where you are in the park.
Haunted Mansion - This ride Israel had to transfer me. They made it very easy by stopping the ride so he could put me on/off. The ride is gentle, but a little spooky.
:ears: :ears: :ears:
Part 4
Israel and I went to Epcot a few days because there is so much to see and do. It's a very large park with a lot of walking. Israel sure had a work out. We did hit a few rain showers too.
We went when the flower festival was going on. It was all very beautiful and great for pictures.
Our Favorites:
Soarin - This is a new ride and lots of fun. You can get fastpass for this, and if you do not, be prepared for a very long wait. You do need to get out of your wheelchair.
360 Movies in Canada & Japan - These were really neat movies. You can stay in your wheelchair.
Spasceship Earth - You need to transfer out of your wheelchair. It's a really neat ride though. There are no seatbelts, but it's smooth.
US Film - Very neat and you can stay in your wheelchair.
US Presidents - This was a neat show and you can stay in your wheelchair.
Illuminations - An intense laser and firework display. Best to be seen from a building if you have a startle reflex.
We did not attempt Mission Space or Race Track because we weren't sure about the restraints.
All the different countries are accessible and easy to get in/out of.
:ears: :ears: :ears:
Part 5
MGM is a fun park in Disney World. Find out the accomodations for someone with cerebral palsy.
Israel and I had a feeling that MGM was going to be our least favorite of all four parks. With CP, I have a pretty big startle reflex so I tend to jump at loud noises. MGM has a lot of shows that make you jump.
Our Favorites:
The Great American Movie Ride - Israel went on this ride himself because I went on it a previous year. It's on the loud side with a shoot out scene and unexpected things happen. I went shopping when he was on the ride. He liked it.
Mama's Restaurant - We ate here for lunch and had fun! The decor resembles a 50's style family house. When you're seated, they tell you to set the table. The food was delicious. They remind you to eat your vegetables.
Star Tours - This ride is very enjoyable. You need to transfer from your wheelchair on to a seat. They have a 3 point seatbelt if you ask for it. It's not that rocky or loud.
Muppet 3D Movie - Very fun and funny with a lot of 3D effects.
:ears: :ears: :ears:
Part 6
Animal Kingdom is a fun place to go. The park is also accessible. We went to Animal Kingdom on our last full day at Disney World. Animal Kingdom isn't as big as the other parks, but it's definitely worth seeing.
I noticed the park might have had more hills than some of the other parks. My wheels sometimes got stuck in the gravel. My wheelchair isn't the best for outside travels.
Favorites:
Lion King Show: Lots of music and dancing. It's a lot of fun. You might jump here and there, but it isn't scary.
Safari Ride: We had to wait pretty long for this ride, but it was worth it. They offer a wheelchair accessible van so you can stay in your wheelchair. It might be a little bumpy, but it's not bad or scary.
Tarzan Show: This show is on the loud side, but not scary. It's a lot of fun.
:ears: :ears: :ears:
Source: http://www.bellaonline.com/