When we visit the Walt Disney World parks, we usually bring Little Banshee along in her wheelchair. Although she can walk on her own (and even navigate stairs – hooray for occupational therapy!), she uses a wheelchair for three reasons.
- She has low muscle tone so she wouldn’t be able to handle the rigors of walking around for an entire day in the park.
- She has a tendency to “elope”, or wander off at a moment’s notice. This is not uncommon for those on the autism spectrum. Therefore, it is safer for her to be in her wheelchair.
- A wheelchair is her “safe space”, where she doesn’t have to worry about being jostled in the crowds.
Over the years, we have learned a lot about what it takes to navigate the parks with her wheelchair. We thought it would be good to share our experiences so that you will know what to expect if you are in our shoes.
Note that some of this may or may not apply to those who operate their wheelchair themselves (we have to push Little Banshee, otherwise she ain’t going nowhere) or those who use a scooter. We honestly don’t know since we don’t have experience in that area. If you do and you want to share your own tips regarding those modes of transportation, feel free to leave us a comment!
TIP #1: Make sure your wheelchair is equipped with a handbrake
I discovered that having a handbrake is an absolute must! There are times when you are waiting on lines or just waiting for crowds to move that you are on an incline. There is no worse feeling that knowing that you have to hang on for dear life on a hill. One slip and the wheelchair is going to get away from you.
Our previous wheelchair had a brake lock that was connected to the wheel. However, this meant that every time you wanted to put on the brake, you had to bend over to flip the lever to apply it. With a handbrake, all you need to do is squeeze – instant brake. No bending necessary! That is key when you have a bad back like I do!
TIP #2: Make sure your wheelchair is equipped with a sun shade
In the hot August sun, we don’t want poor Little Banshee to cook like a baked potato. A sun shade allows her to stay cooler while we are going from place to place. We got a canopy-style one that almost completely covers her. It even has venting on the sides so that she gets decent airflow. It is also very convenient in the rain as it is waterproof, so it doubles as an umbrella of sorts.
That said, sometimes when we pull the front down completely, she will push it up so that she can see where she is going. I guess she doesn’t trust me to drive!
TIP #3: Don’t hesitate to bring the wheelchair on line with you
Almost all of the lines at Walt Disney World are wheelchair friendly. Most are designed to allow you to maneuver a full sized chair or even scooter all the way through. Then when you get to the boarding area, you have cast members there to transfer your wheelchair to the exit area, so you don’t have to worry about finding it when you disembark. Disney cast members really have it down to a science!
The only ride that I can think of off the top of my head that doesn’t allow you to bring a wheelchair through the line is the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. Once you get to the conveyor belt that takes you to the boarding platform, you have to travel on foot. For that ride, we will wait for a quiet time, park her wheelchair at the nearby stroller parking, and then take her right up the moving walkway. Princesses can’t be made to wait!
TIP #4: Know that some rides have dedicated wheelchair entrances
Some older rides have alternate entrances and lines for those with wheelchairs. The good news is that the Disney cast members are very adept at directing you to where you need to go. The (potentially) good news is that wait times on the wheelchair line might be shorter. Or they may be longer.
Two rides with alternative entrances that come to mind are It’s a Small World and Spaceship Earth.
It’s a Small World
If you have a wheelchair, the entrance is near the Lightning Lane entrance. Once you enter, you will be directed to a special wheelchair-only ramp that leads down to a dedicated loading area. After you board the ride, the boat will then move to the regular loading area. It’s sometimes funny to see the look on people’s faces when they see that someone is already in their seats! They must think that we are VIP’s or something (which Little Banshee is, of course)!
In our experience, the wheelchair line is generally shorter than the normal line. Every boat doesn’t load from the wheelchair line. I assume they do this to try to make it fair to those in the regular line. However, you still do seem to get on the ride faster.
One other note…. It’s a Small World has special wheelchair-friendly boats. So if you cannot transfer, you can wait for one of those boats and roll right onto the ride! Sweet!
Spaceship Earth
The wheelchair loading area for Spaceship Earth is in the post-show area, near the exit of the ride. The cast members will direct you around to the side of the geosphere to one of the exit doors. Once inside, walk through the post-show area to the wheelchair loading area. A cast member will take note of your arrival and ask you to sit and wait. Once it is your turn, the cast member will escort you to where the general public is unloaded from the ride. At this point, you will load and be on your way!
Since Spaceship Earth is an “omnimover” (meaning that the ride vehicles are always moving), some wheelchair transferees might not be able to load quickly enough. However, the cast members have you covered! They can slow the ride, or even stop it, to give you a little extra time to board the vehicle. If you are in the middle of the ride and it suddenly comes to a halt, it is likely that this is what is happening.
As with It’s a Small World, after you board, you will pass through the normal loading area where you can wave to the unwashed masses like a rock star!
In our experience, the wait time is longer when you board through the wheelchair entrance. Therefore, we will usually wait until the line isn’t too long, park the wheelchair and board through the normal line.
Bonus Mini-Tip
If you use the wheelchair line for one of these rides, you probably shouldn’t get a Genie+ or Disability Access Pass return time. Since you aren’t using the regular line, there is no benefit.
TIP #5: Take advantage of wheelchair viewing locations
The nighttime shows at both the Magic Kingdom and Epcot have special wheelchair viewing areas for those who need them and their families. That way, you don’t have to worry about somebody standing in front of your wheelchair-using party member, blocking their view. The exact locations seem to change, but last time we watched fireworks at the Magic Kingdom, it was located in a prime area in front of the castle!
As with all nighttime show viewing, you should stake out your spot early since it can fill up. Also, for non-wheelchair party members, please be polite and don’t stand in front of another guest in a wheelchair. In our experience, you should have no problem seeing if you sit behind your wheelchair party member, as they keep the area in front of this area clear of obstructions.
TIP #6: Choose your transportation carefully
While most forms of Disney transportation can accommodate a wheelchair, some are better than others.
Buses: All are equipped with wheelchair lifts, but honestly, they are a pain in the neck. It takes a lot of extra time to get yourself loaded, and you might not be able to board if it is “standing room only”. Then once you are on board, you need to be secured with a safety tie-down. While some wheelchairs are rated for bus use, many are not. If yours isn’t, this could be a potential safety issue. Another option is to fold the wheelchair and carry it on board. However, that is a pain too, especially if the wheelchair is not light. We generally will skip the buses, if possible.
Monorail: Monorails are much better at accommodating wheelchairs. There is a dedicated wheelchair entrance that you can use. A cast member will put down a ramp for you to make it easier to enter. They will ask you where you are stopping and then do some sort of Disney magic to call ahead to your destination. That way, the cast member there can be ready with a ramp when you arrive.
Boats: Boats are pretty straightforward. The boarding “gangplank” is wheelchair friendly, so you can roll on and off with no problems.
Parking Lot Trams: Not wheelchair friendly at all. You need to fold your wheelchair and transfer. And there really isn’t a lot of room to stow a wheelchair on a tram so it is quite cramped. The only good news is that if you have a wheelchair, you likely have handicapped parking, so you probably won’t need to use the tram.
Skyliner: We’ve never used the Skyliner, but I am told that you can roll on and off. I guess they are bigger than they look when they are up in the air!
TIP #7: Patience is a virtue
This is aimed more for the person who is driving the wheelchair. Even if you are in great shape, pushing a 30 lbs wheelchair with a 100 lbs person through the parks is a workout. Those hills will really strengthen your calves! But that’s exactly why you need to pace yourself. If you try to do too much too quickly, you’ll end up burning out.
This also applies to the mere act of navigating through the park with a wheelchair. There are going to be crowds. There are going to be pinch points. Don’t try to aggressively rush through them. If you do, you might end up knocking your passenger or other guest over. That could ruin your whole day.
You also need to be patient with the inevitable child (or adult) who is walking with their nose buried in their phone, not looking up, not paying attention to their surroundings. Yes, they should be paying attention, but for the sake of your sanity (and your blood pressure), just move aside, smile, and move on with your trip. Life is too short to allow a bunch of rude people to get you down!
That wraps up this article. As I mentioned, this is based upon our experience with our specific situation. However, everyone’s circumstances are different, so your mileage WILL vary. But I hope this helps you to know what to expect when you visit WDW in a wheelchair.
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