First Time with Wheel Chair

[Magic76]

This will be our first trip with a person in a wheel chair. We use the regular old style "person pushing behind him" wheel chair.

I know to get the guest assistance pass (don't remember exactly what it's called). I remember that there were some rides/attractions that require a quick exit. Can someone tell me what those rides are? Which rides do we need to avoid all together? Or is there a way for us to wait together, but ride separately (one person waiting with wheel chair rider while the other person rides)?

I'm looking for all the advice I can get before we do this. Also, what ways can you think of to make the wheel chair more "Disneyesque" while we're there? More festive...

On our last trip, with the issues of limited ability, we found the cast members and entire WDW experience to be the most eager and helpful of any anywhere. I know this can be a great experience, even with the wheelchair.

[Pirate Granny]

We used to take my Dad in a wheelchair. Some rides they would stop the moving walkway to allow him to get out and then start it back up...only issue I had was pushing him up the ramp at Living in the Land...whew...and super kind men would come along, and ask if they could assist. :cloud9: Disney people are wonderful people.
I miss those days :(

[Hammer]

We travel to WDW with my Mom, who uses her own manual wheelchair. We found that works best for her rather than an ECV as she can't drive the ECV in the dark. With a wheelchair, there are rides where the person does not have to transfer out of the chair as there are vehicles designed to hold the wheelchair, such as Small World, Jungle Cruise (the drivers usually make Mom part of the jokes and she loves it), the Safari in AK, the Living Seas with Nemo, and the Mexico boat ride.

For rides where transfer is necessary, I only know about the rides where transferring does not require Mom to step up or down, as she has issues with steps. She has transferred for Soarin' and Star Tours as that is just getting out of the chair and sliding into a seat on a flat surface.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

On our last trip DD needed a wheelchair and Mom was in her ECV, so we were quite a group.

You can get a GAC, but you won't need one, since the wheelchair will alert the CM's that you need assistance (at least we've never needed one with a wheelchair).

The only rides we had any issues with at all were in MK ... Peter Pan moves quickly and can't be slowed, but both Mom and DD found the ships easy to get in and out of, but you had to be pretty quick.

Winnie-the-Pooh was horrible for Mom when she tried to get into it the first time, so we always use the wheelchair car, and it makes a huge difference.

The TTA isn't wheelchair accessible, but again since Mom and DD can do some walking, they were able to get in and out without issues, but you have to be able to ride the escalator up to the cars.

Everyone was wonderful, both in helping me push DD up the ramp outside The Land, and the ramp into the theatre in France ... the only two places I had issues pushing her!

[Maggie T]

My DD pushed my DGM around Disney a ways back. Keep your kool because some people can get ignorant as you try to push. My DD on the last day nailed a guy real good because after he cut him off he liked to stop and talk. He was popped pretty good. MK was the worse.

[Disney Hungarian]

I'm looking for all the advice I can get before we do this. Also, what ways can you think of to make the wheel chair more "Disneyesque" while we're there? More festive...

I put "spoke lights" on the wheels of my mother's chair. She loves the lights. They have the added benefit of helping others to see her chair at night. We have had many people walk straight into her wheelchair. It still happens, just not as frequently with the lights now.
On our Christmas trips, I buy some battery operated Christmas lights and wrap them around some garland then attach it to the chair.

Hope you have a Magical trip :mickey:

[ransam]

i have used an EVC on the last few trips i have gone.
I will say there really isn't anything i wanted to do i couldn't do. Disney is very accessible to handicapped.
I go to other amusement parks, and you quickly learn how awesome Disney is in this department.