Inside the Disney Parks: How the Disability Pass Works, Wheelchairs, Strollers and Rides

Third in the series from guest blogger, Claire, is information that will help you navigate the new disability pass, wheelchairs, strollers AND rides!

Disability Pass updated information:
The easiest way to explain the entire new Disability Pass as well as information on what to expect, please click HERE. This website has provided so much valuable information on exactly how everything works and what to expect when you get to the parks each day!

“We’ve gone to city hall on our way into Disneyland and Disneyland … letting the cast members know Jack has OCD and Tourettes and not only can’t handle standing in one spot for any amount of time, but will also jump around, flap his arms, and generally bother other guests in line. They gave us a special pass which we took up to each ride we wanted to go on, the cast member there would give us a time to come back to that ride (perhaps an hour later, or two hours later) and we went off and did other things until it was time for us to go ride that ride. Once it was time, we didn’t have to wait… we walked right in! It takes some planning, because you can only get ‘return’ passes at one ride at a time…but between that feature and being able to schedule fast passes through the website onto our Disney bands … well, we never ran into a single problem. And IF we did, a cast member was next to us right away asking how they could help,” Erin Vest from Queen of Spain.

If your child meets the height and weight requirements for a stroller then bring one with you. You can rent strollers at the parks but they are hard plastic strollers with no comfort and they do not recline. Having your own stroller in the parks will give your child the comfort of the familiar as well as a safe and secure place to rest when they get tired. Arrive at the parks early and go to Guest Relations and have your stroller tagged as a wheel chair. This means that your child’s stroller will be allowed anywhere in the park that wheel chairs are permitted. This includes lines for rides! You can find Guest Relations at the following locations:

Disneyland Park: City Hall
Disney California AdventurePark: Chamber of Commerce (near main entrance)
Magic Kingdom Park: City Hall
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park: Guest Relations Lobby (near main entrance)
Disney’s Hollywood Studios Guest Relations Lobby (near main entrance)
Epcot Guest Relations Lobby (near Spaceship Earth)

There are also wheelchairs and Electronic Convenience Vehicle rentals but these are very limited. It is best to bring your own to the parks if possible as rentals cannot travel outside of the parks or from park to park. Wheel chairs are available on a first come first serve basis, require a deposit, and are not always available. So plan ahead and either bring your own or rent from an outside company that can guarantee you a wheelchair . Disney has provided a list of companies that they trust for you to rent from. They are:
ScooterBug: (800) 726-8284
CARE Scooter Rentals: (800) 741-2282
Buena Vista Scooter Rentals: (866) 484-4797
Best Price Mobility: (866) 866-3434
Apple Scooter: (800) 701-1971

Also, if you are in need of a wheelchair accessible van for your vacation to Orlando there are companies available. The rent out wheelchair accessible vans with lifts and ramps and work a lot like your normal rent a car company. At this time Disney does not have a list of approved vehicle rental companies and I do not know enough to recommend one. But at least you know that this is an option if need be!

If you are in the park with someone that cannot be removed from their wheel chair then you will want to avoid the following rides and attractions. These do not allow wheelchair access and do require you to be moved out of your wheelchair and into a seat on the ride:

Magic Kingdom Theme Park

   Astro Orbiter
    Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
    Cinderella’s Golden Carousel
    Dumbo the Flying Elephant
    Mad Tea Party
    Main Street Vehicles
    Mad Tea Party
    Peter Pan’s Flight
    Pirates of the Caribbean
    Space Mountain
    Splash Mountain
    Swiss Family Treehouse – Guest must be ambulatory
    The Haunted Mansion
    Tomorrowland Indy Speedway
    Tomorrowland Transit Authority

Epcot Theme Park

    Maelstrom show in Norway Pavilion
    Mission: SPACE
    Soarin’ in The Land area
    Spaceship Earth
    Test Track

Disney’s Hollywood Studios Theme Park

    Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith
    Star Tours &nash; The Adventures Continue
    The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

    DINOSAUR
    Expedition Everest
    Kali River Rapids
    Primeval Whirl

What rides can my LP child ride?
The answer might surprise you. They can ride almost every single ride. There are very few rides with height requirements when you look at the massive amount of rides and attractions that Disney World has to offer! Here is a list of the rides from the 4 main Disney World parks that have height restrictions:

Animal Kingdom:
Dinosaur – at least 40 inches tall
Expedition Everest – at least 44 inches tall
Kali River Rapids – at least 38 inches tall
Primevil Whirl – at least 48 inches tall

Hollywood Studios:
Rock n’ Roller Coaster – at least 48 inches tall
Star Tours – at least 40 inches tall
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – at least 40 inches tall

Epcot:
GM Test Track – at least 40 inches tall
Mission: Space – at least 44 inches tall
Soarin’ – at least 40 inches tall

Magic Kingdom:
Big Thunder Mountain – at least 40 inches tall
Goofy’s Barnstormer – at least 35 inches tall to ride
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – at least 38″ tall to ride
Space Mountain – at least 44 inches tall
Splash Mountain – at least 40 inches tall
Stitch’s Great Escape! – at least 40 inches tall
Tomorrowland Speedway – at least 32 inches tall , and 54″ to ride alone

What do we do if we want to ride a ride but our child can’t?
Take advantage of Disney’s Rider Switch passes! One parent rides the ride while the other stays with your child. Then you switch and without having to stand in line again, you are immediately put onto the next ride while the other parent stays with your child! Just ask a Cast Member at the ride for a Rider Switch Pass and sit back and enjoy the ride!

In every park there is a Baby Care Center. The Baby Care Centers include the following:

• Several large diaper changing tables.
• A bathroom with a small, toddler-sized flush toilet.
• An area reserved for the use of nursing mothers.
• Basic food prep equipment including: microwave, ice, plastic spoons, and sink.
• High chairs.
• A seating area for other family members.
• Items for sale including: diapers, training pants (like Pull-Ups, but a different brand), wipes, baby food, formula, juice, pacifiers, baby lotion, diaper ointment, adult comfort items (deodorant, feminine hygiene supplies, over the counter medications), basic infant clothing, sippy cups, bottles, Purell, Pedialyte, child formulations of standard over the counter medications.

If you have a rather larger child that is in a diaper and they do not fit on the changing tables then you can take 2 or more of the protective sheets that are used on the changing table and change them on the floor or another surface. There is a room for breastfeeding mothers that has low or dimmable lighting and is a great place for a child that becomes overly stimulated and needs a nice, dark quiet spot to calm down in. The Baby Care Centers also house the only toilets small enough for a child to use the restroom on their own. So if you have a LP child, this would be the place to go for more independence for your child for bathroom breaks. All of the bathrooms in the park have automatic flushing toilets (bring post it notes if your child is easily scared by auto flush toilets to cover the sensor) and are normal size except for the ones at the Baby Care Centers. The baby Care centers also offer a nice calm place to plug in a feeding pump to tube feed your child (or even charge the pump’s batteries). Also throughout the Disney parks, there are designated “break” areas as well as Family Size restrooms. Ask a Cast Member for directions to the nearest Break area or Family Restroom while you are in the parks and they can show you where to go!

Stay Tuned! Next week we will talk about Special Treatment for your Special Child! How to have a Magical Time within their limits! And please, share your best Disney tips in the comments!