A thetoid/Spastic Cerebral Palsy going to Disney

[jessica75]

Hi -

My husband and I are going to Disney World on Sunday. I have athetoid-spastic CP and that means my body reacts to sudden loud sounds and movements. I'd like to know what to avoid or info on what to expect. I'm able to handle star tours as a point of reference.

I'm curious about some rides like the safari ride at animal kingdom, I read it ends with protecting elephants from poachers - what happens? Are their gun shots?

Also, I really want to go on the dinosaur ride. I can transfer from my motorized chair and am pretty good sitting in the ride seat. I understand it's fast paced, but can you tell me what happens? Do dinosaurs touch you etc? Do you need really good control to stay in your seat? I'm 5'1 and about 110 pounds. Also, what about the ride in Epcot with the street test? What can I expect from that?

Jessica

 

[SueM in MN]

Hi -

My husband and I are going to Disney World on Sunday. I have athetoid-spastic CP and that means my body reacts to sudden loud sounds and movements. I'd like to know what to avoid or info on what to expect. I'm able to handle star tours as a point of reference.

I'm curious about some rides like the safari ride at animal kingdom, I read it ends with protecting elephants from poachers - what happens? Are their gun shots?

Also, I really want to go on the dinosaur ride. I can transfer from my motorized chair and am pretty good sitting in the ride seat. I understand it's fast paced, but can you tell me what happens? Do dinosaurs touch you etc? Do you need really good control to stay in your seat? I'm 5'1 and about 110 pounds. Also, what about the ride in Epcot with the street test? What can I expect from that?

Jessica

i don't have time to write much right now.
The Safari is bumpy, but no more than driving on a bumpy road. A wheelchair can be secured in the ride car. There are no loud sudden noises (they don't want to startle the animals either).
If you can do Star Tours, you can probably handle Test Track (the one in Epcot with the street test).
Dinosaur has a lot of sudden noises and sudden movements. Nothing touches you, but they pop up in front of you suddenly. At the same time, your ride car usually makes a sudden movement away to "avoid" the dinosaurs.

 

[eternaldisneyfan]

Indiana Jones has a lot of loud noises, explosions, and gunshots.
All the fireworks get pretty loud.
The Haunted Mansion is pretty jerky and things pop out.

Hope you have a magical trip!

 

[BCV23]

Our daughter has cp too. She can't tolerate Indiana Jones, any of the mountains at MK and Illuminations. ACtually, the only mountain she has tried is Big Thunder. She hates it. We watch MK fireworks from the Polynesian. She hasn't tried Fast Track or Mission to Space and I think that is wise of her. But on the other hand, Star Tours was way too much for her so your experience may be different.

I think Fantasmic is OK for her but I'll have to ask her.

She enjoys the safari. In fact, does anyone else think that the safari is a little tamer when you are on a truck that loads from the accessible platform....or is that my imagination? The bridge doesn't seem as rocky.

 

[SueM in MN]

She enjoys the safari. In fact, does anyone else think that the safari is a little tamer when you are on a truck that loads from the accessible platform....or is that my imagination? The bridge doesn't seem as rocky.

We've been on it both from the accessible platform and from the regular loading area when it was bumpy and when it was not bumpy.
I don't know how they decide to make the bridge move around more, but it seems to be random rather than planned. On our early April trip this year, we rode twice from the accessible platform. The first time, the bridge was very tame, the second time it was EXTREMELY bumpy.

 

[jessica75]

Thanks everyone. It's a big help. What are the seating restraints on the dinosaur ride? Anything else I should be aware of? Will Soarin be open May 1-May 7?

 

[jessica75]

What is Space Mountain like? How are the seating restraints?

 

[SueM in MN]

Here's a link to the intercot site which has some pictures and a (kind of dark) video of Space Mountain.
That site also has a page about Dinosaur with a video and a few pictures. The ride vehicle for Dinosaur has a seat belt only. My DD has CP also (mixed, spastic quad with some athetoid movements). She does OK on Dinosaur, but only with her dad and I each sitting beside her to make sure she stays up. It pretty much wears us out to ride with her because she has a lot of trouble staying in place.
It is a very jerky ride. A lot of it is in the dark, or semi dark. Dinosaurs jump out at you all of a sudden, and after they do, your vehicle usually changes direction abruptly and then speeds off. The video on that site looks a lot more tame than the ride is.

The grand opening for Soarin' is May 5th.