Chicken Exits

[jdremann]

There has been some discussion lately on viewing the pre-show and then using the chicken exit on rides that are not adequately accessible and I would like to know for sure which attractions have fully accessible pre-shows and accessible chicken exits.

My wife is full time in a power chair and can't do the attractions that require transferring out of the power wheelchair but the rest of us can. Instead of separating for long periods of time, we would like to stay together and do as much of an attraction as possible.

For example, attractions like Test Track are not accessible for my wife but the pre-show is. I don't remember what the que is like and I don't know the chicken exit. Is it possible for all of us to use the mainstream line (or fast-pass line), all see the pre-show, and some of us ride while my wife watches then uses an accessible back exit to skip the ride?

What about other attractions like ToT, Haunted Mansion, etc.?

 

[SueM in MN]

I can't answer for the Chicken exit, but can answer some of the queue and preshow questions. The best sources of information will be the CMs at each ride. If you are there when the ride isn't too busy, they really will try to help you experience it. They may suggest a time for you to come back when it won't be as busy.
For Test Track: The queue is a long, winding, kind of steep in places ramp. It would be do-able in a power wheelchair. The preshow for Test Track is a standing room with monitors on the walls ahead of you. A person in a wheelchair might get a view of everyone else's behind (depending on how full the room is). You enter on one side of the room and the exits to actually board the ride are on the other side. Wheelchair users who board at the regular boarding are leave their wheelchairs where they board; while they are on the ride, CMs take the wheelchair up an elevator, over the track and then back down on the other side of the track. There is an alternate boarding area for wheelchair users that involves riding up the elevator to the wheelchair boarding/exit area and then taking the wheelchair in the elevator back down to get out of the building. I think they might have your wife follow the same route whether she rides or not.

For Haunted Mansion: The "shrinking room" would be considered the preshow. The regular queue is accessible until a point where you go thru turnstiles to get "counted" to go into the preshow. People with wheelchairs are pulled off just before that point. Those who can transfer, but not stand for the preshow usually bypass the preshow and go to the exit for boarding. Someone recently posted (maybe Andrew?) that they had stayed in the wheelchair for the preshow and then wheeled out after the room emptied, leaving by the same back door they came in. I don't see why your wife would not be able to do that, the rest of your party continue innto the boarding area and then meet up with your wife in the courtyard near the exit.

I really can't remember much of TOT. My DD rode on it, so we didn't bypass anything. I do know that the entire queue was wheelchair accessible and was really neat. The queue goes on the outside and inside of a very well themed, spooky hotel. The preshow was shown on a TV screen in a sort of a parlor room. I believe that the chicken exit is somewhere right after the preshow and I'm not sure whether you can exit right outside from there or not.

 

[Andrew Bichard]

Originally posted by SueM in MN
Someone recently posted (maybe Andrew?) that they had stayed in the wheelchair for the preshow and then wheeled out after the room emptied, leaving by the same back door they came in.

It was I! I even got to see the stretch room unstretch before leaving. I then waited outside for my wife to finish her ride. I waited just outside in the exit area. There is a whole wall of memorial plaques there that most people would miss as they rush out to the next attraction. Each plaque has a joke pun inscription.

Originally posted by SueM in MN
I really can't remember much of TOT. I believe that the chicken exit is somewhere right after the preshow and I'm not sure whether you can exit right outside from there or not.

If my memory serves me right, the chicken exit is a lift, right next to the ride lifts. You can go right through the basement before taking this lift back to the gift shop.

Whereas the queue area is one of the better pre-shows, the CM at the entrance might not let you in. A couple of years back, I went right through the entire pre-show in my power wheelchair. Last trip the CM told me only manuals were allowd through the pre show and that it was too windey for ECVs & powerchairs. I argued that my powerchair equivalent to a manual in terms of manouverability, not like an ECV at all. I lost the argument. I complained at guest relations and got 'fobbed off' with platitudes and told to write in. Never did - life's too short.

I have also done the pre-show at Test Track (then gone around the outside of the building to meet up with my wife in the post-show exhibition area and shop. They now have some kind of virtual driving machines there, but you would need to be able to transfer to use them. At least, I got to see a Humvee,. (does anyone know if there will be a 'drive from wheelchair' adaption any time?)

Dianasaur at AK has a doeable pre show. Mission Space lets you go right through the pre-show, then you skip the ride vehicles and take the exit corridor to the command training' post shows area. This is a room full of individual and group computer games themed on 'mission control'.

Andrew

 

[Sarahsmom85]

A person in a wheelchair might get a view of everyone else's behind.

This is DH's favorite saying.

I'm glad I discovered this board. We have been to WDW several times, and have left DH out of all the preshows. I think this comes from the one time we went to Disneyland and asked it he could ride Star Tours and the CM said sure. I transfered him on to the ride, not know what type of ride it was. He thought he would die or at least rebrake his neck. LOL I had sat him on the end followed by then 4 yr old and then me. When the ride got going I had to try to reach over and whole both of them. Talk about a memory. Now he will not allow me to transfer him to any ride. if he cannot do if from his power chair he doesn't do it.
At least this time we will ask if the preshow is doable. I will make notes and report upon my return.

 

[McCall]

Originally posted by Sarahsmom85

A person in a wheelchair might get a view of everyone else's behind.

This is DH's favorite saying. "


I am seriously thinking of filming a short documentary of the view from the wheelchair at such places as Disney and going through stores etc.