DO DISABLE PERSONS FEEL LEFT OUT

[FortForever]

So you care about mobility disabilities but not other disabilities?

What about the person that can't see or can't hear?
I think those with mobility disabilities are accommodated quite well in comparison

As the mother of both an autistic and brain injured son, I'm just going to ignore that accusation. My son is accommodated with DAS.

Disney cannot make blind people see, or deaf people hear. This is beyond ridiculous. They do have sign language interpretation where it's possible.

I'm certainly entitled to my opinion of what I would like to see. Disney doesn't take advice from me, anyway, so you need to get a grip.

 

[SteveMouse]

So you care about mobility disabilities but not other disabilities?

What about the person that can't see or can't hear?
I think those with mobility disabilities are accommodated quite well in comparison.

Not every attraction can be modified and they should not have to.

Respectfully, I am not aware of any show at Disney that does not have interpretative services available (sign language/script projection/etc.). I am aware of quite a number of rides that don’t accommodate people riding in wheelchairs (not that the ride can ncessarily be made to accommmodate, such as the teacups-trying to secure a chair would be a problem).

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Respectfully, I am not aware of any show at Disney that does not have interpretative services available (sign language/script projection/etc.). I am aware of quite a number of rides that don’t accommodate people riding in wheelchairs (not that the ride can ncessarily be made to accommmodate, such as the teacups-trying to secure a chair would be a problem).

And what about visual impairments and shows?

 

[BillSears]

Could you clarify with examples?

Frozen Ever After and Navi River Journey both have boats too low for me to transfer out of. If they had raised the track/lowered the loading area by about 12-18 inches those would be fairly easy for me to ride. Also those stepping down into the boats have a hard time with them that would have been better if the boat was higher.

Slinky Dog looks like it's also too low for me to transfer out of. Raising the tracks/lowering the loading area to a similar height as Expedition Everest or Big Thunder Mountain would have made the transfer possible.

On the other hand the fairly new Little Mermaid ride and Seven Dwarfs Mine train seem to be pretty good for me. The Little Mermaid ride has the easiest roll-on vehicle in all of Walt Disney World. The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is not the easiest ride to get on and off but the height is pretty good.

Overall I think a lot of the good accessibility recently has been more of a lucky accident than actual planning. Otherwise why make the new vehicles so low?

 

[gap2368]

Frozen Ever After and Navi River Journey both have boats too low for me to transfer out of. If they had raised the track/lowered the loading area by about 12-18 inches those would be fairly easy for me to ride. Also those stepping down into the boats have a hard time with them that would have been better if the boat was higher.

Slinky Dog looks like it's also too low for me to transfer out of. Raising the tracks/lowering the loading area to a similar height as Expedition Everest or Big Thunder Mountain would have made the transfer possible.

On the other hand the fairly new Little Mermaid ride and Seven Dwarfs Mine train seem to be pretty good for me. The Little Mermaid ride has the easiest roll-on vehicle in all of Walt Disney World. The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is not the easiest ride to get on and off but the height is pretty good.

Overall I think a lot of the good accessibility recently has been more of a lucky accident than actual planning. Otherwise why make the new vehicles so low?

Slinky dog might be more accessible for you then you think for me it was like sitting in a chair and I think one of the vehicle has a door that opens so that transferring would be easer if this is the case I would guess it would be 6 or so inces lower then the average set ( I did ride it about 8 tines between soft opening Friday and opening day ) but I think I remember it being about the same high as a chair

 

[SteveMouse]

And what about visual impairments and shows?

Please visit https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/visual-disability-services/ for a list of services, including a pretty long list of attractions with enhanced audio descriptions.

 

[Minnie17]

It's tough for me... I find that no where else in the world can I vacation as *easily* as I can at WDW. As long as I can reserve the correct type of accommodations for me (I require a roll-in shower room) and as long as I can afford the travel *and* the cost of the room/ticket/meal plan/shopping/souvenirs/drinks/etc. etc. etc. while *at* Disney World...

So, yes - there are some rides for me that I can no longer participate in, without the sure and certain knowledge that Reedy Creek EMS will have to be called to get me back out of that ride vehicle (if I can get in it to begin with). It makes me sad to think about, sure... but so does the fact that I will never again dance with my husband, or play tennis, or do any of the hundreds of other things I can't do in the "real" world. Not everything is fixable.

After my experience last fall at Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO I came to a new appreciation of how much easier Disney World is for those of us with disabilities. WDW earns my vacation dollars because in a world that doesn't always "work" for me now, it works better than most of the real world for me.

Can you elaborate on what went wrong at Silver Dollar City?

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Please visit https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/visual-disability-services/ for a list of services, including a pretty long list of attractions with enhanced audio descriptions.

What is shocking is they think the handheld audio device is practical.
Its difficult to hear the attraction as well as the audio description through headphones.
Shows I do think its a good idea for but not something like Winnie the Pooh.
Its also difficult to listen to it while attempting to walk through the parks since a visually impaired person's ears help them be aware of their surroundings.
Also if you don't know braille then that is not all that helpful.
What if the person's visual impairment included night blindness?
Disney is not going to make all of their attractions bright just to accommodate them.
And that is kind of the point I'm getting at with these posts. Disney should not have to accommodate everyone all the time yet today's society seems to think everyone's needs to should met everywhere all the time instead of accepting that you cannot always be accommodated.

 

[cmwade77]

Respectfully, I am not aware of any show at Disney that does not have interpretative services available (sign language/script projection/etc.). I am aware of quite a number of rides that don’t accommodate people riding in wheelchairs (not that the ride can ncessarily be made to accommmodate, such as the teacups-trying to secure a chair would be a problem).

But there are attractions where they could be secured properly that aren't offered, such as Navi River Journey, Fliggts o Passage (yes, it would require a modified vehicle, but it could be done AND done to still fit the theme, this is why so many are upset about it) Pirates (this is technically feasible and Frozen might also be able to use the same tech to do it), Pinnocio, Snow White, Mr. Toads Wild Ride, Autopia/Indy Speedway. Tea Cups and Roger Rabbits cartoon spin would both technically be possible, but so difficult that it may not be feasible. These are but a few examples of where a wheelchair accessible vehicle is possible, but not implemented and two of them are brand new attractions that with just a tiny amount of effort could have been fully accesible.

 

[cmwade77]

What is shocking is they think the handheld audio device is practical.
Its difficult to hear the attraction as well as the audio description through headphones.
Shows I do think its a good idea for but not something like Winnie the Pooh.
Its also difficult to listen to it while attempting to walk through the parks since a visually impaired person's ears help them be aware of their surroundings.
Also if you don't know braille then that is not all that helpful.
What if the person's visual impairment included night blindness?
Disney is not going to make all of their attractions bright just to accommodate them.
And that is kind of the point I'm getting at with these posts. Disney should not have to accommodate everyone all the time yet today's society seems to think everyone's needs to should met everywhere all the time instead of accepting that you cannot always be accommodated.

I don't think everyone should be accomodaacco everywhere, I think they should be accomoaccomm where feasible. Night blindness can often be overcome with special glasses, these glasses are expensive, so Disney could offer free loans with a deposit of such glasses for those who don't need them on a regular basis.l, but would need them in the parks for example. My last post also showed several attractions where wheelchair accessible vehicles would be feasible with minor modifications to the rides and/or ride vehicles themselves. My
So accommodations should be made where it is feasible to do so. Where it isn't, well you can only do what you can do.

As for something like Winnie the Pooh, something with a large enough screen could have a big enough don't to work. Perhaps a screen built into one of the vehicles with written text. There would be other attractions where this approach could work as well.

So you can see that with just a little bit of thought and effort, accommodations are quite often more feasible than one may think, but there are always going to be places where certain accomodaccommo are not.possible or feasible, but all new attractions should take these accommodations into account when being designed and that is where Disney has been lacking as of late.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I don't think everyone should be accomodaacco everywhere, I think they should be accomoaccomm where feasible. Night blindness can often be overcome with special glasses, these glasses are expensive, so Disney could offer free loans with a deposit of such glasses for those who don't need them on a regular basis.l, but would need them in the parks for example. My last post also showed several attractions where wheelchair accessible vehicles would be feasible with minor modifications to the rides and/or ride vehicles themselves. My
So accommodations should be made where it is feasible to do so. Where it isn't, well you can only do what you can do.

As for something like Winnie the Pooh, something with a large enough screen could have a big enough don't to work. Perhaps a screen built into one of the vehicles with written text. There would be other attractions where this approach could work as well.

So you can see that with just a little bit of thought and effort, accommodations are quite often more feasible than one may think, but there are always going to be places where certain accomodaccommo are not.possible or feasible, but all new attractions should take these accommodations into account when being designed and that is where Disney has been lacking as of late.

But not everyone can be helped with glasses (night blindness glasses? Do you have a link to these? You're not just talking about those yellow sunglasses are you?) and not everyone can see text on a screen. In your logic all Disney has to do for night blindness is not create dim lit lines and attractions because just turning on the lights is entirely feasible but you wouldn't expect that now would you?
My point is still very much present in regards to not everyone should have to be accommodated.

 

[cmwade77]

Just turning on the lights wouldn't accommodate everyone either, as I said, where feasible and turning on the lights may not be feasible. But designing an alternative, well lit queue on a new attraction that is just as themed as the regular queue would be feasible or designing queues to be able to be easily lit with a flashlight would be feasible. That is my.point, with proper planning most needs can be accommodated.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Just turning on the lights wouldn't accommodate everyone either, as I said, where feasible and turning on the lights may not be feasible. But designing an alternative, well lit queue on a new attraction that is just as themed as the regular queue would be feasible or designing queues to be able to be easily lit with a flashlight would be feasible. That is my.point, with proper planning most needs can be accommodated.

Still curious about the glasses part.

 

[SueM in MN]

But there are attractions where they could be secured properly that aren't offered, such as Navi River Journey,

Na’vi River Journey could not be made accessible because the size of the boats. I have heard the size of the boats was limited by the tightness of some of the turns. I also explained already why it would not work.

Fliggts o Passage (yes, it would require a modified vehicle, but it could be done AND done to still fit the theme, this is why so many are upset about it)

Because of nature of the ride, the extreme movement of the ride and the quickness, I don’t see how a modified ride seat could safely fit and restrain wheelchairs and also keep the rider safe. The entire front of the room tilts and moves down and the front part of the ride vehicle that guests lean against is a big part of the restraint.
If every guest used an identical wheelchair, maybe something could be designed.
But, wheelchairs come in all shapes and sizes. Some sit much lower to the ground, while my daughter sits pretty high. Straight wheels or wheels with camber (flared out at the bottom); a little camber or a lot. Some wheelchairs have backs that are low (like mid back); others come high up and around for support. More traditional style wheelchairs have the big wheels to the rear, but some have the small casters to the back and the big wheels to the front. There is just too much variation in wheelchairs to design a vehicle that would fit all.

The attraction does have a special transfer wheelchair and a lift that guests can use to transfer from their own wheelchair to the regular seat, so although what they provided doesn’t fît everyone’s needs, it does go well beyond what is required.
There is more discussion about the Pandora attractions in the Pandora thread near the top of this board.

Pirates (this is technically feasible and Frozen might also be able to use the same tech to do it),

It would not be technically feasible in either Pirates at WDW or in Frozen at WDW.
Since both are boat rides, the issue I mentioned earlier with the wheelchair needing to be in the center of the boat so it stays balanced comes into play. Both attractions include significant drops (Pirates is 14 feet from what I have read) and Frozen also has a very steep uphill climb. It’s not as simple as just parking a wheelchair in the center of the boat as happens on the flat, slow moving boats like Small World or Mexico. The wheelchair would need to be secured well due to the drops (and Frozen has a very bumpy track in the uphill parts).
And because it’s real water, the vehicle can’t open into its own ramp like Epcot’s Nemo or MK’s Little Mermaid.

Bill’s comments about changing the dock level to make the seat more level with average wheelchair seat level make sense. I don’t know what effect that would have on other guests needing to climb over the side.

Pinnocio, Snow White, Mr. Toads Wild Ride, Autopia/Indy Speedway. Tea Cups and Roger Rabbits cartoon spin would both technically be possible, but so difficult that it may not be feasible. These are but a few examples of where a wheelchair accessible vehicle is possible, but not implemented and two of them are brand new attractions that with just a tiny amount of effort could have been fully accesible.

I’ll only comment on Autopia/Indy Speedway and Tea Cups since the others are Disneyland attractions I have not been on.
A Speedway car would need a ramp to load, which could maybe possibly be designed like the fold down ramp on Little Mermaid or Aladdin. But, big difference between a ride car running at a constant speed on a track and a vehicle that is being controlled by the person in it. It would not be a matter of just driving the wheelchair in; it would need to be well secured.
I’m pretty sure the Teacups are too small to meet the minimum size guidelines.

Jungle Cruise has a pretty cool wheelchair lift and it seems like a very simple design when you look at it and see it in use. But looking simple doesn’t always mean it was easy.
I knew a CM who worked at Jungle Cruise while it was being developed and he kept me updated on the progress. He didn’t know how many never made it to the point of fabrication and testing, but he knew it was quite a few.
There were a number that made it to the point of installation, but then didn’t work. He told me that several, including the current design, actually sunk the boat.

 

[cmwade77]

Actually, I have made a design that shows it is technically feasible at Purates, WITH the drop using some tech that some statues use get in California to protect them from earthquakes.

And my point in Navi River Journey was they should have designed it to accommodate wheelchairs, which may have indeed ment less tight of turns.

Flights of Passage could work, in fact there are ways that even most roller coasters could accommodate a wheelchair. Yes, this might require over the shoulder restraints to work properly, but it could be done.

And yes, a wheelchair would need to be well secured, basically using the same securing method that moat publice buses use (at least around here), where the wheelchair pulls in and gets automatically locked in place, when they need off, the bus driver presses a button to release the lock and never has to get up. This would reduce load times and have minimal ride operator interaction. Where this isn't technically doable, they could have a separate load and unload area like Disneyland's space mountain does, giving unlimited time to load and unload, then gets out back on the track once loaded. The bottom line is if Unveral Hollywood can make the trams accessible with Earthquake, Kong and all of the other movement they go through during these and other parts of the tour, making Flights of Passage accessible could have been doesn't fairly easily as well. At bare minimum, they could have had a better vehicle design that allows for easier transfers, but really all new attractions should be required to be fully accessible, as with a little thought and creativity, virtually any attraction could be accessible. There might be restrictions on some, such as Rockin Roller coaster, no loose objects since it goes upside down, but again, it could be done. This is a case where while it could be done, it may not be feasible due to height limits, but again they could and should remodel it to have a separate load/unload for those who need more time to get in and out of the vehicles. Now, it is possible that not all wheelchairs could be accommodated on all attractions, so you have to design them for the most common wheelchairs and offer a Disney owned chair that others could transfer into. Will it accommodate everyone? No, but most rides don't even accommodate everyone without disabilities, the point is Disney needs to at least make an effort to accommodate as many as possible, something the massively failed to do with Pandora.

Yes, the size of the accessible Teacup might need to be made a little larger, but it could be done from a technical standpoint. That may or may not be feasible, but it is feasible on all new attractions to make them fully accessible.

Please note that I draw designs for a living and have to account for accessibility, so I am aware of technology that is available out there and this I can say Pirates COULD be made fully accessible and this is at Disneyland where there are two drops, not just the one. splash could have a transfer boat (that one would be harder to make fully accessible, but a transfer boat where the side opens is possible). Yes, there would need a lot of testing and tweaking, but it is possible. Haunted Mansion could easily have accessible vehicles as well, yes it may require removing a vehicle in front or behind the accessible vehicle, but it could be done, even with the hills, again it would need a better method for see uringthan Little Mermaid, but it could be done.

 

[SueM in MN]

I think we will need to agree to disagree.
I don’t think it’s as easily done as you think it can be.

 

[cmwade77]

Perhaps, but I do know from experience what tech is available, not saying it won't cost some money, it will and it will need testing, but it can be done.

Also, I am not saying everything will be easy, but I am saying it is feasible. There is a difference between feasible and easy.

 

[DisneyOma]

Frozen Ever After and Navi River Journey both have boats too low for me to transfer out of. If they had raised the track/lowered the loading area by about 12-18 inches those would be fairly easy for me to ride. Also those stepping down into the boats have a hard time with them that would have been better if the boat was higher.

Slinky Dog looks like it's also too low for me to transfer out of. Raising the tracks/lowering the loading area to a similar height as Expedition Everest or Big Thunder Mountain would have made the transfer possible.

On the other hand the fairly new Little Mermaid ride and Seven Dwarfs Mine train seem to be pretty good for me. The Little Mermaid ride has the easiest roll-on vehicle in all of Walt Disney World. The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is not the easiest ride to get on and off but the height is pretty good.

Overall I think a lot of the good accessibility recently has been more of a lucky accident than actual planning. Otherwise why make the new vehicles so low?

Because it is safer? A fall from a low seat is better than a fall from higher one. Also, making the seat more accessible (higher) for one person could potentially make it less accessible for another. As Sue pointed out, not all wheelchairs are the same height.

Na’vi River Journey could not be made accessible because the size of the boats. I have heard the size of the boats was limited by the tightness of some of the turns. I also explained already why it would not work.
Because of nature of the ride, the extreme movement of the ride and the quickness, I don’t see how a modified ride seat could safely fit and restrain wheelchairs and also keep the rider safe. The entire front of the room tilts and moves down and the front part of the ride vehicle that guests lean against is a big part of the restraint.
If every guest used an identical wheelchair, maybe something could be designed.
But, wheelchairs come in all shapes and sizes. Some sit much lower to the ground, while my daughter sits pretty high. Straight wheels or wheels with camber (flared out at the bottom); a little camber or a lot. Some wheelchairs have backs that are low (like mid back); others come high up and around for support. More traditional style wheelchairs have the big wheels to the rear, but some have the small casters to the back and the big wheels to the front. There is just too much variation in wheelchairs to design a vehicle that would fit all.

The attraction does have a special transfer wheelchair and a lift that guests can use to transfer from their own wheelchair to the regular seat, so although what they provided doesn’t fît everyone’s needs, it does go well beyond what is required.
There is more discussion about the Pandora attractions in the Pandora thread near the top of this board.


It would not be technically feasible in either Pirates at WDW or in Frozen at WDW.
Since both are boat rides, the issue I mentioned earlier with the wheelchair needing to be in the center of the boat so it stays balanced comes into play. Both attractions include significant drops (Pirates is 14 feet from what I have read) and Frozen also has a very steep uphill climb. It’s not as simple as just parking a wheelchair in the center of the boat as happens on the flat, slow moving boats like Small World or Mexico. The wheelchair would need to be secured well due to the drops (and Frozen has a very bumpy track in the uphill parts).
And because it’s real water, the vehicle can’t open into its own ramp like Epcot’s Nemo or MK’s Little Mermaid.

Bill’s comments about changing the dock level to make the seat more level with average wheelchair seat level make sense. I don’t know what effect that would have on other guests needing to climb over the side.


I’ll only comment on Autopia/Indy Speedway and Tea Cups since the others are Disneyland attractions I have not been on.
A Speedway car would need a ramp to load, which could maybe possibly be designed like the fold down ramp on Little Mermaid or Aladdin. But, big difference between a ride car running at a constant speed on a track and a vehicle that is being controlled by the person in it. It would not be a matter of just driving the wheelchair in; it would need to be well secured.
I’m pretty sure the Teacups are too small to meet the minimum size guidelines.

Jungle Cruise has a pretty cool wheelchair lift and it seems like a very simple design when you look at it and see it in use. But looking simple doesn’t always mean it was easy.
I knew a CM who worked at Jungle Cruise while it was being developed and he kept me updated on the progress. He didn’t know how many never made it to the point of fabrication and testing, but he knew it was quite a few.
There were a number that made it to the point of installation, but then didn’t work. He told me that several, including the current design, actually sunk the boat.

Sue, you are right about the boats and having a lift that works and is safe. It's not easy, by a long shot.

I've worked on boats, played on boats, tended boats for decades of my life. They are tricky things, to say the least. And it would be a horrible tragedy to have a boat tip and sink with a person in a wheelchair strapped in, the wheelchair locked to the boat. Think about if it capsized? Just thinking about that makes me sick. A Jungle Cruise boat is pretty small to have a wheelchair on it. A PoTC boat is even smaller, and having it go down a drop, and having it loaded incorrectly (think of the water intake issues it has now) could easily cause it to sink. Of course it's not deep water, but in the panic the boat could also make it tip. IaSW works because there are no drops, and the canal is very shallow.

Actually, I have made a design that shows it is technically feasible at Purates, WITH the drop using some tech that some statues use get in California to protect them from earthquakes.

And my point in Navi River Journey was they should have designed it to accommodate wheelchairs, which may have indeed ment less tight of turns.

Flights of Passage could work, in fact there are ways that even most roller coasters could accommodate a wheelchair. Yes, this might require over the shoulder restraints to work properly, but it could be done.

And yes, a wheelchair would need to be well secured, basically using the same securing method that moat publice buses use (at least around here), where the wheelchair pulls in and gets automatically locked in place, when they need off, the bus driver presses a button to release the lock and never has to get up. This would reduce load times and have minimal ride operator interaction. Where this isn't technically doable, they could have a separate load and unload area like Disneyland's space mountain does, giving unlimited time to load and unload, then gets out back on the track once loaded. The bottom line is if Unveral Hollywood can make the trams accessible with Earthquake, Kong and all of the other movement they go through during these and other parts of the tour, making Flights of Passage accessible could have been doesn't fairly easily as well. At bare minimum, they could have had a better vehicle design that allows for easier transfers, but really all new attractions should be required to be fully accessible, as with a little thought and creativity, virtually any attraction could be accessible. There might be restrictions on some, such as Rockin Roller coaster, no loose objects since it goes upside down, but again, it could be done. This is a case where while it could be done, it may not be feasible due to height limits, but again they could and should remodel it to have a separate load/unload for those who need more time to get in and out of the vehicles. Now, it is possible that not all wheelchairs could be accommodated on all attractions, so you have to design them for the most common wheelchairs and offer a Disney owned chair that others could transfer into. Will it accommodate everyone? No, but most rides don't even accommodate everyone without disabilities, the point is Disney needs to at least make an effort to accommodate as many as possible, something the massively failed to do with Pandora.

Yes, the size of the accessible Teacup might need to be made a little larger, but it could be done from a technical standpoint. That may or may not be feasible, but it is feasible on all new attractions to make them fully accessible.

Please note that I draw designs for a living and have to account for accessibility, so I am aware of technology that is available out there and this I can say Pirates COULD be made fully accessible and this is at Disneyland where there are two drops, not just the one. splash could have a transfer boat (that one would be harder to make fully accessible, but a transfer boat where the side opens is possible). Yes, there would need a lot of testing and tweaking, but it is possible. Haunted Mansion could easily have accessible vehicles as well, yes it may require removing a vehicle in front or behind the accessible vehicle, but it could be done, even with the hills, again it would need a better method for see uringthan Little Mermaid, but it could be done.

I disagree with so many of your scenarios - a wheelchair on a roller coaster? They are not built for those forces, first off. And then you'd have some guests who were not capable of the body strength needed to stay safe, and then what? And anything on water - you don't want a door on the side, ever. Separate load/unload for a roller coaster? Would that be considered safe? How many times can a track be changed safely? They take cars offline for coasters, but it's a big deal, full of precautions, etc. Doing that while other cars are on the track, running? I'm not sure they are allowed to.

Perhaps, but I do know from experience what tech is available, not saying it won't cost some money, it will and it will need testing, but it can be done.

Also, I am not saying everything will be easy, but I am saying it is feasible. There is a difference between feasible and easy.

Everything is pretty much feasible - but only if you are willing to change the intent of the attraction. But every attraction cannot meet every need/disability out there. How would Mission Space accommodate my claustrophobia, for example? Or that spinning gives me a migraine? I guess they could run the sequence just for me with the door open and no spinning. But then how about the other people waiting, or the one that needs something else?

 

[piccolopat]

Perhaps, but I do know from experience what tech is available, not saying it won't cost some money, it will and it will need testing, but it can be done.

Also, I am not saying everything will be easy, but I am saying it is feasible. There is a difference between feasible and easy.

How much would your proposed changes impact load and unload times? Do your proposals provide for one accessible ride car per ride cycle or several?

 

[loves to dive]

While not disabled myself (unless you count old and in constant pain from being old) I have been to WDW with both my mother who had Lupus and was unable to be in the sun for long periods of time and unable to walk so used a wheel chair and with my son who has permanent nerve damage in his spine and has PTSD and both were able to have a good time. Both understood that their disabilities were just that, their disabilities and they couldn't expect the world or WDW to change to accommodate them. My son is young, 38, and sitting for long periods hurts so he stands most of the time even when eating. Standing has its issues too since that puts a lot of strain on his spine. He can't ride any of the rides that have the slightest jerk, even SDMT is off limits. He can't go to any of the FWs shows because of the crowds and can't ride any of the enclosed rides like Star Wars and Mission Space. There is no way every ride and every experience is going to be available to every person, it's just not possible. You aren't going to get the best experience from FOP by sitting in the room and watching it with the glasses on, the visual is a small part of that ride. You feel the banshee breathing between your thighs, your vehicle (or the floor I'm not sure which) moves in ways that you aren't going to be able to experience in a wheel chair. I don't ride the ride unless my son is with me, it's one of the few rides he can actually ride, because it makes me a little sick and it's not worth it for me. There are many rides I can't ride because I have osteoporosis but I still enjoy going.