Frozen Ever After

[allie_to_you]

Anyone ride this since it opened? Has it gotten any better in terms of wheelchair accessibility? I know with the drops, they probably haven't gotten a wheelchair boat, but I wasn't sure if this ride was like Pirates in MK where there is little to know room to get a wheelchair close to do a transfer. My DH would like to try it on our next trip, but I have to help him transfer from his wheelchair

 

[gap2368]

I have a FP for july 5 to ride and I might be there july 3 and will try and go and let you know if no one post before hand. but looking at the video there looks like it is a lot like pirates at MK there dose look like there is a bigger opening for someone that need some help getting in and out.

 

[SueM in MN]

I haven't talked to anyone with disabilities or seen anything written yet about accessibility. I have seen some videos, but they were pretty dark showing the boarding area, so it's hard to say how it will be.
We won't be to WDW until October, so won't have first hand until then.

There are some things I know:
- the LINE is wheelchair accessible
- the original Maelstrom boats were re-used
- none of the Maelstrom boats were accessible or transfer assist boats
- getting into the Maelstrom boats required a high step/lift over the side to the seat and then another step to the bottom of the boat
- the Maelstrom boats were similar to the Pirates boats, but with a higher side
- the Disney website and app list it as 'must transfer'

What I don't know:
- whether or not there is or will be a transfer assist boat with a opening side or anything to make transfers easier
- this was a 'cosmetic renovation' and the ride path was left as is for the most part, so I am not sure if a requirement for making an accessible boat (like there would be for an entirely new attraction)

What I can't confirm, but am still sure of:
- there will not be a wheelchair accessible boat because there is a steep climb and a drop during the attraction (that has not changed from Maelstrom)


This is the old Maelstrom boat, which is being reused for Frozen Ever After. You can see that the sides are higher than Pirates.

This is the Splash Mountain boat.
We felt the Maelstrom boat was a similar height (or a bit higher) lift over the side.
Before Maelstrom closed, we had gotten to the point where we felt it was too difficult to lift our daughter into the boat - mostly because the lift is high. She is not big; she's only 5 feet tall and about 81 pounds.
We actually had plenty of space when we did ride Maelstrom. We loaded in a clear area just before the regular load area.

 

[SueM in MN]

Yesterday, when I looked, most of the videos I found were quite dark. This one looks pretty good and does give a quick view of the load and unload area.

They are quick views, but I got some screen captures. This first one is the boarding area and looks like they made the dock higher compared to the boat. That would make the step over the side not so high, but there would still be a deep step in. The back row appears to have a large loading area similar to Pirates.


There isn't a good view of the unload area, but it appears to have a similar large size unload area.



The ride loads and unloads similar to Pirates - the boat stops at the area and the CM at the podium waits until all guests are seated before dispatching the boat.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I know with the drops, they probably haven't gotten a wheelchair boat

The boats are the same boats previously used on the Norway ride.

 

[dismom57]

We can still do the lifts on Splash and PotC, here is hoping we can get on to FEA. We are going the end of August.

 

[joanchris]

I'm hoping we're able to get my daughter onto this ride when we go in Sept. She's about 4'6 and 80 lbs, but hard to maneuver (she's kind of stuck in a sitting position). The only thing we've taken her out of her chair for the last couple of trips was Soarin' since she's secure in the seat and it's something we felt she enjoyed. I might have to try to ride Frozen first to even see if I think it's worth trying for her. I don't think I'd ridden Maelstrom since our first family trip in 2005!

 

[SueM in MN]

I'm hoping we're able to get my daughter onto this ride when we go in Sept. She's about 4'6 and 80 lbs, but hard to maneuver (she's kind of stuck in a sitting position). The only thing we've taken her out of her chair for the last couple of trips was Soarin' since she's secure in the seat and it's something we felt she enjoyed. I might have to try to ride Frozen first to even see if I think it's worth trying for her. I don't think I'd ridden Maelstrom since our first family trip in 2005!

Soarin' is a relatively easy transfer since everything is goat, you can position the wheelchair wherever you want and the seat is pretty close to wheelchair seat height.

Our problem with getting DD into the old Maelstrom boats was how high the side of the boat was to left over.
It might be better because it looks like the boat may not be sitting so high. But, if that's true, that makes the floor lower in relation. I'll be interested to see.

 

[GinnyBear's_mom]

We were in the Frozen ever after line 3 times this past week (rode it 2x). Although no one in my group needed assistance to transfer, I saw two people who did. I can tell you that it did not look to be an easy task. The first person needed the loading area shut down for over 10 minutes while he was transferred from the ride to his wheelchair. The person assisting him was having serious difficulty. Then the ride broke down less than 1 minute after it was restarted. The second person had a slightly easier time transferring into the ride. It took just a few minutes.

 

[ez]

My son was in a wheelchair this past week and we went thru the line with it but he was able to walk onto the ride. The ride is awesome I hope you get to ride it!! I think they did a great job.

 

[BabyFu18]

I don't think I'll even attempt this ride, I don't think I could get from my wheelchair into the boat with some serious issues and I don't want to cause a hold up while I try it (especially if I can't make it work and have to end up leaving the line/ride). It looks like such a cute ride, my family will have to ride it and tell me about it. I hope those who want to try and ride it can do it without to much trouble, good luck!

 

[tinkerpea]

I don't think I'll even attempt this ride, I don't think I could get from my wheelchair into the boat with some serious issues and I don't want to cause a hold up while I try it (especially if I can't make it work and have to end up leaving the line/ride). It looks like such a cute ride, my family will have to ride it and tell me about it. I hope those who want to try and ride it can do it without to much trouble, good luck!

I just wanted to say even though you said you wouldn't probably try it.
Don't ever feel bad about causing a rude to stop while you get in,
Moat people ( and really every one) should appreciate that fact that you are wanting to ride just like everyone else.
A ride hold up of 10 mins even if you do not end up being able to ride is nothing in the grand scheme of things.
My friends actually did this ride last wk, ans said that transfer while not a walk in the in the park was not overly difficult with 2 people to help.

 

[QTWO]

I wanted to add my two cents here... we rode this ride this past weekend. You can get a wheelchair, or an ECV, through the lines- you can park your chair at the ride exit. There are no modified boats at all- none for a chair and none with fold-down sides. The boats, I feel, are more like the ones for the Three Caballeros in Epcot's Mexico. The side extends several inches above the ride platform, but the bench seat is several inches below the platform. The floor of the boat is (obviously) several inches below that. In order to get into the ride, you need to step over the side, down onto the seat and then down again onto the floor of the boat. They have a transfer board/device that would make sense for paraplegics- but it requires a lot of upper body strength to use. We saw a lady transfer into the ride by balancing on the side of the boat, swinging her legs over (to rest on the platform) and having her partner lift her into her chair. We, however, botched the whole ride exit procedure and caused quite a spectacle of ourselves. For us, these were definitely more difficult (and, in our case, not worth it) than Pirates of the Caribbean.

 

[Bearshouse]

Our son is 4 ft and about 60lbs. He too has gotten very hard to move and position on rides. I am under 5ft so I got in first and helped move his legs and feet while DH picked him up and moved into the boat. Then I supported him until DH could get in the boat. It is tricky. But his smile is always worth the effort.