Safari ride at AK with ECV

[gap2368]

I used to work with a student in a wheelchair - so I've hauled chairs around quite a bit. His mom, half my size, used to be able to just pop that chair into the back of her van. I was always very impressed! But I guess I'm thinking about an animal issue - I guess they'd just tranq the animal if there was a problem? I would hope other guests and the CM would help unload the chair and help with your daughter if there was a need to evacuate quickly? I know I would offer, and my husband could easily lift a 30 lb chair 3-4 feet off the ground. I'm guessing others on the vehicle would be able to as well? And yes, I've gone way off topic (again!) I'm sorry - it's just something I've thought about while on the ride - I must have been a risk evaluator in a past life?

My understanding of the Safari ride at AK is that there is a great amount of imagineering with the habitats. The most dangerous animals are not able to get anywhere close to the ride vehicles despite the fact that it looks that way. And the keepers can corral the animals back into their "homes" if necessary (which I believe was done for the hurricane earlier this fall). In the event of an emergency requiring evacuation from a ride vehicle out on the safari, precautions would be taken to make the evacuation safe for guests stuck on the ride as well as emergency responders. CMs or guests won't be lifting a wheelchair off -- Reedy Creek would be responsible for evacuating guests requiring assistance. Whether that would include removal of a powerchair plus the guest, or just the guest transferred to another mobility device, would depend on the situation. I trust that Reedy Creek has an appropriate evacuation plan for that ride. They've gotten people down off stuck monorails, I'm sure they have plans for pretty much every situation that might occur at WDW.

OP -- thanks for sharing your experience so others can learn from it. I'm sorry it happened but glad you didn't let that ruin your whole trip.

I know there was an older teen that was in a power chair stuck on a platform that was about 3 to 4 feet in the air ( long story on why and how) about 3 ( maybe 4) firemen from my area all lifted the older teen in the powerchair out and this teen was not skinny at all We also hade an elevator brake at one of the sport venues and they have to carry everyone outcome down 2 flights of stars. I would guess they would do the same thing if the saffier ride breaks,

Not sure where I heard this but I think they have to have a plane in place for the what if the ride breaks and what if someone is in a mobility device, So like if EE got stuck at the top and someone was on that could not walk how they get the person down ( I heard they have to have this in place before anyone can ride the ride)



OP could you ask to transfer to a manual chair and then ride the ride I would ask before you get in line so if the CM needed to find a chair for you they could.

 

[BillSears]

I would think that if a vehicle breaks down they would just bring out a tow vehicle to bring it back to the station or a backstage area to unload.

 

[arminnie]

laneJudy - It did not ruin my trip at all. Didn't even affect it negatively that much. Again I posted so other would not make the mistake that I made. It was a learning experience. I ended up enjoying the ride very much.

Bill - thanks so much for your input on POTC. If you can't do it I'm pretty sure I cannot either. But I appreciate knowing that ahead of time. I can take a step or two if supported, but I do not have the ability to take a step to lift myself up. I can step down - but up just doesn't happen anymore.

OT - I went to a meeting a a major university where they kept stressing the importance of "diversity". But they had made ZERO accommodations for those in wheelchairs or with vision or hearing issues. I'm sending an email to the President of the university on Monday thanking him for a great conference but pointing out their deficiencies in a very polite way.

They were unveiling a new builiding for their business school. The new entrance only has steps - no ramp. I had to go find an alternative entrance (no signage). Fortunately I had an able bodied person with me who could go inside and ask how I could enter. I was referred to what was usually an exit only door. Not acceptable.

 

[mamabunny]

laneJudy - It did not ruin my trip at all. Didn't even affect it negatively that much. Again I posted so other would not make the mistake that I made. It was a learning experience. I ended up enjoying the ride very much.

Bill - thanks so much for your input on POTC. If you can't do it I'm pretty sure I cannot either. But I appreciate knowing that ahead of time. I can take a step or two if supported, but I do not have the ability to take a step to lift myself up. I can step down - but up just doesn't happen anymore.

OT - I went to a meeting a a major university where they kept stressing the importance of "diversity". But they had made ZERO accommodations for those in wheelchairs or with vision or hearing issues. I'm sending an email to the President of the university on Monday thanking him for a great conference but pointing out their deficiencies in a very polite way.

They were unveiling a new builiding for their business school. The new entrance only has steps - no ramp. I had to go find an alternative entrance (no signage). Fortunately I had an able bodied person with me who could go inside and ask how I could enter. I was referred to what was usually an exit only door. Not acceptable.

Sadly, I think your experience at the university is more common than most folks realize. Our daughter tried to attend a college where the campus was very charming; There were ramps aplenty, but the grade was so steep on most of them (going up or down) was not safe, and they were impossible if there was any snow or ice. When she went to the administration offices to ask if there were alternate entrances that avoided the steeper ramps, or some other accessible pathway she just wasn't recognizing, they proudly pointed out all of the ramps, and told her she was well accommodated.

Um no. She transferred to a local city college that has lots of steps, and well-marked accessible routes and well-placed elevators. It's not as picturesque or charming, but she can retain her independence.

 

[arminnie]

Mamabunny I am sorry that your daughter had that experience at college. What was so confusing about the entrance having no ramp (for a NEW building) is that there were ramps galore inside the building - making travel from one floor to another possible without using an elevator. I thought those were great - plus they were visually stunning.

 

[bumbershoot]

My understanding of the Safari ride at AK is that there is a great amount of imagineering with the habitats. The most dangerous animals are not able to get anywhere close to the ride vehicles despite the fact that it looks that way.

We were stopped entirely by the rhinos a few years ago. They were *right there*. It was somewhat nerve wracking for fear that they would take a running start at the vehicle. We had to wait for them to move until we could start up again.

There were ramps aplenty, but the grade was so steep on most of them (going up or down) was not safe, and they were impossible if there was any snow or ice.

Ugh. My town has been adding in all the pretty bright yellow nubby sidewalk cuts recently. Which then get clogged with leaves and dirt and can’t be easy to use wheels on. And the downtown area has all these weird angles in the sidewalk leading up to the cuts oncoras streets at the bottom of hills, and they have giant planters way too far out in the sidewalk so anyone traversing the sidewalks is constantly maneuvering left and right. It’s bizarre. Probably looked good on paper but doesn’t work well irl.

 

[mamabunny]

Ugh. My town has been adding in all the pretty bright yellow nubby sidewalk cuts recently. Which then get clogged with leaves and dirt and can’t be easy to use wheels on. And the downtown area has all these weird angles in the sidewalk leading up to the cuts oncoras streets at the bottom of hills, and they have giant planters way too far out in the sidewalk so anyone traversing the sidewalks is constantly maneuvering left and right. It’s bizarre. Probably looked good on paper but doesn’t work well irl.

LOL it would make such a HUGE difference in urban planning if the people who are putting pencil to paper had to actually sit down in a wheelchair for the duration of planning the project. I'm willing to bet actual cash dollars that we would see *much* more thoughtful design... and that those horrible yellow nubby bumps would be replaced with something that actually provided traction and a tactile sense for the visually impaired.