Tower of Terror accessability ?

[Disneycrazymom]

Has anyone done this ride with a wheelchair? My DS really wants to do this one so we need loading information. Do you have to transfer out of the chair? If so are there steps , can her chair go into the ride and then we lift her out and then place the chair right outside? She is not walking at all so could only do it if she can be lifted from the wheelchair directly onto the ride bench. Thanks for your help.

 

[SueM in MN]

My DH tricked us into doing this one. DH, younger DD (Katrina) and I went to WDW last September. DH has been wanting to go on this ride since it opened, but no one would go with him. He had gone to WDW with our older DD in July last year and he told us that the 2 of them had gone on TOT. When Katrina heard her sister had gone on it, she was ready to go. She loved it, I tolerated it.
Anyway, you do need to transfer out of the wheelchair. DD can't stand or walk, so we did lift her into the seat. It's a bench and they have wheelchair or ecv users in the first (front) row, so there are no steps. We wheeled her chair up quite close to the elevator car and after we were on, a CM rolled it away from the door. The CM was very patient and just told us to tqake our time getting in. There are bench seats with one seat belt that goes across the whole row.DD gets very stiff when she is excited, and she did come off her seat, almost to a standing position. We never felt like she was unsafe, although (if there is a next time) she would have been better maybe between DH and I. She ended up on the end with DH next to her.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I went on this ride with my friend who uses a wheelchair (can't walk at all.) We pulled her motorized wheelchair up as close to the bench in the ride, and transfered her to the bench. She can sit up okay, so the ride worked fine for us. There is not alot of room for the transfer, but we managed fine. We rode twice, even! We did have to get out of the elevator and re-board another elevator to ride the second time. The CM's were great and very helpful.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Thank-you! That is just the news we wanted to hear! How did the line work to get in? Any problems getting the wheelchair through the line or was there a special door?

 

[SueM in MN]

The entire line is a mainstream line (wheelchairs go in the same line with everyone else). We didn't have any trouble getting thru.

 

[Tiiiigergirl]

I think for those who use an ECV that you are required to transfer to a standard wheelchair and that the line can not accomodate an ECV.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

She uses a regular wheelchair so we will be ok with the line. Thank-you both for the information.

 

[SueM in MN]

I didn't see anything about the line that would make me think it was not accessible to ecvs (but I was in a state of terror from the time we entered the line) and there is nothing listed in the Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities that indicates the line is not accessible.

They actually do have an icon for rides where someone in an ecv needs to switch to a manual wheelchair for the line and then get out for the ride. It's a ecv icon with an arrow leading to a wheelchair icon that the person is getting up from. Space Mountain is one ride that has that icon.

But, always, if in doubt, you can ask the CM at the entrance.

 

[jdremann]

Is it possible for someone who needs to stay in a wheelchair to see the pre-show presentation and then skip the actual ride?

 

[Disneycrazymom]

I don't know how it would work for a wheelchair but my son saw the pre show last year and decided he would rather not ride . They sent us out the back way, and down an elevator if I remember correctly.

 

[SueM in MN]

Your son isn't the only one who used the "chicken elevator", Disneycrazymom. I don't remember anyone in a wheelchair or ecv posting about using it, but apparently quite a few people change their mind and have to leave on that elevator. I know there have been people with physical problems (like back problems) that make certain rides not a good idea for them. In mnay rides, you can go thru the preshow and then leave before the actual ride. Just ask the CM at the entrance.

 

[pugdog]

they do have a couple of early exit areas if you decide not to ride once you get in.