WDW vets headed to DLR...wheelchair concerns

[wendow]

My dd18 uses a wheelchair for WDW...too much walking and standing...no need for any special assistance besides needing to sit in queues rather than stand and she cannot stand for parades and fireworks. We've kind of finally got WDW figured out and now we are heading to DLR.

Anyone have any insight for DLR? I know being an older park, there may be less accessible lines. I found such great info for WDW before we ever went with her in a wheelchair but I cannot seem to find the same type of info now. Which attractions can she stay in the chair through the queue? Is there parade and fireworks viewing areas? She can transfer fine so no need for special cars.

 

[Mrsjvb]

DCA is pretty much fully accessible. DL will not be and there will be many more rides you have to load via the exit or an alternate area if she cannot leave it for any length of time.

the good news is they are soooo much smaller and much closer together that she may be less apt to get fatigued.

 

[SueM in MN]

As Mrsjvb mentioned, DCA is newer and is pretty much mainstream accessible the way WDW is.
Disneyland is older and less accessible. Most of the newer attractions were built with accessibility in mind, but many of the older ones were not able to be made accessible.
Even if you have don’t know anything about accessibility, you will see signs at the attraction entrance and CMs will route you toward the correct place (either the standard line or an alternate entrance).

The Disneyland website has accessibility listed under each attraction on their website:
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/attractions/

There is also a list on the Disneyland website, listed by type of accessibility:
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/mobility-disabilities/

There are also disability park maps for each park that you can look at online or obtain in the parks:
https://wdpromedia.disney.go.com/me...sneyland-park-disabilities-guide-04-13-18.pdf

https://wdpromedia.disney.go.com/me...nia-adventure-disabilities-guide-04-13-18.pdf

 

[wendow]

DCA is pretty much fully accessible. DL will not be and there will be many more rides you have to load via the exit or an alternate area if she cannot leave it for any length of time.

the good news is they are soooo much smaller and much closer together that she may be less apt to get fatigued.

I think if the lines are short, she will be ok to stand in some, but I'm getting the impression from the DL forum and friends who just went to DL, that lines are quite a bit longer than we are used to at WDW (we normally go in Sept). Yikes, hoping it's not too awful!

 

[mamabunny]

@wendow I know it's a ways away, but I would love to hear your trip report when you get back; we have never been to DL, although we keep threatening to go!

 

[grnflash]

I think the most important thing to know is which rides at DL require an alternate entrance (usually through the exit.) Bring a list perhaps. There are some rides where this will be obvious (the queue of ECV’s at Peter Pan for example) while others will not be so obvious.

The thing is DL does not have many cast members manning the lines or even the rides. This is particularly true in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. Sometimes you will not see a cast member until you are at the FP checkpoint (Space comes to mind and that’s a long roll up an incline for nothing) or even literally at the boarding area (Astro, Snow, Toad, Pinnochio, Tea Cups, Casey Jr, Storybook almost always.) Alice and Dumbo usually have a line CM - but not always.

My point is that in these two lands it’s often not as simple as just rolling up to a ride cast member for directions (the other lands typically have a CM stationed outside each ride.) And in the sea of people, where to go and seeing posted signs will probably not be as obvious to a newbie unless you know to specifically look for the exit “entrance”.

 

[yesdnil]

Personally, I've found DL more navigable in a wheelchair than WDW. First, the parks are right next to each other, so you're not needing to get on and off transportation. Also, all of the non-accessible ride lines have an alternate entrance for wheelchairs - a CM will give you a return time based on current wait times.

Honestly, our biggest challenge was the main entrance to Paradise (now Pixar) Pier at DCA, which is a long and steep ramp/bridge! Very, very tiring and difficult to control. If I had tried to wheel myself, I probably would have crashed. You can go the long way around to avoid this section

Google maps link to the ramp I'm talking about. I'm having flashbacks thinking about it lol... https://goo.gl/maps/t5CutPoso2p

 

[wendow]

I think the most important thing to know is which rides at DL require an alternate entrance (usually through the exit.) Bring a list perhaps. There are some rides where this will be obvious (the queue of ECV’s at Peter Pan for example) while others will not be so obvious.

The thing is DL does not have many cast members manning the lines or even the rides. This is particularly true in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. Sometimes you will not see a cast member until you are at the FP checkpoint (Space comes to mind and that’s a long roll up an incline for nothing) or even literally at the boarding area (Astro, Snow, Toad, Pinnochio, Tea Cups, Casey Jr, Storybook almost always.) Alice and Dumbo usually have a line CM - but not always.

My point is that in these two lands it’s often not as simple as just rolling up to a ride cast member for directions (the other lands typically have a CM stationed outside each ride.) And in the sea of people, where to go and seeing posted signs will probably not be as obvious to a newbie unless you know to specifically look for the exit “entrance”.

Really good to know! Thanks for sharing. We have really relied on CM's at WDW to help us navigate what to do so I'll definitely print a list to carry with us.

 

[wendow]

Personally, I've found DL more navigable in a wheelchair than WDW. First, the parks are right next to each other, so you're not needing to get on and off transportation. Also, all of the non-accessible ride lines have an alternate entrance for wheelchairs - a CM will give you a return time based on current wait times.

Honestly, our biggest challenge was the main entrance to Paradise (now Pixar) Pier at DCA, which is a long and steep ramp/bridge! Very, very tiring and difficult to control. If I had tried to wheel myself, I probably would have crashed. You can go the long way around to avoid this section

Google maps link to the ramp I'm talking about. I'm having flashbacks thinking about it lol... https://goo.gl/maps/t5CutPoso2p

Oh my, that looks tedious for someone having to wheel themselves! My dd doesn't have the arm strength so she is always being pushed (which gets tiring too, of course!).

It's good to hear you through DLR was easier than WDW cause we did very well at WDW. I felt using the w/c there was a breeze so if DLR is better, I'm feeling better even. I was worried being an older park would make it harder to deal with.

 

[wendow]

@wendow I know it's a ways away, but I would love to hear your trip report when you get back; we have never been to DL, although we keep threatening to go!

We are going in about 2 weeks. I'll try to remember to come back and share here but if I don't and you think about it, just tag or pm me

 

[grnflash]

Really good to know! Thanks for sharing. We have really relied on CM's at WDW to help us navigate what to do so I'll definitely print a list to carry with us.

You’ll be fine! Definitely pick up the disability brochure when you enter the park (better than my suggestion of a list even!) You’ll find a brochure rack (mostly with foreign language guides) at the entrance to the tunnels (after you go through the turnstiles.) If they’re not there, just go to Guest Relations (left side of Main St.) The guide will tell you whether the alternate entrance is on the right or left side of the ride.

**Honestly though, outside of Fantasyland I would still use the CM’s at ride entrances since many of those alternate entrances are not as obvious as they are in Fantasyland. Non-Fantasyland rides WILL have CM’s out front (except Astro.)

 

[blondietink]

We have been to DL/DCA twice now after having been to WDW over 10 times. We find that DL is much friendlier to those with disabilities and the CM's seem to be more helpful. The other guests are very friendly. It is very easy to park hop and Downtown Disney is there also. We have stayed off-site across the street both times and everything is easily walkable/pushable. Honestly, if I had a choice, I would take my family to DL this October instead of WDW, but my oldest son is wanting to go back and we haven't been to WDW in over 4 years.

 

[2_Eagle_Mom]

We are going in about 2 weeks. I'll try to remember to come back and share here but if I don't and you think about it, just tag or pm me

I'd love to hear how your trip went. I'm going to be taking my Mom (93) in November. Been to DL countless times, but this will be the first with someone in a wheelchair. She won't be doing a lot of transferring, but I'd love to hear your experiences with the viewing areas for the parades/fireworks/Fantasmic/WOC.

Trying to decide if it is better to book dining packages or just use the wheelchair viewing areas.

Thanks!
Jane

 

[wendow]

I'd love to hear how your trip went. I'm going to be taking my Mom (93) in November. Been to DL countless times, but this will be the first with someone in a wheelchair. She won't be doing a lot of transferring, but I'd love to hear your experiences with the viewing areas for the parades/fireworks/Fantasmic/WOC.

Trying to decide if it is better to book dining packages or just use the wheelchair viewing areas.

Thanks!
Jane

Hi Jane

The viewing area for the Pixar parade in DL was kind of tucked back and really not great for viewing (not for kids who want to be right on top of the parade). So, we ended up just staking out a spot. There were certainly a lot of people waiting for spots but it didn't seem quite as bad as at WDW since the population at DLR is heavily locals and they use the parade time to do rides.

I'm not sure if there even was a viewing area for the DL fireworks. We hopped from DCA just a few mins before the fireworks began and the crowd was too thick to move through. We were not planning to do it that way but we were off on the fireworks timing so we just stood in the middle of main street (by Jolly Holiday) and watched from there. None of us could see the castle projections well but we could see the ones on main street and the fireworks just fine.

For Fantasmic, we grabbed a 10:30 FP. After we watched the fireworks, the entire crowd moves to the Fantasmic area so that was a bit difficult to navigate. We found the handicap viewing area, and since we had a FP for that show, they took all those people first. It was a great viewing area! Definitely, definitely take advantage of that. I'm sure you can get into that area without a FP but it was nice to be one of the first ones in. The area they put us in was just slightly to the right of center if looking at the show.

WOC was not running when we were there

PTN (my new fav parade!) does not have handicap viewing areas but the parade runs such a long distance in the park, that many, many areas are just 1-deep. We sat on the bridge before you get to Pixar Pier, and it was perfect.

If you have any attraction questions, I can try to answer those. We rode pretty much everything but my dd does transfer.

Have a great time with your mom. We loved DLR so much more than we ever thought we would, and cannot wait to go back

 

[wendow]

@wendow I know it's a ways away, but I would love to hear your trip report when you get back; we have never been to DL, although we keep threatening to go!

I posted some info on the parades/shows above. As far as attractions, it was pretty much what everyone said. DL is not accessible so you go to the exit for just about every ride. If you are there at RD, for about the first two hours, the CM will just take you straight in at the exit. Depending on if others are in front of you, you may have to wait a few mins but we were pretty much 'walk on' for everything. After the first couple of hours, and when the lines are building, the CM's just give you a return time FP. That worked great, and we would just go do other things in the area. I assume this is kind of like the GAC (or whatever it is called now) but we have never used that at WDW since my dd doesn't qualify. DLR didn't seem near as busy at RD as WDW is now so we took full advantage of RD everyday and could get a ton done.

DCA is accessible and you can take the chair through almost every attraction. IncrediCoaster has stairs so you have to be take a different way to take the elevator, and the wait was longer than if we'd just been able to wait in standby. When the elevator opened, we were behind about 8 other parties with ECV's or w/c's, and the CM would only load from there about once every 5 mins. The place where they direct you to the elevators is not *that* far from the actual ride...no way do you have 40 mins of waiting left...so that part adds a lot of time but we loved it so much we did it twice lol!

We stayed at the Hojo. Long walk but the sidewalk was fine for pushing the chair each day. Next time, we will try to stay a little closer maybe. It was definitely the longest distance I would want to have to walk.

We loved DLR so much! We are planning to go back in 2020, and we really thought it was a one and done kind of thing.

 

[2_Eagle_Mom]

Hi Jane

The viewing area for the Pixar parade in DL was kind of tucked back and really not great for viewing (not for kids who want to be right on top of the parade). So, we ended up just staking out a spot. There were certainly a lot of people waiting for spots but it didn't seem quite as bad as at WDW since the population at DLR is heavily locals and they use the parade time to do rides.

I'm not sure if there even was a viewing area for the DL fireworks. We hopped from DCA just a few mins before the fireworks began and the crowd was too thick to move through. We were not planning to do it that way but we were off on the fireworks timing so we just stood in the middle of main street (by Jolly Holiday) and watched from there. None of us could see the castle projections well but we could see the ones on main street and the fireworks just fine.

For Fantasmic, we grabbed a 10:30 FP. After we watched the fireworks, the entire crowd moves to the Fantasmic area so that was a bit difficult to navigate. We found the handicap viewing area, and since we had a FP for that show, they took all those people first. It was a great viewing area! Definitely, definitely take advantage of that. I'm sure you can get into that area without a FP but it was nice to be one of the first ones in. The area they put us in was just slightly to the right of center if looking at the show.

WOC was not running when we were there

PTN (my new fav parade!) does not have handicap viewing areas but the parade runs such a long distance in the park, that many, many areas are just 1-deep. We sat on the bridge before you get to Pixar Pier, and it was perfect.

If you have any attraction questions, I can try to answer those. We rode pretty much everything but my dd does transfer.

Have a great time with your mom. We loved DLR so much more than we ever thought we would, and cannot wait to go back

Thanks for all the great information!

I guess we won't have to book the dining package for Fantasmic if the w/c viewing area is that good. I'll just make sure we grab FPs for that. I doubt that she will make it to the late show (doubt they will even have a second show in November). Do you know if they limit the number of people with the w/c person? There will be 4 of us with her.

I've only ever seen PTN in DL, so seeing it in DCA will be a different experience. I wonder if you can see the parade from the seats outside of the Blue Sky Cellar. Grabbing a bite to eat and watching from that vantage point sounds like it could be a good view. I hope it is still running in November.

 

[wendow]

Thanks for all the great information!

I guess we won't have to book the dining package for Fantasmic if the w/c viewing area is that good. I'll just make sure we grab FPs for that. I doubt that she will make it to the late show (doubt they will even have a second show in November). Do you know if they limit the number of people with the w/c person? There will be 4 of us with her.

I've only ever seen PTN in DL, so seeing it in DCA will be a different experience. I wonder if you can see the parade from the seats outside of the Blue Sky Cellar. Grabbing a bite to eat and watching from that vantage point sounds like it could be a good view. I hope it is still running in November.

You should be fine with 4. We are a family of 6 and we all went in that area.

I don’t know where blue sky cellar is...sorry! There was a TS with a dining package for PTN. Might have been there? I asked a lot of questions on the DLR board and they were all so nice and helpful.