Some say the most beautiful WDW park is Animal Kingdom, some say
it is the hottest and others say it is the most boring. Take a trip to the
Animal Kingdom and cast your vote. Wheel chair access is good here, but manual
Wheel chair
riders will find large distance between attractions and terrain that can be
quite hilly in spots. Motorized chairs are recommended, or rent an ECV at the
park entrance if possible. The hands you save will be your own (or your poor
spouse pushing you)!
This park is a mix of mother nature and Disney at its finest. There are about
500 acres and it is the most spread out Disney Park. You will get to enjoy
seeing many animals in natural (or as natural as Disney could get it) habitat.
It is a park that takes patience though, since the animals are unpredictable.
Wheeling through the five lands at a leisurely pace will take up at least a full
day in the park, even though there are only 14 or so attractions.
The 5 villages spoke out from the Discovery Island where the Tree of Life is.
The tree of life is a man-made creation and is topped with more than 103,000
leaves that actually blow in the wind. To go from one area to another (except
Asia and Africa), you backtrack across a bridge to the Village, then cross
another bridge. Don't miss the wildlife viewing areas along the way, or the
chance to chat with cast members from the various countries. Due to the layout,
there is a lot of ground to cover to see eveything.
Africa
Attractions:
Kilimanjaro Safari
is an 20-min expeditions
through 100 acres of savannah and other African habitats, unless the animals
decide to stop in the middle of he road. Here you'll see plenty
of wildlife as you traverse through bumpy roads, wet and dry riverbeds and a rickety
old bridge. After you going through the queue, go to the exit area. Here you can roll
on an open-sided safari vehicle for a ride that really bounces you. Not all
vehicles are
Wheel chair accessible and the ones that are can each carry 1 Wheel chair at a time. ECV riders can transfer to a
Disney Wheel chair or walk about 3 feet to a bench seat in the vehicle.
Pangani Forest Exploration Trial
Pangani Forest
Exploration Trail is a half mile trail through mostly wooded areas with wildlife
featured here and there. There are really knowledgeable cast members who speak
to you about the animals, their habits and needs. At the Research Center, where
you'll see lots of animals, but it is quite cramped for Wheel chair navigation. grab the
bird guide at the entrance to the aviary, so you know what you are looking at.
If you go to the right after exiting the aquarium, there is an overlook viewing
area at the savanna where you can see animals grazing. After you go through the
gorilla area, watch for wildlife hidden in the landscape as you go over the
swinging bridge to the exit.
Rafiki's Planet Watch
Wildlife Express To Conservation Station
On the
Wildlife Express your Wheel chair can roll-aboard the train for a 5 minute ride to and
from the Conservation Station. To the right of the train's main boarding area is
the Wheel chair gate .
Habitat Habit!
is a long paved path from the train
to the Conservation Station, where you can view animals along the way. Learn how
to share the world (and your own backyard) with animals.
Conservation Station
there are interactive and
informational videos and different exhibits on wildlife. You can look through
large windows into the examining rooms the Veterinarians use, and see the
feeding areas where the animals are cared for. Outside is a shaded petting zoo
called the Affection Section, standard Wheel chairs are allowed on the hard-packed sand.
Disney characters sometimes show up here for a visit as well.
Affection Section
Outside the Conservation Station is
a shaded petting zoo called the Affection Section. Here you can see some rare
domesticated breeds from around the world. Standard Wheel chairs are allowed on the
hard-packed sand. Disney characters sometimes show up here for a visit as well.
Asia
Flights Of Wonder
is a 20 minute bird show in an
open air theater. Get out of the suin and watch some pretty amazing feathered
friends. Wheel chair seating is in the 1st row and ECV seating is in the last row. Go
down the far left aisle for Wheel chair seating.
Kali River Rapids
difficult transfer
easiest if you can support
yourself a bit
is an exciting white water raft
ride down the Chakranadi River through the rainforest. 12 passenger rafts float
and spin for a 6 min wild and wet ride. (remember your poncho's!) The boarding
dock for Wheel chair 's can be hard to find. Take a right turn just before the Jungle
Trek entrance, and go to the "Exit Only" sign and wait there.
The cast member will have you roll up to a raft that gets a special tag so it
goes back to the same dock that you leave your Wheel chair at. You will have to
step up 4- 5 inches to the top of the raft and then down 3 steps through an
opening. The opening is about 18-20 inches wide and narrows to about a foot wide
before you can sit in the structured seat with a lap belt. There are no side arm
rests, but you can hold onto the circle in the center. There is a bar around the
bottom of the circular center to put your feet on to keep them from getting wet.
If you cannot keep your feet on the bar, bring extra socks and shoes because
they will get wet!
If this is too mush maneuvering for you, you can
roll onto the bridge over the ride and shoot water with high power water guns at
the people already getting soaked on the ride.
Maharajah Jungle Trek
is a half mile paved path through
the ruins of an ancient palace. Here you come across a komodo dragon, huge Fruit
Bats, a Malayan tapir and gorgeous tigers. You can then roll-through the
aviary with 52 species, and right up to the large windows for great views.
.
Expedition Everest
is home to Animal Kingdoms
fierce Yeti, that guards the mountain. Thre are hairpin turns that hurl you
forward toward the peak and then, just when you think it couldn't get better
than this - your going backwards! This high speed train ride requires that you
transfer from your Wheel chair to the train car.
Each train contains a car with a hinged side door to aid Guests
using wheelchairs who must transfer to the ride vehicle. One of the easiest
transfers in all WDW, is like getting into a regular car.
Camp Minnie Mickey
Character Greeting Trails
You can roll along the
trail of this old-fashioned summer camp visited by Mickey and his pals and get
great photo's with your favorite Disney Friends.
Festival of the Lion King
at Lion King Theater is a
half hour live theater show staged in-the-round. It is a cross between
a parade and a tribal celebration.
You can enjoy the cool misters in the queue and the shade in the theater. Wheel
chair
seating is down front (on the floor) and you will sit beside your companions
sitting on the theater's bleachers.
Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends
at Grandmother
Willow's Grove. You can learn with
Pocahontas and her animal friends in this 10 minute musical stage show. With her
forest being threatened, Pocahontas asks Grandmother Willow for help. You will
see many live animals on stage and the lesson teaches us all about environmental
preservation. Wheel chair seating is available, ask for it up front for the kids.
Dinoland U.S.A.
Boneyard ??
"Exploration. Excavation.
Exultation" is the motto of the Dino Institute and here it holds true. Built on
the fossil remains of a triceratops dinosaur, this play maze lets you get down
and sandy looking for a
paleontologists treasure. There is a Wheel chair entrance ramp but it is a barely
accessible playground and a sandy dig area where. if you are able to
maneuver the sand and reach down, you too can uncover fossils. The upper levels
and most play features are not accessible. Basically, you can roll in here and
do nothing if you cannot leave your chair.
Dinosaur
Time Travel brings you back to the days of
the dinosaurs for a thrilling 4 minute ride. You will be attacked by a huge
T-Rex and have to dodge asteroids in order to get back to your own time. You
will be directed to the elevator (on the left) once you are inside the queue line. After
getting downstairs you will be directed to the exit side of the boarding area.
After rolling to a vehicle you will need to transfer up an 8 inch step through a
foot wide opening to a bench seat and lower your lap bar. Be prepared to be
jolted and tossed around in your journey through time. Good trunk control will
help keep you in your seat, but your companion may need to help a bit.
Finding Nemo
The Musical is a stage show
that is not to be missed. Master Puppetry and Music makes this 30 minute show
one of the most enjoyable attractions in all of WDW. There is a sloped incline
for entrance to the theater and then you roll downhill to the Wheel chair seating area.
Manual Wheel chair users beware, but if you can make the upward and downward slopes do
not miss this show.
Primeval Whirl
easiest if you can support
yourself a bit
is a like Coaster +
Scrambler ride on drugs. It is not as extreme as many coasters, but the
spins dips and curves are sure to have everyone a little dizzy and ditsy. You
can roll right up to the boarding area, where a cast member will stop a car for
you to load (normally the cars are loaded while moving). You will need to
step up 18 inches and over 12 inches through a slanted opening to the seat. You
need to be able to brace yourself as you spin.
TriceraTop Spin
is basically Dumbo during
the Cretaceous Period. You can roll your wheelchair right to your dinosaur. For
a regular car, you will
need to step up 18" and down through a 12" opening to the bench seat with a lap
bar. There is one car that is accessible for regular sized wheelchairs. If yours
is bigger, you can transfer to a manual one at the attraction.
The Oasis
OASIS
is the paved path area from the
entrance to Safari Village through a rainforest with wildlife viewing areas
tucked here and there. Anteaters, Boars, Macaws and more inhabit an garden of streams waterfalls and
hidden grottoes. Immersed immediately into nature as guests enter set the stage
for the entire park. Your Wheel chair can roll in, under and around the exhibits.
DISCOVERY ISLAND
Tough to be a Bug!
is an 8 minute 3-D+ film, inside
the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life is the park's 14-story high centerpiece, with
325 hand carved animals along its trunk, limbs and roots. It's a sensory show so
if you can transfer from your chair to a theater seat you can enjoy some of the
amusing effects that take place. Wheel chair seating is in the front and
your friends can sit in regular seats near you. ECV seating is in the rear.
Discovery Island Trails
are paths that wind
their way around the Tree of Life, through a thick tropical forest. There are
some exotic lemurs, tortoises and otters that can be spotted along the
way.
THE MOUSE ON WHEELS
