Opened in 1989, Disney-MGM Studios has 154 acres and currently 17
attractions. MGM can be toured in a day, but you may want to take an extra half
day to appreciate all the various displays and street performers. Wheelchair
access is very good at MGM and the distances are easy to navigate.
Hollywood Boulevard
Great Movie Ride
a replica of
Grauman's Chinese Theater is located behind the Sorcerer's Hat on Hollywood
Boulevard (will someone move that Hat!?). You spend 22 minutes riding through some of Hollywood's great movie
moments. Your guide escorts you from Singin' in the Rain and following the
Yellow Brick Road to a montage of movie clips from so many great movies you
cannot possibly count them all. Upon entering the building and passing props
(like a carousel horse from Mary Poppins), Cast Members will direct you down the
left side of the inclined ramp to roll onto the back row of any vehicle. Make sure you
wait for the director to yell "Action" for the closing scene.
Echo Lake
Sounds Dangerous
with Drew Carey,
is located in the ABC Sound Studio. This 12 minute movie requires headphones for
the sound effects. Take the ramp to the left of the entrance for the theater WC
seating area. Your companions will be seated near you.
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
s a 30 minute
live show full of stunts in a covered amphitheater. Most WC seating is in the
rear, but there are 4 Wheelchair spots in front. While waiting in the queue, let
cast members know if you'd like to sit in front. Your companions will be seated
near you no matter which area you are in.
Star Tours
is a 5
minute flight simulator ride. On a rookie flight with pilot RX-24, R2D2
and C3PO help while you survive an asteroid shower and an intergalactic war.
Cast members will direct you to a your star speeder. There you must transfer over the 2 foot high armrest into a theater seat with a
belt. Transfer is as easy as getting into a small car. The ride can get rough with sudden jolts and lots of jostling.
Streets of America
Muppet Vision*3D
4D,
Audio-Animatronic®
Muppets literally bring down the house in this show full of slapstick and skits.
Once inside pass the turnstiles and you get your glasses, stay to the right.
Cast members will direct you to the rear of the theater for WC seating. Your
companions will be seated near you.
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
??
HUGE blades of grass tower above
you in this barely accessible playground. The Movie
Set is fun to look at, but most of it is really inaccessible. The upper levels
are totally inaccessible, as are most of the play features. The bumpy cobbled
surface and narrow passages mixed with the excited children make it a challenge
for those on wheels. To the right of the turnstiles there is a wheelchair gate
should you want to attempt it.
Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show Located at
Tri-City Square at the end of Streets of America, this show brought from
Disneyland Paris, is a High-Octane display for extreme vehicle stunts.
Performed with a back drop of an Italian village, you get to see how they
pull of some of those amazing movie chase scenes. Wheelchairs will be directed
to take the elevator to the special seating area about halfway up the stadium.
Your companions will be seated near you
Mickey Avenue
Studios Backlot Tour
A 55-min tram ride through the costuming department, set building and light
testing areas of the Disney Studio's. Your tram then goes past movie sets, a prop yard and to
Catastrophe Canyon where you experience.........a catastrophe (what else?!). Some Trams are Wheel chair accessible, others can store a foldable wheelchair if
you can transfer.
Toy Story Mania Coming
in Summer 2008
Walt Disney Theater
A 25 minute film
telling the story of Walt's life and visions. The lobby has Disney memorabilia
that can take time to appreciate. Give yourself time before the movie to enjoy
browsing the displays of Disney history. The wheel chair seating is in the rear
of the theater and your companions will be seated near you
Magic of Disney Animation
Learn
the basics at this exhibit of cartoon
animation from storyboards to final film. A live artist starts your tour
talking about the
importance of character development. A total roll through for wheelchairs, ECV's
must transfer to a manual wheelchair however.
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
a 17-min, live, undersea party of dancing fish,
crabs, lobsters, mermaids and mermen. The theater is completely dark for
the special effects that make this show a thrilling trip below the sea (no
flash photography for the performers protection!) Wheel chair seating is
in the rear
and your companions will be seated near you.
Playhouse Disney
features
a 20 minute stage shows for little ones with entertainers like Bear in the
Big Blue House. Most of the audience sits on the carpeted floor, wheelchair
seating is behind them.
Sunset Boulevard
Beauty and the Beast @ Theater of the Stars
Who needs to go to
Broadway!? You can see a 25-min version of Beauty and the Beast on stage at a
replica of the Hollywood Bowl. To the left of the entrance, there is a ramp that
takes you to WC seating in the rear. Your companions will
be seated near you.
Rock'n'Roller Coaster
Blast off
from 0-60 mph for a 3 minute launching limo/coaster ride through the Hollywood hills to Aerosmith's concert. Classic Aerosmith plays while you loop and corkscrew
in your "Super Stretch" limo. Each limo contains a car with a hinged side door
to aid Guests using wheelchairs. You pull alongside and transfer through the
hinged door to the
seat. There is a grab bar that can be installed on request to assist you. The
wheelchair loading area does not have the limo's below floor level as they are
in the regular loading area so the transfer is easier from here. You have about 30-40 seconds to transfer.
NOTE: They have a "test car" to see if you can transfer. This car is actually
more difficult to get into as it is higher than the actual limo on the track in
the wheelchair loading area
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Check in to this Hollywood hotel for a 130' free fall. You
can take the chair right up to the seat and transfer. If you have a very large
chair ask to borrow a manual one to get as close to the seat as you can to
transfer. If you just want to experience the hotel and pre-show, you can
take the "chicken" elevator to exit while your companions ride.
Fantasmic!
We think Fantasmic!, the evening fireworks show, is the best
night time show in WDW . The Fantasmic! amphitheater can fill up as early as 90
min before, so plan on getting there early. A story of good vs. evil, the
lasers, pyrotechnics and water screens make it a perfect ending to a star
studded day. Wheel chair seating is in the rear and your companions sit in front
of you. Plan an waiting until the theater empties to exit, it will save your
sanity.
THE MOUSE ON WHEELS
Guests
must be capable of walking