Future World
Spaceship Earth
A 15
minute travel through time from early man to our technology rich future.
Wheelchairs enter through the exit to the boarding area. There is a moving belt
that can be stopped and the ride will be stopped for you to transfer through an
18 inch opening on the side of your time machine. The unpadded seats have
speakers in the headrests You travel upwards to the top of the attraction. Your
time machine will pivot and you travel backwards down a steep incline, the
headrests support your neck and head. The hardest part on this one is getting
through the opening and the hard plastic seats. The ride will once again be
stopped for you to transfer back to your chair.
Ellen's Energy Adventure
Join
Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye the Science Guy in an educational yet fun 45 minute
adventure about energy. Roll directly into the pre-show area for the opening
film. After exiting the pre-show area cast members will direct you to go to the
right of the carpeted ramp. Cast members lower a ramp for
you to roll aboard.
Wheelchair seating is limited to 6 per show, and you can bring 3
companions on this ride. Make sure you lock your wheels since the cars move.
Great place to cool off and sneak a little nap. There have been reports that the
ramp is too steep for electric wheelchairs and they require you to transfer to a
manual. If this is the case, just ask them to allow you to roll up and transfer
directly into the ride vehicle if the lower seat back is OK for you.
Wonders of Life Pavilion is usually closed so we skipped
Body Wars for now. Transfer for Body Wars would be the same as
Star Tours at
MGM. We hope something is done with this pavilion soon.
Mission Space
Developed with NASA, this ride is as close to
blasting off into space as any of us will ever get. YOU choose your
experience on this ride. Go the full 3 G's on the Orange side, or take it easy
on your inner ear and go green. They use centrifugal force combined with other
sensory and visual effects, so if spinney rides bother you-go green or don't
ride. The green side is much tamer. For safety, Guests should be in good health
and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion
sickness, or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure. There
is mainstream access through the queue line and pre-show area and you can roll
your wheelchair right up to the pod and slide in. There are 4 persons per pod.
Most people report is is an easy transfer, there is a lot to grab onto when
transferring in and out and the seat is not too high up. There are over the
shoulder harnesses and you must keep looking forward for best effect and least
chance of motion sickness.
Test Track
A 5 minute
experience of braking and skidding, sharp turns and speeding along a steeply
banked loop. Request that you board at the wheelchair area for guests and
the car is just about perfect height for a parallel transfer over the 2 foot
side and down about a foot into a car seat (if you need a seat cushion, ask and
they will bring one). Transferring in and out is similar as getting in and out
of a bath tub, sit on the side of the car, turn and swing legs in. There are
three persons per row, the end seats use seatbelt with shoulder harness and the
center seat has a seatbelt.
Journey into Your Imagination
Figment is back! but this attraction is still not as good as the original
(my opinion only). Totally mainstream through the queue line and the ride
itself. There are 2 accessible cars that can each handle one wheelchair. At the
boarding are you roll-aboard
into the car. The Cast member will pivot the platform so you ride facing
forward. To disembark, the platform twists and you roll off facing forward.
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience
Professor Wayne Szalinski really messes up this time and EVERYONE gets
shrunk. This 15 minute 3-D special effect show is better if you can
transfer into a theater seat, but is enjoyable none the less.
Use the mainstream queue. Cast members will direct
you to the the 8 wheelchair spots in the back row where 1 companion can
sit next to you, the rest of the party can sit in front of you.
Soarin'
Feel
like your flying over gorgeous panoramas of California. The ride vehicle
will lift you off the ground in front of a huge screen where you will swing and
sway as if your parasailing. You can park right next to your seat for transfer,
Cast members will move your chair before lift off. There is a seatbelt
that also has an optional center strap for between your legs which will help to
keep you from sliding forward
Living with the Land
Roll aboard
a platform boat for a 14 minute ride through 4 living laboratories full of
growing plants, including an experimental greenhouse. The wheelchair entrance is
to the right of the main queue.
Circle of Life
learn about how fragile our
environment is and how everything we do affects other people, plants and animals in this 20 minute film
featuring Simba, Pumba and Timon. Cast members will direct you to the open area
wheelchair seating at the back of the theater. Your companions will sit in front
of you.
The Seas with Nemo and Friends
Clam-mobiles will take
you on a 2 minute ride through a colorful reef where you'll see Bruce, Gil,
Marlin, Dory, and Pearl. You can roll right through the mainstream queue, but
will have to wait for the accessible clam-mobile to circle around before you can
roll on board. The cast member will slow the ride and open the two shells on the
front of the vehicle and lower the ramp. The wheelchair is loaded and rotated
back into position. Exiting is done in reverse order.
Turtle Talk with Crush
This is a really well done interactive show with Crush from Finding Nemo.
Very amusing, no two shows are alike so you can do it more than once and really
enjoy it each time. has been moved to a new theater since my last trip so I am
going by reports from others. The mainstream queue line is totally accessible.
Once in the main room, there is a sloped floor you will need to go down. Manual
wheelchairs may have difficulty and may want to ask if they can stay up top.
World Showcase
The World Showcase circles a 40 acre lagoon with pavilions representing 11
countries. The 1.3 mile path is flat and easily navigated. You can cross the
lagoon on a boat to and from Future World, Morocco and Germany. The boats are
accessible and you can roll right on. All pavilions are accessible.
The following offer a ride or film:
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballero
opens April 2, 2007
You
enter Mexico up a fairly steep ramp to the right of the main entrance into a
Mayan pyramid that houses shops, arts and a ride. This has been redone from the
old El Rio Del Tempo which you could roll right on board. We would assume they
would design this as fully accessible but will report back once it opens.
Maelstrom
Norway features a
sail on a Viking ship, for a jostling and interesting 15 minute ride through
Norwegian landscapes, then down a waterfall backward. You must leave your
wheelchair at the dock. The easiest way to transfer without walking is down to
the floor and into the boat. The boat side is about 10-12 inches from top edge
to the seat. Cast members will transfer your Wheelchair to the exit area.
Upon exiting you will have to lift out to the floor and back to your chair. If
you don't feel like transferring, you can skip the ride and watch a short film
on Norway. Those exiting the ride will empty out into the film area, so if your
party rides they can catch up with you here.
Reflections of China
A CircleVision 360º movie presentation in the China Pavilion is a 13 minute
panoramic film of its people, places and culture in an ornate Chinese temple.
There are no seats in this standing attraction and the screen is high enough
that the able bodies shouldn't block your view. Position yourself to the rear of
the theater for best viewing.
The American Adventure
A 30 minute heart warming musical review of American history with a mix of
Audio-Animatronics and a film whose ending is sure to bring on goose bumps.
Upon entering the rotunda, stop and listen to the sweet harmonic Voices of
Liberty if they are scheduled to sing. Cast members will direct you to the roped
off wheel chair area upstairs to listen. The elevator is to the right as you
enter the Rotunda. Cast members will seat up to 12 wheelchairs per show in the
back of the theater. This part of the floor is not sloped, the rest is at a 15º
angle. You will be directed back to the elevator to exit.
Impressions de France
An 18 minute film projected onto five screens, giving 200° coverage. The
classical music envelopes you while the film transports you through the French
countryside. Scenes include the Versailles Garden; Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower,
Seine River in Paris; and Loire Valley.
You will be directed to enter the theater through the left door. Guests may
remain in their wheelchair.
O Canada
An 18 minute CircleVision 360º standing attraction film. Guests may remain in
their wheelchair and the screen is high enough that the able bodied shouldn't
block your view. You enter the theater down the path to the right of the
building, past Le Cellier.
THE MOUSE ON WHEELS
Guests
must be capable of walking