Main Street USA
Main Street Vehicles
A fire engine, a
horse drawn trolley, and a horseless carriage of days gone by can transport
you one-way from the Town Square to Cinderella Castle. Only the trolley can take
a folded up wheelchair. You will have to transfer up and into a seat.
WDW Railroad
is a steam train that chugs
around the entire Magic Kingdom for a leisurely 21 minute ride. The wheelchair
accessible car is directly behind the engine on the Train. Main Street Station
(in the front of the park) has 3 a tiered steep, narrow ramp to and from
boarding area as does the Frontierland Station (near Splash Mountain). The
Toontown Station is the only one that you can easily roll aboard. This station
is not raised as the other 2 are and the incline is only to the level of the
train which is about 18 inches.
Adventureland
Swiss Family Robinson Tree house
NON-ACCESSIBLE spiral of
128 steps and rope bridges through a multi-level tree house.
Magic Carpets of Aladdin
"Dumbo
done Agrabah style " as you roll aboard a special magic carpet for a 2 minute
ride. 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 back
seat of this carpet is unlocked and rolled out. There is then room for the ramp
and for the wheelchair to be placed where the seat was removed. The front seat
of the carpet remains for a companion to sit in to ride. Non-accessible carpets
require a transfer up about 12-15 inches and through an opening to a bench seat. The
device that secures the wheelchair goes between the front and back wheels and is
about 6 inches tall. Batteries may get in the way.
The Enchanted Tikki Room: Under New Management
A charming
9 minute comedy show run by Audio Animatronic® parrots
(with attitude) and a chorus of their fine feathered friends. Wheelchair access
has you enter the pre-show area to the right of the turnstiles. There is a wheelchair aisle and since the birds area mostly perched on the ceiling, the
view is fine.
Jungle Cruise
is a
10 minute boat ride with fast-talking, corny joke telling safari guides. Listen
to the spiel as no two are ever alike! Wheelchairs roll through the exit to the
boarding dock and up to the boat. There is a special boat nicknamed "Wamba Wanda" that
is brought online for a wheelchair user. It has a ramp that turns and folds out
onto dock for you to roll in. The Safari Guides will secure your wheelchair, it then
retreats into the boat and turns straight. Because of the way the lift pivots
for load and unload, you won't have to back on or off. Your family will sit
on benches near you, as will others if there is space. Wanda can only
accommodate one wheelchair at a time. If you can transfer, you must step over the
12 inch side and onto the bench seat and then down to the deck.
Pirates of the Caribbean Difficult
another 10 minute boat ride through battling, pillaging and plundering pirates.
Mainstream Queue Access. They no longer load your wheelchair into the boat but instead a Cast
Member takes it from the entrance to the exit.
You must drop down the 15" side of the boat onto a bench seat (the boat side is
at floor level) The bench seat back is not high, so you need some trunk muscles to support you.
If you go down the left lane and ask for the last boarding queue in the
last boat you can slide right onto the side of the boat and then drop down into
the boat. On the way out you can use the back of the boat and the back of the
seat in front of you to help transfer up to the side of the boat and then slide
back into your wheelchair from the side of the boat. Here is a
picture
that shows the wider entrance to the boat and the back seat of the boat for
reference. Or you can drop down onto the floor then slide yourself over the lip
of the boat to board and disembark. Depending on your capabilities, the first
option sounds much better! (thanks to Bill S. for
updates)
There is a steep moving walkway up to the exit, use your brakes
before you have an unplanned ride!
Frontierland
Splash Mountain
Difficult
Find your laughing place in this 12 minute ride in a hollowed out tree (sorry no
Keebler elves here). Splashing
waterfalls and a thrilling plunge down a 5-story flume into the briar patch are
sure to get you a little damp. After the queue, Cast Members direct wheelchairs
to the exit side of the boarding dock where you leave your wheelchair. You transfer
over and down into the log and sit on a bench seat or you can
drop down onto the floor then slide yourself over the lip of the boat to board.
With narrow leg room once you are in, there is not much room for sliding around.
After the 12 minute ride you will need to lift or pull yourself up 24
inches to transfer back up to the floor and then your wheelchair.
WDW Railroad
is a steam train that chugs
around the entire Magic Kingdom for a leisurely 21 minute ride. The wheelchair
accessible car is directly behind the engine on the Train. The Frontierland
Station
(near Splash Mountain) has a 3 tiered steep, narrow ramp to and from boarding
area as does the Main Street Station (in the front of the park). The Toontown
Station is the only one that you can easily roll aboard. Toontown station is not
raised as the other 2 are and the incline is only to the level of the train
which is about 18 inches.
Big Thunder Mountain RR
A 4 minute runaway mining
train that has some quick turns, fast drops and great scenery. Cast Members will direct you
through the exit at the far right of entrance. Stay along the wall to the
loading area of the train car and transfer to sit on a bench seat with a lap
bar. BTMRR is one of the easier transfers, similar to
getting into the back seat of a small car. The back is not high, so you need
trunk muscles to support you. Usually, you get to ride this twice in a row! The
train will return to the track across from where your chair will be. The Cast
Members will instruct you to remain for another ride so you can meet up with
your wheelchair on the opposite side.
Tom Sawyer's Island
Basically NON-ACCESSIBLE
only mobile kids can run the stairs to the play in the fort, the bridges,
hills and caves. Wheelchair riders can take the short raft trip but are not
able to do much else.
Country Bear Jamboree
An 20 minute show of singing
bears a delightful humor. The wheelchair entrance is to the left with wheelchair seating on the side.
Frontierland Shootin' Arcade
This is a pay per play attraction and is not included with the price of your
ticket. You can test your skill with a 54-caliber buffalo rifle with an electronic
beam (they stopped using pellets-bummer). The ramp at the left leads to 2 gun
position at wheelchair height.
LIBERTY SQUARE
Hall of the Presidents
Lifelike Audio Animatronic®
figures of all 42 U.S. presidents gather to hear the stirring words of Abraham
Lincoln. Enter right of the turnstiles and a Cast Member will direct you
to the wheel wheelchair seating area at the rear of the theater. Great place to cool
down and recharge!
Liberty Belle Riverboat
A replica of an early American
paddle steamer that takes you for a 20 minute ride around Tom Sawyer's Island.
Cast Members will direct you down the exit ramp on the far left or right of the
landing. You will roll onto the dock and aboard. The railing toward the front
has the best view (in my opinion).
Haunted Mansion
Ride doombuggies
through Master Gracey's mansion that is inundated with ghosts, ghouls and Madame
Leota (who is still there calling on spirits to appear). Cast Members will
direct you through the FASTPASS lane where one of the household servants will
direct you to the boarding area by the exit. There is a doombuggy that has a
cut-away side for an easy transfer laterally onto the bench seat with a lap bar,
but the other cars are pretty easy to transfer into as well. Staff can stop the
moving walkway while you board.
FANTASYLAND
It's a Small World
A 11 minute float ride that has
a bunch of cutesy dolls and a song that will stay with you for the rest of the
day.
(I heard the Army tried using that song during interrogations but the Red Cross
made them stop). At the far left of the entrance you enter through the exit. You then take a very
steep ramp down to the unloading dock where you are a salmon swimming downstream
against exiting riders. Wheelchairs can roll aboard one of the accessible boats. ECV's
get left at the dock (just the ECV, not the person) and must transfer.
Peter Pan's Flight
Nearly Impossible
requires a transfer
into a flying galleon for a 2 minute flight over Never Land. The wheelchair
entrance is to the left. It would take some really strong pixie dust to be able
to do the transfer. You go from a moving walkway, up 10 inches onto a moving
ship and with a bench seat with a lap bar. For small children that can be easily
carried it may be possible, but otherwise, forget it.
Mickey's Philharmagic
Donald Duck is the star of this show, even though its named after Mickey (the
poor duck gets no respect). 10 minutes long, the show is a cavalcade of sensory
stimulation that satisfies the senses of all ages. Fully Accessible mainstream
queue rolls into the theater where wheelchair seating is in the rear (to your
right after you enter theater). A cast member will direct you and your companions can sit
near you.
Cinderella's
Carrousel
requires a transfer
to one of the 90 white steeds or you may stay in your chair on one of the stationary
chariots. There is room for 2 wheelchairs in the chariots. There is a 12 inch
raised platform that they can ramp for easier access. Go to the right of the
entrance and get a Cast Members attention so they know you are there. You may
have to wait a few rides to get on, but so do the people in the mainstream line.
Dumbo
This is one of the icon rides at the park. I swear, every
Disney commercial
has smiling children riding the elephant in it! Then why is there NOT a roll on
vehicle like there is on Aladdin?? The wheelchair entrance is next to the regular
entrance. Get one of the cast members attention and be prepared to wait your
turn as if you were in the main stream queue. For the non-accessible cars you have to step up 12 inches then over 12
inches through the opening about 18 inches to a bench seat.
Snow White's Scary Adventure
A bumpy, whipping, and surprisingly scary (from a small child point of view)
ride through the enchanted forest with the dwarves and the evil queen. But don't
worry too much, the happy ending will come. Cast Members will direct you
to the far right of the queue, next to the exit. You will then transfer through a 12
inch opening that is about 12 inches off the floor, and into the vehicle with bench seat
and a lap bar. They can stop the moving walkway for this attraction.
Winnie the Pooh
Bounce along with Tigger, Pooh and all the Hundred Acre
Wood creatures in your totally accessible Hunny Pot. You can roll right through
the mainstream queue line and there is an accessible car that you will roll right
onto. ECV's cannot manage the queue line, but most wheelchairs can. Request the
bounce button be switched on for more affects if you can handle it.
Mad Tea Party
moderately difficult
No one is as quiet as
the doormouse as they screech and spin in their teacup. You really need to have
good balance for this one. Wheelchairs enter through the exit and Cast members
will lead you rolling to a teacup. You transfer over the saucer that is 10
inches off the floor, through an 20 inch opening into the cup. There is a center
raised circular plate on a pole that is used to spin the car. It locks in
place and you can use your arm strength to haul your butt in and around the
teacup. The pole also limits leg space. Exiting your teacup is a little more
difficult than getting in and hard to do gracefully. You have to transfer back
over the saucer into your chair.
MICKEY'S TOONTOWN FAIR
More of a meet and greet and see where they all live type of place, a small
child's dream come true. Accessibility is really great here with all houses and
play areas fully accessible.
Barnstormer A kiddie coaster that even adults
love. Cast members will direct you through the exit to the boarding area.
You will then have to transfer over the car's side which is about 18 inches off
the ground and down about 8 inches into a bench seat. Be prepared for a
short, wild ride.
WDW Railroad
is a steam train that chugs
around the entire Magic Kingdom for a leisurely 21 minute ride. The wheelchair
accessible car is directly behind the engine on the Train. The Toontown Station
is the only one that you can easily roll aboard. This station is not raised as
the other 2 are and the incline is only to the level of the train which is about
18 inches.
The other stations are: Main Street Station (in the front of the
park), and Frontierland Station (near Splash Mountain). Both have 3 tiered steeper,
narrow ramp to and from boarding area.
TOMORROWLAND
Speedway VERY
DIFFICULT
You can
experience the roar and the smell of a NASCAR pit as soon as you get near it.
Chuckle at the amusing 8 yr old drivers trying to not bounce off the center rail
that keeps the car in your lane. If you can transfer into the
racecar that has a seat that basically is on the ground, you can ride as a
passenger. If you can handle a foot gas pedal, foot brake pedal and
steering wheel at the same time, you can drive. Cast members will direct you to
a flat boarding area. You will need to roll to the racecar transfer over the 2
foot side of the car and down 1 foot to the seat. Legs fit under the dashboard.
Upon return, you do it all in reverse. The ride is 5 minutes long and really not
worth the energy nor time it expounds. Author Recommends: While your friends
are riding, roll to the right of the attraction and find the ice cream cart. Sit
in the shade while you eat a nice frozen Mickey bar.
Space Mountain
VERY DIFFICULT
A thrilling 3
minute coaster ride in dark with shooting stars and asteroids that look like
chocolate chip cookies. Mainstream queue access. Cast members will direct you to
the wheelchair boarding area. Here you transfer over the 1 foot side of your
rocket and down onto a bucket seat with a lap belt. There are leg slots on each
side of the seat in front of you so it is not easy to navigate into it.
Cast members will transfer your wheelchair to the disembarking area where you
have to transfer up and over the side again while tugging your legs out of the
slots. You then exit via a moving belt that goes up rather steeply, so be sure to lock
your brakes! You then have to go down a steep hill to the exit. Hope
your brakes are good.
Astro Orbiter
Basically a 2 minute carny ride that is on top of a building so it looks cooler.
Mainstream queue access. You roll up to your space vehicle and transfer up and
over to the seat. (if anyone has info on doing this please fill us in since we
have never been on it)
Tomorrowland Transit Authority
NON-ACCESSIBLE
an elevated ride around tomorrowland and through Space
Mountain. The very steep moving belt to the loading zone is not accessible to
wheelchairs
Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress
Originally built for the 1964 Worlds Fair, this 21 minute show brings you
through the technological changes throughout the twentieth century. The
auditorium revolves around the stage in the longest running stage show in the
USA. Now only run seasonally, it is a favorite of the die-hard WDW fan.
Mainstream queue access.
Wheelchair seating is on a slight incline and your companions sit near you.
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
fight off the evil Emperor Zurg
by shooting infrared lasers at point scoring targets. Mainstream queue access
that has a lot of twists and turns and is a bit narrow.
There are two accessible space vehicles that have ramps. The back of the car
folds down and becomes the ramp. The wheelchair then pulls in and the floor
rotates so your facing forward. At the end of the ride you can check your score
to see what level Space Ranger you are.
Stitch's Great Escape
C'mon inside and volunteer
for the Intergalactic Federation Security Team on
Experiment 626 (Stitch). Mutant mayhem ensues in the very dark theater. A tad
intense for younger kids and a tad boring for older ones. Wheelchair
seating (with 1 companion) is in the back row. The accessible area has the same
over the shoulder harnesses that the regular seats have. You remain in your
chair and get to experience the sensory effects as the rest of the volunteers.
THE MOUSE ON WHEELS
