Walt Disney World with a Wheelchair - Part 5 Rides

Walt Disney World with a Wheelchair

Getting on the Attractions (Rides)

Disney attractions fall into several categories when you're in a wheelchair: those you can stay in your chair for, those you must be in or transfer to a manual wheelchair for and those you must be able to transfer into a regular seat. In some cases you may need to transfer from your ECV to a manual wheelchair. And in some instances it may just prove impossible to access an Attraction. Cast Members are not permitted to assist with transfers, so if you can't transfer independently or with the aid of a member of your party, you'll need to skip that ride. It's a little complicated, to say the least. Before heading to the Parks you can search the Attractions at Walt Disney World Resort web site by entry requirements (i.e., "Wheelchair and ECV accessible".)

There is a wheelchair accessible Swan on the Carousel

There are 138 Attractions (rides) in the Walt Disney World Resort. Disney categorizes rides ranging from "Must be Ambulatory" to "Wheelchair and ECV Accessible" - and a number of transfer options in between. If you can't transfer comfortably you will need to do some advance planning to see what you can and cannot do at each park. You can check accessibility on the Disney website or you can download the Accessibility Guide for each park.

The percentage of fully accessible rides is truly amazing! There are only three Attractions that fall into the "Must be Ambulatory" category (all in the Magic Kingdom):

• Tom Sawyer Island
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority
• Swiss Family Treehouse

I know of four rides (although there may be more) where you must transfer onto the regular attraction seat. These are:

• Maelstorm
• Mission: Space
• Soarin'
• Spaceship Earth

That means that roughly 95% of the Attractions are fully accessible! Remember that in Disney-ese Attractions include the shows, parades, etc. - not just rides.  All of the various shows have wheelchair access. You will be typically be asked to park in the back row to avoid obstructing others' views, but the view is still good.

There is a wheelchair boat on Its a Small World

You can definitely get on most of the rides. You may have to wait for a wheelchair accessible boat or car. Rides that I know have wheelchair boats include Its a Small World and the Jungle Cruise in the Magic Kingdom. Newer rides actually have pieces that can be swapped out to accommodate an ECV or wheelchair. The first time I saw this was on ToyStory Mania. It was pretty impressive to watch the Cast members remove part of the ride and swap in another section.

Step in to seat on Dumbo

If you are in an ECV you may have to transfer to a manual wheelchair for some rides. Disney Cast Members are typically very good at politely asking if you can transfer. Waiting for a special vehicle may take a while, but transferring directly to the ride can be harder than you might imagine. It's rarely a simple step into a ride on the same level. Some of the rides have multiple steps up or down (Jungle Cruise). Others have awkward or dark space that you need to step into like Dumbo or Magic Carpets of Aladdin.

Step down into Jungle Cruise boat

Disney Cast Members aren't allowed to help with transfers. This is intended to protect your privacy. Therefore you need to travel with someone who can help you make these transfers if you can't walk independently.

We always help our daughter but as she gets bigger some of the rides become harder to access. We actually had very good luck transferring her on a seat for Spaceship Earth as the loading area is sort of a moving sidewalk that moves with the cars. We were able to push her chair right onto the ramp and help her in at her pace. On the other hand, Magic Carpets of Aladdin at night (in the dark) was nearly impossible.

Remember Disney isn't all about the rides! There are wonderful shows, parades, fireworks and dining experiences that are all accessible. Even if you avoid the traditional rides entirely you can still have a great time at Walt Disney World.