Can you take the wheelchairs in the lines?

[CrazyDuck]

Planning my first trip to WDW in 25 years and had a couple of questions about using wheelchairs while at the parks. My DW has Rheumatoid Arthritis and can not walk and stand for long periods at a time (30 minutes is around her limit before needing to sit). We are thinking about getting/renting her a wheelchair for the duration of our trip. I'm just wondering how they handle lines there. Will I be able to take the wheelchair into the lines with us? Will there be rides where there is no other option than to stand in 60 minute lines? We are arriving December 28th and staying for 2 weeks. I hear that time of the year the crowds are slightly above average .

 

[SueM in MN]

All lines are wheelchair accessible with these exceptions:
Tomorrowland Transit Authority at MK - the attraction is one story above ground level and the way to get up there is a very steep moving walkway.

Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse - it's full of steep, narrow stairways

Tom Sawyer's Island - the raft to get there is accessible, but you can't go more than about 50 feet without reaching a stairway on the island.

Peter Pan is listed as 'must be ambulatory' but a wheelchair can be taken within a few steps of boarding. The issue is the moving walkway which can't be stopped.

There are a few, primarily at Magic Kingdom and Epcot, that are not accessible through the regular line. Those few attractions have a different entrance for guests using wheelchairs.

 

[CrazyDuck]

Thanks for the info....

There are a few, primarily at Magic Kingdom and Epcot, that are not accessible through the regular line. Those few attractions have a different entrance for guests using wheelchairs.

Yea, these are the ones that worry me. Besides a slight limp wen she walks she looks pretty normal. I'm always afraid people will think we are trying to game the system and make up a disability to cut lines...

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks for the info....



Yea, these are the ones that worry me. Besides a slight limp wen she walks she looks pretty normal. I'm always afraid people will think we are trying to game the system and make up a disability to cut lines...

For most of those, your wait will be similar, just in a different place.

When it is busy, you may be given a card (similar to a Fastpass) that allows you to enter the area after waiting the amount of time you would have waited in the regular line. Depending on the number of people in that area, your wait may be longer than if she could have walked in using the regular line.
There are very few attractions with separate entrances. And, when there is, it's because the regular line is not accessible.

You won't see those people again, so don't worry about what they think.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Sue will correct me but I am not sure if you have to change to ride wheelchair, I know ECV do, I am thinking of Pirates for one. I would look for the off site rental for price

 

[Michigan]

Sue will correct me but I am not sure if you have to change to ride wheelchair, I know ECV do, I am thinking of Pirates for one. I would look for the off site rental for price

My daughters have never had to switch to a park chair they stay in their own chairs even for Pirates

 

[Mrsjvb]

Sue will correct me but I am not sure if you have to change to ride wheelchair, I know ECV do, I am thinking of Pirates for one. I would look for the off site rental for price

not necessary at all.. regardless of where you get the chair.. on site, off site or it is you own personal chair, it goes all the way through to loading zones/wherever you need to transfer.

 

[SueM in MN]

not necessary at all.. regardless of where you get the chair.. on site, off site or it is you own personal chair, it goes all the way through to loading zones/wherever you need to transfer.

The whole area is wheelchair accessible (not ECV accessible).
But, you may possibly be asked to switch to one of the attraction wheelchairs from your own or a rental chair. The reason is that the loading area is in one building and the unload area is in another building and down one floor.
Because of the distance, it can sometimes be difficult for the CMs to get a particular wheelchair to the unload area. There are always attraction wheelchairs that can be used at the unload area.

We gave been asked to switch DD from her very obviously custom wheelchair. We have explained why we could not switch and were able to bring her one chair in without problem.
So, be prepared it could be a possibility to be asked.

 

[Chuck S]

My daughters have never had to switch to a park chair they stay in their own chairs even for Pirates

The policy at Pirates seems to vary. My Mom was in a manual standard wheelchair. Sometimes she had to switch to a park chair for pirates, other times, no.

 

[SueM in MN]

The policy at Pirates seems to vary. My Mom was in a manual standard wheelchair. Sometimes she had to switch to a park chair for pirates, other times, no.

The explanation I got was it's a staffing issue.
If they have enough staff and will be able to get the wheelchair from the boarding area to the unload area in time, taking your own chair in is not an issue.

But, there are times when they can't assure your one chair will be delivered to the unload area before you arrive there. That could be because of number of staff, number of wheelchairs they are already delivering or another issue with getting wheelchairs moved (like an emergency blocking the route).
In those situations, they will ask if you can switch to an attraction chair.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

the reason I said about Pirates was as an ECV user I had to switch but when I got off it was a different wheelchair so I was not sure about wheelchairs. was the only place where I switched from ECV to wheelchair that I ended up with a different chair as I got off