WDW Disabilities List About This Page:

[disneymom9092]

Just wanted to offer some tips that I thought might be useful for others. Our son Matt broke his ankle 4 days before we were to leave for Disney. I managed to do a few things at the last minute before we left to help on the trip. I called the Disney Vacation Club where we made the reservations and inquired about the showers. I really wanted to know if there were hand-held showerheads that could come off so he could take a shower. I thought he could sit in the shower with his leg out so the cast wouldn't get wet. The person I spoke with contacted a special disabilities department while I was on hold. She came back on and said that all that the resort had to do was change the shower head and provide us with a stool. However, when the representative I spoke with again put me on hold to contact the resort, she was told that they would not do that. So-we changed our room to a handcapped accessible room which had a shower-no tub-and the wheelchair could be wheeled in. We used a plastic resin chair from the deck instead so the wheelchair would stay dry. The showerhead did come off in this handicapped room.

In mentioning a wheelchair, I called the resort and was given several phone numbers of outside agencies where we could rent a wheelchair. I called one and was told that it would be 8 dollars per day. They asked what time we were going to be arriving and when we would be leaving. The wheelchair was there waiting for us when we arrived and they came and got the chair after we left. I asked for a wheelchair that would fold up, as Matt didn't want to be strapped in or use the lift on the bus-he could put some weight on his cast to enter the bus. This allowed us to lift it up on the bus, using the back door rather than the front. I also requested to have the right leg rest be able to be raised up and down, as his leg needed to be elevated. The wheelchairs at the parks and hotels do not fold up or have leg rests that elevate.

We found out that we needed to get a special disabilities pass to use the handicapped entrance to some of the exhibits and rides. Sometimes cast members asked for it and others did not. The pass can be used at all of the parks and is good for the entire length of your stay. We got our at the Town Hall in MK. It is supposed to allow only 5 members of your party in the handicapped entrance with the disabled person to be fair to others seeing the attraction. However, we saw many families of up to 17 people entering the hanticapped entrance at one time. I might bring along a doctors note if you do not have something obvious, like a cast. Disney seems to be cutting down on people who rent wheelchairs just to get into the handicapped entrances. I don't blame them, when we saw different family members in the wheelchairs each time we saw a particular family. We were shocked at how many people do this. It's amazing at how a few can ruin things for others.

I would also recommend requesting an early check-in if it is difficult for you to stay at the parks for a long period of time. We, unfortunately, were not granted it at one resort, but we were at another. Take alot of rest periods. We went back to the resort to rest in the afternoons and then went back to the parks later in the evening.

I hope that this helps others who find themselves needing last minute assistance. We found everyone to be very helpful and accomodating. Have a wonderful trip!

Dianne

[Laughaholic]

Updated August 23, 2004.

So far, the rough count on the number of disabilities is:

193!!

Way to go exactly!

[Marv]

O.K., I'll make it 194...



DS, age 12, had had a diagnosis of ADHD/ODD since he was 5 years old. After a manic reaction from Strattera, he's now taking mood stabilizers. Dr. suspects Early Onset Bipolar (Used to be called manic depressive) is a more accurate diagnosis. He's doing the best he's done in all of the years of his life. So, after much bad times, I consider us lucky.



Now, I'll get ON my soapbox, Strattera is actually an antidepressant although it's not marketed as such. They market it, big time, as the new non-stimulant medication used to treat ADHD. I didn't know it was an antidepressant when it was prescribed for him and his Dr. did not say a thing. Some antidepressants are known for setting off manic episodes in people with a family history of bipolar. (My Grandpa had bipolar.) So, consumer beware if you suspect a family history of bipolar. O.K. , now I'll get OFF my soapbox. If anyone wants more info, feel free to PM me.

[4BoysOnly]

Thanks for this special needs section. We are travelling for Christmas with our three youngest who have Autism( ages 8,5 and 4). They have never been to any theme park. One of the boys uses PECS for communication and I am interested in ideas on how members used icons( Disney related) for their child's PECS book. Thanks again for including our "special kids".
Ana Maria 4BoysOnly

[KelleyD]

My son has a moderate speech delay and has started learning the PECS program. He really has a hard time waiting in lines (he doesn't understand why he has to wait). Do anyone have any suggestions to keep him calm. We are going for the first time to DW. in Dec(2-4)

[Marv]

Welcome to the boards! You'll find the answers to almost any question at these boards and it's such a friendly place to come to.



I always pack little things in my fanny pack to help with the waiting. Depending on your child's age/ability, things like little books with activities in them, stickers to put in a little notebook, hand held games, little bubble containers, little fans, etc.



This one is obvious, but make sure you bring the PECS symbols. I used to be a spec. ed teacher before I resigned when my kids were born. (I'm also a parent of a child with special needs.) I've never had a student using the PECS system but I'm familiar with it. Maybe you could make him a small booklet with the symbols you might anticipate he'll need. It could fit into your fanny pack.



There is also the pass that you can get so you don't have to wait in lines, if waiting is just too hard for your son.



A very important thing is to plan time into your schedule for breaks, if it gets to be too much for your son. Very often when someone goes for the first time, they want to see it all. I've been to WDW many times and have yet to see it all! The first time we went I wore my kids out by long days in the park and going day after day without a day off inbetween to sleep in, relax, swim, etc. The kids were asking to not go to the parks the last day, ha, ha!



Feel free to send me a personal message if you have any questions about what I've written or think of anything else to ask. I love to talk Disney!

[SueM loves WDW]

My youngest daughter has cerebral palsy, attention deficit disorder, developmental delay, some obsessive compulsive behaviors and seizures. She uses a power wheelchair outside our house (except we haven't been brave enough to bring it to WDW yet) and a manual wheelchair at home. She understands quite well, but is not able to speak. She can't walk or even stand without us supporting her, so we really like the rides at WDW where she can stay in her wheelchair.

I have a minor heart problem that sometimes makes me more fatigued and I don't handle heat and humidity well.

We have been coming to WDW at least once a year since my daughter was 1 year old (she's 19 now). Most of our visits, we've also been with my mother in law and father in law. Both of them have some mobility problems - Father in Law has bad hips and knees. He finally rented an ecv the last day of our last trip together last March.
On our last trip, we also traveled with my nephew who has attention deficit disorder and behavior similar to Asperger's syndrome.

[William]

Well guess I need to ante up my 2 cents. We are traveling with the W.W.O.D.( wonderful word of disabilities)

Wife is 40 in a whell chair due to continuious uric acid stones, Diabetes, Arthritis, and just recovered from a near fatal surgery on her abdomin .

Now hubby (me ) isn't much better. Hubby has adult ADD. Which means he has the patience of a hand grenade.

This is our fist time staying on property. We will be at the pop century, so this will be an interesting test for both of us. We will also be celebrating our 5th anniversary.

[Stitch626]

Is vegetarian/vegan considered a special need? Is it covered in the book?

[TINKERAUD]

great list. I'm type 1 1/2 diabetes. I know...my doc can't even decide!

[Goofy-One-29]

Wow this is very interesting, well I suffer from Bi-Polar Disorder, schizophrenia, and major knee problems, one operated on and the other undiagnosed condition, my daughter also has Bi-Polar Disorder, and ADHD, my mother who always travels with us suffers from arthritus, slipped disks, which she now has titanium rods holding her in place, knee replacements, thats about it, but we still love traveling to Disney!!

[Barbday]

My husband has Muscular Dyrstophy. Its abreviated MD. Its not the same as MS (A lot of people confue theres two) This is the one Jerry Lewis does a toethone for every Labor day. His type is called Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy, It affects mainly his shoulders and legs.

[houlababy]

I travel with a service animal....

[natalie]

I would like to add two more autistic kiddos to the list.
One also has epilepsy!!

[WDWJim081963]

Hi!

I think I'll throw in my two cents.

I have uncorrected scoliosis (about 10° from the vertical) in my back as well as mild cerebral palsy. I walk with a noticeable limp favoring my left side, and when I'm tired I walk around like I'm drunk. In fact, at the BC on December 11, a family passed me and a man remarked, "He's drunk". Actually I wasn't drunk; I was just exhausted. My right foot, on which I shift most of my weight, was really sore. I also had an ingrown left big toenail but surprisingly it didn't bother me the whole trip.

Jim