Special Needs - Walt Disney World - Off to Neverland Travel

Accessibility

Most attractions, restaurants, shops and shows are accessible to all guests. In some cases, however, guests may need the assistance of a member of their party to fully utilize these areas.

Rides and Attractions
At some attractions guests using wheelchairs may need to transfer from their wheelchairs onto a ride system. Hosts and hostesses are not permitted to physically transfer guests from wheelchairs. It is recommended that guests plan to visit with someone who can physically assist them, when necessary. Other attractions offer options for guests using wheelchairs to enter the ride vehicle while staying seated in their wheelchair. (Please note that some types of wheelchairs and ECVs are too large to be accomodated in some of these types of attractions and guests will still need to be able to transfer.) Some of these attractions include:

Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at the Magic Kingdom® Park
Disney's Hollywood Studios Backlot Tour at Disney's Hollywood Studios™
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros at Epcot®
“it’s a small world” at the Magic Kingdom® Park
Journey Into Imagination with Figment at Epcot®
Jungle Cruise at the Magic Kingdom® Park
Kilimanjaro Safaris® Expedition at the Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at the Magic Kingdom® Park
The Seas with Nemo and Friends at Epcot®

There are many more attractions and rides that allow for guests using wheelchairs to enter the ride vehicle while staying seated in their wheelchair. Cast Members will ask if you would like to wait for that special vehicle when you get to the front of the line if that particular attraction has this capability.

Shows and Entertainment
Most of the shows and entertainment at the Walt Disney World® Resort offer accessibile seating for guests using wheelchairs next to seats for their companions. Many times shows will seperate guests using wheelchairs into a seperate queue line prior to entering the theater. These lines are marked and Cast Members will assist you in getting to your perfect seats so you can enjoy the show. These shows and entertainment have special seating areas:

Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage at Disney's Hollywood Studios™
“Festival of the Lion King” at the Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park
Finding Nemo--The Musical at the Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park
Lights, Motors, Action!™ Extreme Stunt Show at Disney's Hollywood Studios™
Muppet*Vision 3-D at Disney's Hollywood Studios™

Parades and Nighttime Shows
Seperate seating areas are marked off for guests using wheelchairs and their companions and family members to use while viewing the parades and some of the nighttime shows. Look for sections marked off with ropes and blue accessible signs or ask any Cast Member where these sections are located. These special areas will also be noted on your park map. These sections are to ensure that guests using wheelchairs have wonderful views during these parades and shows.

Dining and Shopping
Most dining and shopping locations in the Theme Parks are accessible to Guests with disabilities. Cast Members are available to assist Guests when necessary. Some counter-service locations have narrow queues formed by railings which may be difficult for Guests using wheelchairs. At these locations, we suggest that a member of the Guest's party order and transport the food, or contact a host or hostess for assistance.

Resorts
All Walt Disney World Resort® Hotels have some rooms with special equipment and facilities. These rooms are available by special request. All Walt Disney World Resort® Hotels are non-smoking. The following special equipment or facilities may be available:

Wider bathroom doors
Bathroom handrails
Roll-in Showers
Shower Benches
Hand-held shower head
Accessible Vanities
Raised Toilet Seat with Grab Bar
Bed boards and Bed Rails
Low-level peepholes in doors
Refridgerators (These must be requested and a charge may apply at Disney's Value Resorts.)
Closed Captioned Televisions
Upper and Lower Door Locks
Room Communicator Kits (Door Knock and Phone Alerts, Bed Shaker Alarm, Text Typewriter (TTY), Strobe Light Fire Alarm, and Phone Amplifier)

Several of the Deluxe and Deluxe villa resorts have at least one pool with a zero entry section and water wheelchairs available. This includes Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Disney's Polynesian Resort, and Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa. Ask a life guard for assistance with the water wheelchairs.

Other resorts may offer transfer tiers into their pools that allow guests to transfer from their wheelchair onto a level plane with a few steps down into the pool. This includes Disney's All-Star Resorts, Disney's Boardwalk Resort, Disney's Coronado Springs, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Disney's Pop Century Resort, Disney's Port Orleans Resort, Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, Disney's Wilderness Lodge, and Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resorts.

Transportation
Most transportation to, from, and within the Walt Disney World® Resort is accessible for guests traveling in wheelchairs. The only exception might include some of the smaller water launches to the Magic Kingdom® Park from the resorts surrounding the Seven Seas Lagoon, but there are plenty of other options that you can take advantage of.

Magical Express (Free transportation to and from the Orlando Airport.)
When making Magical Express Transportation arrangements with your travel consultant, please make sure that they know if a bus with a wheelchair lift is needed for transportation. Your travel consultant will note that on your reservation. After your arrival to the airport, you will check in at the Magical Express desk. At that time, make sure the Magical Express Cast Member knows that you need the lift bus. Your party will be escorted to a seperate waiting area. Another Cast Member will let you know when it is your turn and you will board the bus prior to all other guests.
When returning to the airport after your vacation, plan to arrive at the pick-up area a few minutes prior to your scheduled pick-up time. There may or may not be a Cast Member there to assist you while waiting. Accessible buses are marked with a blue accessible sign towards the back of the bus.
Monorail
There are two seperate Monorail lines within the Walt Disney World® Resort. The first runs between the Magic Kingdom® Park, the Transportation and Ticket Center, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and Disney’s Contemporary Resort. The second line runs between the Transportation and Ticket Center and Epcot®. There are certain cars on the Monorail that are accessible to guests using wheelchairs. Cast Members will direct you to your waiting area (marked by the blue accessible sign). When it is time to board, the Cast Member will set out a portable ramp for you to enter the monorail.
Bus Transportation (Inside the Walt Disney World® Resort)
All buses that run within the Walt Disney World® Resort are accessible. There is often a seperate queue line for guests using wheelchairs while waiting for a bus. The purpose of this is so that you are safely boarded prior to the bus filling up. It is not possible to board a wheelchair once the bus has reached its sitting and standing capacity.
Water Launches
Water launches operate in several locations across the Walt Disney World® Resort. This includes within the World Showcase at Epcot®; between Epcot®, Disney's Boardwalk Resort, Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resorts, the Swan and Dolphin resorts, and Disney's Hollywood Studios™; from Disney’s Port Orleans Resort and Disney’s Old Key West Resort to the Downtown Disney® area. When it is time to board, the Cast Member will set out a portable ramp for you to enter the boat. These water launches may be inaccessible at times due to the water level.

Service Animals

Trained service animals are welcome in most locations throughout the Walt Disney World® Resort. All service animals must remain on a leash or in a harness at all times. Guests should follow the same attraction entrance procedures as described for Guests using wheelchairs. Due to the nature of some attractions, service animals may not be permitted to ride. In those instances, a member of the Guest's party must remain with the animal. Walt Disney World® Resort hosts and hostesses are not permitted to take control of service animals.

Designated "Break" Areas
Each Theme Park allows Guests to use backstage locations for service animal relief areas. Please consult the Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities for specific information.

Restrictions
Due to the nature of the experience, service animals are not permitted on the following attractions:

Magic Kingdom® Park

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Peter Pan's Flight
Space Mountain®
Splash Mountain®
The Barnstormer at Goofy's Wiseacre Farm

Epcot®

Wonders of Life: Body Wars (seasonal)
Mission: SPACE
Test Track
The Land: Soarin'™

Disney's Hollywood Studios™

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster® Starring Aerosmith
Star Tours
"The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™"

Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park

Affection Section at Rafiki's Planet Watch
DINOSAUR
Kali River Rapids
Expedition Everest™
Primeval Whirl

Due to the nature of the experience, Guests with service animals should check with a host/hostess for attraction and boarding information at the following attractions:

Magic Kingdom® Park

Cinderella's Golden Carrousel
Stitch's Great Escape!™

Epcot®

Imagination: "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience"
Innoventions East & West
Spaceship Earth

Disney's Hollywood Studios™

The Great Movie Ride

Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park

"It's Tough To Be A Bug!"
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Aviary area of Pangani Forest Exploration Trail
Aviary area of Maharajah Jungle Trek

Guest Relations and First Aid

Neverland Tip
Do you have specific disability concerns? Stop by Guest Relations at any of the Theme Parks for additional information and assistance. The Cast Member you speak with will be happy to discuss in greater detail the available options to provide a memorable visit for all members in your party.

Guest Relations
Guest Relations, located inside each Park, provides a variety of services including:

Information concerning guests with disabilities
Messages for separated parties
Lost Guests
Guidemaps available in French, German, Japanese, Spanish and Portuguese
Disney Dollar exchange
Foreign currency exchange
Information on behind the scenes educational programs
Disney Resort Reservations and Advanced Reservations for Dining
Walt Disney World® Gift Certificates
Ticket Media Info & Adjustments
On-property Activities Information

Downtown Disney® Marketplace Services:

Wheelchair/ECV and stroller rentals (must have major credit card or Disney Resort ID)
Walt Disney World® Theme Park tickets
Annual Passport and special-event ticket sales
Gift certificate sales
Lost and found
Reservation assistance for restaurants and accommodations
General information

Pleasure Island/Westside Services:

Wheelchair and stroller rentals (must have major credit card or Disney Resort ID)
Annual Passport and special-event ticket sales
Gift certificate sales
Lost and found
Reservation assistance for restaurants and accommodations
General information

First Aid
First Aid station provide a place to store medications or receive assistance. Locations are as follows:

Magic Kingdom® Park - Adjacent to the Crystal Palace off Main St., U.S.A. Epcot® - Odyssey Center in Future World
Disney's Hollywood Studios™ - Adjacent to the Guest Relations Building just past the Main Entrance
Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park - Behind Creature Comforts in Discovery Island
Disney's Blizzard Beach - Between Beach Haus and Lottawatta Lodge
Disney's Typhoon Lagoon - Adjacent to Leaning Palms

Stamina or Endurance Concerns

Some Guests may be concerned that they do not have the stamina to wait in our queues. We strongly suggest these Guests consider using a wheelchair, personal scooter or Electric Convenience Vehicle (ECV), as the distance between our attractions is much greater than the length of our queues.

Restrooms and Drinking Fountains

Guests can find accessible drinking fountains throughout the Walt Disney World® Resort. Guests may also request cups from the nearest restaurant or refreshment facility.

Most restrooms throughout the Walt Disney World® Resort have facilities designed for access by Guests using wheelchairs.

Companion-assisted restroom facilities are located at all First Aid locations, as well as at: Magic Kingdom® Park