[Kev-O]

What are amusement parks like in a wheelchair. I loved roller coasters b4 my accident but i dont know how i could ride them again. Is it posibal to have fun at amusement parks

[Texaswheelz]

Pretty much depends on the ride and your ability to transfer. I just went to sixflags over Texas last week and rode all of the big rides other then the Shockwave, which was the only one without a ramp or elevator up to the deck to get on. It was hot as hell, I was tired as hell, but still had a blast. I know that at 6 flags you can go up the exit ramp or elevator if the ride has one and get directly in the ride, skipping the line. Also a lot of times they will let you ride twice without getting off and then back on, which is good because some of them can be a real pain in the ass to get on and off. Within 6 hours the other day we rode more then my brother had after spending all day there and having to wait in lines.

We rode every one of the rides that they have marked as MAX thrill rides on their site and on most I could transfer on and off by myself or with just a little extra push from my brother. The ride operators are normally not allowed to help at all. I was more worn out from pushing from one side of the park to another then I was from getting off and on, it has tons of off camber slopes and I don't think there is one area of the whole park has a flat rolling area.

At the end of the day I was tired, sun burned and bruised. I woke up the next day even more sore and the whole inside of my arms were purple and blue from the bruising, but I'd go again any day as I love riding roller coasters also.

[wheeliebear75]

It's ride specific. I'm in southern Ca so I know mainly Disney Land and California Adventures. Some rides you have to be able to walk a little "because if the car gets stuck and the passengers need to exit you'll need to be able to get yourself off and to the station unassisted by park staff". It doesn't prevent fun, and do make sure with your Dr. you won't be potentially doing yourself damage for a few thrills. You do have to of course watch out for crowds. when you've got 5 or 6 people only scanning 5ft level and up in stores that's one thing.......but when you've got a crowd of 100 people doing it......the crowd CAN flip over a manual chair. I've had that happen at a sports event.......but the crowd part would still be the same. We often get to go in through exits and you'll just need to find out what the policies of the Amusement Park you're wanting to visit are.

Hope you have a blast.

[russ1]

Did the whole Disney / Seaworld / Universal / Busch Gardens (Florida) thing with the kids this summer. Most of the rides were set up very well for chair users and many of them you enter via the exit ramp so skip the queue although all the parks seem to be tightening up on chair users skipping the queue completely which given that most of the chair users seemed to be either people with broken ankles/legs in plaster or overweight americans on mobility scooters is probably fair enough.

I didn't ride the water rides as didn't want to sit on wet cushion all day (value my skin too much). There were a few of the older coasters that I couldn't get into but all the modern ones were fine, (on most of them you sit in a seat and your legs just swing about in the air underneath you) needed a bit of a lift from my daughter on a couple of them to help with the transfer but I'm not exactly a paralympic athelete and my transfers could certainly be better. As a higher level I have low blood pressure - on the high G force bends my vision was going blurry as the blood is forced down to my feet but it soon comes back!

The only ride that they wouldn't let me on was Shikra in Busch Gardens quoting evacuation and needing to walk a few paces but I really couldn't see why it was any different to the other big coasters in the park. Definately the biggest challenge was the heat and pushing round the park in the heat.

I'd definately say go for it - you'll have a blast!

[KarenFerguson]

I've only done Disneyland in LA. For the most part getting around is pretty easy. Everything is basically accessible.

Anyway, I guess to be able to ride the rides you'll have to be able to transfer (sometimes quickly - both on and off). The best part is being able to skip the long lines! And also be aware that some of the rides are pretty jarring.

[Kev-O]

How are the people in the lines. Do they get pissed when we get to go to the frount of the line

[Texaswheelz]

Like anything else, there are always a few people that get upset about something. But at Six Flags that have something called a flash pass, which allows anyone to do the same thing we can do when it comes to skipping the lines, although they have to pay extra and can only use it for a few rides. I'm normally having to much fun with the people I'm with to pay any attention to the pissed off people.

[4Wheels]

I'll be 50 soon(Sucks) and I can't transfer, but about 17 years ago me and my wife took our then kids to Disney World and SeaWorld.........

They always took us to the head of the line for shows and rides..... I was amased at the rides I could get on with my electric wheelchair........

Cheers to the owners of the parks....

I didn't notice anyone getting upset about us going first...... I'd always trade them places.....

Jim

[Izziwhizzi]

4Wheels, on Oct 5 2007, 03:41 AM, said:

I'll be 50 soon(Sucks) and I can't transfer, but about 17 years ago me and my wife took our then kids to Disney World and SeaWorld.........

They always took us to the head of the line for shows and rides..... I was amased at the rides I could get on with my electric wheelchair........

Cheers to the owners of the parks....

I didn't notice anyone getting upset about us going first...... I'd always trade them places.....

Jim

Yes very different for the parks in Europe with rides if you can transfer or not. I can't transfer onto rides so for example at Legoland Windsor there is only one ride you can get on - the Safari Train I think it is.

I would of hoped with their experience and the greater access in the USA, that the Disneyland Resort Paris would be good with their rides. I think they are very bad.

On the good side the new Buzz Lightyear ride has a unit that can carry a wheelchair, but that is it for rides, in the whole park. Not even the train that goes around the park has a carriage that can carry a wheelchair. In the Studios section you can ride on the special effects tour bus and watch the stunt show and go through armageddon, but only the tour bus is a ride really.

If you get the special disabled pass there you are able to avoid the queues (usually done because the queues themselves are not accesible), but only if you can access the ride can you and your family jump the queue. You can't queue in the shorter disabled queue and then your family go on the ride but not you as its inaccessible ( e.g. if you can't transfer up 4 steps (Peter Pan) or down steps into a boat (Pirates of the Caribean)).

So if like me your kids love the rides you will spend most of your time in Disneyland Paris on your own or waiting in the shops, whilst the family queue for ages for the 2 minutes ride. And its not just upsetting for me missing out (paying entrance but missing out yet again) it was upsetting, for example, for my little girls first trip on the Starwars ride where they go into a simulator, she screamed (as she thought they were really going off into space) "How are we going to get back to Mummy?"

[Zammo]

We're off to Disneyland Paris next May. Oh dear.

[Izziwhizzi]

Zammo, on Dec 7 2007, 09:46 PM, said:

We're off to Disneyland Paris next May. Oh dear.

It is a great place, don't get me wrong, its just I can't transfer onto a ride. Hopefully at a T5 you can do loads more than I can.

The Back Lot tours in Disney Studio is good, you can stay in your chair, and the stunt show there too is not to be missed (get there at least 45 mins before due to start), Armageddon is good too and you stay in your chair.

In the Main Park you can stay in your chair for Small World, Honey I shrunk te audience, Buzz Lightyear (as I said before is fab - be cheeky and ask to go round twice is another wheelie is not waiting).

As a T5 try the haunted house, you need to go in via the exit though. Think Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean are out though unless you have muscles to lift you in/down to the seat. Star Tours is a possible, my hubby says the ride is OK (shakes a bit, so you'd have to hold on) and if you are a strong para you could transfer - he reckons there is 1 seat. But he's never seen a dibbly on there so they may have rules stopping you.

When you go in the park take your blue badge with you and go to City Hall to get your disabled queue jumping pass. They are quite tight on this at the rides as I guess many people just hire chairs from them for the day (like they can hire baby strollers) because they don't want to walk the long distances, amd then just turn up expecting to jump queues.

Hope that helps,

I xx

[kewlcatkez]

Izziwhizzi, on Oct 5 2007, 01:02 PM, said:

it was upsetting, for example, for my little girls first trip on the Starwars ride where they go into a simulator, she screamed (as she thought they were really going off into space) "How are we going to get back to Mummy?"

Wow Izziwhizzi,

I so relate to that feeling, and I can transfer to a lot of rides. However a theme park for lil kids was completely accessible to anyone in a wheelchair as steps were up to many of the rides etc ( unless they can get out and climb them!).
My kiddies got really upset at times b/c they felt like they were miles away from me ( in winding queues). I bounced myself almost out of my chair just getting into a play area as I was so p!$$ed off by that point!

K

[kate_45]

Talking of Disneyland Paris, does anyone know where we can hire a hoist from in the area, as we are planning a holiday to one of their hotels in spring and have no idea who to contact to hire one.

Don't really want to try taking one on the eurostar!

[Para-pal]

my only issue is paying a lot of money to get into disney/universal and not being able to do alot of the rides... I sent away for brochures that describe which rides you can and cant do based on "if you can transfer" but they arent that cut and dry. As a t5 para, he can transfer in and out of the car but if the ride has a really high seat or and arm rest that doesnt move its not that easy... hmmmmm

[hanguk]

I went to Disneyworld 7 years ago and rode most of the rides. Some you can get on in your wheelchair but a lot of them you need to transfer to and the park staff can't help. So it's good if you have some strong friends or family members if you can't transfer yourself (even if you're strong, sometimes it's difficult to transfer onto rides.). But all the facilities at Disneyworld are accessible and I would recommend it. There was one ride there - can't remember name - it's in the Magic Kingdom - oh I think it's called Space Mountain - looks like outer space in there. On that ride, if I ever went again, I'd like to be in the middle with 2 people around me because I sat on the outside and I really felt like I was going to fall out. I'm sure I was not going to fall out but it was really scary... and I never used to be scared on rides.