Thursday, July 28, 2011

Disability Access Review: Disneyland

When I was paralyzed five years ago, I started compiling a list of all of the advantages that were now mine. Some of these were my own discovery. Others were simply mentioned in passing by well wishers. Here's the top five:
  1. The parking - yep, this is obvious. Got it. You don't need to tell me...again.
  2. Shoes last FOREVER. I discovered this on my own. And since my feet don't sweat anymore, they smell fresh, too!
  3. Front of the line at Disneyland by entering the ride through the exit. An occupational therapist mentioned this with glee as if the disability might be worth it for this one benefit alone.
  4. Sweet seats in Edwards Stadium at BYU Football home games. I have to admit that last season, I made sure to text pictures of the 50 yard line to my closest friends just to rub it in.
  5. Free admission to the Wynnsong Theaters in Provo. I tried it...once. It would be worth the drive if it came with a free drink, too.
Anyone that has experienced Disneyland with a disability will testify to this. THE SECRET IS OUT! The secret is not only that people with disabilities get preferential seating; but that Disney cannot question your disability. So basically, you simply declare, "I have a disability" and you get the preference. This time, I actually saw a couple of teenage girls in line at Star Tours. A blonde girl was pushing a brunette in a Disneyland wheelchair. We chatted and parted ways. I saw them next in line for The Haunted Mansion. But this time the Brunette was pushing the Blonde. "Hey!" I yelled. "I'm on to you!" They just smiled and pushed forward. Shameless.

So what you need to expect is that you will wait just as long as everyone else to get on any attraction at Disneyland. Sometimes you will be pleasantly surprised. But don't count on it. Then you'll have one more reason to be happy in the Happiest Place on Earth!

The real benefit here is that Disney has done a pretty good job accommodating people with paralysis so that we can actually get on the ride. You'll see later in posts about Knott's Berry Farm that this is not a universal benefit. Here is a quick rundown of the most popular attractions and how they measure up.


















Attraction Name

How to Access

How to Board

Recommendation

Pirates of the Caribbean The line forms near the exit by the Blue Bayou restaurant. As you get to the front of this line, they will let you move to the actual exit of the ride inside the bayou until your boat arrives. This is a fairly challenging transfer down into the boat. I did this in two steps - from the chair to the floor, then floor to the seat. On the way back out, I did that in reverse. But because of the gate design, my 16-year old son actually lifted me into the chair from behind.Tough Transfer
Haunted MansionEnter through the main line. You will be diverted from the main line as you get near the house. From there, you'll get into the ride very quickly. They will usher you past the line to a waiting area until the accessible cart arrivesThere is one cart that is built to make transfers a little easier. But it's still a rather precarious transfer in. They'll stop the ride if you need extra time.Easy Transfer
The Jungle Cruise Enter this ride through the exit. You'll find that there is not a big line for this. They actually have a 'WAVe' (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle) for this ride. If you tell them that you prefer to stay in your chair, they'll order it up. A ramp extends and you just roll onto a little fenced platform in the boat. It lowers slightly. But suffice it to say that the natives would think you a King if they were to capture you.No Transfer Required
Indiana Jones Adventure You enter this attraction through the exit Originally, I had marked this too challenging of a transfer. But another T6 SCI guy, BillS from the Apparalyzed forum said he totally did it with relative ease. So I updated this to a yellow with a challenging transfer (from my perspective). I'll try this ride again when we return! Thanks BillS!Could be a challenging transfer over the side of the jeep.
Splash Mountain You enter this attraction through the exit I have not been on this ride since the accident. The transfer just seemed too difficult.Tough Transfer
Alice in Wonderland, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Peter Pan, Pinocchio, Snow White Enter all of these rides through the exit. You will not wait long for any of these classic storybook rides. All of these rides have one vehicle that is slightly adapted to make a transfer easier. There are not a lot of stable things to hold onto during the transfer. But I could make it work with a little support from a companion.Easy Transfer
It's a Small WorldThere is a disability line near the exit of the ride. The wait is not too long.If you tell the attendant that you would like to stay in your chair, they will order up the WAVe boat for you. You'll find yourself sitting rather high in the boat. But it is still a great ride. If so inclined, you can ask the attendant to let you go twice if the line isn't too long.No Transfer Required
Mad Tea PartyNot accessibleThis ride is not accessible for paralyzed peopleNot Accessible
Matterhorn BobsledsUnknownGiven the difficulty of the transfer, I never attempted this ride.Haven't attempted
Big Thunder Mountain RailroadEnter this ride through the exit. You will have to wait some time to get on this ride.There is one mining cart in the train that has been modified to make a transfer a little easier. The transfer is a two step down into the cart. You will get out on the other side of the train so an attendant will bring your chair around for you. I didn't find this ride too fun given the type of restraint. I was so focused on holding myself in my seat that I didn't really enjoy the ride.Tough Transfer
FantasmicDisney's ever popular light and water show has a disability seating area near the Mark Twain riverboat launch.You'll still want to get there early because of the looseness of 'disability' definition in some people's mind. Be prepared to ask the fakers and fat people to move out of the way so you can see from your chair.No Transfer Required
Mark Twain RiverboatEnter the main waiting areaThere is a ramp that is easily traversed in your chair. You will be able to move around the entire main deck of the boat. There is no access to the upper decksNo Transfer Required
Disneyland RailroadYou can board this ride in Toon Town or New Orleans square through the exit ramp.The last car in the each train is accessible via a ramp. You will be able to stay in your chair the entire time.No Transfer Required
Roger RabbitWait in the main line for this attractionThere is a WAVe for this ride. But this car does not spin. This makes the ride pretty dumb. Just let your kids ride while you find a drink or pretzel to eat as you wait.No Transfer Required
Buzz LightyearWait in the main line for this attractionThere is a WAVe for this ride. Even though there is a little seat available for a companion, I recommend you ride this alone and put your companions in the car behind you. If there's nobody waiting for the WAVe ask to go an extra time!No Transfer Required
Space MountainEnter through the exit of this attractionI haven't tried this ride yet. However, BillS from the Apparalyzed forum said the transfer is similar to California Screaming in California Adventure - a multi-step transfer provided for paralyzed people. I'll totally try this next time!Haven't personally attempted. But a definite multi-step transfer is provided.
Star ToursEnter through the main line for this attraction. Half way through the line you will be diverted to the elevator. This cuts about 45 minutes off your wait time.There is one seat in the front left of the star cruiser designed to make transfers easier - the arm of the chair swings free. The attendant will take your chair and return it to you when the ride is over.Easy Transfer

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

SoCal Amusement Parks: Accessibility Review

So we have been home for about a month now. But I have GOT to share the news about accessibility of the 3 major amusement parks in Southern California:
  • Disneyland Resort
  • Knott's Berry Farm
  • Six Flag's Magic Mountain
If you are physically disabled and want to visit one of these parks, you are probably going to do what I did. First you'll visit the park's official web sites to look for disability access information. You will be dissatisfied. So you'll do a general Google search for 'unofficial' accessibility information about the parks. You'll find a little bit, like "the park has amenities for people with disabilities. Check with guest services when you arrive." Then you'll panic search with things like, "can paraplegics get on the rides at Knott's Berry Farm?" With that, you'll find all the cases where people have been paralyzed by amusement park rides.

So my goal with the next three posts is to document my personal experience at these three amusement parks. My experience will be relevant to you if you have a disability similar to mine. Here is a brief description of my injury and resulting capability.
  • I am a 40-year-old man in reasonably good health
  • I have a complete Spinal Cord Injury at T4/T5
  • I am paralyzed from the chest down with quite a bit of tone and spasticity that I manage with Baclofen. However, I keep the dosage pretty low so I still have quite a bit of clonus (ankle spasms)
  • I have good upper body strength that allows me to transfer in and out of my wheelchair reasonably consistently.
  • I make my way in the world with an Invacare Crossfire T6 Titanium. It's a manual rigid frame wheelchair.
What follows will be my experience. I hope your experience in these parks is as good or better than mine.