Trip Report Broken lifts, EMTs, and spitters (oh my!): WDW with a wheelchair and DAS

I’m back, Magicians! For those who don’t know me, my name is Emily. You may recognize me from my sister @krause's Disneyland trip report from this past April, which was in celebration of my 30th birthday! I also wrote a report in September 2018 from a trip with my friend Kaitlyn and @krause wrote one other from a WDW trip from February 2018 for a trip with her family, myself and our parents. The last time I was in WDW was November 2019 (don’t remember a report? You can blame @krause for that as she took the notes) and I cannot wait to get back!

Let's get to the details!

Who: Myself, and my friend Jenny. This is us (I'm on the right):

Some background on Jenny: Jenny was born with cerebral palsy which, for her, means some physical and cognitive disabilities. Jenny will be using an electric wheelchair on our trip. Her physical disabilities affect her life far more than her cognitive disabilities and she lives very independently. That being said, we know that getting the DAS pass will make this trip much more comfortable for her and so we plan to try to get the DAS using the online chat option when the time comes. Jenny has been to WDW before, as a child in 1996 and then again as a teenager (2006ish?). She remembers very little about her ‘96 trip and as a teenager she only did one day at Magic Kingdom, so lots will be new to her!

Some other (probable) players include: My parents, and my sister Kaely, her husband and two children. They are at WDW similar days as us (arrive and leave two days later than we do) and are staying off-property. Our trip dates just happened to coincide but we plan to meet up with them for dinner one night and potentially in a Park if possible. Here's us on our 2019 trip (not sure where the @krause crew was during this photoshoot):

From L to R: Mom, Dad, my sister Kaely, her kids G and B (who are much bigger now!), her husband K, and myself.

When: October 25-November 3, 2022. We are flying in the afternoon of the 25th from Winnipeg, Canada where we both live.

Where: Pop Century Resort. This is only my second stay on property after staying at Port Orleans Riverside in February 2018. I liked the idea of having Skyliner access so that we don’t have to load the wheelchair on a bus each time we want to hit a park. I have not yet been on the Skyliner so having a wheelchair on there actually scares me a little bit but I’m pushing through the fear!

Up Next: The "Why"

 

[KMD]

And I won Nailed the ride photo too???

so close

 

[AKemily]

Hi friends!

I wanted to provide a quick update for those who need closure (paging @Darstarr ). I emailed Disney at the beginning of January about mine and Jenny's experiences with accessibility - the good, the bad, and the ugly. A full 30 days later, I received a response. I will put the full email below but the TLDR is that they were sorry to hear about our disappointments, they pride themselves on creating magic for all people, and they were thankful for me bringing it forward - the typical PR response you might expect. At the end of the email, they offered two one-day park hopper tickets that expire in 5 years, which of course I have accepted. This is, of course, an offer where they expect you'll spend a bunch more money with them, but since I know I'll find myself at Disney in the next 5 years anyway, I don't mind this solution

Of course I am happy to be offered some sort of compensation, particularly for the elevator incident, but mostly I hope that when they say that my comments have been passed to leadership, that there is some morsel of truth in that. I would love if our experience made even an iota of difference at Disney for other people with disabilities. Have any of you sent similar emails to Disney before? Is the response I received standard?

It took another two weeks to actually be sent the code for the tickets but I have them now. Thanks again to everyone who read along and was invested in mine and Jenny's adventure. We may even use these tickets together one day, but that is yet to be decided - we would both love for that to be the case!

 

[Darstarr]

I am so happy to see this.
A) because Disney needed to hear it, but more importantly…
2) you needed to say it!

I do hope they “listen” to your feedback.
And I hope you and Jenny go and kick WDW’s butt!! (In a good way)

 

[Swissmiss]

I did once write a critical email to WDW about some really poor service at signature restaurant and received back an email with the same tone as yours and even with an offer to speak to me more about the problems. I was sure they wouldn‘t call because I have a European phone number (and we all know how well those work when you show up for your restaurant reservation ) but in fact someone did call and spent quite a bit of time asking questions about the bad experience, saying it was useful information for them for training purposes.

 

[RememberWhen]

So glad you sent in your feedback. I also hope that the messages were sent to the higher ups and that access will continue to improve for those with disabilities. Disney is a place for everyone.

I’m especially pleased about the park tickets, as hopefully that means you and Jennie can have a repeat trip and we can enjoy more trip reports!

 

[LeighM]

I'm glad they responded and that leadership takes action to improve this issues. I've only had to email Disney once to complain and that was because their horrible IT at the time cost me getting the free dining promotion I wanted to add to my trip. I don't recall actually getting a response from them but they did add the free dining to my package without me having to change resorts. I only saw it because I signed into my account weeks later to make some kind of reservation

 

[lindawdw]

I'm so glad that Disney responded and offered you some type of compensation. I have written to Disney about certain service failures while on our trips and they have always been responsive. I even spoke to one of the resort managers before we left one time regarding an issue and they compensated us which was not something I expected but appreciated, nonetheless.

 

[AKemily]

I am so happy to see this.
A) because Disney needed to hear it, but more importantly…
2) you needed to say it!

I do hope they “listen” to your feedback.
And I hope you and Jenny go and kick WDW’s butt!! (In a good way)

Thank you, I needed your encouragement to make it happen! I'm normally one to let sleeping dogs lie, so to speak. I hope we get to kick WDW's butt too!

I did once write a critical email to WDW about some really poor service at signature restaurant and received back an email with the same tone as yours and even with an offer to speak to me more about the problems. I was sure they wouldn‘t call because I have a European phone number (and we all know how well those work when you show up for your restaurant reservation ) but in fact someone did call and spent quite a bit of time asking questions about the bad experience, saying it was useful information for them for training purposes.

Oh man, it must have been quite the problem for them to take it so seriously! It's nice to hear that they did take it seriously though.

So glad you sent in your feedback. I also hope that the messages were sent to the higher ups and that access will continue to improve for those with disabilities. Disney is a place for everyone.

I’m especially pleased about the park tickets, as hopefully that means you and Jennie can have a repeat trip and we can enjoy more trip reports!

Thank you! I do feel Disney works hard to be accessible and is still one of the most accessible vacation destinations in the world but there is much more than can (and hopefully will) do.

I also hope I will one day be able to report on another Emily & Jenny trip to Disney!

I'm glad they responded and that leadership takes action to improve this issues. I've only had to email Disney once to complain and that was because their horrible IT at the time cost me getting the free dining promotion I wanted to add to my trip. I don't recall actually getting a response from them but they did add the free dining to my package without me having to change resorts. I only saw it because I signed into my account weeks later to make some kind of reservation

That's so weird that it would just show up in your account without them saying anything haha! Nice that it was taken care of though.

I'm so glad that Disney responded and offered you some type of compensation. I have written to Disney about certain service failures while on our trips and they have always been responsive. I even spoke to one of the resort managers before we left one time regarding an issue and they compensated us which was not something I expected but appreciated, nonetheless.

That's nice that the resort manager was able to compensate you! When we talked to the front desk about the elevator issue it seemed like they weren't authorized to do much for us - she didn't even seem confident she'd be able to get us a Flight of Passage LL for the next day because it's one of the more popular rides! I am glad we have come to this conclusion though and that customer service is still important to Disney.



Thank you everyone again for reading and for your support! You're all the best Disney friends!

 

[fractal]

Glad you found the magic again despite the "wall people"

Guardians is sooo good and just soooo much fun!

Crazy that Navi River is not accessible especially considering its so new!

Thanks for the report and sharing your trip! Its got me really jonesing for our next trip which likely won't be until 2024.

 

[AKemily]

Glad you found the magic again despite the "wall people"

Guardians is sooo good and just soooo much fun!

Crazy that Navi River is not accessible especially considering its so new!

Thanks for the report and sharing your trip! Its got me really jonesing for our next trip which likely won't be until 2024.

Your comment reminded me to go back to read your review of Guardians (which I skipped to remain spoiler-free) and I fully agree! The ride is absolutely incredible and I cannot wait to get back on it! (Also Toni didn’t know “Conga”? )

Thank you so much for reading along!

 

[Songbird76]

(Warning: This is a text-heavy post)

As promised, the Why : Jenny and I have been planning this trip for a few years now. We even had it booked a couple times and had to cancel due to pandemic-related travel restrictions. As the title says - we figure the third time’s the charm and this one will actually happen!

Jenny deserves a Disney trip more than anyone I know. Her disabilities (and the pandemic) aside, the last handful of years for her have been incredibly difficult. To put it lightly, she has suffered from immense mental health issues. On top of that, she has lost both of her biological parents and her maternal grandfather in the last couple of years. Despite her pain and grief, anyone who knows Jenny would describe her as a joyful and compassionate person. She is the type of person that people are drawn to, and she has many people who love her dearly.

I look forward to bringing Jenny to a place of so much joy and magic. I hope that it will be an escape for her as it is for me. Jenny is also known for her big reactions so I look forward to taking her on some of the thrill rides We are sure to have a blast!!

Note: Anything I say regarding Jenny’s disabilities and various health issues are approved by her. In fact, when I asked her what I had permission to include, she said “Everything! That is what I’m here for”. Jenny believes (as do I!) that her purpose in this life is to encourage others who are going through similar things to what she has gone through in life. With that being said, if you have any questions regarding her health or her experience at Disney, please do not be shy! We will answer whatever questions you may have.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure I wanted to do a trip report but I figured if I started a pre-trip report I would have to complete it! I may need some good old-fashioned @amjt660 guilt-tripping coaxing encouragement to finish the thing though. Also, after all the DAS pass and Disney accessibility research I did, I want to report on how everything went and what more we learned along the way. I hope you’ll follow along for the fun and also learn about what it’s like to go to Disney with disabilities!

Up Next: Dining Reservations

I have a good friend with CP and she's a total rock star. There's not a lot she can't do, despite her disability. I've been trying to get her to go to Disney for years, but I'm not sure what would be the best way for her to get around the parks. She normally uses crutches, but I don't think that would work for the distances one needs to cover in Disney. Does Jenny normally use crutches? Did she bring the electric wheelchair with her or rent it?

 

[Songbird76]

Day 5 continued

*Warning: Lots of text ahead*

After the Laugh Floor we did Buzz (accessible drive-on vehicle) - twice. I smoked Jenny both times
View attachment 680271

We stopped by Joffrey’s for a coffee and then had a DAS for Haunted Mansion before getting in line for the fireworks accessible area.

The Park was PACKED this evening, and maneuvering our way all the way over to Haunted Mansion was slow and stressful. By the time we got there and saw the length of the Lightning Lane, we both decided it simply was not worth the stress of it all. We decided to head over to the accessible viewing area and wait in the (relative) peace and quiet.

The area in front of Haunted Mansion was packed but it was our quickest way to the hub. As we made our way through the crowd (with Jenny behind me), I heard her exclaim “Why would you do that? Why would you spit on me?” That got my attention. “Did someone just spit on you?” “Yes, that kid did - he looked right at me, smirked, and spit on me!”. I have to say, there’s a lot that I will let kids that I don’t know get away with, especially at Disney where energy is low and emotions run high. But I wasn’t letting this slide. As I marched up to this child’s father, I could see the fear in the kid’s eyes (he was probably around 8 years old, give or take). It went something like this:

Me: “Excuse me, sir?” (What can I say, I’m still a polite Canadian)
Dad: *looks around at me, confused*
Me: “I need you to know that your child just spit on my friend.” *I point at Jenny*
Kid: “Dad, I’m sorrrrry!”
Dad: *Looking appalled* “Oh my goodness, you need to apologize right now!”

At this point, I was satisfied that the dad knew, and that the kid knew he screwed up so I told him to forget it - we needed to get out of that crowd anyway. I was glad the kid confessed right away because there are definitely kids out there these days that will lie and parents out there that will defend their kids against any wrongdoing no matter what. Anyway, this is mishap #4 big time.

Jenny and I got to the fireworks accessible viewing area around 6:50 (fireworks were at 8). We had discussed just leaving at this point but we did want to see the fireworks at least once more and I didn’t know if we’d be up for it our last night (or if weather would interrupt it). We decided to stay and were glad at least to be sitting still.

In line, Jenny said, “I have a question.” “Okay…”, I said. Jenny pointed up to the sky - “did God make those clouds or did Disney make those clouds?” I assured her that Disney did not, in fact, manufacture the clouds.

Once Jenny had her place and I was given the password (“Rapunzel”), I headed over to Casey’s for a mobile order. It was bonkers there but I managed to get our food and head back to Jenny with little issue.
View attachment 680274
View attachment 680275

We had another awesome firework show and then waited for the massive crowds to dissipate a bit before joining them. Jenny held my hand and drove behind me so I wouldn’t lose her. I will say that the train tracks were an issue for us on the trip because her wheels fit so perfectly in them and she’d get stuck. We got used to chanting "Confidence! Drive over them with confidence!" whenever we neared the tracks because if she thought too much about it she would go slow and for sure get stuck

We made it to the bus stop in one piece at 9:00. It took about 35 minutes before we were on the bus. The layout on this bus had me sitting behind Jenny at a window seat and a person sat beside me, blocking me in to the row. That meant that I couldn’t help Jenny when a man came on the bus with a double stroller and tried FOLDING IT OVER HER HEAD. It was one of those massive double strollers with a solid metal frame and the one wheel in the front. For some reason this man felt it was a good idea to wait until he was ON the bus to fold it. The only room he had to do this was in the space above Jenny, apparently. Inevitably, he ended up hitting Jenny with the stroller. She cried out “Don’t! Don’t hit me with the stroller!”. He said “Oh no, don’t worry I won’t!” and continued to try to do it, hitting her again. When she said again, “Don’t hit me with your stroller!” he again said he wouldn’t to which she said “you ALREADY DID!” He gave up and got off the bus - I don’t know where he ended up but neither of us were sorry to see him go! Mishap #5. Luckily, Jenny was not seriously harmed.

We were glad to make it back to our room shortly after 10.

Up next: Day 6 Hollywood Studios

If one of my kids had done something like that, we'd be leaving the park. I'd make them apologize and then we'd be going back to the resort. Then when we got home, I think we'd be doing some volunteer work with disabled people, because obviously the kid didn't have much experience with them and needed some empathy and education. I hope Jenny wasn't too traumatized.

 

[AKemily]

I have a good friend with CP and she's a total rock star. There's not a lot she can't do, despite her disability. I've been trying to get her to go to Disney for years, but I'm not sure what would be the best way for her to get around the parks. She normally uses crutches, but I don't think that would work for the distances one needs to cover in Disney. Does Jenny normally use crutches? Did she bring the electric wheelchair with her or rent it?

Thanks for reading! When I first met Jenny she got almost everywhere using a walker but she never used crutches. I wouldn't recommend depending on crutches for a trip to Disney even if she does get the DAS pass. There are some really long distances to travel in Disney even if you plan well, and I imagine she could tire quickly on crutches. We brought Jenny's chair with her instead of renting mostly because she is fairly new to her electric chair, she knows she's comfortable in it, and learning to use a rented chair would have caused her stress. But I know that there are a lot of great rental companies near Disney that rent both scooters and electric wheelchairs. If your friend could manage a scooter and have her crutches in tow I think that could be a really good option for her!

If one of my kids had done something like that, we'd be leaving the park. I'd make them apologize and then we'd be going back to the resort. Then when we got home, I think we'd be doing some volunteer work with disabled people, because obviously the kid didn't have much experience with them and needed some empathy and education. I hope Jenny wasn't too traumatized.

Ugh, I know, it was terrible. Unfortunately, Jenny is used to being treated badly by adults, but I think the fact that it came from a child surprised her. It seemed the child thought it okay to treat a disabled person badly and that alone is disturbing. I hope the kid learned a lesson that day. Luckily, Jenny bounced back quickly and we were able to enjoy the rest of our evening.

Thank you for reading!

 

[Songbird76]

Thanks for reading! When I first met Jenny she got almost everywhere using a walker but she never used crutches. I wouldn't recommend depending on crutches for a trip to Disney even if she does get the DAS pass. There are some really long distances to travel in Disney even if you plan well, and I imagine she could tire quickly on crutches. We brought Jenny's chair with her instead of renting mostly because she is fairly new to her electric chair, she knows she's comfortable in it, and learning to use a rented chair would have caused her stress. But I know that there are a lot of great rental companies near Disney that rent both scooters and electric wheelchairs. If your friend could manage a scooter and have her crutches in tow I think that could be a really good option for her!

Ugh, I know, it was terrible. Unfortunately, Jenny is used to being treated badly by adults, but I think the fact that it came from a child surprised her. It seemed the child thought it okay to treat a disabled person badly and that alone is disturbing. I hope the kid learned a lesson that day. Luckily, Jenny bounced back quickly and we were able to enjoy the rest of our evening.

Thank you for reading!

Thank you so much for doing this TR. There is some fantastic info here. Now having finished your report, I think the wheelchair might not be the best option for my friend, if I can ever convince her to go to Disney with us. Her husband and Kids are really good at helping her with mobility, like stairs, though. I think she'd need SOME sort of electric vehicle, but when it comes to transfering to ride vehicles, I think the crutches might help. I don't think she'd necessarily get stuck, because she can actually put weight on her legs/knees and she's got really muscular arms from using the crutches. But we toured a missle silo with them last Summer and it struck me then how little the world is suited for Disabled people. The tour guide kept forgetting she needed to wait for Karla to catch up. She almost left her behind in the control room because while Karla is very capable with her crutches, she is NOT fast. We were all in the elevator, and the tour guide was ready to close the doors, and we were like....we're not all here! And she did that several times. I started walking about halfway between the guide and Karla and her husband, so there was like a whole string of us so the guide wouldn't leave Karla in the dust. It was a bit frustrating. I'm sure they don't get a lot of disabled people, but how hard is it to count heads to make sure you have everyone in your group!!? And that's actually how I MET Karla...she was taking a tour for a new job and her group leader left her in the dust. She got to my station and I had to give her the explanation for that job site separately because her group had already moved on, and then call ahead to the next station to let them know she was coming so they could explain their site, as well. That should never have happened. But people just ignore the person who has special needs and don't even notice that they aren't with them anymore. It's so incredibly sad and frustrating. Karla and I have been good friends ever since that day and she was my maid of honor when I got married, and I was a bridesmaid in her wedding as well. She's a total superstar. The things she has to put up with... But she's so patient, and so positive. She's just the sweetest person!

 

[sheriffwoody]

Came across your report late (as evidenced by all my recent likes on your posts ) and really enjoyed it! I love that you and Jenny were able to enjoy this trip together. Friend trips are so great!

 

[AKemily]

Thank you so much for doing this TR. There is some fantastic info here. Now having finished your report, I think the wheelchair might not be the best option for my friend, if I can ever convince her to go to Disney with us. Her husband and Kids are really good at helping her with mobility, like stairs, though. I think she'd need SOME sort of electric vehicle, but when it comes to transfering to ride vehicles, I think the crutches might help. I don't think she'd necessarily get stuck, because she can actually put weight on her legs/knees and she's got really muscular arms from using the crutches. But we toured a missle silo with them last Summer and it struck me then how little the world is suited for Disabled people. The tour guide kept forgetting she needed to wait for Karla to catch up. She almost left her behind in the control room because while Karla is very capable with her crutches, she is NOT fast. We were all in the elevator, and the tour guide was ready to close the doors, and we were like....we're not all here! And she did that several times. I started walking about halfway between the guide and Karla and her husband, so there was like a whole string of us so the guide wouldn't leave Karla in the dust. It was a bit frustrating. I'm sure they don't get a lot of disabled people, but how hard is it to count heads to make sure you have everyone in your group!!? And that's actually how I MET Karla...she was taking a tour for a new job and her group leader left her in the dust. She got to my station and I had to give her the explanation for that job site separately because her group had already moved on, and then call ahead to the next station to let them know she was coming so they could explain their site, as well. That should never have happened. But people just ignore the person who has special needs and don't even notice that they aren't with them anymore. It's so incredibly sad and frustrating. Karla and I have been good friends ever since that day and she was my maid of honor when I got married, and I was a bridesmaid in her wedding as well. She's a total superstar. The things she has to put up with... But she's so patient, and so positive. She's just the sweetest person!

I hope you are able to convince her to do a Disney trip! As you said, the world really isn't suited for those with disabilities but Disney World mostly is. We definitely saw some people on scooters that had their crutches with them so that could be a good option for Karla! For places like The Land, for example, you could leave the scooter outside and she could take her crutches in, but walking from The Land to around the World Showcase would likely be too much.

It sounds like Jenny and Karla have a lot in common! Jenny definitely knows what it feels like to get left behind and feeling invisible but she also remains the most positive person! I honestly don't know how she does it.

Came across your report late (as evidenced by all my recent likes on your posts ) and really enjoyed it! I love that you and Jenny were able to enjoy this trip together. Friend trips are so great!

Thank you so much for reading! I was so happy to see all your likes!

 

[Astingel2016]

I've just discovered this forum so I'm extremely late on this, but thank you for sharing your trip with us! I am an above the knee left leg amputee (by choice - best decision I've ever made for me!) and will be going to Disney World for the very first time with my husband and kids this coming December. I've never been able to go on a trip like this and I'm super excited to try things I never thought I'd be able to do. I'll be renting a scooter as I don't have my own power chair. It made me so happy to see you and Jenny smiling and having an amazing time! I have renewed faith that I will have just as much fun than if I was walking.

I only have one question here. In looking at renting a scooter, I'm wondering if a power chair wouldn't be more comfortable. Any suggestions on that. I know with a power chair you don't have to lean forward to actually use it and it can be driven with one hand. Do you think it would be better in Disney than a scooter?

 

[pkkurz]

I've just discovered this forum so I'm extremely late on this, but thank you for sharing your trip with us! I am an above the knee left leg amputee (by choice - best decision I've ever made for me!) and will be going to Disney World for the very first time with my husband and kids this coming December. I've never been able to go on a trip like this and I'm super excited to try things I never thought I'd be able to do. I'll be renting a scooter as I don't have my own power chair. It made me so happy to see you and Jenny smiling and having an amazing time! I have renewed faith that I will have just as much fun than if I was walking.

I only have one question here. In looking at renting a scooter, I'm wondering if a power chair wouldn't be more comfortable. Any suggestions on that. I know with a power chair you don't have to lean forward to actually use it and it can be driven with one hand. Do you think it would be better in Disney than a scooter?

I am a right leg below the knee amputee and I prefer a scooter, but then I’m a big guy and would not be comfortable in a power chair. Go with what you will be comfortable using.

 

[Astingel2016]

I am a right leg below the knee amputee and I prefer a scooter, but then I’m a big guy and would not be comfortable in a power chair. Go with what you will be comfortable using.

I am also not small, so it's good to hear your opinion. I'm hoping to get on a scooter close by at some point so I'll have some point of reference. Thank you!

 

[AKemily]

I've just discovered this forum so I'm extremely late on this, but thank you for sharing your trip with us! I am an above the knee left leg amputee (by choice - best decision I've ever made for me!) and will be going to Disney World for the very first time with my husband and kids this coming December. I've never been able to go on a trip like this and I'm super excited to try things I never thought I'd be able to do. I'll be renting a scooter as I don't have my own power chair. It made me so happy to see you and Jenny smiling and having an amazing time! I have renewed faith that I will have just as much fun than if I was walking.

I only have one question here. In looking at renting a scooter, I'm wondering if a power chair wouldn't be more comfortable. Any suggestions on that. I know with a power chair you don't have to lean forward to actually use it and it can be driven with one hand. Do you think it would be better in Disney than a scooter?

Thank you so much for reading! Rest assured you will have a wonderful time!

The main reason we went with the chair was because it is what Jenny knows and what she was most comfortable in (she's not the best driver/navigator at the best of times), and as with @pkkurz I would recommend going in whatever you think you would be most comfortable in. I can see how a scooter would be nice as I feel like they are a bit harder to ignore (so hopefully fewer people jumping in front of you and blocking your path). I also think more rental companies offer scooters than power chairs and that scooters are probably cheaper (and maybe have better battery life?).

One other thing I would consider is transferring from the scooter/chair to the ride vehicle. I'm not sure how worried about that you are. In some cases when getting on a ride you have to transfer from scooter to a standard wheelchair (provided at the ride entrance) to the ride vehicle. With the power chair we never had to transfer to the standard wheelchair, it was always straight from power chair to ride vehicle. And, of course, in other cases, she could drive her chair straight on to the ride (such as Small World, Toy Story Mania, etc.) which is great unless you don't want to go through the inconvenience of waiting for the accessible ride vehicle - in some cases it might be easier/faster to use the standard ride vehicle. There are park maps for guests with disabilities (found here) that indicate how transferring is done for each ride.

Other great resources are diz-abled.com and the facebook page they run - https://www.facebook.com/groups/WDWMadeEasyForEveryone.

I hope this helps!