WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE
Looking for an accessible sunshine holiday that suits big kids and little kids alike? Then head over to Florida, and the theme park resorts around Orlando that welcome disabled holidaymakers.
Florida has a lot going for it when it comes to holidays. On average it has 300 days of full sunshine a year, which just might explain its official nickname - the Sunshine State. Plus, of course, it happens to be one of the most visitor-focused destinations in the whole of the USA, a nation which put its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on the statute book way back in 1990, and has a litigation-backed reputation for ensuring that access and facilities for disabled people are top quality.
For most visitors the holiday destination of choice is Orlando. It may be only the sixth largest city in the state, but it also happens to be the second biggest city in the United States when it comes to the number of hotel rooms. Last year 50 million out of the 60 million people visiting Florida passed through Orlando, attracted primarily by the numerous theme parks located around the city.
In fact, when most people talk about either Orlando or Florida, what they’re actually referring to are the theme parks, and in particular the 47 square miles of the Walt Disney World Resort - where “dreams come true, make-believe is real, time stands still and stars are within reach.” But how accessible is this land of
dreams-come-true? Able magazine publisher Steve Craven, along with his partner Sharon and their young twins, went to find out.
LAND OF “THE MOUSE”
The Walt Disney World Resort is made up of four main theme parks, along with two water parks (Typhoon Lagoon and the snow-themed Blizzard Beach), six golf courses, a sports complex, an auto race track, 20 resort hotels and numerous other retail, dining and entertainment facilities. At the heart of all these leisure opportunities is the Magic Kingdom, which first opened in 1971 and attracted a mind-boggling 16.2 million visitors last year. Dominated by the iconic Cinderella Castle, the Magic Kingdom offers a choice of fairground rides, rollercoasters and daily parades providing a great mixture of fun and fright suitable for all the family - plus, of course, a chance to see iconic characters ranging from Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck to The Lion King and Buzz Lightyear.
The other three parks are Epcot, which is dedicated to international culture and the future of science and technological innovation; the Disney-MGM Studios, which offer film-based rides and a glimpse behind the scenes of Hollywood; and the amazing global safari offered by the Walt Disney Animal Kingdom.
ACCESS
The vast majority of attractions, restaurants, shops and shows throughout the various parks at Walt Disney World Resort are fully compliant with the ADA, although some rides - such as the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror - have minimum height requirements and require people using scooters and manual/powered wheelchairs to transfer from them onto the ride system. Some attractions also require guests with assistance animals to leave them behind for the duration of the ride. Either you, a family member or friend will be expected to carry out any lifting or to remain with the assistance animal; for legal reasons, resort staff (who are referred to as hosts and hostesses) are not allowed to assist with lifting or assistance animals.
Detailed access information on each of the resort’s attractions can be found in Disney’s Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities. This is available on the day from Guest Relations and Guest Services at each of the main parks - and in print, Braille and audio tape formats. Assistive Listening Devices are also available (for a 25 dollar deposit); these use signals from overhead transmitters throughout the resort in order to amplify sound for those with limited hearing. Disney hosts have access to pen/pencil and paper as an alternative means of communication.
Sharon noted that some of the busiest walkways and designated viewing areas across the resort have separate access routes for wheelchair users and other disabled guests. Some attractions also have separate entrances for disabled people, designed to give you a more convenient entrance to the attraction. However, there is a limit of five friends or family members accompanying each disabled person.
Sharon also suggested that, if you have a car and aim to travel between the main parks within the resort, you should definitely use the bays designated for disabled people; these are close to the main entrances, and can certainly save you what otherwise could be a long trek before you even get started. Don’t forget to take your Blue Badge with you; although it’s only an EU-wide initiative, a Blue Badge will be recognised and accepted by State authorities. All bus routes operating within the resort are served by wheelchair-carrying vehicles, although access to watercraft does vary, depending on the type of vessel. A limited number of wheelchairs and scooters are available to rent on a first come, first served basis at each of the four main resorts for a daily rate of 10 dollars for a wheelchair and 35 dollars (plus 5 dollar deposit) for what they call an electric convenience vehicle (ECV) - a.k.a. a scooter.
TOP TIPS
While a visit to Walt Disney World Resort can be a holiday like no other for children - who get to experience spectacular rides, meet favourite characters, and cheer along to the daily parades - there’s always the chance that it can be spoiled for the
grown-ups by long queues, high prices and the unenviable task of trying to keep everyone safely together amongst large crowds of people. Here’s some advice
from Able magazine’s Steve Craven:
• If you’re looking to avoid the crowds, don’t visit during the big American holidays. Good times to visit include: January (except New Year’s Day) until mid-February; between Labor Day and Thanksgiving Day (early September to mid-November); and between Thanksgiving and the week before Christmas. Times to avoid include Presidents’ Week in February, the Spring Break between mid-March and late April, mid-June through to Labor Day, the Thanksgiving holiday, and the week between Christmas and New Year.
• Buy your tickets in advance either online or through your travel agent. You can avoid queuing at the park entrance when you get there, and also benefit from UK-only special offers such as Disney’s Ultimate Tickets. If you buy direct from Disney, you should be able to get a better price for your holiday overall.
• There are definite benefits to staying at one of the many hotels within the Walt Disney World Resort: depending on the resort, hotel and time of year, you might be able to enter the parks earlier or stay later than non-residents; you can charge all internal payments onto your room keycard, and have any purchases transferred to your hotel (saving you from having to carry them around all day); and you can enjoy some great views from your bedroom. Steve and his family stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, next to the park, and were lucky to have a “Savannah view” overlooking passing giraffes, zebras and ostriches. Staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel will also mean you enjoy free parking.
However, resort hotels can be expensive; a good alternative is to stay in one of the hotels on International Drive, which is Orlando’s main tourism corridor offering theme parks, designer shopping, restaurants and non-stop evening entertainment.
• Both Sign Language interpretation and captioning is provided for specific live theme park shows, and can also be requested, in advance, for other special events and locations. Information on this can be found in the Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities.
• Be prepared for long hot days; if you’re not used to 30 degree sunshine, drink plenty of liquids - there are low height drinking fountains throughout the resorts - and stay in the shade as much as possible. Even if you don’t usually use a wheelchair or scooter, if you’re genuinely worried about having to walk or stand for long periods, then Disney advise you consider hiring one “as the distance between our attractions is much greater than the length of our queues.”
• As Steve and his family discovered, visiting a park every day can itself be very tiring; if you’re there for over a week it’s definitely worth pacing yourself with the occasional ‘day off’ to enjoy the hotel swimming pool and other facilities. Or head to International Drive to track down some designer goods at bargain prices.
• Parade routes and some shows have designated viewing areas for disabled people; these are filled on a first come, first served basis, so it’s advisable to get there early - say, an hour before it starts, particularly if you want to stay in the shade! Alternatively, to see the floats up close, head for the Hub where most parades start.
• It’s best to go on the Animal Kingdom safari in the morning; it’s when the animals are fed, so they’re more likely to be out and about.
• The entertainment in the parks doesn’t end with the setting of the sun; most parks will have regular - often daily - attractions such as firework displays. Possibly the most spectacular event at Disney is the SpectroMagic Parade, a glittering display of neon lights, fibre optics, fireworks and dancing, with a great carnival atmosphere. Fantasmic at Disney-MGM Studios is also very popular.
• Buying a standard multi-park Hopper ticket (available for between four and seven days) allows you to not only visit a particular theme park more than once during your stay, but also “mix” the attractions of different parks in one day.
TICKET PRICES
The big theme parks offer a range of ticket options, giving you flexibility to enjoy the resorts in a way that suits you. Although it is possible to purchase one-park tickets, costing from $67.10 (£35.80) for one day to $223.65 (£119.32) for 10 days (adult tickets), and Hopper passes at the Walt Disney World Resort, visitors from the UK are currently recommended by Disney to purchase in advance what they call their “Ultimate” 5/7/14/21-day tickets which allow you to hop between theme parks and other facilities over a potentially longer period. Adult prices for 2007 range from £170 (for either five or seven days) to £180 (14 days) and £200 (21 days).
WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE
Despite growing competition from around the world, Orlando remains the theme park capital of the world. So if you’re looking for breathtaking spectacle and excitement that’s also accessible to all, then look to the Mouse!
FURTHER INFORMATION
Holiday Care
0845 124 9971
www.holidaycare.org.uk
Visit Florida
020 7932 2406
www.visitflorida.com
Walt Disney World Resort in Florida
Disabled Guests: 00 1 407 939 7807
www.disneyworld.com
January/February 2007
