It’s the happiest place in the world. It’s a place where anything is possible. You can ride on a flying elephant, traverse through a haunted mansion, dodge a lion on the jungle cruise, or my favorite, adventure through the world of pirates… Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me. But what happens if the happiest place in the world feels unreachable to you because of a disability?
My mom has always loved Disneyland. So, when someone mentioned going for her upcoming birthday, she was already on the computer buying plane tickets. We left the kids (my niece and nephew) and the dogs with my dad at home. It was an adults-only adventure. I thought about how to manage a full day at an amusement park. My mom wanted to be there at 8 a.m. when the gates open all the way through the fireworks show when the park closes at midnight.
I wasn’t feeling confident that I could last a whole day. But I wanted to go with my family. I decided to rent a wheelchair. They had electric chairs that they also rented out, but I thought that would be difficult to maneuver around the crowds. I mean, I want to have some fun with the scooter, but running into the heels of the person in front of me sounds problematic.
I didn’t feel like I needed the wheelchair the whole time at Disneyland, but the rentals were all first come first served. I opted for a wheelchair to allow myself the ability to rest while still enjoying the park. I saved my energy for the long haul by using the tools available to me. Ok, to be honest, the main reason I got a wheelchair was to make my brother push me around the whole day without a single complaint… how could he? I am in a wheelchair. Hee-Hee!
I know what you all are thinking. Did I get to bypass the lines and go directly up to the front of the rides? That answer is complicated. Yes and No. On the older rides like Alice in Wonderland or Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, you can go up through the exit and talk to a cast member. They will give you an hour’s time frame to come back and go ahead of the lines. Furthermore, you can bring your guests with you. My whole party got the benefit of missing out on some of the lines.
But for the newer rides, Disney has made their waiting lines wheelchair and electric scooter accessible, leaving you in your chair to kill time with the crowds. Sidenote… this park is the best place to people-watch. While you have all this extra time on your hands sit down on a bench and stare at random people. Try not to look creepy though…
I did have some moments of feeling guilty that I was using an accessibility device because I could walk, but I had to get over that. It doesn’t matter how much you prepare, there is no way to know how you’re going to feel the day of. Maybe your medications haven’t kicked in, maybe you didn’t get sleep the night before because your mom woke up at 4 o’clock in the morning like a kid waking up on Christmas day. Yeah, Mom, I’m calling you out! Even though I had help to get through Disneyland, I realized how difficult for some Parkies to even make it to the entrance. When you first arrive, you have to locate the parking garage, find a spot, make your way to security, and then get on a tram that will drop you off at the entrance. Just getting into the park might be difficult for some. Then you can go to the wheelchair rental area and get your royal sedan to be carried around all day.
In the end, I didn’t make it to the fireworks show, but I did survive 12 hours of Disney pandemonium. I’m curious what you have experienced. Do you have tips on how to make it through a day at an amusement park? Do you avoid them like the plaque or do you look into tools that can help you?
hey Allison, can you edit my message or cancel it please I didn’t edit
Good for you Alley Cat. Glad you and your mom had fun. We took Sharon’s scooter on a European river cruise in 2017. It was a bit of a hassle, but I believe it made her experience more enjoyable. She did scare me to death one time when she drove that thing into a little candy store. Fortunately no damage was done.
I haven’t been to an amusement park since I was diagnosed. However, I anticipate my taking the grands to Disneyworld one day and, like you, will probably opt for a wheel chair. Whether I’ll ride any roller coasters remains to be seen! I try to stay as active as I can and will do whatever it takes to do so. Glad you made the trip Perky and am sure your mom enjoyed having you there!
I was diagnosed in February of 2013 and the ride ahs been…….. well…….. fun, I was working full-time as a police officer and coaching two varsity sports in Baseball and football. While i have not tried to make it through an amusement parks, I do undertsand the toils of “can i make the whole way”, Working the whole day, and then coaching was a chore that i did not see coming, was I going to make it all the way to the end of the game? The suggestion was made that I coach from the press bax where I could sit…….. Where is the joy in that, LOL but on a more serious note most high school stadiums are not wheelchair accesible and the press box dfefinitely is not. there are no elevators to take you up there, and the climb up some of the stadiuums is daunting enough let alone the stairs into the box. I had to plan each and everyday carefully, and admit to myself that there were going to be days when I simply could not do it all. IT was heart breaking but I walked away from Law enforcement and a year later walked my last sideline, and gave my last sign to a batter. i
I love the game and even more so loved the kids that I got the opportunity to coach, watching them continue to grow into young men with their own families is the only reward I need. Thank you for your blog and the positive vibes that come from it.
You were very brave Grasshoppa. Too bad the visit coincided with a school holiday. If you have a tool to help you through the day, use it. Glad there were no medical emergencies. 😎
I loved riding roller coasters but my Drs said no more when I had my DBS installed. Were you told the same ?
Hi Chris,
I was not told that, but I have a visual of my brain bouncing around in my cerebrospinal fluid and I feel like that is a big no thank you. I wonder if you could do a virtual reality game. Just make sure you sit down and don’t go running into a wall… unless you have it on video and then upload it to the internet and go viral… your choice.