Tips for elderly disabled vacationer

[Ginarian]

Hello:
My husband, parents, and I are excited to be planning our first Disney vacation together. My mom has a hard time walking and gets disability for this reason (she is also 70 years old). A coworker of my husband told us that she would need to bring proof of disability and take it somewhere in the park to allow her to get on the rides faster??? We are going to Magic Kingdom together and my parents are going to do a park hopper and go to EPCOT for half of the day and Animal Kingdom for the other half of the day (my husband and I are going to each park separately on different days- and to Hollywood Studios). So, does anyone have any experience with this? What does my mom need to bring? Where does she take it? Would she have to go somewhere in each park when she arrives? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I want her to get on all of the rides she wants and enjoy the park!

 

[Bete]

For a walking handicap the answer is to get a wheelchair or a scooter. This does not qualify for what you are asking about unfortunately.

 

[Smittolis]

There is a great FAQ for DAS passes, however, if she was in a Wheelchair then she would simply use the wheelchair access entrance. There is no proof needed, DAS passes are offered on a 'needs' basis not on a diagnosis. DAS's are not usually issued for mobility issues as ECV's and wheelchairs would do that.

 

[Aladora]

Hello:
My husband, parents, and I are excited to be planning our first Disney vacation together. My mom has a hard time walking and gets disability for this reason (she is also 70 years old). A coworker of my husband told us that she would need to bring proof of disability and take it somewhere in the park to allow her to get on the rides faster??? We are going to Magic Kingdom together and my parents are going to do a park hopper and go to EPCOT for half of the day and Animal Kingdom for the other half of the day (my husband and I are going to each park separately on different days- and to Hollywood Studios). So, does anyone have any experience with this? What does my mom need to bring? Where does she take it? Would she have to go somewhere in each park when she arrives? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I want her to get on all of the rides she wants and enjoy the park!

First off, as a previous poster mentioned, this thread is a great resource, although anything past the first few posts is irrelevant.

Most of your questions should be answered there but a few things regarding your post:

1. Disney will not look at any proof of disability.
2. The only way to get her on rides faster is to book FP+, the disability pass does not do that. The DAS allows for someone to wait their time outside the regular stand by queue.
3. The DAS is not given out for mobility reasons, Disney's response to mobility issues is for the guest to use a mobility device such as a wheelchair or ECV.
4. If she does not have her own mobility device, then you can either rent one for her from Disney or from an outside vendor. Most people recommend renting from an outside vendor for the length of your visit so that you have the use of the device at the resort and transiting to and from the parks.
5. This link has a ton of information on wheelchair accessibility at WDW.
6. You should absolutely book your 3 FP+ for the rides that she really wants to enjoy!

Hope that helps a bit!

 

[DisneyOma]

Hello:
My husband, parents, and I are excited to be planning our first Disney vacation together. My mom has a hard time walking and gets disability for this reason (she is also 70 years old). A coworker of my husband told us that she would need to bring proof of disability and take it somewhere in the park to allow her to get on the rides faster??? We are going to Magic Kingdom together and my parents are going to do a park hopper and go to EPCOT for half of the day and Animal Kingdom for the other half of the day (my husband and I are going to each park separately on different days- and to Hollywood Studios). So, does anyone have any experience with this? What does my mom need to bring? Where does she take it? Would she have to go somewhere in each park when she arrives? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I want her to get on all of the rides she wants and enjoy the park!

Where do you live that your mom gets disability for having a hard time walking? I'd love for my mom to be able to get that, but it's not available here in the state of MA, USA. She is 78 and is really struggling to make ends meet, but because of her age, there's nothing but social security.

There is no pass that gets you on the rides faster at WDW. For mobility issues (as there is a ton of walking just to get to an attraction) it is recommended that a wheelchair or ECV is used for mobility issues. People can walk 4-10 miles a day at the parks, and even the most able-bodied can feel that at the end of the day. You can rent a wheelchair there, but I suggest renting one from an offsite vendor down there or bringing one with you from home. WDW is very accessible for people with mobility related issues, so I'm sure she'll have a great time!

 

[lanejudy]

A coworker of my husband told us that she would need to bring proof of disability and take it somewhere in the park to allow her to get on the rides faster???

Your husband's co-worker is mis-informed. There is no pass for those with a disability to get on rides faster at WDW. Was he thinking of FP+? That is available to everyone. Be sure to pre-schedule your 3 FP+ rides for each park day. On the day your parents "park hop" they will only be able to pre-schedule FP+ for one park, but more are available after the first 3 are used.

So, does anyone have any experience with this? What does my mom need to bring? Where does she take it? Would she have to go somewhere in each park when she arrives?

Assuming her needs are strictly mobility-related, a wheelchair or ECV is likely the best option for her. The vast majority of attractions are "mainstreamed" meaning she can bring the wheelchair/ECV through the queue right to the boarding area. I recommend renting from an off-site vendor who will deliver to you/your resort; this will mean she has it to use getting to/from the park gates and transportation as well as around your resort. Near the end of post #2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread has a list of vendors, both "featured" (will utilize Bell Services) and "non-featured" vendors (who meet you in person).

If your mother has other needs impacting her ability to wait in a standard queue environment, the WDW - Disability Access Service thread explains the DAS. DAS is not typically provided for those with mobility-related issues whose needs are met by use of a mobility device.

my parents are going to do a park hopper and go to EPCOT for half of the day and Animal Kingdom for the other half of the day

I know you didn't ask this, but unless they have limited time, I highly recommend at least a full day for EPCOT. My family usually plans 2 days there -- one for Future World and one for World Showcase.

Enjoy your vacation!