In general, traveling can be stressful! With all the booking, planning, and packing involved, you often wonder when the relaxation of vacation comes into play. For guests with disabilities, there is added stress of accommodations and accessibility during your stay.
All Disney Destinations do a great job in ensuring each and every guest has a magical vacation regardless of any special needs they may have. As part of our continuing “Breaking the Myths” series, today we are going to focus on traveling with disabilities.
- Myth: Someone in my traveling party has a food allergy, so eating at Disney is next to impossible.
Whether you have a food allergy, food intolerance, or even a medically restricted diet, the chefs at most table service and select quick service locations can often accommodate your needs. It is important that you work closely with your Magic Maker® so that your reservations are properly notated and the restaurants and chefs are aware of your needs. Upon entering a restaurant, be sure to tell your waiter/waitress or cashier that you have a dietary restriction and they will get a member of the culinary team for you to discuss your options. - Myth: Because of my family member’s disability, they just wouldn’t enjoy the parks.
Because each person’s disability is different, Disney Parks has created a Guest Assistance Card (GAC) Program for those in need of extra assistance. The program allows for your family to meet with a Guest Services Cast Member upon entering a Theme Park on your first day. The Cast Member will discuss what needs you will have over your vacation and issue you a GAC which notes specific accommodations. When visiting attractions, you simply show your GAC to the Attractions Host/Hostess and they will guide you from there. However, having a GAC does not give you front of the line access to all attractions like many think. In fact, use of the GAC at some attractions may result in a longer wait then utilizing the standby line. We suggest you discuss with your Magic Maker® any special needs you may have prior to travel so we can help you make the most of your vacation! - Myth: Special assistance is only available for those with physical limitations.
Disney Destinations seeks to provide assistance to all guests regardless of their type of disability. Guests with mobility disabilities may choose to utilize a wheelchair or ECV throughout property and will have reserved seating for most shows and parades. Guests with visual disabilities can utilize braille maps and audiotape guides. Assisted Listening and other captioning devices are available for guests with hearing disabilities in addition to interpreters at select shows. Accommodations for guests with developmental disabilities are also provided as necessary via the Guest Assistance Card. Trained service animals on a leash or in a harness are welcome in most locations throughout all of the Disney Destinations, but may not be able to participate in select attractions or experiences. And as mentioned above, chefs at Disney Destinations will accommodate guests with dietary restrictions to the best of their ability.
Don’t allow any disability to stand in the way of a Magical vacation experience for your family. Our Magic Makers® will use their personal experience and expertise to ensure that any special needs that a member of your family may have are met.
Great article, Thank you for sharing these amazing tips, living with disabilities is not easy, but I think it’s not impossible. Me and my son have been managing it pretty well and I guess maybe we cannot do everything but there are things which we can do and we must look forward to them. It’s that you can live or give up and we chose to live.