Travel Myths Debunked with Cori: Accessible Theme Park Travel Edition
Hi! I’m Corinne, but you can call me “Cori”, and I am a luxury travel advisor with Sweetbay Travel Concierge. Wow has it been a crazy few weeks! In the span of less than a month, I have:
1. Traveled to the Orlando Theme Parks for training and a fun grandma/mother/daughter trip
2. My daughter and grandbabies visited from out of state for a week of family fun
3. Came down and recovered from a nasty virus
4. Embarked and returned from a Princess Cruise
To say that I am ready to just have things calm down for a bit is an understatement, but I am thankful that I can bring all my adventures and learnings back to you, my readers. This episode of “Debunking Travel Myths with Cori” is going to focus on my recent trip to the Orlando Theme Parks, and accessibility for those who have mobility difficulties.
Cori, I have trouble walking or standing for extended periods of time, can you really enjoy the Orlando theme parks if you have mobility issues?
The answer is, “Yes” but with a few caveats that I would like to highlight:
· I only traveled to Universal Studios Orlando and Walt Disney World Florida during this recent trip, so my review is for these two theme parks only at this time.
· I pre-booked a mobility scooter that was delivered to my hotel, to ensure that I would have access to an ECV prior to getting to the parks. (They can tend to sell out early)
· I am able to walk for limited time, and not completely immobile so my views might be different than those who are unable to transfer from their wheelchair/ECV
So tell me, how was the experience really?
Overall, I would say that the experience was much more pleasant than I was originally anticipating. This was my first trip where I required mobility equipment, and for the most part I utilized my scooter for the length of my daily visits. Disney World was superior in its accommodations for those with mobility impairments, and I say this because many of the ride queues in Universal Studios required a transfer to their assistance wheelchairs from my ECV. This resulted in my 15-year-old daughter having to push me through some rather long lines uphill at times, if I had no assistance, I would not have been able to ride many of the attractions. Disney World provided a much better experience for me as a mobility impaired guest, by accommodating my ECV directly in the queues (with the exception of a couple rides) which meant I did not have to rely on anyone to help me through the lines.
Restaurant and food service experiences at both theme parks exceeded my expectations in not only accommodating my ECV, but also providing access to waiting areas that I could park my mobility equipment close by to minimize the travel needed from my table to my scooter.
Where these theme parks excelled was at the transportation within the resorts and parks. I stayed on-property at “Dockside Inn and Suites” in Universal Studios and at “Pop Century Resort” at Disney World, and the transportation to and from the parks was amazing. The transportation employees were so helpful in getting on and off various modes of their offerings, even hand maneuvering my ECV in place on the bus and Skyliner when I had difficulty! I cannot praise this team enough and appreciate their amazing service even as I type this.
I didn’t think it would be possible for me, or my family member, who have mobility difficulties to enjoy these places… how can I plan a vacation that meets my accessibility travel needs?
I understand, as someone who is newly maneuvering planning travel with my mobility impairments it can be overwhelming to think about planning a vacation with these requirements as part of the process. This is where you need a trusty travel advisor who understands your needs, and can ask the right questions to build an itinerary that incorporates all the needs of your travel party. If this has helped you then I would love to be considered as your accessible travel advisor. When you are ready to take the next step in planning your Orlando Theme Park vacay you can schedule time with me here. Let’s plan a trip that ensures all members of your travel party have an extraordinary vacation that they never forget!
Here's to making your travel dreams come true,
Cori