Tips about Special Needs

If you have the least problem getting around, get an ECV. Don't let pride keep you from having a wonderful time at Walt Disney World. I just returned and it was so easy to get around. I was solo and everyone was very kind to help me. Transportation and attractions are easy to navigate. - Ruby Ramey

For those of you with strollers, wheelchairs or ECVs, be sure to keep any food items you may have stowed in the storage compartments or baskets well-sealed. I recently noticed several opportunistic squirrels having a nice picnic lunch after they'd raided a bag of snacks that had been left open and stored in the bottom of a stroller while the family was off riding an attraction! - Editor Deb Koma

I enjoyed your article, Disney World On Wheels. I have been "scooting" around Walt Disney World for more than a decade. Disney makes it easy to get around and the Cast Members are fairly well versed on the ins and outs of guests on wheels. I'd like to offer a tip for guests new to "scooting" at WDW. Let's face it. This is Florida and it rains, especially in the summer. Don't let a light shower slow you down. Before leaving home, pick up a child's poncho and a small bungee cord. Keeping the "tiller" (handlebars) of the scooter dry is important since it houses the electronics and charging port. "Dress" your tiller in the poncho. Drape the poncho over the tiller putting the ends of the tiller where your arms would normally come out. The hood opening should be facing you so that the control center of the tiller is inside the hood. Tuck the opening of the hood down inside the neck of the poncho to keep the controls dry. Secure the poncho around and under the tiller with your bungee cord. - Beth Christie

I have enjoyed your "WDW at Large" pages. I was really sad to read that a lot of folks suffered through the La Nouba show because they really did not have to. We have been twice and each time when we booked we asked for the last row in the theater. There is an elevator to this level and there are regular chairs. Once they were with arms and I asked for one without arms and was given one without incident. I feel like these might be the best seats in the whole place as they allow you to see the whole theater. I hope this helps someone as your other posts have helped me. - Jennifer Stauch

If you are traveling with a car, and you have a handicap sticker/emblem, valet parking at the Deluxe Resorts is free. We had a temporary tag on our last trip and only found this out by accident one night when the Polynesian parking lot was full, but the guard saw the tag and directed us to the complimentary valet parking. We did take advantage of it after that, and it was nice to have the young valet men lift out the scooter for us! - Kathy Jo

My husband uses an ECV to get around the parks. After several trips to the parks, we came up with an easy way to attach our hotel refillable mugs: a shoestring! Usually the basket in front of the ECV is full of other things, so attaching our cups with a shoestring or cup holder is essential. - Judy Shock

My gluten allergy was diagnosed less than a year ago and I was truly nervous about a vacation at Walt Disney World due to the fact I had so many gluten-filled favorites going into this trip. Why I ever worried is beyond me. Raglan Road, Be Our Guest (counter service), Art of Animation's food court, Le Cellier and many other locations were fantastic about my gluten allergy. Each location had knowledgeable servers and chefs, provided plenty of options and was quick about the service. But most importantly each location was discreet, which makes you feel normal again. My tip is always ask questions. I was provided with many more options than I ever thought possible and I did not feel as though I was a burden for asking! - Sara Lawer

For anyone with a wobbly leg (or two), here's a tip I learned the hard way. For attractions that load/unload with a conveyor belt (Buzz Lightyear, Haunted Mansion, etc.), make sure that the wobbly guest enters first. Yes, you may experience a challenge getting seated in time to let your ride partner get in before the vehicle closes properly. However that makes you the second person out upon exiting so that you'll have a steady hand (your ride partner's) at the ready when getting off, thereby allowing you to land gracefully and be able to walk immediately on the moving belt. - Christa

I am a father with two children with autism. We made temporary tattoos that said: My name is _____ and I have autism. If I am separated from my parents please call Sam at 555-555-5555 or Jane at 555-444-4444. We put these tattoos on our children's arm. They lasted about three days and any parent with young children may want to do this. We made ours using an online custom temporary tattoo website (straytats.com) -- it was cheap and easy. - Todd Pierson

During our recent family vacation to Walt Disney World, an inexpensive, blow-up travel pillow proved to be a "best buy". We used it as a moisture barrier when sitting on a damp park bench and lawn. My mother-in-law is 5' 2". She rented a scooter, but had to sit forward in order to reach the controls. The travel pillow took up the space between her back and the seat back. It became a seat cushion while sitting on cold, hard cement to watch a parade and the fireworks. It finally cushioned a sleepy head at the end of the day. - Michaela Crandley

For anyone who has celiac disease or wheat allergies in general, Tony's Town Square was a treat. Two of my traveling party have celiac disease and the chefs were amazing. So many options for gluten-free, including pasta and special gluten-free, dairy-free meatballs. We all ate like royalty the entire trip and can't wait to go back. - Richelle H.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Just about every table service restaurant at Walt Disney World will try to accommodate guests with special dietary needs.

If you have a personal walker, wheelchair or crutches you are currently using, and you want to rent an electric wheelchair at the theme parks, they will hold your personal devices in the rental area with your name on them, until you return and check your vehicle back in. They also have "courtesy wheelchairs" that you then can use to get to the buses or parking lots. This was good to know, as I was wondering what to do with my mom's walker once we rented an electric scooter. - Amy

If you are planning to rent an ECV and have the use of only one hand, make sure you have a conversation about that when making the reservation. My family rented an ECV for my sister, whose right hand is paralyzed, and it never occurred to me to ask for an ambidextrous ECV. The "forward" mechanism was controlled with the right thumb, requiring her to use a digit on the left to PULL the mechanism toward her while steering. By the end of the trip, her left hand was really ragged! The fellow from the rental company suggested renting a motorized wheelchair powered by a joystick next time, but warned that the company doesn't like to rent them to people who don't already know how to maneuver them, as they are difficult to handle. I'll remember that next time. Nonetheless, the ECV made SO much possible for all of us on this trip. It was well worth the investment, operational difficulties notwithstanding. - Susan Barnaby

We were just at Disney in March 2009. My husband has autism. He has a difficult time with crowds and noise. We were able to get a guest assistance pass for him, just like children with autism. He was able to ride one ride with the family and then go away and have alone time while the rest of the family waited in the standby line and then he could ride the next ride with us using a Fastpass. It allowed him to ride the rides with us and still not be overwhelmed by the crowds and noise. - Tracey Brake

WDW's accessibility for wheelchairs is second to none, but even with gentle ramps and elevators there can still be problems. My wife not only uses a wheelchair but is very claustrophobic: queuing is a nightmare for her. I chatted to a cast member in Epcot who directed me to the Guest Relations desk. I expained that we didn't mind waiting our turn, but we couldn't physically wait in the queue. No problem -- we were issued a special pass to show to cast members at each ride. While not every attraction has a solution, many rides have alternate entrances, or can let people in through the exit... made all the difference in the world for her. Thanks, Disney! - Matthew Webber