Blue Badge...question...

[mike230652]

Hi

Well, DD has been told she will have a blue badge for our car v. soon....so we'll be utilising it in January on our trip.

Question............I know the badge is valid in Florida....... but a couple of things come to mind;

1 - Do I need to show the badge on entry to parks?

2 - Do they then point you to the relevant areas to park?

3 - Do I need to pay the usual car parking fees? I'm only asking this ( not cos I'm tight!! ) because if so, then I may as well take advantage of the 50+ seniors offer at Seaworld/Busch which gives me free parking. If we would need to pay parking...then there's a definite benefit in my getting the 50+ seniors pass, free parking, 10% off food and shopping ........I just need to know before I order the tickets for Busch/ Seaworld this weekend.

Sorry if they're obvious questions...... just things have happened rather quickly with DD's illness and it's something we've not had to do on previous trips.....just want to make it as smooth as possible for us all.:)


Mike

[Petalsoftly]

Yes you have to show your badge so you can be directed to disabled parking. You DO have to pay the usual parking fee at the parks yes. To park you are directed to follow the blue line... it's very very easy. It may pay you to get your 50+ pass for free parking but some of those parking spaces are like a field away in distance :( Do you want to be able to park right outside the entrances and pay or park free and have a really long trek to the entrances????????? This is what you have to weigh up.... hope this helps XXXX

[loadsapixiedust]

Yes, Yes, and Yes.
We hang our badge on the rear view mirror as this is how the locals display theirs and it is easy for the CMs to spot when you enter the parking lots. At the Disney parks there is a blue line on the road which you follow to the disabled section. At Universal you need to put on your hazard lights and head up one of the ramps, the disabled parking is as close as possible to the parks but still a long way and on the same level as the entrance.
You do still need to pay for parking unless your tickets exempt you, AP or suchlike.

[mike230652]

Looks like we'll go with the Yes Yes Yes option as per loadsapixiedust!!

To be honest the main worry was always going to be Universal.......if their car parks were any further from the entrance they'd be in a different time zone!

Thanks for the heads up on the 50+ parking too........now I'll pay for a "normal" ticket...and pretend I'm still young....lol!

Mike

[Petalsoftly]

Can't you pay for the 50+ tickets to get the discount on food and shopping but then still pay for your parking so you can get to the disabled bays?

[lausan]

Just follow the Blue Line and remember your Parking bay,we made a door hanger of a blue disabled sign on our Computer and hung it on rear view Mirror,so Cast Members could see us Coming ..and left Blue badges on Dashboard

[keith&carol]

As of the start of this year your blue badge is no longer valid in Florida. You might get away with it at the parks still but Cypress Gardens won't accept it and the others will probably follow suit.
You need to go to a Car Licence office and purchase a temp (red) tag to use . This will cost you $15.
You need to take your driving licence, passport and blue badge of disabled person and they will need to be with you.
There are several offices in Orange and Osceola counties.If I can find the web addresses I'll post them for you.
We will have to get one for the first time when we go in 9 days. I'm not happy about it but to be fair the Americans can' t use their badge over here as far as I know.
Carol

[Rebelrebel]

As of the start of this year your blue badge is no longer valid in Florida. You might get away with it at the parks still but Cypress Gardens won't accept it and the others will probably follow suit.
You need to go to a Car Licence office and purchase a temp (red) tag to use . This will cost you $15.
You need to take your driving licence, passport and blue badge of disabled person and they will need to be with you.
There are several offices in Orange and Osceola counties.If I can find the web addresses I'll post them for you.
We will have to get one for the first time when we go in 9 days. I'm not happy about it but to be fair the Americans can' t use their badge over here as far as I know.
Carol

We are only planning on doing WDW, Seaworld and the Malls - do you think we will be ok?

[keith&carol]

You may be ok at the Parks because they're not going to want to upset guests but the Malls etc are another story. You will need to use a non-disabled space or risk a fine without the US tag.
The web addresses are
www.octaxcol.com
www.osceolataxcollector.com

We've decided that for the sake of $15 we are going to get a US tag this time. We just don't want the hassle of a fine on holiday.

Carol :wavey:

[Shogun]

DON'T use blue badges at MK as the walk from the disabled car park to the entrance is far greater than parking in the regular car park and getting the tram.

[BarryandCaron]

DON'T use blue badges at MK as the walk from the disabled car park to the entrance is far greater than parking in the regular car park and getting the tram.

It's not possible to get on a tram with a wheelchair.

Caron

[BarryandCaron]

You may be ok at the Parks because they're not going to want to upset guests but the Malls etc are another story. You will need to use a non-disabled space or risk a fine without the US tag.
The web addresses are
www.octaxcol.com
www.osceolataxcollector.com

We've decided that for the sake of $15 we are going to get a US tag this time. We just don't want the hassle of a fine on holiday.

Carol :wavey:

Carol, we have decided to get a US tag this time as well, as you say not worth the hassle not to. Please can you let us know how you get on.

Thanks
Caron

[essexmick]

apparently the uk blue badge is not valid in the us

[keith&carol]

Hi Caron,
Yes I'll be happy to let you know how we get on. We're taking the laptop so should be able to post from there. The villa owners have e-mailed their management company to get directions to the nearest office for us,
Carol :wavey:

[Rebelrebel]

Hi Caron,
Yes I'll be happy to let you know how we get on. We're taking the laptop so should be able to post from there. The villa owners have e-mailed their management company to get directions to the nearest office for us,
Carol :wavey:

Ooh Carol, I'd like to know too, if you don't mind :).

[Eagle88]

What's this 50+ discout thing? Both my wife and I are long past 50 but know nothing about the 50+ pass. Where can I get the details from?

[keith&carol]

Hi,
If you go on the Seaworld website there are all sorts of combinations of tickets. You can buy them on-line, print off a voucher and exchange it for a ticket at the park. If you buy one with a free parking option just show the parking guy the voucher on your first visit .
We used our blue badge for 3 weeks in March with no problems. We were going to get a red tag but I got stomach flu just after we arrived so with one thing and another we decided not to bother. We only went to the Disney parks and Seaworld with 1 visit to the Florida Mall and had no problems but I'm still uneasy about the change in the law and will check it out again before our next trip in November,
Carol :wavey: