Blue Badge Holders

[alanjohnt]

Hi,

Another question for all you experienced trippers:

One of our party is a Motability Blue Badge holder. I guess these blue badges are not valid in the states - but does anyone know if there is anything a blue badge holder can do to obtain the American equivalent for the duration of the trip.

Don't need any special equipment or anything - just trying to identify if there is a way of 'legitimately' using the disabled parking areas in Florida ?

Thanks

Alan

[Bob_and_Dawn]

As far as i'm aware the UK ones are valid in Florida, and certainly in the Disney parks.

Bob

[Catherine]

Hi, our son has a Blue Uk badge. You will no problems at all using it in Florida. In fact they are so much better at policing the Disabled spaces than we are in the UK.

[alanjohnt]

Bob/Catherine,

Thanks for the prompt replies! Much appreciated.

Do you happen to know whether they use the 3hr max clock system at all - or is it unlimited time (just wondering whether we'd need the blue clock).

Alan

[keith&carol]

No they don't use the clock system Alan. Hang your blue badge from the rear view mirror like the Americans do then when you go to the parks the attendants will recognise it and direct you to the special parking area. Be aware that unless you have a wheelchair with you , the disabled parking at Magic Kingdom is not necessarily the best for you as you have to walk under a bridge up and down quite a steep slope. There are wheelchairs available to get you from the car park to the park entrance though.
Restaurants and shops all have disabled spaces but be sure your badge is on view as they are much stricter than here,
Carol :wavey:

[forever florida]

We always use our blue badges at all the parks, shopping malls, supermarkets etc and have never been questioned.

[jax100]

can i just say that having returned in april we were told we were NOT allowed to use the blue badge. we could use it in disney if we wanted but if we used it elsewhere we would be fined. we were pointed in the direction of a place where we had to transfer our badge and get a usa one. it cost $15 for the duration of our hol. we could then hang it from the mirror when out and about.

it was the benefit place we had to go to, cant quite remember complete instructions but it is on orange blossom trail.

[loadsapixiedust]

jax100, you should not have had to do that, I would be interested to know who told you that was necessary, as the State of Florida recognises the UK blue badge. From the visitflorida.com (official tourism agency) website FAQ 'Can I use my Blue Badge permit in Florida? Yes. Simply display your UK-issued Blue Badge permit prominently inside your hire car. You do not need to apply for a temporary permit to qualify for disabled parking during your visit. It is, however, a good idea to travel with documentation of your disability.'

I have emailed them for clarification and will post any reply.

If you hang your badge from the rear view mirror it will be easier to spot as this is how the locals display theirs. We use a poly pocket cut down to the right size and that works fine. We have used ours every time we've been without any problem. You will mostly be parking on private property anyway at the parks and shopping malls. There is much less abuse of disabled parking spaces over there and we never had any trouble finding one.

You will still need to pay the parking fee at the theme parks but valet parking at WDW resorts is free to blue badge holders.

[Disneyman]

:wavey:

Hi, my wife is a blue badge holder and we have never had a problem using it in 13yrs. People don't abuse the disabled spaces like they do here and there is more respect for the disabled in US, again, unlike here.

:wavey: :wavey: STE

[jax100]

The person who told us we needed to change our blue card for an american one was the police officer who decided to give us a ticket while parked on international drive. We pleaded ignorance as we had only just arrived so he gave us the directions to change the ticket and he didnt write out the ticket. although he did have his book out to do it.

[loadsapixiedust]

I also found this:

'Orlando police officers will accept your out-of-state or foreign disabled parking permit, as long as it is prominently displayed in the windshield of your car when you are parked in the designated public handicapped parking spots. Temporary handicapped parking permits are not available so it is important to bring your permit from home to be displayed in your car.'

from www.orlandoinfo.com (http://www.orlandoinfo.com/articles/viewarticles_static.cfm?pageid=531) the official website of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The application for a Florida disabled parking permit requires a Florida ID or drivers licence number to be attached to the permit, www.hsmv.state.fl.us (http://www.hsmv.state.fl.us/dmv/disabled_pkg.html) how could a UK visitor supply those?

[djhago]

Like jax100 I was also 'advised' by a law enforcement officer that my fathers badge wasn't suitable and I would need to swap it. That was just when he was about to write me a ticket.

I did this on OBT. All I was asked for was my fathers passport and our address while in the USA, And off course 15 dollars, and I got a temporary permit.

I am not about to start quoting websites to a guy with a gun.

[keith&carol]

We've been going for many years with DD's blue badge and never had a problem. We spent a lot of time on one trip talking to the officer in charge of tourist matters and he was adamant that a UK badge was fine.
What strikes me is that both posters who were told to get a temp permit were about to get a ticket - just another way of getting the money out of you perhaps?
Carol

[loadsapixiedust]

I am not about to start quoting websites to a guy with a gun.

Quite agree! :omg: However it is not fair if tourists are being fined after taking advice from the official tourist agencies who are supposed to advise them correctly in the first place.