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Old 22 Nov 18, 03:46 PM  
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Jennywren
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Feeling Sad - Access problems at Universal Parks

Hi - I'm feeling very sad to realise that I have probably done my last ever visit to Universal's Parks in Orlando.

We have not long been back from our 16th trip to Orlando and are already looking at planning our 17th for May next year, we have always done all the main parks when we go.

Because DH and I both have to use ECV's to get around now (used to be just me) things have changed.

We can both transfer to a manual wheelchair and then transfer to a ride vehicle if necessary, which is what the publicity materials say you need to be able to do to access the rides BUT we cannot push each other's wheelchairs and are unable to self wheel due to our respective health problems. The information doesn't say you have to be able to push yourself or be pushed by someone in your own party as well.

Because of these rules the only ride we can now access at Universal is the Hogwarts Express the train between the 2 parks, and we feel it is just not reasonable to expect us to pay the full cost of a 2 park ticket if we can only access one ride.

I have spent ages talking to Guest Services and Managers at the parks but they say there is nothing they can do to help us. Am I wrong in feeling this is very unfair and very sad?

What do others think?
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Old 23 Nov 18, 01:26 AM  
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Merryweather
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I did a solo trip to Disney last year and there are a number of rides there that I couldn’t ride because of this but I also found a couple (including one of my favourites, IASW) which I could access with no problem but then discovered that the seats on the boat were too close together for me to stand up when the ride finished - quite frightening!
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Old 23 Nov 18, 10:02 AM  
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gismo1554
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Universal really don't cater for disabled in any meaningful way. I'm registered blind and had issues with most of the queue areas last year including getting my cane stuck in the wall on King Kong and breaking both it and part of the walkway - there are holes along the bottom of the wall it appears that canes can get trapped in! When I complained they were useless. They play lip service by saying they are disabled friendly but they really aren't.
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Old 23 Nov 18, 03:40 PM  
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DonnaD
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We recently bought Universal Annual passes after not visiting for about 5 years. My 15 year old daughter was a full time wheelchair user for 19 months and could enjoy Disney by either remaining in her chair or transfering for a few rides. Her upper body control was poor and there were a few rides where she would have really struggled to stay upright in the seats.

During that time we stayed away from Universal completely as we knew there was very little for her there.

Recently she has regained her ability to walk and her upper body control. She still needs a wheelchair for distance and qualified for a disabled assistance pass due to autism. We found the staff very helpful during our first visit and she did loads. However it confirmed going when she was struggling would have been a complete waste. The rides themselves require a level of fitness that she just didn't have for awhile.

I am afraid that our experience suggests there just isn't much at Universal for anyone with major physical limitations. OP as you and your DH cannot walk a short distance or self propel a borrowed wheelchair to board the rides are you sure it would actually be safe or comfortable for you to ride them anyway?

My mother is 72 but very healthy with great physical stamina. She won't be joining us at Universal because there just isn't enough for her there to justify the price.
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Old 23 Nov 18, 04:50 PM  
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Jennywren
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Thanks Donna, I take on board what you are saying, DH & I bought Annual Passes when we were there in October and our Daughter and Son In Law joined us for part of the holiday, they were able to assist us and we enjoyed a lot of the non thrill rides, but once they went home we couldn't access anything other than the train. It makes no sense for example that we cannot access the non moving seats in Minions, Shrek, Jimmy Fallon or the rides in Seuss Landing. We can both walk very short distances without problems but Cast Members definitions of a short distance and ours are very different as we have learnt to our cost.
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