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Orlando Parks Accessibility Guide Orlando Parks Accessibility Guide

Orlando Parks Accessibility Guide

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A holiday in Orlando where you can experience all the magical attractions that the parks offer is something that should be accessible to all. Visiting the Orlando parks when you require additional mobility aids or deal with other disabilities where you or a family member require additional support can be an anxious time. The volume of people in the parks, coupled with the uncertainly of accessibility information can be overwhelming, however most parks in Orlando now offer alternative ways for you to experience the parks, allowing you to have a magical holiday!

Below you will find a guide to each Orlando park along with accessibility information, helpful links, and general tips on visiting the Orlando parks.

General Tips

  • Try to plan your ride-route in advance. This seems like an obvious tip, however, planning which parks, attractions, and rides you want to see and when will be a big help – especially if the park you’re in is busy and you are waiting for your return times.
  • Avoid peak times - due to the way most attraction passes work, during these times you may still be faced with a lot of waiting.
  • Buy your attraction tickets in advance. Queuing or at least waiting is, unfortunately, inevitable to some extent within the Orlando parks, so don’t waste even more time on queuing to purchase your tickets.
  • Consider purchasing Express Passes where possible. These are incredibly helpful if you cannot avoid visiting the parks during peak times. As you approach a ride, show the ride attendant your pass, and once it’s been scanned you will be able to enter the (almost always) shorter and faster Express Pass queue.
  • If your child needs to stay in their pushchair (stroller in the US) for queuing - for their own wellbeing or safety for example - there is an option to acquire a ‘stroller as wheelchair’ pass.
  • Keep your Disability Passes for each park in a plastic wallet – this will keep them dry if you go on a wet ride and will also protect them from being torn or otherwise damaged.

Walt Disney World Resort

Accessibility at Walt Disney World Resort

General accessibility at Walt Disney World is very good. Disney provide additional accommodations such as sign language interpretation, assistive listening systems, and Braille guidebooks. Access to rides is based upon the return times principle, meaning you won’t have to queue for a ride, you will be given a time to return back to the ride.

There are certain restrictions in place for service animals, as there are areas where they are not allowed. See here for the full information. 

To check attractions/services available to you or guest in your party, please see the links below:

Pass you will need: Disability Access Service Card (DAS)

  • About the pass

Disney’s DAS system’s purpose is to alleviate the stress of queuing for its guests.

The DAS is now digital, so will also be attached to your account on My Disney Experience. Each time you want to go on a ride, simply book the time in advance on your Disney app! You can then return to the ride after that amount of time and again will proceed down the Lightning Lane entrance.

This time will not expire, if you don't get back for 3 hours for example, you will still go straight down the Lightning Lane entrance. However, until you have completed this ride, you cannot get a time for another ride. 

Your times will be stored on My Disney Experience.  You just then need to scan your magic band or ticket at the attraction. 

The person with the disability must be going on the rides also to be able to use this card. DAS registration maximum party size is the registered DAS Guest and up to 3 additional party members, for a total of 4 people. 

  • How to get the pass

On arrival at the first Disney park, proceed straight to Guest Services. A Cast Member will supply you with an electronic tablet so you may video/online chat with the relevant department about any additional needs. A DAS (Disability Access Service card ) will then be issued if they think it is correct to do so. DAS is valid for the length of the ticket or up to 120 days, whichever is shorter.

A top tip:

Using "labels" (e.g. my child has autism) is not as effective as describing your family member's needs (e.g. my child cannot wait for long periods of time in a queue or they will start to display inappropriate behaviours and may get very upset).

Further information:

Magic Kingdom

The Guest Relations Lobby is in City Hall

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

The Guest Relations Lobby is near the main entrance

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The Guest Relations Lobby is near the main entrance

Epcot

The Guest Relations Lobby is near Spaceship Earth

Universal Orlando Resort

Accessibility at Universal Orlando Resort

Universal Orlando Resort is able to provide accessibility and assistance on many attractions and areas of the parks. From guests with hearing or vision impairments, cognitive disabilities and those using wheelchairs, prosthetics, oxygen tanks or assistance dogs, the guides below will help you navigate your way around.

To see a list of requirements and accommodations for all attractions, please see the Guide for Rider Safety and Accessibility for each theme park.

Pass you will need: Universal Attraction Assistance Pass (AAP) /  IBCCES Individual Accessibility Card (IAC)

  • About the passes

This pass will cover a disabled guest plus up to five members of the party. Additional accommodations may be made if your party is larger, but will need to be dealt with directly with Guest Services. Universal Orlando has developed an Attractions Assistance Pass for Guests who have a difficulty with extended waits in a conventional attraction queue environment.

  • How to get the pass

Guests requesting an attraction queue accommodation must obtain the IBCCES Individual Accessibility Card (IAC) by registering at www.accessibilitycard.org within 30 days of their visit to the park. The IAC registration consists of an online application which includes uploading necessary documentation. Guests using a mobility device do not need to apply for the IAC as our attraction queues are accessible.

Once all requirements for IBCCES Individual Accessibility Card are met, a Universal Orlando Team Member will contact the cardholder to discuss their request for an attraction queue accommodation.

Note: Only IBCCES can issue the IBCCES Accessibility Card, and not Universal Orlando.

Additional passes that will be helpful: Universal Express Pass

These passes allow you to skip the regular ride lines to use a special ‘Express Pass’ line. These passes work at most of the attractions at the two Universal Orlando Resort parks. You will still have to wait in line, but these lines will be significantly shorter than the main lines. In some cases, your AAP will grant you access to the Express Pass lines. 

Further information

Universal Studios Resort Orlando

At Universal Studios Florida Guest Services is located to right of the main entrance turnstiles. There is also a Guest Services area before you enter the park but it’s usually very crowded.

Islands of Adventure

The Guest Services Lobby is to the right of the main entrance turnstiles.

SeaWorld Orlando

Accessibility at SeaWorld Orlando

General accessibility at SeaWorld Orlando is very good. They have implemented programs to assist guests with disabilities in the park. All restrooms are wheelchair accessible and all restaurants offer a service for those who are unable to wait in line, due to the buffet-style dining. Service animals are allowed throughout the park providing they remain on a leash or harness. Service animals are discouraged from riding rides, however they are permitted on certain rides. Emotional Support Animals are not permitted.

Pass you will need: SeaWorld Orlando Ride Assistance Program (RAP)

  • About the pass

The RAP aligns the individual abilities of each guest to the requirements of each ride, allowing guests to enjoy the park while keeping in mind the safety requirements of the attractions and rides. The pass will accommodate the disabled guest plus 5 additional guests’ access from your party. Additional guests must use the ride entrance.

RAP guests will then be given Special Access to enjoy select rides and attractions without waiting in line due to their disability. It is only available on certain listed rides and excludes shows, special events, parades, meet & greets and gift shop check-out or restaurant lines.

You will be placed in a virtual queue, allowing you to enjoy the park until your estimated boarding time at that attraction.

  • How to get the pass

You will need to arrange your RAP after you have entered the park, so will need to have already purchased your SeaWorld Orlando tickets. After you have entered the park head straight to Guest Services to enroll in the programme. Guest Services is located around the corner to the right of the entrance, and is in the row of buildings you will see on the left-hand side.

Once you have your RAP, you will see that the rides and attractions at SeaWorld are split into two groups: those that you will need a return time for, and those that have alternative entrances for disabled access.

Additional passes that will be helpful: Quick Queue Unlimited

If the park is extremely busy and you would rather not be given return times, it may be helpful to buy a Quick Queue Unlimited Ticket. These tickets are valid for only one day and provide you with unlimited skip-the-line access to the most popular rides:

  • Infinity Falls™
  • Manta®
  • Kraken®
  • Journey to Atlantis®
  • Mako®
  • Ice Breaker®
  • Pipeline™: The Surf Coaster (only valid for 1 front-of-the-line admission)

Also valid for one time reserved seating at the most popular shows and presentations. Must arrive 30 minutes prior to show time to receive reserved seating

  • Orca Stadium
  • Dolphin Theatre
  • Sea Lion & Otter Stadium

Further information

LEGOLAND Florida

Accessibility at LEGOLAND Florida

All shops, restaurants, show venues, and almost all attractions at LEGOLAND Florida are ADA accessible to wheelchairs or those who require special assistance. Assistance and service animals are welcome throughout the park except on rides. Service animals are welcomed in the park and allowed on certain attractions in the park (check guide for list).

For Sensory Guide information please click here.

Pass you will need: Hero Pass (Assisted Access Pass)

  • About the pass

LEGOLAND’s HERO Pass will allow the disabled guest and 5 others in the party a return time for every ride in order to alleviate the need for queuing.

This pass allows the guest assigned the pass immediate boarding through the exit along with one helper; however the rest of the group is required to receive a reservation. Once a reservation time is set for an attraction, both the guest assigned the pass and the rest of the group may return together at the reserved time.

The Assisted Access Pass is assigned at the discretion of LEGOLAND Florida Resort staff and may be revoked at any time if terms are violated.

  • How to get the pass

To get your HERO pass, you will need to stop into Guest Services once you have entered the parks, which is located in The Beginning. To save time waiting, buy your LEGOLAND Florida tickets in advance.

Further information

Kennedy Space Center

Accessibility at Kennedy Space Center

Accessibility at this attraction is excellent. All tour buses are equipped with wheelchair and scooter lifts and service animals are welcome throughout the park. All theatres are accessible via a ground-floor entrance, and there are also wheelchair lifts for the upper floors. The Shuttle Launch Experience is also accessible to wheelchair users, and has additional accommodations for those who are hearing impaired.

Accessible parking is located near the entrance of the visitor complex. A valid parking permit is required, and a temporary disabled parking permit is available at any ticket window.

Service animals are permitted in all exhibits, presentations and on the bus tour. They are not permitted in the Shuttle Launch Experience® and Spaceport KSC®, nor the virtual reality experiences such as HYPERDECK and New Shepard Flight to Space.

American sign language interpreters are available with at least 2 weeks’ notice. Contact the Guest Service Manager below for more information.

When arriving, please visit the Information Center for auditory and visual assistance.

For more information and guides, please click here.

Further Information

Gatorland

Accessibility at Gatorland

Accessibility at the park is good. All show areas have viewing stations that are reserved for wheelchair users and the Gatorland Express Train Ride has wheelchair access on the train cars. Whilst there are areas of the park that are not accessible to wheelchairs, such as the sand pits, the park staff do make every effort to accommodate those with additional needs. During animal experiences, staff will bring animals closer to those in wheelchairs so that they can experience the same up-close encounter those in the sand pit have.

In 2016, Gatorland also introduced the Gator Gauntlet Zip Line, an accessible attraction that is inclusive to guests that have mobility difficulties or other disabilities that require them to use a wheelchair or scooter.

Further information