disney cruise handicap room

Wheelchair and Special Needs Accessibility on a Disney Cruise

I had heard that a Disney Cruise was something special, and after experiencing one for myself I understood what they meant. I’ve been on several cruises, but Disney just knows how to do things right. The ship was beautiful, and there as many things for parents as there were for kids . And the spa …I still dream about that experience.

If you are considering a Disney Cruise with a family member with disabilities, special needs or needing a wheelchair , start by calling the Disney Cruise Line Special Reservations Line (407) 566-3500 for help booking your trip. The representative can answer all of your special needs and accessibility questions, I found them to be really knowledgeable and helpful with everything from specific questions about how a Disney cruise can work for my special needs child to helping book an ADA room.

Tip: Ask specific questions. Determine the things that your family really needs for room accessibility, comfort, meds, program participation, etc. When you call in provide a brief overview of your child’s special needs as a starting point, but then ask specific questions based on this list of what your family requires. I have found that when I get too deep in the conversation of my daughter’s abilities, I don’t get as helpful answers (this is not Disney-specific, but applies to any destination). The booking agent in this case knows Disney, and really can’t truly understand my life, but if I have a list of things that make a trip work for my family and ask questions about those items I get more useful information.

ADA staterooms There are 37 ADA staterooms on the Disney Fantasy. A friend of mine who uses a scooter wrote a great article about accessibility on the Disney Fantasy, check it out here .

ADA staterooms feature:

32″ (minimum) doorways
Ramped bathroom thresholds
Open bed frames
Bathroom and shower handrails
Fold-down shower seats
Hand-held shower heads
Lowered towel and closet bars
Emergency call buttons

Special Equipment Available Upon Request

Portable toilet
Raised toilet seat
Shower stool
Transfer bench
Refrigerator
Stateroom Communication Kits containing door knock and phone alerts, phone amplifier, bed shaker notification, a strobe light smoke detector and a Text Typewriter (TTY). Arrange to receive this kit at time of booking, or with Guest Services onboard.

Service Animals Service animals are allowed on a Disney cruise, again, contact the Disney Cruise Line Special Reservations Line (407) 566-3500 when making reservations to let them know and Disney will make the arrangements to accommodate your furry companion.

Pool Lifts According to Carol Carbrey, Disney Cruise Line’s Special Services Manager there is a pool lift on the Disney Dream and, at time of interview late March 2012, one coming soon to the Disney Fantasy. This is a question to ask specifically when you make your reservations with Disney Cruise Line Special Reservations.

Hearing Disabilities

Assistive listening systems at theaters/performances
Guest Assistance Packets containing show scripts, available at the Guest Services Desk
Stateroom Communication Kits containing a base unit with alarm clock, bed shaker notification, door bell and phone alerts, phone amplifier, smoke detector with a strobe light and a TTY. Arrange to receive this kit at time of booking, or with Guest Services onboard.
Open captioning on a Guest’s stateroom TV may be activated for the duration of the cruise by contacting Disney Cruise Line Special Services prior to sailing or contacting Guest Services once onboard the ship. In addition, common area video monitors may also be available with captions. However, Guests should be aware that due to satellite limitations, not all video sources or television signals are available with a caption playback option.

Restaurants and Room Service All the restaurants are accessible and will make accommodations for special diets, the food is high quality and there is a good variety (my fav was Animator’s Palette because of the fun entertainment). If it’s easier for your family to eat in a more casual environment, Cabanas is a huge buffet on deck 11 with indoor and outdoor dining. Another great option is room service. When we travel, we spend more time in our rooms than most families just because my special needs kid ends up sleeping on her own schedule or she needs some peace and quiet, knowing that you can order room service off a great menu almost any time of day or night for no additional charge makes things a lot more relaxing. Open the door and step on on your veranda (if you have a stateroom with veranda) and enjoy! There is no additional charge for room service, with the exception of certain snacks, wines anddrinks. From 7-10am complimentary continental breakfast will be delivered to your room upon request. Don’t forget to tip the crew member binging you your meal!

Onboard Entertainment The theaters on the Disney Fantasy are wheelchair accessible. When you call the Disney Cruise Line Special Reservations Line ask questions specific to your child’s accessibility requirements; special seating for hearing and vision disabilities, etc.

Castaway Cay There are wide, paved pathways to every destination on the island, and a tram connecting main areas that is wheelchair and scooter accessible. Free beach wheelchairs and strollers are available, I saw one person’s scooter being charged at a bar, so no worries about low batteries. Find out more about Castaway Cay .

Booking Advice Disney advises that you book your trip 3-4 months in advance for best availability, especially if you need an ADA room or any special services set up in advance. That’s a rule of thumb, of course, if you want to book a trip sooner, still give them a call and see what’s available. Check back at least two weeks prior to sail date to confirm that the accommodations you have requested are in place.

Disclaimer – Disney hosted me on the Disney Fantasy Inaugural Preview Cruise, but the opinions and experiences are my own.

Do Disney Cruise Youth Clubs Work for a Special Needs Child?

My son is in a motorized wheelchair and needs it all the time can this come a board the ship

Yes, he can board with a motorized wheelchair, I saw several onboard. Contact Disney customer service for details.

Any suggestions for a young woman in an a manual wheelchaur fir fun activities on the ship?

Sorry for the delayed reply! There are midship detective agency games – fun even for adults, there are great shows every night (this is Disney, after all), fantastic food, and the pool. How old is your daughter? There are lots of different activities for different ages. Have fun!!

My son is legally blind. Can I request a special room with enhancements in the bathroom to assist him in showering. I can’t afford to book one of the large suites to accommodate his need for a larger space. Would he qualify for an ADA room? I was planning on a verandah room in class 5e. Any advice would help. Thanks!!

Hi Erica! Call Disney Cruise Line Special Reservations Line (407) 566-3500 – they can answer all of your questions and make sure that you are in the right room for your son. Make sure that you explain what you son needs – a shower/toilet area with handrails, etc and they’ll help you out. Remember there are only a limited number of ADA rooms, so get those arrangements made as soon as possible. Have a blast – Disney cruises are the BEST!

i need a scooter in order to get around. psoriatic arthritis. can i have a scooter on the disney cruise and how do i go about getting one?

I am a single mom of a special needs daughter.She is 21 but iis development delay.I would like for her to have a good time. I’m a So diabetic and we would need a handicap room.Any suggestions to what we need to do to make me!pries happen

Definitely call the Disney Cruise Line Special Reservations Line (407) 566-3500. They will walk you through the process and make sure that you and your daughter are accommodated as much as possible. Have a list of questions and an idea of what you really need for you both to enjoy the trip, I found the specialists to be very knowledgeable. They will make sure that your server knows about your dietary needs and that you get an ADA room. If you can, spend some time at the spa, even just a day pass where you can use the saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs and sensory showers was so relaxing for me. Let me know if you go – I’d love to hear all about it!

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Handicap Accessible Stateroom Question

Thread starter RinkyTinkyTinky
Start date Mar 28, 2012

RinkyTinkyTinky

Dis veteran.

Mar 28, 2012

Hello everyone! I have a question about booking an accessible stateroom on Disney Cruise Line . We went on a cruise last fall on the Dream and had a wonderful time, however, I was really calustrophobic in our tiny inside stateroom. I'd love to go back on the Dream this year, but we HAVE to book a larger room with a balcony. I've done some research and the accessible staterooms are so much roomier than the others, and I would love to stay in one. I know you are not allowed to book that room category unless you have a handicapped person in your party (which we do not), but I have seen many reports of nonhandicapped people staying in those rooms. Can someone tell me how this works? Can you get on a waiting list for an accessible room should they not all get booked? Thanks for any help you can offer! Edited to clarify: I am not being cheap. I already have a balcony room reserved. I do not want to take a room away from a handicapped person. I only want the HA room IF no one else needs it.

DisneyOHFan

Livin' for disney.

We upgraded at the port for our Dream cruise in Jan 2012 and stayed in 8588. It felt huge.

For our fall 2009 cruise, my friend was required to submit documentation that she required the HA cabin (doctor's certification). She was told that it would be kept on file and she would not need to resubmit it for any future cruises. As another poster stated, we (DD and I) were once upgraded to an HA cabin. If they are not booked by people who have a mobility issue, at a certain point they are released to the general population. Yes, they are much larger, but there are other features that make them less lovely for those who don't need them.

DisneyOHFan said: We upgraded at the port for our Dream cruise in Jan 2012 and stayed in 8588. It felt huge. Click to expand...

kcashner said: For our fall 2009 cruise, my friend was required to submit documentation that she required the HA cabin (doctor's certification). She was told that it would be kept on file and she would not need to resubmit it for any future cruises. As another poster stated, we (DD and I) were once upgraded to an HA cabin. If they are not booked by people who have a mobility issue, at a certain point they are released to the general population. Yes, they are much larger, but there are other features that make them less lovely for those who don't need them. Click to expand...

Mouseketeer

have you check out these staterooms....they are not verandah cabins but much larger than the normal oceanview/inside cabins on Dream/Fantasy. Cat 9D's 8504, 8006 7504, 7006 Cat 8A's 5018, 5518 5020, 5520 5022, 5522 You can see the difference in size on these deck plans http://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/Main/decks.php?ship=Disney+Fantasy MJ

goofieslonglostsis

RinkyTinkyTinky said: Do you know exactly what Disney requires as documentation for a HA room? My mom may be going with us and she is not in a wheelchair, but does have health issues that give her a handicap parking tag for her car. I've always assumed that someone in your party must be using a wheelchair to book a HA room, but I don't know. I don't want to book it if I'm not supposed to. Click to expand...

mmouse37 said: have you check out these staterooms....they are not verandah cabins but much larger than the normal oceanview/inside cabins on Dream/Fantasy. Cat 9D's 8504, 8006 7504, 7006 Cat 8A's 5018, 5518 5020, 5520 5022, 5522 You can see the difference in size on these deck plans http://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/Main/decks.php?ship=Disney+Fantasy MJ Click to expand...

You don't HAVE to be in a wheelchair to need an HA cabin. There can be other issues requiring the grab bars, step in shower rather than tub, etc. The spaces are designed to allow most sorts of mobility assist devices--wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, etc. In addition, there are people who may need a chair on the ship due to the huge distances, but may not need any other assists--they can possibly be FINE in a regular cabin, using a chair or scooter to navigate the public areas. I've read (but cannot confirm) the documentation changes since 2009. My friend needed a doc note specifying why she needed the cabin. She has had mobility issues since childhood--can get around slowly with braces and crutches, but can't get anywhere without either the chair or the braces. She cannot lift her legs over a threshold to step into a tub, shower without a shower chair, or get off a toilet without a grab bar. Translation--no HA cabin/hotel room = no trip. There are many people on the ship who may use HA parking stickers (can't walk the distance to the store) who don't use the HA rooms on the ship as they don't need those facilities. If you can navigate your home without any special devices, you probably don't NEED the HA cabin. In that case, perhaps you should leave it for someone who can't cruise without it. People who require the HA facilities are sometimes not able to cruise or have to change their dates in order to meet their mobility needs. What you CAN do is to have a note attached to your reservation that you would like to move to an HA cabin IF it is not needed by someone with mobility issues. As above, you should be aware of the limitations of these cabins. The one I shared with my friend had no drawer in the desk (to allow the chair to fit under the desk). The items that are normally in the drawer are placed on the top, taking space that you could otherwise use for your stuff. The cabin that we were upgraded to had only the large bed--no drop down, no couch at all! The did offer to bring in a roll away bed because DD and I don't choose to sleep together. There also was no coffee table. All HA rooms have only the single bath (rather than the split bath), and a shower only (no tub). The bathroom facilities are modified to allow for the grab bars, etc. The balcony in the room I shared with my friend was constantly "flooded" with a couple of inches of water. There was a tiny wheelchair ramp and surrounding area that was dry, but most of the big balcony could not be walked on as there was run off from hosing down the higher decks--YUK. Bottom line--leave the room for those who require them, but if you wish and are willing to accept their limitation, put an note saying "I'd like one if it is not needed by a mobility impaired guest.

RinkyTinkyTinky said: Do you know exactly what Disney requires as documentation for a HA room? My mom may be going with us and she is not in a wheelchair, but does have health issues that give her a handicap parking tag for her car. I've always assumed that someone in your party must be using a wheelchair to book a HA room, but I don't know. I don't want to book it if I'm not supposed to.[/ QUOTE] goofieslonglostsis said: Let's just be to the point and honest; you know you are not supposed to book an accessible room. You have already posted so yourself and read the info DCL provides stating so. Please keep in mind there are very few accessible staterooms on any cruiseship. For many people the only option to cruise is when booking an accessible stateroom. Not available equals not going. These rooms are meant for those folks for instance using a wheelchair that simply can not enter a normal stateroom (doors are too cramped), let alone get into the bathroom. Those who can walk enough to not need a mobility aid in their room often book a regular room, having their aid stored either collapsed in the room or outside in a safe non blocking area. Most cruiselines, incl. DCL works with this trying to keep the few accessible rooms available to those with needs. Which includes providing all kinds of aids like a transfer bench for those that need to shower sitting down but can navigate a regular stateroom, hearing aids for those with hearing disabilities etc. Unfortunately most cruiselines, DCL included, do not crack down enough on the "I need/ want more space therefor book an accessible stateroom" happening. A huge shame when somebody has no luxery of choice because of needing to use a mobility aid within the stateroom, being too big they can't fit through a regular door or shower, need the space in order to be able to use a lift to be able to go in and out of bed etc. etc. Just having a tag is not a "qualifier" for such a room. A first time booker will be required to fill out a medical form. The form can be downloaded on the DCL website, amongst others. With the questions on their, they are trying to get clear if somebody actually needs the features in an accessible room or not. For instance questions about the type of mobility aid used etc. A physician will have to sign off on the fact that one needs an accessible stateroom and the stated needs and information are correct. While I understand your situation, I think it's not the route to follow and try to book an accessible room without the absolute need for it. The stateroom being too cramped comes with one huge benefit; the ability to book a larger stateroom. Comes with a pricetag, totally understand that. But an option is better than none. If not already done; get some therapy and work on getting it manageble. The more you get to know your triggers, actions etc. the more knowledge you have to counter it. For instance, many will find an inside stateroom is a huge trigger as they have no direct way to look outside of the room. In those cases, an upgrade to a cat. 9 stateroom can make a huge difference. Having done many price outs, at the moment such a cat. is hardly really more expensive than an inside. I've ran into many differences of it being cheaper or perhaps $10,- more for a 9D then a 11C. Too many folks wanting to try those magical portholes. Apart from DCL, I'ld grab the option of therapy with 2 hands if I were you. Cramped spaces are a fact in life that can't always be avoided. Finding ways to deal with the anxiety can have a huge positive benefit on quality of life. We all know cruising is the cherry on the cake, but a daily cake without cherry that tastes a lot better is great also. If accessible rooms end up not all being needed for their features, they will be assigned to the general public. Won't happen until pretty last minute. Being upgraded is one of those factors that can result in this, having a GTY reservation also. So; that could be an other strategy to follow if you want to have a shot of having such a stateroom assigned if it's not needed. But as you can read from enough experiences; it's not uncommon for said rooms to be held back until even the day of check in. Which comes with another piece of knowledge; be at the port early if you want to see if any accessible stateroom is left available and you could switch to it. As also posted; do your homework! Space isn't everything it's cracked up to be, unless one pays for it in a regular stateroom. Yes the accessible staterooms are larger, but that's because of a must. Resulting in stuff like furniture not being in these type of rooms that can be found in a non-accessible same cat. room. The occupancy number of these rooms tend to differ -again to make room to move around-, resulting in those fewer options that do have space for 4 being booked up first most of the times. Bathroom is "huge" for those viewing it through a not needing it situation. It's so for a reason again and will come with it's own guidebook. Floods for instance, that can or can not be managed. Less storage space is a common thing, for instance making place under the sink for someone to manouver their wheelchair and legs resulting in the storage underneath being removed. Electrical doors being installed that apparently already bug those who don't need the feature as it will take time before it closes -again to leave enough time for somebody needing it to safely go about- and thus waiting around to make sure the door is shut and nobody can get in without a key. Click to expand...

A few years ago DH and I were once 'upgraded' to a handicapped accessible cabin on one of the older HAL ships. The cabin had not been booked before sailing, so it was very much a last minute thing. I hated the bathroom. There was no tub, only a shower with a fold down seat. There was no barrier at all around the shower, the floor drain for the shower was in the middle of the room. If someone wanted a shower, the entire bathroom space was involved; you had to wait until the water drained off the bathroom floor to use the sink or toilet--or else you had to take off your shoes and walk through puddles. I am sure that handicapped cabins are a real boon to those who need them, but for others they can be a real PITA. YMMV.

kcashner said: What you CAN do is to have a note attached to your reservation that you would like to move to an HA cabin IF it is not needed by someone with mobility issues.QUOTE] This is exactly what I wanted to know. Thank you. Click to expand...

kcashner said: You don't HAVE to be in a wheelchair to need an HA cabin. Click to expand...

I've read (but cannot confirm) the documentation changes since 2009. Click to expand...

My friend needed a doc note specifying why she needed the cabin. She has had mobility issues since childhood--can get around slowly with braces and crutches, but can't get anywhere without either the chair or the braces. She cannot lift her legs over a threshold to step into a tub, shower without a shower chair, or get off a toilet without a grab bar. Translation--no HA cabin/hotel room = no trip. Click to expand...

There are many people on the ship who may use HA parking stickers (can't walk the distance to the store) who don't use the HA rooms on the ship as they don't need those facilities. Click to expand...

What you CAN do is to have a note attached to your reservation that you would like to move to an HA cabin IF it is not needed by someone with mobility issues. Click to expand...

As above, you should be aware of the limitations of these cabins. The one I shared with my friend had no drawer in the desk (to allow the chair to fit under the desk). The items that are normally in the drawer are placed on the top, taking space that you could otherwise use for your stuff. The cabin that we were upgraded to had only the large bed--no drop down, no couch at all! The did offer to bring in a roll away bed because DD and I don't choose to sleep together. There also was no coffee table. All HA rooms have only the single bath (rather than the split bath), and a shower only (no tub). Click to expand...

mdvlprof said: I am very understanding about folks with hidden disabilities needing HA rooms. Understand cruise releasing HA rooms after PIF date. But wanting a HA room just because you think regular rooms are too small... . Pay the extra $$ for a balcony room! We have to book a year ahead [or more] to make sure room we want is available. On some lines [not DCL], we've had to get a suite just because of occupancy - we've found with DS it's better to all be in one room. Click to expand...

RinkyTinkyTinky said: ] As for the therapy... I don't think we need that. We live out in the country in the wide open spaces and almost never find ourselves in a place so tight that we feel claustrophobic. My DH has never even had issues with that before but even he said that he couldn't stand being in that tiny cabin with 3 people and all our luggage. There wasn't even room to move around. You had to just find a spot and stay there. So I think us feeling smothered in there was a pretty normal reaction. . Click to expand...

sambycat said: You will enjoy the verandah! Click to expand...

RinkyTinkyTinky said: And according to what you have said, my mother would qualify for a HA room based on the fast that I am pretty sure she would not be able to fit through the bathroom door of the room we had on our last cruise. Click to expand...

I feel certain that she could easily get a note from her doctor stating that she needed a larger room, but I would still feel unsure about booking a HA room for that reason b/c I have always assumed they were only for people in wheelchairs. And again, as I have quoted above, I do NOT want to book any room category that I shouldn't. Click to expand...

As for the therapy... I don't think we need that. We live out in the country in the wide open spaces and almost never find ourselves in a place so tight that we feel claustrophobic. My DH has never even had issues with that before but even he said that he couldn't stand being in that tiny cabin with 3 people and all our luggage. Click to expand...

There wasn't even room to move around. You had to just find a spot and stay there. So I think us feeling smothered in there was a pretty normal reaction. Click to expand...

RinkyTinkyTinky said: I sure hope so. We really enjoyed our cruise but we never wanted to go back to our room except to sleep because it was just so cramped. Hopefully if we feel too piled on top of each other we can just step outside on the balcony for a while. Click to expand...

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Disney Cruise Line

Handicapped Rooms

By PegIra , February 4, 2008 in Disney Cruise Line

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I am so excited, we just booked a Disney Magic Cruise for May 2009 to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. We have been on 4 other Disney Cruises (last one in 2004) but this is the first time we have a handicapped accessible room. Does anyone have any pictures of these rooms (ours is 6644)? If so I would love to see them. Also, if you have used a handicapped room, did you take any excursions that would be good for someone who can't walk long distances. My husband will have his scooter with him, but I doubt we can use it to be transported to any excursion as it is pretty large. We are doing the Western Cruise. Thanks in advance for any help, Peg

I was looking at the deck plans for the Magic and room 6644 is not labeled as handicap accessible. However, room 6654 is. Here are some pics of that room. http://www.disneycruiser.info/handicap.htm

Good luck. :D

You are right, I put the wrong room number down, our handicapped room is

6654. Thanks for picking up on that.

I wonder if anyone has ever stayed in this room to say how it is and how you liked it.

Thanks for any and all responses and thanks for the pictures.

My mom and I stayed in 6654 on the Wonder 2 weeks ago, and the cabin is beautiful. It's the size of a hotel room rather than a cruise ship cabin, and I think the balcony must've been 40 feet long! The bathroom has both a roll-in shower plus the tub/shower combo.

I do have a complaint about the location of the cabin. Most cruise ship deck plans I've seen on other cruise lines have handicap-accessible cabins close to an elevator, but DCL has 14 of their 16 HA cabins at the very back of the ship. (There are 2 cat. 8 cabins at the very front of the ship.) It's still a long hallway to navigate for someone in a wheelchair or scooter. At least once a day my mom had to navigate around the housekeeping carts that were in the hallways. It was also quite a feat to get an empty elevator, and it definitely required a helper to find the empty elevator and hold the door open!

Thanks for letting me know about the room, it sounds great. He will have his scooter with him, but it does look like the elevators are farther away that I would have hoped. Oh well, can't complain. I will take lots of pictures of the room for future postings.

Thanks again,

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Disney World with a Wheelchair? Here's How DVC Made Our Trip Easier and More Fun

M y family recently returned from our first family trip to Walt Disney World since the start of the pandemic. Immediately after our last trip, in January 2020, my wife Dana experienced a severe MS flare that diminished her mobility so she now uses a wheelchair outside of the house. Four years later, we headed back to the House of Mouse and discovered an even more accessible way to visit using Disney Vacation Club.

Disney Vacation Club Basics

For those not familiar, Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is Disney’s version of a timeshare. Unlike a traditional timeshare where you’re locked into a fixed week at a certain time of year, Disney utilizes a flexible, points-based system that can be used at over a dozen different Disney properties in Florida, California, South Carolina, and Hawaii at any time.

DVC: Everything You Need to Know About Disney Vacation Club

During our Disney World trip, we booked an accessible room in the sophisticated Riviera Resort—inspired by Mediterranean beach retreats along the French and Italian Riviera. Disney’s Riviera Resort is a dedicated DVC property conveniently located between Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme parks. We could easily watch the colors changing on Epcot’s Spaceship Earth from our room at night, and hop on the Skyliner gondola for quick and convenient access to two theme parks. Plus, my wife could roll right onto the cable car in her wheelchair.

DVC Villas Aren’t Traditional Hotel Rooms

Disney calls its DVC rooms a “home away from home” because they feature amenities not found in a traditional double queen hotel room, such as a fully equipped kitchen (with full-size refrigerator, stove, microwave, and dishwasher), dining nook, and stacked washer and dryer. Our one-bedroom wheelchair-accessible villa had plenty of space for the whole family of four: myself, my wife, and young adult daughters (ages 26 and 23).

Accessibility features included wide doorways and a large bathroom (with room to maneuver the wheelchair) with grab bars next to the toilet. This particular room had a tub with additional grab bars and a hand-held shower head. Our daughter called housekeeping, and they quickly delivered a transfer bench for the tub. Accessible rooms with roll-in showers are also available.

MEET YOUR MATCH: 12 Best Disney World Hotels for Every Age and Interest

Dana said the space worked really well for her especially after rearranging some of the side chairs and tables, “I had plenty of space for my wheelchair and walker.” This was the first advantage of DVC for our accessible Disney trip, the larger room with ~820 sq feet and over twice the square footage of a standard Disney Deluxe Resort hotel room.

Because of the large size, the DVC villa was easily navigable in a wheelchair. The king-size bed in the bedroom was close to the bathroom that included a roll-under sink, and the clever queen-size Murphy bed and pull-down bunk in the living room provided bunks for our daughters to sleep. Four adults in our family were quite comfortable sharing this one-bedroom DVC villa.

CRUISE VACATIONS : Disney’s Newest Cruise Ship Makes Cruising Even More Accessible

Unfortunately, my wife had one bit of trouble with the accessible room: the bed height. The king bed was lowered for accessibility purposes. While this may help some, for her disability, a lower bed is much more difficult to get out of. We mentioned this to the front desk and they looked into changing the bed height, but couldn’t for safety reasons. Instead, they offered us a deluxe studio room with a standard-height bed for my wife and me to sleep in, just down the hall from our original accessible one-bedroom villa. We used the one-bedroom villa as our home base, and the studio as the bedroom for my wife and me.

DVC Perks Made the Theme Parks More Accessible

In addition to the larger room size of the DVC villa, there were extra perks for DVC members that made our theme park visit even more accommodating for our family’s accessibility needs. There is a special lounge just for DVC members on the second floor of the Imagination! pavilion in Epcot. The lounge offers free soft drinks and places to recharge your devices while taking a break from the crowds and sun. Gazing out of the glass pyramid are commanding views of The Land pavilion gardens and World Nature beyond.

During our trip, we experienced Moonlight Magic at Epcot—a special after-hours event where the park is open from 10:00 pm to midnight for DVC Members, which means shorter lines for rides and attractions. For us, the best part of Moonlight Magic at Epcot was the certificates for free food throughout the park (each guest received three vouchers).

We redeemed the snack certificates at the Flower and Garden Festival outdoor kitchens and dined on chicken and waffles, Dole whips, peanut butter and jelly soft-serve, and strawberry rhubarb upside-down cakes. The smaller crowds during Moonlight Magic again made it easier to navigate the park in a wheelchair and see the topiary and garden displays. The evening hours were also much cooler for my wife, who’s sensitive to heat due to her MS.

Our family’s favorite experience during the whole trip was also a DVC exclusive benefit. Atop DVC’s Bay Lake Tower is a lounge overlooking the Magic Kingdom theme park. Each evening it turns into “A Villains Lair” with themed cocktails, appetizers, and desserts. We treated this as our dinner and opted for the Wicked Wind Down with a cocktail, appetizer, and dessert for $55 per person plus a special reserved spot to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks.

Our server (with impeccable villainous makeup) took our order and, since it was almost 8:00 pm, said she would hold everything until after the fireworks. We headed to the terrace outside and had a bird’s-eye view of the spectacular complete with background music and narration. Dana’s eyes lit up describing the experience, “it was so great to see the fireworks from up there, it wasn’t crowded at all. I couldn’t see the [Magic Kingdom] castle, but the higher fireworks were some of the best I’ve seen.”

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Following the pyrotechnic show, we returned to our table to find cocktails, charcuterie, pork belly sliders, hummus, and flatbread all waiting for us. Dana said, “the food was awesome.” After drinks and the substantial appetizers, our server delivered two slices of Seven-Lair cake (a seven-layer cake drizzled with salted caramel sauce) on our table with another two packaged to go. This was a smart move as the pieces were immense, and became a special treat we enjoyed in our room on the last night thanks to the full refrigerator and stocked kitchen.

This DVC extra was easily the highlight of the trip—a relaxed way to see the Magic Kingdom fireworks while enjoying food and drinks.

DVC Accessibility Comes at a Price

While the larger DVC villa, member lounges, and Moonlight Magic party all helped our family’s accessibility needs, Disney Vacation Club does come at a price, and the entry cost can be a barrier for some families.

Depending on the number of points you purchase, the size of your family, and the type of resort, the investment can be substantial. For example, I used the cost calculator on the DVC website and created a package based on how my family typically travels including a six-day vacation, our family of four, and flexible travel season.

I picked Disney’s Riviera Resort (where we stayed on this trip) as the home resort, and the calculator recommended a DVC membership of 250 points. The cost equalled $53K that could be financed using a 10-year loan with a 10% down payment for $755 per month. In addition, there’s another $2,215 in annual membership dues as $185 per month. So that’s nearly $950 per month, and we have not even purchased theme park tickets or food for our vacation yet.

Remember, your DVC Membership will last far longer once you pay off your upfront costs—in some cases up to 50 years. So you need to ensure you are ready for decades of Disney vacations when you sign up.

Disney Park Accessibility

During this trip we expected the Disney Parks to be accessible. Disney is famous for accommodating many types of special needs, including people visiting Disney World in a wheelchair. However, in the past four or five years, we’ve also realized that accessibility while traveling is not guaranteed (even when booking accessible rooms and experiences).

We were thrilled to find many of the rides in the parks were fully accessible to those in wheelchairs. My wife could stay in her chair and roll right inside a Little Mermaid clamshell, onto a Jungle Cruise boat, into a Ratatouille ride vehicle, and more. Our DVC one-bedroom villa and special member perks, made the trip even more enjoyable and accessible for our family.

However, even if you cannot pay the premium for DVC, there are ways to replicate some of these perks. There are larger, accessible accommodations just off Walt Disney World property at a lower price point, for example a two-bedroom villa with a roll-in shower two miles away at the Caribe Royale Orlando.

Disney holds After Hours events at the theme parks with limited numbers of tickets, shorter wait times, and free snacks similar to DVC Moonlight Magic. While not a lounge, for those who need to get away from the crowds or heat of the theme park, there are first aid stations with beds and nurses for a quiet respite from the park.

For those who have the means, DVC offers a “home away from home” and plenty of perks that can make your Disney vacation even more accessible for those with special needs.

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Guests with Disabilities – Frequently Asked Questions

Are there wheelchair-accessible staterooms?

Absolutely. Guests can choose from wheelchair-accessible staterooms in a variety of categories.

Accessible stateroom features include:

Minimum 32" doorways
Emergency call buttons
Open bed frames
Ramped bathroom thresholds
Bathroom and shower grab bars
Roll-in showers
Fold-down shower seats
Hand-held shower heads
Refrigerators

If you plan to travel with a wheelchair or mobility aid, please contact Disney Cruise Line Special Services in advance so we can assist you with any necessary arrangements.

Disney Cruise Line Special Services US and Canada Phone: (407) 566-3602

If you are traveling from a country outside the US and Canada, please visit our global phone number listing for contact details. Our reservations team can answer most questions or transfer you to our Special Services for assistance.

Email: [email protected] Disney Cruise Line Special Services P.O. Box 10210 Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-0210

Guests under age 18 must have parent or guardian permission to call.

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