World on Wheels Home Page

It seems that one of the more popular aspects of this site are the amusement parks and how accessible they are.  There's good information here and the parks themselves are becoming more accessible and slowly shedding old views as to how disabled customers are able to enjoy their attractions.  

There's no getting around the fact, though, that most of the rides require you to get out of your chair and transfer into the ride.  Amusement parks also do no want the liability that comes with helping you transfer into a ride, so you must be able to do it yourself or bring someone along that can do it for you.  There are exceptions to every rule, however.

Here is a list of rides that do not require a rider to leave the chair.  There are more, but this is our list of the best rides that can accomodate both the rider and their wheelchair.  Unfortunately, they're not all in the same park, but you get the idea.  (By the way, the amusement park with the most 100% accessible rides and attractions in one place?  Universal Studios.)

 Rides

1.  The Sun Wheel at  Disney's California Adventure is the best and most thrilling of the 100% accessible rides we've been on.  Here's Disney's description of it: 
Modeled after Coney Island's 1927 "Wonder Wheel," Paradise  Pier's Sun Wheel takes Guests on a Ferris wheel-ride high above  Disney's California  Adventure™ park. You can  play it a bit safer by riding one of
 the cool stationary gondolas; or for a real thrill, climb into one of the purple or orange gondolas,  which ride on interior rails so they slide inward and outward with the centrifugal force of the wheel's rotational movement! 
The cool thing here is that half of the swinging gondolas are equipped so that a wheelchair can ride on them.  It's a very scary feeling when those gondolas swing way out to the end of the rail at the rim of the wheel.  Not for the faint of heart, but thrillseekers will appreciate the lengths Disney has gone to for getting them on this ride.

2.  E.T. The Adventure at  Universal Studios is a pretty tame ride but does have its thrilling moments.  Your job is to get E.T. home on your flying bike and fly it does!  It's a highly themed and beautiful ride, although the ending, IMO, is a bit of a let down after the excellent build up as you dodge the authorities with your extra-terrestial bundle in the bike basket.  One ride vehicle is modified to allow a wheelchair on board.

3.  El Rio del Tiempo at Epcot in  Disney World is a river journey through Mexican history.  The vehicles (boats) and the waterway are similar to It's a Small World (also 100% accessible these days) but without the cheesy song that gets stuck in your head for three days.

4.  Studio Tour at  Universal Studios ...is it a ride or is it an attraction?  Well, we'll list it as a ride because you do get in a vehicle and there are thrill elements such as the Encounter with King Kong, Earthquake, the Mummy's Tomb, and more along the way.  Your wheelchair goes in right behind the driver and this 45 minute ride/tour is awfully fun.  It's also just a little bit different each time you ride it.

5.  Ellen's Energy Adventure at Epcot in Disney World is a slow, lumbering ride in huge wheelchair accessible vehicles (that hold about 200 guests each) that takes you back to the time of dinosaurs with your host, Ellen De Generes.  The dinosaurs can be a bit fun, but the rest of the ride...is...in...slow...motion!

Attractions

1.  Terminator 2:3D at Universal Studios is a knockout punch of a show.  Incredible special effects mixed with live action put you right in the thick of a battle between evil cyborgs and those who want to stop them.  Not for small children, very loud, very flashy, and the best time you'll have here.  Awesome show.

2.  Waterworld , again at Universal Studios is a stunt filled pyrotechnic spectacular themed to the dreadful movie of the same name.  This show is a hundred times better, though.  I can't give away the ending which will leave you scratching your head saying, "how'd they do that?"

3.  Indian Jones Epic Sunt Spectacular  at MGM-Disney Studios at Disney World is another very good stunt show performed in a huge semi-outdoor theater.   Indy takes us on an incredible adventure battling yet again those evil Nazis climaxing in the blowing up of the flying wing right on stage!  The only problems with this show is a) accessible seating is way off to the side and b) the final climax is not performed if it is raining...and it rains a lot in Florida!

4. Backdraft at Universal Studios presents an educational journey into the special effects needed to make this Ron Howard directed movie.  It ends up recreating the burning and exploding warehouse scene from the movie right in front of your eyes.

So, to sum up, it looks like Disney has a lot of good rides and attractions, but beware that they are scattered through different parks that require a separate admission charge.  Universal Studios has five rides and attractions on this list that only requires you to pay admission once.   Again, all rides on this list are fun and 100% accessible meaning you won't have to leave your chair to enjoy them.

Of course, there are even more 100% accessible rides and attractions but usually, they're things like trains or monorails that aren't what most park goers want to see.  I'm sure there are also more out there that we haven't seen yet (such as the Spiderman attraction at Islands of Adventure) and cannot evaluate at this time.  And lastly, there's hundreds more rides and attractions you can ride if you have someone with you to do the heavy lifting.

Have fun!