Hiya
we are travelling to orlando with our 4 kids, 2 off whom are registered disabled. They are mentally disabled not physically - one has aspergers syndrome and the other has ADHD. We have purchased passes for universal, busch gardens etc, does anyone know if there is any kind of scheme in operation that would save me standing in long queues with my kids? they really dont do "waiting" well at all, especially the ADHD one.............
Thanks!

Hi elfie!

I have moved your post to the America forum where it may get a better response.

I believe most of the parks now have a "fast pass" system where you collect a pass to return at an allocated time when you should be able to walk straight onto the ride.

Hopefully some of our members can confirm this.

luci

the universal parks charge for the "fastpass" tickets, but even at mid season queues shouldn't be much more than half an hour

All disney parks have free allocation fastpass tickets so you can return in about an hour and only queue about 10 or 20 minutes

Busch gardens only option is the guided tours - which cost about 60-100 pounds each....

Elfie-We have just returned from 3 weeks in Florida and before we went i asked a similar question as my son has special needs (Autism ,Epilepsy,Communication problems).To answer your question we were advised at our hotel reception to ask for a Guest Assisstance card for the parks-Disneys lasted the whole of our holiday and it was stamped that we were allowed to use any available entrance to the ride ,we generally asked at each ride which would be the best entrance to use and were nearly always told to go straight to the fastpass queue.We only used the card when the queues were longer than 15-20 minutes as my son can manage about this amount of time.Universal run a similar scheme but the pass only lasts 1 day so you have to go to Guest Services each time you visit for a new card.Busch gardens give you a piece of paper to show ride attendants and the ride attendants in turn give you a time to come back to the ride-this didnot work for us as we couldnot always persuade my son that we needed to be back somewhere at a certain time.Generally we had no problems anywhere using any of the cards and the cast members/staff at all parks were fantastic.Alot of the staff did tell us though that some people who are given the cards abused the system and were rude to staff members if they could not immediately get onto a ride.We were just so grateful to have the option to wait in a shorter,more manageable queue i would not of dreamed of moaning about a short wait.If you need any more help please feel free to P.M me and i will try to give you the info you need.

Likewise to Shazza....have a 19 year old with Aspergers. Follow Shazzas instructions and your life will be a little less stressful. The only people we encounterd as being rude were the able bodied guests who thought we were trying it on. I know...you have been here , done it and got the T shirt too The kids look normal so we must be pulling a fast one. Just back from a 2 week cruise with my son. Nightmare!!!!

Just thought I would let everyone know. At all the parks, we went to the Guest Services and explained that our son is autistic and we asked, and were given, a Fast Pass to the rides so he wouldn't have to queue, he is not good in queues. We were asked how many were in the party (only our son and his carer were riding) and the carer produced the pass at each ride. They had to wait with other fast pass users of course, but we found there were hardly any queues anyway, first two weeks in September.

Apparently this applies to anyone with special needs.

So pleased I came back to this thread.

I've already been 5 times to Universal this trip and didn't realise that you could go to guest services for extra help. I thought seeing me in my chair might have been pretty obvious.

Now my mum has joined us we could certainly do with extra help. She's nearly 80 and finds standing very exhausting.

When we go later this week -will certainly check it out.

Thanks for your help-and fingers crossed. It's still a very long way for her to walk from the disabled parking lot-wish this was a bit easier for her.

By the time she ghets into the park-she's ready to go home!

Hi,

I have been to florida on several occassions and loved it. We are going again this year but unfortunately my mobility has really deteriorated due to a health condition. I have difficulty walking any distance and standing for any length of time. I have found out information on disabled access/wheelchair hire and guest assistance cards for the disney parks but I do not seem to be able to find out much about universal/islands of adventure, sea world parks. We are going for 3 weeks and we only intend to visit disney twice in that time, preferring the universal parks, so can anyone give me advice or give me a e-mail address that would enable me to contact universal and make enquiries.

thanks

keanda

Go to http://www.universalorlando.com and under Hours and Info click on Guest Services then on ADA information. Not sure if they answer emails but postal address and phone # is displayed.

Do you have to pay for parking at the theme parks if you have a blue badge? I go next sunday and should get my new badge this week.

There is no charge for parking at the theme parks. They are all very acccommodating to anyone with special needs. If you have problems with mobility they have the motorized scooters you can use,free. Have a great time.

I don't think the motorized scooters are free! They charge quite a lot to rent them at WDW.

Sorry, I gave the wrong info there- I just looked it up and it is now $45 per day- I guess times are a changing.....

Alot of people don't know this but you have to have a RED visitors disabled permit from Osceola County offices, it is $15. It is no good contacting Universal or Disney as they will say yes you can use your UK badge... this USED to be the case but NOT anymore. Disney and Universal both have local sheriffs that DO patrol their parking lots and yes you can be fined $250 for not having the right permit. Please DO NOT use your UK badge you can be fined anywhere in the county for not having the red permit which you hang from your rear view window in full sight of everyone who needs to see it. (and you don't need to put your hazard lights on, the staff can see your red permit clearly in the window) Simon Veness has a Disney website and he has had regular contact from the permit office situated on on the 192. It is a very simple process getting a permit. You have to take a photocopy of your passport and BOTH sides of your UK disabled badge and your fee down to the office when you arrive. I got mine via the post but they do NOT like you sending dollars through the post, they like a money order from the bank... but only do this as it is expensive, some banks charge £20 for one if you cannot get to their office. I was norty and sent dollars through the post as it was cheaper to do it this way. I got it through the post but sending cash gives them a bad headache.
You DO need a Florida Osceola County RED parking permit for the disabled spots EVERYWHERE including the theme parks. They do drive by and check... the guys at the park kiosks don't have the right information if they say yep use your UK blue badge... remember it is NOT them that pays the fine it is YOU.