3d / 4d shows in wheelchair

[baronjudd]

Hi there,

Sorry if this question has been asked already(but couldn't find this exact info anywhere!)

OK, I'm from the UK and my wife and I bringing our parents over for what will likely be the only transatlantic holiday they will get to go on. My mum has Multiple Sclerosis and is all but wheelchair bound. She can go a few shaky steps hanging on to things/my dad, but other than that - she must remain in the wheelchair.

My wife and I have been to Disney World once but would like some specific info about the 3d/4d shows. I want my mum to be able to experience them completely and I want to know if she will miss out on much sitting in the wheelchair. I remember the shows having water and scuttling things round your feet and what have you. Would she miis out on them?

Secondly, would she be able to take her wheelchair to the edge of a row so that she can transfer to a normal seat and leave her wheelchair close by or something?

I gues I'm looking for the specifics of all the 3d shows including the ones at Universal/Busch etc as well.

Thanks in advance
Mark.

 

[ktglads]

You are able to transfer from a wheelchair to a normal seat in most if not all theaters. Most of the times when you transfer, your wc will be right next to you, but if there are a lot of people, they may move it to an edge. You can just wait after the show and bring it back to her without making your mom walk too far. There are really just a handful that are needed. They are:

AK - Bug's Life - should transfer
MGM - Muppet Vision - not needed
MK - Philharmagic - not needed
Epcot - Honey I Shrunk the Audience - you would miss the mice without tranferring, but that is the only thing that is done that you would miss by not being in a normal seat

Universal -
Shrek - seats move - if you want that effect, you should move
Terminator 3D - the seats move once at the end - not really necessary to go through the hassle of transferring for a second
Jimmy Neutron - should transfer

Now Shrek and Jimmy Neutron are a more active type of ride. Not sure how your mom is about motion sickness, but she may want to keep the stationary seats for these rides or stay in her chair - this way she gets to see the movie without any problems

 

[Sue & Co.]

Hi,

I have done most of these shows both remaining in the wheelchair and transferring and you definitely get a better experience if you are able to transfer. If you enter the theatre in your chair you are able to park right next to the seat you are going to transfer to so if she can take one or two steps with you or your dad to hold on to that will be fine. The wheelchair will remain parked right by you so at the end it is handy to switch back.


Sue

 

[baronjudd]

Thankyou very much for your insights. I think my mum will be fine transferring to seats, it was just that from my previous experience, there is always the pressure to move down the end away from the entrance when you fill up the theatres. I was concerned that she would not be allowed to just sit on the end next to her wheelchair.

I'm happier to think that she will be able to fully enjoy her visit

Thanks again!
Mark

 

[BCV23]

Mark, I have never been to Universal but at the WDW shows, there are special rows for wheelchair users. They stretch the width of the theaters and there are gaps for the wheelchairs. Your mother will be able to park in one of those gaps and then transfer to a seat next to her chair.

I don't think she would be allowed to park at the end of a "regular" row and transfer. But the setup is really better than that anyway.

I hope this was clear enough?

Have a wonderful trip with your parents.

 

[pugdog]

At the T3 attraction the wheelchair areas actually have a floor section that moves. It really surprised my DW when it happend. So that is one that you don't really need to transfer either.

 

[SueM in MN]

agreeing with the others.
For the WDW shows, they do have spaces designated for wheelchairs, so you won't have to worry about the "Move down" scenario.
If there are a lot of wheelchair users waiting for a show, let the CM know that she wants to transfer to a seat. That way, when they are counting seats, they will know she needs one.

For Bug's Life, the seats are a hard plastic (just in case she would have trouble sitting on that for 15 minutes). I don't want to ruin any surprises, but there are some little "bumps" you get from the seats that she would miss staying in the wheelchair.

I agree with ktglads that for Muppet 3D and Mickey's Philharmagic, there are no effects that come out of the seats. If she's sitting in her wheelchair in one of the wheelchair spots, she will have the same experience as sitting in a seat.
Another sort of similar show (although it's not a 3D movie) is the Legend of the Little Mermaid. That one has some special effects that are experienced the same whether in a wheelchair or not.
For Honey I Shrunk the Audience, I personally don't like the mice. You might also get a snake (which I don't like either). The last time we were in that show, I don't know if my DD who stayed in her wheelchair actually felt those effects of not, but she screamed when everyone else did and pointed down at her feet. So, it's possible that they have some mechanism for the "floor" effects for the wheelchair spots in that show.
Does anyone know for sure?

 

[baronjudd]

Thank again guys.
Just one other quick query. Will we (the three others of us) be able to sit next to my mother or do we have to sit behind. I'm guessing that if there are regular rows with slots for wheelchairs, we'll be OK?

Mark.

 

[SueM in MN]

This is for theaters in general (inlcuding the 3D ones).
It depends on the theater and on how many guests with wheelchairs are viewing that particular showing. In most cases, the wheelchair row is the back row, so you would be sitting beside or in front.
There would be space for at least one person to sit with her. Some of the theaters are arranged one wheelchair spot, then 2 seats; one wheelchair spot, then two seats. Some have only a few wheelchair spots scattered in the back row, with more seats.
One movie (Circle of Life in Epcot) doesn't have any seats, just a row at the back to park wheelchairs/ecvs (at least they didn't the last time we went).

 

[ktglads]

You will most likely be sitting in the wheelchair row, which is the last row of the theater (sometimes the first row, depending on the show). The only reason you would possibly have to sit in front of her (or split your party) is if there is an excessive amount of wheelchair parties that fill all the seats. I have seen this happen at Philharmagic, but that was because each wc party had about 6 people in it. They had some of the party sit in the row ahead of their family and some sit with the person in the wc.