Visual Impairment

[lilyging]

I am visiting Disney World in May with friends who are blind. I want to know what attractions would be the best for us to visit so they can have the most enjoyment. There are 4 Adults in our party 3 in wheelchairs and one with a sevice dog. My husband and I have been to Disney and we want our friends to enjoy. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[SueM in MN]

Welcome to disABILITIES.
First of all, you can go to the official disney website and look at their disability information pages. The page about visual disabilities does mention things like Braille maps and guidebooks. To get more specific information about attractions, click on the link for each park to get the Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities for each park. You can get a hard copy of them from Guest Services in any of the parks.
There are some attractions that the service dog will not be able to go into, so someone in your party will need to be responsible for the dog if the dog's owner chooses to go in those. (that information is listed in the Guidebooks). It also lists information regarding which attractions can be experienced withoput leaving the wheelchair/ecv.
Since you and your DH have already been to WDW, you know that many of the attractions have excellent music, which your friends enjoy. Some of the attractions with really good music. For some, your wheelchair users will have to be in the back because that's where the wheelchair seating is. But, if your other guests have some vision, they might be better off in the front. So, you may be better off breaking into 2 groups for some attractions. Here are some suggestions:
at MK:

• Mickey's Philharmagic (wheelchair seating in back)
• Country Bear Jamboree (the wheelchair seating is in the front)
• Jungle Cruise (amusing skippers, even if you can't see)
• Enchanter Tiki Room (everyone is seated in the midst of the action)

at Epcot

• Impressions de France (wheelchair users sit in back. The music is great)
• The different performers at Epcot WS (Off Kilter in Canada, English Invasion (I think that's the name) in the UK)
• Illuminations (the music is beautiful even if they can't enjoy the fireworks)

at the Studio

• Beauty and the Beast (there are wheelchair spots front and back)
• Fantasmic (there are a few wheelchair spots in the front row, but they are hard to get. The music is great)
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid (wheelchairs in back. Great music)
• Muppet Vision 3D (wheelchairs in back. Funny show)
• Sounds Dangerous (attraction takes place mostly in the dark, so your blind guests will be in the same situation as those of you who can see).

at AK

• Maharajah Jungle Trek and Papagani Exploration Trail have a lot of things to see, but they also have stations where you can touch things like animal bones.
• Festival of the Lion King (wheelchair users sit in front. Great music)
• Tarzan Rocks (good if you like rock music, but loud. There are a few wheelchair spots in the front rows).
• It's Tough to be a Bug (wheelchair seating is in the back) There are things to smell in this attraction and some things that involve sensations coming from the seats.

Besides those attractions, a lot depends on your group. Do they like thrill rides? Do they enjoy non-thrill rides with sensations like spinning, or not. Can the guests in wheelchairs transfer out?