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Affordable Accommodations
Outside Walt Disney World
 It should come as no surprise that hotel accommodations off
Disney property can cost substantially less than rooms at WDW. We've uncovered
a source that guarantees the lowest Special Internet rates for hotel
accommodations outside Walt Disney World. Some are three-star hotels and
cost less than $60 per night!
Several hotels provide a free round-trip shuttle to Disney and other
area attractions. Some provide free meals. All have web sites on
the Internet where you can see photos, check availability,
and make a reservation.
Click
here to check out the rates.
Now includes...
Affordable Disney Vacation Packages!
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We've negotiated an extra 2% discount from
our ticket agent! |
We've arranged for
Maple
Leaf Tickets to provide our members and visitors with discounted
tickets to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, SeaWorld,
Busch Gardens and other Florida attractions. Maple Leaf Tickets is a family
owned business that has been selling discounted tickets in Florida for years.
Save even more! Omar includes a 5th Day FREE when you purchase a Walt
Disney World 4-Day Base or Hopper with 14 day Expiration!
With the extra exclusive 2% discount you can be
sure you're getting the best deals!
"I thought I knew all the tips for saving money at
WDW, even being a member of the Magic Kingdom Club for over 15 years, but
just learning about [your ticket agent] saved our family over $300.00!
Thanks." Janet Handy, Bel Air, MD
"Plenty of roadside outfits in Orlando promise discounted tickets, but most
of them really want to rope you into a time-share sales pitch in exchange
for vouchers - accept at your own risk. [Affordable Disney's ticket agent],
though, is legit." New York Post, November
16, 2004
"Maple Leaf Tickets is among the most established of the discounters,
and operates out of Orlando." New York Post, July 11, 2006
Click the arrow and
scroll to see more comments!
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Visiting Disney with Epilepsy...
For a guide which describes access for the disabled to specific theme park
rides and attractions, pick up a copy of the Walt Disney World Guidebook
for Guests with Disabilities at all wheelchair rental locations. You can
also order the book by mail by writing to:
Walt Disney World Guest Communications
Box 10000
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Jennette writes:
"The first I would do is let the paramedic station closest to you know of
your condition. We always stay at Boardwalk and Beach Club because the Fire
Station is right down the street. We fill out a medical report form that
the paramedics at the fire station give to us. On it we list medical conditions,
current medications and amounts, and anything else we feel is important.
We then put our hotel name, room number and our check out date on the top
right hand corner.
The paramedics look at these reports every time they change shifts, so if
they ever get a call about either of our children, they put it in the handheld
computers, and the paramedic that is on the way can look over their chart.
We had to call the paramedics twice while we were in WDW this past June,
and they were great.
Make sure you know how to get to Celebration Hospital from your hotel. My
husband had to take my son in the car to meet us at the hospital because
we were in the ambulance, and he got lost because he got directions at the
last minute, and he wasn't listening because he was so concerned.
Bring medical papers, and meds with you at all times. We were sometimes out
late at night, and we would miss their scheduled med time. We made an extra
bottle of meds for both of our kids, and we carry them at all times. It's
just an evening dose of meds, but then you don't have to leave to go back
to the hotel, because you forgot them.
The first day that you get to a park, go to guest relations and let them
know that you need a special guest assistance pass (you may have to prove
this, that's where the last blood tests, EEG's reports and meds come in handy),
and they will give you a pass to help you while you are in the parks for
your entire stay. We were able to go in the fastpass lines, and then my epileptic
daughter and I could wait for my husband and son to go on the rides.
Try to think about each individual ride. Rides for younger kids are usually
fine. More intense rides usually have some sort of strobe lighting. Ask your
neurologist if strobe lighting will cause seizures. My daughter has 2 kinds
of Epilepsy, so these can sometimes bother her. The Dinosaur ride, Star Tours,
and Tower of Terror are 3 that I know have strobe lights, but we still go
on them, because we know when it's going to happen and we both cover her
eyes.
If something should happen during a ride most of them have cameras to watch
you. In SpaceShip earth, I was told by a cast member to jump out of the ride
if she seized, and that the alarms would go off and the ride would stop.
They would then come to me, and they can walkie talkie to the paramedics.
Let a cast member know at every ride about the condition. They will tell
you what to do in every situation.
Make sure that you get plenty of rest, and always bring extra food, Gatorade
and stuff to keep her cool. Know her triggers. Try to anticipate that she
will seize, and how you are going to react, and then she probably won't.
My daughter has hundreds of seizures a day, is on lots of meds, and my son
is a severe asthmatic. They both have had brain surgery, and we were in WDW
within 6 weeks of surgery. Just be prepared for any and all situations.
Let your hotel front desk know that you may have to call 911. We always stay
on WDW property, and we have NEVER had a problem with getting paramedics
quickly. All 4 parks have paramedics at the park, so if you need one, call
one. They don't charge you, and they will do a quick neuro exam to determine
if you need to go to the hospital. Also, any WDW hotel can get a DR. to your
room within about 4 hours for a $200.00 charge. You need to pay for this
up front, and can charge it, but not room charge it, and they carry some
prescriptions on them--this can really save a vacation if you're not feeling
well, and don't want to go to the hospital. They will even fill out the paperwork
to help you submit it to your insurance.
I hope that some of this info helps. I can think of some other stuff to help,
but it may be too much for you. If you need it, please e-mail me and I will
be more than happy to help you with any medical questions you may have for
the WDW trip. Have fun, and don't panic. You are not alone!"
Thank you so much, Jennette, for all of your helpful information! I have
received other requests over the years specifically about Epilepsy and never
could find any useful information. God bless you and your family for all
the care you provide for your children.
Beth, our travel agent, looked into the availability of wheelchairs at
the resorts:
"I stopped in at the concierge desk at AKL this evening to ask about the
wheelchair issue. What I was told is that there is no 'official' program
in place for the hotels to have wheelchairs available onsite; however, people
seem to manage to get the park wheelchairs out and then they abandon them
at their hotels when they leave. This gentleman says if they get their hands
on one they hang on to it. They will then allow a hotel guest to use it during
their length of stay, and if it's a standard (manual) chair they usually
don't even get a credit card for deposit. They just do that for the electric
chairs. In other words, they don't have ANY chairs that belong to the hotel,
but they often have chairs from the parks that get left at the hotel and
those are the ones they allow guests to use. Eventually, those chairs end
up back at a park so the hotel can't say in advance if they'll have one on
hand or not. Hope that clarifies!"
Staying on property with elderly parents...
I would follow our advice in the book for young children. Be sure to get
a room near the bus stop, keep cool, leave the parks during the day to rest
and relax, and return in the evening, and take a day off now and then to
skip the parks and shop, swim and relax. Rent a wheelchair or scooter if
necessary. Be sure to follow our Customized Tours of the WDW Theme Parks,
paying particular attention to our comments on the suitability of certain
rides for those with physical limitations.
Standing in long lines for rides or shows...
-
See Guest Services at the park entrances for a Special Pass that will allow
up to 6 in your party to access some of the rides through the back entrance.
-
Disney's FASTPASS allows you to insert your ticket at certain attractions
and receive a time to return when you can enter the attraction with a minimum
wait.
-
Consider E-ticket nights when you can stay in the Magic Kingdom after closing
and visit the most popular attractions without waiting.
Dialysis clinics
I typed into Google.com the search words: "dialysis clinic near lake buena
vista florida" and received:
Clinics
near Disney World Florida.
While I was at it, I typed into Google.com the search words for Disneyland
California: "dialysis clinic near anaheim california" and received:
Clinics
near Disneyland California.
Universal Studios and wheelchairs...
Universal is wheelchair friendly. You'll find their official Rider's Guide
at their
website.
Disability Discounts at Disney
World...
There are no such discounts at WDW. Universal offers a "Manager Disability"
discount to those whose medical condition might prevent them from trying
some of Universal's more aggressive rides. Bring a doctor's note and save
15%. Without the note, save 10%.
Wheelchairs at Disney World and on cruises...
Yes, Disney has wheelchairs for rent in the parks. You can also rent them
and ECV's from outside sources. Those in wheelchairs get the best treatment
at WDW - special seating areas, etc! And up to 6 in your party. See our chapter,
Disney and the Disabled, for all the details.
The Disney cruise ships have a limited number of wheelchairs, but if you
want to take it to ports of call, rent one that you can bring with you.
You do not need anything to rent a wheelchair at WDW. But BE SURE
to arrive early at the park to get one before they're all gone. See our book
for rental sources that will deliver your wheelchair to you.
Beth, our travel agent, adds:
"The Scoop on Wheelchairs and Scooters (ECVs)...
Even people that don't normally use a wheelchair or scooter may want to use
one for their theme park vacation. Let's face it: all that walking is tough
on EVERYONE, and a person who is mobility-challenged to start with may find
that their inability to move around quickly and easily under their own power
makes for a mighty tough trip!
All Disney theme parks rent wheelchairs at the entrance to the park. The
push style comes in regular and wide and costs $7 a day, $1 of which will
come back to you as a Disney dollar when you return the chair. You can NOT
take the chairs from park to park, but if you keep your receipt from the
first rental of the day and then present it at the next park they will not
charge you again. The same holds true for ECVs, and the price is $45 a day
($10 of which is a refundable deposit).
You can't reserve the chairs and ECVs, though, so if you change from one
park to another and they are all gone at the second park then you're out
of luck.
So if you don't want to bring a chair or scooter from home, then your final
option is to rent one from a local agency. I've used several and their daily
rates run about the same as Disney's, but you usually get a price break if
you keep it for a whole week. You have to provide your weight in order to
get the chair or scooter best suited for you, and the company will have it
delivered to your hotel for no charge. It's usually there when you arrive,
but even companies that require you to call on arrival get them there quickly.
Then you just leave it at bell services when you depart and the company will
be by to pick it up. It works really well, and while you don't save much
(if any) money, at least you have a working chair or ECV for your entire
length of stay.
All Disney rooms have doors wide enough to accommodate a normal wheelchair
and many scooters. If you're using something extra-wide, you may have trouble
not only with the doors, but also with the lifts on the transportation. Keep
that in mind. All Disney hotels also have handicap-accessible rooms as well.
There's a department that handles those requests, so they can accommodate
most every need, from roll-in showers to shower stools to raised toilet seats
- whatever you need. If you do need a special room, though, be sure to reserve
well in advance because they are limited in number.
I'd be happy to provide additional information on wheelchair or scooter rental,
so feel free to send questions."
Traveling with a Disability:
-
Public buses have hydraulic lifts and can accommodate two wheelchairs. Their
route includes Universal Studios, Sea World, the shopping areas, downtown
Orlando, and a once an hour stop at the Transportation and Ticket Center
near the Magic Kingdom.
-
You can rent wheelchairs, electric scooters, and medical equipment from the
following companies and have them delivered to your home or hotel:
CARE Medical
Equipment (800/741-2282 or 407/856-2273) and
Walker Medical and
Mobility Products (888/SCOOTER or 407/331-9500).
-
Since most car rental agencies only offer regular vans, you can rent a wheelchair
van from:
Wheelchair
Getaways (407/292-7614) and
Rainbow Wheels
(407/977-9667).
-
The following companies will transport you to the theme parks, including
Cypress Gardens, Kennedy Space Center, and Busch Gardens:
Gator Tours
(407/363-9787) and Go Special Coach (407/345-1600 or 877-345-1600).
-
Visitors to Orlando must display their out-of-state or foreign disabled parking
permit in their car's windshield when they are parked in public handicapped
parking spaces.
-
The theme parks have areas set aside for handicapped parking that are close
to the entrance. Ask the parking attendant for directions.
Bringing Diabetic supplies...
Disney security will search your bags at the entrance
to the theme parks. They no longer allow water coolers at the water parks.
Small medicine bags are no problem. Leave the manufacturer's wrapper or label
on needles so security will have no doubt that they are for medicinal purposes.
(If you need medical assistance at the parks, see a castmember.) There are
no bag checks at the resorts. Glad you enjoy the newsletter!
3 night stay with ECV...
Buy the 3-day ticket with hopper option. You will
have no trouble getting around in the ECV.
Best advice: Go over our tours and pick out your favorite attractions and
do those. Of course, AK is a must see and explore!
Small cooler in the theme parks...
I would recommend taking a small cooler for meds -
the size that would keep a six-pack of beer cold - and a backpack for other
things. Cast members can help if you have a problem.
Son with autism...
Guest Services at the entrance to any theme park will
give you a Special Pass that will allow you to access some of the major rides
through the back entrances (for up to 6 people in the party).
ALS with limited resources...
For financial aid, check out the
Dream
Foundation.
Son with
Autism...
If you have a child who can't wait in long lines,
Guest Services at the entrance to any theme park will give you a Special
Pass that will allow you to access some of the major rides through the back
entrances (for up to 6 people in the party)
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