Hi Peter Here is some info I hope it helps. For Travelers with Disabilities
There's no reason for those of you with disabilities to miss most of the fun that Orlando and the theme parks have to offer -- as long as you engage in a little advance planning. Accomodations -- Every hotel and motel in Florida is required by law to have a special room or rooms equipped for wheelchairs. A few have wheel-in showers. Walt Disney World's Coronado Springs Resort (tel. 407/934-7639 or 407/939-1000; www.disneyworld.com), has 99 rooms designed to accommodate guests with disabilities. Make your special needs known when making reservations. For other information about special Disney rooms, call tel. 407/939-7807. If you don't mind staying 15 minutes from Disney, Yvonne's Property Management (tel. 877/714-1144 or 863/424-0795; www.villasinorlando.com) is a rental agent for, among other things, some handicapped-accessible homes that have multiple-bedrooms, multiple-baths with accessible showers, full kitchens, and pools outfitted with lifts. Most cost less than $200 a night and are located in Davenport. Medical Travel Inc. (tel. 800/778-7953; www.medicaltravel.org) is another source of rentals, scooters and vans, and medical equipment, and can satisfy other needs of disabled travelers, including those with terminal illnesses, and their families. Transportation -- Public buses in Orlando have hydraulic lifts and restraining belts for wheelchairs. They serve Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, the shopping areas, and downtown Orlando. Disney shuttle buses all accommodate wheelchairs as does the monorail system and some of the watercraft that travel to the parks and resorts. If you need to rent a wheelchair or electric scooter for your visit, Walker Medical & Mobility Products offers delivery to your room, and there's a model for guests who weigh up to 375 pounds. These products fit into Disney's transports and monorails as well as rental cars. Get more information by calling tel. 888/726-6837 or 407/331-9500, or on the Internet go to www.walkermobility.com. CARE Medical Equipment (tel. 800/741-2282 or 407/856-2273; www.caremedicalequipment.com) offers similar services. Disney (tel. 407/934-7639; www.disneyworld.com) offers wheelchair rentals at the parks, Downtown Disney, and in more limited numbers, at the resorts. In addition, a very limited number of Electric Convenience Scooters are also available for rent at the parks. Note: Although the Segway is becoming increasingly popular as a mode of transportation for those with disabilities, neither Disney nor SeaWorld permit them inside any of their parks. Universal Orlando does allow them inside their parks. Segways can be rented at Relay (tel. 866/96RELAY; www.RelayToGo.com), a company located in the town of Celebration. Amtrak (tel. 800/872-7245; www.amtrak.com) provides redcap service, wheelchair assistance, and special seats if you give 72 hours notice. Travelers with disabilities are also entitled to a 15% discount off the lowest available adult coach fare. Documentation from a doctor or an ID card proving your disability is required. Amtrak also provides wheelchair-accessible sleeping accommodations on long-distance trains. Service dogs are permitted aboard and travel free. TDD/TTY service is also available at tel. 800/523-6590, or you can write to P.O. Box 7717, Itasca, IL 60143. Greyhound (tel. 800/752-4841; www.greyhound.com) allows a passenger with disabilities to travel with a companion for a single fare, and if you call 48 hours in advance, they'll arrange help along the way. The bus line also allows service animals. Theme Parks -- Many attractions at the parks, especially the newer ones, are designed to be accessible to a wide variety of guests. People with wheelchairs and their parties are often given preferential treatment so they can avoid lines. The available assistance is outlined in the guide maps you get as you enter the parks. All of the theme parks offer some parking close to the entrances for those with disabilities. Let the parking booth attendant know your needs, and you'll be directed to the appropriate spot. Wheelchair and electric cart rentals are available at most major attractions, but you'll be most comfortable in your chair or cart from home if you can bring it. Keep in mind, however, that wheelchairs wider than 24 1/2 inches may be difficult to navigate through some attractions. And crowds may make it tough for any guest. At Walt Disney World: Disney's many services are detailed in each theme park's Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities. You can pick one up at Guest Relations near the front entrances to each of the parks. Also, you can call tel. 407/934-7639 or 407/824-2222 for answers to any questions regarding special needs. The guide is also available online at Disney's website, www.disneyworld.com. Examples of services are as follows: Almost all Disney resorts have rooms for those with disabilities. Braille guidebooks, cassette tapes and portable tape players are available at City Hall in the Magic Kingdom and Guest Relations in the other parks (a $25 refundable deposit is required). Service animals are allowed in all parks and on some rides. All parks have special parking lots near the entrances. Assisted listening devices are available to amplify the audio at selected attractions at WDW parks. Also, at some attractions, hearing-impaired guests can use handheld wireless receivers that allow them to read captions about the attractions. Both services are free but require a $25 refundable deposit. Wheelchairs and electric carts can be rented at all of the parks. Downtown Disney West Side, with crowded shops and bars, may be a bit difficult to navigate in a wheelchair. The movie theater is, however, wheelchair accessible. For information about Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf (TDDs) or sign-language interpreters at Disney World live shows, call tel. 407/827-5141 (TDD/TTY). You can usually get an ASL interpreter at several events and attractions if you call no later than 2 weeks in advance. At Universal Orlando parks: Guests with disabilities should go to Guest Services, located just inside the main entrances, for a Disabled Guest Guidebook, a TDD, or other special assistance. Wheelchair and electric cart rentals are available in the concourse area of the parking garage. Universal also provides audio descriptions on cassette for visually impaired guests and has sign-language guides and scripts for its shows (advance notice of 1-2 weeks is required; call tel. 888/519-4899 [TTY] or 407/224-5929 [voice] for details). You can also get additional information online at www.universalorlando.com. From the main page, click either on Islands of Adventure or Universal Studios Florida, and scroll down the left side to the "ADA page." At SeaWorld: The park has a guide for guests with disabilities, although most of its attractions are easily accessible to those in wheelchairs. SeaWorld also provides a Braille guide for the visually impaired and a very brief synopsis of its shows for the hearing impaired. Sign language interpreting services are available at no charge, but must be reserved by calling tel. 407-363-2414 at least a week in advance of your visit. Assisted listening devices are available at select attractions for a $20 refundable deposit. For information, call tel. 407/351-3600 or check out the park's website at www.seaworld.com. Other Resources -- You can get information online at the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau's (CVB) website, www.orlandoinfo.com. Scroll down the left side of the main page and click "special needs." Many travel agencies offer customized tours and itineraries for travelers with disabilities. Flying Wheels Travel (tel. 507/451-5005; www.flyingwheelstravel.com) offers escorted tours and cruises that emphasize sports and private tours in minivans with lifts. Accessible Journeys (tel. 800/846-4537 or 610/521-0339; www.disabilitytravel.com) caters specifically to slow walkers and wheelchair travelers and their families and friends Organizations that offer assistance to disabled travelers include MossRehab (www.mossresourcenet.org), which provides a library of accessible-travel resources online; SATH (Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality) (tel. 212/447-7284; www.sath.org; annual membership fees: $45 adults, $30 seniors and students), which offers a wealth of travel resources for all types of disabilities and informed recommendations on destinations, access guides, travel agents, tour operators, vehicle rentals, and companion services; and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) (tel. 800/232-5463; www.afb.org), a referral resource for the blind or visually impaired that includes information on traveling with Seeing Eye dogs. Access-Able Travel Source (tel. 303/232-2979; www.access-able.com) offers extensive access information and advice for traveling around the world with disabilities. For Travelers with Disabilities There's no reason for those of you with disabilities to miss most of the fun that Orlando and the theme parks have to offer -- as long as you engage in a little advance planning. Accomodations -- Every hotel and motel in Florida is required by law to have a special room or rooms equipped for wheelchairs. A few have wheel-in showers. Walt Disney World's Coronado Springs Resort (tel. 407/934-7639 or 407/939-1000; www.disneyworld.com), has 99 rooms designed to accommodate guests with disabilities. Make your special needs known when making reservations. For other information about special Disney rooms, call tel. 407/939-7807. If you don't mind staying 15 minutes from Disney, Yvonne's Property Management (tel. 877/714-1144 or 863/424-0795; www.villasinorlando.com) is a rental agent for, among other things, some handicapped-accessible homes that have multiple-bedrooms, multiple-baths with accessible showers, full kitchens, and pools outfitted with lifts. Most cost less than $200 a night and are located in Davenport. Medical Travel Inc. (tel. 800/778-7953; www.medicaltravel.org) is another source of rentals, scooters and vans, and medical equipment, and can satisfy other needs of disabled travelers, including those with terminal illnesses, and their families. Transportation -- Public buses in Orlando have hydraulic lifts and restraining belts for wheelchairs. They serve Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, the shopping areas, and downtown Orlando. Disney shuttle buses all accommodate wheelchairs as does the monorail system and some of the watercraft that travel to the parks and resorts. If you need to rent a wheelchair or electric scooter for your visit, Walker Medical & Mobility Products offers delivery to your room, and there's a model for guests who weigh up to 375 pounds. These products fit into Disney's transports and monorails as well as rental cars. Get more information by calling tel. 888/726-6837 or 407/331-9500, or on the Internet go to www.walkermobility.com. CARE Medical Equipment (tel. 800/741-2282 or 407/856-2273; www.caremedicalequipment.com) offers similar services. Disney (tel. 407/934-7639; www.disneyworld.com) offers wheelchair rentals at the parks, Downtown Disney, and in more limited numbers, at the resorts. In addition, a very limited number of Electric Convenience Scooters are also available for rent at the parks. Note: Although the Segway is becoming increasingly popular as a mode of transportation for those with disabilities, neither Disney nor SeaWorld permit them inside any of their parks. Universal Orlando does allow them inside their parks. Segways can be rented at Relay (tel. 866/96RELAY; www.RelayToGo.com), a company located in the town of Celebration. Amtrak (tel. 800/872-7245; www.amtrak.com) provides redcap service, wheelchair assistance, and special seats if you give 72 hours notice. Travelers with disabilities are also entitled to a 15% discount off the lowest available adult coach fare. Documentation from a doctor or an ID card proving your disability is required. Amtrak also provides wheelchair-accessible sleeping accommodations on long-distance trains. Service dogs are permitted aboard and travel free. TDD/TTY service is also available at tel. 800/523-6590, or you can write to P.O. Box 7717, Itasca, IL 60143. Greyhound (tel. 800/752-4841; www.greyhound.com) allows a passenger with disabilities to travel with a companion for a single fare, and if you call 48 hours in advance, they'll arrange help along the way. The bus line also allows service animals. Theme Parks -- Many attractions at the parks, especially the newer ones, are designed to be accessible to a wide variety of guests. People with wheelchairs and their parties are often given preferential treatment so they can avoid lines. The available assistance is outlined in the guide maps you get as you enter the parks. All of the theme parks offer some parking close to the entrances for those with disabilities. Let the parking booth attendant know your needs, and you'll be directed to the appropriate spot. Wheelchair and electric cart rentals are available at most major attractions, but you'll be most comfortable in your chair or cart from home if you can bring it. Keep in mind, however, that wheelchairs wider than 24 1/2 inches may be difficult to navigate through some attractions. And crowds may make it tough for any guest. At Walt Disney World: Disney's many services are detailed in each theme park's Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities. You can pick one up at Guest Relations near the front entrances to each of the parks. Also, you can call tel. 407/934-7639 or 407/824-2222 for answers to any questions regarding special needs. The guide is also available online at Disney's website, www.disneyworld.com. Examples of services are as follows: Almost all Disney resorts have rooms for those with disabilities. Braille guidebooks, cassette tapes and portable tape players are available at City Hall in the Magic Kingdom and Guest Relations in the other parks (a $25 refundable deposit is required). Service animals are allowed in all parks and on some rides. All parks have special parking lots near the entrances. Assisted listening devices are available to amplify the audio at selected attractions at WDW parks. Also, at some attractions, hearing-impaired guests can use handheld wireless receivers that allow them to read captions about the attractions. Both services are free but require a $25 refundable deposit. Wheelchairs and electric carts can be rented at all of the parks. Downtown Disney West Side, with crowded shops and bars, may be a bit difficult to navigate in a wheelchair. The movie theater is, however, wheelchair accessible. For information about Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf (TDDs) or sign-language interpreters at Disney World live shows, call tel. 407/827-5141 (TDD/TTY). You can usually get an ASL interpreter at several events and attractions if you call no later than 2 weeks in advance. At Universal Orlando parks: Guests with disabilities should go to Guest Services, located just inside the main entrances, for a Disabled Guest Guidebook, a TDD, or other special assistance. Wheelchair and electric cart rentals are available in the concourse area of the parking garage. Universal also provides audio descriptions on cassette for visually impaired guests and has sign-language guides and scripts for its shows (advance notice of 1-2 weeks is required; call tel. 888/519-4899 [TTY] or 407/224-5929 [voice] for details). You can also get additional information online at www.universalorlando.com. From the main page, click either on Islands of Adventure or Universal Studios Florida, and scroll down the left side to the "ADA page." At SeaWorld: The park has a guide for guests with disabilities, although most of its attractions are easily accessible to those in wheelchairs. SeaWorld also provides a Braille guide for the visually impaired and a very brief synopsis of its shows for the hearing impaired. Sign language interpreting services are available at no charge, but must be reserved by calling tel. 407-363-2414 at least a week in advance of your visit. Assisted listening devices are available at select attractions for a $20 refundable deposit. For information, call tel. 407/351-3600 or check out the park's website at www.seaworld.com. Other Resources -- You can get information online at the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau's (CVB) website, www.orlandoinfo.com. Scroll down the left side of the main page and click "special needs." Many travel agencies offer customized tours and itineraries for travelers with disabilities. Flying Wheels Travel (tel. 507/451-5005; www.flyingwheelstravel.com) offers escorted tours and cruises that emphasize sports and private tours in minivans with lifts. Accessible Journeys (tel. 800/846-4537 or 610/521-0339; www.disabilitytravel.com) caters specifically to slow walkers and wheelchair travelers and their families and friends Organizations that offer assistance to disabled travelers include MossRehab (www.mossresourcenet.org), which provides a library of accessible-travel resources online; SATH (Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality) (tel. 212/447-7284; www.sath.org; annual membership fees: $45 adults, $30 seniors and students), which offers a wealth of travel resources for all types of disabilities and informed recommendations on destinations, access guides, travel agents, tour operators, vehicle rentals, and companion services; and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) (tel. 800/232-5463; www.afb.org), a referral resource for the blind or visually impaired that includes information on traveling with Seeing Eye dogs. Access-Able Travel Source (tel. 303/232-2979; www.access-able.com) offers extensive access information and advice for traveling around the world with disabilities. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Mikochik" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2008 1:59 PM Subject: [BlindHandyMan] orlando florida > hi guys > > anyone here live in orlando? need info about blind friendlyness of the > city > > thanks, pete > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.20.9/1294 - Release Date: 2/22/2008 6:39 PM
