Disabled parking for the MK...how difficult to get to and use? - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Disabled parking for the MK...how difficult to get to and use?
Always having relied upon Disney transportation previously, we will be staying this next trip at the somewhat out-of-the-way Wilderness Lodge (WL). We are driving and wonder if using our car to get to some parks off the beaten path from WL may be simpler. So, these questions:
1) Parking for the MK is a huge lot near the TTC, isn't it? That's why there's the MK Express Monorail, right? So, are there disabled spaces all in one location or some in each of the character-named lots? DH will have his scooter, so he's quite mobile in terms of getting from a parking space to the TTC, but I don't want to walk my legs off before ever even getting to the park itself!
What's the parking lot setup look like? Should we figure I'd have to use the tram no matter what while he'd be chugging along on his scooter to get to the TTC? I can easily walk 3 miles without straining myself even with all the park walking to follow, to give you an idea of my stamina.
2) WL isn't terribly far from the MK lots, but how much of a nightmare is it to drive from WL to the MK parking lots? Is it worse trying to get there when everyone's rushing to make ropedrop, or worse later in the afternoon trying to get back to WL?
3) We aren't fond of the buses which is why we're considering using our car some, maybe more than we think at this point we will. We're planning to do DTD the night before we check in at WL, and that will most likely be all the time spent there because of that horrific parking lot construction at DTD.
Our concern then is how easy it might be to use our car to get to any other parks if we get frustrated with the buses.
Anyone have experience with using your car some when staying at WL?
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Last edited by Her Dotness; 01-21-2014 at 11:08 AM..
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There is reserved handicapped parking at MK, but you must have the approrpriate plate or hang-tag. Otherwise you can/will get ticketed as the sheriff patrols.
If you do not have the plate/hang-tag, but bringing an ECV or wheelchair, you can tell the CMs (each one you see) and they'll direct you to the "medical parking" which is on the ends of the rows. Not in the reserved spots, but close.
That said, it's still a hike and you can't take the tram. For that reason, many prefer to use WDW transportation to MK even if driving to all other parks.
There is reserved handicapped parking at MK, but you must have the approrpriate plate or hang-tag. Otherwise you can/will get ticketed as the sheriff patrols.
If you do not have the plate/hang-tag, but bringing an ECV or wheelchair, you can tell the CMs (each one you see) and they'll direct you to the "medical parking" which is on the ends of the rows. Not in the reserved spots, but close.
I guess I wasn't clear that by "disabled spaces" I meant those for people with placards/cartags entitling them to park in handicap spaces. Sorry, if I was unclear. This is not a problem as we have disabled plates on the car and usually take his placard to wave as we approach someone for directions in case they didn't notice the disabled license plates.
So, I'm wanting to know where exactly the handicap spaces are and how far from them generally speaking to get to the TTC.
Quote:
That said, it's still a hike and you can't take the tram.
I could take the tram, but by "still a hike," do you mean that DH would be running his scooter a great distance such as from the train station at MK to beyond the Castle? Or from the Epcot "golfball" clear back to the International Gateway at the far end of World Showcase?
I need some perspective, please.
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I could take the tram, but by "still a hike," do you mean that DH would be running his scooter a great distance such as from the train station at MK to beyond the Castle?
That's not all that great a distance (from the train to the castle) but I just asked Lenny and he said that's probably a good estimate, depending upon where your spot is in the handicapped lot. Just so you know though, the tram doesn't normally stop at this lot so you would have to walk it. Abby and I can manage it even after a long day in the park so I don't think it's all that bad - the walk or the distance - but it does take time. Time to walk to the ferry or monorail/the wait time/the loading & unloading time/travel time, etc. My suggestion for the MK and the MK only is to take either the bus from WL (which will drop you right at the gates, no monorail or ferry needed) or take the boat launch if they have the larger boats running (this is actually my first choice). Scooters can easily fit on those and it's far more enjoyable than the busses IMO. The rest of the parks have the handicapped spots much closer to the entrances and I highly suggest using your own car for those.
That's a very helpful description, Darlene. Thanks muches. (Yeah, I agree that from the train station to beyond the Castle isn't THAT far. I just wondered what the prior poster thought "still a hike" was.)
It wouldn't take any arm twisting at ALL for us to agree a launch ride is better than the buses! We aren't fond of them either. Sure do enjoy the launch from Epcot to HS, and we liked the ride across the Epcot lagoon, too.
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Last edited by Her Dotness; 01-21-2014 at 08:53 PM..
It wouldn't take any arm twisting at ALL for us to agree a launch ride is better than the buses! We aren't fond of them either. Sure do enjoy the launch from Epcot to HS, and we liked the ride across the Epcot lagoon, too.
Then definitely try for the launch from WL. They have some small boats that you wouldn't be able to use (but I'm not sure when they're used and where they go - I think mostly to the monorail resorts but I have seen the smaller ones at Fort Wilderness) but the larger boats are actually bigger than the Friendships at Epcot so as I said, no problem for scooters. Plus the ride over Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon is nice.
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There are launches and buses that drop you off on the MK side of the lake. The bus ride from Fort Wilderness area in not that far and is nearby. I did MK to Wilderness lodge in about 15 minutes. The bus drops you off so that you go up to the main gate area and around to the security area.
MK parking requires finding a spot, walking under the bridge, boarding transportation across the lake and up the security check in. Very very long way. I used my car only for Epcot and AK parking.
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