Hi! I’m YUKORIN. I’m a wheelchair user. I went to Tokyo Disneyland with Accessible members on November 11, 2016. We entered the theme park at 6:00 pm with the After 6 Passports because our main purpose was to watch the nighttime parade during Christmas season.
I had an early dinner at IKSPIARI before I met our members. It is located very near to JR Maihama Station. This building is wheelchair accessible. I would like to add that the ground level is actually on the second floor of the building.
IKSPIARI
After we met at the South Exit of JR Maihama Station, we took a monorail from Resort Gateway Station to Tokyo Disneyland Station. From the South Exit of JR Maihama Station, go left and soon you can reach Resort Gateway Station.
Resort Gateway Station
The Exit of Resort Gateway Station
Station staff prepared a board to help me get on and off the monorail in the same way as station staff do at other stations. The windows of the monorail were Mickey-shaped.♥
A station staff put a board between the platform and a monorail.
I was getting off the monorail.
We entered Disneyland after we bought the After 6 Passports at the Main Entrance Information & Ticket Booths. Disneyland offers no discount on any park tickets for visitors with disabilities. Instead, the Guest Assistance Cards are issued for them. When a visitor with disability shows this card to a staff member at an attraction, the members of his or her party are able to wait at a separate place instead of standing in line during the wait time.
* Please read the information at the bottom of this page for more information concerning how to obtain the card and the detailed service contents of it. I would also like to add that this service with the Guest Assistance Card was available when the accessibility review was conducted.
The Guest Assistance Card
How beautiful the Christmas tree was! Disneyland was much less crowded than usual because it was rainy until this evening. However, there were still many visitors.
The big Christmas tree at World Bazaar
The first attraction we rode was “Pooh’s Hunny Hunt.” I’m sorry that photography was prohibited inside any attractions. In the attraction, there is a spacious boarding area designated for a wheelchair user who requires extra time to transfer from a wheelchair to an attraction vehicle. Accordingly I could transfer from my wheelchair to the vehicle at my own pace. I was absolutely satisfied with seeing Winnie the Pooh I love.
Pooh’s Hunny Hunt
The next attraction we rode was “It’s A Small World.” In this attraction, wheelchair users are given priority to board a boat and are asked to get off lastly after they enjoy the small world cruise. Besides, they are given the relatively spacious front seats of the boat. I thoroughly enjoyed the voyage while seeing the beautiful small world spreading out before my eyes.
It’s A Small World
Then we watched “Electrical Parade Dreamlights” we were looking forward to. There were some areas reserved for wheelchair users. However, there was a hedge on the front right side of the area we took. The hedge blocked my view from a wheelchair so that I couldn’t see what floats were coming from the right side at the level of my eyes until they came in front of me.
The reserved area for wheelchair users
The train float was partly hidden by the hedge.
Shining and bright floats! I felt as if I saw a beautiful dream.
A float featuring Toy Story
A float which Donald Duck rode
An airship-shaped float which Chip and Dale rode
We also watched a projection mapping show called “Once Upon a Time.” Many of the scenes and characters of Disney stories were projected on the Cinderella Castle with projection mapping.
The project mapping show, “Once Upon a Time”
Wow, fire! Unfortunately a crowd grew around me once the show started. I could not see anything in a wheelchair in the crowd. In order to watch it, I had to stand up with the help of our members during the show time. I would like to ask for another reserved area for wheelchair users around the Cinderella Castle.
The fire special effects and the crowd
The last attraction we rode was “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Wheelchair users are given priority to board a boat in the same way as in “It’s A Small World.” I was also given the relatively spacious front seats of the boat and asked to get off lastly after we enjoyed the voyage. The adventure world was quite thrilling for me!
Pirates of the Caribbean
In this attraction, after they get off the boat, visitors including wheelchair users have to take the moving walkway to the upper stairs where their wheelchairs are placed. The moving walkway was very steep. I found it hard to stand on the moving walkway even with the help of our members. I thought some measures could be taken for wheelchair users, for example, installing a ramp or wheelchair lift.
The moving walkway in Pirates of the Caribbean
I can transfer from my wheelchair to an attraction vehicle with help from someone. In the field work, we tried the attractions where wheelchair users need to transfer to the vehicles. I became aware that one wheelchair user might need at least two persons who would help him or her transfer to an attraction vehicle. Staff members at attractions do not help a wheelchair user transfer to it. Please click on the URL at the bottom of the page for more information about wheelchair access to attractions.
There are some wheelchair accessible restrooms around Disneyland. But bidet functions have not yet been equipped to those wheelchair accessible restrooms. I also used a wheelchair accessible restroom in IKSPIARI and a ladies’ room at a store in World Bazaar although the latter was not so spacious. I found that the restrooms were equipped with bidet functions.
The Information Book contains detailed information about accessibility to each attraction and locations of wheelchair accessible restrooms. Please refer to it for more detailed information about accessibility services. You can also look into brief information about them on the Tokyo Disneyland official website.
Tokyo Disneyland may not be perfectly wheelchair accessible. However, I noticed that it provided a variety of thoughtful services and facilities by considering visitors with disabilities. Staff members were very kind too.
A commemorative photo
Going to Disneyland during Christmas season had been one of my dreams. As the dream came true, I had a happy and memorable evening. Anyone would dream of visiting the magical world of Disneyland once at least. Would you like to make the dream come true?
