Disney might appear primarily for young families, but the reality is far different. Disney isn’t just for younger people — it’s for everyone. After all, you’re never too old to be enchanted by Disney World! With that being said, there are some additional considerations that senior citizens might want keep in mind when visiting the resort. For instance, how will they get around a place almost as big as San Francisco? In addition, anyone who has visited Disney World knows that it can be a tiring vacation, even for the fittest of people. So, how do old people get around Disney?
The good news is that Disney has a framework that allows people of all physical abilities to enjoy their parks. On this page, we’ll take a closer look at how older people can get around Disney and offer some tips to senior citizens to get the most from their trip.
How do old people get around Disney theme parks?
There are four theme parks, including Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Epcot (which includes World Showcase). It’s easy for kids to run around Walt Disney World all day. But what if your physical ability has begun to decline? Can you still enjoy all that the resort and Disney parks have to offer? If there’s one thing that Disney is good at, it’s making sure that their guests have a comfortable and enjoyable time. And that means all guests, regardless of their physical ability.
Using Disney’s Services
Worried about how you’ll get from your hotel room to the parks? Don’t be. Disney has a pretty advanced transportation system that links its resorts to its parks. Depending on where you’re staying, you’ll have access to buses, boats, and monorail systems that will take you to the park entrance without having to use your legs.
For guests that need additional services, Disney World Resort also offers the Disability Access Service (DAS) (formerly the Guest Assistance Card / GAC), which allows guests with disabilities to bypass long wait times for attractions. The parks also offer other special accommodations, such as wheelchair rental and reserved seating for shows, parades, and fireworks. Walt Disney World also offers Audio Description, Assisted Handheld Captioning Devices, and reflective captioning. Many attractions and shows offer audio description, which provides descriptive information about the visual elements of the attraction, and assisted listening devices, which enhance the audio of the attraction for guests with hearing impairments. Some performances also include sign language interpretation.
Many of the attractions have been designed to be accessible to guests with disabilities and are equipped with wheelchair ramps and audio descriptions, as well as Braille and large print guides.
Walt Disney World Resort in Florida offers a variety of rides and attractions that are suitable for seniors and guests with disabilities, including:
- Magic Kingdom: “it’s a small world,” The Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Jungle Cruise, Tom Sawyer Island, World Showcase, Walt Disney World Railroad, and Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room.
- Epcot: Living with the Land, The Seas with Nemo & Friends, Spaceship Earth, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros, Journey Into Imagination With Figment, and Disney & Pixar Short Film Festivals.
- Hollywood Studios: Toy Story Mania!, Muppet*Vision 3D, and Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream.
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom: It’s Tough to be a Bug! and Kilimanjaro Safaris.
In addition to these attractions, Hollywood Studios offers several parades and shows such as “Fantasmic!”, “Indiana Jones Epic Stunt” and “Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage” that are suitable for all ages, and Epcot offers lots of informative and entertaining films, plus a firework show. Downtown Disney has plenty of rest areas and is a great place to people watch and get a place to eat.
Handicapped Parking
The resort’s transport system is reserved for people staying at one of the resort’s onsite accommodations. If you’re staying away from the park, for example, at an Airbnb or offsite hotel, then you’ll likely have to travel to the park via car. Disney provides plenty of handicapped parking and also has a drop-off/pick-up zone at the entrance to the parks.
Renting a Wheelchair
You can get around within the park by renting a wheelchair. Prices are quite affordable (starting at $12 a day; price decreases if rented for multiple days), and they’re easy to operate. With a wheelchair, you can remove the issue of tired legs, which is one of the primary problems that affect older people at Disney World. If you’re arriving by car, courtesy wheelchairs to the park entrance may also be available (but are extremely limited in number).
Tips for Enjoying Walt Disney World for Senior Adults
As we said at the top of the page, Disney World is for everyone. But if you’re a senior citizen with physical limitations, it’s a good idea to take a few tips on board to ensure you can enjoy your visit to the max. For instance, it can be best to take it slow, avoid park hopping (stick to one per day), and build in some rest days into your schedule to give your body a chance to rest — a day by the pool can do wonders for your energy levels.
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