A trip to Orlando should be accessible to all. Visiting the theme parks when you require additional mobility aids or if you or a family member require extra support can be an anxious time.
The number of people in the parks, coupled with the uncertainty of access, can be overwhelming. However, most parks in Orlando now offer support for your needs so you can have an incredible holiday.
We’ve put together this accessibility guide for each Orlando theme park to help you plan your visit.
Tips for visiting the Orlando parks with disabilities
The following are general tips that apply to all the parks in Orlando and should help you to make the most of your holiday.
Summary: Tips for visiting the Orlando parks with disabilities
- Try to plan your day in advance
- Avoid peak times
- Buy park tickets in advance
- Consider buying express passes
- Get a ‘stroller as wheelchair’ pass
Try to plan your day in advance
This might seem like an obvious tip, however, planning which parks, attractions, and rides you want to do and when will be helpful, especially if the park is busy and you’re waiting for return times. Making a plan can help ease any difficulties with uncertainty and allow you to move around the park more easily.
Avoid peak times
During peak times such as school holidays and weekends you may still be faced with a lot of waiting, even if you’ve purchased a fast-track pass.
Buy your park tickets in advance
Queuing is inevitable with some of the attractions, so try to minimise this wherever possible. Buying gate-ready tickets, for example, those from AttractionTickets.com means you don’t have to wait to exchange vouchers or queue to purchase tickets.
Consider buying express passes
Express passes are incredibly helpful if you can’t avoid visiting the parks during peak times. Each park has its own version of this from Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World Resort to the Express Pass at Universal Orlando Resort. You can simply show or scan your pass to gain access to the (almost always) shorter and faster express queue.
Get a stroller as wheelchair pass
If your child needs to stay in their pushchair (or ‘stroller’ in the US) for queueing for their own safety or wellbeing, there is an option to acquire a ‘stroller as wheelchair’ pass. This means you can keep the stroller in attraction queues.
Accessibility at Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort in Florida provides additional support services to help guests with disabilities to have an incredible time.
Mobility | Neurodivergent | Deaf or hearing loss | Blind or visual impairment |
Disability parking | Companion restrooms | Sign language interpretation | Audio descriptions |
Wheelchair & ECV rental | Quiet locations to take a break | Assistive listening | Braille guidebooks |
Wheelchair & ECV transportation accessibility | Dietary accommodations | Handheld captioning | Portable tactile maps |
Cushions on attractions | Options for accessing attraction queues | Video captioning | Stationary braille maps |
Written scripts for shows |
Disability Access Service (DAS)
The purpose of Disney’s Disability Access Service (DAS) is to help guests with autism or neurological disabilities who may find it difficult to queue for a long period of time. DAS is attached to your account on My Disney Experience.
Each time you want to go on a ride, simply book the time in advance on the app. You can then return to the ride at the allocated time and use the Lightning Lane entrance.
The DAS maximum party size is the registered DAS guest and up to three additional people, for a total of four guests.
How to get the pass: On arrival at your first Disney park, go straight to Guest Services. A Cast Member will give you an electronic tablet so you can video chat with the relevant department about any additional needs.
A DAS will then be issued if they think it’s correct to do so. DAS is valid for the length of your ticket or up to 120 days, whichever is shorter.
Top tip: It’s more effective to describe the person’s needs than to name their disability. For example, “My child cannot wait for long periods of time in a queue, or they will start to display inappropriate behaviours and may get very upset” is more helpful than “My child has autism.”
Accessibility at Disney Hotels
Disney Resort hotels offer accessible rooms for guests with disabilities, including wheelchair accessible rooms and hearing accessible rooms which have these features:
- Door knock and phone alerts
- Phone amplifiers
- Bed shaker notification
- Strobe light smoke detector
- Text Typewriter (TTY) telephone
All hotels have accessible paths from arrival to the lobby and to accessible rooms, restaurants, shops, meeting rooms, business centres, pools, gyms, and laundry facilities.
Designated parking areas are available for guests with disabilities at all Disney hotels.
How to book an accessible room: Give our team a call on 0800 223 0324 or use the Live Chat function on our website to discuss your needs.
Service animals at Walt Disney World Resort
Service animals (dogs and miniature horses) are welcome at Walt Disney World Resort and can use any open outdoor area for relief, as long as the owner tidies up after them. They are welcome in all attraction queues, however, they aren’t permitted to ride some of the attractions.
A Cast Member at each ride will be able to advise you.
To check attractions and services available to you or a guest in your party, take a look at the Walt Disney World Resort accessibility guide.
Accessibility at Universal Orlando Resort
Universal Orlando Resort is able to provide accessibility and assistance throughout the park for guests with hearing or vision impairments, cognitive disabilities, and those using wheelchairs, prosthetics, oxygen tanks, or assistance dogs.
All attractions are accessible to guests using manual wheelchairs, aside from Pteranodon Flyers at Islands of Adventure. None of the rides or queues are suitable for Electric Convenience Vehicles (ECVs) or motorised wheelchairs. You should transfer into a manual wheelchair at each location, and attendants will be there to advise you if you’re unable to do this.
To see a list of requirements and accommodations for all attractions, please see the Guide for Rider Safety and Accessibility for each theme park:
Universal Attraction Assistance Pass (AAP) / IBCCES Individual Accessibility Card (IAC)
The Universal Attraction Assistance Pass (AAP) is for guests who have difficulty with extended waits in a conventional attraction queue environment. Guests using a mobility device do not need to apply for a pass as the attraction queues are accessible.
This pass covers a guest with disabilities and up to five other people. Additional accommodation may be made if your party is larger, but this will need to be discussed with Guest Services.
How to get the pass: Guests should register at www.accessibilitycard.org within 30 days of their visit to the park. Registration is an online application that requires you to upload the necessary documents.
Once all requirements for the IBCCES Individual Accessibility Card are met, a Universal Orlando team member will contact the cardholder to discuss their request for an attraction queue accommodation.
Accessibility at Universal Orlando Resort Hotels
Accessible rooms are available at Universal Orlando Resort with the following options available:
- 36” wide entry doors
- Accessible peepholes
- 48” high rails in closets
- Toilet with grab rails
- Roll-in shower stall with adjustable shower head or combination shower/bath with adjustable shower head, bath seat, and handrail
- Closed-caption TV
- Smoke detector with light
Hotel restaurants are wheelchair accessible.
Select hotels are pet friendly, so you will need to book one of these if travelling with an assistance animal.
How to book an accessible room: Give our team a call on 0800 223 0324 or use the Live Chat function on our website to discuss your needs.
Service animals at Universal Orlando Resort
Trained service animals are welcome at Universal Orlando Resort. Each attraction has specific entry and boarding requirements, and there are portable kennels at certain rides where you can leave your assistance dog. There are relief areas in select locations.
Accessibility at SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando provides programmes to assist guests with disabilities in the park.
Mobility | Neurodivergent | Deaf or hearing loss | Blind or visual impairment |
All restrooms are wheelchair accessible | All restaurants offer a service for those unable to wait in line | American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters available on request | Complimentary park guidance |
Sesame Street Land is a designated Certified Autism Center™️ (CAC) | Scripts for select presentations | ||
Quiet room with privacy and comfortable seating | |||
Companion/family assist restrooms |
You can find further information in SeaWorld Orlando’s Accessibility Guide.
SeaWorld Orlando Ride Assistance Program (RAP)
The Ride Assistance Program (RAP) aligns the individual abilities of each guest to the requirements of each ride, allowing guests to enjoy the park while keeping in mind the safety requirements of the attractions and rides.
The pass is for the guest with disabilities and up to five additional guests. RAP guests are given special access to selected rides and attractions without waiting in line. It’s only available on certain rides and excludes shows, special events, parades, meet and greets, and gift shop check-out or restaurant lines.
RAP guests will be placed in a virtual queue so they can enjoy the park until the ride-boarding time.
How to get the pass: You’ll need to arrange your RAP after you’ve entered the park. Head to Guest Services to speak to staff. Once you have your pass, you’ll see that the rides are split into two groups: ones you need a return time for and those with alternative entrances for disabled access.
Service animals at SeaWorld Orlando
Service animals (dogs and miniature horses that have been specially trained) are welcome at SeaWorld Orlando. Relief areas are marked on the park map.
Service animals are permitted in all guest areas and on select rides:
- Sky Tower
- Paddle Boats
- Sunny Day Carousel (bench)
- Slimey’s Slider
- Abby’s Flower Tower
- Elmo’s Choo Choo Train
Assistance animals may not be permitted in behind-the-scenes animal encounters. Staff members can advise.
Accessibility at LEGOLAND Florida
All shops, restaurants, show venues, and almost all attractions at LEGOLAND Florida are ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible to wheelchairs or those who require special assistance.
LEGOLAND Florida has been designated as a Certified Autism Centre. All front-line team members have been given specific training to help assist guests with autism and other sensory sensitivities. Sensory guides are available for every attraction so guests can see how they may be affected. Low sensory areas have been created to provide a less stimulating environment.
Mobility | Neurodivergent |
Shops, restaurants, show venues, many rides and attraction queues are ADA accessible | Certified Autism Center |
See more information about accessibility at LEGOLAND Florida here.
HERO Pass (Assisted Access Pass)
LEGOLAND’s HERO Pass allows a guest with disabilities plus five others a return time for every ride to alleviate the need for queueing. After the first ride, you can return up to three times per attraction.
How to get the pass: To get your HERO pass, go to Guest Services once you’ve entered the parks.
Assistance animals at LEGOLAND Florida
Assistance and service animals are welcome throughout the park, except on certain rides and attractions.
Accessibility at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers excellent accessibility. When you arrive, visit the Information Center to discuss your needs.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is a Certified Autism Centre. There is updated signage and designated low-sensory areas, and their front-line team members have been given extensive training.
Here are some of the accessibility accommodations at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
Mobility | Neurodivergent | Deaf or hearing loss | Blind or visual impairment |
All tour buses equipped with wheelchair and scooter lifts | Certified Autism Center | Shuttle Launch Experience has accommodations for hearing impairments | Orientation |
All theatres accessible via ground-floor entrance | Noise reduction earphones | American sign language interpreters available | |
Wheelchair lifts for the upper floors | Companion/family assist restrooms | KSC SmartGuide | |
Shuttle Launch Experience accessible to wheelchair users | IMAX® “Rear Window” Reflective Captioning | ||
Accessible parking near the entrance to the visitor complex | Closed captioning for presentations and on tour bus | ||
Accessible restrooms |
Find more information about Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex’s accessibility here.
Service animals at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Service animals are permitted in all exhibits, presentations, and on the bus tour. They are not allowed in certain attractions like the Shuttle Launch Experience.
Accessibility at Gatorland
All show areas at Gatorland have viewing stations reserved for wheelchair users, and the Gatorland Express Train Ride has wheelchair access on the train cars. Whilst some areas of the park are not accessible to wheelchairs, such as the sand pits, the park staff do make every effort to accommodate those with additional needs.
During animal experiences, staff will bring animals closer to those in wheelchairs so they can experience the same up-close encounter as those in the sand pit.
The Gator Gauntlet Zip Line is inclusive to guests who have mobility difficulties or other disabilities that require them to use a wheelchair or scooter.
Where to find Guest Services at each park
Magic Kingdom Park | Guest Relations Lobby in City Hall |
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park | Guest Relations Lobby near the main entrance |
Disney’s Hollywood Studios | Guest Relations Lobby near the main entrance |
EPCOT | Guest Relations Lobby near Spaceship Earth |
Universal Studios Florida | Guest Services to the right of the main entrance turnstiles or before you enter the park (although this is usually very busy) |
Islands of Adventure | Guest Services Lobby to the right of the main entrance turnstiles |
SeaWorld Orlando | Guest Services is round the corner to the right of the entrance, in the row of buildings on the left-hand side |
LEGOLAND Florida | Guest Services is in The Beginning |
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex | Guest Services at the main entrance |
FAQs
Do the Orlando theme parks offer discounts for carers?
None of the Orlando parks offer concessions for carers.
Are emotional support animals allowed in the parks?
No, emotional support animals are not permitted in the parks. Assistance animals must be trained service animals.
Can I rent a wheelchair or electric scooter at the parks?
Yes, wheelchairs and electric scooters are available to rent at the theme parks, or you can bring your own. There may be a charge for these, and a refundable deposit is required to hire an electric scooter.
Do I need medical proof of my disability to get assistance at the parks?
No, medical proof of your disability is not needed to get assistance at the parks, and staff will not ask to see this.
Can I use my blue badge for disabled parking?
No, you can’t use your blue badge for disabled parking. You can get a temporary parking disabled permit for Orlando for a small fee by taking your blue badge and passport to a local tax office.
This permit will last for the whole holiday, and you can use it to park in the theme parks and throughout Orlando.
