Can anyone tell me how we will need to do the EE line and boarding, since I'll be in a wheelchair when we're there in December? Is it a really steep climb? I can't do any stairs, but I can transfer from the wheelchair into the train. I'm trying to get info, so I can prepare my hubby for his workout in the parks then!

Also, will the regular queue area be accessible to us, or will we need to go thru the exit or something? During the 50th DL special event, one of the seminars I went to was with Joe Rhode. He was a last-minute replacement for whoever was going to do the sculpting class. Anyway, he was very excited about the work he'd done on the attraction and showed us a lot of slides of their work.

I'm really looking forward to seeing and experiencing EE!
Thanks in advance for any info you can give me on this!

The area right around EE is pretty flat - but just walking around Animal Kingdom totally, I don't notice much slope at all (but I'm sure you'll notice more!)

There's a little slope in some of the extended queue, but that's the REALLY extended queue, and I've never seen that open except during the preview weekend.

You should be able to go through the whole regular queue - and I really recommend that everyone try to do it at least once, and to go ahead and take your time. It's VERY well done!

I'd say the train boarding itself is a lot like Big Thunder Mountain Rail Road, except each seat has it's own lap bar - but without the inclines/stairs getting to the load platform.

You should be able to handle it fairly easily. And I believe the CMs will just take your chair from the load area to the unload area -- they're REALLY close together, but they are separate.

Thanks for the info, Cathy. It was hard to tell, looking at the slides Joe showed and then the video online for the ride. I really want to be able to check out all the queue area going into it, since they spent so much time in research on the project.

I haven't been on Big Thunder since I've had to go by chair in the parks, since I wasn't sure how hard that would be on my hubby either. I really appreciate the hard work it is, making it thru the people who constantly run in front of us, or walk into us, since they're not looking where they're going. I try to make it as easy as possible on him, but that's not always possible, unfortunately.

My aunt needs a wheelchair when a park has a lot of hills. Animal Kingdom and Epcot are the worst for her.

Like Cathy said EE queue is very flat but you have to watch sometimes with rollercoasters getting into the seat is pretty hard. I don't remember EE being hard to get in to, but RnRc is so hard for me. My aunt it is very hard. Whoever is sitting next to her has to help her.

Hi Kristin,
Thanks for the info! I have a hard time getting into some vehicles too, like the boat for Pirates, California Screamin' and others, because you have to go down into the vehicle, which is really hard on my knees, getting in and out. When I go on small world, I'll wait the extra time it takes to get the "yellow boat", since I don't have to get out of my chair for it and it's much better for me.

Last time we went to WDW was at the end of the millenium celebration, in December of 2000. It was before my fall, so I wasn't in a wheelchair then, but the ride was hard to get down into and then the restraint bar thing that comes down totally crushed my chest! I couldn't wait for it to be over. I'm hoping this time there might be some changes to it and it wouldn't be so uncomfortable for me, since my hubby really likes that one a lot.

I'm THINKING that the seat on Everest is a little higher in relation to your feet than on RnR. I'll double check for you this weekend, since I imagine I'll be doing both :D (I have to do SOMETHING besides eat on the trip, right?)

I don't think there is a step down in EE and if it is it is small. I do remember though not having a lot of room for my legs. I'm 5'8" and found it to be a little tight for my legs.

just walking around Animal Kingdom totally, I don't notice much slope at all (but I'm sure you'll notice more!)

My aunt needs a wheelchair when a park has a lot of hills. Animal Kingdom and Epcot are the worst for her. I agree with Kristin - you see theme parks from an entirely different perspective when you are pushing a wheelchair. (That nifty wagon-wheel-and-horseshoe treatment in the concrete of Frontierland? Not so nifty when you have to make sure the wheelchair doesn't get stuck in a rut). Animal Kingdom has a major hill between the main entrance and the Tree of Life, and the whole park has hills and rough pavement.

RnRc is so hard for me. My aunt it is very hard. Whoever is sitting next to her has to help her. RnRc has a wheelchair-transfer car, where the side of the car swings open to make it much easier for someone using a wheelchair to transfer. Instead of stepping into the car, she can slide into it. I don't know how self conscious your aunt might feel asking to wait for that car, but it should definitely help her.

AVP

RnRc has a wheelchair-transfer car, where the side of the car swings open to make it much easier for someone using a wheelchair to transfer. Instead of stepping into the car, she can slide into it. I don't know how self conscious your aunt might feel asking to wait for that car, but it should definitely help her.

I didn't know that. I know that she likes to get out of the wheelchair to stretch and uses some queue lines for that opportunity. Sometimes we can't ride if the line is too long so it's good to know we have an option. Thanks!

Thanks for the input so far! Yes, I always grumble a little bit, whenever we have to go over the "themed" concrete walkways of the various parks!! It used to be so "neat" to look at, until you have to ride or drive over it!

I wish there was some way to have a flat, smooth "driving" lane for wheelchairs to maneuver around the parks with. It would certainly make life and my backside a bit more comfortable. I always have to remember to bring my pillows for the seat, so it's a little easier to ride that way.

Also, we're on our way to mastering the "turning the chair around and going BACKWARDS" move, over some of the cables or whatever in the streets! We learned it from a woman at DL, one of the first times we used my wheelchair in the park. The wheels in the front of the chair are smaller than the ones in back, so they don't go over some of the things we encounter, as easily as the larger back wheels do. We get strange looks from people, but we don't care. It's what works the best for us and we're not in their way, so it shouldn't matter to them.

Thanks for the info about the wheelchair-transfer car, Adrienne! I'll be sure to ask for that one, since it may make it easier for me. The other thing that's hard is if there isn't much "leg" room, it's harder/more painful for my knees, since they're smashed against the front of the cars, like on Space Mountain. I stopped going on Indy altogether, since that's always been a ride with very little room in the vehicles!

Thanks for offerring to do a little "homework" while on your trip, Cathy!! I'll look forward to reading the results of your "research"!! :D