Visiting Disneyland in a wheelchair is nothing short of magical. I recently visited there as a full-time power wheelchair user, and I was absolutely blown away by how many things I was able to enjoy without even having to transfer out of my wheelchair. Being from the southern U.S., I have visited Walt Disney World many times throughout my life and thought nothing else would ever compare to its accessibility. But upon my first visit, Disneyland quickly became my new favorite.
Disneyland consists of two theme parks: Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure. It is a bit smaller in size than Walt Disney World in central Florida, and it is located in Anaheim, California. Anaheim is a great city because it is not too crowded and is easy to drive around. This makes getting to the Disneyland theme parks a more smooth and stress-free experience, especially compared to the chaotic traffic in the big city of Orlando.
The number of wheelchair accessible rides that Disneyland theme parks offer is plentiful. The fact that you don’t have to be transferred out of your wheelchair to experience most of them is my favorite part. So, let’s dive right in and explore both parks!
As you can see, there are a total of 13 rides inside the two Disneyland parks that are fully wheelchair accessible! This truly made my days at the parks so relaxing and magical. I didn’t have to worry about getting picked up and maneuvered into a ride seat that I wasn’t even sure if I could sit up and maintain my composure on. The fact that I was able to stay in my own custom-fitted wheelchair – something I’m not able to do in most amusement parks – made all the rides more exciting and fun.
If you have a disability, you can request a Disneyland disability pass called the Disability Access Service, or DAS pass. This can be obtained either in person at the Guest Services office upon entering the park, or online between 2-30 days prior to your visit. If you wait until you are at the Guest Services office, just let the cast member know that you would like to apply for the Disneyland DAS pass, and they will be happy to assist. The DAS pass gives you a return time for each ride instead of you having to wait in those long, atrocious lines. If there is a 50-minute wait for the ride that you want, you can check-in to the ride on the Disneyland app and go eat, see a show, or just relax and return in 50 minutes. You would then go to the “lightning lane” and be directed onto the ride. This system allows you to see more and ride more rides during your visit instead of standing in line all day!
I was beyond happy to see lots of companion care and family restrooms available throughout both Disney parks. They were spacious and well-marked, so I could find them easily, allowing me more time to see more of the park. I was also glad to see some of the restrooms even had adult-sized changing tables, which is very important for a multitude of families.
Besides the awesome wheelchair accessible rides and plenty of companion care restrooms, Disneyland is full of accessible shows such as “Storytelling at Royal Theatre” and “The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln”, just to name a few. And while you’re there, be sure to try some of their delicious restaurants and food carts throughout the parks. My favorite treat is the Dole Whip, which can be found at Tiki Juice Bar just outside of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. If you like pineapple, you will love this scrumptious frozen treat. And no trip to Disney is complete without enjoying a Mickey Bar! This chocolate-covered, Mickey Mouse-shaped ice-cream treat is a must-have!
An awesome feature of the Disneyland parks is that you can take the Disneyland Monorail to the main entrance if you are staying at the Disneyland Hotel or Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. The Monorail is easily accessible; you can roll onto it without having to transfer out of your wheelchair, and it can be boarded from the Downtown Disney District Station. If you are parked in the Toy Story Parking Area, you can take the Disneyland bus transportation. If you are parked in the Mickey & Friends or Pixar Pals parking structures, you can take the Resort Tram Service to the Main Entrance. At this location, you can then either choose to roll on over to the Disneyland park or to Disney’s California Adventure park. No matter which transportation you choose, Disney has made sure that all their guests can access them.
As you can see, Disneyland accessibility is plentiful in all areas throughout the park. I visited both theme parks for a full day each and felt as if I was able to see most everything. I could’ve honestly stayed the full week because there is so much to see and do! Visiting Disneyland in your wheelchair provides such a magical day, and I can’t wait to go there again.
Travel Blog Author and Accessibility Advocate
Cory Lee has visited over 40 countries and all seven continents as a wheelchair user. He also runs the award-winning travel blog “Curb Free with Cory Lee”, where he hopes to inspire other wheelchair users to break out of their comfort zone and experience all of the beauty our world has to offer.
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