Taking a Disabled Adult on Vacation to Disneyland

Summer is fast approaching, which means plenty of families will be taking vacations. If you have a disabled family member, you may hesitate to take them to a theme park or other resorts for fear of long lines and people that won’t understand your loved one’s needs. However, Disneyland is a leader in providing exceptional experiences for a variety of disabilities. Here’s the basic information you’ll need to start planning your summer vacation to Disneyland with your disabled loved one.

Disability Access Service (DAS)

Disneyland’s Guest Relations staff will work with you when you arrive based on your loved one’s needs to provide proper accommodations. If you wish to get on a ride but are unable to wait in the standard waiting line, you’ll be given a time to return to the ride where there will be little or no wait.

Break Areas

Should the disabled adult become too stimulated or need a rest, there are several break areas throughout the park to accommodate disabled adults. Ask the staff where you can locate the nearest one.

ECV and Wheelchair rentals

You can rent manual wheelchairs for $12.00 a day and electric conveyance vehicles for $50.00 a day. These cannot be reserved, so arrive early. If your loved one has their own wheelchair or ECV, they are welcome to use their own throughout the park.

Companion Restrooms

Available in select locations, these larger restrooms allow for a caregiver to accompany and assist their disabled loved one.

Guide for Guests with Cognitive Disabilities

This is a downloadable guide that you can keep handy to learn about each ride before you get in line. The guide can tell you if there’s flashing lights, loud noises, a period of darkness or some other feature that might be harmful or upsetting to your loved one.

Dietary Accommodations

Disneyland can accommodate most food allergies and special dietary needs. Advanced requests may be made when booking a reservation or speaking to the manager or chef at table service restaurants.

Handheld Devices for Assistive Listening, captioning and audio description

These tools can be picked up for a $25.00 refundable fee.

Disneyland suggests planning a schedule, studying maps for desired rides, companion bathrooms, break areas and meeting locations. You should also bring:

• A safety bracelet or nametag for your loved one
• Ear plugs or headphones to block out unwanted noises like the fireworks
• A favorite device or activity for your disabled companion while they wait in line
• Reinforcers for good behavior
• A sensory toy like a stress ball or other item that calms your disabled loved one to prevent sensory overload from the sights, sounds and smells of the busy park. 

While a vacation with a disabled family member or friend might take a bit of extra preparation, it should not deter you from experiencing the fun and wonderment of a theme park like Disneyland. With so many resources available for disabled adults, Disneyland promises to make the experience as magical as possible.

For daily disabled adult care, Nevada Adult Day Healthcare Centers provides daily care from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. with options for transportation and meal service. Our personalized care programs offer therapeutic and social activities that stimulate, educate and exercise disabled adults. If you’re in need of adult care for your disabled family member, contact us on our website or call 702-319-4600.