First Adventure Travelling with Power Chair on Airplane

Mik got his awesome power chair that can put him in a standing position back in December 2011.  Yesterday was the first time we took it on an airplane.  We suspected it could be an adventure/misadventure, as there always seems to be a high probability of one every time we fly.

In Chicago as the boarding was finishing for our flight to DC, the gate agent came in and asked if the back can be taken off the wheelchair.  Since, we had just gate checked the manual wheelchair, I thought she was taking about it and told her there were release levers for it.  She came back a few minutes later and asked me to come show them.

I thought the manual chair was just outside the door and I would quickly help them.  Well, they then escorted me down the steps to below the plane and around to the cargo loading area.  It turned out they wanted to reduce the height of the power chair.  I do not know how they did in on the first flight, but here they were trying to not put it on its side and did not know how to make it flatter.

I have not done much playing with Mik's controls, but I knew if could lay flat since it can go laying to standing.  It took me about 5 minutes, but I figured out the recline mode and got it flat so it could go in the cargo area without being laid down.  It was then kind of funny to watch them roll it up on to the conveyor belt tilted down as they had to release the brakes to roll it up there and then of course with the brakes released it tried to roll backwards.

As usual our flight out of Chicago was delayed.  I am pretty sure it was pretty much entirely the power chair's fault, but it was nice that they cared about not putting it on its side if they could avoid it.  Now I know to lay it flat when we check it in, but I kind of liked getting the adventure of going below to see them load it.

Walt Disney World: Magic Kingdom - Stitch's Great Escape

Date of Visit: July 31, 2011

Stitch's Great Escape is a rather weird attraction, but the special effects of the thing coming down around your neck is kind of cool.  There are even several spots for wheelchairs to park and have a thing come down to be able to experience the special effects.  The funnest part, though, was seeing Mik's wheelchair glow in the dark.  There are a few other rides it glows well in (Haunted Mansion for one), but this one is the best because there are parts of pretty much pitch black.  Overall the whole thing was not really our type of thing, as it is mostly just dark and Stitch escaping and such, but it was worth it to see Mik's wheelchair glow.

Destination Info:
Magic Kingdom - Stitch's Great Escape
Lake Buena Vista, FL

Walt Disney World: Monorail

Date of Visit: July 30, 2011

Mik hates buses, so when we wanted to get to the Magic Kingdom after a movie at Downtown Disney with Dad we thought it would be better to have Dad drop us off at the Monorail.  Mik kind of likes the Monorail better than buses, but the ramps are not fun and with no tie downs the wheelchair moved a lot during the trip.  Only thing that made it better was it was shorter than a bus ride.

Destination Info:
Walt Disney World - Monorail
Lake Buena Vista, FL

Walt Disney World: Hollywood Studios - Star Tours The Adventure Continues

Date of Visit: July 30, 2011

Star Tours is pretty much the only transfer ride I will do with Mik since it is an easy seat to seat transfer and there is no rush with the ride vehicle not being on a track.  We had already done the new Star Tours in Disneyland and I did not much care about doing it in Disney World, but it is one of Mik's favorite rides, so we decided try the WDW version.


It ended up being a good choice to do it at Disney World because you actually get a better queue experience than Disneyland.  At Disneyland we just get the boring outside line and little bit interesting one room experience, but you miss out on seeing C3PO and the ride vehicle model in the regular queue when you go in the side door for the elevator.  At WDW we ended up skipping the whole line (I think only because the wait time was not that long) and going a separate way to the loading area.  We still skip the inside queue, but the way it is set up a WDW allows you to get an overlook view of C3PO and the vehicle model.

The actual boarding process is just like at Disneyland, though.  You can roll the wheelchair into the ride vehicle and the Cast Member will take it out and bring it back at the end of the ride.  The armrest can be swung to the side to make transferring easier.

Destination Info:
Disney's Hollywood Studios - Star Tours
Lake Buena Vista, FL

Walt Disney World: Animal Kingdom - TriceraTop Spin

Date of Visit: July 30, 2011

TriceraTop Spin is kind of like the Magic Carpets of Aladdin at the Magic Kingdom except you are flying in a Triceratop.  Of course, it makes pretty much no sense.  Sure, a flying elephant like Dumbo is odd, but at least that is based on a movie.  The whole flying land dino is totally weird, but gotta love that it actually is totally wheelchair accessible.


They were not sure Mik's chair would work, but they were totally willing to try and if not there was a chair you could transfer to and ride in, although that would not work for Mik.  Luckily, though, Mik's wheelchair fit on the ride no problem.


The control, however, is kind of awkwardly located on the left side.  Mik had no problem since he is a lefty and he just likes to go straight up and stay anyways.  He did think it would be better if it was in front of him like on Dumbo, but hey at least he did not have to transfer (totally dreaming of a wheelchair accessible Dumbo with the remodel by the way!!!).

Destination Info:
Disney's Animal Kingdom - TriceraTop Spin
Lake Buena Vista, FL

Walt Disney World: Epcot - Reflections of China

Date of Visit: July 29, 2011

Reflections of China is a Circlevision show.  You go in and stand in rows separated by hand rails.  The screens are all around you will different images.  In concept the movie was cool, but it did not really work for Mik.


For one he was sitting among the crowd of people standing.  This was not too big of an issue, as it was not crowded and we could choose to stop where the people were not too close to be in the way of his view.  The real problem, though, is he could only see about half of the screens.  He not only felt like he was missing what was going on like in the Ellen ride, but in fact he really was missing some of the stuff, as it was not all the same view.

Basically, Mik says no more to Circlevision unless he has a way of turning around his chair when and how he wants.  Technically, he could do that, but in the dark it is hard to know where others feet are and not quite sure there is actually enough room for his turning radius.

Destination Info:
Epcot - Reflections of China
Lake Buena Vista, FL

Walt Disney World: Epcot - Mexico Pavillion

Date of Visit: July 29, 2011

The Mexico Pavilion is one of the more interestingly designed ones at Epcot.  The shops and ride are set up inside a Mayan Pyramid.  It is always night in this Pavilion.


Outside the Pavilion Mik and I enjoyed the cheese empanadas at La Cantina de San Angel.  Mexican food is not any special treat considering we can get plenty of that kind of thing at home in Tucson, but Mik was hungry and he had never had empanadas before.


To enter the Pavilion there is a ramp off to the side to get up to the doors into the pyramid.  Once there you can go around and enter even from the front, but at least the side doors at the top of the ramp do have a button to open them.

See review of Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros Boat Ride here.

Destination Info:
Epcot - Mexico Pavillion
Lake Buena Vista, FL