Orlando Theme Parks by Stephanie Cooper
I live in Orlando and have a child with special needs who is on the severe level of the autism spectrum. A question I get asked about living here in Central Florida with a special needs child is about the disability access at the major theme parks in central Florida.
If you or someone in your group is visiting the Central Florida theme parks with special needs, there may be questions about the experiences and attractions that are accessible to you and your group. Going to a theme park is stressful enough but being a parent of a special needs child is even more stressful. Of course, we worry about the noise, the crowds, and sensory threats – water, thrill rides, and new food/textures, to name a few. We also worry about the risk of running off, fear of the unknown, issues with taking turns & sharing, the risk of a meltdown, and the inability to wait in line.
Each of the major Central Florida area theme parks offers ADA-compliant access and additional accommodations for visitors needing specific or special requirements. You will find in this blog what each of the major theme parks offers for their guests with special needs or disabilities, how to request the appropriate services or passes, and how to use the provided passes and accommodations.
All 4 major amusement parks (Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, and LEGOLAND) provide assistance/disability passes for guests with disabilities. In addition, you can obtain the disability passes at each theme park at their respective Guest Relations or Guest Services offices as you enter the parks.
The LEGOLAND HERO PASS is similar to Disney’s DAS pass for Guests with Disabilities and their families. Every subsequent attraction will require your family to schedule a ride time. Guests assigned to the Pass can only ride the attraction at the time reserved. When receiving a designated time to return to an attraction, the Passholder is not required to be present. However, the Guest assigned to the Pass will need to be present when returning at the designated time.
The LEGOLAND Florida Blue HERO Pass is designed for guests on the Autism spectrum. The Blue HERO Pass is designed to allow guests and their parties immediate access to every ride. However, this Pass cannot be used in Imagination Zone or the Water Park. The HERO pass and the BLUE HERO pass is valid for up to 6 people and can be picked up at the Guest Services center inside the park.
TIP: Remember to keep your disability pass in a plastic zipper pouch on a lanyard for immediate access and to protect your Pass from any water rides or our Florida rain showers.
TIP: If your special needs child has a stroller and must remain in the stroller during a queue, you can request a “stroller equals wheelchair” Pass.
The Disney DAS PASS (disability Access service) is available for guests who may have difficulty tolerating extended waits in conventional queues due to a disability. The DAS pass does not provide immediate access to the rides but allows Guests to request a return time for a specific ride comparable to the current standby wait. You are only allowed one return time at a time, which means you are still waiting for access to a ride, and when you have a child with autism that cannot or has difficulty tolerating or waiting for queues, this can be a problem. The Guest who is requesting to use a DAS PASS must be present during registration (in person or a live video call) and also when redeeming a DAS return time at Walt Disney World theme parks. The DAS is only valid for up to 60 days. You can only get your Disney disability pass at Guest Services inside any of the 4 parks. You MUST go to the guest services at the front of the parks, not the smaller guest services “help umbrellas” scattered throughout the park.
The UNIVERSAL GAP PASS (Guest Assistance Pass) is for guests who have difficulty tolerating extended waits in a conventional queue due to a disability. Universal allows up to 8 GAP passes per group. Unlike Disney, the GAP pass provides access to all rides through the entrance of the Fast Pass Lane without having to get a return wait time. If a family has a child or adult with autism or another disability that makes it difficult for them to tolerate waiting areas and queues, then the GAP PASS is also an excellent choice because, in some cases, Universal will allow immediate access to a ride and guests can board the ride right away, usually through a separate entrance.
In addition, the Guest who is requiring the GAP pass does not need to be present when going on a ride. Universal is aware that a parent or other child could wish to ride a ride that the disabled child cannot and that the impaired Guest would still be waiting if the other visitors had to stand in a standard line. The GAP pass is valid only for 1 day but can be renewed each day of your visit by going to guest services and requesting another one. You will not have to register each time if you have an annual pass. Universal will create an account for you, so they have all your information on file. You can get your Universal GAP pass at any Guest Services inside or outside the 2 parks.
The SEAWORLD RAP PASS (Ride Accessibility Program) is similar to how Disney passes work. The RAP pass allows you to schedule a return time at an attraction, so you are not waiting in a long queue. When you return for your scheduled time at an attraction, you will access the ride through an alternate queue, usually the exit or the Quick Queue. In some cases, like Universal, the party will be granted what SeaWorld calls Special Access, meaning they can board the ride immediately, usually via a separate entrance. SeaWorld is also a certified Autism Center. The SeaWorld RAP pass can be picked up at Guest Services inside the park.
