{"id":603,"date":"2017-05-29T14:24:58","date_gmt":"2017-05-29T18:24:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/?p=603"},"modified":"2019-08-02T12:15:00","modified_gmt":"2019-08-02T16:15:00","slug":"wheelchair-accessible-things-to-do-orlando","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spintheglobe.net\/dir\/2017\/05\/29\/wheelchair-accessible-things-to-do-orlando\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Wheelchair Accessible Things to Do in Orlando"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to my hometown! O-Town, House of the Mouse, MCO…Orlando goes by many nicknames, and while it’s most closely associated with Disney World, the city is so much more than that. I’ve lived here for just shy of two years, and I feel like I’ve just barely scratched the surface of what Orlando has to offer wheelchair users – and it’s more than just rides and long lines. School is out for the summer, so if you have a wheelchair user in the family, here are some ideas for a fantastic accessible Florida vacation!<\/p>\n

\"wheelchair1. The theme parks.<\/strong> I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the obvious draw to Orlando – Walt Disney World<\/a>, Universal Studios<\/a>, and Sea World<\/a>. However, these are just the biggest players. Central Florida is generally warm year round, and never more so than during the summer when school is out. Water parks are just as huge a draw for tourists, including the brand new Volcano Bay<\/a> (part of Universal). All the major theme parks are wheelchair accessible, although each one varies with regards to how many rides you can actually go on. Most require you to at a minimum transfer to a manual wheelchair, and often from your chair to the ride itself. However, the shows at all the parks have special wheelchair seating (some are better than others). Each park also has its own policies for how to wait in line for rides. If you follow the links above, they will take you to the accessibility pages for each of the parks for more information.<\/p>\n

\"wheelchair2. The Wheel at ICON Park.<\/strong> This iconic 400-foot tall observation wheel provides breathtaking views of Central Florida in all directions, with sights of downtown Orlando\u2019s skyline, theme parks, lakes and lush landscape, and on a clear day, views of Cape Canaveral on the east coast. Each capsule is fully enclosed and air conditioned, and a full ride around the wheel takes about 23 minutes. The Eye is a good location for special occasions; a friend of the family got engaged in a capsule! The Wheel is designed to be accessible to everyone (as long as your wheelchair is no wider than 36″), and you can read about The Wheel’s accessibility policies here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

3. WonderWorks.\u00a0<\/strong>This hands-on interactive collection of mostly science-related exhibits is a really fun family experience that is accessible to everyone. WonderWorks\u00a0is an indoor amusement park for the mind with 35,000 square feet of \u201cedu-tainment.” The attraction combines education and entertainment with more than 100 hands on exhibits that challenge the mind and spark the imagination. In addition to the exhibits, the building has a multi-level indoor ropes course and a laser tag arena. It’s a great way to keep the kids very active and busy while staying out of the Florida heat! Here is WonderWorks Orlando’s accessibility information<\/a>.<\/p>\n

4. The Escape Game.<\/strong> There are many variations of this concept around the country, and actually more than one in Orlando; this is simply the one I tried. The “game” is that you’re placed in a “locked” room (there are exit buttons everywhere) with a bunch of clues and objects everywhere to help you along in your mission – to get out of the room. The catch? You only have one hour to escape. Two of the rooms at this location are wheelchair accessible, and while the space is tight, you can maneuver and get help from your teammates to reach things. Even if you can’t pick up or manipulate every object in the room, they key is to use your brain to put all the clues together! Contact the Escape Game Orlando<\/a> for wheelchair accommodations.<\/p>\n

\"wheelchair5. The Crayola Experience.\u00a0<\/strong>I have two kids, so admittedly I’m listing a lot of things here that are for them and for families. However, I can almost guarantee that any adult who has ever colored with crayons will enjoy this place! The Crayola Experience<\/a> is located inside the Florida Mall and is housed in a huge football-field sized open building with over a dozen different activity stations. You can label and name your own crayon, create custom coloring pages, make art with melted crayon wax, use a computer to animate your drawings, and see a show about how crayons are made (with free samples, of course). The best part? The prices of Crayola products in the gift shop are the same as in regular stores. The building can get very crowded, but the pathways between stations are very wide and all the activities are accessible.<\/p>\n

Thanks to my awesome electric scooter, I’m able to safely roll around destinations all over the world, and especially Orlando. Find out if it’s a good fit for you, too! Pride Mobility Go-Go Ultra X 3-Wheel Travel Scooter<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\"wheelchair6. Central Florida Zoo.\u00a0<\/strong>This zoo is only ten minutes from my house, and I take my children there all the time.\u00a0Besides seeing over 400 animals representing over 200 species\u00a0(that doesn’t even include the bugs in the Insect Zoo), you can take to the sky and enjoy our aerial adventure course,\u00a0ZOOm Air Adventure Park or bring your flip-flops and swimsuit to cool-off in the Wharton-Smith Tropical Splash Ground.\u00a0See domestic animals in the\u00a0Barnyard Buddies Children\u2019s Zoo, or see the Southeast\u2019s largest collection of venomous snakes and non-venomous reptiles in the\u00a0Herpetarium. \u00a0You can also meet animal care specialists during one of their\u00a0Keeper Chats. The zoo pathways are mostly wood slats with some paved sidewalks, so it can be a little bumpy in some areas. However, it’s not a large zoo, there’s tons of shade from the beautiful trees, and it’s very wheelchair friendly<\/a>.<\/p>\n

7. Orlando Science Center.\u00a0<\/strong>For sixty\u00a0years, the Orlando Science Center<\/a> has been a place that inspires curiosity and exploration. Truly one of the great activities for Orlando families, the Science Center encourages learning in a fun way. It’s\u00a0the perfect mix of educational activity, fun and knowledge all under one roof.\u00a0With four floors of exciting exhibits, amazing giant screen movies and engaging live programming, the Science Center is the perfect family destination. It’s\u00a0also the ideal rainy day activity. But this museum isn’t just for kids; their evening events include seminars and talks<\/a> about the science involved in things like brewing beer and fermenting wine. The Center is very wheelchair friendly<\/a>, although it may be a challenge to navigate through all the kids on a busy day!<\/p>\n

8. Orlando Museum of\u00a0Art.\u00a0<\/strong>Annually, the Orlando Museum of Art presents 10-12 exhibitions on-site and 13 exhibitions off-site, award-winning art enrichment programs, unlimited gallery tours, teacher in-service training programs, video programs, distinguished lectures, art appreciation lectures, studio classes, lecture\/luncheon programs and outreach services in its facility and throughout the community. The permanent collection includes work from Africa, the ancient Americas, and contemporary works, but rotating exhibitions tend to lean towards more modern movements. The museum is fully wheelchair accessible<\/a>, and another great option for one of central Florida’s many rainy days.<\/p>\n

\"wheelchair9. Lake Eola Park.\u00a0<\/strong>Lake Eola Park<\/a> is located in the heart of Downtown Orlando, and is home to the city’s iconic lighted fountain. The sidewalk that circles the lake is .9 miles in length, and wide enough to easily accommodate wheelchairs and companions. Other activities available to park visitors include renting swan-shaped paddle boats (one of which is now wheelchair accessible<\/a>!), feeding the live swans and other birds inhabiting the park, seeing a concert or a play in the Walt Disney Amphitheater, grabbing a bite to eat at Relax Grill on Lake Eola or relaxing amid beautiful flower beds and a spectacular view of Orlando\u2019s skyline.\u00a0The Eola Sunday Market<\/a> has gained a reputation of being one of the best in Central Florida. The market features fruits and vegetables, home-made breads, an assortment of local cuisines, beer, wine and a variety of artwork and entertainment.<\/p>\n