Accessibility on Days Out - Theme Parks - Museums etc

[shen]

I meant to write here when i returned about the hotels in stayed in near manchester airport. anyway here goes.

If you have an early flight like i didi ts easier to stay in a hotel overnight than travel early from your home. I chose the "Etrop Grange Hotel" Its an old victorian mansion with no lifts, but the staff are fantastic, i mentioned i had problems with mobility and carrying, they offered me a room on the first floor to be sorted immediatly, but anyway i chose to stay in the original room on the 1st floor, they carried my suitcase up two flights of stairs and all the way to the room, and came up at 4am to take it back down for me. Everything is accessible in the room, and they have a nice walk in shower in some rooms. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. The beds are incredibly comfortable!! Free tea, coffee, biscuits too Also a free taxi to and from the airport to the hotel.

On the way home i arrived late and trains from the airport had been cancelled becuase of works, so i stayed in the "Crowne Plaza" The staff were not as involved in helping but its a huge hotel with lift access to every floor. Rooms were big aswell and easy to navigate, as far as i am aware there are some disabled access rooms avaliable, but everything in the other rooms is accessible, just if you want a bath and cant get into a tub then, thats where your stuck.

i would really suggest the Etrop Grange if you have to stay nearby, it often has special offers on so rooms are quite cheap often. and the staff are just really wonderful.

[curlysue]

Robin Hood's Bay (and Staithes), North Yorkshire

Me and my OH went to North Yorkshire for a holiday a few weeks ago and went to Robin Hood's Bay (on the recommendation of the woman who owned our holiday cottage) for a day out. The car park was at the top of a hill and all the 'good stuff' (i.e. beach, shops etc) at the bottom. There were many large shouty signs on the roads leading down to the village saying 'NO PARKING BEYOND THIS POINT' so basically everyone had to park on the hilltop car park. This had disabled spaces, but a very small (perhaps they were hoping that people wouldn't be able to see it!) sign said that blue badge holders were not exempt from the parking fee - which was a minimum of about £3. This was the same in Whitby too so perhaps it's a common thing in tourist destinations.

So anyway we paid the money and parked, then I got in the wheelie. We started to make our way down and then we noticed that the road suddenly got extremely steep, and the pavement became a staircase! There was no way of getting down to the village unless we went in the road, and even then the steepness would have prevented my OH from being able to push me back up the hill easily. There is no way I would have been able to manage the walk back up even if I had managed to walk down. So we cut our losses, got back in the car and went somewhere else.

I can appreciate that the geography of these old coastal villages cannot be changed, but I think that the whole place in general seemed very disabled-unfriendly. I found it a bit rich that they insisted disabled people paid for the parking, when the access to the village below was so poor. I think a few disabled spaces in the village would not be too much to ask, or if this was impossible, then a shuttle bus from the car park to the village. But that's by the by.

Anyway my advice is, if you ever go to this region for a holiday, don't bother with Robin Hood's Bay! Or Staithes either (which is nearby) - same deal with the car parking, plus cobbled streets with narrow pavements (very difficult for the wheelie!).

CSx

[lil_miffy]

liverpool is quite accessible. although albert dock is very bumpy so take a cushion if you are a wheelchair user. the taxis all let you drive into the main cab and have ramps. Most tourist attractions are accessible and the disabled loos all seem to have the same layout which was great for phill (you have no idea how anoying it gets shouting 'the hand dryer is to your right,..right...no your right not your left'!!).
You can even get on the ferry although getting up the ramp at the pier head terminnal nees a bit of a run up if you in a chair again.

[Blaadyblah]

Chessington was excellent in the main, though disabled visitors need to register and be wristbanded and have a ride card marked which all seems to be an awful lot of faff. It's to stop queue jumping or something, but I felt a little peeved, particularly as we'd been there half a day before anyone said so!

[cuddles]

DISNEY (this is all Disney Theme Parks around the World )
Information about Disabled Passes
Apparently most travel agents should be able to arrange these at the time of booking if you provide details of your child's condition. If not, then if you go to the administration office in Town/City Hall off Main Street at Disneyland , and provide any evidence, hospital letters, disabled passes, etc you should be able to get a pass when you are there

There are also "special" pass for those not in buggies / wheelchairs who have walking difficulties / visual imparement etc . These passes do not mean you get priority like the disabled passes , but you do not have to stand in the que's , sometimes seating is available

cuddles xxxxxx

[Tiz]

Place Visited : The 02 Arena
Special Needs : Wheelchair / Disabled friendly

It was fab! The have a special booking line for disabled people and can discuss things like getting you a seat in the main seating area with minimal distance to walk to it and on the end of a row so noone to climb over if that's what you want. I was late booking so there weren't any suitable seats like that left so they just gave me a wheelchair space instead which is definitely what I'd recommend as the wheelchair section is a nice platform about 15 metres from the stage on the same height as the stage so you're looking over the top of all the people standing in front of the stage and get a fantastic view. The only downside being that you can only take one other person with you into the wheelchair section so if you're with a large group of friends you'll be separated, but your one special friend does get a free ticket as your carer.

You can book parking in advance, which is cheaper than paying on the day, I needed my blue badge to get into the car park nearest the arena.

It's a modern building so it's all nice and wheely friendly, lots of ramps, but for some reason all the doors are double doors and ridiculously heavy which is a bit of a nightmare when one person's got their hands full with wheelchair handles and the other can't really reach the doors, but the staff were all very on the ball rushing to open doors for us. There were quite a few disabled loos too, actually big enough to turn a wheelchair round in which is the one thing a lot of these places get wrong I find.

All in all it's a really good venue for people on wheels, and Placebo were brilliant, so a very good night out!

[Lindsly]

I'm not sure if this is the right thread...

I found this http://www.makoa.org/travel.htm through Joni & Friends. It's a website of links for disability-friendly trips.

[everhopeful]

The Spinnaker Tower on Portsmouth's waterfront (Gun wharf quay)
Having crossed easily on the ferry from Gosport in my wheelchair (and only charged 80p return under the "Bicycle" category...which I found amusing!) my OH and I joined the usual queue, only to be whisked to one side and given all the info about accessibility and what to do in an emergency. We were given the name of a member of staff at the first viewing level who would assist us to catch the lift to the second viewing level. I then only paid for me, and hubby got in for free. Staff were all incredibly friendly and the assistant on the viewing level encouraged me to wheel across the walk of faith (OH thought I woulldn't be allowed across the glass panel, but I was told straight away..of course you can....I'm not scared!!!)
Overall, very pleasant experience. Could not fault any one and fantastic view at the top. Could see the Isle of White very clearly. Recommend!

[denise]

Longleet centre parcs longleet house safari

Just bit more to add. Have just returned from there and had a great time
Hired a mobility scooter, first time i ever used one and found it just the best.So great to be the one infront. I used internet to get info, booked over the phone by phoning them direct. Initially told needed blue badge but next person said that was rubbish. I picked the scooter up from the cycle hire given little demo and allowed on my way. Access to all shops cafes etc
Was not able to take scooter off park when went to longleet safari
Instead hired a wheelchair free from infomation at longleet park. Prefered the independance of the scooter as my OH was not that good at positioning the chair so I could see.
Went on the train, guard helped direct us on the train in the chair,felt like royalty. Went round the house with ease up and down in lift. A guide was waiting to take us up or down nothing was too much trouble and I didn't feel I missed out on anything.
Had good access to cafes etc even managed to wheel my self for a while with ease as no huge hills.
Went on boat special access and area with carers seats behind was able to see as well as anyone else. I could see the animals at this level with ease glass being in some areas at right level ( I did n't see bats in Joe's mine, just because not my thing)

[everhopeful]

This wouldn't fit in the "Days Out" category as it was a full holiday, however I will post for anyone who would be thinking of taking a cruise.
Just travelled from Southampton with P and O to the Norweigian fjords. I filled out a mobility questionnaire before hand and was usung a regular cabin for which my wheelchair needed to be collapsible or foldable (which it is). I requested a shower stool which was waiting for me in my cabin. When we booked tours, the front seat was reserved with my name on it! When we got on and off the ship there was 2 or even 3 stewards (depending upon the steep angle of the gangway) to take me either up or down in my chair. When I used the cafeteria for meals, the waiters were there immediately to carry my tray and help to serve me, leaving my son and hubby free to get their meals simultaneously so that we could all eat together. In a nutshell their customer service was second to none. We have brought over 1000 photo's back with us. We were able to take really good scenic tours that had very limited walking for me and still allowed my son and hubby to go a little off the beaten track to get the extra shots they wanted. I can thoroughly recommend P and O Cruises to any one with mobility difficulties. They also allow scooters on board but as you have to store your scooter or chair in your cabin it has to be able to get through the door! There are designated staterooms with full wheelchair access but this would need to be stated at the time of booking and most scooters would probably need the wider doorways that these provide. I hope this could be of use to someone at some point. Happy Cruising !!

[C0tt0nC4ndy]

Has anyone been to Thorpe Park? If so could you please tell me how disabled friendly it is as I am going there on tuesday for my mum's birthday

Thanks

x

[hannah]

Hi everyone, I just thought I'd post that there is a great place for info on accessible days out:

http://accessibleplaces.net/

I've just discovered it and have put some reviews on it (Hannah Ensor). The great thing is that places are reviewed by disabled people, who specify what their relevant needs were so you can get a proper, realistic picture of how accessible places are. There are quite a few questions to answer when reviewing - but just put 'not checked' if you don't know

If we all put these kind of reviews on it then there will be a great place for further information for others too.

Hannah

[kerrylouise37]

Science Museum in London

I found the science museum to be brilliant, I was on crutches and they provided me with an extremely comfortable formula 1 wheelchair that was really easy to use and actually quite fun to be in! It had a bucket seat so was comfortable for me to sit in for the whole day and there was ramps everywhere and lifts to all the floors. Only problem I found was when in the wheelchair some of the exhibits were a bit too high for me to see so I had to get the other half to describe what I was supposed to be seeing but most of the bits were viewable and I had a great day! I didn't need anything to prove eligibility for the chair (I think the crutches where a sign I needed it!) and everyone was really pleasant! Highly recommend! **** 4 stars from me only lost 1 for the slight viewing issue!

[cracker]

has anyone been to the london dungeon recently? i havnt been for ages & i was wondering if it easaly acessable please