Guests with Special Needs
The Orlando hospitality community welcomes guests with disabilities by providing a number of services to make you feel more at home during your stay.
Click to view a complete list of our members who provide services for guests with disabilities, or browse the following areas of interest:
Theme Parks/Attractions | Accommodations
Transportation/Tours | Parking | Wheelchair, ECV Rentals
Learn more about how the Orange County Convention Center assists guests with disabilities.
Theme Parks/Attractions
Walt Disney World
Each Disney World theme park has a "Guide for Guests with Disabilities" available at the Guest Relations Center near the park entrance, which explains that park's policies and the special facilities at each ride and show. The books specify which rides allow guests to remain in their wheelchair or electronic convenience vehicle (ECV) and which ones require a transfer to a ride vehicle. They also give the age and height restrictions for each ride and tell which attractions are close-captioned and where service animals can and cannot be taken. There are special viewing areas for parades. Seek out a cast member for seating. Braille guidebooks and audio guides are available (a $25 refundable deposit is required for the audio guides). The Walt Disney World parks offer sign translation for most of their live shows on a rotating schedule: Mondays and Thursdays at the Magic Kingdom, Tuesdays and Fridays at Epcot, Sundays and Wednesdays at Disney-MGM Studios and Saturdays at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Two types of captioning devices are offered, for a $25 deposit refundable at the end of the day. Guests desiring sign translation should call Disney at 407-939-7807(voice) or 407-939-7807(TDD/TTY) at least one week in advance.
Universal Orlando
At Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, a guest with a disability can ask for a 15% discount off the regular ticket price at the ticket window. Braille and large print scripts for selected attractions are available at Guest Services. Sign language interpreting services can be made available in Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure, at no charge. To arrange for interpreting services by a screened/certified staff interpreter, please contact The Sign Language Services Department at 888-519-4899 (toll-free TTY), 407-224-4414 (local TTY) or 407-224-5929 (Voice). Arrangements for an appointment with an interpreter should be made one to two weeks in advance. Arrangements can also be made through email at signlanguageservices@universalorlando.com. Braille and large print menus are available at dining locations inside the parks and at Guest Services. A Rider's Guide for Safety and Guests with Disabilities is available at Guest Services at both parks and can be mailed upon request by contacting Guest Services at (407) 224-6350. The Rider's Guide explains the park's policies and the special facilities at each attraction. The book specifies which attractions allow guests to remain in their standard manual wheelchair and which ones require a transfer to a ride vehicle. They also give the height restrictions for each ride, which attractions are close-captioned, which attractions can accommodate service animals and much more. Wheelchairs can navigate the entry lines at all attractions. Contact Guest Services at (407) 224-6350 with any questions or comments.
SeaWorld Orlando
At SeaWorld guided tours are available, as well as Audio Guides in five languages (for a small fee). A guest with a disability can ask for a 50% discount off the regular ticket price at the ticket window. Guests can call 407-361-2487 ext. 2480 for more information. Guests with special needs can call the Education Department in advance at 407-363-2380 to arrange a tour.
The other theme parks and attractions are also equipped with ramps and entrances that make them accessible to wheelchairs. Many local parks, such as Blue Springs State Park and Wekiva Springs State Park, have built special boardwalk nature trails that allow guests with wheelchairs to observe native Florida plants and wildlife in their natural habitats.
Parking
Orlando police officers will accept your out-of-state or foreign disabled parking permit, as long as it is prominently displayed in the windshield of your car when you are parked in the designated public handicapped parking spots. Temporary handicapped parking permits are not available so it is important to bring your permit from home to be displayed in your car. The theme parks have special private parking areas near the park entrances; explain your circumstances to the parking attendant and you will be directed to park there.
Wheelchair/ECV Rentals
Wheelchairs and electronic convenience vehicles are available for rent at the theme parks, and each ride and show has accessible ramps and entrances. The ECV's and wheelchairs are rented on a first-come, first-serve basis, so try to arrive at the park at opening time (9 am) to make sure you get one! (Electric carts are currently renting for $30 per day, plus a $10 deposit or a photo ID as security.) If you are unable to stand in lines because of health problems, ask at Guest Service desk for a special assistance pass.
Several companies in Central Florida rent wheelchairs, ECV's and scooters for your stay. AA Tourist Rentals at www.orlandoscooterrentals.com, (800-941-4662, 407-767-9651) offers rentals. Wheelchairs, electric scooters and medical equipment can be rented from CARE Medical Equipment (800-741-2282, 407-856-2273) www.caremedicalequipment.com or Walker Medical and Mobility Products (888-SCOOTER, 407-331-9500) www.walkermobility.com. These companies will deliver to your hotel or home.
Transportation/Tours
The Orlando International Airport has an automated guide way transit system to and from gates, moving walkways, curbside check-in, passenger lifts for boarding aircraft, companion care restrooms and TDD phones.
All public buses have a hydraulic lift and restraining belts for 2 wheelchairs, and they serve Universal Studios, Sea World and the shopping areas and downtown Orlando, as well as going once an hour to the Tickets and Transportation Center outside the Magic Kingdom.
If you want to rent a special wheelchair van, you can call Wheelchair Getaways (800-242-4990), www.wheelchairgetaways.com, or Rainbow Wheels of Florida (800-910-VANS), www.rainbowwheels.com. Wheelchair Minivan Rentals (800-308-2503), www.discountmobilityusa.com, a medical equipment supplier, rents electric scooters, powerchairs, villas with roll in showers or will deliver your exact oxygen prescription to the airport, hotel or cruise terminals. Most car rental companies have ordinary vans.
Some tour companies will take you to Kennedy Space Center, Busch Gardens etc. Try Gator Tours at 407-363-9787, www.gatortours.com.
Accommodations
Hotels and motels are required by law to have a special room/rooms equipped for wheelchairs.
For more information:
For more information, please call the parks' main information lines:
SeaWorld Orlando
407-351-3600 [voice], 407-363-2617 [TDD/TTY]
Universal Orlando
407-363-8000 [voice], 407-363-8265 [TDD/TTY]
Walt Disney World
407-824-4321 [voice], 407-827-5141 [TDD/TTY]
Guests staying at the Walt Disney World Resorts can find out about specific resort amenities by calling (407) 939-7807 [voice] (407) 939-7670 [TDD/TTY]. Check with the Guest Relations Office at the front of each park, or call the park to make special arrangements.