Walt Disney World with Disabilities

I manage a home health agency in South Florida and have many disabled clients that I felt would benefit from this book. I just finished it and was very impressed with its explicit content and wide range of disabilities it addressed. For anyone who knows someone with any type of disability or medical problem and is planning a trip to Disney World, I would recommend this as a great resource. The reader learns how to make the event as smooth and carefree as possible. I found it also ideal for the elderly person who wants to remain active and get the most out of their visits! A few specifics that I would like to point out. I like the way the index is so clear. If you're only interested in particular subjects it makes it very easy to find. I was also surprised that this book addresses so many things that are not necessarily disabilities, but can still interfere with your trip such as fatigue and allergies. I find that it's a great resource for minor conditions as well as for more serious disabilities. This book may be of interest to people who never considered going to Disney, but now can go because they have the advantage of the guidelines given in this book. Judy Klockow Administrator, Gold Coast Elder Care

This book should be called Walt Disney World for Everyone! I think everybody should read this book who wants to go to Disneyworld. I started reading it as an Occupational Therapist, but I found myself to be really riveted by the wealth of information that applied to me personally and to my family. As a mother of 6 kids, I really believe that these are the things a mother really wants and needs to know. This book is so thorough. Its an A-Z guide that has things you wouldn't think to even ask about that were so helpful, and it will help parents make important decisions. For example, you don't want to spend time in lines for attractions that won't be good for you or your kids. The descriptions were so good that they really helped me know what would and wouldn't be worth our time. And those lines can be tough to wait in with impatient and tired kids! The book helps you plan your day so you get the most out of your time, and it will save me hours of waiting in lines for rides that would have turned out badly. There's so much useful information like this that will help our family be so much more comfortable. I think it will also be fantastic for people with health problems. My husband can't do a lot of walking and there were services for him that I had no idea about. The authors really put themselves into this book - it's not just a manual, but it's so much more interesting and informative to read than anything else I've seen. It's very easy reading because it's got a personal touch to it. I couldn't put it down.

Walt Disney World With Disabilities, by Stephen Ashley, is a marvelous enabler to adventure for those normally reticent to step out of the "safety zone" of the limits and boredom that often accompany physical disabilities. Side-line spectating or only listening to stories about the fun experiences of others can give way to personal experience and enjoyment facilitated by the well-researched tips, advice, descriptions, warnings and encouragements that this user-friendly book offers. The attention to detail relieves the fear-factor of the unknown that the disabled normally have to deal with. The easy to use format describing just about every ride, attraction, restaurant, and venue found in the whole of Disney World, places empowering knowledge at the finger tips of every disabled and special needs visitor. If you are fortunate enough to obtain a copy, you may find it to be a "master-key" to a world of safe Disney fun. Since my own mother is confined to a wheel-chair, I offer my personal thanks to Stephen Ashley for this amazing reference." Dr. Richard Risi

In my opinion Walt Disney World with Disabilities is the best book out there for anyone with a health condition. We own several Disney guide books including another one designed for special needs at Disney. Nothing else I've read describes the way the rides feel as well as this book does. The writers really paid attention to every sensation and experience, and they share it all in an easy to read and understand style. It's also packed with useful and practical suggestions for the parks, resorts and dining. I also highly recommend this book to parents who wish to choose appropriate rides and shows for their children. Really it's great for anyone who wants to know what a ride feels like before trying it. I've gone to Disney many times over the years with my wife and kids. One of the things that I've found most challenging is deciding which rides are suitable for my children, and for me. It can be really confusing sometimes, because the Disney warnings are all encompassing. For example, many ride warning signs say that a person with back or neck problems should not ride. Yet some of these are fine for me. This book really gives you a sense of the true intensity and experience, and I find the descriptions to be right on target. Conversely, there are rides that I thought would be fine, because there was no special warning posted by Disney, but I was shocked to find there were jolts or unexpected things that bothered my condition or scared my kids. I found that Walt Disney World with Disabilities reveals every one of these.