“This book is truly a marvel and an absolute must for anyone planning or thinking about planning a trip to WDW with any type of disability. I would also recommend this book to those guests with small kids who would like to warn their children of potentially disconcerting or frightening aspects of rides. I would recommend this book to anyone going for the first time and who would like specific details on rides and dining options. In fact, I would recommend this book to anyone. period.”
Mike, contributing writer to Mouse Extra
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“Walt Disney World With Disabilities is a must read. While the title may lead you to believe that this is a guide for those with severe disabilities, it really is a guide for anyone. Not only will you get useful information for those who are wheelchair bound, but also you get great tips for those with more “minor” disabilities such as motion sickness or allergies.
This book contains various tips for hotels, parks, shops and restaurants. It also includes links to helpful websites as well as phone numbers for contacting the resort for any questions you may have about meeting specific needs while on vacation.
Stephen Ashley uses his own experiences, as well as his wife’s, with physical disabilities to enlighten those who may have doubts about whether or not Walt Disney World is the right place for your vacation. He has taken the time to compile this guide in order to help those who have questions, like he and his wife had, about what rides would be safe for them and what rides would be too much to handle. While many may feel that Disney World is a big vacation resort that may be difficult to navigate, this book clearly shows that while being an extra large resort, they are the masters of making people comfortable and meeting their special needs.”
Nathan Rose, Owner of MagicalMountain.net
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“Stephen Ashley is a Disney guru! Walt Disney World with Disabilities includes the finest details, from hints for making room reservations to tips about which disability or phobia might be affected by each individual ride or attraction. Clearly, Ashley knows the parks inside and out. This book fills a glaring gap in Disney tourism literature and will help make the parks more enjoyable for every visitor.”
Hillary Easom, Travel Writer, California
(Ms. Easom is a freelance writer who’s work is frequently featured in major publications including Glamour Magazine, Caesars Player Magazine, Go World Travel, Cruise Magazine, InsideOut Travel, etc.)
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“I am very impressed with this book and Highly recommend it
“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.”
DLCI “TECHY LAW MAN”
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“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, Florida
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“Hi, I wanted to thank you for writing Walt Disney World with Disabilities. In 2006 I was diagnosed with End Stage Renal disease. I’m currently on home peritineal dialysis and thought I would be unable to travel to my favorite place on earth….Disney World. Reading your informative book gave me hope. We loaded up a trunk load of dialysis supplies and headed for Florida. I had studied your book each day and followed your advice. Everything from how to request a fridge in the room for medication to the degree of roughness of the rides made it a super trip. We stayed for 10 days at the All Star Sports Resort, rode lots of rides , ate at some of the eating places you recommended and had a spectacular time… My doctor had told me there was no way I could get around Disney World and still do my dialysis. She was wrong. I always did my treatment on time, was able to stay on my renal diet easily, and came back with a nice glow about me.”
“…Please continue to provide this information to those out there that feel they could never go on such a big trip. All it takes is some careful research, creative thinking, and you’re in for the time of your life. I hope you do some more theme parks, national parks, and other vacation ideas for the disabled… Our trip was such a joy and a nice break from the confines of my medical condition. I have proven to my doctor that end stage renal disease does not have to keep me from getting back out into the world.
Thanks again for your great book!”
Debra Gann
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“It was easily the most comprehensive guide for going to Disney with a bad back. It helps you know how to handle each ride. In past visits to Disney I never knew if I could handle a ride and it was really hard to make a decision about trying it or not. Reading this book has answered my questions more precisely than even asking Disney attendants or reading signs, and it’s helped me to know what I can and can’t do.”
David
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“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.”
Dina Carroll, Occupational Therapist
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“Incredible book! I wish I had it years ago! We’ve found Walt Disney World With Disabilities to be remarkably helpful. I’ve got a number of difficult conditions including heart problems, diabetes, back problems and Parkinson’s. This book makes it so much easier for me to manage and enjoy myself. I’ve gone to Disney many times over the years, but I never picked up on most of the tips in this book. Plus you describe the way the rides feel so completely. It makes things so much easier. Thank you!”
Norman, Florida
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“I discovered this great book last Spring, and I love it so much I’m ordering the revised edition! Mr. Ashley does a wonderful job in explaining what to expect. On our last visit to Disney World, my sister, who has Down’s Syndrome and isn’t able to walk long distances, came along. This was our first experience dealing with a wheelchair at Disney. While it is very true that Disney World is probably the best place to vacation if you or a family member has disabilities, the amount of knowledge needed to easily navigate all the parks, shops, restaurants, and attractions is immense. Other guide books were helpful, but oh how I wish I had had this one then! It literally takes you through each attraction and park and tells you how to manage, not only with a wheelchair, but with other health issues also. We go back in January, and I’m looking forward to a much more relaxed and fun trip this time! Thank you Stephen and Sarah for sharing your experiences!
Pam Fuerst
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“I’ve never used a wheelchair before, but I was really worried about being able to get around the parks because of Fibromyalgia pain. Your section on whether to use a wheelchair or not really helped me get over my discomfort with the idea. Plus all the other information you gave on how to get and use the wheelchair, and how to get around in the parks & hotels was fantastic. It made a huge difference… It made my trip so much more pleasant and I was able to do a lot more than I thought I could. I was also able to handle allergies and diet restrictions with ease. ”
Angie
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“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
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“As a registered nurse I look at the broad range of things when caring for my patients, such as diet, well being and mobility to name a few. Mr. Ashley’s book is very well rounded. I would definitely recommend it to my patients.”
Linda Kovacs, Registered Nurse
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“As an employee of a non-profit organization that deals with children who have illnesses and as a parent to a child with special needs, Walt Disney World with Disabilities in a much needed resource. I highly recommend it to my constituents as a valuable guide in navigating the Disney parks. It is packed with detailed information that is useful for anyone visiting Disney with or without medical concerns. A great find!”
Nancy Hart-Gold, Florida
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“Hello Stephen: I have thoroughly enjoyed your book! I found it very informative… Again, thank you for a great book!”
Betty
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