New Outside Descriptions at Walt Disney World!

My boyfriend and I are planning for a week-and-a-half trip to Orlando next year. There are three reasons. First, my bf hasn't been since 1989 and I haven't been since 1999 (I was there for the Millenium celebration, and his first visit in 1979 was a month after Walt Disney World first opened). Second, we both need a nice vacation, especially with the coming school year (both of us have been out of school for a while). Third, the National Federation of the Blind will have their annual convention in Orlando next year. Oh yea...there's a fourth reason, then: It will be WDW's 40th anniversary celebration year.

In light of all these reasons, we have been doing a lot of research on the accessibility of WDW based on our multiple needs. He has severe allergies to evergreens, so Fort Wilderness was out, and I have chronic pain and mobility impairment that will mean using a wheelchair part-time at the theme parks. These needs were easily met with the wonderful accessibility of Walt Disney World. However, we were not fully satisfied with the accessibility for blind people. Being both legaly blind, navigation and orientation would be important; I also need description to keep up with the visual cues on rides that I would otherwise miss out on. Now we will be completely happy, as not nly does WDW have audio description of rides, they also have audio descriptions of outside areas! No more getting lost, I thought, as I read the article (see below). I'll let the article speak for itself, and I hope you will find as much pleasure in this new access at Disney World as my boyfriend and I will when we go next year.

If you have some vision- click on the link as there are graphics and
pictures showing what the device looks like and such.

Here's the text of this article:

Outdoor Audio Description Technology for Guests with Disabilities
Beginning on June 27, guests with visual disabilities will be able to
explore Walt Disney World theme parks in a whole new way. Using a
Disney-designed Assistive Technology Device guests will now be able to
explore the parks accompanied with an audio description of all the sights.
This easy-to-use device is obtained at any theme park guest relations
window. It is offered at no cost with a refundable deposit. It comes with a
headset and strap so you can hang it around your neck. Disney conducted a
number of focus groups with organizations for the blind to help them create
an easy to understand machine that can be mastered in a few minutes.

I spent an hour today with an Assistive Technology Device (ATD) at Disney's
Hollywood Studios. As I walked from area to area, the ATD would come alive
and vibrate as I passed hidden sensors. Then it would provide me with a
fairly accurate description of my location. For example, it would announce,
"You are on Pixar Place near the restrooms" or "You are in Animation
Courtyard between Voyage of the Little Mermaid and Playhouse Disney." If at
any time I needed a reminder of where I was at, I could push a button and
the ATD would repeat the last announced location.

Another button provided me with a general description of my surroundings.
When the recording finished, I was given the option to hear more information
in six categories. These were (1) a more detailed description of the area,
(2) nearby attractions (3) nearby restrooms, (4) nearby restaurants, (5)
entertainment, and (6) shopping. From these, I could drill down for even
more detailed information.

Another automatic feature of the ATD is Attraction Descriptions. When I
boarded Toy Story Mania, the ATD started automatically and provided me with
a detailed commentary of all the sights along the way. I never had to push
any button.

To give you an idea of what I'm talking about, I've included a short audio
clip from the Haunted Mansion. The first voice you hear is that of the Ghost
Host. Following our disembodied spirit is the ATD voice describing a few of
the sights.

The ATD can also be used by the hearing impaired. Although I did not get to
try this feature, I was told it works in all attractions and the ride or
show's dialog is automatically displayed on the screen.

I spoke with Bob Minnick, Manager - Facility Safety and Accessibility. I
asked him if the ATD could be easily updated as things are constantly
changing at WDW. He told me that Disney partnered with WGBH Boston in the
development of this device. I was assured that all Disney needed to do was
provide a new script to WGBH and an updated recording could be made an
uploaded in very little time. When I asked if these devices would be
available at the resorts, Bob told me that Disney's objective at the moment
is to bring Disneyland online with the ATD. After that, they will assess the
demand and need for further expansion.

Disney has patented and licensed this new technology and is eager to make it
available beyond the theme parks. To that end, it's already being used at
the Coca Cola Museum in Atlanta, The Hall at Patriot Place, and the Dallas
Cowboys Stadium.

Walt wanted Disneyland to be enjoyed by everyone. Through the years, his
company has strived to bring magic to all. Here are a few examples of how
the Imagineers are constantly looking for ways to improve the guest
experience.

In making a drinking fountain wheelchair accessible, it also makes them "kid
friendly." And Braille maps can be found in all four theme parks.

All Walt Disney World transportation is wheelchair accessible - all buses
have hydraulic lifts and the docks all "float" so they are always level with
the watercraft. The buses also have closed captioning, announcing
destinations and other pertinent information.

A number of guest rooms are available with height appropriate vanities and
easy access tubs and showers. Text telephones are obtainable for the deaf.

Swimming pools have sloped entrances so that aquatic wheelchairs can easily
roll into the water. This shallow area also provides toddlers with an area
to splash with safety.

At the golf courses, specially designed carts are available to allow just
about anyone the ability to play a round.

At Blizzard Beach, a special gondola can accommodate a wheelchair for a ride
to the top of Mount Gushmore.

Special viewing areas have been set aside on a first come, first served
basis along the parade routes. Even the Grand Marshal vehicles can
accommodate a wheelchair so just about anyone can be included in the
festivities.

Disney is always looking for new ways to retrofit older attractions. A
special Jungle Cruise boat was updated with a lift for wheelchairs. And
newer attractions are also getting into the act. Since loading and unloading
can take longer in these cases, Toy Story Mania was designed with an
auxiliary loading area so folks can take all the time they need to get
situated.

Many of the live shows offer sign language interpreters. These are presented
on certain days and at certain hours. You need to check with Guest Relations
for exact days and times.

I have to admit, when I attended today's press event, my eyes became a
little misty when I saw all that Disney is doing to bring the magic to
everyone. I take so many things for granted and I was moved that Disney does
not. They strive to include everyone they can.

For more information about touring the parks with special needs, check out
the AllEars.Net section for guests with special needs
as well as Disney's webpage: WALT DISNEY WORLD GUESTS WITH DISABILITIES

Posted by Jack Spence on June 23, 2010 5:00 AM

What the Future Holds

I know it has been over a week since my last post here on the Treasure Chest for the Blind blog. Let me tell you what’s going on with me, and what I’m researching for future blog posts.

Of late, I’ve been having a lot of physical problems. I have gone to two neurosurgeons, had three MRIs (and have another scheduled of my spine soon), and tried various medications and diet changes. I continue to deteriorate, now unable to walk more than a few steps or stand for more than a few minutes without getting exhausted and hurting. Washing the dishes leaves my back screaming with pain, and walking to the bus stop requires a nice long rest at the end. I’m hoping for a diagnosis soon, as well as a referral to a pain clinic soon. In the meantime, I am trying to get used to the idea of becoming a part-time wheelchair user. I don’t like the idea, because I can’t use my cane from my wheelchair, so I’m dependent on others to push my chair for me…I don’t like that dependence. I’m hoping to go to a service dog school soon. I think a guide/service dog would help me keep my independence. The guide dog would not only guide, but would assist with balance when I am standing or walking, and assist with pulling the wheelchair when I have to use the wheelchair. I will be talking to people from Guide Dog Foundations and Guiding Eyes for the Blind in New York, and Leader Dogs (I believe in Michigan). I don’t think I’ll be able to go to the Seeing Eye, due to my physical limitations.

I’m also preparing for college to start in the fall. I will finish the entrance exam this coming Wednesday, and then I need to get with an advisor to go over class choices. I’ve already made a list of the classes I want, but they may not be the best for me to take. In May, I’ll have a technology assessment, to hopefully get a PDA (either a BraillePlus or a PacMate, preferably), as well as an embosser, a scanner and printer, VictorReader Stream, a full version of JAWS, and various other sundry items I’ll need for college. I’m really looking forward to starting at school. I’m hoping to start a work-study in the spring also, either in the Disability office or in the library.

I am also planning several vacations with my boyfriend and friends from the National Federation of the Blind. Next month, I will be going with a group to the NFB Center in Baltimore, Maryland, where we will participate in workshops, tour the Independence Market, and meet Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the NFB. This trip is paid for already, and all I have to do is pack my stuff and show up at the pick-up location. Then, sometime in June, my boyfriend and I want to go out to the beach, possibly to see the wild ponies on the islands off the coast of North Carolina. We both love nature and animals, so that should be great fun. We haven’t even started planning for this, but it shouldn’t be too hard, being just a quick weekend trip.

The big trip we are planning is going to be next June/July. My boyfriend and I, along with several members of the local NFB chapter, will be going to Orlando. We will be staying at Disney World for five days of relaxation and fun, then attend the NFB National convention. As next year will be the 40th anniversary of Disney World, it will be very exciting. It will also be my first national convention, and I can’t wait! But it will be a lot of work planning for this trip. Thank goodness, we have the help of Cheryl Echevarria, an independent travel consultant who absolutely loves Disney World, has been there many times, and is a member of the NFB herself, so she knows a lot about what we want and how to do it. If you are planning a trip any time in the near future, you should talk to her, too. I’ll write a separate post about her after an interview (with her permission). But in the meantime, her website is http://Echevarriatravel.com, and her toll-free number is 1-866-580-5574. She is very nice, and has already been of great assistance, and we haven’t even got very far into the planning!

As far as research, I’ve been evaluating various freeware programs, many available from the Internet Archives. I’m particularly evaluating an exam/text maker, several business card makers, and contact managers. There are also text-to-audio and text-to-PDF programs. The text-to-audio program, Text Sound, available from the Internet Archives, does not seem to work, but it may just be me. It is accessible, allowing you to use hotkeys to add and edit files and convert them to audio. If anyone wants to give it a try and let me know what they think, it’s available on the Internet Archives at < http://www.archive.org/details/tucows_221944_TextSound>. For some reason, all my files failed to convert.

I have also become the pleased owner of Day by Day Professional. It is definitely awesome, and I am slowly but surely converting my address book over to the program’s build-in contact manager. I highly recommend this program for its ease of use, full accessible features, and inexpensiveness. Day by Day Professional is available from www.blindsoftware.com for $39.95 (including all fees). It will come via e-mail for download, and you will also get a hardcopy CD of the program as a backup.

So, it may be awhile until my next blog post about a product, but I assure you, I’m working on it. I’m trying to find the most accessible, easy-to-use programs at the lowest cost, so look forward to thorough evaluations of programs I find.

Until later,
Jewel