DizNeeds: Disney Special Needs Travel Information

Daniel Simonds lives in Florida and is a huge Disney fan. He was born with Cerebral Palsy and uses a motorized wheelchair to get around. He has a special app on his iPad that lets him communicate. He went to Winter Haven High School and Warner University. Currently he volunteers at Give Kids the World, a non profit group that provides a fun and safe place for kids with life threatening illnesses. He’s a DJ and loves music, friends, family, and his church. He’s a graphic designer and web designer and even assisted in the design of the logo for Dolphin Tale 2. His ultimate dream is to one day work for Walt Disney World. His chair serves as his legs and his iPad is his voice. He has a passion for IT and making people happy. He is always smiling because (as he says) he never met a day that he couldn’t conquer.   Daniel Simonds: danielsimonds.com DizNeeds Facebook page - facebook.com/dizneeds

Today we’re talking about going to Walt Disney World in a wheelchair. I’m not in a chair but my daughter is and I’ve spent many a day pushing her WDW packing in all the fun we could possibly handle. We also have experience with an ECV that my mother has used on our past two trips. I’m going to share with you 5 or more top tips for making your trip to WDW even better than it already will be.   DizNeeds Facebook page - facebook.com/dizneeds DizNeeds Group - facebook.com/groups/dizneedsdisneypodcast

When Adam Gorlitsky, then a 19-year-old college student, awoke from a horrific car accident after falling asleep at the wheel, he was told he would never walk again.   The seasoned athlete, who was once celebrated for running a mile in under five minutes, was completely devastated by the news.  The thought of not walking again was crushing and a reality he had a difficult time accepting.  As the years passed, Adam set his sights on being an advocate for people with disabilities, focused on adapting to his new reality and how he could more forward in a positive way.     Ten years after his accident, Adam’s life dramatically changed again.  He was chosen as a candidate for a new exoskeleton technology, a machine that would allow him to stand and walk again for the first time in a decade.  The moment he stood, Adam knew his next mission; he was determined to help change other’s lives as well.  His continued commitment to inspire others to action serves as the cornerstone his ReEnabled Race Tour.   In April of 2016 with 40,000 runners cheering him on, Adam became the first paralyzed man to complete the 10K Cooper River Bridge Run, beginning his ReEnabled Race Tour towards changing the lives of others and raising a million dollars for people with disabilities around the world.  He races across the country, educating others on this technology that has changed his life, and encouraging others to demand it become a machine covered by insurance.   Adam continues to fight for the right to walk, one step at a time.   He is passionate about creating a safe environment for people living with a disability and their families around the world and wants to give others the courage to move forward in a positive and productive way.  Today he speaks to groups around the nation educating others on not only living with a disability, but overcoming this adversity to live an extraordinary life.   I GOT LEGS Website - http://www.igotlegs.org   I GOT LEGS Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/igotlegsteamadam/   I GOT LEGS Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/i_got_legs/   I GOT LEGS Twitter - https://twitter.com/igotlegs843?lang=en   DizNeeds Facebook page - facebook.com/dizneeds

Today I give you an accessibility report from Pandora - The World of Avatar. I share how to beat the heat and the crowds and give you a look inside the Satu’li Canteen and my experience with mobile ordering. I take you on the Na’vi River Journey and spend some time with the cast members in charge of helping with transfers. I then head over to Flight of Passage and describe the accessibility and sensory experience in the queue and on the ride itself, spending a good amount of time on the “banshee” seat that you use to experience the ride.   DizNeeds Facebook page - facebook.com/dizneeds

Dan Boyle is the dad of two children with special needs. Wheelchairs, life support, autism spectrum disorders… he’s one of those parents that just blows me away! I think I said “wow” at least 50 times during the interview. Dan is also a runner and I’m going to call him the “runDisney with Special Needs” expert. He and his daughter have been running together for years and Dan shares so much great information in our interview about how to runDisney in a wheelchair. So, please join me as we meet Dan Boyle.   Team Boyle Foundation - https://www.facebook.com/teamboylefoundation/

Today we’re talking with Lou Mongello. Lou hosts WDW Radio, the award winning Disney podcast dedicated to celebrating the magic of Walt Disney World. To say he’s a Disney expert is an understatement. Lou is a mentor and friend of mine and I wanted to have him on the show as soon as possible because he probably talks to more people about Disney travel through his podcast, his weekly live show on Facebook, his meets of the month, and his other events than any other Disney expert. Lou shares lots of great advice in this episode and we also take some time to analyze and understand why Disney decided to require a transfer from wheelchair to ride vehicle in it’s newest addition Pandora - The World of Avatar. So, please join me as we welcome Lou Mongello!   Lou Mongello - loumongello.com WDW Radio - wdwradio.com

Vanessa Prince writes runDisney articles (among others) for the WDW Radio blog. You met Vanessa’s son Andrew on the show last week. She’s been taking her family to Disney parks and on the cruise line all around the world for many many years and she’s a pro at how to travel with a family member in a wheelchair. Besides making me aware that you could even participate in a runDisney event with someone in a wheelchair, Vanessa shares her deep passion for all things Disney. So, please join me as we meet Vanessa Prince!   WDW Radio blog - http://www.wdwradio.com/author/vprince/

Andrew Prince writes the Disney on Wheels column for the WDW Radio blog. He’s an 19 year old Disney fan who’s been going to the parks, traveling on the cruise line, going to D23 expos, and rolling in runDisney events for many years. During our interview, Andrew shared with me some of the common questions he gets for his blog, how his Disney experience has changed over the years as he’s grown, and even shares a hilarious story about how even at Walt Disney World, things can be less than perfect sometimes. So, please join me as we meet Andrew Prince! Disney on Wheels - https://www.facebook.com/DisneyOnWheels and http://www.wdwradio.com/author/aprince/

Amy Schinner wrote the book Mouse Ears for Everyone: A Guide to Walt Disney World for Guests with Special Needs. She was raised to be a Disney kid. She worked for Disney. BUT, she never loved it all as much as when she started to see it through her kid's eyes. Her son Ben is on the Autism Spectrum. He loves the movies and music, but when he visits the parks he simply relaxes. He is so happy to be surrounded by all of the things he enjoys that he makes great strides while they are there. She believes vacationing is a great way for families to bond and create memories that will connect them forever and that is why she wrote a book to help families with special needs experience the Disney magic on their vacation. Her book is great! I’ve read it from cover to cover and it’s a great resource for planning your trip to get the most out of your experience. We talk about a lot in this interview including the great feedback she’s gotten that will help future editions of the book be even more comprehensive. So, please join me as we welcome Amy Schinner!   Mouse Ears for Everyone - https://www.mouseearsforeveryone.com/

Hey everybody! Welcome to the first episode of the DizNeeds podcast, my name is Danny Ozment and I’m your host for the podcast dedicated to helping you have the best time possible when traveling to Disney parks and resorts and on Disney Cruise Line with special needs. I’m so excited to be with you today!   My goal with this podcast is to help Disney fans who travel with mobility, sensory, and medical issues find out all the official and unofficial tips, tricks, and benefits of traveling to and with Disney. Being a Disney geek myself, we will also explore the accessibility decisions and history of inclusion at Disney with cast members, imagineers, and experts. We’re going to expand on the mission of great Disney podcasts like WDW Radio and Special Mouse by keeping you up to date on the latest Disney news and information relating to special needs and accessibility.     Thanks for joining me today. The DizNeeds podcast will be produced at least twice a month and more resources can be found at dizneeds.com where you can also subscribe to our email list. If you like what you hear in future episodes, why not drop by iTunes and subscribe and while you’re there, leave me a review. I really appreciate you taking time out of your busy week to listen to me and my guests talk about Disney travel and I hope we will help you on your journey.