You’ve planned the ultimate trip to Florida! You plan on you and your family hitting all the major theme parks and attractions in greater Orlando and surrounding areas. That is a serious undertaking.
Now imagine you have to tackle this planning and adventure with a disability or a family member with a disability. If you’ve been following this series and the other articles, on visiting Disney World, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, and Sea World with a disability, then you will appreciate this article as well. It will go over visiting both Legoland and Peppa Pig Theme Parks with disabilities, as they are both owned by the same parent company, Merlin Entertainment, and have the same policies.
Located in Winter Haven, FL, Legoland FL is 145 acres, making it the second largest Legoland park in the world. Nearby is Peppa Pig Theme Park, a newer, separate park for preschoolers. While perhaps not quite as large and overwhelming as some of their larger competitors, they still require proper planning and preparation to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all who attend. Visiting with a disability simply requires a little more research and planning to make this happen.
More than planning a departure time, and making sure you have sunscreen, comfortable shoes, and loose, comfortable clothing, you should also make sure that you are prepared to accommodate any special needs that you may have. Before you go review the guides online that the parks provide for you, create a visual schedule and go over it with each family member, choose a place on the park map to go if you are separated and go over this with each family member, and practice waiting in lines. Bring a bracelet or nametag with your emergency and contact information, bring earplugs or headphones, a favorite device or activity, a sensory toy, or another calming item, and reinforce good behavior. This article will go over some of the accommodations and policies at Legoland Florida and Peppa Pig Theme Park for guests with disabilities. It will discuss their Hero Pass, mobility disabilities, cognitive/sensory impairments, and service animals.
1. Hero Pass
2. Mobility Disabilities
3. Cognitive/Sensory Impairments
4. Service Animals
Hero Pass
Hero Pass is an attraction access pass available at both parks. It allows the guest and up to 1 of their companions to have expedited entrance to an attraction, given a return time for a repeat turn on an attraction and the rest of their party, up to 6 accompanying guests, or they can use the standard queue. The Assisted Access Pass can be picked up at Guest Services. Park employees are called Model Citizens.
Mobility Disabilities
For those who may need them, strollers, wheelchairs, ECVs (electronic convenience vehicles), and a limited number of stand-up ECVs are available for rental near the front entrance. They request reservations be made for the stand-up ECVs at least seven days in advance. If your family member with a disability needs to stay in a stroller or wheelchair during line or ride, please see guest services so they can attach a special sign to the stroller or wheelchair. Guests of exceptional size, certain medical conditions, casts, or walking boots, certain heights or weights, or other physical conditions may be restricted from some rides and attractions.
In case of an evacuation, you may be required to walk downstairs, on walkways, catwalks, and ladders, or climb over obstacles. You need to be able to do this alone or with the aid of a family member, Model Citizens cannot help. Guests must be able to comply with the requirements of the acronym HUGS: Head upright, Unassisted, Grasp the lap bar, Sudden and dramatic movements, and have a Responsible person in order to ride certain rides and attractions.
Side note: if you have dietary restrictions or allergies, please see the chef or manager on duty and they will assist you, Guests with dietary restrictions or allergies are allowed to bring food and small snacks in the park with them. Please inform a Model Citizen if you need any help with your dietary needs in the parks.
Sensory/Cognitive Impairments
Legoland Florida has partnered with The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) to become a Certified Autism Center. Peppa Pig Theme Park is also a Certified Autism Center and also has consulted with the IBCCES, which has been instrumental in creating a special sensory guide for Peppa Pig Park. This PDF guide found here: https://www.peppapigthemepark.com/florida/media/noodwk2z/web-21-pptp-sensory-guide-1.pdf breaks down the sensory guide for each attraction by touch, taste, sound, sight, and smell. If you or a family member becomes overstimulated or needs a quiet place, ask a Model Citizen where one can be found. In the Annual Pass Processing Center, there is an autism spectrum center for children near the entrance turnstiles. Here are low-sensory, stimulating, hands-on activities for children on the autism spectrum. Other quiet places include the First Aid Station, Fun Town in Legoland by the Wave Pool, the Baby Care Center in DUPLO Farm, Imagination Zone, and Guest Services.
Service Animals
Service animals are welcome on Legoland park properties. They must be task trained to mitigate their handler’s disability and be under the handler’s control at all times. They must be leashed and harnessed at all times. Any service animal being disruptive or out of the handler’s control will be asked to be removed from the premises. Hostile behavior by a service animal is unacceptable. The animal must have a leash held by the handler at all times, not a family member or Model Citizen.
Conclusion
Enjoying vacation can be the highlight of your year for your family or a time of stress and meltdowns if you don’t prepare properly. Fortunately, most major theme parks and attractions, such as Legoland Florida and Peppa Pig Theme Park, offer comprehensive guides and information on how to plan and prepare for your trip to their park. I hope this article has given you some background on making your plan for a trip here. With this and the other articles mentioned earlier, you can plan a fun-filled vacation to many locations with a little effort. Happy vacation!
Be sure to check out our other articles in this series guiding you on accessibility to the Florida theme parks with a disability: