My Experience of Train Travel with a Disability

I can’t remember the last time I made a journey by train and didn’t have some sort of accessibility problem. It’s happened so much now that I just can’t ever imagine being able to take a train somewhere on my own. With every journey I make, I live in constant anxiety about what’s going to go wrong next. And it really shouldn’t be like this for anyone. Train travel should be accessible to all. 

One of my biggest bugbears about taking a train in the UK as a disabled person is that there is very little opportunity to be spontaneous. As an able person you can pretty much turn up to any station without prior warning, buy a ticket and hop on a train to anywhere you fancy. But if you’re going to need assistance getting on and off the train, you’re expected to have made arrangements at least 48 hours beforehand. OK, so most train companies say that they ‘recommend’ you book assistance before you travel, but in reality, you often get a lot of stick if you don’t follow that recommendation. 

I travel up to London quite a lot for medical appointments, which means needing to use both mainline and London Underground/Overground services. Medical appointments in themselves will often create higher levels of anxiety, so add into that needing to travel long distances and you’re already starting the day feeling more vulnerable than usual. For the majority of my outward journeys, I tend to ring up ahead of the day and let the train company know that I will need a ramp to get on and off the train. That’s usually the easy part. I give them my details, tell them I’m in a wheelchair and let them know which trains I am planning to use to get to my destination. 

So far so good, right? Well, apart from the fact that this then ties me down to having to catch an exact train, as well as having to make sure I am quick enough to make any connections, it wouldn’t be so bad if it actually worked! But, ninety nine per cent of the time, I will arrive at my local station, wait patiently on the platform for my train to arrive and then when it does, no one will have any knowledge of me needing assistance. Sometimes the guard will spot me on the platform, ask if I’ve booked assistance and when I say that I have, will say that they hadn’t been told. But at least then, they will usually find a ramp and get me on the train. But a lot of the time, the person I’m travelling with (or fellow passengers) end up running up and down the platform trying to find the guard before the doors close and the train leaves the station. So I end up wondering – is there actually any point in booking assistance in the first place?!

My experience when I’ve supposedly booked assistance isn’t particularly dissimilar to my journey home again when I haven’t. It’s impossible to book assistance in advance for my train home from hospital (or any other trip to be honest!) If it’s a hospital appointment, I have no idea whether I’ll be seen on time, how long I will end up waiting, how long my appointment will last and whether I will need to do anything else after that appointment. And if it’s not a trip for a medical appointment (like, on the odd occasion, I do actually like to try and do something fun!) then I don’t really want to feel like I’m constantly working to a time limit – it just adds constant pressure to my day and takes away any enjoyment. So I don’t ring 48 hours in advance to book assistance for a particular train. 

And like my journey out, I reach the station and am usually asked by station staff whether I’ve booked assistance. So many times, when I answer ‘no’ to this question, I am made to feel like I’ve done something wrong and that I’m an inconvenience. Even when I give my reasons for not booking (which I really shouldn’t have to do) I’m still told that I really should have booked if I wanted help. I’ve effectively been ‘told off’ by station staff before for not doing things ‘properly’ – way to make a disabled person feel completely humiliated! I just can’t comprehend why train companies can’t understand that disabled people just want to be able to travel in the same way as everybody else! How would they cope if someone told them that they had to plan the exact trains they needed to get every single time they needed to go out somewhere? 

One of my worst train experiences happened fairly recently after a hospital appointment in London. I came back to the first station of my journey to find absolutely no station staff anywhere. The ticket barriers were up, the ticket office was closed and there was nobody on the platform. Sitting in my chair on the platform, I hoped that the train would have a guard who could at least help me. But when it turned up, there was no guard on this particular train (and this is one of the reasons why I completely support the need for guards on trains!) Other passengers got on and off, and all I could do was sit by the door, hoping that someone might notice that I was stuck, while my Dad ran up and down the platform trying to find someone. 

Another passenger noticed that I couldn’t get on and asked if there was anything she could do. I use an electric wheelchair that weighs around 100kg, so short of learning how to levitate there’s unfortunately not a lot anyone can help with. She was absolutely lovely though and ended up running down to the driver to tell him that I needed to get on. This situation began to draw the attention of other passengers, who were either staring at me, or watching this lady attempt to talk to the driver. There was quite a commotion happening as we watched the driver throwing his hands in the air at this lady. As she walked back down the platform towards me, she told us that the driver had simply shouted at her for causing a problem and told her to go away. So, she then decided to simply stand in the doorway so the doors couldn’t close and therefore the train couldn’t leave. The driver eventually had to come down himself and get the ramp for me, much to his protests and anger. I understand it wasn’t really his job, but again, it’s not nice to be on the receiving end of someone’s anger for something I can’t do anything about!

Whilst I massively appreciate the passenger standing up for me (I would probably still be stuck on the platform if it wasn’t for her!) it is hugely embarrassing to have everyone’s eyes on you because you simply can’t access public transport. It didn’t help that the train driver then made an announcement to the whole train that the reason for the delay was that there were no platform staff to help me! I just wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. So whilst of course I appreciate other passengers looking out for me and standing up for my rights, I would much rather that they didn’t have to at all. I don’t want to make a big scene when I use public transport. I just want to get on and off like everyone else does! On this occasion, I was so close to crying because I felt completely humiliated and embarrassed about the whole situation. This isn’t accessibility or equality!

There are so many other things that have gone wrong when I’ve travelled by train in my wheelchair. Whether it’s lifts not working (and being shipped off on different trains all over the place), people using the wheelchair spaces for luggage and refusing to move, not being able to get off a train and ending up stuck going to completely the wrong place or not being able to access the toilets on a train journey and therefore having an accident. 

Yes, there are staff that try their best to make train travel accessible to those with disabilities and I will be forever grateful to the ones that do. But I think this problem goes higher than individual station/train staff. Why, in 2019, are our railways still so inaccessible to people with disabilities? I know so many people who simply don’t or can’t travel because the accessibility just isn’t good enough. People, who could, if disabled access was given more thought, actually go out on their own, be independent or leave their town for the first time in years. But instead, they end up trapped in a small bubble – unable to access medical appointments, unable to go to work and unable to go out and have fun. Simply because disabled access doesn’t seem to be a priority. 

I want to be spontaneous. I want to be able to get on a train without drawing unnecessary attention. I don’t want to arrive at a station and feel absolutely terrified that I’m going to be told off, left on a platform or end up trapped on a train because there’s no way off. I want to be able to access the world, to enjoy myself, to get to my medical appointments on time. And I don’t think that that’s too much to ask.

If you’re disabled, what are your experiences of travelling by train? And if you’re not disabled, what are your thoughts on disabled access on trains?

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Disneyland Paris Planning Tips

I may have mentioned once or twice (OK, who am I kidding…I haven’t stopped talking about it for the last year!) that we are going on a family holiday to Disneyland Paris in September. We’ve been once before, but it was ten years ago, so I feel like we’re approaching it as first timers again. This time round, I’ve done a lot of planning to help make sure we have the best time possible and experience everything we want to experience. To do all this planning, I’ve spent literally months researching everything you could possibly need to research, so I thought I would share some of the advice and tips with you that I’ve discovered. I can only speak from the point of view of a prospective holidaymaker, as we haven’t had a chance to actually put all this research and planning into action yet. But perhaps once I’m back, I can do another post about what I learnt on my Disney holiday and what we would do differently/the same next time. I’ve split my planning into smaller sections, so hopefully it will be a little less overwhelming!

General Planning:

One of the best ways I have found to plan for our Disney trip was by watching YouTube videos and reading blog posts. There’s so much Disney content out there that pops up with a quick search – you can pretty much find information on anything you could possibly think of. I will say that I found it easier to find content about DisneyWorld Florida though, which is why I wanted to create some content about Disneyland Paris. 

I’ve got a few favourite YouTubers/Bloggers who make fantastic Disney content, so I thought I would share them with you. Even if you’re not planning a trip to Disney any time soon, I can guarantee you will still enjoy their Disney videos and blog posts! They are:

·     Brogan Tate

·     Steph and the Spaniels

·     Sarah Louise Porter

·     Brummy Mummy of 2

·     Louise Pentland

·     Alex Gladwin and blog

·     Lara Joanna Jarvis and blog

Another invaluable resource has been the Facebook group ‘Disneyland Paris for Brits’. It was recommended to me by a friend and has been so incredibly helpful with all my planning for our trip. There are thousands of members who discuss every possible detail you can think of including hotels, travel, disabled access, food, photos and so much more. I’ve asked quite a few questions over the last few months, and you always get a really helpful reply from someone that has already been to the park. 

Booking:

When booking your Disneyland Paris holiday, my biggest recommendation would be to look out for deals! Whenever I’ve looked at holidays to Disney (yes, I do sometimes just like to pretend I’m going to Disney and dream about holidays!), I have always found there’s a good deal to be had. Whether that’s getting a meal plan free or a couple of extra nights added on to your package, it’s always worth looking around to make sure you get the best deal you can possibly get.

We booked our holiday with the Walt Disney Travel Company, paying for two nights and getting another two nights for free. We probably wouldn’t have been able to afford to stay for a whole week if we hadn’t used that deal, so it’s definitely worth doing a little research and perhaps holding out a week or two if you can’t find a deal first time. 

Travel:

As you plan your holiday, you’re going to need to think about how you want to travel there. There are all sorts of different options from the Eurostar or Eurotunnel to taking a ferry or flying. The one you choose will depend on a number of things – where you’re travelling from, what you can afford, whether you want to take your own car and your own personal preferences. We decided to travel by Eurostar, as we don’t live too far from London so a taxi to St Pancreas is going to be relatively easy. The train also goes straight into Disney, so as soon as you get out of the station you are right in the middle of the action without having to worry about transfers. When we rang to book our holiday, the Disney cast member actually advised us to book the Eurostar tickets separately, as it would work out cheaper, so it’s worth considering that before you book the whole thing together.

With the Eurostar, you can also add something called Disney Express Luggage and Advance Check-in Service, which basically means you can go directly to the parks without having to check-in to your hotel first and your bags will be waiting for you at your hotel. We did this when we went ten years ago and it was really handy, but back then it was included in the price. Now, you have to pay extra for the service and we decided that it would be better for us to just sort out our own bags and check-in. But it’s something to consider if you want a completely hassle free start to your holiday.

Accommodation:

Another part of your trip to think about is where you’re going to stay. Again, there are a lot of different options depending on your budget, how close you want to be to the magic and the type of place you want to base yourself in. There are eight different Disney Hotels, which vary in price from the most expensive (the Disneyland Hotel) to the slightly more basic (Davy Crockett Ranch). If you stay in a Disney Hotel, you get Extra Magic Hours, which means you can get into the parks an hour before the general public. Great for if you want to beat some of the queues and ride the most popular rides or meet characters without too many people around. There is also a free shuttle bus, which will take you from your hotel to the parks and back again (apart from for the Davy Crockett Ranch). Each hotel offers something slightly different, so it’s worth having a read about each one to find one that suits what you’re looking for. We’ve opted to stay in Disney’s Hotel New York, which will soon be closing down to be refurbished, so it will be nice to have a chance to stay before it changes completely. 

To stay in a Disney Hotel is probably the most expensive option, so if you’re not so bothered about the benefits staying in one brings, it might be worth looking at the Partner Hotels. These are slightly further away from the parks and don’t come with the bus and extra hours facilities, but still do have a lot to offer. Again, they have varying rankings and offer different facilities, so there should be something to suit every budget.

If neither of these options appeals, there are plenty of other places to stay nearby. There will be other hotels that aren’t connected to Disney at all, or there are plenty of Air B’n’B options if you’d prefer to be in a self-contained place. 

Dining:

Possibly the most important part of any holiday is the food! Disneyland Paris offers plenty of places to grab a bite to eat, but it’s worth thinking about how you want to approach your dining. Disney offers Meal Plans, which you pay for in advance and will cover some or all of your meals. You can choose between Breakfast, Half-Board or Full-Board, then each type also has different levels depending on the type of restaurants you want to eat in. At first we didn’t think paying for a meal plan would be worth it, but after looking at the menus and working out how much we were likely to pay if we paid as we went along, we realised getting a plan would actually save us a lot of money. So we have gone for the Half-Board Plus Meal Plan, which means we get breakfast in our hotel, and then either lunch or dinner in a choice of more than 15 different restaurants. 

I would also highly recommend booking your meals in advance, especially if you’re looking to go to the most popular restaurants, as they fill up exceptionally quickly. You can ring 60 days before your holiday, which is what we did and the cast member was so helpful with getting everything we wanted booked in. If you book your holiday with the Walt Disney Travel Company, there will be a UK number on your paperwork. Otherwise, there is a French number on the main Disneyland website – I’d suggest either ringing early in the morning or late in the evening so you’re not on hold too long and therefore not having to pay too much for the call. 

I thought you might be interested to hear what our plan is for eating while we’re away. Most mornings we will be having breakfast in our hotel, so I haven’t added that to the plan. We also haven’t booked our lunches/lighter meals, so these may change once we’re there, but we thought it was a good idea to have a plan to aim for. This is our idea so far:

·     Monday lunch – Bistrot Chez Remy (We’ve booked a late lunch for 3pm, as they don’t serve dinner here)

·     Monday dinner –Planet Hollywood/Rainforest Café 

·     Tuesday lunch –Earl of Sandwich

·     Tuesday dinner –Cape Cod – 7pm

·     Wednesday lunch –Casey’s Corner

·     Wednesday dinner –Hunter’s Grill – 7pm

·     Thursday breakfast –Plaza Gardens – 9.45am (This is a character breakfast, so we will need to pay a top up, as it’s not included in the meal plan)

·     Thursday lunch –Colonel Hathi’s Pizza

·     Thursday dinner –Inventions – 7pm (Again, this is a character meal, so we will need to pay a top up)

·     Friday lunch –Vapiano

Disability:

Travelling anywhere when you have a disability can be anxiety provoking because there seems to be so much more planning needed than for able-bodied people. Obviously this advice will depend on what your disability is (or whether you have one at all), but I’ll try and cover everything that is likely to help me. If you don’t know, I’m chronically ill and use a wheelchair, so travelling and going abroad isn’t the easiest of things to do! The first thing I want to address is disability access on the Eurostar. When we rang up to book our tickets (months in advance) we were told there were no wheelchair spaces on the train we wanted to go on. So we asked about other trains on the same day/other days and again, were told there were no wheelchair spaces. It turns out that each Eurostar train going directly to Disney only has space for two wheelchair passengers, which I personally think is crazy considering how huge the trains are. It’s putting disabled people who want to travel at a massive disadvantage. We had to decide whether to cancel our holiday or try and work around it, so we rang back and they said we could bring my manual wheelchair (I had really wanted the independence of having my electric wheelchair) and fold it up, but that we would probably need to upgrade out of standard class so there would be room to store it. So we ended up doing this, and paying for the privilege. I’m personally pretty hacked off about having to pay a higher price to travel just because I need a wheelchair – I think it’s downright wrong. So, if you need to travel by Eurostar in your wheelchair, I would recommend signing up to their newsletter and booking tickets as soon as they come out to try and make sure you get one of the two wheelchair spaces. 

Once you actually get to Disney, there are certain things you can do to make your holiday a bit more relaxed and enjoyable. If you have a disability, you an get something called an Access Card by either going to Donald Desk, City Hall or Studio Services when you arrive. You will need to provide evidence of your disability (so something like a Blue Badge, PIP/DLA letter, Medical Certificate etc.) but it’s best to check what evidence is accepted for your specific disability before you go. There are two types of Access Card:

·     Priority Card – for anyone officially registered as disabled

·     Easy Access Card – for guests with a temporary illness and for pregnant women

The cards have a number of benefits, although these do vary depending on the type of card you have. But they can include:

·     Not having to queue for rides

·     Accessing rides through specially adapted entrances

·     Access to specially designated areas for parades and shows (so you can actually see if you’re in a wheelchair!)

·     You can take up to four helpers with you as well

If you have a registered disability, you can also claim back the cost of the Disney Parks admission for one helper, as long as you have your official disability documents. I know this will be a massive help for us, as I wouldn’t be able to travel and access the parks without a carer. There are also accessible rooms in the hotels, which you can ask for when you ring up to book your accommodation. And Disney also produce Accessibility Maps, which contain information about accessibility on all rides, restaurants and attractions within the parks. 

In the Park:

To round this post off, I thought I would also share a couple of tips to help you when you’re out and about in the parks themselves. Firstly, there are a couple of apps, which I would really recommend downloading (they’re both free!) The first is the MagiPark App which allows you to keep a track on waiting times for rides, rather than having to go to the actual ride to find out. This means you can be enjoying other things around the park whilst keeping an eye on the waiting time for your favourite ride. As soon as the time goes down, you can head on over and join the (hopefully shorter!) queue. The app will also tell you which attractions are experiencing momentary service interruptions or closures, where restaurants are and where the nearest toilets are too. 

Another app that will be good to have while you’re in Disney is the official Disneyland Paris App. This app also allows you to check wait times for attractions in both parks and makes exploring easy with GPS-enabled maps that show your location and the attractions, restaurants, shops and more near you. It contains information about timings for parades and entertainment, as well as park hours, accessibility information and descriptions of attractions to help you plan your days to be as fun-packed as possible. 

The final thing you may want to consider is whether buying a PhotoPass+ would be a good investment for you and your family. There are official photographers at all Disney Character Meet & Greet Attractions, as well as a few dotted around the parks, who will be more than happy to take great-quality photos of the whole family. Buying the PhotoPass means you get all of these photos, plus your ride photos as high quality digital image files. It is valid for 10 days from first use and the photos will be available for one year after that, so it’s worth transferring them to somewhere more permanent once you’re home from your holiday. You can buy the pass either at the beginning or end of your holiday (I believe there’s a slight difference in price if you buy in advance). We’re considering splitting the cost between the five of us, as I’ve seen other people’s photos and they really are lovely.

And that’s everything – phew! I really hope that if you are planning a trip to Disneyland Paris, these tips will help you on your way. Hopefully when I get back, I can do a round up of things we learnt on the holiday to give you some tried and tested advice too. If there are any other blog posts related to Disneyland Paris that you would be interested to see, please do let me know. You can also watch the video I made in conjunction with this post over on my YouTube channel.

Are you planning to go to Disney any time soon? Or are you just a massive Disney fan like me?!

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