My suggestions for Morgan's Wonderland: 1. tactile markers on the ground to guide you along the path 2. audio guidance once you stand at the entrance of something, e.g. a restroom announcing itself "restroom" once you walk up to it 3. rides that are light-based, so that blind people with light and shadow vision can enjoy themselves as well 4. taking in volunteers as extra staff!
I think those are some great ideas! The one thing I'd suggest a bit differently though would be on the topic of audio guidance, I would have a lot of problems with overstimulation if everything is constantly describing/announcing itself everywhere I go, and I'm sure I'd not be the only one, so I think it may be better to have it instead be like an optional thing you can turn on in like an app, so your phone will tell you where you are when you get somewhere, or a provided device perhaps with headphones like a lot of audio description things are. But I do think increased audio guidance/description would be great!
The problem with a light based attraction is it is inherently not accessible well yes it's great for people with vision impairments it's a problem for a lot of different types of disabilities. And the idea of having a attraction that many disabled children who experience seizures as part of several other conditions or maybe they're just autistic And have sensory issues. Having a ride that is inherently not accessible to a large portion of people just to make it accessible towards another portion of people maybe of the issue. Not saying that they couldn't or wouldn't do a light-based ride but the idea that autistic children are children with other development disabilities like I was (luckily I didn't have seizures then) maybe upset about the idea of you said I could do the rides here You said that this place was accessible towards me yet this show that looks fun But why can't I do it. And again not saying that that means they shouldn't do it but it should be something that they take into consideration about how to do something like that and as well as put warnings up if they do something like that. Again this isn't saying that they shouldn't do that but if your goal is to be accessible to everyone you have to take into account competing accessibility needs. And how to handle those and make it clear this is accessible in this way and not accessible in other ways.
@@annabellebestia332 Oh yes, you're totally right. I completely blanked on that when I was writing my message, which is silly of me since I also have problems with overstimulation to light, so you'd think I'd have remembered that! It is definitely tricky to have to deal with competing accessibility needs. Universal design for accessibility is great, but in some cases it isn't actually universal.
@@Amy-ff9lw My biggest worry with something like this place or honestly anything is places have competing accessibility needs for different people and that's okay that you can't simply say I'm accessible You have to say I'm accessible in these ways because what's accessible to me as someone who has a seizure disorder autism and a heart condition we're trying to figure out It is going to be different to what Molly finds accessible because she's blind It is not the same I don't need braille Braille does not make things more accessible to me. With my particular seizure disorder regular roller coasters are so accessible to me. And to me the idea of an accessible roller coaster looks like a regular roller coaster. The accessible roller coaster here looked less accessible to me because the stuff that makes a regular roller coaster accessible to me and makes it safe for me to have a seizure in the chair is what keeps people in the chair when they go upside down. When I went to six flags for the first time after My seizure disorder became what it is today I didn't think I was going to be able to do as much as the rest of my group. I went on the most roller coasters because the way the roller coasters were set up me being strapped down completely to something that is made for my head to kind of bang on a little bit made me able to have the seizure during the roller coaster and because I was already jerking and shaking because it was a roller coaster It was actually fun. I didn't have to stop and do it again to have fun with it when I have a seizure. I don't think The accessible roller coaster would be accessible to me not as much as a regular roller coaster. I didn't see anything that would strap you to the chair. And that's okay. It should exist still because it's more accessible to someone else. The way that I'm able to enjoy a roller coaster is inaccessible to them they should still have an option. But I think anything that gets toaded as accessible needs to have signs or easy to find on the website of the thing information about how it is accessible. Competing accessibility needs is a thing and it's hard to figure out especially when you're not making a plan for three particular people in a classroom setting when you're trying to make accessibility for all That's so hard to do You don't know what works for this person and what doesn't. And that's okay As long as you keep working and explain to people how this is accessible what ways. I would love there to be rides that play off a light effects for the idea of people with low and impaired vision to enjoy the show / ride more so then they would be able to normally I just think if you're going to do that you need to make sure there's a sign up front that let's other people know that this is accessible and this way for this group because of that it may not be accessible to this group.
I’m not sure why but this video made me so emotional. i wish everywhere was this inclusive to disabled children. every child deserves to feel the joy and excitement of an amusement park. i’m glad this amazing place exists but everywhere should be like this
I think it's very obvious why it would make one emotional. it makes you realize that disabled people miss out on so many experiences that abled people take for granted but they don't have to if we together actually build a inclusive society. we don't have to live in a world where disabled people don't even have basic access to things like elevators and ramps when they should let alone a place where they can't enjoy other basic things like everyone else we don't have to live in that world we could have a better one just like this, everywhere in the world could be inclusive and accommodating because we have the technology. and yet it's not, the world is cruel and not accommodating and a lot of things will probably never change in our lifetimes. that would make anyone with empathy emotional. humans could aspire to such greater things than yet here we are... fighting for scraps
I want to start my own Renaissance Faire that will be focused on special needs of All kinds. I have 2 autistic children. It's been a real educational experience for me.
as a person with POTS I screamed when you said benches in the line 😭 there's literally no reason other places can't be doing that, I'm always sitting on the ground in lines
Even as a non-disabled person, why can't everyone do this! One of the things I remember from going to parks as a kid was just how much my feet hurt at the end of the day
@@JackieBright Get up and down in lines like people do at the haunted mansion make ride times go up by 30 minutes to an hour. It’s different when it’s for disabilities but having to wait for everyone to get up, realize the lines moving, or get off their phone adds up.
The slide with little rollers is actually designed so that it has no static electricity for people with medical devices like cochlear implants. The more typical design is also designed to go faster than a normal slide without being as steep for people without as much trunk stability. Obviously the one you went on is made so you can pull yourself along but yeah :)
Butterflies symbolize freedom, which is what this park is designed to give to people with disabilities. Freedom to try out all the cool specially designed rides, the way that most able-bodied people can. Thanks for the video, Molly! I enjoy all your videos!
we took my grandma here on vacation and she LOVED it!! she has been using a wheelchair for a while now and hasn’t been able to go on a swing or ride a merry go round or ferris wheel in so many years. she had the biggest smile all day :)
Another cool thing is that Morgan's Wonderland has a Multi-Assistance Center right nearby the theme park where families or individuals can go to get help and assistance with resources regarding their disability. They also have doctors, dentists, a salon, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and more there so that someone can go and get the therapies and services they need all at one place with staff they know are understanding of disability and are inclusive!
The vast majority of the services offered at their “MAC” is applied behavior analysis (ABA). If you knew anything about ABA and how it’s been used for decades to traumatize Autistic people, I doubt you’d be patting them on the back.
I recently had an ophthalmology appointment there and it was an amazing experience. The elevators have buttons that are lower to the ground and very large and the elevators themselves are gigantic to fit multiple mobility assistance devices and wheelchairs. Very cool to see
My sisters name was Morgan. She was a beautiful girl with rett syndrome and passed away when she was 19. The fact that there is a disability accessible park that shares her name makes me so happy.
I noticed that too, it’s awesome how I only noticed it but you went out of your way to comment, possibly allowing others to notice as well. thank you for doing so :)
Her name is Jessica she’s a very sweet girl! She was carrying a water cup to help me fill it up for facepainting LOL I can’t believe I was right around the corner from Molly and had no idea!
Your boyfriend describing everything to you and directing you is the most wholesome thing, so good to see Molly with someone who cares so much about her and giving her the best experiences!!
@lindseyziegler9869 correct in terms of the ride they mentioned, BUT I read this as all the times he described scenery and said like "it's 90° right" "I'm to your left (for filming)" "it's just in front of you" and the only way morgans wonderland could do that is for if people want to go alone (which I feel is unusual for theme parks) and they had staff that could take you on a tour which i think is such a rare desired item that it'd have to be like incorporated into another role to nit have staff Sat around doing nothing.....I guess unless it was a booked thing.
@elizabethgrey9157 it's very cute how in sync they are - just in terms of like how nice it is seeing any couple that works well together. And accessibility is a part of that but I agree it should be a given even in the awkward early stages lol. He's very good at it. I'd have to get better at left/right clockwise/anticlockwise although I'm sure all of it is a skill you get better at
Hi Molly! I've been a long time subscriber, and I work for one of the corporations who regularly helps and donates to Morgan's Wonderland! We actually built the summer camp cabins for them. :) The camp brings in people from all over the world to enjoy what the Morgan's team has to offer. I already loved Morgan's Wonderland through our work with them, but seeing you enjoy the park fills my heart with even more joy knowing that we are able to help support such a beautiful cause. Gordon, the owner, is such a kind-hearted man, I'm sure he would absolutely love hearing about your experience at the camp, as well as your suggestions - I'll see what I can do :)
As a sibling of someone with a disability, this would be amazing for the siblings of kids as well. I always remember having to change plans, manage plans, or exclude my brother as a result of his disability. Everything revolved around what we could do or couldn’t do as a result of the type of access he was granted at a particular place. And sometimes, it just meant excluding him, which as a sibling always made me sad. But here the siblings can play ALONGSIDE their disabled brother or sister. Not in a separate area, but where everyone else does. So so cool
I worked with adults with disabilities and with Morgan herself. She is SO tall!! But she’s a joy. And I believe butterflies are her favorite and that’s why it’s their mascot.
@AmeliaEarhart53756 I can’t remember specifics but I’m 5”4’ and she had to bend down significantly to look me in the eye, (just something she does with everyone. She’ll get right in your face until you acknowledge her.) so I’d say well over 6ft, probably closer to 6”4’.
@@nicksiiiI thought in regards to eating disorders, a certain flower is used I believe called the Neada but I could be wrong, and a butterfly is used to represent people who have went through self harm. Though I know there is a lot of different things used
I have eds so I cant ride most rides and I can't walk very far without a cane. I live in Texas and had no idea this was so close! I'm excited to visit one day soon and actually ride all the ride with my amusement park loving husband. He doesn't like leaving me on the bench while he goes with a friend and always feels bad having to leave me in the food court when I cant walk any further. We haven't been to amusement park in 6 years. The benches in the lines to allow people to rest real quick makes a massive difference for someone like me. Thank you for making this video
the disables wrist bands is making ne cry - i have an invisible disability and bc of my age so many people think i'm lying or trying to get "special treatment". not having to defend myself constantly to get basic accomodations is such a godsend
I wish we could have that most places, but especially for public transit where I live. I’ve given up taking it unless it’s absolutely necessary because everyone assumes I’m not disabled, so it makes it super awkward. I basically have to pass out before someone will offer me a seat. I’m also autistic, so the anxiety of asking for a seat is too much. I’m going to try ordering a pin that I can wear that says I have invisible disabilities, but I’m not sure if people I’ll even read it. (A fellow disabled local makes them, so it’s supporting the community whether it works or not haha)
@@melissastory1993 Have you tried a sunflower lanyard? It's a project to make hidden disabilities visible through the lanyard, you can also get an id card that explains what your accommodation needs are. I just have the lanyard and it makes me feel more calm about asking for help or taking my time, it may help
I was the carer for a young woman with disabilities and the Washington State Fair lent us a sensory bag with noise canceling headphones, queue cards, stim toys and a wrist band I could write emergency contact info on. They rock and made our day possible as the kiddo had forgotten her headphones, forgot to charge her phone and had a tendency to wander away.
me too!!! im autistic and have chronic pain and fatigue but love roller coasters, and going to amusment parks/theme parks is always awful for me and i end up having to leave after a few hours because of the pain, but its not outwardly obvious im physically disabled so seeing the wristbands was really nice
This is amazing, this proves that the larger corporate parks could definitely implement things to be more inclusive. They have the money they just need to put it in the right places instead of the higher ups pockets.
The problem is major corps like Six Flags don't want to take the time to make sure quality is up to par across all their properties. It's disgusting corporate laziness.
OMG seats along the line would make such a huge difference to me! I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to go there but I’m happy a place like this exists too.
I wish theme parks in general would put seating in the lines. I'm not disabled (I do have some chronic joint pain from hypermobility) and it's tough to stand for hours on end as it is; it would really benefit everyone to have it.
Honestly those should just exist in every park ever. It's insane that people have to stand for up to hours just for a small experience. And of course it'd especially help people who need to get chances to sit as accommodations
Hey, so I am a legally blind amusement park and roller coaster enthusiast. You won't believe how much an issue blindness and other disabilities could be for some of the parks. I only have experience here in Europe and there is even one large amusement park in Germany (Phantasialand) that bans people with visual impairments from riding almost everything, including rides for kids and if they see your cane, they would escort you out of the queue. As the reason for this action they state that a blind person cannot be evacuated from the ride even if with a sighted assistant and that they cannot get information about the ride and therefore prepare for it. Somehow, this is still considered legal. Seing that there are places like this just proves that even places like amusement parks can be fully accessible and it also gives me hope that it will inspire other parks to be more inclusive. Everyone always talks about accessibility of transport, public buildings and websites, which is obviously good, but the accessibility of entertainment is often left out, Everyone should be able to have fun, this is the most important part of our life.
I´m German and I remember having seen a video on a wheelchair accessability channel about an amusement park in the Netherlands (I think) that has a big emphasis on accessability, but I don´t remember the channel (I think it was a german one), nor the name of the park and I can´t remember how much stuff they did for people whose main problem isn´t mobility. So maybe you could find that place when you search online. And hopefully you could go on a rollercoaster there.
I found it. It´s called Efteling. So far I´ve found information on the website about wheelchair accessability, they also have a room for stuff like changing for adults with disablities, they seem to have at least some warnings for sensory issues and to have people working there, that can communicate in sign language, they say that they have 200 wheelchair accessible parking spots and you can rent? mobility devices there. They welcome service dogs. And as basic requirement for rides they said, that if you can´t evacuate a ride on your own, you need someone with you, who can help you.
@@cadoho Thanks, I know about this park and in general going on roller coasters with a visual impairment is not a problem when you have someone sighted with you. It is not just in Efteling but in 95% of parks at least in Europe and in the US too from what I have heard. But then suddenly a park decides that wow we think that a visually impaired person is not able to ride. My problem is rather that all people I know are afraid to ride roller coasters and nobody wants to go with me lol. But it is awesome that Efteling offers so many services for people with different disabilities.
I’m from San Antonio. Even though no one in my immediate family is physically disabled, we have been so proud of Morgan’s Wonderland to be there not only for friends in our community, but also for loved ones from all over the world. It truly is a special place! 🦋
Oh my gosh, my sister with Down syndrome works there as one of the friendship fairy actors! I’ve seen her grow in confidence so much since working there, it’s such a great place. If I find out she met you I’m going to be beyond jealous 😂
This is so special, seeing a rocket powered kid in a wheelchair made me teary eyed. We're always just a token character in stuff, seeing just a singular wheelchair kid as the main character on a huge ride like that, for some reason, hit me.
any other disabled people in the comments who cried in happiness watching this. i have spent so much of my life not having access to stuff. but seeing that there is a whole park for both normal adventures and a water park brings me to happy tears
My disability is not obvious but the seats & shade would be so appreciated. Seeing the amount of accessibility in this place made me emotional. Thank you for another awesome video. ❤
I’m from San Antonio and my daughter has a disability. I did not know this place was here! I’m so glad I saw this video so I can take her to check it out!
One of the things that affected me most as a young child was a short movie starring Raggedy Anne and a young blind girl. The girl showed Raggedy Anne how she saw her world. For example, the reality was that she lived in a big city that was not very pretty with a lot of not nice looking characters. The girl, though, perceived the nice cop at a crosswalk as a young handsome man although he was an overweight older man in a disheveled uniform. Really the most impactful scene was when her mother called her home. The girl perceived her mom as a gorgeous beauty in a white summer dress, who was in reality a poor washer woman. It just really influenced me in that blind or deaf and disabled persons experience much of their life based on how others treat them. You need to treat them with the same respect that you would anyone else. Great video!
It was good to see that sibling of disabled children could have fun too. Siblings sometimes have to forego on normal family fun. I know i did as a child. Or put up with rude stares and comments which make you feel bad for your Sibling. In a place like that everyone can have fun. Wish we could have had a place like that when we were kids
21:11 I’m glad to hear Molly verbalize this, because that was an initial thought I had when I saw the butterfly symbol, that it sends a message to disabled visitors that the impetus is still on them to reach their potential, rather than it being on society to create spaces for them. The intentions are good, but for any kids with permanent disabilities, they’re not going to have a “chrysalis to butterfly” moment; their need for accessibility will remain and locations’ abilities to accommodate those needs will fluctuate. Not sure who came up with the whole butterfly thing, but the space overall is still really cool!
Not to be a devil's advocate, but I've noticed a lot of disabled people specifically love butterflies. I'm physically disabled and Neurodivergent and my favorite animal is a butterfly!
I think the intention with the butterfly is to symbolize deafness, as butterflies can’t hear and communicate through vibration. I can see why you’d think that though
As a former zipline quide I am flabbergasted you were denied!!!! So many things about ziplines are NOT actually regulated, it's down to the individual business (so yes, be careful where you go if you're going). The business I was at has taken a bunch of people with a bunch of different disabilities through. As long as we were informed accurately about what limitations and abilities you have, we can really accommodate a lot.
I thought most ziplines put the person in a harness. What additional accommodations would a blind person need, and what real additional risk would there be that would justify the liability insurance treating a blind person differently?
@@JaniceinOR this will vary zip line to zip line. Many zip line courses require the participant to brake them selves, or “hand break” for example. People with visual disabilities would need auditory or other cues to help them on the receiving platform to brake safely. Other courses might utilize an automatic braking system which requires little to no physical effort of the participant. Either way, most liability insurance is an umbrella and should cover most of these accommodations as long as you are following all standards and requirements of the manufacturer.
@@allisonhickey Thank you for the relevant details. I have never been on a zip line and did not think about the participant needing to hand brake based on visual input.
Same! The insurance thing was probably a lie. The place I work is ACCT accredited so we follow much stricter safety regulations than most places do. The only genuine safety issue I’m aware of is that we can’t allow mobility aids that can’t be physically secured in some way (mostly just prosthetics). We can honestly accommodate pretty much anything provided you can sit and stand with assistance. Blindness is really not that hard to accommodate unless you’re entirely relying on participants to brake without a backup system…and even then you can give auditory cues pretty easily.
The way your boyfriend helps you navigate the world is so special. You can see how sweet and gentle he is and really tell how big his love is for you 🥹
I wish that I had a similar boyfriend, too. Sadly, the UK appears to believe that it's „Not OK“ for people with ASD and isolated upbringings to have those things, despite the fact it's *perfectly* „OK“ for people _without_ disabilities to have them...
hi molly, long time subscriber but i don't comment on youtube often--- thank you so much for making this video. i'm in texas and my mom is paralyzed and uses a motorized scooter or when we go out, she has me pushing her in her wheelchair. she hasn't been able to really do much now that she's gotten older and going out is really difficult for her. i talked to my sister and we decided we want to take her here, because universal design is something very important to all of us as a family. we've never heard of this place before! my mom has been paralyzed my whole life and i didn't know there was a way to bring her to an amusement park again. thank you so much for raising awareness as much as you do.
As a theme park freak from a family of theme park freaks, I’m so excited for you and all other disabled people. Last week we took our grandparents to the theme park near us. It’s basically my second home. But visiting it with my grandparents made me see it in a completely different way. Never used the disabled accommodations before. I was always understanding, but a little bit annoyed when a ride had to pause because of a disabled person. But now I’m very glad they dot it.
It's both necessary and well placed in many cases. I went to a special needs school where lots of us were high-needs cases, some impacting mobility and cognitive processing. On trips to Alton Towers (Which has a Poma cabin lift/tramway connecting three areas of the park) it was absolutely necessary for the _Skyride_ to pause for many of us to board/alight because we couldn't all board a cabin that was in motion, and it was greatly appreciated by those of us who needed that _reasonable_ action taken on our part. 👍 This, incidentally, is why you might notice Poma lifts stopping and starting occasionally: The system design is to drive _everything_ - Including the cabin drive systems in the stations - From the main rope, which of course is driven by the main 10kHP motor. If you need to stop cabin movement to accommodate a passenger who can't board a moving cabin, you have to stop the _entire_ system. 🛑 And *that's* why ropeways in these parks often stop mid-way, sometimes several times in a single journey! 😇
This makes me so emotional to see 😭 we were hoping to take my disabled 9-year-old nephew here as a last trip, but we sadly lost him this summer before we could take the trip.
I'm so sorry to hear this, breaks my heart to hear stories like this ❤ My love to you and your family and bless his soul he's no longer bound by his earthly disability ❤ 🪽
This video made me cry. Being legally blind/partially deaf, I can definitely relate to the feeling of being left out. So having something like this is just really amazing.
I grew up literally right next to where this was built! I lived in the neighborhood just to the left of Morgan’s Wonderland in the 2000s and got to see the land go from nothingness to this beautiful amusement park as a child. I’m glad that you got to visit it ❤️❤️ (also just absolutely flabbergasted that you’re walking the streets I grew up on)
this is the cutest and most thoughtful theme park i’ve ever seen. i’ve been to many and this is one that you can tell isn’t in it for just the money, but to make everyone feel included. i hope they make more parks like these in all the states! as a paraprofessional that works full time with special needs children of all different kinds, this is beautiful.
I’m in San Antonio and used to be a fashion student, now I’m a teacher. Schools in the area partner with this program where students design and create accessible clothing. For anyone local, it’s called FashionABLE. I thought that Morgan’s wonderland was a partner with the program, but I’m not to sure after looking it up again. Either way cool program for people in the area.
This video was emotional for me. Even just seeing the benches in line made me tear up. The world is such a hard place to live in for some of us and something as simple as a place to sit can make all the difference. I really wish everywhere could be like that.
Bf is so cute and sweet. I’m so happy you a supportive partner for all these adventures 😊 I love how he’s constantly describing details that you can’t see. He just seems so thoughtful.
I AM LOVING THIS VIDEO! I just wanted to pause to pop in and say that if people are wondering, Disney in Cali and even more so in Florida has rides that you can roll on to without having to transfer out of your chair. Unfortunately, it's not all of them, and more focused on the slow-moving-dark-rides. I love that here they're pioneering even more types of rides to be ride-on! I really appreciate it so that I can go on rides with my Mom! Can't wait to visit this park!
I personally don't even really need accessibility in amusement parks but i was happy crying through the whole video because imagining how it helps others makes me emotional
I’ll never forget going to Disney world and there was a little girl with a disability and she didn’t really talk but she looked so excited when I was talking to her and her parents were so appreciative that I took the time to talk to her and paid attention to her body language because not a lot of people standing in line really seemed to care. It’s those little interactions that really can change someone’s mood or perspective on that time in their lives. I hope that little girl remembers that there are people out there who see her and think she’s an awesome lady. I hope anyone who has a disability gets to feel that. I have my own mental health struggles so I understand how isolating having a disability is. Especially if it’s a disability that people can’t see without taking the time and having the knowledge to recognize and understand that.
I love this so much!! My older brother is in his 30s, with severe cerebral palsy and never been able to truly enjoy an amusement park. Seeing all the well thought out accommodations (adult changing tables, wow!) made me so happy. Also as someone with POTS who can no longer receive accommodation for long lines at other parks, seats along the line is just a game changer.
How wonderful the world would be if everywhere was so accessible. I can’t even get security to open a gate for me to access my building, much less a door key. Instead, I stand outside and knock on the door until someone hears me or not. In college, I was taking a visual design class for fashion and home merchandising and the teacher opened the book on day one and said, “Chapter One is on accessibility. Truthfully, this chapter should be in the back of the book, so we are just going to skip it.” Of course, I dropped the class and complained, but nothing happened. That was the first time I really understood that some people really think that way. I was hurt and shocked and still think about that stupid comment. Unfortunately, I have heard worse. I hope things change. Thank you Molly for making a difference for your generation.
I was just there a few months ago. It was an awesome experience. I love how inclusive it is. I also met a blind person who was working there at the park as well
seeing the benches in the queue line made my jaw drop. i have trouble standing for long periods and if queue lines had that for me i would be so grateful
This made me so happy!!! As a neurodivergent person who considers themselves disabled that place looks so welcoming and heartfelt and if I ever go to America I’ll be sure to try and visit and experience it for myself. Thank you Molly for sharing such a wonderful place with so many people.
omg the butterfly benches wings match ur outfit perfectly! also it might be a case of the themes of metamorphosis, so a place where young catapillars can grow and flourish into joyful butterflies
I am not personally disabled but this is so heartwarming to see, I want more places to be like this so everyone can feel included and safe. There’s so many cool little things I never think about that make people with disabilities life easier that we should have more of. Loved watching this ❤
Most play parks in the UK have those accessible swings now like a chair, which I love. It’s such a simple thing that can make a huge difference and able bodied people can use them too.
@@LunaLoveheart Living in the uk, southeast, I’ve never seen them personally before. We have one that I’ve seen with the wheelchair ride on. But that has recently been added- the entire park was replaced with better equipment and added bit for disabled children. But that’s the only one in the area. Hopefully like you say the seat chairs are being used in more places as they to me are easy to replace the bench swing without changes to the equipment. What we do have in most parks are the basket swing, there it can take more people or you can lay on. They were stared to be added 5ish years back maybe a little longer, they have made a change at parks.
@@LunaLoveheart I’m glad there are more in your area. Yea we do need more as I know a lot of local families with children with disabilities, raining from nonverbal and physically needing help/in wheelchairs to kids that have autism and kids with mental health problems/conditions. I also know that the chairs with backs could also have a seat strap possibly, that would help with kids with cerebral palsy and with any sort or spinal /siting issues. But also kids that are too big for the baby swings but that would jump off a normal bench swing. My friends boy who is local will do that he has autism and will at any point just get off the swing so now he is bigger he either doesn’t go on the swing or we can lay him on the big basket swing- gives us change to stop it before he can get off- or one of us sits with him on the swing if there is 2 of us, and we hold him and he stays on along time then. He used to love the baby swing and asks to go on every time but his legs are too long now and hit the floor. I personally think he feels safer and that’s the issue with the bench seat he don’t feel safe and is worried he will fall and so he gets off , as in that mind he won’t fall. He doesn’t have the balance to swing himself- that balance stops you falling off. And I think that’s why.
I would love to be there, as a 34 year old with autism. I get stared at if I act like I need too a lot of the time so I don’t go out. But this would be my favourite place to go and I wouldn’t want to leave. But I live in the uk and don’t travel. We can hope other places will learn from this and create more.
As an AuDHDer, I’d hope no one would try to replicate this savioristic model. From using offensive euphemisms like “special needs” to promoting abusive “therapies” like ABA, it’s clear the founder of this place sees no value in collaborating with the disabled community and thinks he knows what’s best for his daughter and the disabled community in general. He does not.
I found Alton Towers here in the UK pretty good in terms of every ride having signs about the accessibility and warning you about the sensory aspects of it. They had some sensory and quiet areas particularly in the children's area (though would be nice to see them throughout). The ride access was good and they didn't question my disability at all. The only downside was it took ages to get the disabled pass (I think they are changing how this works now) and there was a time limit on how many rides you were supposed to go on. But most staff ignored this so we didn't even realise lol
@@Sophie_Cleverly thanks so much for this information, if I ever get a support worker that’s willing to do a long day and take me it’s good to know that there is somewhere that may be suitable. I haven’t been to any of the big 3 for 20 years since I was a child and I’m sure they have changed a lot.. ( Alton towers,Thorpe park-water park, chestintons, (can’t spell) lol But I used to go with my dad and cousin. But my dad died when I was 18 and she’s now married with her own teenage 2 sons.
Wow what a cool place! I wish more places incorporated accessibility like this. Like why don't all amusement parks have seating for the long lines, brail maps and wheelchair access on rides? It's incredible how much joy this place must bring to so many disabled people and their families. And it's so cool that they try to keep it so affordable. I love that!
I used to teach preschool in San Antonio, and my kids loved going to Morgan's with their families. None of them had disabilities or siblings with disabilities so it was a great way for them to make friends and practice compassion/understanding differences.
This place looks like so much fun!! I wish there were more accessible parks. Seeing a place that’s this inclusive is so wonderful. We all deserve joy, fun, and play!
YOUR DRESS IS SO CUTE and it looks so comfortable and versatile.... please, where can I get it? I'm obsessed. And your boyfriend seems so nice and caring, I'm happy we "see" more of him on your channel! As a sighted woman, I don't even care what he looks like at this point (ok I'm a bit curious lol but that's all) I'm just so happy that you seem happy with him!! And also, this park looks amazing.
Honestly even as someone who is not diagnosed with a disability, I could still find benefits from this park. The benches in line are a game changer for me and would help with the park experience so much. I also love how affordable it seems to be compared to other parks. Definitely a win and I love what they are doing
Morgan’s Wonderland has great programs for disabled individuals in our community. They have the MAC which has social workers, dentists, a hair salon, doctors, etc. All of them are familiar with working with disabled individuals and take the time necessary to make them comfortable. They also have summer programs and adaptive sports programs. They expand every year as well. We were delighted when we got orders to San Antonio primarily because of Morgan’s Wonderland. We retired here and love utilizing and supporting Morgan’s Wonderland every chance we get. More theme parks need to take notice and make changes to be more accessible and inclusive.
the halloween feature made me SOBBBBBB halloween is my favorite holiday and it’s so hard to hear that children can’t enjoy the day. i love that there’s options for kids to still get to celebrate !!
The wheelchair rides are even good for grandparents who can participate with their grandkids and great grandkids. Whole new memories for everyone! What a great park, I hope more parks get some of these rides, maybe a special section of the park would be cool so it wouldn't be as loud as the other parts for people with sensory issues.
I'm so glad they made the prices affordable. I love how the butterfly bench happens to match your dress! So cool! That's so sad that the peers around you when you were younger would run ahead of you while trick-or-treating when you were night blind. I'm sorry you didn't have a more positive Halloween trick or treating experience. I love how accessible they made all the rides! Your boyfriend is so awesome in describing all the rides and directions. He's a keeper for sure!
I worked in a group living facility for years we got to take a trip here once and to see everyone’s faces light up and know everyone could have fun was so nice. I myself as a plus size person who was not allowed to go to amusement parks growing up and now to big to fit in those rides got to be a child for the first time riding rides and getting to experience this. Morgan’s Wonderland is truly magical for everyone
oh my goddd this takes me back.. i used to go here all of the time when i was younger with my aunt who had cerebral palsy, now that she's gone it makes me really emotional to see someone go through this place again
2 minutes in and I’ve gone from “what’s this?” to “We have to keep this park in business” Edit: 7ish in at the flying ride. That’s so cool. I love that they have the hand bike pedals on that one cart! (There will probably be a lot of edits until the final post haha) Final Edit: I don’t know how or why this came across my feed, but I’m glad it did. I never knew about this place, but I am so glad that a place like this exists. I had a smile on my face, and the warm fuzzies. Will have to visit this place the next time I’m in TX
This made me cry. I'm in a wheelchair and I grew up in Texas, and while trips to places like Six Flags and Fiesta Texas were still fun, it always hurt so bad to be told I couldn't ride certain things or do things because of the wheelchair. This is so important and so very glad it exists. I just wish it did when I was a kid.
I have an invisible disability, which I can thankfully keep in check for now with medications, but seeing all these attractions, the way they accomodate as many disabilities as they can and your excitement made me tear up. Good call on the point with narration, that's imo definitely something they should look into :)
This is so incredible to see especially after seeing Disney taking a step back in accessibility in their parks with making their DAS pass so inaccessible to the majority of the disability community!! I would love to go here one day with my medical alert service dog! I think we would both have a blast!!!:)
This place is amazing. I met a friend almost 6 months ago that is blind. I met her through the American Legion which we are both apart of. Anyway I wanted to thank you for sharing this because I sent her your video so she could see it and spread the message!
This is so awesome❤. I do have to say Molly. Your videos have definitely made me more aware of blind disabilities. Of course you can almost visibly see those in wheelchairs or mobility devices. I worked in a restaurant and I noticed the large number of visually impaired due to your videos. So I would always take the extra step to describe the food. Then when I’d set it in front of them I’d tell them exactly where I set each food. To which their visual dinning partner would mouth “Thank You!” Which made me feel good making everyone included.
I’m a roller coaster enthusiast, no disabilities other than a heart condition but I don’t do anything about that. Anyways, Morgan’s Wonderland is such an important cause to us enthusiasts. We love having a place that everyone can get to do what we do so freely and love so deeply. What’s so unique just from a logistics standpoint is how much extra work they do there to get the same things. All of those wheelchair accessible rides the park worked directly with ride manufacturers, who by my understanding have been known to offer some form of discounts. They worked with manufacturers to custom design restraints and harnesses and such, I know the zipline was quite a challenge to engineer. But when there’s a will, there’s a way! That’s the definition of Morgan’s lol. They find a way to make things happen and it makes my heart happy. So a huge thank you to Zamperla as well for being willing to do that extra engineering on rides! Zamperla engineered and manufactured the Wonder Bikes and Whirling Wonder. I know some Six Flags parks are working to try getting more accessible restraint systems. For example at Fiesta Texas (also San Antonio, & one of my favorite parks), has some new restraints for Supergirl Sky Flyer for people who have less control over their limbs, though they have to take off the usual restraints to install these so it takes time for riders who need it, but glad to see them doing something! Yet another note, Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey fails the accessibility test in my book. My good friend has POTS and several heart related conditions which she gets an ADA pass for. She never wants to go back there because the park wouldn’t accommodate her the way they did other people with ADA. At Kingda Ka (rip one of the best coasters on earth) other ADA people could go up the exit, but we were made to go through Flash pass where we had to still wait in line. She nearly passed out at one point waiting. And when we were about to get on, they made us wait longer by letting someone with an ADA pass in our row. This happened twice. Totally unacceptable! I hated seeing my friend struggle waiting in the lines and seeing others not have to, when she also had an ADA pass. Not all disabilities are visible! Our Six Flags has her go up ride exits and get right on, like she’s supposed to. Ruined what otherwise was a fantastic day at Great Adventure. So yeah, really was eye opening actually going through what it’s like to not be accommodated.
This place looks so amazing! Not only is it inclusive but also a great learning opportunity! Kids will think more about accessibility in various situations after seeing true accessibility in action in a fun setting.
It looks like such an amazing for place for disabled kids to go to! However, it is a shame that it’s mostly for children and not very geared towards adults. I’m a huge theme park fan, I love crazy fast and scary rides, so if I were to end up in a wheelchair tomorrow, I would be super excited to go here and then quickly let down but the “tame” rides. Disabled adults deserve to have some fan too!
as an autistic person i felt really happy seeing how colourful this place is without being too oversaturated :) I've always wanted to go to disney, still haven't been able to yet, but hopefully at some point in the future i can!!! i have been to the lego land in my country and i loved it
I grew up near this amazing science museum (which, now that I think about it, did have a lot of cool sensory exhibits) and they had a 4D rollercoaster. I loved it!
Ive never heard of this park before but it is SO lovely and im glad to hear about it!! I believe so many theme and amusement parks could take notes from Morgan's wonderland as having offerings for disabilities is crucial. Also, this is just me but I think more amusement parks should have playgrounds like this for not just accessibility but for younger kids, people who just wanna take a break from all the rides. Amusement parks are a place for plenty of fun, and having at least one or two little playground areas would really add a lot to any theme park
this is near the neighborhood i grew up in, always heard about it & drove by it but never went cuz we figured it was mostly kiddie rides & stuff. so cool to finally see the inside !!
Sorry, as someone that can't see the rides, I was actually looking for a comment like this. Molly sounded like she was having fun, but would you say the rides are things most people could enjoy as well? I tend to be a bit of an adrenaline junky, but the policies that prevent most disabled people from having access to a lot of rides at a lot of major amusement parks has meant that my access has been impacted a lot in terms of being able to enjoy that side of things. I thought a lot of this sounded fun but I was very curious if it was mostly geared at kids and things that are a little easier, or if there were things that would be considered on par with the average amusement. park.
@@Estellemusic no worries! i can’t completely tell through the video, but it looked like there was only a couple of rides that were more adrenaline-focused, including the zip line. no rollercoasters or anything though. molly’s usually pretty adrenaline-seeking too so i’m surprised she didn’t expand on that part, sorry if my comment’s not much help either. it does seem to be more of a kid-focused place, but that they’ve been slowly expanding the possibilities of the park as time goes on.
You are so well spoken Molly. Thank you for doing this video. I'm a wheelchair user and I have volunteered here in the past. ❤ They also hold wheelchair sports events there in the huge auditorium. I went on the WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE swing "like what🤯 " it's honestly so cool to feel like a kid again at age 33 lol I'm so glad disabled kids have a place like this. Yes every disability is free entry 🎉
Oh,Molly! So many thanks to you and to your marvelous boyfriend for showing us this magical experience. I agree with another person here who said we need many more of these parks everywhere. In the meantime, I’m so happy even one exists. I am a physically disabled adult and would love to go there myself. Every child who lives with a disability, should have this kind of access. 💖
I went to Morgans Wonderland a couple months ago withy non-disabled kids and girlfriend, and the first thing I said was MOLLY BURKE WOULD LOVE THIS TACTILE MAP!!! Also, it was TOTALLY enjoyable for all of us!
I now have the urge to visit San Antonio now! This would be my dream! I never liked roller coasters as a wheelchair using kid. I had a bad experience with a person at I think Cedar Point. He helped me off a ride before my parents were able to get to me. He stood me up and before I could say anything (i was really young too), he stood me up and I fell right to the ground. My dad ran to me and picked me up. I'm sure the person felt horrible.
I wish somewhere like this had existed when I was younger. My oldest brother has severe autism (although my understanding is that they don't use that term anymore). But a place like this probably would have been great for him. Luckily he did good when he was younger at places like Disney, but somewhere like this might have been better. I'm so happy there is a place like this for people with disabilities!
@@GhostIntoTheFog Maybe because they didn't know how else to phrase it? Instead of going off about language, maybe you could focus more on intention and message here? While I do understand that language is important, I also understand that not everyone has the privilege of being able to command language the way you seem to expect them to. Although this does not seem to be the case here, there are also people who are not native speakers of English, come from parts of the world where phrasing is different, are not as educated, or simply struggle with language for any other reason, including developmental or neurological issues. And before you come after me: I am highly educated, but English is not my native language. 😉
@alisakumm9165 If they’re competent enough to know what language they shouldn’t be using, they’re competent enough to learn the appropriate alternative. This argument that expecting people to learn and use respectful language to refer to the Autistic community is elitist or ableist is a garbage argument that treats us differently than all other marginalized people. If they used a slur to refer to someone’s race, for example, and qualified it by saying they knew they shouldn’t be using the slur, I doubt you’d be making the same argument.
I mean, I don't do it to be rude. I'm neurodivergent, too. I just don't know how he'd be classified now. I'm not a doctor or anything, and he was diagnosed over 30 years ago. I don't say it that way to be disrespectful.
@@lynsdeyblack I have autism, but I would still class the spectrum as severe or less…. I’m technically on the more able side but have meltdowns etc but to most I look normal… I’m 34 but don’t have a job due to my autism and other disabilities. I know and have friends who are also autistic but at the other end of the scale and can’t go to school and won’t get gcse or work but I also know people who are on the autism spectrum but are so brainy that they work as wiz kids we used to call em. I personally don’t have a problem with any of the descriptive language I’ve used but also know some that do. We are all entitled to our opinions and we are entitled to agree or disagree. Doesn’t mean people have to argue over it. The people that argue about it, I see are people that want to argue about anything, and they spend there time that way instead of trying to help people. That’s what I find. Anyway, I agree that places like this would of been amazing when I was a kid as my older brother is worse then me but my younger brother isn’t diagnosed- he has autism but is able to work etc- just has routines and organised things that mean he is able to manage things. He missed out a lot as a kid due to us older ones. Especially when I started having seizures and he was 8- he became a young carer over night. As mum at the time was living as a single parent as my step dad worked away and only saw him 1 in 4 weekends. So he became my little buddy. As I was 15 it was hard. Anyways. Xxx take care
They recently built "the world's largest inclusive playground" down the street from me. I haven't been yet but I'd love to compare the similarities to the amusement park.
I nanny a boy with autism and that is his favorite playground! We've met so many families with various disabilities and there's something for everyone. Some of the equipment isn't accessible for people with mobility issues, but they did a great job catering to different sensory needs
My suggestions for Morgan's Wonderland:
1. tactile markers on the ground to guide you along the path
2. audio guidance once you stand at the entrance of something, e.g. a restroom announcing itself "restroom" once you walk up to it
3. rides that are light-based, so that blind people with light and shadow vision can enjoy themselves as well
4. taking in volunteers as extra staff!
I think those are some great ideas!
The one thing I'd suggest a bit differently though would be on the topic of audio guidance, I would have a lot of problems with overstimulation if everything is constantly describing/announcing itself everywhere I go, and I'm sure I'd not be the only one, so I think it may be better to have it instead be like an optional thing you can turn on in like an app, so your phone will tell you where you are when you get somewhere, or a provided device perhaps with headphones like a lot of audio description things are. But I do think increased audio guidance/description would be great!
@@Amy-ff9lw Yes or like headset that the park gives u and it can be on deposit so when u turn it in u get ur money back
The problem with a light based attraction is it is inherently not accessible well yes it's great for people with vision impairments it's a problem for a lot of different types of disabilities. And the idea of having a attraction that many disabled children who experience seizures as part of several other conditions or maybe they're just autistic And have sensory issues. Having a ride that is inherently not accessible to a large portion of people just to make it accessible towards another portion of people maybe of the issue.
Not saying that they couldn't or wouldn't do a light-based ride but the idea that autistic children are children with other development disabilities like I was (luckily I didn't have seizures then) maybe upset about the idea of you said I could do the rides here You said that this place was accessible towards me yet this show that looks fun But why can't I do it.
And again not saying that that means they shouldn't do it but it should be something that they take into consideration about how to do something like that and as well as put warnings up if they do something like that.
Again this isn't saying that they shouldn't do that but if your goal is to be accessible to everyone you have to take into account competing accessibility needs. And how to handle those and make it clear this is accessible in this way and not accessible in other ways.
@@annabellebestia332 Oh yes, you're totally right. I completely blanked on that when I was writing my message, which is silly of me since I also have problems with overstimulation to light, so you'd think I'd have remembered that! It is definitely tricky to have to deal with competing accessibility needs. Universal design for accessibility is great, but in some cases it isn't actually universal.
@@Amy-ff9lw My biggest worry with something like this place or honestly anything is places have competing accessibility needs for different people and that's okay that you can't simply say I'm accessible You have to say I'm accessible in these ways because what's accessible to me as someone who has a seizure disorder autism and a heart condition we're trying to figure out It is going to be different to what Molly finds accessible because she's blind It is not the same I don't need braille Braille does not make things more accessible to me.
With my particular seizure disorder regular roller coasters are so accessible to me. And to me the idea of an accessible roller coaster looks like a regular roller coaster.
The accessible roller coaster here looked less accessible to me because the stuff that makes a regular roller coaster accessible to me and makes it safe for me to have a seizure in the chair is what keeps people in the chair when they go upside down. When I went to six flags for the first time after My seizure disorder became what it is today I didn't think I was going to be able to do as much as the rest of my group. I went on the most roller coasters because the way the roller coasters were set up me being strapped down completely to something that is made for my head to kind of bang on a little bit made me able to have the seizure during the roller coaster and because I was already jerking and shaking because it was a roller coaster It was actually fun. I didn't have to stop and do it again to have fun with it when I have a seizure. I don't think The accessible roller coaster would be accessible to me not as much as a regular roller coaster. I didn't see anything that would strap you to the chair. And that's okay. It should exist still because it's more accessible to someone else. The way that I'm able to enjoy a roller coaster is inaccessible to them they should still have an option. But I think anything that gets toaded as accessible needs to have signs or easy to find on the website of the thing information about how it is accessible.
Competing accessibility needs is a thing and it's hard to figure out especially when you're not making a plan for three particular people in a classroom setting when you're trying to make accessibility for all That's so hard to do You don't know what works for this person and what doesn't. And that's okay As long as you keep working and explain to people how this is accessible what ways.
I would love there to be rides that play off a light effects for the idea of people with low and impaired vision to enjoy the show / ride more so then they would be able to normally I just think if you're going to do that you need to make sure there's a sign up front that let's other people know that this is accessible and this way for this group because of that it may not be accessible to this group.
I’m not sure why but this video made me so emotional. i wish everywhere was this inclusive to disabled children. every child deserves to feel the joy and excitement of an amusement park. i’m glad this amazing place exists but everywhere should be like this
I think it's very obvious why it would make one emotional. it makes you realize that disabled people miss out on so many experiences that abled people take for granted but they don't have to if we together actually build a inclusive society. we don't have to live in a world where disabled people don't even have basic access to things like elevators and ramps when they should let alone a place where they can't enjoy other basic things like everyone else we don't have to live in that world we could have a better one just like this, everywhere in the world could be inclusive and accommodating because we have the technology. and yet it's not, the world is cruel and not accommodating and a lot of things will probably never change in our lifetimes.
that would make anyone with empathy emotional. humans could aspire to such greater things than yet here we are... fighting for scraps
I am feeling the same! Wasn’t prepared to tear up on this video!
dittoooo!! but add adults, for me. i wish everywhere was this inclusive of disabled people-children + adults! 🤓
🖤✊🏾🤘🏾
I want to start my own Renaissance Faire that will be focused on special needs of All kinds.
I have 2 autistic children.
It's been a real educational experience for me.
I went there and I was super emotional seeing how much care they put into the park ❤
as a person with POTS I screamed when you said benches in the line 😭 there's literally no reason other places can't be doing that, I'm always sitting on the ground in lines
I have to use a wheelchair, lines do me in, and I’m getting too old to sit on the ground.
Even as a non-disabled person, why can't everyone do this! One of the things I remember from going to parks as a kid was just how much my feet hurt at the end of the day
I have pots too and some perks went up behind people and yelled to startle people and I near fell into the grand canyon
@@JackieBright Get up and down in lines like people do at the haunted mansion make ride times go up by 30 minutes to an hour. It’s different when it’s for disabilities but having to wait for everyone to get up, realize the lines moving, or get off their phone adds up.
POTS TWINNIES!!!
The slide with little rollers is actually designed so that it has no static electricity for people with medical devices like cochlear implants. The more typical design is also designed to go faster than a normal slide without being as steep for people without as much trunk stability. Obviously the one you went on is made so you can pull yourself along but yeah :)
Omg that's amazing :')
I have autism and have sensory issues with static, which was why I rarely used slides as a kid! I really wanna go here now 😂
@@ACAB.forcutiesame. I would always be scared to go down slides bc of that lol
I love the roller slides 🥲 discovery zone used to have one but it was steeper
it reminds me of the end of a grocery checkout, ive always wanted to slide down one haha
Butterflies symbolize freedom, which is what this park is designed to give to people with disabilities. Freedom to try out all the cool specially designed rides, the way that most able-bodied people can. Thanks for the video, Molly! I enjoy all your videos!
I love that sm 🦋
we took my grandma here on vacation and she LOVED it!! she has been using a wheelchair for a while now and hasn’t been able to go on a swing or ride a merry go round or ferris wheel in so many years. she had the biggest smile all day :)
So wholesome btw :)
Another cool thing is that Morgan's Wonderland has a Multi-Assistance Center right nearby the theme park where families or individuals can go to get help and assistance with resources regarding their disability. They also have doctors, dentists, a salon, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and more there so that someone can go and get the therapies and services they need all at one place with staff they know are understanding of disability and are inclusive!
That's awesome!
Wow!🦋🩵
The vast majority of the services offered at their “MAC” is applied behavior analysis (ABA). If you knew anything about ABA and how it’s been used for decades to traumatize Autistic people, I doubt you’d be patting them on the back.
I recently had an ophthalmology appointment there and it was an amazing experience. The elevators have buttons that are lower to the ground and very large and the elevators themselves are gigantic to fit multiple mobility assistance devices and wheelchairs. Very cool to see
That's AMAZING.
My sisters name was Morgan. She was a beautiful girl with rett syndrome and passed away when she was 19. The fact that there is a disability accessible park that shares her name makes me so happy.
Shoutout to the queen who walks behind Molly at 2:46 wearing a giant fancy blue tulle dress and a crown!
AS SHE SHOULD!!! Living her life to the fullest miss girl😂😂
I noticed that too, it’s awesome how I only noticed it but you went out of your way to comment, possibly allowing others to notice as well. thank you for doing so :)
Her name is Jessica she’s a very sweet girl! She was carrying a water cup to help me fill it up for facepainting LOL I can’t believe I was right around the corner from Molly and had no idea!
Your boyfriend describing everything to you and directing you is the most wholesome thing, so good to see Molly with someone who cares so much about her and giving her the best experiences!!
As much as I certainly agree, it's so sad to think one has to mention that: AKA it's not a given, not every boyfriend/girlfriend would do that.
It is, but at the same time, it is something that Morgan's Wonderland is lacking too.
@lindseyziegler9869 correct in terms of the ride they mentioned, BUT I read this as all the times he described scenery and said like "it's 90° right" "I'm to your left (for filming)" "it's just in front of you" and the only way morgans wonderland could do that is for if people want to go alone (which I feel is unusual for theme parks) and they had staff that could take you on a tour which i think is such a rare desired item that it'd have to be like incorporated into another role to nit have staff Sat around doing nothing.....I guess unless it was a booked thing.
@elizabethgrey9157 it's very cute how in sync they are - just in terms of like how nice it is seeing any couple that works well together. And accessibility is a part of that but I agree it should be a given even in the awkward early stages lol. He's very good at it. I'd have to get better at left/right clockwise/anticlockwise although I'm sure all of it is a skill you get better at
Hi Molly! I've been a long time subscriber, and I work for one of the corporations who regularly helps and donates to Morgan's Wonderland! We actually built the summer camp cabins for them. :) The camp brings in people from all over the world to enjoy what the Morgan's team has to offer. I already loved Morgan's Wonderland through our work with them, but seeing you enjoy the park fills my heart with even more joy knowing that we are able to help support such a beautiful cause. Gordon, the owner, is such a kind-hearted man, I'm sure he would absolutely love hearing about your experience at the camp, as well as your suggestions - I'll see what I can do :)
Thank you for being a supporter of such an important cause. We need more people like you and your corporation.
As a sibling of someone with a disability, this would be amazing for the siblings of kids as well. I always remember having to change plans, manage plans, or exclude my brother as a result of his disability. Everything revolved around what we could do or couldn’t do as a result of the type of access he was granted at a particular place. And sometimes, it just meant excluding him, which as a sibling always made me sad. But here the siblings can play ALONGSIDE their disabled brother or sister. Not in a separate area, but where everyone else does. So so cool
That’s an amazing point and now I’m bawling 😭
I worked with adults with disabilities and with Morgan herself. She is SO tall!! But she’s a joy. And I believe butterflies are her favorite and that’s why it’s their mascot.
She is tall!
@ she really is!!
@thepuzzleoracle6760 do you know how tall she is?
@AmeliaEarhart53756 I can’t remember specifics but I’m 5”4’ and she had to bend down significantly to look me in the eye, (just something she does with everyone. She’ll get right in your face until you acknowledge her.) so I’d say well over 6ft, probably closer to 6”4’.
In Australia the butterfly is used in many deaf communities, because butterflies don’t have hearing, they use vibrations.
Hey fellow Aussie... I did not know that! I just know of the eating disorder community. But that is super cool too ❤
@@nicksiiiI thought in regards to eating disorders, a certain flower is used I believe called the Neada but I could be wrong, and a butterfly is used to represent people who have went through self harm. Though I know there is a lot of different things used
4:26 Wow. The butterfly wing burgundy color perfectly matches your dress.
I was going to put that too
came here to say this!!! exact same colour!
That was so cool.
This color match is really stunning. I hope someone told her because it is unlikely that she would have noticed this on her.
I have eds so I cant ride most rides and I can't walk very far without a cane. I live in Texas and had no idea this was so close! I'm excited to visit one day soon and actually ride all the ride with my amusement park loving husband. He doesn't like leaving me on the bench while he goes with a friend and always feels bad having to leave me in the food court when I cant walk any further. We haven't been to amusement park in 6 years. The benches in the lines to allow people to rest real quick makes a massive difference for someone like me. Thank you for making this video
I'm so jealous! I hope you have an awesome time!!
eating disorders?
@@jean-ny3kuehlers danlos syndrome it’s a type of connective tissue disorder
@@ScubaSteve27 ooo okay, thank u!
I have eds too and standing in lines is so horrible my legs start shaking 😭😭
I am sighted and I cried at how your bf was so vocal with description and direction. He's a keeper 🥰🥰🥰🥰
NO SAME. 😭😭😭
the disables wrist bands is making ne cry - i have an invisible disability and bc of my age so many people think i'm lying or trying to get "special treatment".
not having to defend myself constantly to get basic accomodations is such a godsend
I wish we could have that most places, but especially for public transit where I live. I’ve given up taking it unless it’s absolutely necessary because everyone assumes I’m not disabled, so it makes it super awkward. I basically have to pass out before someone will offer me a seat. I’m also autistic, so the anxiety of asking for a seat is too much. I’m going to try ordering a pin that I can wear that says I have invisible disabilities, but I’m not sure if people I’ll even read it. (A fellow disabled local makes them, so it’s supporting the community whether it works or not haha)
@@melissastory1993 Have you tried a sunflower lanyard? It's a project to make hidden disabilities visible through the lanyard, you can also get an id card that explains what your accommodation needs are. I just have the lanyard and it makes me feel more calm about asking for help or taking my time, it may help
I was the carer for a young woman with disabilities and the Washington State Fair lent us a sensory bag with noise canceling headphones, queue cards, stim toys and a wrist band I could write emergency contact info on. They rock and made our day possible as the kiddo had forgotten her headphones, forgot to charge her phone and had a tendency to wander away.
@@melissastory1993 Sunflower lanyards are commonly used as a symbol of invisible disability and some airports hand them out
me too!!! im autistic and have chronic pain and fatigue but love roller coasters, and going to amusment parks/theme parks is always awful for me and i end up having to leave after a few hours because of the pain, but its not outwardly obvious im physically disabled so seeing the wristbands was really nice
This is amazing, this proves that the larger corporate parks could definitely implement things to be more inclusive. They have the money they just need to put it in the right places instead of the higher ups pockets.
The problem is major corps like Six Flags don't want to take the time to make sure quality is up to par across all their properties. It's disgusting corporate laziness.
OMG seats along the line would make such a huge difference to me! I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to go there but I’m happy a place like this exists too.
I wish theme parks in general would put seating in the lines. I'm not disabled (I do have some chronic joint pain from hypermobility) and it's tough to stand for hours on end as it is; it would really benefit everyone to have it.
Right I have Pots and can’t stand for long especially in the heat so that would amazing
So many things can affect that you need to sit, you don't even have to be disabled.
Honestly those should just exist in every park ever. It's insane that people have to stand for up to hours just for a small experience. And of course it'd especially help people who need to get chances to sit as accommodations
This guy has officially won Best Dad EVER! It is truly incredible what this father has done for his daughter and everyone else.
Hey, so I am a legally blind amusement park and roller coaster enthusiast. You won't believe how much an issue blindness and other disabilities could be for some of the parks. I only have experience here in Europe and there is even one large amusement park in Germany (Phantasialand) that bans people with visual impairments from riding almost everything, including rides for kids and if they see your cane, they would escort you out of the queue. As the reason for this action they state that a blind person cannot be evacuated from the ride even if with a sighted assistant and that they cannot get information about the ride and therefore prepare for it. Somehow, this is still considered legal. Seing that there are places like this just proves that even places like amusement parks can be fully accessible and it also gives me hope that it will inspire other parks to be more inclusive. Everyone always talks about accessibility of transport, public buildings and websites, which is obviously good, but the accessibility of entertainment is often left out, Everyone should be able to have fun, this is the most important part of our life.
I´m German and I remember having seen a video on a wheelchair accessability channel about an amusement park in the Netherlands (I think) that has a big emphasis on accessability, but I don´t remember the channel (I think it was a german one), nor the name of the park and I can´t remember how much stuff they did for people whose main problem isn´t mobility. So maybe you could find that place when you search online. And hopefully you could go on a rollercoaster there.
I found it. It´s called Efteling. So far I´ve found information on the website about wheelchair accessability, they also have a room for stuff like changing for adults with disablities, they seem to have at least some warnings for sensory issues and to have people working there, that can communicate in sign language, they say that they have 200 wheelchair accessible parking spots and you can rent? mobility devices there. They welcome service dogs. And as basic requirement for rides they said, that if you can´t evacuate a ride on your own, you need someone with you, who can help you.
And the channel/ video I was referring to is called @FreizeitparkErlebnis
I don’t know. Seems pretty valid. You’re going to evacuate? Eh…
@@cadoho Thanks, I know about this park and in general going on roller coasters with a visual impairment is not a problem when you have someone sighted with you. It is not just in Efteling but in 95% of parks at least in Europe and in the US too from what I have heard. But then suddenly a park decides that wow we think that a visually impaired person is not able to ride. My problem is rather that all people I know are afraid to ride roller coasters and nobody wants to go with me lol. But it is awesome that Efteling offers so many services for people with different disabilities.
I’m from San Antonio. Even though no one in my immediate family is physically disabled, we have been so proud of Morgan’s Wonderland to be there not only for friends in our community, but also for loved ones from all over the world. It truly is a special place! 🦋
Oh my gosh, my sister with Down syndrome works there as one of the friendship fairy actors! I’ve seen her grow in confidence so much since working there, it’s such a great place. If I find out she met you I’m going to be beyond jealous 😂
They don't have any interest in employing engineers with ASD and abnormally British accents (And citizenships) do they?... 🥲
This is so special, seeing a rocket powered kid in a wheelchair made me teary eyed. We're always just a token character in stuff, seeing just a singular wheelchair kid as the main character on a huge ride like that, for some reason, hit me.
any other disabled people in the comments who cried in happiness watching this. i have spent so much of my life not having access to stuff. but seeing that there is a whole park for both normal adventures and a water park brings me to happy tears
What stood out to you as the most incredible feature, that would give you accessiblity
My disability is not obvious but the seats & shade would be so appreciated. Seeing the amount of accessibility in this place made me emotional. Thank you for another awesome video. ❤
I’m from San Antonio and my daughter has a disability. I did not know this place was here! I’m so glad I saw this video so I can take her to check it out!
One of the things that affected me most as a young child was a short movie starring Raggedy Anne and a young blind girl. The girl showed Raggedy Anne how she saw her world. For example, the reality was that she lived in a big city that was not very pretty with a lot of not nice looking characters. The girl, though, perceived the nice cop at a crosswalk as a young handsome man although he was an overweight older man in a disheveled uniform. Really the most impactful scene was when her mother called her home. The girl perceived her mom as a gorgeous beauty in a white summer dress, who was in reality a poor washer woman. It just really influenced me in that blind or deaf and disabled persons experience much of their life based on how others treat them. You need to treat them with the same respect that you would anyone else. Great video!
It was good to see that sibling of disabled children could have fun too. Siblings sometimes have to forego on normal family fun. I know i did as a child. Or put up with rude stares and comments which make you feel bad for your Sibling. In a place like that everyone can have fun. Wish we could have had a place like that when we were kids
21:11 I’m glad to hear Molly verbalize this, because that was an initial thought I had when I saw the butterfly symbol, that it sends a message to disabled visitors that the impetus is still on them to reach their potential, rather than it being on society to create spaces for them. The intentions are good, but for any kids with permanent disabilities, they’re not going to have a “chrysalis to butterfly” moment; their need for accessibility will remain and locations’ abilities to accommodate those needs will fluctuate. Not sure who came up with the whole butterfly thing, but the space overall is still really cool!
Not to be a devil's advocate, but I've noticed a lot of disabled people specifically love butterflies. I'm physically disabled and Neurodivergent and my favorite animal is a butterfly!
I think the intention with the butterfly is to symbolize deafness, as butterflies can’t hear and communicate through vibration. I can see why you’d think that though
i saw someone mention this in another comment and apparently the butterfly is morgan’s favorite insect? not sure if it’s true though.
Honestly, I get the sense that the butterfly is probably related to Morgan. Like butterflies are her favorite or something.
I'm so glad they made the prices very accessible.
As a former zipline quide I am flabbergasted you were denied!!!! So many things about ziplines are NOT actually regulated, it's down to the individual business (so yes, be careful where you go if you're going). The business I was at has taken a bunch of people with a bunch of different disabilities through. As long as we were informed accurately about what limitations and abilities you have, we can really accommodate a lot.
I agree! I run a commercial zip line tour in Austin, TX and we accepted anyone who was bling or deaf and made accommodations for their safety.
I thought most ziplines put the person in a harness. What additional accommodations would a blind person need, and what real additional risk would there be that would justify the liability insurance treating a blind person differently?
@@JaniceinOR this will vary zip line to zip line. Many zip line courses require the participant to brake them selves, or “hand break” for example. People with visual disabilities would need auditory or other cues to help them on the receiving platform to brake safely. Other courses might utilize an automatic braking system which requires little to no physical effort of the participant. Either way, most liability insurance is an umbrella and should cover most of these accommodations as long as you are following all standards and requirements of the manufacturer.
@@allisonhickey
Thank you for the relevant details. I have never been on a zip line and did not think about the participant needing to hand brake based on visual input.
Same! The insurance thing was probably a lie. The place I work is ACCT accredited so we follow much stricter safety regulations than most places do. The only genuine safety issue I’m aware of is that we can’t allow mobility aids that can’t be physically secured in some way (mostly just prosthetics).
We can honestly accommodate pretty much anything provided you can sit and stand with assistance. Blindness is really not that hard to accommodate unless you’re entirely relying on participants to brake without a backup system…and even then you can give auditory cues pretty easily.
The way your boyfriend helps you navigate the world is so special. You can see how sweet and gentle he is and really tell how big his love is for you 🥹
I wish that I had a similar boyfriend, too. Sadly, the UK appears to believe that it's „Not OK“ for people with ASD and isolated upbringings to have those things, despite the fact it's *perfectly* „OK“ for people _without_ disabilities to have them...
hi molly, long time subscriber but i don't comment on youtube often--- thank you so much for making this video. i'm in texas and my mom is paralyzed and uses a motorized scooter or when we go out, she has me pushing her in her wheelchair. she hasn't been able to really do much now that she's gotten older and going out is really difficult for her. i talked to my sister and we decided we want to take her here, because universal design is something very important to all of us as a family. we've never heard of this place before! my mom has been paralyzed my whole life and i didn't know there was a way to bring her to an amusement park again. thank you so much for raising awareness as much as you do.
As a theme park freak from a family of theme park freaks, I’m so excited for you and all other disabled people.
Last week we took our grandparents to the theme park near us. It’s basically my second home. But visiting it with my grandparents made me see it in a completely different way. Never used the disabled accommodations before.
I was always understanding, but a little bit annoyed when a ride had to pause because of a disabled person. But now I’m very glad they dot it.
It's both necessary and well placed in many cases. I went to a special needs school where lots of us were high-needs cases, some impacting mobility and cognitive processing. On trips to Alton Towers (Which has a Poma cabin lift/tramway connecting three areas of the park) it was absolutely necessary for the _Skyride_ to pause for many of us to board/alight because we couldn't all board a cabin that was in motion, and it was greatly appreciated by those of us who needed that _reasonable_ action taken on our part. 👍
This, incidentally, is why you might notice Poma lifts stopping and starting occasionally: The system design is to drive _everything_ - Including the cabin drive systems in the stations - From the main rope, which of course is driven by the main 10kHP motor. If you need to stop cabin movement to accommodate a passenger who can't board a moving cabin, you have to stop the _entire_ system. 🛑
And *that's* why ropeways in these parks often stop mid-way, sometimes several times in a single journey! 😇
This makes me so emotional to see 😭 we were hoping to take my disabled 9-year-old nephew here as a last trip, but we sadly lost him this summer before we could take the trip.
I'm so sorry to hear this, breaks my heart to hear stories like this ❤ My love to you and your family and bless his soul he's no longer bound by his earthly disability ❤ 🪽
I’m so sorry
This video made me cry. Being legally blind/partially deaf, I can definitely relate to the feeling of being left out. So having something like this is just really amazing.
I grew up literally right next to where this was built! I lived in the neighborhood just to the left of Morgan’s Wonderland in the 2000s and got to see the land go from nothingness to this beautiful amusement park as a child. I’m glad that you got to visit it ❤️❤️ (also just absolutely flabbergasted that you’re walking the streets I grew up on)
right everytime a creator comes to SA i get all happy
this is the cutest and most thoughtful theme park i’ve ever seen. i’ve been to many and this is one that you can tell isn’t in it for just the money, but to make everyone feel included. i hope they make more parks like these in all the states! as a paraprofessional that works full time with special needs children of all different kinds, this is beautiful.
I’m in San Antonio and used to be a fashion student, now I’m a teacher. Schools in the area partner with this program where students design and create accessible clothing. For anyone local, it’s called FashionABLE. I thought that Morgan’s wonderland was a partner with the program, but I’m not to sure after looking it up again. Either way cool program for people in the area.
This video was emotional for me. Even just seeing the benches in line made me tear up. The world is such a hard place to live in for some of us and something as simple as a place to sit can make all the difference. I really wish everywhere could be like that.
Bf is so cute and sweet. I’m so happy you a supportive partner for all these adventures 😊 I love how he’s constantly describing details that you can’t see. He just seems so thoughtful.
I AM LOVING THIS VIDEO! I just wanted to pause to pop in and say that if people are wondering, Disney in Cali and even more so in Florida has rides that you can roll on to without having to transfer out of your chair. Unfortunately, it's not all of them, and more focused on the slow-moving-dark-rides. I love that here they're pioneering even more types of rides to be ride-on! I really appreciate it so that I can go on rides with my Mom! Can't wait to visit this park!
I personally don't even really need accessibility in amusement parks but i was happy crying through the whole video because imagining how it helps others makes me emotional
I’ll never forget going to Disney world and there was a little girl with a disability and she didn’t really talk but she looked so excited when I was talking to her and her parents were so appreciative that I took the time to talk to her and paid attention to her body language because not a lot of people standing in line really seemed to care. It’s those little interactions that really can change someone’s mood or perspective on that time in their lives. I hope that little girl remembers that there are people out there who see her and think she’s an awesome lady. I hope anyone who has a disability gets to feel that. I have my own mental health struggles so I understand how isolating having a disability is. Especially if it’s a disability that people can’t see without taking the time and having the knowledge to recognize and understand that.
I love this so much!! My older brother is in his 30s, with severe cerebral palsy and never been able to truly enjoy an amusement park. Seeing all the well thought out accommodations (adult changing tables, wow!) made me so happy. Also as someone with POTS who can no longer receive accommodation for long lines at other parks, seats along the line is just a game changer.
You can’t get accommodations for POTS anymore? I guess there are so many of us now…
How wonderful the world would be if everywhere was so accessible. I can’t even get security to open a gate for me to access my building, much less a door key. Instead, I stand outside and knock on the door until someone hears me or not.
In college, I was taking a visual design class for fashion and home merchandising and the teacher opened the book on day one and said, “Chapter One is on accessibility. Truthfully, this chapter should be in the back of the book, so we are just going to skip it.” Of course, I dropped the class and complained, but nothing happened. That was the first time I really understood that some people really think that way. I was hurt and shocked and still think about that stupid comment. Unfortunately, I have heard worse. I hope things change. Thank you Molly for making a difference for your generation.
I was just there a few months ago. It was an awesome experience. I love how inclusive it is. I also met a blind person who was working there at the park as well
seeing the benches in the queue line made my jaw drop. i have trouble standing for long periods and if queue lines had that for me i would be so grateful
This made me so happy!!! As a neurodivergent person who considers themselves disabled that place looks so welcoming and heartfelt and if I ever go to America I’ll be sure to try and visit and experience it for myself. Thank you Molly for sharing such a wonderful place with so many people.
That description on the water bottle after watching the whole video brought me to tears. I had no idea such a place existed!
omg the butterfly benches wings match ur outfit perfectly!
also it might be a case of the themes of metamorphosis, so a place where young catapillars can grow and flourish into joyful butterflies
I am not personally disabled but this is so heartwarming to see, I want more places to be like this so everyone can feel included and safe. There’s so many cool little things I never think about that make people with disabilities life easier that we should have more of. Loved watching this ❤
Most play parks in the UK have those accessible swings now like a chair, which I love. It’s such a simple thing that can make a huge difference and able bodied people can use them too.
@@LunaLoveheart
Living in the uk, southeast, I’ve never seen them personally before.
We have one that I’ve seen with the wheelchair ride on. But that has recently been added- the entire park was replaced with better equipment and added bit for disabled children. But that’s the only one in the area.
Hopefully like you say the seat chairs are being used in more places as they to me are easy to replace the bench swing without changes to the equipment. What we do have in most parks are the basket swing, there it can take more people or you can lay on. They were stared to be added 5ish years back maybe a little longer, they have made a change at parks.
@@cherylhowker1792 I live in the the northeast and I’ve seen a few parks around that are accessible. We definitely need more though.
@@LunaLoveheart I’m glad there are more in your area. Yea we do need more as I know a lot of local families with children with disabilities, raining from nonverbal and physically needing help/in wheelchairs to kids that have autism and kids with mental health problems/conditions. I also know that the chairs with backs could also have a seat strap possibly, that would help with kids with cerebral palsy and with any sort or spinal /siting issues.
But also kids that are too big for the baby swings but that would jump off a normal bench swing. My friends boy who is local will do that he has autism and will at any point just get off the swing so now he is bigger he either doesn’t go on the swing or we can lay him on the big basket swing- gives us change to stop it before he can get off- or one of us sits with him on the swing if there is 2 of us, and we hold him and he stays on along time then. He used to love the baby swing and asks to go on every time but his legs are too long now and hit the floor. I personally think he feels safer and that’s the issue with the bench seat he don’t feel safe and is worried he will fall and so he gets off , as in that mind he won’t fall.
He doesn’t have the balance to swing himself- that balance stops you falling off. And I think that’s why.
In Canada, new play parks at schools and in cities all have at least some accessible features. They have for ages.
I would love to be there, as a 34 year old with autism. I get stared at if I act like I need too a lot of the time so I don’t go out.
But this would be my favourite place to go and I wouldn’t want to leave. But I live in the uk and don’t travel. We can hope other places will learn from this and create more.
As an AuDHDer, I’d hope no one would try to replicate this savioristic model. From using offensive euphemisms like “special needs” to promoting abusive “therapies” like ABA, it’s clear the founder of this place sees no value in collaborating with the disabled community and thinks he knows what’s best for his daughter and the disabled community in general. He does not.
@@GhostIntoTheFog this is your opinion, we are all entitled to opinions. And we are entitled to disagree.
I found Alton Towers here in the UK pretty good in terms of every ride having signs about the accessibility and warning you about the sensory aspects of it. They had some sensory and quiet areas particularly in the children's area (though would be nice to see them throughout). The ride access was good and they didn't question my disability at all. The only downside was it took ages to get the disabled pass (I think they are changing how this works now) and there was a time limit on how many rides you were supposed to go on. But most staff ignored this so we didn't even realise lol
@@Sophie_Cleverly thanks so much for this information, if I ever get a support worker that’s willing to do a long day and take me it’s good to know that there is somewhere that may be suitable. I haven’t been to any of the big 3 for 20 years since I was a child and I’m sure they have changed a lot.. ( Alton towers,Thorpe park-water park, chestintons, (can’t spell) lol
But I used to go with my dad and cousin. But my dad died when I was 18 and she’s now married with her own teenage 2 sons.
🦋Accessability is like giving wings to people. They can now access the world in ways they couldn't before.
I love that this park is so accessible to people with disabilities and still fun for the entire family.
Wow what a cool place! I wish more places incorporated accessibility like this. Like why don't all amusement parks have seating for the long lines, brail maps and wheelchair access on rides? It's incredible how much joy this place must bring to so many disabled people and their families. And it's so cool that they try to keep it so affordable. I love that!
I used to teach preschool in San Antonio, and my kids loved going to Morgan's with their families. None of them had disabilities or siblings with disabilities so it was a great way for them to make friends and practice compassion/understanding differences.
This place looks like so much fun!! I wish there were more accessible parks. Seeing a place that’s this inclusive is so wonderful. We all deserve joy, fun, and play!
YOUR DRESS IS SO CUTE and it looks so comfortable and versatile.... please, where can I get it? I'm obsessed.
And your boyfriend seems so nice and caring, I'm happy we "see" more of him on your channel! As a sighted woman, I don't even care what he looks like at this point (ok I'm a bit curious lol but that's all) I'm just so happy that you seem happy with him!!
And also, this park looks amazing.
I think it’s from POPFLEX
Its Blogilates! the pirouette dress 👗💃🏽 @blogilates
Honestly even as someone who is not diagnosed with a disability, I could still find benefits from this park. The benches in line are a game changer for me and would help with the park experience so much. I also love how affordable it seems to be compared to other parks. Definitely a win and I love what they are doing
Morgan’s Wonderland has great programs for disabled individuals in our community. They have the MAC which has social workers, dentists, a hair salon, doctors, etc. All of them are familiar with working with disabled individuals and take the time necessary to make them comfortable. They also have summer programs and adaptive sports programs. They expand every year as well. We were delighted when we got orders to San Antonio primarily because of Morgan’s Wonderland. We retired here and love utilizing and supporting Morgan’s Wonderland every chance we get. More theme parks need to take notice and make changes to be more accessible and inclusive.
the halloween feature made me SOBBBBBB halloween is my favorite holiday and it’s so hard to hear that children can’t enjoy the day. i love that there’s options for kids to still get to celebrate !!
The wheelchair rides are even good for grandparents who can participate with their grandkids and great grandkids. Whole new memories for everyone! What a great park, I hope more parks get some of these rides, maybe a special section of the park would be cool so it wouldn't be as loud as the other parts for people with sensory issues.
I'm so glad they made the prices affordable. I love how the butterfly bench happens to match your dress! So cool!
That's so sad that the peers around you when you were younger would run ahead of you while trick-or-treating when you were night blind. I'm sorry you didn't have a more positive Halloween trick or treating experience.
I love how accessible they made all the rides! Your boyfriend is so awesome in describing all the rides and directions. He's a keeper for sure!
I worked in a group living facility for years we got to take a trip here once and to see everyone’s faces light up and know everyone could have fun was so nice. I myself as a plus size person who was not allowed to go to amusement parks growing up and now to big to fit in those rides got to be a child for the first time riding rides and getting to experience this. Morgan’s Wonderland is truly magical for everyone
oh my goddd this takes me back.. i used to go here all of the time when i was younger with my aunt who had cerebral palsy, now that she's gone it makes me really emotional to see someone go through this place again
2 minutes in and I’ve gone from “what’s this?” to “We have to keep this park in business”
Edit: 7ish in at the flying ride. That’s so cool. I love that they have the hand bike pedals on that one cart! (There will probably be a lot of edits until the final post haha)
Final Edit: I don’t know how or why this came across my feed, but I’m glad it did. I never knew about this place, but I am so glad that a place like this exists. I had a smile on my face, and the warm fuzzies. Will have to visit this place the next time I’m in TX
Some additional cool thing!
On Jett's ride, the wheelchair platforms have hand pedals to control the hydraulics!
This made me cry. I'm in a wheelchair and I grew up in Texas, and while trips to places like Six Flags and Fiesta Texas were still fun, it always hurt so bad to be told I couldn't ride certain things or do things because of the wheelchair. This is so important and so very glad it exists. I just wish it did when I was a kid.
I have an invisible disability, which I can thankfully keep in check for now with medications, but seeing all these attractions, the way they accomodate as many disabilities as they can and your excitement made me tear up. Good call on the point with narration, that's imo definitely something they should look into :)
This is so incredible to see especially after seeing Disney taking a step back in accessibility in their parks with making their DAS pass so inaccessible to the majority of the disability community!! I would love to go here one day with my medical alert service dog! I think we would both have a blast!!!:)
I got the chills when you panned over to the passenger who boarded the plane ride in their wheelchair. Just so cool.
This place is amazing. I met a friend almost 6 months ago that is blind. I met her through the American Legion which we are both apart of. Anyway I wanted to thank you for sharing this because I sent her your video so she could see it and spread the message!
This is so awesome❤. I do have to say Molly. Your videos have definitely made me more aware of blind disabilities. Of course you can almost visibly see those in wheelchairs or mobility devices. I worked in a restaurant and I noticed the large number of visually impaired due to your videos. So I would always take the extra step to describe the food. Then when I’d set it in front of them I’d tell them exactly where I set each food. To which their visual dinning partner would mouth “Thank You!” Which made me feel good making everyone included.
I’m a roller coaster enthusiast, no disabilities other than a heart condition but I don’t do anything about that. Anyways, Morgan’s Wonderland is such an important cause to us enthusiasts. We love having a place that everyone can get to do what we do so freely and love so deeply. What’s so unique just from a logistics standpoint is how much extra work they do there to get the same things. All of those wheelchair accessible rides the park worked directly with ride manufacturers, who by my understanding have been known to offer some form of discounts. They worked with manufacturers to custom design restraints and harnesses and such, I know the zipline was quite a challenge to engineer. But when there’s a will, there’s a way! That’s the definition of Morgan’s lol. They find a way to make things happen and it makes my heart happy. So a huge thank you to Zamperla as well for being willing to do that extra engineering on rides! Zamperla engineered and manufactured the Wonder Bikes and Whirling Wonder.
I know some Six Flags parks are working to try getting more accessible restraint systems. For example at Fiesta Texas (also San Antonio, & one of my favorite parks), has some new restraints for Supergirl Sky Flyer for people who have less control over their limbs, though they have to take off the usual restraints to install these so it takes time for riders who need it, but glad to see them doing something!
Yet another note, Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey fails the accessibility test in my book. My good friend has POTS and several heart related conditions which she gets an ADA pass for. She never wants to go back there because the park wouldn’t accommodate her the way they did other people with ADA. At Kingda Ka (rip one of the best coasters on earth) other ADA people could go up the exit, but we were made to go through Flash pass where we had to still wait in line. She nearly passed out at one point waiting. And when we were about to get on, they made us wait longer by letting someone with an ADA pass in our row. This happened twice. Totally unacceptable! I hated seeing my friend struggle waiting in the lines and seeing others not have to, when she also had an ADA pass. Not all disabilities are visible! Our Six Flags has her go up ride exits and get right on, like she’s supposed to. Ruined what otherwise was a fantastic day at Great Adventure. So yeah, really was eye opening actually going through what it’s like to not be accommodated.
This place looks so amazing! Not only is it inclusive but also a great learning opportunity! Kids will think more about accessibility in various situations after seeing true accessibility in action in a fun setting.
Im honestly a thrill seeker myself and I am a huge fan of very fast rides, but I find this amusement park to be absolutely inspiring and fantastic.
It looks like such an amazing for place for disabled kids to go to! However, it is a shame that it’s mostly for children and not very geared towards adults. I’m a huge theme park fan, I love crazy fast and scary rides, so if I were to end up in a wheelchair tomorrow, I would be super excited to go here and then quickly let down but the “tame” rides. Disabled adults deserve to have some fan too!
as an autistic person i felt really happy seeing how colourful this place is without being too oversaturated :) I've always wanted to go to disney, still haven't been able to yet, but hopefully at some point in the future i can!!! i have been to the lego land in my country and i loved it
Morgan’s Wonderland started from such a great concept and it’s so great that they’ve been able to grow it and keep making it better!
"Wheeee- I'm on a horse, right?"
"Yeah. No a zebra!"
LOL
I grew up near this amazing science museum (which, now that I think about it, did have a lot of cool sensory exhibits) and they had a 4D rollercoaster. I loved it!
4:30 your dress matched the butterfly bench perfectly in this shot!
you’re partner is so sweet describing things to you 😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️
Ive never heard of this park before but it is SO lovely and im glad to hear about it!! I believe so many theme and amusement parks could take notes from Morgan's wonderland as having offerings for disabilities is crucial. Also, this is just me but I think more amusement parks should have playgrounds like this for not just accessibility but for younger kids, people who just wanna take a break from all the rides. Amusement parks are a place for plenty of fun, and having at least one or two little playground areas would really add a lot to any theme park
this is near the neighborhood i grew up in, always heard about it & drove by it but never went cuz we figured it was mostly kiddie rides & stuff. so cool to finally see the inside !!
Sorry, as someone that can't see the rides, I was actually looking for a comment like this. Molly sounded like she was having fun, but would you say the rides are things most people could enjoy as well? I tend to be a bit of an adrenaline junky, but the policies that prevent most disabled people from having access to a lot of rides at a lot of major amusement parks has meant that my access has been impacted a lot in terms of being able to enjoy that side of things. I thought a lot of this sounded fun but I was very curious if it was mostly geared at kids and things that are a little easier, or if there were things that would be considered on par with the average amusement. park.
@@Estellemusic no worries! i can’t completely tell through the video, but it looked like there was only a couple of rides that were more adrenaline-focused, including the zip line. no rollercoasters or anything though.
molly’s usually pretty adrenaline-seeking too so i’m surprised she didn’t expand on that part, sorry if my comment’s not much help either.
it does seem to be more of a kid-focused place, but that they’ve been slowly expanding the possibilities of the park as time goes on.
@@callanrose Thank you so much for taking the time, I really appreciate it. 💙
@@Estellemusic 🫶🏻
You are so well spoken Molly. Thank you for doing this video. I'm a wheelchair user and I have volunteered here in the past. ❤ They also hold wheelchair sports events there in the huge auditorium.
I went on the WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE swing "like what🤯 " it's honestly so cool to feel like a kid again at age 33 lol I'm so glad disabled kids have a place like this.
Yes every disability is free entry 🎉
Oh,Molly! So many thanks to you and to your marvelous boyfriend for showing us this magical experience. I agree with another person here who said we need many more of these parks everywhere. In the meantime, I’m so happy even one exists. I am a physically disabled adult and would love to go there myself. Every child who lives with a disability, should have this kind of access. 💖
11:35 omfg Repo the Genetic Opera with 'Blind Mag' (played by Sarah Brightman) music playing in the background so close to Halloween is too perfect.
The conveyor belt activity was cool because people would get upper body exercise and not just for the lower body.
I went to Morgans Wonderland a couple months ago withy non-disabled kids and girlfriend, and the first thing I said was MOLLY BURKE WOULD LOVE THIS TACTILE MAP!!! Also, it was TOTALLY enjoyable for all of us!
I now have the urge to visit San Antonio now! This would be my dream! I never liked roller coasters as a wheelchair using kid. I had a bad experience with a person at I think Cedar Point. He helped me off a ride before my parents were able to get to me. He stood me up and before I could say anything (i was really young too), he stood me up and I fell right to the ground. My dad ran to me and picked me up. I'm sure the person felt horrible.
the concept of this park is so wholesome, yes it's accessible and that is awesome, but it also brings disabled kids together which is a huge plus
I wish somewhere like this had existed when I was younger. My oldest brother has severe autism (although my understanding is that they don't use that term anymore). But a place like this probably would have been great for him. Luckily he did good when he was younger at places like Disney, but somewhere like this might have been better. I'm so happy there is a place like this for people with disabilities!
If you know severity language is inappropriate and insulting, why would you continue to use it?
@@GhostIntoTheFog Maybe because they didn't know how else to phrase it? Instead of going off about language, maybe you could focus more on intention and message here? While I do understand that language is important, I also understand that not everyone has the privilege of being able to command language the way you seem to expect them to. Although this does not seem to be the case here, there are also people who are not native speakers of English, come from parts of the world where phrasing is different, are not as educated, or simply struggle with language for any other reason, including developmental or neurological issues. And before you come after me: I am highly educated, but English is not my native language. 😉
@alisakumm9165 If they’re competent enough to know what language they shouldn’t be using, they’re competent enough to learn the appropriate alternative. This argument that expecting people to learn and use respectful language to refer to the Autistic community is elitist or ableist is a garbage argument that treats us differently than all other marginalized people. If they used a slur to refer to someone’s race, for example, and qualified it by saying they knew they shouldn’t be using the slur, I doubt you’d be making the same argument.
I mean, I don't do it to be rude. I'm neurodivergent, too. I just don't know how he'd be classified now. I'm not a doctor or anything, and he was diagnosed over 30 years ago. I don't say it that way to be disrespectful.
@@lynsdeyblack I have autism, but I would still class the spectrum as severe or less…. I’m technically on the more able side but have meltdowns etc but to most I look normal… I’m 34 but don’t have a job due to my autism and other disabilities.
I know and have friends who are also autistic but at the other end of the scale and can’t go to school and won’t get gcse or work but I also know people who are on the autism spectrum but are so brainy that they work as wiz kids we used to call em.
I personally don’t have a problem with any of the descriptive language I’ve used but also know some that do.
We are all entitled to our opinions and we are entitled to agree or disagree.
Doesn’t mean people have to argue over it.
The people that argue about it, I see are people that want to argue about anything, and they spend there time that way instead of trying to help people. That’s what I find.
Anyway, I agree that places like this would of been amazing when I was a kid as my older brother is worse then me but my younger brother isn’t diagnosed- he has autism but is able to work etc- just has routines and organised things that mean he is able to manage things.
He missed out a lot as a kid due to us older ones. Especially when I started having seizures and he was 8- he became a young carer over night. As mum at the time was living as a single parent as my step dad worked away and only saw him 1 in 4 weekends. So he became my little buddy. As I was 15 it was hard.
Anyways. Xxx take care
Omg every amusement park would be so much better with benches to sit on in the waiting line! I hope that becomes more popular 🙏
They recently built "the world's largest inclusive playground" down the street from me. I haven't been yet but I'd love to compare the similarities to the amusement park.
I nanny a boy with autism and that is his favorite playground! We've met so many families with various disabilities and there's something for everyone. Some of the equipment isn't accessible for people with mobility issues, but they did a great job catering to different sensory needs
i work with blind and disabled children and i WISH there was a park like this in michigan because i know all my kiddos would love it 😭