Hi, Cathy!
Thank you for reaching out to planDisney. I'm sorry your husband needs a hip replacement! I hope he has a quick and easy recovery.
I am glad you are thinking ahead of time about the best way to navigate the theme parks while he is in a wheelchair. I recommend starting with the
Mobility section on the
Services for Guests with Mobility Disabilities page. It has a lot of helpful information including wheelchair-accessible attractions, as well as those attractions where Guest needs to transfer from their wheelchair by themself or with assistance from someone in their party. Attractions where Guests can usually stay in their wheelchairs include Jungle Cruise, Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, and King Arthur Carousel in Disneyland Park, as well as Turtle Talk with Crush and Jessie's Critter Carousel in Disney California Adventure Park.
Additionally, many attraction queues allow Guests to remain in their wheelchairs while waiting to board. One notable exception is Fantasyland, where some queues may not be large enough to accommodate a wheelchair. I suggest speaking with an attraction Cast Member to determine the best options for your family.
You can also use the
Disneyland app to search for attractions that may work for your family. After opening the app, select the teardrop-shaped icon at the bottom of the home screen to view the park maps. Choose "Attractions" from the drop-down menu at the top, and select "Filter." Scroll down to "Mobility Disabilities," where you can limit the results by selecting "Guest May Remain in Wheelchair/ECV," "Guest Must be Ambulatory," or "Guest Must Transfer from Wheelchair/ECV."
The
ECV (Electric Conveyance Vehicle) and Wheelchair page has additional information about using wheelchairs in Disneyland, such as how to rent an ECV. That may be useful if you plan to spend all day in the parks! Keep in mind that many attractions do require a Guest to transfer from their ECV to a wheelchair before boarding. Guests can also stop by the
Accesibillity Service Kiosk when arriving at the theme parks to get additional questions answered by a friendly Cast Member.
You may also want to consider purchasing
Lighting Lane Multi Pass, which lets Guests skip the standby lines on many attractions. Instead, Guests reserve times to join the Lightning Lane queue, which is usually much shorter than the standby lines. My family purchases Lightning Lane Multi Pass during most visits to Disneyland. It is a great timesaver!
Cathy, I hope your family has a magical time during the
Holidays at Disneyland Resort! We hope to see you real soon!
Happy holidays!
Jen