An accessible kingdom for kids! 
Amusement parks have come a long way in accessibility and in programs put in place to make all feel welcome. Dutch Wonderland is an older park, at almost 58 years old, so I wasn’t expecting them to have accessible line queues or even consistently accessible paths, but I was pleasantly surprised. From the magical theme of castles and dragons to Exploration Island full of life-like dinosaurs, and from a diverse water park designed for all-day play to both live and animated shows (Oh, yeah, and rides!), there was plenty of fun for everyone. We had a great day at wheelchair accessible Dutch Wonderland!
Getting There and Around
Parking
Unless you’re staying at the new Cartoon Network Hotel and walking over, the best option is to park on site. The signage says that handicap and preferred parking are $15 (as opposed to the $5 for general parking), but your handicap placard brings the price down to $5. Make sure you mention you have a handicap placard before paying for the lot.
Once you’re in, follow the signs for preferred/handicap and don’t let the warnings of having a preferred pass scare you. Your handicap placard is your preferred pass.
If you’re being dropped off, you can have your driver leave you at the Cartoon Network Hotel to avoid the long wait and parking fees.
Using a Wheelchair
We brought our own wheelchair, since loaners are always adult-sized, but rentals are available at Junction Rentals near the Wonderland Special Train Station, on the right, just after you enter the park. A manual chair is $10 for the day, or you can rent an electric scooter for $35.
Navigating the Park
The park is hilly, but if you stick to the main walkways you won’t find anything too challenging. All paths are paved, with the exception of Exploration Island (a mulch path). There are a couple of shortcuts that are rather steep, but there’s always a more accessible way. We also enjoyed the trail that runs along the perimeter of the park. There was no one else on it, which made it a nice way to get around!
Accessibility Program
After you enter through the castle/gift shop, but before you enter the park, you’ll see guest services on the left. This needs to be your first stop, so you can get your accessibility pass. The pass is good for the person with the disability and two additional guests (depending on the ride and Covid regulations, you may be able to squeeze the rest of the family). They’ll measure you, so they can print your height on your pass, showing what rides you’re eligible for. Please note, they do not have you completed questionnaire on abilities. That means you need to know what you are or are not physically capable of. Don’t hop on the spinning ride that requires trunk support, if you don’t have it. Or on a bumpy ride that requires your brace yourself with your legs, if you can’t.
Your pass will enable you to enter each ride through the exit, but you cannot use this accessible entrance without the pass. While your wheelchair may seem like an obvious accessibility pass, it’s not. So, stop at guest services before you hit the rides!
The Rides
Most rides are accessible with your accessibility pass. There are a few exceptions. For example, the slide can only be entered by a tall flight of steps. The monorail can also only be entered via stairs. The sky ride is one way, which means you get off on the opposite end of the park from where you got on. I spoke with someone who worked at the park and takes her wheelchair on the sky ride with her. Our chair doesn’t fold up very well, so that didn’t seem like a great option. I suppose you could also take it one way, and then get back in line to return as soon as you exit!
Everything else was accessible as long as you’re comfortable transferring from your chair. Even if you see stairs at the entry, there’s a ramp at the exit!
Because you enter through the exit (always – even if there are no signs, go to the exit), the ride attendant doesn’t always see you right away. Don’t be timid about getting his/her attention. The attendants are happy to help – they’re just not always looking the right way.
The Water Park
Do it! I wasn’t sure if water slides and slippy play areas would be worth it for us, but we played until the kids turned blue (maybe your visit will be warmer than ours?). The water slides can only be accessed by stairs, but there was still plenty to keep us splashing. There were buttons and levers at all heights for shooting water around. There was a water table for stationary play. There were pop-jets and fountains to roll through.
None of the kids ended up doing the slides – but they were all able to play together (my favorite!) in the water park.
The Island
Exploration Island is at the back of the park. The only ride is the Gondola Cruise – a scenic cruise around the island. The main draw of the island is the dinosaurs! Kids can dig in the sand for skeletons, and take a stroll through a prehistoric forest full of animatronic dinosaur life. The path was mulch, which is still a little tricky for my five year old wheelchair user, but probably not an obstacle for the more experienced.
The Restrooms
All of the restrooms had changing tables and accessible stalls – even the men’s rooms. The main in-park restrooms also had toddler toilets. There’s a family restroom just inside the park, to the left (under the sky ride).
Most of the restaurants don’t have restrooms, so plan a stop before lunch. There is hand sanitizer at each of the food stops, if you didn’t get those little hands washed.
The Food
Outside food is only allowed into the park if you have dietary needs (though we’ve never had a problem entering with snacks). You’re welcome to picnic outside of the park, but there are also plenty of options in the park. All of the dining options are wheelchair accessible (hurray!), but I still wanted to highlight a few things so you don’t miss them.
Mill Stream Eatery, at the back of the park, has the most variety – in case your kids are as picky as mine. They’ve got all the standards, like mac and cheese and pizza. The prices were pretty typical for a theme park. We paid 3.99 for a slice of pizza and 4.99 for mac and cheese (you thought I was kidding about our limited diet?).
Turkey Hill has an ice cream stand just inside the park entrance, right next to Nathan’s Hot Dogs. If you’ve never had Turkey Hill ice cream, it’s an absolute must while you’re in Lancaster County.
Dole Whip. Yep. Dole Whip. Did you know that existed outside of Disney World?!? I had no idea! Turns out my 17 hour drive to Florida was all for naught – I could’ve gotten my Dole Whip right here in Lancaster County. Take a left when you enter the park and you’ll pass it before you get to the water park.
You’ll also find Auntie Anne’s soft pretzels and Dippin’ Dots ice cream, along with all the amusement park usuals, scattered throughout the park.
The Deals
Now that you’re stoked to go enjoy the magical kingdom of Dutch Wonderland, let’s talk deals (please, we don’t pay full price for anything). While there are no Dutch Wonderland disability discounts, there are plenty of other ways to save.
Buy Online
It’s pretty standard that advance tickets online will save you money. If possible, always avoid buying at the gate.
Use a Coupon
If you’re local, call your Weis Markets and see if they sell discounted Dutch Wonderland tickets (the same is true for Knoebel’s!)
Local or not, click here and use my Dutch Wonderland promo code, DWInfluencer21, for $9 off. Just a little way to say thanks for being a part of our journey to make the world barrier-free!
Standing Offers
Military families, both active and retired, always receive $10 off per ticket with a military ID.
AAA members can save by ordering through AAA – discount varies by region.
Have a magical time!
Please shoot me a message if you have any questions or I missed anything! If you’re looking for other accessible theme parks (aside from the obvious), check out our reviews on Hershey and LEGOLAND.
If you’re making a trip to Lancaster for Dutch Wonderland, check out these hidden gems in the area.
