National Disability Independence Day – Accommodations Guide at Walt Disney World 1972

July 27th is National Disability Independence Day marking 33 years since President George H.W. Bush signed the landmark Americans With Disabilities Act into law in 1990.

While visitors today are familiar with the myriad accommodations for individuals with disabilities available at Disney parks and resorts you may wonder what the experience was like in the Magic Kingdom’s opening year.

To mark the occasion we are adding to our archive the very first accessibility guide produced for Magic Kingdom in 1971 along with a Wheelchair Identification Tag receipt that accompanied it.  A whimsical cartoon featuring Doc and Happy from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.  Doc is pushing Happy in the chair.

Opening the guide you find a listing of attractions that can accommodate a wheelchair and guidance that most restaurants and shops can welcome them as well as the location of accessible bathrooms in the park. 

There is an auxiliary listing of attractions where small children could be lifted from their chair and onto the attraction. 

We’re pleased to add this interesting piece of early park ephemera to our archive and mark National Disability Independence Day.

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