Wheelchair Access

Figaro · Post by **Figaro** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 2:04 am

I was wondering if anyone here had information about accessibility in Puerto Vallarta? We stayed at the Club Regina in 2003 and had a wonderful time because the property had so many ramps and was reasonably accessible.

We both loved Puerto Vallarta and part of the reason was that the people there were so wonderful about the wheelchair. No one got angry because it took more time, people would offer to help lift the wheelchair and everyone treated it like it was no big deal instead of an inconvenience for them.

I've looked online but haven't been able to find much information about any tours that are possible for me to participate in. There is one major advantage to the wheelchair...we are never approached by the timeshare people:) One of the staff at the hotel said that their vans aren't accessible and so they don't bother to even try when they see the wheelchair.

Thanks for any information!

flyawayplus4 · Post by **flyawayplus4** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 8:18 am

Hi
Not sure if this site will help but what caught my eye was the ground transportation.
http://www.accesiblemexico.com/
Looks like there are wheel chair accessible vans for hire and I would bet that they would not be too expensive.
The all terrain chairs look to be very bulky and I would think hard to manage but they might just plow through the sand

Would you be able to go for a swim with the dolphins.
There must be boats that are wheel chair accessible.
Wish you the best and I am sure others on the board will have better answers for you.
Sylvia

Happy New Year

Figaro · Post by **Figaro** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 5:27 pm

Thanks for the link, Sylvia! Those all terrain (or beach chairs as they are sometimes called) are okay if you want to go in the ocean and it is a short trip down the beach but they don't steer very well and aren't too comfortable othewise:)

Does anyone have email addresses so I could email some of the boat companies like the one for Rhythm of the Night? I have no idea if I can manage it because when we were in Puerto Vallarta before we didn't do any tours because we weren't sure what was accessible and what wasn't. I don't have any problems transferring to and from cabs so that is what we took from the airport the last time.

I was the person who the airlines promised that we would get off the plane through a jetway and it landed way out and there were three buses to take the people on the plane to the main terminal. I managed to get to the door opening, started laughing as there was no way I would be able to make it down the wobbly steps with a railing on one side and so I sat down and bumped my way to the bottom:)

One advantage of that is that all week I was meeting people from the plane who watched me from the buses and they all came over to say hello. The second advantage (and we had NO idea what to expect as we had never even been out of the U.S. before) was that the guy pushing the wheelchair said "Stay close" to my spouse and we were in the terminal before the people on the bus and he took all of our paperwork, disappeared and less than 5 minutes after we left the plane, we were in a cab on the way to the hotel.

We told him we didn't have any pesos (we were planning on getting some at the airport) and he said something to the cab driver and then told us, "they take dollars and he isn't going to overcharge you." Which he didn't. We tipped both of them and it was such a pleasant introduction to Puerto Vallarta that it was when we started to fall in love with the people there:)

flyawayplus4 · Post by **flyawayplus4** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 10:31 pm

You are welcome

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 10:35 pm

You are welcome

I searched a bit more today for you.
I read that Rythym of the Night is not wheelchair accessable . There are a lot of steps and a steep incline to where the stage show is set up. Maybe things will change in the future.

One report a lady wrote and said that Rancho El Girasol was wheelchair accessable. Looks like a pretty area .They have an email addy where you can write for more info. horsebackvallarta@yahoo.com Even if you did not ride the area is pretty and looks like a nice setting for a lunch out.

I read where a family did do the Pirate Ship tour.
Took a bit of doing but with lots of willing help they managed and enjoyed.

Here is a long but good read

http://www.abilities.ca/include/article ... =&aid=1084

I smiled with you

at your version of the bump.
and your words are true
"it was such a pleasant introduction to Puerto Vallarta that it was when we started to fall in love with the people there:)

Hope you get more info and look forward to hearing about your trip.