The Traveling Wheelchair

5 Pine Street
Carver, MA .02330
Phone: 877-332-8455
Wesbsite: http://www.edaville.com/
You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNDVTbUAj9c

Columbus Day, my mom, Josh, Tony, Ric and I all headed to Edaville USA for the National Cranberry Festival. Edaville USA is a wonderful old-time amusement park for families with young children. We were pleased to find Edaville USA wheelchair friendly and accessible.

Upon arriving we notice there are 4 handicap parking spaces located in the first row on the left side of the parking lot; we also saw 3 handicap parking spaces on the right side. The parking lot consists of dirt yet it is compacted and easy to wheel on.

Located in the parking lot is an ‘Information Caboose’. It is not wheelchair accessible due to a few steps. My mom went to look inside and told me there are some information pamphlets; as well as some loaner wheelchairs and baby strollers located inside.

The ticket windows in front are all too high for my chair; there is a lower ticket window located on the side but it was closed. Admission cost is $18 which includes the cranberry bog tours, all attractions and all rides. There is no charge for children under two years of age. Since we weren’t going on the rides, our admission cost was $12.

Access to the park is easy for the gates are wide open. A wide paved road extends throughout the park which allows for easy wheeling. There are no hills to navigate which I think is great! Located on either side of the paved road are vendor tents with all kind of interesting and fun items for sale.

A ’Kettle Corn’ stand is located in front as well and the homemade kernel corn popcorn is salty, sweet and delicious. We shopped in a few of the vendor tents and found all fully accessible and the employees were kind and friendly.

We then came upon The General Store. Wheelchair access is easy for there is an accessible wooden ramp located on the side and front. The aisles are wide and easy to maneuver your chair. The cashier counter is of a perfect accessible height. We did see a nice Gazebo located on a grassy hill which is not wheelchair accessible due to steps.

Further down the paved path we came upon the Cranberry World Museum. This is set on a hill with a paved sloped cement walkway leading to the front entry doors. The doors are not automatic so my friends held it open for me. Located on either side are ‘The Edaville Gift Shop’ and a ‘First Aid Station’. Both have stairs in front yet they are accessible from inside the Cranberry World Museum.

The first level of the Cranberry World Museum has a large old collector’s train that is fun to watch and at an accessible height. Restrooms located on this level are spacious wheelchair accessible and fully ADA compliant. The second level of the Cranberry World Museum is not accessible from the first floor because there are stairs. Yet you can access it if you go back outside and around to the side of the building up a sloped paved walkway. It is worth the trip because the second level is filled with antique cars, cranberry harvesting equipment, and the history behind cranberry harvesting! Also located on the second level is an indoor play area called Ellis’s Playhouse. This area has a huge ball pit, maze, video viewing, train tables, and more!

We ate lunch at KC’s Freight House Café and found it fully accessible. It is a cafeteria style place where the counters are of a good height and easy to reach your food choices. The cashier and condiment counter is also of a good height.

Inside are picnic tables with 3 being accessible for the side of both ends of the tables have the benches cut out making room for your wheelchair to comfortably fit on eiither side of the table. This is a great way to make a picnic table accessible because you are able to sit right next to your frineds.

I really enjoyed the TRAIN ride! The railroad is 5 ½ miles long around 1,800 acre plantation of cranberries. The caboose is the only part of the train that it wheelchair accessible. Here is a sturdy ramp with a wide sliding door on the side. The conductor on our ride was very friendly, kind and courteous. He gave a guided tour and told us much about cranberry harvests. We saw some cranberries being harvested along the way which was beautiful to see. We also saw some miniature houses that were set up like a village.

The Whistle Stop Snacks, Candy Depot and Choo-Choo Barbecue are also wheelchair accessible.

The carnival type rides would be accessible to young children if their parents lift them onto the rides. There is a Ferris Wheel and Merry –Go- Round as well as other rides young children would enjoy. Other restrooms located near the train ride, carnival style rides and the restaurants are all spacious, wheelchair accessible and fully ADA comliant.

As were we ready to leave we saw a table set up by  Bird’s Eye View Helicopters. They were offering helicopter tours over the cranberry bogs for $30 per person. I’ve never ridden on a HELICOPTER and thought it would be EXCITING and ADVENTUROUS to take a helicopter ride. The pilot, crew members and my friends were wonderful. They tried to lift me onto the rear seat of the helicopter but couldn’t get me on.

We were told that Edaville USA would close this Columbus Day and reopen for the famous “Christmas Festival of Lights” which begins in November and continues throughout the holiday season.

I give Edaville USA FOUR STARS for wheelchair accessibility. In order to earn the Fifth Star they would need to provide wheelchair access to the Information Caboose and Gazebo; and install an automatic entry door to the Cranberry World Museum so a person in a wheelchair can enter and exit independently.