This Is the Most Wheelchair-accessible City in the U.S.

Imagine booking a vacation and not being able to see the sights you want — not because you didn’t plan ahead and buy a ticket, but because you physically can’t access the sites. Frustrating would be an understatement.

It’s no wonder that, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, over 40 percent of people aged 18 to 64 and over 57 percent of persons aged 65 and older who have travel-limiting disabilities reported that they hadn’t traveled at all in 2022. When even a tiny trip requires days of planning and there’s no guarantee that you’ll have accommodating housing, dining options, or activities, it can be easier to stick with what you know — to stay home and plan a local trip instead. 

The folks at InsiderMonkey.com, a finance site, dove into the world of accessibility, evaluating various sources and Reddit threads to determine what U.S. cities stood out in the wheelchair community. Topping the list was Orlando in central Florida.

The city, which is best known as the home to Walt Disney World Resort, actually has more than a dozen theme parks, many of which are known for providing plenty of accommodations for wheelchair users. At Disney World, for example, there are wheelchairs available to rent, wheelchair-friendly buses to take you around the park, special load and unload areas, and even cushions on various rides. The park has a webpage that provides all the details so guests with disabilities know what to expect. 

Beyond being home to several wheelchair-friendly theme parks, the ranking notes that “Orlando boasts a robust healthcare system and an accessible bus system called Lynx, contributing to its disability-friendly reputation.”

Orlando Health, a network of hospitals in Orlando, was recognized in 2022 for its excellence in keeping patients safe and providing quality care. Additionally, the CDC reports that 12 percent of adult Floridians have mobility issues — a statistic that ensures that healthcare providers are familiar with and well-equipped to care for wheelchair users. 

Orlando’s bus system, Lynx, has an accessible transportation arm called Access Lynx. Access Lynx is a shared ride door-to-door transportation service and customers with disabilities can get a bus pass at a discounted rate.

Following Orlando, which got a perfect score of 1, were four other U.S. cities that stood out for their wheelchair accessibility: Seattle; Chicago; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and New Orleans.