The World’s First Water Park For People With Disabilities Has Just Opened, And It’s The Best Thing Ever
With summer almost upon us, water parks across the world will be filling up with children and adults looking for a fun way to cool down on a hot day. And thanks to this incredible new theme park called Morgan’s Inspiration Island in San Antonio, Texas, people with disabilities can also join the fun!
Water parks are notoriously inaccessible to people with disabilities, but Morgan’s Inspiration Island aims to change all that because it’s the world’s first water park designed with inclusivity in mind.
“Our goal is to provide a great guest experience in an inclusive, safe, comfortable, not-overly-crowded environment,” says park founder Gordon Hartman, who worked with doctors, parents, teachers, special needs therapists, and caregivers to create an extension to Morgan’s Wonderland that caters to the needs of a disabled person.
The venue offers traceable bracelets that allow parents to locate their children, and it also provides PneuChairs, air-powered, waterproof wheelchairs that families can rent for free. Every part of the park is wheelchair-accessible, and special needs kids can enter the park for free. The park even can quickly change the heat of the water to accommodate guests who are sensitive to the cold!
“Morgan’s Inspiration Island promises to give individuals with physical or cognitive disorders a place where they can splash, enjoy water slides, and play without barriers,” Gordon said. “[It] is not a special-needs park; it’s a park of inclusion.”
More info: Morgan’s Wonderland
Water parks are great fun, but most of them aren’t accessible to people with disabilities
All that just changed though thanks to Morgan’s Inspiration Island!
The water park is the world’s first water park for people with disabilities
“Our goal is to provide a great guest experience in an inclusive, safe, comfortable, not-overly-crowded environment,” says park founder Gordon Hartman
The park is an extension of Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio, Texas
Hartman named the park after his daughter, Morgan, who also has disabilities
He created Morgan’s Inspiration Island with the help of doctors, parents, teachers, special needs therapists, and caregivers
The park caters for people with all types of disabilities
The venue offers traceable bracelets that allow parents to locate their children
It also provide PneuChairs, air-powered, waterproof wheelchairs that families can rent for free
Every part of the park is wheelchair-accessible
And children with “special needs” can enter the park for free
The park “promises to give individuals with physical or cognitive special needs a place where they can splash and play without barriers,” Gordon said
“[It] is not a special-needs park; it’s a park of inclusion”
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Share on FacebookEven though the park is only 25 acres, Its worth noting that this does not come about without caring people. Thanks should go out to 'The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation', and its principle sponsor, Toyota, for their contributions. :D
I completely agree John, I can only imagine how many children can finally feel included and thought of <3
Load More Replies...Wow, great idea! I wish every kid around the world got to experience the joys of a water park :-)
There's a reason traditional media is dying and it ain't the internet...
Load More Replies...This is one of the best things that I saw on the internet. As a citizen of India.. I see differently able citizens struggling everyday, let alone having fun. Although the Govt. is altering the infrastructure to make it disable-friendly, the private enterprises will never bother because it is a very small demographic.
So wonderful! I'm glad that EVERYONE can have watery fun, and not just abled people :)
As a person who has disabilities myself, it feels great to see this. Nice job!
Oh, look, a silly phyco with raisin balls who thinks being a b***h to everyone will make his sad, pathetic life be better. Also, lesbian is not and insult. I just know you have nothing better to do. Eat my rainbow shorts.
This is awesome. I take my nephew who is special needs to a water park & he can do most everything. I have to carry him up things with stairs but if there are too many stairs we just can't do it.
Random thought: Since the wheelchairs are pneumatic, can somebody figure out a way to use the outlet side of the pneumatic motors to power some sort of bubble-generator (a-la bubble lawnmower)? How awesome would that be?
This is a fantastic idea. I do have one minor criticism. The name "Inspiration Island" is a bit cliché and offensive to some. As a lifelong wheelchair user, generally we don't have any desire to be inspirational or uplifting. Our focus is on being normal, unlabeled, and included. You could use another name that subtly indicates inclusiveness without a label. Perhaps Rolling Thunder Island or Peg-leg Pirate Cove. Again, don't let this detract from an amazing thing you've done.
I thought he named it Inspiration Island because his daughter inspired him to create the park as an extension of the original?
Load More Replies...<3 it. Even the wheelchair rental is free. Need more places like this!
This is so wonderful it brought tears. I don't think most of us can possibly comprehend what families go through, and what a HUGE blessing this is to those families!!! Love, love, love!
I love that last line- "It's not a special needs park, it's a park of inclusion". Not only do people with disabilities get to do things they normally couldn't, they are included in a space with non-disabled people having just as much fun!
I'm curious, does this park have water slides. Im a paraplegic that hasn't been able to go down a water slide for over 10 years, and I would love to experience that again. I want to get on a zip line as well but haven't found anywhere that will allow me to.
I don't have no kids with special-needs but I do have a ex steep grand kid that is special-needs what I am wanting to know is ...are there any thang set up to help the special-needs mother's to get help with getting her kids or kid to one the water park's the kid's father isn't in the picture of no way this lady does all that she can to make her kid's life for him to rember the Dr. told her at birth the bbay would not live past 3 hr. than went to 3 mo. make this store short he is 19 his days are setting in the floor playing xbox some on line talking to what famley that he thanks he knows I'm not saying that I am not his papa . it don't take blood to make famley we do what we can to help out but I am on a fixed income just a thought that mite help make a other special-needs kids dream come true thanks ....... and comments that any one may be able to tell her how the mother may get help to get her son there ....my email studman_20005@yahoo.com ....or johnslone37 on facebook
How to achieve "Walk again"? Please visit crowdfunding page https://igg.me/at/Re-WALK-plus
I wonder if he is going to extend this worldwide for all special needs children
Awesome. I have twin granddaughters both with disabilities and they would love this. Thank You for sharing with the disabled.
It's about time we were included! Shouldn't just be for children but for all of us with Disabilities. There's a lot we can't do but would love to do. I'm glad the first water park is for Children though. This needs to catch on like wildfire and spread with the same kind of intensity. It's not easy going to fun parks and watching everyone else having fun and being the jacket and bag rack for them.
Years ago on a church mission trip we got to go to Morgans Wonderland and it was the highlight of the trip. The middle school children that we took to San Antonio got to spend time with children with various needs and it made a great impression on them. Morgan's Wonderland is an amazing place and I know that the water park addition just makes it even better!
I would actually love to buy those works of art, but I have no clue about pricing. They would fit into my house. Do you do fairy creature infestation?
This is the best thing I have seen today, this week, this month and perhaps this year! Congratulations to all who made this possible!
How did story about a guy being an a*****e and planting trees for revenge get almost twice the upvotes even though this is an older story?! This is a great story. I often read BoredPanda before going to bed (helps me stop thinking about work blah blah blah) and this is just perfect. I will slap the s**t out of anybody who downvotes this one, haha.
Even though the park is only 25 acres, Its worth noting that this does not come about without caring people. Thanks should go out to 'The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation', and its principle sponsor, Toyota, for their contributions. :D
I completely agree John, I can only imagine how many children can finally feel included and thought of <3
Load More Replies...Wow, great idea! I wish every kid around the world got to experience the joys of a water park :-)
There's a reason traditional media is dying and it ain't the internet...
Load More Replies...This is one of the best things that I saw on the internet. As a citizen of India.. I see differently able citizens struggling everyday, let alone having fun. Although the Govt. is altering the infrastructure to make it disable-friendly, the private enterprises will never bother because it is a very small demographic.
So wonderful! I'm glad that EVERYONE can have watery fun, and not just abled people :)
As a person who has disabilities myself, it feels great to see this. Nice job!
Oh, look, a silly phyco with raisin balls who thinks being a b***h to everyone will make his sad, pathetic life be better. Also, lesbian is not and insult. I just know you have nothing better to do. Eat my rainbow shorts.
This is awesome. I take my nephew who is special needs to a water park & he can do most everything. I have to carry him up things with stairs but if there are too many stairs we just can't do it.
Random thought: Since the wheelchairs are pneumatic, can somebody figure out a way to use the outlet side of the pneumatic motors to power some sort of bubble-generator (a-la bubble lawnmower)? How awesome would that be?
This is a fantastic idea. I do have one minor criticism. The name "Inspiration Island" is a bit cliché and offensive to some. As a lifelong wheelchair user, generally we don't have any desire to be inspirational or uplifting. Our focus is on being normal, unlabeled, and included. You could use another name that subtly indicates inclusiveness without a label. Perhaps Rolling Thunder Island or Peg-leg Pirate Cove. Again, don't let this detract from an amazing thing you've done.
I thought he named it Inspiration Island because his daughter inspired him to create the park as an extension of the original?
Load More Replies...<3 it. Even the wheelchair rental is free. Need more places like this!
This is so wonderful it brought tears. I don't think most of us can possibly comprehend what families go through, and what a HUGE blessing this is to those families!!! Love, love, love!
I love that last line- "It's not a special needs park, it's a park of inclusion". Not only do people with disabilities get to do things they normally couldn't, they are included in a space with non-disabled people having just as much fun!
I'm curious, does this park have water slides. Im a paraplegic that hasn't been able to go down a water slide for over 10 years, and I would love to experience that again. I want to get on a zip line as well but haven't found anywhere that will allow me to.
I don't have no kids with special-needs but I do have a ex steep grand kid that is special-needs what I am wanting to know is ...are there any thang set up to help the special-needs mother's to get help with getting her kids or kid to one the water park's the kid's father isn't in the picture of no way this lady does all that she can to make her kid's life for him to rember the Dr. told her at birth the bbay would not live past 3 hr. than went to 3 mo. make this store short he is 19 his days are setting in the floor playing xbox some on line talking to what famley that he thanks he knows I'm not saying that I am not his papa . it don't take blood to make famley we do what we can to help out but I am on a fixed income just a thought that mite help make a other special-needs kids dream come true thanks ....... and comments that any one may be able to tell her how the mother may get help to get her son there ....my email studman_20005@yahoo.com ....or johnslone37 on facebook
How to achieve "Walk again"? Please visit crowdfunding page https://igg.me/at/Re-WALK-plus
I wonder if he is going to extend this worldwide for all special needs children
Awesome. I have twin granddaughters both with disabilities and they would love this. Thank You for sharing with the disabled.
It's about time we were included! Shouldn't just be for children but for all of us with Disabilities. There's a lot we can't do but would love to do. I'm glad the first water park is for Children though. This needs to catch on like wildfire and spread with the same kind of intensity. It's not easy going to fun parks and watching everyone else having fun and being the jacket and bag rack for them.
Years ago on a church mission trip we got to go to Morgans Wonderland and it was the highlight of the trip. The middle school children that we took to San Antonio got to spend time with children with various needs and it made a great impression on them. Morgan's Wonderland is an amazing place and I know that the water park addition just makes it even better!
I would actually love to buy those works of art, but I have no clue about pricing. They would fit into my house. Do you do fairy creature infestation?
This is the best thing I have seen today, this week, this month and perhaps this year! Congratulations to all who made this possible!
How did story about a guy being an a*****e and planting trees for revenge get almost twice the upvotes even though this is an older story?! This is a great story. I often read BoredPanda before going to bed (helps me stop thinking about work blah blah blah) and this is just perfect. I will slap the s**t out of anybody who downvotes this one, haha.
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