Valleyfair Accessibility for Guests with Disabilities

Valleyfair we are proud of our reputation for accommodating guests with disabilities through our Ride Admission Policy. To provide equal access for all guests, we have developed a program which allows guests with mobility restrictions or cognitive impairment to access attractions.

Information about where guests access the ride is posted on each attraction's Safety Guide sign. All guests are required to meet all riding requirements for every attraction, including height and health restrictions in order to safely ride/participate.

The guest with a mobility restriction or cognitive impairment should visit Guest Services upon their arrival at the park to express their inability to wait in the regular line. Some questions are asked to ensure that the rider has the required physical criteria in order to safely experience attractions.  Following that conversation, the Guest Services Associate will provide the details needed to participate in the program.

For a complete listing of guidelines please download our Guest Assistance Guide.

You may be asking yourself whether Valleyfair is appropriate for guests with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or whether your loved one on the spectrum will be able to handle the theme park experience. Valleyfair has taken steps to be well-prepared to welcome and provide accommodations for all types of disabilities, including autism and related disorders. To continue to provide equal access for all guests, be aware that all guests with mobility restrictions or cognitive impairments may receive a Boarding Pass with wait times. Please review the Boarding Pass Program for more details. 

As you know, advance planning is a requirement for any successful theme park visit with a person with ASD. Your visit to Valleyfair will include a plethora of sensory stimulation including crowds, dark and loud theatres, coasters traveling overhead, lights and noises, waiting in line, to mention a few. At Valleyfair, we strive to provide equal opportunity to all of our guests while providing a variety of options tailored to specific needs. Our highly trained staff is knowledgeable and eager to assist.

Our multi-sensory quiet room may be found room next to Guest Services and can be accessed by visiting Guest Services. This dedicated space provides tools for family members or caregivers to intensify or reduce sensory simulation in a controlled environment. If you need first aid assistance, please visit the First Aid Station near Mad Mouse.

You can find information on our rides, shows and attractions in advance on the website. The park’s Guest Assistance Guide is also available for download. The Guide outlines the specifics of each attraction, including height requirements and health restrictions. Feel free to contact Guest Services in advance at (952) 445-7600 with any additional questions. 

When you arrive at the park, please proceed to Guest Services located at the Front Gate.

• Please have the individual requiring accommodation accompany you to Guest Services.
• A pass may be issued depending on the needs of your group, including a boarding pass used for scheduling times to ride attractions.
• At Guest Services we offer KidTrack, a wrist band program, which will assist you and park personnel in reuniting your group should you become separated.
• We also offer Rider Swap. This allows one guest to ride while another guest waits with the guest who did not ride. When the ride is complete, the guests swap responsibility at the exit.  Rider Swap is not available at Soak City Waterpark. 
• Additionally, if you need to rent a stroller, wheelchair or locker, proceed to Stroller Rental adjacent to Guest Services inside the front gate.
• Please re-visit Guest Services if you need any additional help with your day.
• We recommend that as an added safety measure you take a photo of members of your party (especially if you have a child with ASD who tends to dart away or wander off) on your mobile device. This photo can be of great assistance to quickly reunite your party if you are separated.

During your visit:

• Guests who wear headphones will not be able to wear them while riding many of our attractions. We have available disposable ear protection for use at Guest Services.
• If you are separated during your visit, please contact any park employee for assistance.
• Ride delays may occur while riding and members of your party may be required to sit quietly until the ride is restarted or guests are escorted off the ride.
• Please be aware, if an evacuation is required, guests may need to maneuver across catwalks from the highest point of the ride and down steeply inclined steps.
• If you have any doubts whatsoever about an attraction’s appropriateness for the individual with ASD, please have someone in your party ride it first to make an informed determination.
• Wild Thing and Renegade use rapid flashes similar to strobe lighting to take ride photos.
• All food locations serving hamburgers or hotdogs provide gluten-free buns. Visit our Special Dietary Needs page to find other locations with gluten free food options.

Valleyfair offers our guests several restful attractions and quiet places that your party can enjoy during the day. The park has a First Aid station between the High Roller and Mad Mouse and a Family Care Center in Planet Snoopy. Our quiet room may be accessed by visiting Guest Services. This dedicated space provides tools for family members or caregivers to intensify or reduce sensory simulation in a controlled environment.

Valleyfair is a wonderful destination for families and friends to visit. Our goal is to make your experience at the park both smooth and full of family fun. Please let us know if you have any further questions by contacting (952) 445-7600 or by speaking with a Guest Services representative at the park.

Assistive listening systems utilize a lightweight wireless device that aid aids in the amplification of sound at our stage shows. These are recommended for guests with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. To use the system, guests should obtain a receiver at Guest Services. For show venues where this system is not available, please inquire to venue staff for assistance in prioritizing your seating location.

If requested at least 1 week in advance, Valleyfair will provide American Sign Language (ASL) Interpretation for live shows featured at our live entertainment venues.

To request ASL Interpretation services, please complete the request form. Upon arrival at the park, please check in with Guest Services to review our show schedule and determine your preferred show times and selections.

Braille and large print guides of the Park Map and Guest Assistance Guide are available at Guest Services. There are a limited number of guides available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Guests with casts and braces will be restricted from riding rides where the cast or brace will not fit inside the ride unit or where it will present a hazard to the guest or others.  Guests with full arm (elbow restricted) and full leg (knee restricted) casts or braces are restricted from most rides and water slides at Valleyfair.  We suggest you delay your visit until the cast is removed. Braces with exposed metal parts are not permitted on the slides in Soak City Waterpark. Please view the Guest Assistance Guide for ride-specific details related to our attractions. Casts of any kind are not permitted on Renegade and Delirious..

Additional ride restrictions may apply.  Please visit Guest Services at the Admission Gate upon arrival to the park for more information.

Due to the dynamic nature of rides, Portable Oxygen Tanks are only permitted on the following rides: Carousel and Minnesota River Valley Railroad. The tank must fit safely in the ride unit and not interfere with the ride restraint system.

Many rides can accommodate smaller Personal Oxygen Equipment. Personal Oxygen Equipment that can be secured around the waist, or with a strap that can be worn over the shoulder of one arm and under the other arm, may be permitted as long as the contents of the equipment housing can be contained. The equipment must allow the restraint mechanism to be secured snugly against the rider’s body. The equipment must not prevent guests from properly sitting in the ride unit with their back and shoulders against the seat back. At no time may the equipment be between the guest and the seat or the restraint. Guests must be free to hold on during the ride; therefore, nothing may be in their hands while riding.

Parking for guests with disabilities is provided in the parking lot near the front gate. Proper vehicle identification must be displayed. Security officers on duty are authorized to ticket and/or tow vehicles that do not display proper identification.

Guests with any type of prosthesis should not ride Charlie Brown’s Wind-Up, Power Tower, or Xtreme Swing unless they can ensure the device is properly secured and will remain in place during the ride. All riders must be able to maintain the proper riding positioning. Additionally, prosthetic devices with exposed metal parts are not permitted on most Soak City attractions. Guests should visit Guest Services prior to riding to ensure a safe riding experience.

The manufacturers of Delirious and North Star prohibit guests with any prosthetic device from riding. The manufacturer of Xtreme Swing also prohibits guests with any leg prosthetic devices at or above the knee from riding. The manufacturer of Steel Venom requires documentation from the prosthetic manufacturer stating the device will remain attached during the ride.

Guests with prosthetics enjoying their day at Soak City should consult with a member of our Aquatics Supervisory team.

Valleyfair offers a Quiet Room located next to Guest Services, for family members or caregivers to take a break and reduce sensory stimulation. Additionally, there are sensory features provided for guest use.

Private restroom facilities for guests needing the assistance of another guest are available at the Front Gate Restroom, Picnic Point Restroom, Monster Restroom, Family Care Center, Stadium Grille Restroom, and Soak City. Wheelchair accessible stalls are located at all main restroom facilities.

Service animals are welcome at Valleyfair. A service animal is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to perform tasks for a person with disabilities. Service animals must be controlled with a restraining device and must display appropriate behavior at all times while on our property. There is a limit of one service animal per guest. A relief area is located near Cosmic Coaster.

Due to the nature of most rides, service animals must remain with a non-riding member of your party. We are not permitted to take control of your service animal. Guests may take advantage of our Rider Swap program for staying with the service animal. Service animals may be taken on the Carousel, Minnesota River Valley Railroad, Deep Sea Divers, Ferris Wheel, Peanuts Road Rally, and Antique Autos (back row only). Service animals may also accompany a guest when participating in PEANUTS™ Playhouse. Service animals must be leashed, under the owner's control, fit on the floor of the ride vehicle, and seated on the floor, not the ride seat. Service animals are not permitted in water attractions, wet decks, wading pools, or lazy rivers. Please stop by Guest Services for more information.

A water wheelchair is available for guests requiring additional assistance when at Barefoot Beach (at ground level), Breakers Bay Wave Pool, and Splash Station. The water wheelchair may be used by multiple guests on the same day. While in the wave pool, the water level may not exceed the height of the seat on the chair. A pool lift is available at Ripple Rapids. During your visit, please speak to a member of our Aquatics Supervisory team to obtain access to the water wheelchair or pool lift and for further accessibility information.

Single strollers, double-seat strollers, wagons, wheelchairs, and electric convenience vehicles (ECVs) may be used during your visit to Valleyfair, and you are welcome to bring your own.  They are available for rent at Stroller and Wheelchair Rental inside of the front gate, on a first-come, first-served basis.  A limited number of vehicles may also be rented in advance on our website.

Wheelchairs can be accommodated in all restaurants, gift shops, games, arcades, and restrooms.  ECVs with canopies or other attachments are not permitted on lifts to attractions.  A wheelchair will be provided at those locations. 

For those guests who choose to use an ECV, we require that a safe speed be maintained while traveling in the park.

Park wheelchairs, ECVs, and strollers may not be taken out of the park gates or to the parking lot. However, a park associate will be happy to provide any assistance you may need at that time.

For any guest using a personal Segway, please stop by Guest Services.

A pool lift is available at Ripple Rapids.  A water wheelchair is available for guests participating in waterpark attractions. The water wheelchair may be used by multiple guests on the same day. While in the water, the water level may not exceed the height of the seat on the chair. During your visit, please speak to a member of our Aquatics Supervisory team to obtain access to the water wheelchair and for further accessibility information.