Getting There:
Velocity Valley is in Rotorua located approximately 1hours from Hamilton. It is easy to get to and a lovely scenic drive.
PARKING
There were 2 disability parks located at the entrance to Velocity Valley. Access from the parking into Velocity Valley was very easy. The driveways were gravel but once away from the parking area tracks had no issues.
SCORE: 9/10
ACCESSIBILITY
Getting to the jet boat itself was easy and accessible as there were pathways to all external locations within the park.
However, accessibility into the boat itself was a bit more challenging for me as I cannot move myself and requrie full support to enter the boat. This was doable if you are 50kg like me but would be far more challenging for someone that is larger. I required 2 support people to lift me from my wheelchair into the jet boat. This had to all be done manually and there were no hoists to assist in the process so everyone would need to be mindful of this and what support they had to get into the boat. There was also an awkward gate to get through into the boat which was again challenging.
Once in the boat, I was strapped in via a harness that had 2 shoulder straps and a lap band strap and I felt secure with this. However, my feet are usually strapped into my wheelchair being a quadrolplegic and having my feet untied felt unusual but didn't stop me from enjoying the experience.
SCORE: 6/10
STAFF
Staff were young , enthusiastic and friendly with a "we can make it work attitude" which was great! The boat driver was very enthusiastic and wanted me to have a great experience and kept checking in that everything was o.k, that I was comfortable and doing well.
SCORE: 9/10
VALUE
It was great value for money at $55 per person for a high adrenalin activity providing access for people with disabilities.
SCORE: 10/10
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