Morgan’s Wonderland, an amusement park “where everyone can play”, both able-bodied and disabled

It was opened in 2010 by the father of a disabled little girl, saddened by not being able to see his daughter play like other children. Since then, it has welcomed more than a million visitors.

Morgan’s Wonderland in Texas presents itself as the most accessible amusement park in the world, the only one to offer so many activities to children with disabilities. Basically, it is the project of the father of a little girl suffering from Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome, causing intellectual disability.

Gordon Hartman has told the story several times. He was on a family vacation in 2006 and his daughter Morgan wanted to play with other children at the hotel pool. But because of her condition, she doesn’t speak and the children got scared and left with their ball. He explains that it made him very sad to see his daughter abandoned like that, while understanding the reaction of the other children.

The year before, he had sold his construction business in San Antonio, Texas, to launch a foundation to help children and parents with disabilities. This hotel mishap gave him the idea of ​​creating an amusement park open to all which would also help to better understand each other. He called it Morgan’s Wonderland, in homage to his daughter. THE “first amusement park where everyone can play”, as the tagline states, opened in 2010 with actress Eva Longoria and basketball player David Robinson on hand for the grand opening. Since then, Morgan’s Wonderland has welcomed more than a million visitors.

The first notable thing is that children or adults with disabilities get in for free. The 10 hectare park is a non-profit association. Large companies sponsor some of the 25 activities offered, most of them for children. There is a Ferris wheel, for example, whose cabins are large enough to accommodate a wheelchair. Same thing for the boat that crosses the lake, the swings, the rides, the cars on rails or even the 13-story high zip line with a view of downtown San Antonio. Visitors who need an oxygen bottle will find a designated location, no problem either entering the 4D cinema or even the small water park with the possibility of exchanging their electric chair with a suitable, waterproof chair . There is also hot water so as not to disturb visitors with certain muscular conditions.

Gordon Hartman insists: if 20% of visitors have a disability, it is not a park for the disabled, it is a park for everyone, which even expanded in 2017. Morgan’s Inspiration island, the water park, is is added to the amusement park, and then also a sports complex, an assistance center for disabled people, a 100% accessible campsite. Its creator is now thinking about a hotel that is also suitable for everyone.

Gordon Hartman does not necessarily intend to create a franchise but he is happy to see that other parks, such as ride manufacturers, are coming to him for advice on how to be more inclusive. More than a quarter of Americans suffer from a disability, so Morgan’s Wonderland is not niche. Moreover, he, his daughter Morgan and his wife Maggie are now part of the Hall of Fame, the hall of fame as the Quebecers say, of the international association of amusement parks.