Meet Melissa Temple | Disabled DISventures, writer, videographer, ambulatory wheelchair user, disabled

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melissa Temple and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melissa, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
David, my husband, was watching a lot of Disney YouTubers and he said that he thought it would be fun to do that. So I said back to him, “but you know we can’t do the Parks like they do”. None of their tips or tricks work for us because I am disabled and we have either a wheelchair or a mobility scooter with us. So I suggested that we do it from a disability perspective because there wasn’t any we could find. Sure there were some big YouTubers that had maybe 1 video about it but nothing consistently from the disabled traveler’s point of view. So I started our business initially as Disabled Disney but we rebranded to Disabled DISventures because we have plans for expanding our disability travel adventures!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The biggest thing for us that sets us apart is trying to show a realistic point of view to how people who are disabled travel and can travel and experience something that so many people take for granted because they can walk. It isn’t easy trying to get our information out like our YouTube channel and our website. I still see comments on other YouTuber’s posts that nobody covers how to travel, go to Disney Parks with disabilities and I just want to shout from the rooftops “WE DO!!!!”. I have been working very hard at getting better at filming, editing and making thumbnails. It’s not easy to do. I really want people to see that and care about people who can’t just walk through Disney and it’s something they take for granted. I hear comments like “your so lucky you get to be wheeled around” or “you get to skip the lines”. Honesty I would give anything to be able to walk around the Parks again! No, we don’t get to skip the lines. I want people to “walk a mile” and have some understanding. People that abuse the systems in place to help those with disabilities actually make the process worse for us.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love taking people to Disneyland!! We have so many favorite spots. For food we love Bengal BBQ in Adventureland. It’s quick and its meat on a stick and very tasty! If we are going to sit down we really like Blue Bayou. It’s a little expensive but the ambiance is worth it! We also really love Minnie and Friends Breakfast in the Park at Plaza Inn. The great thing about Disney is you can bring in your own food and we do that quite a lot. We normally do 2 days at Disneyland and 1 day at Disney California Adventure. With 2 travel days. It’s difficult for me to make the drive and go into the Parks on the same day with my disabilities and medical problems. We would watch the fireworks, World of Color and Fantasmic! I love them all! There are some experiences that disabled people get that non-disabled people don’t so they would get to experience that with me! Some are kinda cool like the stretching room in Haunted Mansion is actually an elevator and we get to go back up it! Some not fun, so we have to wait whatever the wait time is for the ride, then we go get in the Lightening Lane line and wait in whatever that is, then we hopefully get to go on the ride. Sometimes there is another wait. Sometimes we get forgotten about and have to wait even more. That always sucks.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Whatever YouTubers my husband was watching I guess!! Of course my husband David for the idea and the hours he spent pushing me in a wheelchair around Disneyland. My daughter Gillian, as my assistant and assistant wheelchair pusher! My friends and family who have been supportive in this endeavor!

Website: www.disableddisventures.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/disableddisventures

Twitter: disabledventure

Facebook: www.facebook.com/disableddisventues

Youtube: www.youtube.com/disableddisventures

Other: TikTok disableddisventures

Image Credits
Disabled DISventures