SOPHIES CHOICE 6D CINEMA

6D CINEMA – C.C Las Palmeras, Corralejo. 

DISABLED FRIENDLY FUERTEVENTURA

Many of us take getting out and about for granted. But for some members of the community, just the simplest of tasks can be a real chore especially, if you are in a foreign place and don’t know what the facilities, paths, parking and amenities are like. 

Sophie Wood, along with here dad Steve, will be visiting different places around the island and trying out some of the different excursions and experiences on offer, to help give the less mobile (and their carers) a better insight into what they can expect, in the hope that we can make everyone’s life a little easier and a lot more fun. This month we asked Sophie to test out the accessibility of the Cine 6D in Corralejo and to assess the suitability of both the fast ‘thrill’ movies and the calm ‘scenic’ movies on offer, including the latest movie that the 6D Cinema has spent months and months, painstakingly filming around the island, called Fuertentura Flytour. 

Background

Flytour is a ten minute movie in which you hop aboard the Cine 6D and fly across and around the whole of the island, stopping at each of the major landmarks and resorts on the way. It is a 6D immersive experience and a great way to see the whole of Fuerteventura and its beauty from angles that only the birds usually get to enjoy. Unlike the thrill ride films, this is a calm, scenic tour which doesn’t shake you about as much as the thrill rides do. We asked Sophie what she thought of it.  

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How accessible is ithe Cine 6D for wheelchairs? 

Easy 10 / 10 (with Dad’s help). From both street level and the underground carpark level there is a lift which takes you right up to the top floor. The lift is big enough to fit a wheelchair, but not larger motorised scooters. The Cinema is located only a few yards from the lift, so it is nice and close. The shopping centre also has full disabled toilet facilities open to the public and you can use the lifts to go between floors easily. There are also escalators too. 

What was it like getting into the cinema seats?

The doors are wide enough for the wheelchair and there is plenty of space to park the wheelchair too. There are only four little steps you have to go up, to get to the front row. There are a few more if you want to go to the back, but it is quite easy to get up them, as the staff are helpful and there are hand rails, which you can use to pull yourself up. If you want to go higher, you can use the rails on one side and the seat backs on the other for support. Nobody rushes you either, so you can take your time. The seats are comfy, like airplane seats and they have seatbelts. Also, some of the glasses have elastic strings on them, which make it easier for me, especially on the fast movies / rides, so I don’t have to hold on to my glasses.  

Did you enjoy the Flytour?

I loved it. I saw places on the movie that I visited with the school, such as El Cotillo. And I also saw places that I have never seen, like the giants at Betancuria, the lighthouses in the south, the top of the volcanoes and under the ocean! I also loved the steam and the bubbles and wind etc, that blows on you, so you feel like you are really flying over the island. 

What was your favourite movie?

I like the fast ones best as they are fun, especially the roller coaster ones and the Great Wall of China. Also, I like Penguins, as you get to slip and slide around all over the place and get all cold and covered in snow. That’s a nice, happy one and I like getting bounced about all over the place and going really fast! 

What is it like from a carers perspective? 

Easy. The lifts and the fact there are toilet facilities close by, means you don’t have to plan everything in advance (which is something every carer will understand.) There are a few steps to go up and down, but with a little help, that is easily managed. It’s also nice for us, as it is a fun thing for her and us to do together. There are so many experiences we would love her to have, but many of them just aren’t geared up for the disabled. The Flytour was a nice experience for her, all she kept saying was ‘wow’ or ‘I’ve been there’ so she was completely engaged, especially with the 6D elements like the water splashing on her  when we dived under the ocean. 

As a carer, would you recommend it?

Yes, definitely. It’s cheap, it’s fun and its easy. She loves it! I think the Flytour movie is great, especially for the older generation that want to see the island but don’t want to sit on a coach all day or have trouble getting about easily. You really do get to see the whole of Fuerteventura in just ten minutes and it is stunning. But for Sophie, i think the faster and more adrenalin-fuelled movies are her thing. She loves the roller coasters, so for her the faster and more thrilling the movie is, the better! 10/10