Returned from Disney Fantasy - Not a Fantasy experience

[Mom2six]

I think this is a clear example of not having equal access for a disabled person. If they aren't going to provide this service in the kids club, they really need to have a provision for you to provide that for your child. By not allowing you to accompany your son, and not having an interpretor, it seems that they have an area of discrimination here - especially considering that you let them know ahead of time that your son would be onboard and would want to use the kid clubs. I would continue to pursue this. DCL needs to come up with a solution that does not discriminate against disabled children.

 

[Talking Hands]

I agree this is discrimination. Without language access a deaf child cannot access the kids program. I would definitely pursue it with DCL to the point of filing an ADA compliant against them. I am sure that there are interpreters that are background checked so they can sun in the schools so why isn't DCL requesting this. Can you tell me who the interpreters were? I most likely know them through FRID and RID

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[disney david]

I agree this is discrimination. Without language access a deaf child cannot access the kids program. I would definitely pursue it with DCL to the point of filing an ADA compliant against them. I am sure that there are interpreters that are background checked so they can sun in the schools so why isn't DCL requesting this. Can you tell me who the interpreters were? I most likely know them through FRID and RID

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after more research found as long as the ship in port or in us international waters they have to comply with the ada but not sure how much they will be of help because you have to prove the agent said they can go into the kids club which dose not sound like they did. and disney can prove it a safety risk and the ada would have to prove it not which might be hard to do since they already had an incident so disney would have no problem proving that it is a safety issue. I would contact disney cruise line and disney company the more people know the faster your get a reply since they got a new president i am sure he would not be to happy no one has gotten back to you he dose not want to look bad. the call center staff need to be trained more on telling you what can and what can't because if they told you before they couldn't go in the kids club you could of made a dession then instead of waiting to get on the ship and thinking everything would be fine.

 

[Disneylvr]

If the cruise is over, it's a little late to advocate for your son. What are you trying to accomplish with guest services? By which I mean, what would be a good resolution that you would be happy with?

Also, why would you say, "needless to say the cruise didn't go so well for him". Why is that 'needless to say' when Disney tends to be super-accommodating? Did you foresee problems that you didn't address ahead of time? What were the issues? How would a picture help capture those issues?

I guess the question is.... what do you actually want, and what in the world happened?

It's never too late to advocate for your child! Perhaps this parent would like to see changes made for any future cruises they may take with their child and for other children with similar needs who would like to use Disney Cruise line. I applaud you OO and Disney David! It is determined parents like you that have taught me to advocate for the rights of my own special needs child and others following in the same foot steps. Thank you!

 

[disney david]

It's never too late to advocate for your child! Perhaps this parent would like to see changes made for any future cruises they may take with their child and for other children with similar needs who would like to use Disney Cruise line. I applaud you Disney David! It is determined parents like you that have taught me to advocate for the rights of my own special needs child and others following in the same foot steps. Thank you!

Yes it never to late because if all that changes with the op complaining that the call center get trained better that be at least one step because this sadly is to the first time a Disney call center rep told the wrong info. I think they need a special number just for kids club because this as I said is not the first time a cm told them wrong info regarding special needs kid and kids center. With it own number may be that would cut down in miss information and make it better for the guest.


Op please write a letter via mail to and to more then one person it my sound stupid and a waste but the more people at Disney reads it the quicker they get back to you. I had a problem at Disney world with the poly wrote one letter after a couple weeks hearing nothing decide to resend it but this time sent it to as many people I could get a address to little over week later i got a phone call telling me they revived it and are having meetings about what happened and wanted more info. After a couple more phone calls the problem was final resolved to my satisfaction.

 

[bearloch]

I think part of the changes for no adults in club may be because all schools and youth organizations in fl now have to have a criminal screening/ background check for all parents and any adults who do anything at all with kids!! there would be no way to do that for a cruise BUT they should have this for any staff who is assisting the kids at anytime on board and actually in the theme parks too!! I have never been on a cruise so I cant speak for that but im sorry this happened!! I hope something positive can come out of it so that other kids dont have the same issues!!

 

[amagical]

I will keep writing and advocating! To me this is like not allowing a child in a wheelchair into the kids club with their wheelchair! Teddy needs his interperter in order to be a part of the kids club! I have a call scheduled with Karl at the end of the week. When I was asked what I wanted I simply said I wanted a promise that when I booked my next cruise for March that this would not happen and I was told they could not guarantee me that so now we press on and up the ladder!

Courtney

 

[Schmeck]

I will keep writing and advocating! To me this is like not allowing a child in a wheelchair into the kids club with their wheelchair! Teddy needs his interperter in order to be a part of the kids club! I have a call scheduled with Karl at the end of the week. When I was asked what I wanted I simply said I wanted a promise that when I booked my next cruise for March that this would not happen and I was told they could not guarantee me that so now we press on and up the ladder!

Courtney

A wheelchair is an inanimate object, while an 'interpreter' is a human being, and is required to follow all state and federal mandates. You may have to have your interpreter cleared by the state first.

 

[Talking Hands]

A wheelchair is an inanimate object, while an 'interpreter' is a human being, and is required to follow all state and federal mandates. You may have to have your interpreter cleared by the state first.

As I have stated before, I am quite sure that there are interpreters available that have been cleared to work with children because interpreting agencies do sent interpreters into the school systems to interpret on a regular basis when there are insufficient interpreters hired by the system. When I did my internship in an elementary school I had to have one and the internship was expedited because I already had one as a sub in the system. It also was acceptable to my church when I was needed to interpret for a deaf child in the kids ministry.
What is needed is a change in policy by DCL allowing the interpreter to accompany the deaf child to the kids activities. The current policy allow no one to accompany a child whatever their issue.

 

[cmwade77]

I agree this is discrimination. Without language access a deaf child cannot access the kids program. I would definitely pursue it with DCL to the point of filing an ADA compliant against them. I am sure that there are interpreters that are background checked so they can sun in the schools so why isn't DCL requesting this. Can you tell me who the interpreters were? I most likely know them through FRID and RID

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The problem with filing an ADA complaint is that since they are a foreign ship, they are not subject to many of the ADA laws. The port and getting on and off the ship is subject to the ADA laws, but once on the ship, they are not. There are indeed some other ADA laws they must meet because they leave from an American port (i.e. they must allow service animals, wheelchairs, ECVs, etc.), but my understanding is accommodations like ASL are not required.

In my experience, Disney does a pretty good job of accommodating people, I am not sure why they wouldn't have had some interpreter in the kid's club.

A possible solution would be to bring along another kid that's the same age that knows sign language next time and request that Disney allows them to travel for free since they won't provide these services.

I think part of the changes for no adults in club may be because all schools and youth organizations in fl now have to have a criminal screening/ background check for all parents and any adults who do anything at all with kids!! there would be no way to do that for a cruise BUT they should have this for any staff who is assisting the kids at anytime on board and actually in the theme parks too!! I have never been on a cruise so I cant speak for that but im sorry this happened!! I hope something positive can come out of it so that other kids dont have the same issues!!

Like above, because the ship is not American, these laws would not apply. The difference here is they might apply until you hit international waters.

 

[disney david]

The problem with filing an ADA complaint is that since they are a foreign ship, they are not subject to many of the ADA laws. The port and getting on and off the ship is subject to the ADA laws, but once on the ship, they are not. There are indeed some other ADA laws they must meet because they leave from an American port (i.e. they must allow service animals, wheelchairs, ECVs, etc.), but my understanding is accommodations like ASL are not required.

In my experience, Disney does a pretty good job of accommodating people, I am not sure why they wouldn't have had some interpreter in the kid's club.

A possible solution would be to bring along another kid that's the same age that knows sign language next time and request that Disney allows them to travel for free since they won't provide these services.

Like above, because the ship is not American, these laws would not apply. The difference here is they might apply until you hit international waters.

That why they don't open the kids club until their out of us waters they open it for tours on the first day which allow adults to see it up to a certain time then it no adult allowed and only registried kids allowed.