Crazy stories at disney world

[Applemomma]

When I was a kid, I went on Space Mtn. They were the old seats and they put me and my mom together in one seat (with me kinda sitting between my mom's legs). My mom got so frightened during the ride that she shooved me under the leg area and I missed the entire ride! I had to wait til I was an adult to go back and ride it to see what I missed! LOL

My mom got so scared on this ride when we went 20-something years ago that she screamed the Lord's Prayer the whole time....one of my main memories of Space Mountain as a kid and I still won't ride it!

 

[RedPanda]

When my husband and I were first dating in college, we took a day trip to MK (we attended UF). It was sometime in December (I remember Christmas decorations), and it was a pretty chilly day, but not abnormal for that time of year in Florida. We'd checked the weather before we left, so we were dressed for it.

While waiting in line outside the Haunted Mansion, we overheard a couple with two young boys who were standing behind us. The dad spent the ENTIRE TIME ranting and complaining to his wife about how cold he was -- and how it was her fault! "It's so cold! I'm freezing! Why didn't you bring my jacket? Why didn't you TELL me it was going to be cold??"

We were DYING, trying so hard not to laugh out loud! To this day, whenever one of us realizes we're starting to be ridiculous about something, we say, "Why didn't you TELL me it was going to be cold??" To think, that poor man was completely incapable of turning on a television and finding the Weather Channel.

 

[MusicalDisneyDreams]

My story was years ago, you all know those shiny toys that rotate and you can see some message. Back them I only saw Disney messages and had no idea you can write your own message. So we standing and waiting for parade, it is getting dark and I notice a boy holding one of those toys and it spells "Chile". I can not believe what I see, I mean I know what I see but I think maybe I am wrong and I ask my DD, does it spells Chile. The man next to the boy, probably his father, turns to me and with a heavy accent, pride and dirty look responds, "It is a country, but you, here, do not know that". Neddless to say me and the crowd around is getting quiet right away. I feel like I am loughing inside, because he is so off, it is funny. I open my eyes widely, pretend to be a complete idiot and loudly say, "OMG, they named a country after food !!!" Everyone is bursting with lough. (I know it does not spell same but the way he said it, it sounded just same.) He was giving me dirty looks the whole parade but who cares.

That reminds me of a funny story.
In 2003 at Fantasmic, we were sitting near the front and my dad told the lady selling those he'd buy one if she made it say "I wanna hot dog" and she did it. It's currently sitting in the laundry room, collecting dust..

 

[omghidanielle]

This past September, my Husband and I are walking to our room in the Pop Century, and we're on that weird trail between the 60's building, heading towards the bowling pin pool in the 50's building, when I hear this voice from behind me asking "Excuse me, could you tell me where Building 5 is?". We didn't really know where it was, so we helped the guy and started to walk away, when he decided to keep talking to us...to our backs. We were really really tired and didn't want to talk, but he kept talking to our backs, so we felt bad and stopped and talked to him for a bit. Everything he did seemed really odd and really familiar. In my head, I kept saying "Where do I know this guy?" and then he started talking about himself "I'm 65 years old, and today's my birthday! Can you believe I've never been here? 65 years, and my first trip to Disney World, how crazy..." then he dropped the bomb on me "I'm from Philadelphia..." then my brain started RACING. I couldn't even concentrate on what he was saying, all I could think was "WHERE DO I KNOW THIS MAN FROM AND WHY WON'T HE SHUT UP". My husband was talking to him about how we were also from Philadelphia, but he wasn't interested in us...he just kept talking about himself Eventually, he decided to go to bed, and I didn't mention the familiarity to my husband, because I figured if he didn't recognize him, he wouldn't be able to help me remember him.

Then a couple days later, we're sitting in the Food Court when that guy walks in --- wearing a big sombrero! I almost DIED. I can't believe it took a giant sombrero to help me remember him. I used to work at a Starbucks in the business district of Philadelphia, and this guy used to come in every single day. He'd wear a Hawaiian shirt and a big floppy hat and order a large glass of milk. He was kind of slow, and would always start these really crazy conversations with me about absolutely nothing. He ruled. I stopped working there about 6 or 7 years ago. He always thought my name was Cynthia (I'd say 'Danielle', he'd repeat back 'Cynthia'...after numerous tries, I just gave up and became Cynthia)

I decided against telling him who I was. I felt like a fraud enough as it was, since he thought my name was Cynthia all this time! I'd also have felt really dumb if he didn't remember me...I have this tendency to remember people and faces that I probably shouldn't.

 

[cuches]

I was trying not to take your flame, but I had to. You are probably trolling for a fight anyway so here goes... (there's been a lot of that lately)

Asking for the same treatment is not entitlement at all. It was insulting to the family to be accused of faking blindness and all they wanted was the same privileges of the family in the wheelchair who were "visibly" handicapped.

Do you have ANY idea what a blind person goes through on a daily basis? The stares? The comments? It's horrible. I can't tell you the number of times we encounter people who consider their assistive technology as a novelty or think they are extra special because the excel at everything they do, just because their eyes don't work, oh, they are just so special.

I'm sighted and I work with 2 blind young adults. Hearing what people say, act like... it's sickening. I've seen people (teens AND adults) play games of avoiding the cane, saying out loud, "look out! she's blind!", try to help them use the bathroom (because they've obviously never done that before...). The CM was out of line by insinuating that they were pretending to be blind just to bring their pet into the park. It's a fairly elaborate scheme, even for Disney, don'tcha think?

It's hard to have a disability/disorder/syndrome for all of those affected, but I guarantee, all they want is to be treated with respect, period. People have their assistive items for a reason, whether it be a wheelchair, crutches, a dog. Using one over the other doesn't make them any worse or any better, they're just trying to enjoy their vacation. I can only assume that particular CM was one of the many in this world who view having a disability as a weakness. Either that or they are just plain insensitive to those who operate a little "different" than themself.

Don't sit and condescend if you can't walk in their shoes. It is extremely embarassing to have your disability thrown in your face, heck, anything that isn't "normal" for that matter. Maybe that CM was having a bad day, but that is no right to hurt someone else.

Vent over, sorry for hijacking the thread, flame suit on.

OMG THANK YOU!!! I was thinking I was in the minority with this one. You don't have to have a disability to understand that this CM was beyond wrong and insensative in her words and actions. The people who brought the assistive dog had EVERY RIGHT TO DO SO and just because it was a hot day why should there vacation be ruined by being forced to stay at the hotel instead of going to the park. There are GAC's FOR A REASON and I utilize this for my autistic daughter. People look at us like "she can walk, why are THEY using the disabled entrance" I say take my daughter for a few hours (hell ONE hour) and see how difficult it is for her to do the simplest thing like waiting in line or dealing with crowds or loud noises at times. She loves going to Disney but she occasionally needs the special assistance in these area's and NOBODY should ever judge unless they are in that situation. How dare ANYONE think that we have a 'sense of entilement' Nobody WANTS to be disabled in anyway and if the Disney folks allow for special entrances who are YOU to dispute it?!?!?!?

One time we were leaving DHS and our DD was having an epic meltdown (for reasons still unknown) we could not get her on the bus for the hotels and everyone was staring (I was not upset at this because people were just wondering what was going on with this little girl) the beautiful thing was the person in charge of the bus area came over and I started to cry because I had NO idea how I was going to get back to our hotel. She called for a van and we were driven to our hotel door to door. I thanked them both over and over for not only providing us with the ride but for being so understanding and non-judgemental! do I feel a sense of entilement no, just relief!!!!

Tina

 

[Eliza'sMom]

We went on a trip with my whole family in 2007. One thing after another went wrong on this trip (my dad threw his back out and got food poisoning on day one alone, my nephew had to get stitches, my parents' dog died back at home). We were at DHS and my parents had gotten the news about the dog a few hours earlier, but were trying to continue with the day. Still, we were obviously not in the best of moods.

We were waiting in line for the Backlot Tour with a young couple and another family of grandparents, parents and a little boy who was probably 4 or 5. As we were standing there, the little boy ran up to the woman in the couple ahead of them as she waited with her back turned and smacked her bottom. The parents/grandparents saw and did nothing. The woman was shocked and seemed unsure how to react. A minute later, he did it again and his parents laughed. He must have done it at least three times. The woman and her boyfriend/husband kept looking at the parents in disbelief, but they completely ignored the behavior. I was expecting it to get ugly.

My mom had just retired days earlier from her job as a kindergarten teacher, and she was LIVID watching this. To be honest, I think she was waiting for the little demon-child to approach one of us so she could give him what-for. Luckily for him, he did not. But we sure as heck avoided standing in front of that family as we moved into the preshow!

 

[cuches]

We have a funny one that happened to us on our trip last September. We were leaving Animal Kingdom one afternoon and 3 guys (teenagers) were heading into the park. On the sidewalk before you get to the main entrance of AK are these probably 4 foot poles that are rounded at the top (I guess to keep vehicles out of that area). Anyway, one of the guys decides it would be fun to get a running start and jump over one of the poles. Unfortunately, he didn't quite jump high enough when he straddle jumped the pole and he ended up busting his family jewels and going over the pole face first into the pavement. He ended up laying there for a bit clutching himself as if in pain, although he was sorta half crying half laughing. I'm sure his ego took a beating as much as his other parts did.

Oh GOD!!! Love a good crushed crotch story!!!

Tina

 

[KAYzEyes]

I've enjoyed reading the majority of posts on this thread (have something to say about the comments regarding me & my guide dog but will start a new thread for that so as not to hijack this one!).

Loved the story where the guy was sleeping on the bench & you thought he was dead! And LOVE the pic with the duck, the little girl & her pretzel! LOL!

I'm new as a member, but have visited here many times. I'm a huge DW fan & wish I could go every year. My first visit was in '73 when I was almost 12. Went with family friends & had a blast!

Next was with my niece & her family in '95, again in 2001. Each visit was marvelous overall (but for the nasty CM in '95).

I'm hoping to go back this coming year!

And some are probably wondering how I'm typing, how I "see" pictures, etc. I use speech/magnification software to access the computer. I can enlarge the print on the screen up to 400x normal size. I am totally blind in my right eye & have only very limited functional vision in my left... I can see shapes, colors vaguely. For example, can tell a person's hair color usually, sort of their body shape, but other then that things are kind of like "blobs" of color to me. If I hold picutres within an inch or so from my eye I can make out the image. On the computer I can enlarge pix to see them. I've been partnered with guide dogs since '85, and am currently working with my 5th dog Karla, a GSD. I've had diabetes for 38 yrs and am also partnered with a Diabetic Alert Dog... a sweet little mini Dachshund, Maizie. These dogs are Godsends, and I'm so blessed to have them in my life.

Ok, that's it for here. Keep the stories coming.

 

[KAYzEyes]

Well I'm not sure where to put this, and since it is about a "crazy" incident at DW I guess I'll post it here.

That's the worst case of entitlement I have ever read.

Obviously you are not familiar with the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), Service Dogs & their handlers, etc. Don't feel bad... ignorance of such is all too common. Let me attempt to educate you (break it down for ya)..

Vision impairment is considered a disability under the ADA, and a guide dog is considered an aid in facilitating my independence just as a wheelchair is for a person who cannot walk. Disability is disability, aid is aid. If a person in a wheelchair is given special accommodations so is a person who is visually impaired with whatever mobility aid he/she chooses be it a guide dog, cane or sighted guide (yes, even to rides at a theme park). Period. It matters not whether I'm capable of climbing stairs while a person in a wheelchair is not, the fact is both are disabled according to the law.

As a side note... not all people who use wheelchairs are incapable of walking/climbing stairs. Disabling conditions that warrant use of a wheelchair are not limited to those whose legs do not work. People with heart conditions, seizures, brain injuries (and the list goes on) may require a wheelchair in situations such as spending long days at a theme park, but are able to get around without one in other activities of daily living.

And, BTW, informing you of rules is not rude. It is doing their job.

Doing ones job employed at "the happiest place on earth" generally entails a minimal degree of courtesy. This young woman was totally out of line. She saw two people... one in a wheelchair, one walking... and made an ignorant and blatantly insulting assumption that I was faking blindness. Whether she lost her job or not I have no idea, but she should have.

The small talk my niece and I engaged the girl in (re: the heat, the dog's feet on the pavement) was merely an attempt to calm the girl and speak to her in terms she might be able to absorb. Legally she had no right to ask for "proof" of my disability. There are only two questions an employee/manager/owner of a business can ask: 1) Are you disabled? and 2) Is that a Service Dog? She had no right making assumptions, no right denying me accommodation. She was not only rude and wrong, she acted in such a way as to be sure anyone within earshot (and beyond!) heard her accusations. If I were not as confident and independent a person as I am I would have been humiliated by her actions. Thank heavens I know my rights and am not afraid to stand up for myself.

You brought it there on a hot day on hot pavement ... All so you and your aunt could get a ride in a theme park? .

That statement is simply ignorant. Yes it was hot, no my dog was not suffering. He was happy as could be, doing his job, and I made sure he was not overheated, had plenty of water and avoided standing around in the heat. The CM's nastiness was upsetting to my niece, and since the woman was obviously "blind" to my having a disability, explaining how tough it would be for my guide to be in the heat in line was an attempt to conclude the ridiculous situation we were put in. Please consider what is lost in (or added to) an event explained via type vs. hearing the same event described in person. It wasn't "torture" on my dog to be there, and no one accused anyone of "animal abuse". <rolling eyes>

Because you never mentioned anything about the person in the wheelchair and why they would get entrance and not your group, I suspect that you know why they HAD to go in the rear entrance and how it was different from your reason. ]/quote]

Again, ignorant statement (and already addressed above re: various reasons for people using wheelchairs, and disability is disability... one person's disability does not trump another's).

Oh, and as a sidelight...that "manager" should be the one that is no longer with Disney. Giving out that information about alleged previous indiscretions of a CM is without class, leadership or anything other than trying to make it all go away. .

Perhaps it wasn't the best move for the supervisor, I agree... but at least he was educated re: the ADA, and he was undoubtedly mortified that one of his staff could be so, well, stupid. I'd guess that yes, he wanted to make it all go away as quickly as possible. And as a side note (not sidelight) - considering the CM's behavior I'm sure there had indeed been previous indiscretions (a nice word for stupidity). Hopefully she was pink-slipped to prevent any future incidents.

Thank you for having the guts to say what I couldn't.

Doesn't take guts to show ignorance (or to agree to another's ignorance).

Are you insane?!?!? Did you hear the part about the CM asking if this person was really BLIND?!?!? Is THAT part of her job too? As the mother of a special needs child who uses this same pass I am amazed that some people just don't get it. This CM should NOT be working with the public as she has VERY poor people skills.

Bless you! What's that saying?... if you haven't walked that walk, don't talk the talk?

Asking for the same treatment is not entitlement at all. It was insulting to the family to be accused of faking blindness and all they wanted was the same privileges of the family in the wheelchair who were "visibly" handicapped.

Thank you!

I would think that if the dog's comfort was a priority to the owner and her family they could have found a way to protect the dog's paws.

Yes, most guide dog organizations today provide "booties" to graduates for their guides; I used them on my last guide & use them with my current guide in both extreme hot & cold weather. These have only been used on guide dogs for the last perhaps 8 yrs, however. When the incident happened with me & my guide (1995) they were not yet being used.

Actually in this case it is entitlement to ask for the same treatment. People in wheelchairs can not go through the regular line at Splash Mountain - there are steps. They have no choice but to go through the exit where there are no steps. It isn't a "privilege" - it's the only way they can access the ride. The guide dogs and owners I have seen are able to go up steps, which means they are able to access the ride through the normal line and there is no need for them to go through the exit.

It has nothing to do with privilege or how disabled one person is over another.... it's a matter of all PWD (person with disability) receiving the same accommodations, as we all have the same rights (a right is NOT a privilege). I could make an argument however with this scenario. I'm perfectly capable of climbing steps with my guide dog. However, I'd be putting myself and my dog in undue harm in situations such as an over-crowded theme park line with steps that snake up and around to the platform with hundreds of people crowding us. Also, my dog cannot go on Splash Mountain, nor can a wheelchair. Thus, we (vision impaired and wheelchair bound) must be allowed reasonable accommodation to allow us to enjoy the ride. The exit being where people end up following the ride, that's where the wheelchair/guide dog need to be allowed.

Re: people w;allergies -

That might be a good reason for someone who is allergic to dogs to ask Disney to change their rule so that assistance animals are required to enter rides through the exit. Since that wasn't the reason the poster in question wanted to use the exit, I don't really think it applies in this case. .

People w/allergies can take medication to deal with their issues. I'm blind, I cannot take a pill to see. A person in a wheelchair cannot use an inhaler and miraculously walk. I did not ask to use the exit, I was directed to on every previous occasion on every ride. It was the policy for PWD prior to this experience, and obviously was still a policy since the CM allowed the woman in the wheelchair through. It was purely ignorance on the part of the CM that we were "initially" denied using the exit to "enter". The situation was righted by the supervisor being summoned.

call me an idiot, but I'm all for blind people having some entitlement. I wouldn't trade places with them and neither would anyone here.

dang people - back off - I guess to some of you here, those pesky Make a Wish kids need to get off their high horse and wait in line like everyone else.

Thanx! I had to smile at your sarcasm. Yup, lots of uptight opinions floating around, without much knowlefge to back the comments up. I don't feel "entitled" to anything. I simply want to be treated as fairly as the next person.

The dog should never suffer and I'm sorry if people think we were "entitled" but his comfort always has to come first. He works so hard and does so much and its amazing that God has given us such warm and intelligent creatures. If not for her guides over the years my aunt would never be able to enjoy Disney or her other vacations as much as she can does!

I luv ya Wendy... you always stick up for me with passion! LOL! I'd never allow any of my dogs to suffer in any way shape or form. I just want to make it clear that the whole subject of my dog "suffering" is absolutely irrelevant to the situation. Again, the CM was NOT going to listen to reason, and saying it was too hot to stand out in the line was a last resort argument to try and get thru to this iirrational CM. First and foremost, it was where I was SUPPOSED to be, directed many times before to go, and the CM was IN THE WRONG. NOT me.

ITA Unless you have walked a mile in a person's shoes, you have no right to judge. OT but when I went to college, my college was in an urban area, and I was walking to the bus stop. Around that area they were doing renovations and there was a lot of scaffolding up. I noticed a blind woman touching the scaffolding and walking back and forth. I actually approached her and asked if she was okay. She told me she had no idea where she was with all this "stuff." I explained our exact location and that there was scaffolding up around us and then she understood. I helped her out of the scaffolding area and got her set on her way, and she thanked me, she said she had been there for quite some time, and had called for people passing by to help and they kept on walking. Really opened my eyes to what blind people go thru each and every day.

KUDOS to you! It was admirable that you took the time to help that lady, and I'm sure she was more then grateful for your guidance. I've been in situations similar so many times in my life. I'll tell you what the worst thing is, though... crossing a 6-lane highway with my guide dog and having some idiot drive by barking and whistling out their window at my dog! Yeah, that's intelligent. Thankfully my guides have been superb and so well trained they ignored/ignore such idiocy when focused on traffic work. But my Lord, dogs are dogs, and regardless of how well trained they are they can and do react like a dog now and then. In the split second it would take for a guide dog to turn its gaze from the job at "paw" to react to some idiot's childish behavior both dog and blind handler could be killed. Think people, think!

Wow this was long. But I wanted to be sure I addressed each person who spoke on this situation (but for one by the heavyweight tall person saying he should use the handicapped entrance because kids might be intimidated by him? juvenile, not worth a response other then that.). Have a wonderful weekend Disney people.

 

[goofyernmost]

Well I'm not sure where to put this, and since it is about a "crazy" incident at DW I guess I'll post it here.



Obviously you are not familiar with the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), Service Dogs & their handlers, etc. Don't feel bad... ignorance of such is all too common. Let me attempt to educate you (break it down for ya)..

Vision impairment is considered a disability under the ADA, and a guide dog is considered an aid in facilitating my independence just as a wheelchair is for a person who cannot walk. Disability is disability, aid is aid. If a person in a wheelchair is given special accommodations so is a person who is visually impaired with whatever mobility aid he/she chooses be it a guide dog, cane or sighted guide (yes, even to rides at a theme park). Period. It matters not whether I'm capable of climbing stairs while a person in a wheelchair is not, the fact is both are disabled according to the law.

As a side note... not all people who use wheelchairs are incapable of walking/climbing stairs. Disabling conditions that warrant use of a wheelchair are not limited to those whose legs do not work. People with heart conditions, seizures, brain injuries (and the list goes on) may require a wheelchair in situations such as spending long days at a theme park, but are able to get around without one in other activities of daily living.


Doing ones job employed at "the happiest place on earth" generally entails a minimal degree of courtesy. This young woman was totally out of line. She saw two people... one in a wheelchair, one walking... and made an ignorant and blatantly insulting assumption that I was faking blindness. Whether she lost her job or not I have no idea, but she should have.

The small talk my niece and I engaged the girl in (re: the heat, the dog's feet on the pavement) was merely an attempt to calm the girl and speak to her in terms she might be able to absorb. Legally she had no right to ask for "proof" of my disability. There are only two questions an employee/manager/owner of a business can ask: 1) Are you disabled? and 2) Is that a Service Dog? She had no right making assumptions, no right denying me accommodation. She was not only rude and wrong, she acted in such a way as to be sure anyone within earshot (and beyond!) heard her accusations. If I were not as confident and independent a person as I am I would have been humiliated by her actions. Thank heavens I know my rights and am not afraid to stand up for myself.



That statement is simply ignorant. Yes it was hot, no my dog was not suffering. He was happy as could be, doing his job, and I made sure he was not overheated, had plenty of water and avoided standing around in the heat. The CM's nastiness was upsetting to my niece, and since the woman was obviously "blind" to my having a disability, explaining how tough it would be for my guide to be in the heat in line was an attempt to conclude the ridiculous situation we were put in. Please consider what is lost in (or added to) an event explained via type vs. hearing the same event described in person. It wasn't "torture" on my dog to be there, and no one accused anyone of "animal abuse". <rolling eyes>

Because you never mentioned anything about the person in the wheelchair and why they would get entrance and not your group, I suspect that you know why they HAD to go in the rear entrance and how it was different from your reason. ]/quote]

Again, ignorant statement (and already addressed above re: various reasons for people using wheelchairs, and disability is disability... one person's disability does not trump another's).



Perhaps it wasn't the best move for the supervisor, I agree... but at least he was educated re: the ADA, and he was undoubtedly mortified that one of his staff could be so, well, stupid. I'd guess that yes, he wanted to make it all go away as quickly as possible. And as a side note (not sidelight) - considering the CM's behavior I'm sure there had indeed been previous indiscretions (a nice word for stupidity). Hopefully she was pink-slipped to prevent any future incidents.


Doesn't take guts to show ignorance (or to agree to another's ignorance).



Bless you! What's that saying?... if you haven't walked that walk, don't talk the talk?



Thank you!



Yes, most guide dog organizations today provide "booties" to graduates for their guides; I used them on my last guide & use them with my current guide in both extreme hot & cold weather. These have only been used on guide dogs for the last perhaps 8 yrs, however. When the incident happened with me & my guide (1995) they were not yet being used.



It has nothing to do with privilege or how disabled one person is over another.... it's a matter of all PWD (person with disability) receiving the same accommodations, as we all have the same rights (a right is NOT a privilege). I could make an argument however with this scenario. I'm perfectly capable of climbing steps with my guide dog. However, I'd be putting myself and my dog in undue harm in situations such as an over-crowded theme park line with steps that snake up and around to the platform with hundreds of people crowding us. Also, my dog cannot go on Splash Mountain, nor can a wheelchair. Thus, we (vision impaired and wheelchair bound) must be allowed reasonable accommodation to allow us to enjoy the ride. The exit being where people end up following the ride, that's where the wheelchair/guide dog need to be allowed.

Re: people w;allergies -

People w/allergies can take medication to deal with their issues. I'm blind, I cannot take a pill to see. A person in a wheelchair cannot use an inhaler and miraculously walk. I did not ask to use the exit, I was directed to on every previous occasion on every ride. It was the policy for PWD prior to this experience, and obviously was still a policy since the CM allowed the woman in the wheelchair through. It was purely ignorance on the part of the CM that we were "initially" denied using the exit to "enter". The situation was righted by the supervisor being summoned.


Thanx! I had to smile at your sarcasm. Yup, lots of uptight opinions floating around, without much knowlefge to back the comments up. I don't feel "entitled" to anything. I simply want to be treated as fairly as the next person.



I luv ya Wendy... you always stick up for me with passion! LOL! I'd never allow any of my dogs to suffer in any way shape or form. I just want to make it clear that the whole subject of my dog "suffering" is absolutely irrelevant to the situation. Again, the CM was NOT going to listen to reason, and saying it was too hot to stand out in the line was a last resort argument to try and get thru to this iirrational CM. First and foremost, it was where I was SUPPOSED to be, directed many times before to go, and the CM was IN THE WRONG. NOT me.


KUDOS to you! It was admirable that you took the time to help that lady, and I'm sure she was more then grateful for your guidance. I've been in situations similar so many times in my life. I'll tell you what the worst thing is, though... crossing a 6-lane highway with my guide dog and having some idiot drive by barking and whistling out their window at my dog! Yeah, that's intelligent. Thankfully my guides have been superb and so well trained they ignored/ignore such idiocy when focused on traffic work. But my Lord, dogs are dogs, and regardless of how well trained they are they can and do react like a dog now and then. In the split second it would take for a guide dog to turn its gaze from the job at "paw" to react to some idiot's childish behavior both dog and blind handler could be killed. Think people, think!

Wow this was long. But I wanted to be sure I addressed each person who spoke on this situation (but for one by the heavyweight tall person saying he should use the handicapped entrance because kids might be intimidated by him? juvenile, not worth a response other then that.). Have a wonderful weekend Disney people.

Ignorant? Yup...you could be right. I thought she was telling the truth when she said the dog was suffering...you say it wasn't. Sorry, my error. I guess I just figured that if this much effort and hostility was figuring into the situation at the time, I'm sure a lot more was said than anyone told us. Based on that "ignorant" assumption my feeling was that the CM was acting fine in the beginning but with continued argument and abuse became almost as hostile as you folks appear to be.

Bottom line...the rule was NO...the demand was overlook the rule because I am special...the reason...the dog was hot was obviously bogus. When one displays that type of behavior, disabled or not, (blind does not mean brain dead) then sometimes one gets treated the way they deserve to be.

Oh, and someone please check out the meaning of the word "troll" in on line discussion threads. Check out how long I have been using this site and how I never hit and run. By some strange coincidence when I first read your nieces post the first thought that came to my mind was, yup, you guessed...Troll!

 

[SnowandMittens]

Well I'm not sure where to put this, and since it is about a "crazy" incident at DW I guess I'll post it here.



Obviously you are not familiar with the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), Service Dogs & their handlers, etc. Don't feel bad... ignorance of such is all too common. Let me attempt to educate you (break it down for ya)..

Vision impairment is considered a disability under the ADA, and a guide dog is considered an aid in facilitating my independence just as a wheelchair is for a person who cannot walk. Disability is disability, aid is aid. If a person in a wheelchair is given special accommodations so is a person who is visually impaired with whatever mobility aid he/she chooses be it a guide dog, cane or sighted guide (yes, even to rides at a theme park). Period. It matters not whether I'm capable of climbing stairs while a person in a wheelchair is not, the fact is both are disabled according to the law.

As a side note... not all people who use wheelchairs are incapable of walking/climbing stairs. Disabling conditions that warrant use of a wheelchair are not limited to those whose legs do not work. People with heart conditions, seizures, brain injuries (and the list goes on) may require a wheelchair in situations such as spending long days at a theme park, but are able to get around without one in other activities of daily living.


Doing ones job employed at "the happiest place on earth" generally entails a minimal degree of courtesy. This young woman was totally out of line. She saw two people... one in a wheelchair, one walking... and made an ignorant and blatantly insulting assumption that I was faking blindness. Whether she lost her job or not I have no idea, but she should have.

The small talk my niece and I engaged the girl in (re: the heat, the dog's feet on the pavement) was merely an attempt to calm the girl and speak to her in terms she might be able to absorb. Legally she had no right to ask for "proof" of my disability. There are only two questions an employee/manager/owner of a business can ask: 1) Are you disabled? and 2) Is that a Service Dog? She had no right making assumptions, no right denying me accommodation. She was not only rude and wrong, she acted in such a way as to be sure anyone within earshot (and beyond!) heard her accusations. If I were not as confident and independent a person as I am I would have been humiliated by her actions. Thank heavens I know my rights and am not afraid to stand up for myself.



That statement is simply ignorant. Yes it was hot, no my dog was not suffering. He was happy as could be, doing his job, and I made sure he was not overheated, had plenty of water and avoided standing around in the heat. The CM's nastiness was upsetting to my niece, and since the woman was obviously "blind" to my having a disability, explaining how tough it would be for my guide to be in the heat in line was an attempt to conclude the ridiculous situation we were put in. Please consider what is lost in (or added to) an event explained via type vs. hearing the same event described in person. It wasn't "torture" on my dog to be there, and no one accused anyone of "animal abuse". <rolling eyes>



Ignorant? Yup...you could be right. I thought she was telling the truth when she said the dog was suffering...you say it wasn't. Sorry, my error. I guess I just figured that if this much effort and hostility was figuring into the situation at the time, I'm sure a lot more was said than anyone told us. Based on that "ignorant" assumption my feeling was that the CM was acting fine in the beginning but with continued argument and abuse became almost as hostile as you folks appear to be.

Bottom line...the rule was NO...the demand was overlook the rule because I am special...the reason...the dog was hot was obviously bogus. When one displays that type of behavior, disabled or not, (blind does not mean brain dead) then sometimes one gets treated the way they deserve to be.

Oh, and someone please check out the meaning of the word "troll" in on line discussion threads. Check out how long I have been using this site and how I never hit and run. By some strange coincidence when I first read your nieces post the first thought that came to my mind was, yup, you guessed...Troll!

Me thinks you need to take a deep breath and count to 10.

A CM asking for proof of a disability is CROSSING A LINE. Period. I don't care that I look like the next normal college kid, but if I have Lupus and sometimes can't wait in long lines without sitting down, and yes, get to use the exit at the Splash Mountain exit then what RIGHT is it of a CM to question me?

Oh, and a troll certainly doesn't sit there and type out one of the best responses I've ever seen. Maybe you should re-look up the word.

 

[Tinker74]

my crazy story is a cast member story (so my apologies to all the kind and wonderful cast members here)

My aunt is blind and we have taken her to Disney several times over the years. She loves it and travels well along with her various guide dogs/seeing eye dogs. One fall we were there during a pretty bad heat wave in October. The pavement is TORTURE on the dogs feet and we did everything we could to keep her in the shade.

(I should mention this is right around the time they invented fastpass and stopped allowing people to go directly to the exit to load those guests with handicaps.) We were not aware of this and to be honest I think that guests with handicaps should not have to wait in the regular line if they have letters from doctors, etc.

Well we go to the park and off we went on Jungle Cruise, Pirates and Tiki Room with no issues and no waits. We didn't have to go thru the exits because we were either ushered on immediately or brought directly to the handicap entrance due to the dog.

We walked off to Splash Mountain and went to the exit so we could "dog swap" and go on the ride. Obviously her dog could not go on this particular ride, although he could on many of them. The young lady at the exit said "oh you will have to get a fastpass and go through the regular line." I explained to her that due to the heat it was virtually animal abuse to stand in the sun (it was a very busy weekend day and the line was out of the building) and that we always went to the exit in the past. She said "too bad ma'am, those are the rules." I told her again politely (I was in shock at her rudeness) that some "rules" are made to bend a little especially when the health of a guide animal is at risk. She said "How do I even know she is REALLY blind? Can she prove it?"

At this point she opened the gate for a woman in a wheelchair....so obviously she WAS allowing people to bypass the regular or fastpass line. I asked her "why did you allow her in but not us?" She said "She is in a WHEELCHAIR" and rolled her eyes at me. I said "Wait a second, you want my Aunt to PROVE she is blind...well march yourself over there and tell that woman to get up and WALK!" I then asked for a ride manager IMMEDIATELY. Meanwhile the girl/castmember went on and on about how we could have just decided to put a harness on our "pet" and bring him to Disney. I have NEVER seen someone so uneducated, rude, petty or nasty and ESPECIALLY in Disney!

When the ride manager came she was very apologetic and said "We have had some issues with this castmember recently." I told the ride manager that I wanted an apology AND I wanted her to be removed from working directly with the public. The ride manager point blank said "This young lady will no longer be working with Disney, we will not accept this kind of behavior from our castmembers."

We didn't let it ruin our trip but it was very disheartening. We have never run into that issue since. We use fast passes or regular entrance on all rides that require them expect in the rare instances where the pavement is too hot for the dog. We have been graciously welcomed onto rides or "dog swap" and in several instances they have actually had a ride manager come and wait with her guide dog so we could all go on together! NOW that is Magic!!

That is so bad!...Iam soooo glad you didn't let this matter lie and took it to a ride manager...you saved other guests from dealing with this disgusting young lady.

 

[webstah]

Maybe this is why Disney started using their specials cards.
From what some people are saying, I could go up to the CM and tell them I have RCID, Rectal-Cranium Insertion Disorder, and can't stand waiting in line. The CM has no right to question my statement, and neither does anyone around me, so I have the right, simply by making a statement to displace an actual disabled person because even though I look normal, they aren't allowed to ask any questions. The other 25,000 people in the park can do the same thing, so we all get head of the line priveledges.

 

[SnowandMittens]

Maybe this is why Disney started using their specials cards.
From what some people are saying, I could go up to the CM and tell them I have RCID, Rectal-Cranium Insertion Disorder, and can't stand waiting in line. The CM has no right to question my statement, and neither does anyone around me, so I have the right, simply by making a statement to displace an actual disabled person because even though I look normal, they aren't allowed to ask any questions. The other 25,000 people in the park can do the same thing, so we all get head of the line priveledges.

Well, technically yes. I always get a GAC card to use before I go into the park because I know that some CM's don't know what Lupus is, and I'm not about to go around with my medical records to PROVE I have a disease.

You could also pool hop and fill up a refillable mug while you're at it, but as an adult, I imagine that you'd have a better sense of right and wrong. Or not. They don't know the specifics of what your disability can and cannot handle, and it's ridiculous to think that they should be administering tests to see who the true disabled people are.

 

[SnowandMittens]

Maybe this is why Disney started using their specials cards.
From what some people are saying, I could go up to the CM and tell them I have RCID, Rectal-Cranium Insertion Disorder, and can't stand waiting in line. The CM has no right to question my statement, and neither does anyone around me, so I have the right, simply by making a statement to displace an actual disabled person because even though I look normal, they aren't allowed to ask any questions. The other 25,000 people in the park can do the same thing, so we all get head of the line priveledges.

Oh, and another thing, it's NOT "head of the line" privileges. I don't know WHERE you got that information.

I've had to wait longer for Dinosaur, Rock and Roll coaster, TSM, and Everest than the stand by lines before. Believe it or not, on the days I need a wheelchair, we have to wait longer than you.

You should really educate yourself on this topic if you are going to continue to argue about it.

 

[mmorrison]

I would love to read more crazy Disney stories.

I don't really have one everything that has happened to me has been perfect well almost. I may have been part of others crazy stories.

I was a eleven going to Disney with my parents. I woke up supe early for the flight and it was my time of the month, my very first one, yuck!!! I woke up with some tummy problems but neither one of my parents thought to much about it, no temp and no throw up. We just chalked it up to some nerves. We flew down there and at that time Disney had vans to take guests to the resorts. On the van ride I look up at
mom and said that I was going to be sick. The words were quickly followed by the action. Unfortunatly, there were other guests in the van. They had napkins and passed them up to my mom along with a bottle of water. What nice amazing people who did not understand English. Compassion speaks in any language.

When we arrived at POFQ the manager quickly set us up in a room even though it was only around noon. He then sent a doctor to come check on me. I only had a bad case of food poisoning. I was so glad to not have been contagious. Disney was wonderful as always and checked on me daily and brought stomach sensative food to the room.

I have always felt super guilty about what those sweet people said about their van ride. I hope their trip got better.

Anybody got anymore stories???

 

[swald91]

Last night I was reading more of these crazy stories & I didn't have the chance to quote any specific one, but I was laughing so hard I had a stomach ache!!! The one about the older gentleman being distracted by the wildly dressed young lady, the EVC lady on the curb, the story about the couple who had too much to drink... That would SO make my day to observe anything like this on a trip there!!!!

 

[SnowandMittens]

Let us not forget the epic this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJtNGcGRWl8

my FAV. We were laughing SO hard.

 

[kdnmom]

Re: people w;allergies -

People w/allergies can take medication to deal with their issues. I'm blind, I cannot take a pill to see. A person in a wheelchair cannot use an inhaler and miraculously walk. .


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I don't usually participate in these discussions, but I just had to comment about this. Now you are the one showing your ignorance. Allergies can kill people. Your blindness is not going to kill you. (OK, I don't know the cause of your blindness, so perhaps you do have some underlying illness that is causing your blindness that could be potentially fatal in the long term, but in this case I'm talking about allergies that can kill someone in the short term.) And in a less severe case, allergies can cause wheezing and difficulty breathing that is NOT automatically reversed by using a pill or inhaler.

I actually think that this is a reason for you TO use the back entrance, so that you are exposing fewer people to the possibility of being stuck next to your dog for an extended period of time. So, please use the back entrance as an accomodation for your disabilty, but don't expect to get directly on the ride. (I'm not saying you said this.) You are legally (and morally) alotted accomodations to allow you to enjoy Disney as much as an able person, but not more than one. Just please, at the same time, show some compassion for those who may struggle because of your guide.

 

[HeatherN]

The one and only time we have been to disney(on my daughter's wish trip) we were waiting in line at It's a small world.There was a family behind us in line and my son (who was five) and a little boy around the same age, were kind of playing together.The family did not speak English. I am not sure what happened but I turned around to see this little boy SPIT full into my son's face. Now, I realize that my son is not perfect but I can't imagine that he would have done something to this boy to deserve that.My son was in shock.I asked what had happened and he really had no idea why the kid did that.The parents either didn't understand English or played dumb very well.I am still shocked when I think about it.