How the Rich skip the lines at Disney - rent a disabled tour guide.

[tmgandolph]

Wonder what the Dis will think of this:

Quote: “My daughter waited one minute to get on ‘It’s a Small World’ — the other kids had to wait 2 1/2 hours,” crowed one mom, who hired a disabled guide through Dream Tours Florida.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/disney_world_srich_kid_outrage_zTBA0xrvZRkIVc1zItXGDP

 

[dwblonde]

This was just on Fox News. It's sad what people will do.

 

[jcieutat]

It is sad. What makes it worse is that Disney is so politically correct that they don't even say anything to people that do these types of things. The wheelchairs and scooters are such a source of abuse at Disneyworld.

 

[kaylasmom07]

Doesn't surprise me one bit.

 

[jadelane1]

Disney has to be politically correct or risk getting sued. It is the people who are at fault not Disney. This is what's wrong with society these days. The tour company should be banned from Disney parks if they are running that kind of business. I don't know who's worse the tour company or the people who are booking them. Makes me sad when people act so selfish

 

[rwodonnell]

2.5 hours for Small World? Something's fishy about this article!

While I am sure people would do this (as the previous poster said, it doesn't really surprise, sadly), our experience when we went with my nephew, who needs a wheelchair to walk any distance, was that it took us more time to get on some rides. Of course it differed from ride to ride, and it wasn't really peak season, and it was 7 or 8 years ago. I am sure there are times and rides where the scheme "pays off".

Aren't there legitimate guides from Disney or other places that can provide the same kind of service legitimately through the fastpass system?

 

[MaxsDad]

2.5 hours for Small World? Something's fishy about this article!

While I am sure people would do this (as the previous poster said, it doesn't really surprise, sadly), our experience when we went with my nephew, who needs a wheelchair to walk any distance, was that it took us more time to get on some rides. Of course it differed from ride to ride, and it wasn't really peak season, and it was 7 or 8 years ago. I am sure there are times and rides where the scheme "pays off".

Aren't there legitimate guides from Disney or other places that can provide the same kind of service legitimately through the fastpass system?

Disney guides are $300 an hour, this article says that the moms hired these "guides" for $130 an hour.

For anyone who thinks it is an advantage to be in the parks in a wheelchair because you get to the front of the line I suggest you actually go to the parks in a wheelchair when you can't walk. I have, before my back surgery, and when we go with my MIL we have to use a wheelchair for her. It isn't as great as people think it is, in fact being there in a wheelchair flat out sucks.

 

[wiigirl]

Doesn't surprise me one bit.

Me neither actually.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Oh wow. Hold on...

 

[rwodonnell]

Disney guides are $300 an hour, this article says that the moms hired these "guides" for $130 an hour.

Wow... I'm in the wrong line of work! There must be other guides out there, no?

For anyone who thinks it is an advantage to be in the parks in a wheelchair because you get to the front of the line I suggest you actually go to the parks in a wheelchair when you can't walk. I have, before my back surgery, and when we go with my MIL we have to use a wheelchair for her. It isn't as great as people think it is, in fact being there in a wheelchair flat out sucks.

Agreed! I do remember that trip with my nephew, and it was rough getting around, and it wasn't even peak. Still, I suppose these people don't bother waiting for the person in the wheelchair, or really spend any time with them, until they get to the next queue.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

This article is all wrong!

The only *front of the line pass is for *make a wish kids*. Disabilities use GAC card, and that only lets you go though the line as normal or to quiet, cool areas for certain disabilities.

You can hire a $300.00 hour Disney guide but even that only gets you behind the scenes and on a few attractions by passing the lines.

AKK

 

[chekhovgirl]

I don't know the policies, but my dad might have to use a motorized scooter while we're there because he had knee surgery, which has lead to problems. Even so, I wouldn't use him to try and get to the front of a line. Having had our only visit within the last decade be during busy Christmastime and really having no problems getting on rides within a reasonable time (because we were smart about it) makes me wonder how people get "caught" in such long lines. I guess we'll see when we tackle February vacation this year! I've been reading about Fast Pass Plus and I kind of feel like it will take the fun out of ride planning and Fast Pass running, but maybe that's just me

 

[ThurlFan]

“My daughter waited one minute to get on ‘It’s a Small World’ — the other kids had to wait 2 1/2 hours,” crowed one mom, who hired a disabled guide through Dream Tours Florida.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/disney_world_srich_kid_outrage_zTBA0xrvZRkIVc1zItXGDP

Doesn't pass the eyeball test. Somebody is fibbing here.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I use an ECV regularly.

Almost all attraction lines are "mainstreamed" where I will go all the way to "Load" in my ECV.

If it is a ride type attraction, at Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Toy Story Midway Mania, Figment, Dinosaur, Safari, and Buzz Lightyear I will go most of the way through the regular line and then be diverted. And often the waiting after diversion from the main line is longer than the main line wait.

At Big Thunder Mountain, it's a small world, and Spaceship Earth there is a special line. Yes, the wait on these special lines may not be as long as the regular queue, but it is still not immediate access.

If it is a show there will be special seating area. I have had times when I have had to wait for a next show while people who were in line behind me were let in as there was no more accessible seating available.

 

[doconeill]

I use an ECV regularly.

Almost all attraction lines are "mainstreamed" where I will go all the way to "Load" in my ECV.

If it is a ride type attraction, at Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Toy Story Midway Mania, Figment, Dinosaur, Safari, and Buzz Lightyear I will go most of the way through the regular line and then be diverted. And often the waiting after diversion from the main line is longer than the main line wait.

My experience with my father in law two years ago was different with his ECV at several of these.

At Haunted Mansion, we were taken to the exit, and loaded in the unloading area. Only had to wait for a tour that was coming out.

At TSM, we were immediately directed to the Fastpass line, which is also the "accessible" line, then diverted to the accessible platform. This, however, was no time savings as they appear to only load from that area once per full cycle, and there were several in front of us. We had Fastpasses, but were directed before I even got them out and were never asked for them.

At Buzz, we were also directed to the Fastpass line. No Fastpasses.

After that experience, I'd say that less has been mainstreamed than expected, and just having an ECV does provide some advantage.

 

[buzzCMlightyear]

This article is all wrong!

The only *front of the line pass is for *make a wish kids*. Disabilities use GAC card, and that only lets you go though the line as normal or to quiet, cool areas for certain disabilities.

You can hire a $300.00 hour Disney guide but even that only gets you behind the scenes and on a few attractions by passing the lines.

AKK

The pass given to Make a Wish families is a GAC. The majority of GAC stamps are alternate entrance ones, which allow for FP queues if the attraction has one.

As many of us CM's are saying, this is just another reason will may see the end of the GAC soon.

 

[capegirl]

I wouldn't believe everything printed in the NY Post...the article sounds a little sketchy. Cheshire Figment is right; the majority of the queues are now mainstreamed.
If the article is true, I understand why Disney would not want to go out on a limb to prevent stuff like this from happening; they are just a business trying to survive in a poor economy all wrapped up in a politically correct climate.
In my opinion, the PC environment that we are all subjected to has gone too far. When corporations, politicians, etc... are afraid of offending someone rather than standing up for the truth, it can diminish the values that are truly important to Americans.... but that's a subject for another thread so I'll end my rant here.

 

[RasberriPie13]

I am in a wheelchair have been for 30 yrs know and I go to Disney every year 25+, I have never gotten the GAC Card that people are talking about. I just go where I am directed to go. And I ususally have about 4 people with me. I have always gone through the regular lines and then followed the chair symbol. I have see people rent chairs at the gate and then just hop right out of the chair and sometime run to get on the ride. Being in a chair I have to wait for a certain car to come around that I can either tranfer too or take my chair with me, And most of the rides only have 1 of them, so you have to wait for that to come around. And if there are others in chairs that could be a long time.

 

[dadddio]

Since a party staying with their member who has a GAC doesn't break any Disney rule, I'm not seeing anything here to care about.

 

[Entropy]

Look at Happy Hearts Days. Disneyland offered this for handicapped kids but it was badly abused by some handicapped kids' parents, relatives and others that felt entitled. It ended up getting cancelled, ruining it for those that played by the rules. Disneyland now only issues handicapped passes to legitimate organizations for distribution but that program is going to change because it, naturally is being abused.

This rental kid is the kind of abuse that's going to screw it up for everyone that benefits from the special pass.
On the bright side, some kid got a free day at WDW.