Autism families lawsuit

[mommy2allgirls]

I have 5 kids and 1 has autism. We've used the old system and Disney and the new system and I can't complain one bit. It actually makes me upset that these families are filing against Disney because it makes us all look crazy. Disney accomadates us so well and with both systems my daughter has had the chance to feel and be like a "normal" child. I'm sorry if my post doesn't make a lot of sense Im just frustrated because Disney has been the one place where we have fewer meltdowns and she doesn't feel different

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Thank you so much for your input and I can't even begin to tell you how extremely proud I am that you have come foward.

Having Austism seems like a real struggle, however a blessing in terms of having a family member that needs special care!

I just try to understand that what I'd front of the line options didn't exist? If we can accommodate anyone we should do our best to have a great experience for all - it's just sad Disney does SO much for the handicapped and people still feel like it's not enough

 

[mommy2allgirls]

Thank you so much for your input and I can't even begin to tell you how extremely proud I am that you have come foward.

Having Austism seems like a real struggle, however a blessing in terms of having a family member that needs special care!

I just try to understand that what I'd front of the line options didn't exist? If we can accommodate anyone we should do our best to have a great experience for all - it's just sad Disney does SO much for the handicapped and people still feel like it's not enough

Thank you. I was nervous how people would take my post. I just feel like Disney goes above and beyond in every aspect and we deal with several special needs in our family. One of my other daughters is legally blind and we are always accomadated with a place for us to sit up close. Sometimes our whole family can't go together but it's ok because we have a large family and as long as all of us can see we are thankful. Also, two have food allergies and Disney is one place where we don't have to bring our own food. This past December on our trip to WDW we ate off property once and sure enough my daughter ended up with an allergic reaction and asked why more places can't treat allergies the way Disney does.

Due to all Disney does to accomadate our family is one reason we keep going back, besides the fact we are obsessed with Disney. Even my kids recognize how easy it is to just be a regular family at Disney.

I get worried that the people who file all the lawsuits and claim Disney doesn't do enough are actually going to ruin how good Disney is to us

 

[aaarcher86]

I agree with you. This lawsuit really brought out the crazies. BUT, I genuinely believe they're a minority amongst special needs families.

We have a daughter with autism (among other things) as well and I can't imagine having some of the outlooks and ideas I've seen from the lawsuit group. I do think they make it harder on everyone in the long run, but they won't see it that way.

We just need to keep up the hard work with our kids and enjoy Disney the best ways we can

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I am so happy that the people who have the children of austism are trying to intergrade them in the lines instead of demanding front of the line you guys truly are awesome - however if they legitimately couldn't wait in line you would have to accommodate them

 

[Disneylvr]

My daughter, age 12, is on the severe end of the autism spectrum. I admit to being more than a little nervous when the GAC was discontinued and the DAS was created. We were pleasantly surprised last April how well the DAS, in combination with FP+, worked for her! Yes it required a lot more planning on our part but that is part of the fun and our responsibility as a WDW guest and as parents. Can't wait to go back this September! We actually had a different vacation planned but this year but I couldn't do it! No where accommodates our kiddos like Disney!

 

[techtony]

I think unfortunately Disney will have to go the way of the School System here in Florida and like others across the nation. Each child that needs an accommodation had to have an IEP, interventional plans, etc. If this group is asking Disney to go beyond what they are doing now because it is too encompassing, the only alternative will be to have a system tailored to each individual child. This group liked the old way of doing things - which is fine, let them believe that. Disney on the other hand had problems with it, and made a huge effort to accommodate as many people with the broadest range of disabilities that they could. I have a feeling that no matter what Disney did, this group would not be happy. They are probably the ones that argue over a 13 cent coupon at Walmart.

I have many problems with this lawsuit it would take three pages to type out my issues here. My best friends son has Aspergers - which is on the functional side of the autism spectrum. Luckily she is a school guidance counselor and is trained to deal with this. She has been to Disney successfully without even using an accommodation. That is not to say other parents do not need some help. I have seen the melt downs myself - I feel for the kid and the parent, but I do not see what Disney can do to help them other than giving them the opportunity to reserve ahead of time - which is honestly the best way to deal with it.

Now one more thing...... I really do not like the way this law is being interpreted. It is not fair to say that Disney "Discriminated" against anyone. My perception of discrimination is them ignoring the condition altogether or purposefully not trying to accommodate them. I think what they have done is absolutely spot-on.

 

[techtony]

ok ok one more thought - there are always going to be people that abuse the system. This is not Disney's fault - it is the fault of the law. The law should probably be re-written to make it a felony to circumvent any system in place to accommodate the disabled. That will take care of 23 year old football players using their parents handicap stickers for a better parking space and these idiots that rent wheelchairs to get special treatment.

With that said - the incidence of people abusing the system is actually pretty low.

 

[HopperFan]

Everyone has a right to a free education and therefore accommodations are required. Disney World is an optional vacation at an amusement park and honestly they don't owe anything beyond the standard requirements. They go above and beyond and let's hope this selfish insanity these folks have doesn't cause Disney to provide only what is required.

Yes, I walk in their shoes. We managed on our own for 20 years, never asking for anything. When the lines became unsafe to our DS, the final straw being another guest taunting him then leaning over the rail and screaming bloody murder in his ear causing a full blown panic attack and running full speed. Luckily towards Dad, unluckily Dad had moved up 10 feet giving him ample space to speed up. Without a laundry list of his issues lets just say most other guests would say he is severely handicapped and they have no qualms about staring at him. But Disney is his happy place and we work hard to provide him as much time there as we can. We used the GAC for 10 years as we were instructed but the FP lines (not front of the line access) was often packed full of others with the GAC. The overuse was incredible. We went 20 years without one, however many others felt they were entitled even though their needs did not require it. Just because you have a "label" doesn't mean you need the accommodation the GAC/DAS provide.

We now use the DAS and I think it is fair to all and highly functional. Slightly more planning but it works. Use it with FP+, EMH, Rope Drop, lower crowds. Interesting but the extra wait time caused us to seek out quiet spots, try new snacks, schedule meals and bathroom breaks in between - and my DS actually lasts longer than before because we are not rushing from one location to the next. It boils down to the people who are fighting this don't want to give up their unlimited FastPass. We live in this world, my other DS has worked in this world .... we firmly believe that the DAS is more than fair and works - if you are willing.

If Disney is no longer working for them then these folks need to find somewhere that does. Sometimes families with special needs have to change their direction - it's how our world works. We hit a dead end, we back up and try a new direction.

 

[JacknSally]

the final straw being another guest taunting him then leaning over the rail and screaming bloody murder in his ear causing a full blown panic attack and running full speed.

Oh my word. I am SO sorry this happened to you and your family. I can't even imagine. People can be so horrible. I would NOT have handled this well if it had been my family.

 

[mommy2allgirls]

I have to say my daughter is 8 and is one of the ones that can't handle lines. She doesn't like people in her bubble. So we changed how we do the parks and it works for us. We use a stroller for our 8 year old and I know some may not agree with this but this allows her to have her own place and feel protected. We get the stroller and a wheelchair sticker so we can take it in the lines with us and you know what sometimes it actually makes us wait a little longer because we have to go park it but it helps her go through the lines. We also got her noise canceling headphones and we allow her to play on a phone when we do have to wait in a line. This allows her to feel safe and protected and helps prevent the meltdowns. It doesn't work all the time but we as her parents do as much as we can. Disney really does go above and beyond and I wonder how these parents who are filing this lawsuit handle the real world because you can't by pass lines when eating out or at the store. I totally get it is hard for kids I know it very well but there has to be some work done on the parents part to help prepare the children for everyday activities. Maybe my viewpoint is a wrong one and I'm missing something that these parents who filed suit are claiming. I just really hope they don't mess up how good Disney is for us.


Thank you all for the support I was kind of afraid of posting because I was sure I was the lone parent of a child with autism who felt this way but I had to get my thoughts out.

 

[HopperFan]

I have to say my daughter is 8 and is one of the ones that can't handle lines. She doesn't like people in her bubble. So we changed how we do the parks and it works for us. We use a stroller for our 8 year old and I know some may not agree with this but this allows her to have her own place and feel protected. We get the stroller and a wheelchair sticker so we can take it in the lines with us and you know what sometimes it actually makes us wait a little longer because we have to go park it but it helps her go through the lines. We also got her noise canceling headphones and we allow her to play on a phone when we do have to wait in a line. This allows her to feel safe and protected and helps prevent the meltdowns. It doesn't work all the time but we as her parents do as much as we can. Disney really does go above and beyond and I wonder how these parents who are filing this lawsuit handle the real world because you can't by pass lines when eating out or at the store. I totally get it is hard for kids I know it very well but there has to be some work done on the parents part to help prepare the children for everyday activities. Maybe my viewpoint is a wrong one and I'm missing something that these parents who filed suit are claiming. I just really hope they don't mess up how good Disney is for us.

Thank you all for the support I was kind of afraid of posting because I was sure I was the lone parent of a child with autism who felt this way but I had to get my thoughts out.

It's not up to anyone to agree with you - you are doing it right, you are doing everything you can to protect her while helping her integrate. We used a stroller longer than usual, we used the huge headphones, we have earplugs, small headphones with ipod - hey before ipods we had a cd player he carried in a fanny pack. Our family is on autopilot to always buffer him some space, protect his bubble. You do what you need to do for your child!

I'm 31 years in and we get lots of stares and rude treatment from other guests, but I don't care anymore. If they are uncomfortable they can move on because I'm not. I have enough stress - I don't let them put any more on me.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

My daughter, age 12, is on the severe end of the autism spectrum. I admit to being more than a little nervous when the GAC was discontinued and the DAS was created. We were pleasantly surprised last April how well the DAS, in combination with FP+, worked for her! Yes it required a lot more planning on our part but that is part of the fun and our responsibility as a WDW guest and as parents. Can't wait to go back this September! We actually had a different vacation planned but this year but I couldn't do it! No where accommodates our kiddos like Disney!

I think unfortunately Disney will have to go the way of the School System here in Florida and like others across the nation. Each child that needs an accommodation had to have an IEP, interventional plans, etc. If this group is asking Disney to go beyond what they are doing now because it is too encompassing, the only alternative will be to have a system tailored to each individual child. This group liked the old way of doing things - which is fine, let them believe that. Disney on the other hand had problems with it, and made a huge effort to accommodate as many people with the broadest range of disabilities that they could. I have a feeling that no matter what Disney did, this group would not be happy. They are probably the ones that argue over a 13 cent coupon at Walmart.

I am not going to touch upon the legal aspects of this issue, but did want to chime in a few things here. As a teacher of students with autism each and every year, I think it is important to state that autism is a spectrum. Think of it as a line. Some children are on the end where they are the least affected, others are in the middle, and those on the end are severely impacted. Because of this, accommodations may be different for each child due to how they are affected by this disorder.

With that being said, I think that the combination of DAS and FP+ is a solid - and smart - solution for many autism families. It eliminates much of the guessing and waiting times. However, this is not something that will work for everyone, and in that case, accommodations should be available. This does not necessarily mean skipping ahead of a line. It could be an alternate waiting area for the child, entry away from the large mass of people filing into a theater attraction, not sharing a ride vehicle, and so forth.

Are there guests that could potentially abuse this system? Of course. Is it the majority? I highly doubt it. Still, I don't think we can pool all autistic children into the same arena because of their varying tolerance and ability levels.

The bottom line? Fair isn't everyone getting the same thing. Fair is getting what everyone needs in order to be successful.

 

[aaarcher86]

I am not going to touch upon the legal aspects of this issue, but did want to chime in a few things here. As a teacher of students with autism each and every year, I think it is important to state that autism is a spectrum. Think of it as a line. Some children are on the end where they are the least affected, others are in the middle, and those on the end are severely impacted. Because of this, accommodations may be different for each child due to how they are affected by this disorder.

With that being said, I think that the combination of DAS and FP+ is a solid - and smart - solution for many autism families. It eliminates much of the guessing and waiting times. However, this is not something that will work for everyone, and in that case, accommodations should be available. This does not necessarily mean skipping ahead of a line. It could be an alternate waiting area for the child, entry away from the large mass of people filing into a theater attraction, not sharing a ride vehicle, and so forth.

Are there guests that could potentially abuse this system? Of course. Is it the majority? I highly doubt it. Still, I don't think we can pool all autistic children into the same arena because of their varying tolerance and ability levels.

The bottom line? Fair isn't everyone getting the same thing. Fair is getting what everyone needs in order to be successful.

The problem with some of the suggestions is that an accommodation does not need to be offered that affects the fundamentals or structuring of the attraction. The DAS offers a separate waiting area. I believe they do offer help with theater stuff already - at least I've seen people request certain things like sitting in the back and it being accommodated. Not sure they could do everything asked. Not sharing a ride vehicle - I don't see as a huge deal, but it could be deemed altering depending upon the amount to people who need it. I don't think there's many attractions where the child would need to be with someone they don't know though in a ride vehicle.

There's just a limit and I think there's a big lack of personal responsibility with some families. I've seen families profess that they can't do crowds but won't alter their travel habit of going over Christmas time. I definitely don't think it's most families though. But how would Disney decide who is severe enough to get additional accommodations, and who isn't since they can't ask for proof?