Be Patient and Understanding!

[cccory]

I wanted to post this here, because if you didn't have anyone with a disabilitiy you wouldn't be reading the disability thread.

I know that everyone is not like this, but we encountered quite a few, but I wanted to share some problems we have when traveling with a wheelchair to hopefully make people more aware of what it is like.
We were waiting for the Disney Magical Express to pick us up from the airport and had to wait 1 hr. for a bus with a wheelchair lift. If we could of gotten on a regular bus the wait would of been 30mins.

When using the Disney buses they load the wheelchair first and we heard so many people complaining about this. How it was taking so long and how we got to get on the bus first. What you don’t realize is that we had to wait for another bus a few times before, because there is room for only 1 or 2 wheelchairs at a time, so if there is a wheelchair on the bus when it comes we have to wait for the next bus. We cannot just push our way on and stand. And a few times people were getting on the bus and NOT waiting for the wheelchair to be loaded, so by the time the wheelchair was on the bus there was no room for the rest of us. I sent dad with the wheelchair while the rest of us waited for the next bus. So, that meant that dad and child had to wait for us to come when they got to their stop. Then we have to wait until everyone is off the bus before we can get the wheelchair off. So you are on your way into the park even before we are off the bus.

We get to go through the exit and get on the next ride. Well did you ever think how long it took us to get to this ride? We had to dodge people racing to the ride; we had to watch out for all the people who cut right in front of us. It is so tempting to just hit them in the heels. Then when the ride is done, you race to the next ride, while I am getting the child off this ride and putting him back into his wheelchair. You are probably at the next ride before I am finished buckling him back up in his wheelchair.

So the next time you see someone in a wheelchair going to the front of the line, take a deep breathe and be thankful that you can walk and run and are not stuck in a wheelchair.
Thank you for letting me get that out. With that said our trip to Disney was not very magical. It was very stressful. In the past, Disney really took care of us and bent over backwards for you. We did not see that this trip. We had a lot of problems and the employees were not sympathic. Most of the time they said that there was nothing they could do, which is not the Disney we knew.

 

[Hedy]

 

[pyrxtc]

must ahve just ahd a strenuous vacation. Sorry you were treated that way.

I have noticed that most, if not all, of the wheelchair complaints were not about the person in the wheelchair themselves getting on but mostly about the 14 people getting on with them. Or they they just got to the stop and some people had been waiting for an hour and they get right on, don't have to wait in line for the bus. Most of them are grateful that they are not in one but don't like the having to wait for someone who showed up 40 minutes after they did.

I understand all that you go through and I have complained under my breathe as well but only about the motorized scooters and people who obviously don't use one fulltime since they have no clue what they are doing trying to get on the bus with it. I could get one for my knee but choose not to. I come back to the hotel at night with one leg swollen twice the size of the other and haven taken my meds more than once that day to help the swelling and the pain associated wiht my problem but I deal. I know some cannot do that. I look perfectly healthy otherwise and I know I would come back as the tale of many stories if i were on that scooter or in that wheelchair about getting up to walk around.

 

[Papillon]

I'm so sorry people are so rude. You never know what the situation is, regardless of how it looks. My DFIL needed a scooter that past couple of times we were there. The 1st time, we stayed at FW Cabins. Wonderful place to stay, but TERRIBLE for wheelchair buses. You are absolutely right about waiting for 3-4 buses until an empty one rolls by. The last time we wne t to WDW, we were lucky enough to saty at BC, which was great, because then he could just drive his scooter to both Epcot (his fave) and MGM.
I am such a weirdo I even park my car way out into whatever parking lot I'm in, because I CAN walk, and it reminds me to be grateful I'm so healthy.

 

[cccory]

must ahve just ahd a strenuous vacation. Sorry you were treated that way.

I have noticed that most, if not all, of the wheelchair complaints were not about the person in the wheelchair themselves getting on but mostly about the 14 people getting on with them. Or they they just got to the stop and some people had been waiting for an hour and they get right on, don't have to wait in line for the bus. Most of them are grateful that they are not in one but don't like the having to wait for someone who showed up 40 minutes after they did.

I understand all that you go through and I have complained under my breathe as well but only about the motorized scooters and people who obviously don't use one fulltime since they have no clue what they are doing trying to get on the bus with it. I could get one for my knee but choose not to. I come back to the hotel at night with one leg swollen twice the size of the other and haven taken my meds more than once that day to help the swelling and the pain associated wiht my problem but I deal. I know some cannot do that. I look perfectly healthy otherwise and I know I would come back as the tale of many stories if i were on that scooter or in that wheelchair about getting up to walk around.

I commend you for going through such pain. You are one of the honest and understanding people. We have a family of 7, so we are large and you are right it's the size of the party and the time that gets people mad. We have 5 kids and would like to all go together.

And it is so frustrating waiting for a bus for 40mins. and then a group just walks up and gets on. I just want people to think about what that group might have just gone through. They might have been waiting for an elevator (it took me 15mins. to get out of Soarin, because their was 5 wheelchairs ahead of me) or waiting for a show to let out before they got there. Believe me, I was one of those people who thought the same thing under my breathe until I had to experience it. Now, I am that person who everyone is steering at and talking about under their breathe. I just want people to think a little more of the person in the wheelchair. And yes, there are those people out there that shouldn't be in one and can walk around, but choose to believe they are above the rest of us and shouldn't have to wait in line. Just shake your head at those people and feel sorry for them.

 

[cccory]

I'm so sorry people are so rude. You never know what the situation is, regardless of how it looks. My DFIL needed a scooter that past couple of times we were there. The 1st time, we stayed at FW Cabins. Wonderful place to stay, but TERRIBLE for wheelchair buses. You are absolutely right about waiting for 3-4 buses until an empty one rolls by. The last time we wne t to WDW, we were lucky enough to saty at BC, which was great, because then he could just drive his scooter to both Epcot (his fave) and MGM.
I am such a weirdo I even park my car way out into whatever parking lot I'm in, because I CAN walk, and it reminds me to be grateful I'm so healthy.

You are so sweet. We were lucky enough to stay at BC and loved that we could just walk to Epcot and boat over to MGM. We couldn't believe what a hassle it was to get over to Fort Wilderness for the Mickey's Backyard BBQ. We had to take 3 buses to get there. Here we thought it would just be 1 if we walked over to Epcot and caught one there, so that's what we did. We walked over to Epcot and caught a bus to Fort Wilderness, then he told us we would have to catch another bus when we got there. Our jaws hit the floor, Nooooooo! So, we made it with 2 buses, but it would of been 3 if we didn't walk to Epcot.

 

[SueM in MN]

So the next time you see someone in a wheelchair going to the front of the line, take a deep breathe and be thankful that you can walk and run and are not stuck in a wheelchair.

I just want to point out that at most attractions/rides, the person in a wheelchair and their party waited in the same line as everyone else.
AK and the Studio were built with Mainstream Access lines, which means that the line is wheelchair accessible and people using wheelchairs wait with everyone else in line. If that person needs a special wheelchair car because they can't get out of the wheelchair, that means an extra wait - IF there is a wheelchair car (most rides don't have one, which means if the person can't transfer/be lifted onto the regular ride car, they can't ride).

We've experienced the same frustrations that you have, but we still keep coming back because it is one place where my youngest DD is able to have a good time, despite not being able to walk or talk.

 

[cccory]

I just want to point out that at most attractions/rides, the person in a wheelchair and their party waited in the same line as everyone else.
AK and the Studio were built with Mainstream Access lines, which means that the line is wheelchair accessible and people using wheelchairs wait with everyone else in line. If that person needs a special wheelchair car because they can't get out of the wheelchair, that means an extra wait - IF there is a wheelchair car (most rides don't have one, which means if the person can't transfer/be lifted onto the regular ride car, they can't ride).

We've experienced the same frustrations that you have, but we still keep coming back because it is one place where my youngest DD is able to have a good time, despite not being able to walk or talk.

I understand this, but my child has seizures and the first day when it took us 1 1/2 hours to get through Soarin, he had a seizure and was out for the rest of the day. We had to take him back to the hotel and lay him down. He only got to ride 2 rides that day. When we finally got the pass that allowed us to go through the exit our day was much better. We never know how much time we will have with him. Some days are great, others he has seizures that wipe him out and makes him uncomfortable, where he screams out.

 

[I amErica]

Hope you don't mind me jumping on your post CCCORY, I think this a GREAT reminder for everyone to have a little patience. I would like to add that we need to have patience with EVERYONE, not just ones with an obvious disability. I work with children with special needs and am also the mother of a child with Autism. Some disabilites are easy to see while others are not.
Many people living with Autism, don't look different, but have many issues with navigating the social world and may have 'meltdowns' if their world has any minor hiccups. Routine is very important to them. And while the excitement of Disney and extra stimulation can be hard for some children, ALL families deserve a vacation and dealing with rude and inconciderate people is more than just frustrating... You just want to Scream ''be grateful your child doesn't have to struggle every minute to survive in 'our' world."
So, if you see a child having a temper tantrum, keep the comments and judgements to yourself. While fortunately, not every parent has to live with a child with a disability, you never know what is going on their lives, and your patience and assitance can go A LONG WAY
thanks for letting me add to this well needed comment

 

[SueM in MN]

I understand this, but my child has seizures and the first day when it took us 1 1/2 hours to get through Soarin, he had a seizure and was out for the rest of the day. We had to take him back to the hotel and lay him down. He only got to ride 2 rides that day. When we finally got the pass that allowed us to go through the exit our day was much better. We never know how much time we will have with him. Some days are great, others he has seizures that wipe him out and makes him uncomfortable, where he screams out.

I don't quite understand your comments.
Your original post only talked about using a wheelchair, not any other disability. I only wanted to make it clear to other people reading this thread that using a wheelchair doesn't give front of the line access.

Many people assume that anyone using a wheelchair automatically goes to the front of all the lines and/or skips waiting.
I posted to say that someone using a wheelchair would find that in most cases the lines are wheelchair accessible.

And, I understand only too well about seizures. My youngest DD has multiple disabilities, with epilepsy being one of them. Her seizures are not well controlled and she has 4-5 major seizures each month. It's rare for us to go to WDW without her having a seizure. So, I do understand.

 

[lizziepooh]

We spent a lot of time waiting for the wheelchair accessible stall in restrooms on our last Disney trip with my wheelchair bound cousin. Many people came out who did not appear to need the wheelchair stalls. One lady came out, saw us waiting and said with a flip attitude, " I just like using the higher toilet." So while some of you were in and out of the restroom and on to the next attraction, we were still waiting in the restroom.

 

[cccory]

I don't quite understand your comments.
Your original post only talked about using a wheelchair, not any other disability. I only wanted to make it clear to other people reading this thread that using a wheelchair doesn't give front of the line access.

Many people assume that anyone using a wheelchair automatically goes to the front of all the lines and/or skips waiting.
I posted to say that someone using a wheelchair would find that in most cases the lines are wheelchair accessible.

And, I understand only too well about seizures. My youngest DD has multiple disabilities, with epilepsy being one of them. Her seizures are not well controlled and she has 4-5 major seizures each month. It's rare for us to go to WDW without her having a seizure. So, I do understand.

No,No, No, you are absolutely right. Using a wheelchair shouldn't give you front of the line access, all I was trying to say is that if you see this happen you don't know the whole story about this person, and what is actually wrong with them. In our case it's the seizure and you know exactly what I'm talking about. They can end your day as quickly as it started. If it wasn't for this pass we wouldn't of been able to let him enjoy as many rides as he did. It just took a very nice employee to see the frustration on my face to realize something had to be done.
But, yes, wheelchairs shouldn't be a pass to the front, it's the person who's disability that needs to be looked at and addressed. Same with the buses, I don't expect to be loaded if the bus is already there and people are getting on, I will wait for the next bus.

 

[cccory]

Hope you don't mind me jumping on your post CCCORY, I think this a GREAT reminder for everyone to have a little patience. I would like to add that we need to have patience with EVERYONE, not just ones with an obvious disability. I work with children with special needs and am also the mother of a child with Autism. Some disabilites are easy to see while others are not.
Many people living with Autism, don't look different, but have many issues with navigating the social world and may have 'meltdowns' if their world has any minor hiccups. Routine is very important to them. And while the excitement of Disney and extra stimulation can be hard for some children, ALL families deserve a vacation and dealing with rude and inconciderate people is more than just frustrating... You just want to Scream ''be grateful your child doesn't have to struggle every minute to survive in 'our' world."
So, if you see a child having a temper tantrum, keep the comments and judgements to yourself. While fortunately, not every parent has to live with a child with a disability, you never know what is going on their lives, and your patience and assitance can go A LONG WAY
thanks for letting me add to this well needed comment

This is a great one to address. We saw this a couple of times and it gave me a the opportunity to tell my kids that we don't know what is wrong with this child. It could just be a meltdown, but it could also be something more. This is my opportunity to explain to my kids about other disabilities, while their brother is in a wheelchair these kids can walk and they look like you and me. Please educate your children and let them know we shouldn't judge before we have ALL the history. They are so innocent and we are the ones so quick to judge.

 

[cccory]

We spent a lot of time waiting for the wheelchair accessible stall in restrooms on our last Disney trip with my wheelchair bound cousin. Many people came out who did not appear to need the wheelchair stalls. One lady came out, saw us waiting and said with a flip attitude, " I just like using the higher toilet." So while some of you were in and out of the restroom and on to the next attraction, we were still waiting in the restroom.

This is exactly what I'm trying to get across. While you may be standing in line for something that a wheelchair can go right up front, the wheelchair may have been waiting longer than you for something else, like a bathroom , elevator, etc.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

We spent a lot of time waiting for the wheelchair accessible stall in restrooms on our last Disney trip with my wheelchair bound cousin. Many people came out who did not appear to need the wheelchair stalls. One lady came out, saw us waiting and said with a flip attitude, " I just like using the higher toilet."

Pet peeve!!! I understand that not all disabilities are visible, and that not everyone who needs to use these stalls uses a wheelchair, but I do think a lot of people use them as a nice convenient larger stall. When we went in September, even though the parks were fairly quiet and there was hardly ever a queue at the restrooms (they were usually almost deserted), I found the HA cubicle occupied more often than it was empty. A lot of the time it was parents changing their little darlings out of their princess dresses (which always look swelteringly hot for the Florida weather to me, but what do I know?), people who had got soaked on KRR using it as a private dressing room or similar. There is only one HA stall in each bathroom, if you can cope with using one of the others, please do so!

*Looks for somewhere to take cover from forthcoming flaming for holding such outrageous views*