Bus Transportation for Blind Guest

[kaytieeldr]

Until you are faced with the disability yourself you cannot dictate how it should or should not impact someone.

Hence the use of the phrase "could (not should, must, can only, etc.) be expected..."

 

[gap2368]

Until you are faced with the disability yourself you cannot dictate how it should or should not impact someone.
I have to think about things in my daily life that fully sighted people would be like "why" about.
For example whenever I walk into a restaurant I have to make sure whoever I'm with is close enough to hold onto. I have to look like a child with their mother reading the menu options. I have to then commit the name of the dish to memory for 5 minutes until the waiter comes.
At movie theaters the need to hold onto someone is even greater and if the movie has sub titles I have to have it read to me. I love old movies so when the movie "The Artist" came out we specifically waited a while to see it and then went at an off time hoping to avoid a full theater so my sister and friend could read the entire movie to me.
Going anywhere at night in general is not terribly fun for me. In the winter it is completely unavoidable but I do find that when there is snow on the ground it really helps lighten everything up.
I have been blind in my left eye since age 11 and then became night blind in my right eye at 21. The first time I went to WDW after that was hell because I didn't realize quite how bad it was until I walked into the line to meet Mickey in Toontown and suddenly I was a deer in headlights. I just froze and my sister had to come back and lead me which was the first time that needed to be done other than earlier in the year when my retina was detached and that is what caused the night blindness. She thought I was just being dumb but after we met Mickey I walked outside and started crying and explained that it was literally like I had my eyes closed trying to walk through the line. We then came up with ways to make it easier.

These things are not what I like to focus on because I do enjoy going to restaurants, movies, shopping, and of course Disney World and I don't talk about it much because suddenly people think I can't possibly do "normal" things but I feel there was potential for someone even if its not you to learn some lessons on what being visually impaired is like.

You've proven to me that some people just don't get it which is when I must walk away because nothing I say will make a difference in your judgement of those with a visual impairment.

My most favorite movie I ever saw was with my friend that was blind she heard things long before I did and would ask me why is there this I would tell her I have no clue a few minutes latter I saw why she heard

Also I have a problem reading with noise in the background ( talking is the worst) so most of the time when I go out to eat I have to have someone read me the menu take about emberrisment exsplaning this too people your with. One thing I will do if I know I am going out to eat is I will go online and look at the menu sometime I do the text to speech and have it read to me. When I get to the restaurant I will often say oh don’t you have ( and then talk about what I want like the chicken and shrimp dish )

Ok back to the topic just had to share this

 

[cmwade77]

If stepping onto a bus is so fraught with issues that you need to use the back entrance/ramp, how is that person navigating the parks/crowds?

I am guessing you have no experience in dealing with those that are legally blind and/or have night blindness.

I have known several with issues and for many (not all), navigating the parks may be ok because a person in front of them is relatively large compared to a small step up into the bus that is a lot more difficult to see.

As I said, I don't see why using the ramp should be a big deal, in all reality ANYONE should be able to use the ramp, as there are often hidden disabilities that could make the step up into the bus difficult, yes a majority with invisible disabilities will rent an ECV offsite, but some will only rent in the parks and then need assistance at the bus and this should be accommodated better than it is.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I have known several with issues and for many (not all), navigating the parks may be ok because a person in front of them is relatively large compared to a small step up into the bus that is a lot more difficult to see.

But anybody who has used public transportation or even walked in normal daily life can reasonably be expected to know they need to step up or down, on buses, trains, subways. Even paratransit.

As I said, I don't see why using the ramp should be a big deal, in all reality ANYONE should be able to use the ramp, as there are often hidden disabilities that could make the step up into the bus difficult, yes a majority with invisible disabilities will rent an ECV offsite, but some will only rent in the parks and then need assistance at the bus and this should be accommodated better than it is.

Then address the issue with Disney.

 

[cmwade77]

But anybody who has used public transportation or even walked in normal daily life can reasonably be expected to know they need to step up or down, on buses, trains, subways. Even paratransit.

Then address the issue with Disney.

As has clearly been stated, Disney is NOT normal day to day life, public transit is generally better lit and the person can have their own high powered flash light with them, something that is NOT allowed in the parks, which means they wouldn't have it for boarding the buses.

And the issue is being addressed with Disney, but the other part of that problem are the very rude guests that don't understand why someone with a hidden disability might need to use a ramp, something I think this thread has proven quite well.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

As has clearly been stated, Disney is NOT normal day to day life, public transit is generally better lit and the person can have their own high powered flash light with them, something that is NOT allowed in the parks, which means they wouldn't have it for boarding the buses.

And the issue is being addressed with Disney, but the other part of that problem are the very rude guests that don't understand why someone with a hidden disability might need to use a ramp, something I think this thread has proven quite well.

People don't hear what they don't want to listen to. I've given up on some posters. Just not worth it.

 

[lanejudy]

I appreciate OP sharing their experience. None of the rest of us were there, none of the rest of us know exactly the extent of the person’s abilities/disabilities. Let’s all remember we are each individuals. Disabilities impact in different ways. No more arguing about it.

 

[lanejudy]

We’re done here.