can't see the way the queue is going

[JillyBean1899]

That is a totally insensitive remark to a person with a disability. What if I said I wish they did away with all elevators and family members can just carry the disabled up the stairs. Would a trip for a w/c person who had to be carried up the steps or stairs be a lot more fun for them.

Yes, the wording on that could have been better (instead of making it be "more fun for everyone" have it be "more enjoyable/less stressful for him"), but really, that comment is a bit out of line. Multiple people have tried to give you help and ideas, giles, and you have either shot them all down or complained about them. I'm sorry that you feel Disney doesn't do "enough" for guests with disabilities in general and you in particular, but that has not been the experience for the vast majority of people on this board. As I have stated, I will be traveling with 2 visually impaired people next month, one uses a cane exclusively the other uses a guide dog which will be coming with us every day, so I will be able to provide a definitive list of which rides will allow a SD on, which rides have a portable kennel stored there, and which ones you have to wait for it to be brought over, as well as where the kennel is set up.

As for asking for Braille menus at each restaurant and being upset if they don't have them, as long as someone is available to read them to the guest, they are in compliance with the ADA. There *ARE* guidebooks offered in Braille, and you can pick one up at guest services in each park, but I'm sure the $25 refundable deposit would be a deterrent, right? And I see nothing in the description of the audio devices that says it will read out the menus at each restaurant to you; in fact, it specifically says:

Walt Disney World Resort offers Audio Description through Disney’s Handheld Device, which provides supplemental audio by describing visual elements such as actions, settings and scene changes. It works with existing show audio at specific theme park attractions, entertainment and other popular locations throughout Walt Disney World Resort.

Since restaurants don't have "existing show audio", it would follow that devices that make use of that audio wouldn't work where it doesn't exist.

I'm sorry that you're going to have such a horrible visit because you moved your reservation to a more expensive resort and will have a "useless" view; I'm sorry you don't feel that your SD would be "safe" enough in the park to bring him with you if it would be easier for you (even though plenty of other people with SDs bring them with no trouble); I'm sorry you won't have everything exactly the way you want it when you want it. I hope even going into it not expecting to enjoy it that you end up having fun.

To the OP: it's definitely worth a shot to try for a DAS, but it also wouldn't hurt to be prepared with an alternate plan if it's not provided or if it doesn't work exactly the way you intended it to work. It may take a little more work, but I have no doubt that you and your family can work together to make the trip enjoyable for everyone.

 

[bedogged]

we will see. sometimes it does. and after numerous trips to WDW, I am famiiar with the queues, and many of the FP queues themselves are shorter and meander less than the standby ones. great movie ride is one instance. nemo, we just went to the door by the exit.

each ride and instance will be judged individually. we'll only use the DAS if it will help, of course. maybe showing it to the CM at the ride and explaining things will convince them to allow us to go to the exit. (at the return time, of course. like I said, we are NOT trying to shorten our wait.)

it will not be more fun for everyone (just him and me) with a wheelchair.. he can walk. he just can't see. and he feels disabled enough already without someone sticking him in a wheelchair he doesn't need. he already feels "useless" (his words, not mine, I know he's not, that's just how he feels) so many things he can't do anymore. he was slways the driver in the family, for one. he worked 60+ hours a week as a machinist all his life and can't do that anymore, he is a vorcacious reader and is having a lot of troubele with that. etc people with disabilites want to be an independant as possible. he can walk fine. ( not saying people in wheelchairs are useless. not saying that at all. that's just not HIS disability.)

thanks to many people for the good suggestions. we will be trying for a DAS. if a manager at one park doens't give it to us, we will try again at another park. I know it will help a lot with his disablity.

Another thing that you might try is if you are refused a DAS, try a few rides and if you have a problem. go back to Guest Services and tell them why it is not working for you. They might reconsider.

 

[Schmeck]

That is a totally insensitive remark to a person with a disability. What if I said I wish they did away with all elevators and family members can just carry the disabled up the stairs. Would a trip for a w/c person who had to be carried up the steps or stairs be a lot more fun for them.

I'm sorry - I didn't mean it to sound that way - I was trying to address the stress and anxiety the OP talked about, not the visual disability. I pointed out how the DAS would not alleviate the stress her husband felt while navigating a queue. The DAS doesn't remove the queue completely, nor the people in front and behind, and that was what the OP stated was the big issue.

But your example is actually the opposite of what I stated, so that is just to me?

 

[gilesmt]

Yes, the wording on that could have been better (instead of making it be "more fun for everyone" have it be "more enjoyable/less stressful for him"), but really, that comment is a bit out of line. Multiple people have tried to give you help and ideas, giles, and you have either shot them all down or complained about them. I'm sorry that you feel Disney doesn't do "enough" for guests with disabilities in general and you in particular, but that has not been the experience for the vast majority of people on this board. As I have stated, I will be traveling with 2 visually impaired people next month, one uses a cane exclusively the other uses a guide dog which will be coming with us every day, so I will be able to provide a definitive list of which rides will allow a SD on, which rides have a portable kennel stored there, and which ones you have to wait for it to be brought over, as well as where the kennel is set up.

As for asking for Braille menus at each restaurant and being upset if they don't have them, as long as someone is available to read them to the guest, they are in compliance with the ADA. There *ARE* guidebooks offered in Braille, and you can pick one up at guest services in each park, but I'm sure the $25 refundable deposit would be a deterrent, right? And I see nothing in the description of the audio devices that says it will read out the menus at each restaurant to you; in fact, it specifically says:

Since restaurants don't have "existing show audio", it would follow that devices that make use of that audio wouldn't work where it doesn't exist.

I'm sorry that you're going to have such a horrible visit because you moved your reservation to a more expensive resort and will have a "useless" view; I'm sorry you don't feel that your SD would be "safe" enough in the park to bring him with you if it would be easier for you (even though plenty of other people with SDs bring them with no trouble); I'm sorry you won't have everything exactly the way you want it when you want it. I hope even going into it not expecting to enjoy it that you end up having fun.

To the OP: it's definitely worth a shot to try for a DAS, but it also wouldn't hurt to be prepared with an alternate plan if it's not provided or if it doesn't work exactly the way you intended it to work. It may take a little more work, but I have no doubt that you and your family can work together to make the trip enjoyable for everyone.

I have a letter written by Disney directed to me dated 12/2008, in summery it states, at this time Disney is in the process of putting maps and menus in Braille and large print as you have requested, we will inform you when they are available. Five years later they now say they are doing it. ( I wonder what would happen if it took five years to make paths accessible to w/c's.)

Smidgy this is to you I may be rude but I am honest and I have experience with a visual disability, personal experience in both dlr and wdw, as a statutorily blind individual. If you are not familiar with the term it is Social Security term, to be declared statutorily blind you need to have less than 20/200 vision I your good eye, or less tha. 20% of field vision! this gives you full benefits of a blind person. Visual impairment is not blind. It is like saying someone is slow, is not the same as someone who has and please forgive me if this is not the politically correct term to date but mentally retarded. Someone who is slow can have an IQ of 80 but to be mentally retarded you have to have an IQ of below 70.

On this board in the last two months they keep telling blind people they can not have a DAS I am not sure that is true, but I do no for a fact that not one person who is blind has writing that, so to me it is speculation on the people who only think w/c and autism is a disability for Disney.

On this board I ask a question on the kennels at the rides, not one person answered that question without speculation. Not one person has admitted to using them, not one person admitted to having seen them used. One person said how it is done at US but no one can say how Disney does it. But they want to speculate and down anyone who wants to use them as insensitive and cruel.

On this board they believe that only w/c should be accommodated or autism. And if you do not fit than they tell you to get a stroller or a w/c and use it.

I am giving you facts as a blind person who meets all the definition to blindness. And I am giving you the honest experience I have run into not speculation, not what they do at US and not what they will do for a w/c or autistic person but what they do for me who is blind.

Disneyland:
Will allow a dog in the room who is a guide dog and never question it.
Will not give you front row seating even if you have a card stating it, they will tell you it is for the safety of there staff for the dog not to be in front row of theaters, or that the dog is not safe I. The front or there is no more front row seats to be had, they don't care what your card says.
They dlh, PPH will both orientate you to your room, both will give you an easy access room without charging you more, both will allow your dog anywhere. Both will work with you getting your trekker and your dog to spot and return to the door of your room, and several other places, like elevator hat, or pool gate. Disney little mermaid has Braille and large print menus and have for a while. Dlr has kennels outside the gates that are I expensive and are accessible to blind individual.

WDW:
Will not allow the guide dog, according to three seperate CM on the phone, but I believe they would if I showed up. Wdw will not orient you to your room. Wdw will not give you an accessible room unless as a blind person you want strobe lights to flash when there is a fire, if you turn this accommodation down they will not give you any other accommodation as far as room, so you have to pick the smallest hotel and a specific room type, but even then when you are paying for it, they will still not for sure give you a room that is a straight path or as straight as can be to the front desk. So you may end up like I did in 2008 stuck out In a storm, unable to find your way to the room. Unable to find your way back to the front desk, standing with water I. Front of you and unable to find the bridge to the front desk, and begging others for help and when you get to the front desk they will just tell you to cross the bridge and it is the second building down. You will then have to get a manager and after three hours I. Tears you may get a room that is not on the other side of a lake. Especially after you paid for prefered. Wdw will have kennels somewhere for use at the park rides, but no one can say how they work no one can tell you what security they have and everyone on this board will give you insensitive remarks and speculation of there thoughts although they have no clue how they work. If you call Disney and ask you will be told no dogs are allowed even if you use the word guide dog or service dog, you will then be put thru three more people who will tell you the same thing no dogs allowed, the. You will get a fourth person who will tell you the kennels are over by POR but your can not bring a dog to the park.

Smidgy it is up to you, you can take the advice of a person who has experience with blindness and going to Disneyland and world, or you can take the speculations from others who think since Disney always accommodates w/c and autism that they will accommodate you also. And there is a link for what a visit was like for the national federation for the blind, and it sounds like they had a great visit, but remember they did not say anything about the room accommodations, they had the head of Disney disability team lead them around which the normal joe like you and me will not.

I don't have the choice of a w/c, since my dd has cerebral palsy and would not be able to push me. And as much as I am tempted, dept of licensing will not give me a liscence for a car so Disney to make there job easier and have everyone with a disability sit in a w/c, blind persons should not be giving permission to use an electric w/c.

That is an honest report of what Disney will not do or will do and what if any accommodations after 20 visits that I have or have not received. That is from a person who is blind and understand visual impairments, not from those who want to shove your husband I to a w/c, or who want to speculate or who want to tell you how another park does it. Those are my experiences and I can give you a lot more. I am not bitter, I am telling you don't count on a park known to accommodate w/c or autism to give you any accommodations if you are blind because they won't. Yes, sit your husband in a w/c and they will. This board does not wish to help anyone who does not fit into the only two disabilities they know, w/c and autism and they suggest everyone with any other disability just use a w/c, and maybe that would work for many but not for blind. It is up to you. For me I will stand proud and say no to becoming uniform so that Disney can continue to win awards for being accommodating because they are not unless you use a w/c or have autism. If my attitude seems bitter, well so be it, at least I am not asking you to lie about your disability and use a w/c and I am not rude saying what the hell he can walk and stand so why are you complaining. If you ask me others are the bitter ones and they make a lot of assumptions which do not at all help those who are blind. I also will continue to ask for even though I am denied equal access, because so far Disney and this board think access should only be equal if you have a w/c or you have autism and that is the truth.

If there is someone blind on this board who has a different experience they have not spoken up in the last four years. If someone could have giving truth to the service dog and kennels they did not speak up. If someone who is blind has information on the DAS card they have not spoken up.

 

[aaarcher86]

We must be reading different boards...

I've seen several accounts of people with service dogs using the kennels and those that are blind. I've also never seen anyone put down any type of disability or only offer advise to a WC or autism. This board is for advise on Disney's policy I regards to disabilities and how they are handled and that's exactly the kind of advise people are given.

 

[redrosesix]

I think there are issues with the new policies for everyone, so I get what you're saying Giles. My mom has several vision issues, much like Smidgy's DH, but I don't think we'd ever get her to Disney. However, we are planning a trip to Ireland and we'll be using a travel agent. My dad had MS and after a few horrible trips we started using a TA -- the same one for every trip because they understood his limitations and more importantly, his interests.

It may sound like strange advice to give to a person who has been to WDW 20 times, but I'd suggest you use a TA like Dreams Unlimited. It's their job to figure out where you can kennel your dog, which resort would be best for you and to answer all the other questions you can't find answers to on these boards. And if you can find out more information to bring back here that would be great.

We found it even easier to work with a TA when we were going to an area we had visited before because we could tell them all of the must do's, but also all of the issues we had had before. Our TA got a lot out of the relationship too. For example, she said she had never asked to see the w/c accessible rooms in hotels before. After she got us as clients she insisted on it, and she got pretty good at knowing which ones were good accessible rooms and which ones just sucked. I know that helped a lot of the clients she had after us too. She also got pretty good at making things go more smoothly during our trip, so any special requests were already in place before we got there.

Just something to consider. Hope this helps even a little bit.

 

[JillyBean1899]

On this board I ask a question on the kennels at the rides, not one person answered that question without speculation. Not one person has admitted to using them, not one person admitted to having seen them used. One person said how it is done at US but no one can say how Disney does it. But they want to speculate and down anyone who wants to use them as insensitive and cruel.

I'm sorry that nobody on this board has used the kennels at all the rides before you. I tried to give you information based on how Universal did it, since it would be similar at Disney. Not everybody that is blind uses these boards, and not everyone that goes to Disney uses these boards. You deciding to not bring your SD along is *YOUR* decision.

WDW:
Will not allow the guide dog, according to three seperate CM on the phone, but I believe they would if I showed up.

So you're saying that when we show up next month with a SD, they will tell us he is not welcome in the hotel room? Um, no. Not unless they want a lawsuit for not being ADA compliant with SDs.

Wdw will not give you an accessible room unless as a blind person you want strobe lights to flash when there is a fire, if you turn this accommodation down they will not give you any other accommodation as far as room, so you have to pick the smallest hotel and a specific room type, but even then when you are paying for it, they will still not for sure give you a room that is a straight path or as straight as can be to the front desk.

I'm not even sure what this means. What "accessible room" are you wanting? The strobe lights on smoke alarms are for deaf people, all the smoke alarms make sound, which you would hear. They all also have Braille room numbers. Are you wanting Braille on the phone and the TV remote, too? Those are the only other surfaces that I could think of where they would be needed. As for the "room in a straight line from the desk", not all of the hotels have a room immediately adjacent to the front desk. If that bothers you, may I suggest you never stay at the Portofino Bay hotel, because to get to your room you will either have to go around 2 corners and up an elevator, or around 2 corners, outside, down a path, and up an elevator. I'm sure that they could have assigned a bellhop to walk you to your room the first time to make sure you could find it; if you're wanting someone to hold your hand every time you go to your room, you'll need to bring along a friend to act as your navigator. That isn't their job.

Wdw will have kennels somewhere for use at the park rides, but no one can say how they work no one can tell you what security they have and everyone on this board will give you insensitive remarks and speculation of there thoughts although they have no clue how they work. If you call Disney and ask you will be told no dogs are allowed even if you use the word guide dog or service dog, you will then be put thru three more people who will tell you the same thing no dogs allowed, the. You will get a fourth person who will tell you the kennels are over by POR but your can not bring a dog to the park.

Now it looks like you're just trying to be obstinate. Not *EVERYONE* has said "insensitive remarks". And as for "speculation of their thoughts" ... well, this *IS* a discussion board. If you don't want to hear other people's opinions, don't post here. Again, you asked for information, and I gave you the best information that I had available. I'm sorry it wasn't to your liking.

At this point, Giles, I'm going to have to stop responding to any of your posts. It's obvious to me that my help is unwelcome, because I have the misfortune of being born with vision, and therefore my opinions and thoughts aren't valid to you. Enjoy your trip to Disney ... or not. That is entirely up to you.

To the OP and everyone else that is looking for help, please do not let one bitter person control your desire to go to Disney. I have never, *NEVER* seen a CM at WDW, UO or SW refuse to help a guest with something they're able to help with, even if it's just calling someone else over that is better suited to help because they can't leave their ride/area of responsibility. No, that doesn't mean you will get exactly what you want exactly when you want it and everyone will jump through hoops to make sure that your every desire is cared for before you even express it; it means that they will do their best to ensure that you experience the parks to your fullest extent.

 

[smidgy]

I'm sorry - I didn't mean it to sound that way - I was trying to address the stress and anxiety the OP talked about, not the visual disability. I pointed out how the DAS would not alleviate the stress her husband felt while navigating a queue. The DAS doesn't remove the queue completely, nor the people in front and behind, and that was what the OP stated was the big issue.

But your example is actually the opposite of what I stated, so that is just to me?

sorry, but I have to disagree with you. I know my husband and how he sees'doesn't see, and I am very familiar with the lines at WDW (we go twice a year.) the DAS WILL alleviate stress. while it doesn't remove the queue completely, it shortens the distance he needs to navigate. (many are not wide enough for proper "leading" (him holding my arm) we end up with me in front and holding hands and me saying "soft left, sharp right about 5 steps till a sharp left, stairs coming up etc.

and it will lessen the amount of time there are people near us. but I never siad that was the big issue. he also gets hurt bumping into things (rocks jutting out of the walls on the lines, bars, etc.)

and if the DAS, as it stands now, won't help, then they need to redefine the DAS. I know it's new and a work in progress. there are disabliites that are not cognitive and donot require wheelchairs. they can easily put on the DAS that , if the standby wait is 45 minutes, we will return to an ALTERNATIVE entrance in 35 minutes.

viola, problem solved.

If they don't give us a DAS I will NOT be allowing people to cut in front of us. most of the time, when I have, we all eventually get to the spot where the line stops moving, and now there are numerous people in front of us who shouldn't be. and no one is moving fast anyway at that point. they just got there faster.

like I said, thanks for all the suggestions. a wheelchair is definitely NOT an option. we will try very hard to get a DAS.
I will go back later and tell them how it didn't work well without one and try again, but I already know from previous trips, before hubby finally agreed to using the GAC, how that will work.
I'll let you all know. also how the front of the show seating works without that stamp also. he does need to be seated in the front.

 

[Gracie09]

On this board in the last two months they keep telling blind people they can not have a DAS I am not sure that is true, but I do no for a fact that not one person who is blind has writing that, so to me it is speculation on the people who only think w/c and autism is a disability for Disney.

On this board I ask a question on the kennels at the rides, not one person answered that question without speculation. Not one person has admitted to using them, not one person admitted to having seen them used. One person said how it is done at US but no one can say how Disney does it. But they want to speculate and down
Disneyland:
Will allow a dog in the room who is a guide dog and never question it.
Will not give you front row seating even if you have a card stating it, they will tell you it is for the safety of there staff for the dog not to be in front row of theaters, or that the dog is not safe I. The front or there is no more front row seats to be had, they don't care what your card says.
They dlh, PPH will both orientate you to your room, both will give you an easy access room without charging you more, both will allow your dog anywhere. Both will work with you getting your trekker and your dog to spot and return to the door of your room, and several other places, like elevator hat, or pool gate. Disney little mermaid has Braille and large print menus and have for a while. Dlr has kennels outside the gates that are I expensive and are accessible to blind individual.

WDW:
Will not allow the guide dog, according to three seperate CM on the phone, but I believe they would if I showed up. Wdw will not orient you to your room. Wdw will not give you an accessible room unless as a blind person you want strobe lights to flash when there is a fire, if you turn this accommodation down they will not give you any other accommodation as far as room, so you have to pick the smallest hotel and a specific room type, but even then when you are paying for it, they will still not for sure give you a room that is a straight path or as straight as can be to the front desk. So you may end up like I did in 2008 stuck out In a storm, unable to find your way to the room. Unable to find your way back to the front desk, standing with water I. Front of you and unable to find the bridge to the front desk, and begging others for help and when you get to the front desk they will just tell you to cross the bridge and it is the second building down. You will then have to get a manager and after three hours I. Tears you may get a room that is not on the other side of a lake. Especially after you paid for prefered. Wdw will have kennels somewhere for use at the park rides, but no one can say how they work no one can tell you what security they have and everyone on this board will give you insensitive remarks and speculation of there thoughts although they have no clue how they work. If you call Disney and ask you will be told no dogs are allowed even if you use the word guide dog or service dog, you will then be put thru three more people who will tell you the same thing no dogs allowed, the. You will get a fourth person who will tell you the kennels are over by POR but your can not bring a dog to the park.

Smidgy it is up to you, you can take the advice of a person who has experience with blindness and going to Disneyland and world, or you can take the speculations from others who think since Disney always accommodates w/c and autism that they will accommodate you also. And there is a link for what a visit was like for the national federation for the blind, and it sounds like they had a great visit, but remember they did not say anything about the room accommodations, they had the head of Disney disability team lead them around which the normal joe like you and me will not.

I don't have the choice of a w/c, since my dd has cerebral palsy and would not be able to push me. And as much as I am tempted, dept of licensing will not give me a liscence for a car so Disney to make there job easier and have everyone with a disability sit in a w/c, blind persons should not be giving permission to use an electric w/c.

That is an honest report of what Disney will not do or will do and what if any accommodations after 20 visits that I have or have not received. That is from a person who is blind and understand visual impairments, not from those who want to shove your husband I to a w/c, or who want to speculate or who want to tell you how another park does it. Those are my experiences and I can give you a lot more. I am not bitter, I am telling you don't count on a park known to accommodate w/c or autism to give you any accommodations if you are blind because they won't. Yes, sit your husband in a w/c and they will. This board does not wish to help anyone who does not fit into the only two disabilities they know, w/c and autism and they suggest everyone with any other disability just use a w/c, and maybe that would work for many but not for blind. It is up to you. For me I will stand proud and say no to becoming uniform so that Disney can continue to win awards for being accommodating because they are not unless you use a w/c or have autism. If my attitude seems bitter, well so be it, at least I am not asking you to lie about your disability and use a w/c and I am not rude saying what the hell he can walk and stand so why are you complaining. If you ask me others are the bitter ones and they make a lot of assumptions which do not at all help those who are blind. I also will continue to ask for even though I am denied equal access, because so far Disney and this board think access should only be equal if you have a w/c or you have autism and that is the truth.

If there is someone blind on this board who has a different experience they have not spoken up in the last four years. If someone could have giving truth to the service dog and kennels they did not speak up. If someone who is blind has information on the DAS card they have not spoken up.

If you google service dog and wdw you come up with a web page about service dogs at wdw (they are welcome etc etc here are the rides they can't ride due to safety issues, kennels provided etc). There are also several other pages that have reports of people who have brought their service dog to wdw. Normal every day people.
The Ada does require Braille menus but it does require wheelchair accessible paths so you are comparing apples to oranges. Very few of the hotels have rooms right near the desk or in a straight line from the desk. So if they don't have it how can they give it to you?
I hope you have a good trip but you seem so focused on the negative because it's not exactly what you want I honestly don't think you will.

I have traveled with my husband and children who have various disabilities - not autism or in a wheelchair- and Disney is great at accommodating what they can but there are things that they can't change that we deal with.

 

[Schmeck]

sorry, but I have to disagree with you. I know my husband and how he sees'doesn't see, and I am very familiar with the lines at WDW (we go twice a year.) the DAS WILL alleviate stress. while it doesn't remove the queue completely, it shortens the distance he needs to navigate. (many are not wide enough for proper "leading" (him holding my arm) we end up with me in front and holding hands and me saying "soft left, sharp right about 5 steps till a sharp left, stairs coming up etc.

and it will lessen the amount of time there are people near us. but I never siad that was the big issue. he also gets hurt bumping into things (rocks jutting out of the walls on the lines, bars, etc.)

and if the DAS, as it stands now, won't help, then they need to redefine the DAS. I know it's new and a work in progress. there are disabliites that are not cognitive and donot require wheelchairs. they can easily put on the DAS that , if the standby wait is 45 minutes, we will return to an ALTERNATIVE entrance in 35 minutes.

viola, problem solved.

If they don't give us a DAS I will NOT be allowing people to cut in front of us. most of the time, when I have, we all eventually get to the spot where the line stops moving, and now there are numerous people in front of us who shouldn't be. and no one is moving fast anyway at that point. they just got there faster.

like I said, thanks for all the suggestions. a wheelchair is definitely NOT an option. we will try very hard to get a DAS.
I will go back later and tell them how it didn't work well without one and try again, but I already know from previous trips, before hubby finally agreed to using the GAC, how that will work.
I'll let you all know. also how the front of the show seating works without that stamp also. he does need to be seated in the front.

Hopefully the FP+ queues won't be long like they are now when it is time for your trip then. Although the slow pace of them moving forward might benefit your husband, as he will not feel rushed.

But part of your post still has me . Most of the time, for us at least, the FP queue is the one you have to walk through briskly - the standby is the slower moving queue. Haven't been since FP+ started though, so perhaps my concerns are not justified, but how will he/you handle a fast moving FP queue?

 

[Jellifer]

I think it's out of order to tell a blind person to use a wheelchair and rely on someone else. As a blind person I need my feet on the ground to feel secure, someone pushing me about all day is my idea of hell

 

[Bete]

ok I had no idea what to "name" this thread. "visual disabilites" have seemed to gone by the way side. it is very hard for my husband to "quickly!!!" jump into the clam shell at nemo. or the ride car at haunted mansion he is so nervous about ANY lines now. his vision has gotten really bad. he just really wants to enjoy the only place he is happy. he doesn't want to cheat other people or jump in front of them in line. just give us a time to come back . esp with the dark rides... he can still ACTUALLY SEE some of the things in Haunted mansion...IF we go at night when his eyes have adjusted. yup multiple problems trying to navigate the lines... all those jerks behind you stepping on your heels. cause you aren't walking fast enough...\\ which casues MUCh anxiety... !!!

If being in the dark is the main problem then maybe more lighting would help. I'm not sure if these suggestions would help, but you can get LED lighting that clamps onto a baseball cap visor. A little flashlight might work, too, but you have to hold it. You could even use both for more lighting. Maybe, the extra light would allow him to navigate better. Once you are on the ride turn the lighting off to conserve the battery power. The only other recourse would be pushing him in a wheelchair. I know this isn't an option anyone likes, but it may allow your trips to Disney World to continue or not. In some cases you can get on a ride with the wheelchair which certainly would be a blessing. In other cases, he'd only have to worry about getting on the ride and you could park the wheelchair. In some way I feel this may not be a bad answer. The way it sounds he has the potential to fall with his poor vision especially in darker areas. He feels nervous with others around him and that could lead to a fall. We have found using a wheelchair works well if you take the parks by mixing up the activities like doing a few rides then a show, doing a few more rides and then a break for lunch, and then do a few more rides and then a parade. You get the idea. The pusher gets a rest that way. If there is ever more than you and him then you can take turns with someone else pushing the wheelchair. If he wants to walk some, then he could use the wheelchair as a walker when the lighting is better outside of the rides. I would try to avoid the busy, peak times for the rides. I would say the morning is less crowded. If you stay onsite use the extra magic hours to arrive as early as possible. By all means use fastpass plus for the rides. If a ride is too difficult based on past experiences then I would skip the harder ones. There are plenty of rides and missing a few is better then being aggravated about it all. Try to enjoy other fun at the parks. Take in more live entertainment. We love the street entertainment at the parks. With trying for a DAS maybe consult his doctor and see if the doctor can use wording that may help you more with getting a DAS. Also, try more than one guest service person for a DAS if you get refused. Sometimes, one park refuses and another park will give you one. It shouldn't be that way, but we are all human. Escalate to a supervisor if you are not having much luck with getting a DAS. At least if you try on all levels for a DAS then you know you have done your best. You may ultimately, have to decide on a different vacation. It's starting to sound like to me that he is not that fond of Disney anymore considering his situation. Sometimes, we have to change our vacation. If you still enjoy Disney yourself and you don't want to give it up then you may need to go with a friend or relative instead. Over the last 3 years we have ventured out ourselves to different vacations and we find ourselves going to Disney less and less. It's just getting too hard for us to continue doing Disney. We have different issues from you, but we have moved on to other adventures and it's working for us. We actually wonder now why we just kept going back to Disney and not do other vacations. There are many vacations that could suit you better, now.

 

[zela02]

sorry, but I have to disagree with you. I know my husband and how he sees'doesn't see, and I am very familiar with the lines at WDW (we go twice a year.) the DAS WILL alleviate stress. while it doesn't remove the queue completely, it shortens the distance he needs to navigate. (many are not wide enough for proper "leading" (him holding my arm) we end up with me in front and holding hands and me saying "soft left, sharp right about 5 steps till a sharp left, stairs coming up etc. and it will lessen the amount of time there are people near us. but I never siad that was the big issue. he also gets hurt bumping into things (rocks jutting out of the walls on the lines, bars, etc.) and if the DAS, as it stands now, won't help, then they need to redefine the DAS. I know it's new and a work in progress. there are disabliites that are not cognitive and donot require wheelchairs. they can easily put on the DAS that , if the standby wait is 45 minutes, we will return to an ALTERNATIVE entrance in 35 minutes. viola, problem solved. If they don't give us a DAS I will NOT be allowing people to cut in front of us. most of the time, when I have, we all eventually get to the spot where the line stops moving, and now there are numerous people in front of us who shouldn't be. and no one is moving fast anyway at that point. they just got there faster. like I said, thanks for all the suggestions. a wheelchair is definitely NOT an option. we will try very hard to get a DAS. I will go back later and tell them how it didn't work well without one and try again, but I already know from previous trips, before hubby finally agreed to using the GAC, how that will work. I'll let you all know. also how the front of the show seating works without that stamp also. he does need to be seated in the front.

I don't have a vision impairment, but I do have a child with some field loss and orientation and mobility challenges, have worked with numerous children with vision impairments and am 1/2 class away from finishing a Teacher of the Visually impaired graduate teaching certification.

In the lines, whether it be the standby line or the FP line, I think some basic sighted guide techniques would go a long way to reducing anxiety levels and increasing confidence with your husband's travel skills. For instance, when using sighted guide in narrow passages, he would fall in behind you rather than walking beside you. With a little practice, your husband can naturally learn to follow your lead physically, rather than relying on verbal cues. If you search YouTube you can find a ton of demonstration videos and perhaps some tips for improving his orientation and mobility. I hope this helps a little.

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[I Love Pluto]

Please don't assume that I am being rude, as no rudeness is intended with my answer.

If I am on the highway, and a person going 85 mph is behind me - then I MOVE OVER to let the speeder go ahead of me. I don't depress my pedal to speed up, because I do not wish to drive that fast.

Therefore - in the same line of thinking - if I am in line at an attraction & I cannot keep up with the pace of others -- then I allow them to pass me. I am not going to go any faster & possibly injure myself.

If I cannot enter a ride such as Haunted Mansion or Little Mermaid - then I ask for the ride to be stopped. If they cannot accommodate this need, I leave.

LM has the WORST group of CMs I have ever witnessed for this issue. Although polite, they will NOT help anyone by stopping the belt. I just leave rather than cause a scene. That is an absolute shame. I have had one ride on it when it first opened. They were more willing to stop the belt then.

Perhaps the Little Mermaid personnel should examine their policy of stopping or not stopping the belt for those who NEED it stopped. God & All His Angels cannot get me to board a car from a moving floor. They will need an ambulance if I attempt this task! Maybe this is difficult for an able-bodied person to understand. It is a shame that I will never experience this ride again.

 

[smidgy]

Hopefully the FP+ queues won't be long like they are now when it is time for your trip then. Although the slow pace of them moving forward might benefit your husband, as he will not feel rushed.

But part of your post still has me . Most of the time, for us at least, the FP queue is the one you have to walk through briskly - the standby is the slower moving queue. Haven't been since FP+ started though, so perhaps my concerns are not justified, but how will he/you handle a fast moving FP queue?

we go at the slower times, go at rope drop, etc. so the standby lines are usually fast moving. and as I stated, the GAC let us use and alternativeentrance. which is what the DAS should do for those with vision issues. and I will ask at the ride. don't even subtract the 10 minutes, we don't care. if the standby is 40 minutes, give us a return time of 40 minutes.
but it they won't thenwe will handle the fast moving FQ queue the same way we handle any queue, it just won't be for as long of a distance, as I already stated.

 

[dvczerfs]

smidgy!!! thank you for posting this!!!!
my wife was a healthy 41 year old and lost her vision in her left eye due to a tumor on her optic nerve. ( thanks to the great people at wills eye in philly, they saved her life.)six years ago.
I few years back, and I can dig back to find my post, I was told this is for people with real disabilities.
needless to say, I never really looked her for any info.
to look at my wife, you cant tell she is blind.when I say blind in her left eye, there is nothing. no light nothing. she under went radiation treatment and her optic nerve is dead. she is a proud women (like most of us) and she will not make it known she cant see. I have learned over the years to walk on her left side. she more less guides herself off of me but most important for her, it keeps people from running in or her plowing people over and feeling bad about. also keeps her from bumping into walls etc..... when walking, I don't make a big deal or say it loud but I will say, curb,step. nobody has no idea what im doing if they hear me and frankly I don't give a crap if they did.
when she had her surgery, she wore a black lens in her glasses on one eye. just to keep from grossing people out. it was nasty!!! I can post a picture if you want. but the looks she got from people.just incredible.
the first few years she had a lot of balance issues. you lose your depth perception. anyway, I hope you find an answer and something that works for your husband.

 

[smidgy]

If being in the dark is the main problem then maybe more lighting would help. I'm not sure if these suggestions would help, but you can get LED lighting that clamps onto a baseball cap visor. A little flashlight might work, too, but you have to hold it. You could even use both for more lighting. Maybe, the extra light would allow him to navigate better. Once you are on the ride turn the lighting off to conserve the battery power.

the problem with this suggestion (and it would be a good one) is that now that he has been looking with this bright light, when we actually get ON the ride, he won't see anything. his other thing is his eyes take forever to adjust from light to dark.. which is why we only do haunted mansion, POTC, , etc at night.



The only other recourse would be pushing him in a wheelchair. I know this is an option anyone likes,

I have spokent ot his "option" ad nauseum, we won't he won't it's not an option for us and I won't speak about it again (except to the CM who will bring it up, I'll explain again to her.



but it may allow your trips to Disney World to continue or not. If there is ever more than you and him then you can take turns with someone else pushing the wheelchair.

it is just the 2 of us, although I would do anything for him

I would try to avoid the busy, peak times for the rides. I would say the morning is less crowded. If you stay onsite use the extra magic hours to arrive as early as possible. By all means use fastpass plus for the rides. If a ride is too difficult based on past experiences then I would skip the harder ones. There are plenty of rides and missing a few is better then being aggravated about it all. Try to enjoy other fun at the parks. Take in more live entertainment. We love the street entertainment at the parks.

you are talking to diseny veterans here. huby has 8? trip reports under his belt. I lost track, but I think we have been 24 times?

we know all about rope drop. I work nights and disney is the ONLY time I get up early. extra magic., goin at slow times, fast pass. we get it. entertainment? street performers? shows? we love them all.

but nebo does not want to skip a ride he loves becuase of his vision.




With trying for a DAS maybe consult his doctor and see if the doctor can use wording that may help you more with getting a DAS. Also, try more than one guest service person for a DAS if you get refused. Sometimes, one park refuses and another park will give you one. It shouldn't be that way, but we are all human. Escalate to a supervisor if you are not having much luck with getting a DAS. At least if you try on all levels for a DAS then you know you have done your best.


this is definitely the plan. I can be tenacious

You may ultimately, have to decide on a different vacation. It's starting to sound like to me that he is not that fond of Disney anymore considering his situation. Sometimes, we have to change our vacation. If you still enjoy Disney yourself and you don't want to give it up then you may need to go with a friend or relative instead.






you dont' know Nebo. disney is more HIS thing than mine. and with his depression over his impending blindness, disney is the only place he is happy. I almost got him to go to vegas once. almost. . There's many vacations that could suit you better, now.

we stayed at disney's vero beach resort for 4 nights before a WDW trip once. nebo was bored after one day. but thanks for your suggestions.

the lonly one that will work is the being persistent suggestion.

 

[smidgy]

I don't have a vision impairment, but I do have a child with some field loss and orientation and mobility challenges, have worked with numerous children with vision impairments and am 1/2 class away from finishing a Teacher of the Visually impaired graduate teaching certification.

In the lines, whether it be the standby line or the FP line, I think some basic sighted guide techniques would go a long way to reducing anxiety levels and increasing confidence with your husband's travel skills. For instance, when using sighted guide in narrow passages, he would fall in behind you rather than walking beside you. With a little practice, your husband can naturally learn to follow your lead physically, rather than relying on verbal cues. If you search YouTube you can find a ton of demonstration videos and perhaps some tips for improving his orientation and mobility. I hope this helps a little.

Have a wonderful trip!

thanks so much will do!

 

[smidgy]

Please don't assume that I am being rude, as no rudeness is intended with my answer.

If I am on the highway, and a person going 85 mph is behind me - then I MOVE OVER to let the speeder go ahead of me. I don't depress my pedal to speed up, because I do not wish to drive that fast.

Therefore - in the same line of thinking - if I am in line at an attraction & I cannot keep up with the pace of others -- then I allow them to pass me. I am not going to go any faster & possibly injure myself.
the problem with this analogy is all those people on the highway are not trying to get to the exact same place you are, say a restaurant, and now all those people will be seated before you and you have to wait.

but we don't let them rush us. if disney won't give us the accomodation we need, then people will have to wait. if, howeve,r they do give us the card, and we end op in the FP queue, then we will let them pass.
If I cannot enter a ride such as Haunted Mansion or Little Mermaid - then I ask for the ride to be stopped. If they cannot accommodate this need, I leave.

LM has the WORST group of CMs I have ever witnessed for this issue. Although polite, they will NOT help anyone by stopping the belt. I just leave rather than cause a scene. That is an absolute shame. I have had one ride on it when it first opened. They were more willing to stop the belt then.

Perhaps the Little Mermaid personnel should examine their policy of stopping or not stopping the belt for those who NEED it stopped. God & All His Angels cannot get me to board a car from a moving floor. They will need an ambulance if I attempt this task! Maybe this is difficult for an able-bodied person to understand. It is a shame that I will never experience this ride again.

that is a shame. have you communicated this to guest relations? what about people in wheelchairs that can't transfer?

 

[smidgy]

smidgy!!! thank you for posting this!!!!
my wife was a healthy 41 year old and lost her vision in her left eye due to a tumor on her optic nerve. ( thanks to the great people at wills eye in philly, they saved her life.)six years ago.
I few years back, and I can dig back to find my post, I was told this is for people with real disabilities.
needless to say, I never really looked her for any info.
to look at my wife, you cant tell she is blind.when I say blind in her left eye, there is nothing. no light nothing. she under went radiation treatment and her optic nerve is dead. she is a proud women (like most of us) and she will not make it known she cant see. I have learned over the years to walk on her left side. she more less guides herself off of me but most important for her, it keeps people from running in or her plowing people over and feeling bad about. also keeps her from bumping into walls etc..... when walking, I don't make a big deal or say it loud but I will say, curb,step. nobody has no idea what im doing if they hear me and frankly I don't give a crap if they did.
when she had her surgery, she wore a black lens in her glasses on one eye. just to keep from grossing people out. it was nasty!!! I can post a picture if you want. but the looks she got from people.just incredible.
the first few years she had a lot of balance issues. you lose your depth perception. anyway, I hope you find an answer and something that works for your husband.

aw. sorry for your wife. I'll bet she can't see the 3D effects either. hubby nebo's left eye is useless. he has a little blurry vision in his right. but you need 2 eyes to see 3D. he sits through Philharmagic for my sake, and Muppets cause he just finds it cheery anyway.