Concerned by some things I've been reading...

[Mike Bartenhagen]

Here is a picture of the strollers:

http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/strollers.html

Mike

 

[abbylukesmom]

I'm having trouble with the link.............

 

[mlwear]

Sorry but I can not do the quotes thing yet. To the lady who was thinking about a sign on the back of her autistic child. Last year when we were at Disney we saw a boy of about 12 with a label on his back explaining that he was autistic and unable to speak. They also had a cellphone number. The label made me more carefull about the way we acted in line behind this child. We made sure that we gave him enogh room in line and tried not to make too much noise. We noticed him several times over the next few days and the label appeared to be a good idea.

Thanks for your reply. I've been thinking about it and leaning more toward using the sticker. My son is verbal, but nothing he says can be depended on as being accurate. He just randomly gives answers. I am thinking it might be a good idea. I am SO afraid he will get lost.

 

[SueM in MN]

Hope this link works for you. It's a link to Deb Wills website, which has pictures of the strollers for all the parks. If you scroll down the page, you'll find a link to the pictures of strollers from the different parks. The studio has different strollers than the other parks - ones that look more like jogging strollers.
AK, MK and Epcot have hard plastic molded strollers. They look like they are made of Little Tikes material if you are familiar with that (so hard, but not hard at the same time).
A lot of people have posted in the past that their children with autism spectrum find the firm pressure provided by the hard plastic is very comforting and that the canopy and sides cut down on stimulation. So, all in all, the WDW strollers make a nice "safe haven" even if not needed for mobility.
There are apparently 2 sizes of strollers (according to what WDW CMs have posted before), with the largest size being able to fit up to a small 12 year old.

 

[Figaro]

I can't go out in public alone because of my falling. But I look perfectly normal when I don't have any current broken bones because of falls. And just today someone came up and hassled us (a friend who very kindly goes grocery shopping with me) about being in a handicapped spot even though the handicapped sticker was hanging from the rear view mirror.

I would hope that the people who do decide to confront someone that they have decided is a cheater do so in a non-hostile way, as I have to tell you, the way this man barked at us just about reduced me to tears. Oh, and there have been times when I've fallen and my spouse has helped me back to the car and left me there while he finished running whatever errands we were out running. He doesn't move the car when that happens either, so at least in my case, when you see people sitting in the car with the disabled sticker that is why.

 

[abbylukesmom]

Thank you Sue the link worked perfect! The stroller ARE very large in size!

 

[vhoffman]

I have RA and some days are better than others. However, I've learned not to push those good days or they will end up being bad days. Over the years I've had many people challenge me for parking in a handicapped space. I've found the more I try to explain the more I'm argued with. I've finally come to the conslusion that I don't owe everyone my life's story. Depending on the mood I'm in, I either 1. ignore them completely ; 2. Pretend I don't speak English (I'm fluent in three other languages, so I just start babbling in Spanish, French, or German, whatever I think they won't understand); or 3. Just say f--- you and walk off. You're under no obligation to be "nice" to someone who is being rude to you. My mother's expression fits this "sometimes you have to fight ignorance with ignorance. Its all some people understand."

 

[vhoffman]

Oh, and insofar as the scumbags who abuse the system, well my mother had an expression for people like them, too "they're not dead yet". My MIL used her husband's handicapped parking card after he died (she wasn't handicapped) and my SIL used her grandmother's. Well, last year, my MIL had a major stroke. Now she doesn't have to pass herself off on someone else's card, she has one of her very own. Happy parking, Barbara! Oh, SIL doesn't have a thing to worry about--I know she was understandably worried what to do when her deceased grandmother's permit expired. After all, she might just walk her fat off a$$ off if she parked in the regular spots. However, now she can use MIL's! Oh, life does work out in wonderful ways, doesn't it?

 

[Meezers]

To the parents of the child on the anti-seizure meds.

I am a 43 yoa lady who just plain doesn't sweat. Maybe a little in my hair line if I am working but that is it. For me it is turn so red I am purple...pass out...wake up with a screaming migraine.

I don't know if you child will be able to tell you...but if they do get overheated...they will probably wake up with a terrible headache. In addition to cooling them down....please be aware of keeping them in a dark and quiet place until they are feeling better.

It does not take very long to overheat in Florida. I am glad you are going in December.

Figaro....next time you want to go to Disney...let me know...I could be your blocker!

 

[Adrienne]

Heya, i have chronic fatigue syndrome and look 'normal' most of the time. i have a disabled parking permit for my car, but i only use it when i feel really bad, if i think i can cope with the walk from the regular park, particularly when i'm with my partner who can drop me go park and then do the reverse at the other end of the trip i do, however, there are days when i would be house bound if not for that pass... i figure that on a good day i would be cheating the system to use it, but on a bad day, i just grit my teeth and do it.....

Adrienne

 

[Sue & Co.]

I am also one that looks as if I do not need need the handicap pass as for short distances I can look as if I am walking normally, but for longer distances I can do it but it causes extreme pain to do so. According to Bill the fact that I can do so at the cost of agony to me means that I should not have a pass to reduce the pain suffered!!

Since I also have other issues (not just mobility) we do get a GAC at Disney but we use it as little as possible relying on a wheelchair, the fastpass system and going off peak at quiet times as much as we can.

Ultimately it is up to each persons conscience if without the help you wouldn't be able to do things you should get the help even if it isn't obvious to others, if it is just a convenience you shouldn't.

Sue

 

[Nik's Mom]

Oh, and insofar as the scumbags who abuse the system, well my mother had an expression for people like them, too "they're not dead yet". My MIL used her husband's handicapped parking card after he died (she wasn't handicapped) and my SIL used her grandmother's. Well, last year, my MIL had a major stroke. Now she doesn't have to pass herself off on someone else's card, she has one of her very own. Happy parking, Barbara! Oh, SIL doesn't have a thing to worry about--I know she was understandably worried what to do when her deceased grandmother's permit expired. After all, she might just walk her fat off a$$ off if she parked in the regular spots. However, now she can use MIL's! Oh, life does work out in wonderful ways, doesn't it?

That really burns me! That's stealing from the dead!!! We returned my Dad's plackard the week after he died. It even states on the paperwork that it must be returned upon death! Some people are evil!

By the way, just this afternoon we went through the McDonalds drive thru. While waiting for our food, I noticed that a huge group of motorcyclists had taken refuge the in parking lot. There were at least 20 of them. Get this...they blocked the last 2 available handicap spots!!!! I was furious but didn't know who to call. This McDonalds was frequented by my Dad, and had he been alive, he may have not had a place to park because of those losers! So, who do I call to report? I have seen that same group there on several occations!
Thanks!

 

[Talking Hands]

I have to say I am so proud of my husband and my daughters. They never use my handicap placard unless I am with them and will be getting out of the car and going in. A few weeks back my husband's coworker was going to pull into a handicap spot just to run in to a realtor office for a minute. DH, told her no, park over there, there are plently of spaces and that is illegal. If more people were like that we wouldn't have a problem.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

So, who do I call to report?
Thanks!

You call the police.

 

[mlwear]

I thought of this thread this weekend. Several times on television were PSA's telling able-bodied people to NOT park in Handicapped spots
Ended with "they NEED them, you DON'T" Maybe I just noticed it since I've been reading this thread, but I can't remember seeing them before. Played several times this weekend--and I didn't watch that much TV.

 

[Adrienne]

Sorry to keep coming back to the parking thing. I apologize to the OP for taking this so off topic.


In one of these spaces a 30s something man got out of the car and walked in, he didn't seem to have any problem but I admit he may have a hidden disability.

i understand, but when it comes to having a hidden disability like mine, i'm glad that i have a bumper sticker on my car that has the international disbled symbol on it and says "check out the permit not the person" its been the start of me being able to make people very embarressed for challenging me for parking in the space with my permit, that has my DL number on it nonetheless!......

Adrienne

 

[Tiger Fan]

I wish this were not true, but I've had people make audible comments as well as many "looks" when I load on the buses (and some rides) at Disney. This trip I'm bald as can be, but on most of my previous trips I look like a healthy, overweight person. I do have a very bad limp if they see me walking, but my cancer has spread to my bones and that's not visible. I absolutely cannot walk more than say 20 feet before getting into very severe pain. I most often got the looks after I loaded on the bus and then got out of my ECV and moved into a seat (I had been instructed to do this by the driver) - people would just go nuts. A month or so ago there were quite a few posts on the main planning board about how people were aggravated by those of us "wasting their time" or messing up their vacation. I posted a resopnse or two, but finally just quit reading as it kept hurting my feelings so bad. I've thought about printing a little card with a synopsis of my medical issues and handing those to the people who make obvious comments, remarks, or looks, but figure they are really not worth it. Now, heaven forbid that my little 8 year old hears or sees a comment - she might just go into attack mode as she is very protective of her Mommy !
Lisa
Tiger Fan

 

[mlwear]

I've thought about printing a little card with a synopsis of my medical issues and handing those to the people who make obvious comments, remarks, or looks, but figure they are really not worth it. Now, heaven forbid that my little 8 year old hears or sees a comment - she might just go into attack mode as she is very protective of her Mommy !
Lisa
Tiger Fan

Maybe you should make the cards and even give your daughter a few to hand out if she is upset by what she hears. I have been debating buying the autism ones from autism society. I keep thinking, I shouldn't have to explain/justify this to anyone.
That would make me mad too, reading about people claiming their time was wasted or vacation ruined. They are so clueless. Someday many of them will have a friend or family member with a disability and will realize how foolish they were. I understand valuing vacation and wanting to get the most you can out of it. That is what we want too, right? Maybe I can work that up into some sort of snappy retort.
Isn't it terrible that part of the vacation planning is how to deal with insensitive people?

 

[DISoriented]

I've thought about printing a little card with a synopsis of my medical issues and handing those to the people who make obvious comments, remarks, or looks, but figure they are really not worth it.

Don't do that to yourself. A little thing called karma has a way of handling people like that...in one way or another.

 

[Biscuitsmom31]

I think I definately understand where Mr. Sears is coming from. I have "severly active" rheumatoid arthritis-but I am ambulatory and when I take my daily prednisone I "can" function (cannot open jars but can get around). My husband on the other hand has muscular dystophy. The few times (while waiting for our van to be modified to accomodate his wheelchair) that he dared to venture out of the house resulted in disaster. He fell at Dennys and busted his chin open bleeding all over the lobby area. It took everyone available to get him up out of the floor since he is unable to provide any assistance. Another time he fell and put his head through (I mean all the way through) a metal door.

I have my problems but evertime I wake up, hobble to the bathroom and it hurts so bad I could scream to lift my arms up to brush my hair-I still know I've got it good compared to him. I never park in hanidcapped spots. I know that personally (and everyone's problems are different) that for me its a convenience and for others a necessity.-Let me put it this way, If a bear was chasing me I would run. It would hurt like crazy and I wouldn't be fast but by golly I would take the pain and bolt. My husband=bear food.

I'm not trying to be offensive-like I said when it comes down to it everyone knows their own limitations. I just believe that if I were not always around someone who had worse problems than me, mine would seem more significant.