Going, going.............

[Sparkly]

Did you see that I said that someone I used to work with daughter gets a wheelchair just so she can get front row seats to the shows. There is nothing physically wrong with her or her husband or child they just take turns pushing each other.

Whoops, I read it too quickly and didn't catch that she was doing that, sorry.

 

[Michigan]

Do they get a wheelchair for the seating, or do they get a wheelchair because she has lingering issues with walking long distances? Even if they are faking, how do you know who is and isn't faking? Who are you to judge that? I don't see why people should have to suffer just because you want to eradicate some of the fakers. How do you make sure that you're only cutting out the fakers?

My physical disability is the result of an accident, and in theory once I get surgery it will be "fixed" but I will always have some pain from walking long distances and standing for extended periods, exactly the conditions at WDW. Are you telling me that I don't need access as much as people with "worse" disabilities, so I should just give up my holidays so that they aren't inconvenienced? What about people who are fine with walking but can't do stairs, GACs can help those people indicate to the CMs that they can't do stairs, but under your logic, them using the elevator takes away from the people with "real" disabilities. That's what it seems like you're saying, by the way, that people who aren't "as disabled" as your daughters don't deserve what they need for equal access. Accessibility is for everyone that needs it, not just the people who have it "worse".

Wow, I guess people comment without reading all the posts. Way back at the beginning someone said that they should move the chair rentals to first aid in an effort to stop those that get them without a need might not get one. Then another person posted that you don't need a medical reason to rent a chair because that would be against the ADA and I commented that I know someone who has a daughter that does this and by doing so her family can have front row seating for shows she is stopping what the ADA intended by giving people like my kids and SueMN's daughter access to seating that they would not have without ADA. She gets one and brags about it. I NEVER said anyone disability was more important then anyone else!

 

[utterrandomness]

Wow, I guess people comment without reading all the posts. Way back at the beginning someone said that they should move the chair rentals to first aid in an effort to stop those that get them without a need might not get one. Then another person posted that you don't need a medical reason to rent a chair because that would be against the ADA and I commented that I know someone who has a daughter that does this and by doing so her family can have front row seating for shows she is stopping what the ADA intended by giving people like my kids and SueMN's daughter access to seating that they would not have without ADA. She gets one and brags about it. I NEVER said anyone disability was more important then anyone else!

You said that almost exactly actually, when you said that people who you think are faking are taking away from your daughters.

 

[dis-happy]

Stroller as a wheelchair tags will likely remain until all CMs have RFID reading devices.

I would think/hope they remain beyond RFID. I know of a child with mild CP who uses a stroller as wheelchair and the tag is needed for things such as getting into The Land, not just rides.

 

[OhanaDreams]

We have been to Disneyworld 2x with our 6 year old son. Looking at him you would think nothing is wrong other than he looks old for his age. He has a inoperable cyst in his brain the size of a melon. He has normal intelligence, but he also has severe autonomyic and sensory disorder.

Last time we were at Magic Kingdom we could not go visit Mickey or go on the Dumbo ride. The new buildings was "up to code". It had wide enough aisles for his stroller, but the noise level that was in the room and in lines would have been intolerable for him to stand. The noise created by all those bodies waiting in line is a barrier to him. It actually becomes painful. What rights does he have? We skip many different attractions like the parades and fireworks shows because of this disability. The rides were his chance to be a normal kid for a while. He was approached last week about a Dream Factory wish. Should we look elsewhere? Is Disney only going to be friendly to certain disabilities? Isn't that also discrimination?

My child can walk short distances, but the longer he is on his feet the more irregular his autonomyic functions become. People are surprised when he gets out of his stroller and can move freely. What they don't see is within 5 minutes his hands and feet are freezing cold and lips are turning blue from lack of oxygen. In another 5 minutes he may start to trip and fall. 5 minutes after that we get into cognitive changes. Not a fun way to grow up. Do not judge a book by its cover. We endured nasty comments and strange looks on our last 2 Disney World trips. Not all disabilities are readily visible.

If anyone has an address or phone number on who to call about these changes please post them.

 

[Michigan]

You said that almost exactly actually, when you said that people who you think are faking are taking away from your daughters.

Again, I was referring to the daughter of a coworker who brags that she gets the wheelchair to sit in the front row of the shows and she doesn't have a disability. When she and her family do that it prevents someone who has no choice but wheelchair section seating from sitting there.

 

[andersonsc]

I would like more info on the GACs for autism, anxiety and such - or I guess what I really want to know is how the ADA addresses these. I get that people in wheelchairs get "equal access". Disney addresses this by having que lines big enough to accommadate scooters/wheelchairs. Many lines are in the shade for those that can't be in the sun. But how is the need for quiet or "not around crowds" addressed by the ADA. Does disney really have to have a quiet/less crowded waiting area for all rides or is this where the fast past comes in. These people just get to go to the front to avoid the wait and crowds. What is disney suppossed to do or are these disabilities even covered by the ADA?

 

[dasan]

I would like more info on the GACs for autism, anxiety and such - or I guess what I really want to know is how the ADA addresses these. I get that people in wheelchairs get "equal access". Disney addresses this by having que lines big enough to accommadate scooters/wheelchairs. Many lines are in the shade for those that can't be in the sun. But how is the need for quiet or "not around crowds" addressed by the ADA. Does disney really have to have a quiet/less crowded waiting area for all rides or is this where the fast past comes in. These people just get to go to the front to avoid the wait and crowds. What is disney suppossed to do or are these disabilities even covered by the ADA?

Not every ride is a fast past so they would run into problems with this scenario.
That is why they have alternate entrances. Example going through exits
like It's a small world. I have two kids with Autism and they are a different
level. My daughter would handle the waits. My son complete different case.
Hands swinging etc. would be a danger to others going through a regular line.
I can't see Disney getting rid of the cards while Sea World and Universal
still offering them.

 

[ttintagel]

While I can believe that they'd go to some other system than the GAC, I have a tough time believing that they'll stop accommodating non-wheelchair disabilities altogether. They've built up a reputation as a disability-friendly destination, and I doubt they'd risk losing that.

 

[SueM in MN]

Well, this is a violation of ADA, there must be viewing locations that provide equal views to what any non disabled person can get. In other words, if even one non-disabled person can get a better view than the best view a disabled person could get (but may already be full by when you get there), then they are violating ADA. We recently went through this at DLR with WOC when they decided that they were only going to put ADA sections in the back and this was the final determination which forced them to restore the original areas. Now, due to other changes in the viewing areas, they have had to slightly modify some of the locations since then, but they made sure they did not have the same problem as when they tried to put everyone in the back.

This is specifically related to theaters in recent ADA guidelines (I think it was 2010). Please note that these guidelines only clarify older ADA rules and do not grandfather older venues in. These guidelines specifically state that they apply to any venue built or remodeled since something like 1992.

The guidelines also state that there must be at least two companion seats per wheelchair/transfer seat in the same row that must be reserved until all other seats are filled. There also must be a certain percentage of Aisle seats that are transfer seats and a certain percentage of total seats that are aisle seats. There also must be a certain percentage of seats that are for disabled access.

Now, this doesn't mean every ADA area provides equal viewing, because not every not every non ADA viewing area provides equal viewing. But, at least one must be equal to non ADA viewing areas.

Many WDW theaters actually do have seating in more than the very back row.
The back row usually has the most seating, so guests who want to sit somewhere other than the back may find only the back is available hn they arrive.
The theaters that don't have multiple seating areas are ones that were built longer ago and fit the guidelines in effect when they were built.

Mickey's Philharmagic opened in 2003, but uses the same seating as was used for the previous show there - Legend of the Lion King, which opened in 1994.

I can tell you from personal experience that the accessible seating is full way before the able bodied seating is.

That is true in our experience too.
There are limited numbers of wheelchair spots and they are usually filled while there is still general setting available.

I would think/hope they remain beyond RFID. I know of a child with mild CP who uses a stroller as wheelchair and the tag is needed for things such as getting into The Land, not just rides.

Keep in mind that RFID is more than just fast passes.
It is a link to a file and the file could include a lot of other information.

This is all conjecture since I don't have any specific information except for reading about RFIDs and how they work.
It could be very specific information regarding that guest and could even be location specific so it tells a CM at a ride entrance what that person needs related to that attraction - for example, if the person needs front row seating for a show, that information could pop up on an RFID reader screen for the CM at those shows where it is pertinent.
They may still always need certain things, like tags identifying strollers as being used as wheelchairs, but a RFID enabled GAC would be a smart GAC, rather than the current cards, which really have very little information.

We have been to Disneyworld 2x with our 6 year old son. Looking at him you would think nothing is wrong other than he looks old for his age. He has a inoperable cyst in his brain the size of a melon. He has normal intelligence, but he also has severe autonomyic and sensory disorder.

Last time we were at Magic Kingdom we could not go visit Mickey or go on the Dumbo ride. The new buildings was "up to code". It had wide enough aisles for his stroller, but the noise level that was in the room and in lines would have been intolerable for him to stand. The noise created by all those bodies waiting in line is a barrier to him. It actually becomes painful. What rights does he have? We skip many different attractions like the parades and fireworks shows because of this disability. The rides were his chance to be a normal kid for a while. He was approached last week about a Dream Factory wish. Should we look elsewhere? Is Disney only going to be friendly to certain disabilities? Isn't that also discrimination?

My child can walk short distances, but the longer he is on his feet the more irregular his autonomyic functions become. People are surprised when he gets out of his stroller and can move freely. What they don't see is within 5 minutes his hands and feet are freezing cold and lips are turning blue from lack of oxygen. In another 5 minutes he may start to trip and fall. 5 minutes after that we get into cognitive changes. Not a fun way to grow up. Do not judge a book by its cover. We endured nasty comments and strange looks on our last 2 Disney World trips. Not all disabilities are readily visible.

If anyone has an address or phone number on who to call about these changes please post them.

There is contact information in a post in the disABILITIES FAQs thread, but again, I hope people do NOT start letter writing campaigns or complaints based on rumors.
The last time that happened was when there was a rumor that DisneyLand was eliminating GACs and all they were doing was switching to the same way as WDW did it, to be in compliance with the ADA.
PEople started letter writing complaint websites with no information, threatening boycotts, etc on a lot of rumors that were no where near the truth.

While I can believe that they'd go to some other system than the GAC, I have a tough time believing that they'll stop accommodating non-wheelchair disabilities altogether. They've built up a reputation as a disability-friendly destination, and I doubt they'd risk losing that.

As I posted before, they will still need to comply with the ADA.
Most of the really specific measurement type things are based on wheelchair accessibility because those are very easy to write out and inspect against.
They are not all that is covered by the ADA though.