Has anyone had to file a complaint?

[hulamom]

If I remember correctly, bypassing the line when using a wheelchair doesn't necessarily get you immediately on the ride.

A few years ago, on Small World, there was only 1 or 2 boats that could accomodate wheelchairs (there was a platform on the boat where the chair could sit). So the person in the chair and their party had to wait until that boat was available. And, perhaps wait even longer if more people were waiting to ride that boat.

Also last summer at WDW (could be the same at DL), at Space Mountain, there was a "holding area" near the front of the line where several people were waiting and all in wheelchairs. I noticed that CMs only allowed one person (and their party) on per car. Seeing that there were a dozen or more people in the area, that could be a fairly lengthy wait.

There may be others, but those were the only rides I noticed.

-- Hulamom

 

[tink2dw]

I am very calmly typing away, kind of in amazement

A Bad Attitude.

Disney is fun and magic, and Pixie Dust.

 

[toocherie]

If I remember correctly, bypassing the line when using a wheelchair doesn't necessarily get you immediately on the ride.

A few years ago, on Small World, there was only 1 or 2 boats that could accomodate wheelchairs (there was a platform on the boat where the chair could sit). So the person in the chair and their party had to wait until that boat was available. And, perhaps wait even longer if more people were waiting to ride that boat.

Also last summer at WDW (could be the same at DL), at Space Mountain, there was a "holding area" near the front of the line where several people were waiting and all in wheelchairs. I noticed that CMs only allowed one person (and their party) on per car. Seeing that there were a dozen or more people in the area, that could be a fairly lengthy wait.

There may be others, but those were the only rides I noticed.

-- Hulamom

another one is the new Toy Story Mania line. You wait in a wheelchair or ECV in the regular line, then have to wait in the handicapped area. If there is a back-up (one time there were six parties ahead of us) it was quite a wait because I think there are only two cars that accommodate HC people. To compound it, even someone who is mobile (i.e., can walk) has to use the HC area if they are unable to go up and down stairs, because the regular ride exit takes you up and down flights of stairs. I understand why non-disabled folks don't want to think that the handicapped get special privilegles, but in this case it would make so much more sense to go directly to the handicapped waiting area. "Normal" people can decide what the line is like and whether to get in it or not; the handicapped have to wait in the regular line just to find out that there is a big line-up in the HC area. In the meantime, if there is no one in the HC area waiting, the HC cars are going unused.

 

[toocherie]

i have no issues with waiting a few extra minutes to let someone on the ride, i think they will get more out of it than i, but i do have an issue with people who expect to be let on the moment they get there

that has not been my experience. In those situations (especially on popular rides like HM, POTC or BTMRR) the wait can be much longer than someone standing in the "regular" line.

 

[toocherie]

I'd hate to have an opinion on an election or something like that!!!

Actually, I'm fairly sure there's a discussion on the Community Board that you may want to join . . . .

 

[Mugglemama]

"Tirade"? Sorry - not so at all. I am very calmly typing away, kind of in amazement at how I, and a few others here, have obviously hit a nerve. I'd hate to have an opinion on an election or something like that!!!

if it's not a tirade, maybe you shouldn't add multiple !!!! at the end of what you write. nobody minded that you have an opinion, so stop trying to make it out to be anybody/everybody else's fault but your own. what people seemed to have minded, was your insensitive approach and degrading comments. you seem to be only hanging around this thread to further insult people and insist infinitely that you could not have possibly been wrong in any way, shape, or form. whatever. we get it.

everone else - in regards to the original topic, if you had to complain, did you take it up with the offending CM first, or choose to complain to management only? i'm really hoping we don't have any issues on this trip, but last year several of the CM's just seemed so grouchy to me, that i would just like to have sort of a plan of action in my head if i feel one of them does something out of line enough to warrant action on my part. last year i just walked away after each of the incidents, and honestly, i would for most of the same kind of incidents if they happened again - except for the one where the CM kind of yelled at my kids. i could see if i'd been letting them run wild or bother other guests or damage property, but they were doing nothing like that (they were running their hand along the top of the parade rope as we walked, the rope wasn't even moving, that's how lightly they were touching it). i mean i still wouldn't think it would be appropriate for her to address them, and to do it in a raised voice like she did. i told myself if a CM got out of line with any of my children this year that i would certainly address it (don't want to keep spending thousands at DLR if my kids, who are honestly very well behaved in the parks, have to worry about getting barked at by CM's, you know?) - i don't love being around unruly kids myself so there's no way i'd let my own act inappropriately at disneyland, although i can honestly say it's never even been an issue. it's their favorite place on earth, and we've been doing it so long that they are little disneyland pros, lol.

why do i feel it necessary to point out that they behave well in the parks? i guess because i imagine you all have experienced being in line near kids who are repeatedly bumping into you, or screaming, or being otherwise really unruly, while their parents don't put forth any effort to stop them. i just wanted to be sure nobody had the impression that this is the kind of stuff my own kids do so that it wouldn't seem unreasonable to anyone that i was put off by a CM barking at my kids for something so harmless as running their hand along the top of a rope.

so, would you confront the offending CM, or just wait and file a complaint with management only?

 

[Disney Dreams]

In regards to the above post...

I read in another post what you said happened with your kids and the CM in connection with the rope. I'm thinking that the CM had been asking lots of kids to stay off the ropes and your kids got lumped into the CMs efforts to get kids to stop.

Did the CM over-react towards you kids for their actions? From how you describe it - yes. In that situation, I probably would have said nicely to the CM, "They were barely touching it. Please don't yell at them in that way." This would have given the CM a moment to realize s/he reacted inappropriately towards your kids and perhaps would have even offered an apology. Having said nothing left you with a very bitter memory that has clearly stayed with you and since the CM probably was not aware that s/he might have over-reacted towards the wrong kids, s/he has never thought about that moment again.

If you were anywhere else but Disney, would that moment have stuck with you so? Would you have said something then if it was not Disney? The same should apply at Disney. When I feel a person working somewhere has acted inappropriately to me or my family, I say so. If they continue, I talk to their supervisor. I would do the exact same thing at DL.

You say that you want "a plan of action in my head if [you] feel one of them does something out of line enough to warrant action on [your] part" for your upcoming trip. My advice would be not to even think about it. Just enjoy your tirp and if someone (anyone, CM or otherwise) acts inappropriately towards your family, handle it as seems fit atm. To me, if you don't have a plan when you go out everyday, why have one for this trip? It will just set your mind to be looking for the time to use your plan. I would say, enjoy your trip and react to CMs like you would to anyone that works anywhere you go.

JMO,
Dreams

 

[Mugglemama]

thanks for the response. i don't want to show up at DL "waiting" for somebody to cross me, lol. i didn't mean for it to come across that way.

i guess, honestly, i DO feel it's a bit different when at DL, just like it would be if i were at the movie theater, or a restaurant...anywhere i was paying to be, you know? i feel that at least to a degree, the thousands that my family forks out for these regular visits to DL is why these CM's have jobs there. the reason we are willing to spend the money there is that it has always been different, i'm sure most can relate with that. walking into disneyland really is like walking "out of" the rest of the world, and if it's just going to be the same as everywhere else, i'll spend my money somewhere else.

until last year, it had never ever dawned on me that i might be presented with a situation at DLR that would even make me consider complaining. so, i had never given any thought to what would be an appropriate course of action.

that being said, i think you are right. i think it would have been most appropriate to let the CM know that i didn't appreciate the tone she took with my children, and that my kids were not harming anything/anyone.

thanks for your input!

 

[Disney Dreams]

... the reason we are willing to spend the money there is that it has always been different...walking into disneyland really is like walking "out of" the rest of the world...

I can understand that.

i think it would have been most appropriate to let the CM know that i didn't appreciate the tone she took with my children, and that my kids were not harming anything/anyone.

And who knows? You may have gotten a very kind apology.

thanks for your input!

You're welcome. Hope it helped a little.

 

[NWPrincess]

I just wanted to echo that it usually takes longer to go through the WC entrance than to just stand in the regular standby line, especially if the standby line is long. It is also harder to get out of line if you decide that the wait is too much.

I also wanted to say I am very disappointed with some of the comments on this board. (I would hope) you would never have a discussion demeaning people or judging them based on race, gender, etc. I was very offended by the prejudicial views stereotyping people with other differences.

Ok I'm done now. Time to be happy about DL!

 

[austinosphere]

We had one tiny incident which made us unhappy, and it was actually a castmember at the Mickey N Friends parking structure, but we quickly got over it. Yes, it's a magical place, but he was still human.

My advice to some of my DIS friends here is that some opinions, even though they are ok to have, aren't the kind that you can share publicly, because people will take it the wrong way. Also, some opinions just shouldn't be shared, period.

Not to say that they're wrong.

Sometimes generalizations are OFTEN true, but I don't think they're ALWAYS true. I think we all know that. But if I OFTEN have a bad experience with a certain chain of restauraunt, I'm going to say THAT restauraunt chain SUCKS. If the castmember is entitled to be human, aren't I also?

 

[arliepooh68]

yes i did, I complained to a CM at the mickey n friend and to the city hall peeps because I wanted to be sure this was taken care of. . . there was a dog in a vehicle, not a flipping window was even cracked for this puppy dog. .no water that i could see from looking in the windows as we passed by and it was a very hot day outside. .. the cm told me this happens all the time. which is what made me go to city hall.. . went to city hall explained the situation and the CM's response. .. and I told several over there. . . a couple of hours later we really wanted to know if those for lack of a better word, people, were still there inside the parks while their dog was inside a car. . .

 

[renderman7]

that has not been my experience. In those situations (especially on popular rides like HM, POTC or BTMRR) the wait can be much longer than someone standing in the "regular" line.

it will never happen every single time, just with some people. i do not have an issue with 99.9% of the people that visit the parks, just those few that think because they are using a mobility device they should get on a ride sooner.

as for the fastpass lines and the others, they do have benifits, but they have disadvantages as well. parent swap being the biggest one, you need to split your party up for 5 mins to 1 hour so the entire clan, but one of course can ride. If people think thats unfair that they have to wait, they need to get over it.

As i said its not people with disabilites that annoy me, its the people that think because they have one they should be treated superior. here in australia they have huge tv commericals stating not to notice the people for the disabilty they have, but the ability they have to work, live and play like everyone else. those are the kind of people who i take my hat off too.

anyway.. enough of this topic... are there really stairs at midway mania for the loading area?

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

it will never happen every single time, just with some people. i do not have an issue with 99.9% of the people that visit the parks, just those few that think because they are using a mobility device they should get on a ride sooner.

as for the fastpass lines and the others, they do have benifits, but they have disadvantages as well. parent swap being the biggest one, you need to split your party up for 5 mins to 1 hour so the entire clan, but one of course can ride. If people think thats unfair that they have to wait, they need to get over it.

As i said its not people with disabilites that annoy me, its the people that think because they have one they should be treated superior. here in australia they have huge tv commericals stating not to notice the people for the disabilty they have, but the ability they have to work, live and play like everyone else. those are the kind of people who i take my hat off too.

anyway.. enough of this topic... are there really stairs at midway mania for the loading area?

Um, if the disabled could do that, like everyone else, they wouldn't be disabled. Duh.

Very lame taking issue with the disabled because they recieve accomodations because of their conditions. That's the kind of people that annoy me. My hat goes off to those with compassion and understanding. Shame all people don't have that.

 

[jencav5]

it will never happen every single time, just with some people. i do not have an issue with 99.9% of the people that visit the parks, just those few that think because they are using a mobility device they should get on a ride sooner.

as for the fastpass lines and the others, they do have benifits, but they have disadvantages as well. parent swap being the biggest one, you need to split your party up for 5 mins to 1 hour so the entire clan, but one of course can ride. If people think thats unfair that they have to wait, they need to get over it.

As i said its not people with disabilites that annoy me, its the people that think because they have one they should be treated superior. here in australia they have huge tv commericals stating not to notice the people for the disabilty they have, but the ability they have to work, live and play like everyone else. those are the kind of people who i take my hat off too.

anyway.. enough of this topic... are there really stairs at midway mania for the loading area?

TSMM: There are stairs when you get off the ride - you have to go upstairs, and then back downstairs. If you're disabled, you cannot take these stairs, so the loading/unloading procedure is different.

 

[toocherie]

anyway.. enough of this topic... are there really stairs at midway mania for the loading area?

actually the unloading area . . . you get on the car from the left and off from the right--which takes you into a set of up stairs (two sets I believe) and then you go down and empty into a shop.

 

[heatherleigh]

"Kids with A.D.D. can't possibly be expected to sit in a 45 minute line now can they? They should get special rights too!"

This actually happens lol. I have a friend who takes her son to DL annually. There is, really, nothing wrong with the kid. His mother over-reacts to everything, and likes putting him on meds (long story, but she was diagnosed w/ Munchausen.) She claims her son has ADD, and as a result, gets the handicap pass for the sole purpose of by-passing lines. She had the audacity to suggest I do the same because my 4-yr old is speech delayed! Now that is going a bit too far. I was surprised to find that DL will give passes for that. She told me that she doesn't tell the people at City Hall exactly what is wrong w/ her son. Just that he has numerous health and psychological problems.

The only thing we ever got was a hearing pass, once, and we never wound up using it. My husband needs hearing aids, but didn't have them on our last trip. The pass did not give us "better" seats, but placed him next to speakers or something, so he could hear. The CM I spoke w/ told me that none of the handicap passes were to be used to "bypass" or jump ahead of lines.

 

[figmentgoofy]

Jen- I will be one to admit, I have complained.

I went to city hall at land and complained about Brer Fox. I was ashamed at myself for doing so, but he hurt my feelings so badly, that I just did it.

When I went to city hall they read some of my letter and told me to send it to corporate. I did.

 

[pinktink83]

I am trying to think how many times I have ACTUALLY had people in wheelchairs go in front of me in line...and honestly, I can't really pinpoint any exact memories. I really don't think it happens THAT often during your trip. And I also don't think its really that big of a deal either. Its like, one extra minute for you??? Oh no, life is hard, man.

Do some people abuse the system? I'm sure they do. But I am willing to deal with that so that others who AREN'T can still receive those benefits without having to do a song and a dance to prove they need it. It really doesn't affect me all that much. Truly. does. not. I am SO BUSY enjoying DL with my precious kiddos and enjoying life that I don't even notice (nor do I look for it in the first place). And anyway, no one knows who is for real or who is faking it, so why even try? Its just cruel, pointless, and sure to wreck your day.

And like many posters have mentioned before, not every single car in a ride is wheelchair accessible. Often, they only revamp a couple cars in a ride (b/c it would be expensive to revamp every single one) and so the person in the wheelchair ends up waiting for a long (maybe even longer time). Its like complaining that wheelchair bound people wait less in line for the bathroom b/c the line is shorter for the w/c accessible stall.

Am I biased b/c my dad had to use a wheelchair until he died of Multiple Sclerosis? Maybe. I have an extra large heart for those who have to deal with life in a wheelchair b/c of it I'm sure. All I can say is it makes me a better person for feeling that way, and I'd rather be kind and grateful for my life, than complaining about other people's "benefits".

 

[samkj]

Let me get this straight some of you actually think its unfair for people with disabilities to get through a few of the lines faster? Are you kidding me? Yes some people abuse the system, but many do not. Do you have any idea how much I would pay to be able to wait in the regular lines? But that is not an option, nor will it ever be for my daughter. She has severe cerebral palsy and will never be able to do most of the things we take for granted. Do you actually begrudge her right to a little happiness at Disneyland by getting on a ride faster, when her everyday reality is so difficult? Are people really that selfish to get angry at a child who will spend everyday of her life in a wheelchair?