Haunted Mansion change alt cue line

[Gracees]

Hi, I posted this on another thread but just saw this thread and thought it belonged here.

We were at WDW week before last and had a terrible experience on the haunted mansion. My grandfather is 86yo and rides a scooter at Disney. We asked to go to the exit like we have always done in the past and we were refused. When my grandfather drove into the dark holding room he hit a wall because he could not see. We had to help him walk to the exit and the CM had to drive the vehicle out. It was a huge scene. It was also a humiliating experience for him and the CM was very impatient and unkind. It was also dangerous. This could have been avoided if they had just let him go straight to the exit and park. I did write Disney and I wanted to share here in the hopes that someone with power will see this and can work on the HH situation. They need help with their process and their attitude.

We have been going to Disney for 6 years and have never had a problem like this. We love Disney because it has been so accommodating of a difficult traveling situation in the past years. I hope they take steps to correct this situation.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I went on HM last week & tried going the way they want me to. I can't do it. I had people with me, I ended up separated from them. A wowan pushed me, I swung around letting go of my friend & nearly falling. I had to make my way to the wall to guide my hand along as I walked. I walk slow when I can't see well, people push right past you. I cannot do it. Today my niece had to open the door leaving the holding room for me, I couldn't find the handle. We get around to where I have to meet the CM & he turns me away! He tells me I must go all the way through the entire attraction I told him I just came out of the holding room & asked why??? He gave me a nasty look & said to follow him. He read my GAC saw the low vision wad highlighted & took out a small flashlight. I really could not see the dot from it. He brings us to the line & tells us to merge in the standard line. The trouble started all over again. He & another CM kept insisting I MUST go that way. I refused. Finally they took us to the unloading dock.

I hate to say this but I have come to the conclusion that I am going to contact the ADA on this...... And the next time the CM's force me to go where it is unsafe for me & I stumble, I will not catch myself! Maybe IF they actually "see" what can happen, they may open there eyes! I am tired of getting bruised because of of stumbling and bumping into things when rude guests go stampeeding by

 

[smidgy]

oh no! I am so sorry that happened to you!!! I can't beleive the Cm was so rude about it.

I agree with you.. people jsut don't understand "low" vision. they think.. either you can see or you can't.

 

[Friendly Frog]

I was going to post, but changed my mind for now. Sorry.

 

[Friendly Frog]

... And the next time the CM's force me to go where it is unsafe for me & I stumble, I will not catch myself! Maybe IF they actually "see" what can happen, they may open there eyes! I am tired of getting bruised because of of stumbling and bumping into things when rude guests go stampeeding by

I really hope you don't do this.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I really hope you don't do this.

I really won't do that, but it is going to take that to happen to a guest w/a GAC for low vision going the way they are funneling them merely because they are able to walk. I AM contacting the ADA this week though. I will first contact the person @ Disney whom I have been dealing with. He had told me to mention his name. When I did yesterday, the 2 CM's looked @ each other, smirked, and one asked who he was. It wasn't till after that one said to the other, "should I just take them?". Her reply was, "I guess". In a nasty tone he said "Come with me". Yet when I got to the next CM on the unloading dock,he was SUPER nice! He helped me step on the walk way, after I made his glasses fall off the ledge as I was holding on for life I just don't get some of those CM's or that policy. IT needs to change now! It has gone on long enough.

 

[SueM in MN]

The biggest problem right now seems to be inconsistency.
One peron will post that things worked well for them and the next, that nothing worked.
If they can't get it to work 100%, it's not working.

Also, anyone with Transitions lenses, whether they have a problem with accommodation to dark/dim or not, may want to bring a pair of non-transitions glasses to switch to. The long time for the lenses to clear was one of the reasons my DH got rid of his transitions and switched to clear glasses plus a pair of sunglasses. My FIL had major problems with night blindness and tried transitions - they did not work for him at all because the long change time plus his night blindness made a significant period of little vision.

Also, a hint to possibly speed up the transition if your transition lenses are very slow or not completely clearing - put them in the freezer for 12-24 hours. I know it sounds weird, but I had a pair that got 'stuck' on half dark and that was what the company said to do. The cold resets them and they should work better afterwards.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

The biggest problem right now seems to be inconsistency.
One peron will post that things worked well for them and the next, that nothing worked.
If they can't get it to work 100%, it's not working.

Also, anyone with Transitions lenses, whether they have a problem with accommodation to dark/dim or not, may want to bring a pair of non-transitions glasses to switch to. The long time for the lenses to clear was one of the reasons my DH got rid of his transitions and switched to clear glasses plus a pair of sunglasses. My FIL had major problems with night blindness and tried transitions - they did not work for him at all because the long change time plus his night blindness made a significant period of little vision.

Also, a hint to possibly speed up the transition if your transition lenses are very slow or not completely clearing - put them in the freezer for 12-24 hours. I know it sounds weird, but I had a pair that got 'stuck' on half dark and that was what the company said to do. The cold resets them and they should work better afterwards.

wow thank you so much for that hint I don't wear the transitions at night at all because they won't power down enough. As far as when I enter into an attraction, I slide them down on my nose I look like the little old lady who has the glasses on the nose bit but they are full sized glasses. Heck if I left them on, I would be totally blind. They are like wearing full sun glasses. Once they power down enough, I slide them back up. It is my eyes that don't adjust fast enough. By the time I am off the ride, they are adjusting. My eyes will gravitate toward the light, then everything else around it will be very very dark. So for example the room where you enter to go on the moving walk way has some dim lighting on the walls and over the moving cars. My eyes will gravitate to that, the other areas will be dark. The walls will be lit for me, but the area to the walls will not be. Do you understand what I am saying. I can see the light, but it doesn't light up the area. Add that to the peripheral vision since my cataract surgeries back in 2007 and it is even harder to see what is coming up on the sides of me in the dimly lit areas. At least when there are rails to hold onto it isn't bad, but the dark holding room, the stretching room (I can skip that though) and the merging area are all rail-less its a massive crowd with pushing and shoving. In the dark room there are wheelchairs, if one is coming up on the side of me, I cannot see it at all. So if I fall on it, I am not being "careless" or not watching where I am going as many here say. I cannot see you all. I should not be in that room where I can fall on you and get hurt. Yet I am "forced" to by Disney now. And that has nothing to even do with being let on at the unloading dock. This part is a no win situation period. This is something the ADA does need to look into as it is not safe for those with low vision. Think about that.

This goes for any of you, next time you are in that holding area, put on your darkest sun glasses, and even put your hands to the sides of your eyes and try to walk. You will see better than I do. Tell me if you can see a wheelchair coming up on the side of you. Try doing this without holding one to anyone, you lose your balance. People will push into you, you will wobble. You have to walk slow... you might then understand that while it is ADA compliant for wheelchairs, it is not ADA compliant for low vision. Sure, it is for the blind, but not low vision. There is a difference. When you are blind, you cannot see at all, so dark is dark, light is dark. With low vision there are various things that one can have and in my case it is the dark and dimly lit areas where I cannot see well. Give me a bright area and I see fine, put in in a dimly lit area and even my balance is off. If someone from the ADA actually went there for low vision, I would really be surprised. I doubt they have. I think it was not even thought of.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

I'm just curious is low vision covered under ADA in the same way as someone being blind. If it's not the ADA may really not have anything to say to Disney about this issue.

 

[Friendly Frog]

I think low vision people should be offered the ability to use the old entrance if they wish. Sorry that this is happening to you.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

I'm just curious is low vision covered under ADA in the same way as someone being blind. If it's not the ADA may really not have anything to say to Disney about this issue.

To be disabled under the ADA you have to have an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities and is expected to last more than 6 months. The activities listed in the ADA include seeing as one of the major life activities (and ADA says the list of major life activities is not exhaustive). As far as low-vision goes, if your vision cannot be fully corrected by normal glasses or contacts, then, yes, the low vision would be covered under the ADA.

One of the good things about the ADA is that it doesn't have any specifics about diagnosis in its definition of disability. It defines disability much more on impairment and function. This means that it would still protect someone who didn't have a diagnosis yet, but was disabled as long as they had medical documentation of the problem. As someone who spent 10+ years looking for a diagnosis, during which time I became a wheelchair user as my mobility got worse, it was good to know that I was still protected without having a "name".

http://www.ada.gov/pubs/adastatute08.htm#12102 has the definition of disability under the ADA.

 

[SueM in MN]

And, there are some people with vision that is fine during the day, but for various reasons can't see at night.
Ironically, I know someone who had LASIK surgery to improve her vision and she does see fine during the day. But, at night, she gets starbursts around every light to the point that all she can see is starbursts, so she can't drive at night and needs certain lighting in her home to see at night (low glare).

 

[clanmcculloch]

Also, a hint to possibly speed up the transition if your transition lenses are very slow or not completely clearing - put them in the freezer for 12-24 hours. I know it sounds weird, but I had a pair that got 'stuck' on half dark and that was what the company said to do. The cold resets them and they should work better afterwards.

Our kids' transition lenses weren't getting very dark and this is exactly what our optician said to do. He said the cold of the freezer fully activates whatever it is in the lense that makes them get darker and lighter. Going forward, we'll do this with every single pair of Transition lenses that we get for them. It really did make a difference. They change much faster and get darker than they used to.

I just don't understand why there's so much rudeness from CMs on this as well as so much inconsistency. A Mickey Fan's experiences are sounding as though CMs just can't be bothered which is so unlike most of the experiences we've had in general. While we've never needed to use a GAC at HM (we always go at a time of day when there aren't crowds in the area so we practically walk in whenever we're there and we have no vision or mobility issues), we rarely encounter CMs who are rude even if they don't understand our GAC. It's just so odd and I have trouble believing it's them being in character. Standoffish I could understand, downright rude I can't. If somebody tells you that they become nearly blind in darkness and needs to be escorted, why wouldn't they do that?

A Mickey Fan, I'm curious about something. I don't want this to come off as rude or snarky because I really am just genuinely curious. Can you see all that there is to see inside HM once you're in the Doombuggy? I just don't know much about this kind of issue so I'm hoping to understand a bit better.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Part of me wonders if the rudeness from the CMs is partly frustration on their end? It's not an excuse by any means, but I've seen it and experienced it before.

At one of my old jobs, the management was super inconsistant with some of our policies, and there were things we could do when one manager was there but not when the other manager was there. That came back on the lower level employees in that we'd have repeat customers get very angry that on Tuesday they were told something that we had to contradict on Friday. It put us between a rock and a hard place with what to do and there ended up being things we just couldn't do when Manager B was there. A lot of employees would come across very short tempered or kind of rude because no matter what the customer argued, we just weren't allowed to remedy the problem.

Like I said, not an excuse but it just makes me wonder if this stuff at HM is happening so much and that the CMs are getting inconsistant info therefore providing inconsistant service that they're just as fed up with it as guests are?

 

[Friendly Frog]

Part of me wonders if the rudeness from the CMs is partly frustration on their end? It's not an excuse by any means, but I've seen it and experienced it before.

At one of my old jobs, the management was super inconsistant with some of our policies, and there were things we could do when one manager was there but not when the other manager was there. That came back on the lower level employees in that we'd have repeat customers get very angry that on Tuesday they were told something that we had to contradict on Friday. It put us between a rock and a hard place with what to do and there ended up being things we just couldn't do when Manager B was there. A lot of employees would come across very short tempered or kind of rude because no matter what the customer argued, we just weren't allowed to remedy the problem.

Like I said, not an excuse but it just makes me wonder if this stuff at HM is happening so much and that the CMs are getting inconsistant info therefore providing inconsistant service that they're just as fed up with it as guests are?

I think that could be quite possible.

I suspect that this new system is also more stressful on them. They have to do even more directing of ECVs and in that dark you can bet toes are at risk! Then again, I found everyone at HM to be nice to me.

 

[alicia080979]

I am looking for a little help regarding the lines that have the continuous moving belts. My mother has severe bursitis in her hips and while she can manage walking at a normal slow pace for a couple hours in the moring and a couple in the evening after a nice rest, for the most part she can avoid having a wheelchair. Depending on how she is feeling or if we are going to be gone a little longer, we will get one in the parks and just push her. She can't do steps without quite a bit of pain and they often have to slow down the moving belt so she can take her time and get on without risking hurting herself so we have started getting her a GAC which has been very helpful.

On our last trip in November, we didn't do many rides but we had an issue at Haunted Mansion and I'm trying to prevent that again. Her GAC has a stamp so she can avoid steps and have the belt slowed down. At Haunted Mansion in the past, they would take her through the exit where she wasn't rushed through the line and could take her time getting on the ride. In November they told us the regular line was wheelchair accessible but we tried to explain obviously she wasn't in a wheelchair but needed the belt slowed down and needed to avoid the stretching room. They said to go through line and tell the CMs when we got up there. Well of course, we get crammed in the stretching room where she has people pushed up against her which hurts her and when we tried to tell them she needed the belt slowed down, they told us to keep moving. DH & I held onto her and tried to help her but I was seriously disappointed how they handled that. She just said it was fine and she just wouldn't ride it again but to me, that doesn't really seem fair after the amount of money we pay to visit here.

I love Disney and normally we have great service with helpful CMs. The only reason I am posting this now is bc I was just reading someone else's thread who had issues on HM with low vision. Does anyone know what people are supposed to do who need help with the moving belt now that it seems like HM has changed the way they load people with disabilities? We go next month and my mom has said she will just sit out of the rides with moving belts but to me that is absolutely not an acceptable option. I want her to go, have fun and not have to worry about being rushed onto a ride where she needs assistance.

Since HM seems to have changed the way they load, have the other continuous loading rides changed as well? I just want to be prepared as we have trips in April & September coming up.

 

[SueM in MN]

The difference between Haunted Mansion and the other attractions itch moving walkways is that they changed the loading to allow guests with wheelchairs to go thru the stretching room.
That led to some other problems, which was what the thread you referred to was about. They have not gotten it handled consistently.

The other attractions with moving walkways have not changed. There is a stamp with a wheelchair that lets you use the wheelchair entrance (other stamps do not necessarily tell CMs you need the wheelchair accessible entrance). In most cases, the wheelchair entrance is the regular entrance, but the boarding area will be different.

The easiest way for you might be just to use a wheelchair for those attractions with moving walkways and stairs - the CMs will automatically send her the accessible way with up to 5 other members of your party. There is no need for a GAC with a wheelchair, which means less confusion about what he needs.
There is a list of attractions with moving walkways and stairs in page 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.

You can park the wheelchair with the strollers in an area so she can walk around from attraction to attraction or hike she is in line for other attractions where she is not concerned about the moving walkways.

 

[Mary976]

The wheelchair loading at HM hasn't really changed. We took DD through the stretching room (new) but then it was down the "servant's quarters" hallway and we loaded at the exit, same as before.

That being said, the issues seem to be coming up for people who do NOT use wheelchairs but used to load in the same exit area. It sounds like this is your case. If you read through that long HM post, it looks like people's experiences are really varying a lot. Hopefully someone who has been recently can let you know.

As you are probably already aware, the belt cannot be stopped or slowed for Peter Pan or the TTA. But other than HM, I don't know of any continuous loader rides that have changed recently.

Mary

 

[SueM in MN]

I'm going to merge the HELP WITH MOVING WALKWAYS thread with the Haunted Mansion thread so that information is posted about HM in only one spot.

 

[ttintagel]

and when we tried to tell them she needed the belt slowed down, they told us to keep moving.

I've had the same problem in the HM - there's so much noise and confusion going on in the load area that the CM's get incredibly distracted. I've had to literally chase them down across the room because they've walked away while I'm talking to them. They either need to station more CM's in the loading area or do something to regulate traffic flow - maybe stanchions would help.