How could the employee's be better?

[fboy9287]

How could the employee's be better at taking care of those with special needs? It really ticks me off (I have a brother with CP and work at Universal Orlando) that the team members there call for the "wheelchairs" or they talk to the person pushing the wheel chair. Another thing that ticks me off is when my brother takes his assistance dog out places and the employees want to pet the dog. Disney way worse then Universal is. Do you guys have any more tips for employees not to do or to do?

 

[Talking Hands]

I have to disagree with you on DIsney being worse than Universal. I found that Universal employees far worse than those I meet at Disney. And the ones who are a problem are quickly straightened out.
For example, I am hard of hearing as well as having mobility issues. I went to see the show at Diamond Horseshoe yesterday and they had forgotten to put up the reserve sign for the small table for the deaf at the show. It is only interpreted 1 time on Man and Thur. I arrived 15 minutes early and there was virtually no seating and the table normally reserved was filled. The castmember was like too bad, I can't ask anyone to move. I told him so I can't see the entire show because someone forgot to do his job here. I asked to talk to the manager. Well I didn't get to talk to the manager but the people at the table where asked to move and I was able to watch the show. Now if I had arrived 2 minutes before the show I would not expect a seat but 15 minutes prior I do.
Most Disney employees are great about talking to me and not my husband unless they cannot understand my voice and then they will turn to him. I sometimes have a problem regulating my pitch and volume if I do not have hearing aids in.

 

[BCV23]

We have two children with special needs ..one with Downs Syndome and one with CP...we find the cast members at Disney World to be absolutely wonderful with our kids. They also seem to go out of their way to be kind to our eldest who has no special needs. I think Disney does an exceptional job at training the CMs. Would that the real world be as accomodating !

 

[terri01p]

I have one to add...every time we go to disney, employees are on the average very nice, but we went two years ago and, no exaggeration , 7 employees asked me ( or my husband)" how long my daugther has to live", she has spinal bifida and does look weak, we go to forget about this for awhile, and don't really want to talk about non-vacation things....it became so much of a common talk , that we started counting the num. of times we were asked. We eventual started giving out stupid answers, it didn't seem to bother people and we sure had fun.

 

[Safari Steve]

Terri, how awful. I am totally embarrassed.
At WDW, a very large portion of training deals with guests with disabilites. We are told to speak with the person in the chair, to move to their eye level, and to avoid touching or leaning on the chair, as that is invading someone elses personal space. I think there needs to be more of an emphasis on service animals, although on the whole I have not observed many problems with CMs trying to pet them... mainly other guests (we have a CM @ MK who has a guide dog, and some supervisors and CMs in chairs as well.)