How to deal with rude people???

[5forMickey]

I think the only time I've given a snarky look to anyone in an ECV is when people let a little kid operate and steer it

Unless you are in front of my mother in a large crowd trust me, your heals will be thankful that she let her grandson drive it around you instead of her and I guess since he had a license to drive a 4 wheeler he was quite capable of driving the ECV, but I do hear what you are saying........

 

[hootey]

Rude comments? While we were boarding the Peter Pan ride one morning, a young lady yelled out that she wished she was handicapped so she could walk on all the rides. I yelled back that it was easy, all you had to do was be the only survivor when your Blackhawk got shot down. I then loudly asked if there was anything else she needed to know? She looked down and didn't say another word.

 

[5forMickey]

I yelled back that it was easy, all you had to do was be the only survivor when your Blackhawk got shot down. I then loudly asked if there was anything else she needed to know? She looked down and didn't say another word.

L-O-V-E This!!!!!

Thanks for your service!

 

[emily94]

Unless you are in front of my mother in a large crowd trust me, your heals will be thankful that she let her grandson drive it around you instead of her and I guess since he had a license to drive a 4 wheeler he was quite capable of driving the ECV, but I do hear what you are saying........

I was talking about little little kids, like 4 or 5! I also want to protect my ankles/knee caps Totally understand that driving a four wheeler and an ECV would go hand in hand, but I don't think 5 year olds should be operating either

 

[5forMickey]

but I don't think 5 year olds should be operating either

YIKES I agree, the thought of a 5 yro never even entered my mind, that would be scary!!!

 

[707MickeyGirl]

It makes me sad that anyone would be rude in Disneyland. I've only ever experienced rudeness in the way of people cutting in lines or pushing past us or running into us while walking. I just step aside and let them go, because people that do those types of things are never going to change and I would only upset myself and my little Disney partner, my DGD6, if I made an issue out of it. While we're at Disney, we go out of our way to spread a little pixie dust of our own. She likes to give out stickers and glow bracelets to other kids, and we hold doors for people, give our fast passes away, and pick up trash if we see any. My DGD6 even gave her balloon away once to a little girl when her mom said they cost too much. All of it just adds to our enjoyment of our trips.

 

[sunflare]

Rude comments? While we were boarding the Peter Pan ride one morning, a young lady yelled out that she wished she was handicapped so she could walk on all the rides. I yelled back that it was easy, all you had to do was be the only survivor when your Blackhawk got shot down. I then loudly asked if there was anything else she needed to know? She looked down and didn't say another word.

Where is my "like" button when I need it? Love this!

And yes...thank you for your service!

 

[Tinker mommy]

I agree with a lot of the comments here. My son has Tourette's Syndrome which causes him to make involuntary motor movements and sounds. This causes children and adults to look, point and sometimes laugh at him. This is primarily because they just don't understand he has a medical condition and cannot control it. We have learned to just casually mention, "Hi, my son has Tourettes so he can't help twitching and ticing." If it's a child, we might add, "Don't worry, it's not contagious. We just wanted you to know why he's acting that way." We do it in a non-confrontational, friendly way. So far, 100% of the time, we have received a very kind response and understanding from kids and adults alike. We aren't trying to make them feel badly about their behavior, just trying to educate them. I think it makes a big difference. We've even had some kids turn around and stick up for him or explain it to other kids.

You may not want to share the specifics of your condition with strangers, but even just telling them, "I do have a medical condition and need to use this" is likely to get a good response from most folks. I like the suggestion from someone earlier about having a sign on the back that let's people know you wouldn't be using the ECV if you didn't need to.

 

[lorijohnhill]

While we're at Disney, we go out of our way to spread a little pixie dust of our own. She likes to give out stickers and glow bracelets to other kids, and we hold doors for people, give our fast passes away, and pick up trash if we see any. My DGD6 even gave her balloon away once to a little girl when her mom said they cost too much. All of it just adds to our enjoyment of our trips.

What a wonderful idea! I'm going to pick up so glow stuff for DD7 to give away. She'll get a huge kick out of doing that!

 

[Woth2982]

I am sorry you have had to deal with rude people. I have a VERY invisible disability, coupled with the fact I am fairly athletic, so I get quite a few comments/looks when I do a medical pre-board on south west. I have disc issues in my lower spine so sitting/standing still for long periods of time cause a great deal of pain (being active is really the only cure), so if I don't get a group A boarding I do medical pre-board so I can have an isle seat so I am able to stand up and pace to stretch out my spine. It is especially bad when people see that I have completed a Disney half Marathon as part of my trip. I have learned from this experience is people will judge no matter what. When they make a comment directly to me I will explain my situation, otherwise I ignore it. They don't know me, and they can't see beneath my skin to see the cause of my pain. If they want to sit and stew and be mean it is on them not me. Being the bigger person in these situations is the main thing that helps me.

 

[Ember]

I am so sorry you have to deal with people like this. One thing I would say is that I think things have gotten better in this regard with the changes implemented regarding disabled access in the parks from five years ago.

I am NOT looking to stir controversy (I know there are problems with the new system as well and I'm not debating anyone's right to access) but it was well documented that the system was egregiously being misused. It was an open secret that using an ECV or a wheelchair was basically a front of the line pass and people were ruthlessly taking advantage of that.

With the changes, the number EVC's and wheelchairs has dropped pretty dramatically in the parks. I never used either, but I did hear the comments that other people made. People suck sometimes. Anyway, with changes and the noticeable decrease in usage, the think the perception of the general public has changed now that the perceived advantage isn't there.

(Again, I know this is a hot button issue and I'm not trying to start a debate. I used words like 'perception' and 'perceived' deliberately.)

 

[smallworldnh]

Anyway one of her friends suggested making a bumper sticker or tag for her ECV saying something along the lines of 'Not letting my disability stop me having a good time' Another friend has a funny one along the same lines. Another one has one that says I'd gladly give up my disability and walk - don't hassle me for riding.

I think this is a GREAT idea as well!

What a lot of people don't bother to think about concerning some pooh-sized people in wheelchairs is that maybe the fact that they gained weight might have had something to do with their disability. I know my mom has gained so much more weight since she had a medical issue that reduced her mobility tremendously. It's hard to control your weight when you can't exercise as well as diet. Just a thought - don't judge anyone unless you know their story. That's all I have to say about that!

 

[hootey]

It has been my experience with people making R U D E comments about people receiving special treatment, they are mad that they are not getting the same treatment! They do not care that you may have a medical condition of some kind! They are openly jealous of VIPs that receive front of the line escorts. Both of these are amazing to me.
I do my best to have a quick reply when someone says something R U D E, no matter where I am. Yes, sometimes it causes problems but, not stopping the rude behavior, only makes it worse. Sometimes people can display overwhelming acts of kindness or compassion and then again people can act or do things so stupid, I wonder why there are not more mental professionals at work.

 

[hootey]

Sometimes you will have to put up with the Bad out of people as well as the Good. Your conditions demand the use of an ECV. If you encounter some jerk being out of line, simply ask or request the nearest CM to call security for you. You do not have to put up with it!

 

[MICKEYFIL]

It has been my experience that a great number of people (myself included from time to time) have a hard time understand how anyone lives a life any different then the one they themselves currently enjoy. Some people who don't have children complain about children on planes, until they have to go through the experience themselves. Some people make fun of old drivers when they are young and young drivers when they are old. We have a hard time understanding anything being different then what is currently happening in our own lives and that for me is one of the leading causes of this hatred and rudeness. It is a lack of empathy. Not sympathy, just empathy.

 

[bumbershoot]

I was rereading the op and noticed the timeframe of the last experience. It dovetails with the basic timing of DH's experience. Ours would have been later may 2009. (Timing so specific bc he was getting his diagnosis of the pituitary tumor just as his dept was notified that they were moving from WA to ND so we were panicking about job and insurance and it was a a trip for DS's birthday that we decided to take anyway, and we were in the lobby of The Grand when he got job offer phone call)

Wonder if Memorial Day weekend in 2009 was just a time for nasty talkative people in the parks!

It was an open secret that using an ECV or a wheelchair was basically a front of the line pass and people were ruthlessly taking advantage of that. With the changes, the number EVC's and wheelchairs has dropped pretty dramatically in the parks. I never used either, but I did hear the comments that other people made. People suck sometimes. Anyway, with changes and the noticeable decrease in usage, the think the perception of the general public has changed now that the perceived advantage isn't there.

Eh. I think it was always perception and luck. All they had to do was shore up their existing policies and it would have been fine. I toured one day with a friend who uses a scooter and there were no benefits that I could see! It looked like there were, to an observer, but they didn't see the extra waiting for ride vehicles etc.

And even now casual Disney people IRL suggest scooters because of fotl experiences. A friend took her parents and daughter to wdw in January and had such fotl type experiences that when they went to a ride without grandma in her scooter their little daughter got annoyed because they actually had to wait. She was calling their lines the "grandma lines". They had luck when others don't.

Disney had good policies; theirs CMs were the weak link and all they had to do was to make the policies actual rules. Instead they reacted to that story of the tour guides (funny how no one ever heard of it until just before Disney changed their policies supposedly based on the articles).

Yesterday there was a family and/or friend group of 10-15 at the parks with one person using a scooter. They were easy to notice (matching, untraditional for park wear, outfits helped with that) and DH saw them all try to go in the accessible line (the exit) with her, and most of the group was stopped. Some went in the main line, some went with the person on the ECV, they met up, rode together. The rules were followed and it was all good.

 

[goofy77]

Just run them over.

 

[hootey]

scooters can be MULTI-FUNCTIONAL items