I'm Back from WDW

[faeflora]

Hi all,
First let me thank TalkingHands for all the helpful advise for getting around WDW with both a mobility and hearing impairment.
And also thanks to everyone else who offered helpful solutions.

My trip was wonderful, I used both the reflective captioning and the hand held captioning and at the Candlelight Processional I sat where I could see the interpreter which helped me greatly.
I also took some time on the drive to Florida to learn some simple signs so that I could get people to look at me when they were talking to me. The hardest park for me was the Magic Kingdom on the MVMCP night...lots of background noises and loud music but the evening was alot of fun.
This was also the first time that my mom used a scooter at the parks.
She did well but got nervous sometime. We had borrowed a Pride Sonic scooter which is a three wheeler but is very very low to the ground so that she had easy transfers. Stepping up on curbs for example sometimes is difficult for my mom so we found a low floored scooter. This of course caused some problems with the bus lifts.
Backing a scooter on to a lift is normally no problem but with this model it got caught on the folding slats and would spin wheels so I explained to the drivers through trial and error that you need to drive forward onto the lift and back off the lift. Our only real complaint came here when a rude bus driver said that it was the rules that I was not allowed to drive forward on the lift and that the scooter might not be the best one for the park and that I should complain to the designers that they need to fix this problems because their brand new scooter design does not fit the WDW Transportation Rules.
To which I calmly replied the technology sets the rules the rules do not set the technology.

But enough with that now for some Disney Magic....at Epcot we went to see the "Segway" on display at Inoventions and while there I got some magic...they brought up the IBOT...the step climbing electric wheelchair to show me its moves...wow !!!!!
what an amazing chair...it was quite a treat.

Well off to work now...just thought I'd drop by and share.
Now I get to start planning our 2004 trip. Can't wait.

Juila

 

[Talking Hands]

Sounds Like you had a great time Julia. Wonder which interpreter did Candlelight that you were at. Can you describe the interpreter? If you can I can probably say who it was.
And I am always glad to help. Glad you had a great time.

 

[faeflora]

He was a gentlemen in his 30's probably, very very good at what he presented. He was very dramatic and really captured the emotions of the music so much so that when he signed Hallelujah at the beginning of the last piece of music the entire audience stood up. I believe he had light hair and was a slim build. I was just blown away by his interpreting truly moving.
Juia

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks for sharing.
Too bad about the scooter not working well with the bus. I can see why the driver didn't want her to drive on the lift in a forward position, but he didn't have to be rude about it. (The reason is that the heaviest part of the load should be as close as possible to the place where the lift attaches to the bus). Technology needs to catch up with itself.

 

[Talking Hands]

Julia it is tradition to stand for Hallelujah Chorus. Interpreter sounds like Tony except his hair isn't really light but it can be hard to tell under the lights. He is almost as good as Angela. Very slender. And he is really into the music. I enjoy him.