- Joined
- Aug 23, 1999
- Messages
- 36,352
Closing at this point because it is getting to heated.
If there is new information to add, I will re-open it.
Just adding a few things.
- there used to be kennels outside of Epcot, MK, AK, the Studio and Wilderness Lodge. These were closed in 2010 when a Best Friends kennel opened.
- "Service Dog" is an inclusive term and includes Guide Dogs; they are one type of Service Dog. "Service Animal" is the term used in the ADA and, especially many younger people, have only heard that term. So, if it is being used, it is not being used to discriminate.
- kennels at attractions were one of the 'remedies' that was agreed upon in the lawsuit. These were an option guests could choose to use, not a requirement.
Many people would consider the location where wheelchairs are stored while a guest is riding an attraction to be a secure enough spot for a dog in a kennel. Others apparently don't, but since nothing has been shared about why they feel this way or what would be thought of as secure, I don't know.
- the only attractions where guests with Service Animals are not allowed to bring their dog in line are those that Service a Dogs may not ride on.
Most of those have fairly obvious reasons why.
For example, Soarin' and Peter Pan are elevated rides that will be many feet above the ground during the attraction with no way to secure/restrain an animal. Most of the others are roller coasters or things like Tower of Terror that have no way to restrain a dog and could be very dangerous for an unrestrained animal.
- I'm not sure what kind of resort accommodations people who are blind are expecting. If no one knows, it can't be provided. The Braille numbers on the room doors and markings on elevators are required by the ADA. If something additional would be better, that would be best addressed by trying to suggest changes to the ADA.
WDW does have GPS enabled audio devices for the blind and visually impaired available. These do things like provide audio orientation for way finding, audio descriptions of attractions and menu readers for restaurants (video in link to article at end of thread).
- this website has a lot of information about wheelchair accessibility because that is a very 'concrete' thing. There are specific things provided, such as wheelchair accessible ride cars. A lot of these things are spelled out very specifically in the guidance documents that support the ADA, including specific measurements.
A lot of things in the ADA that are meant to accommodate individual who are blind or have low vision are not so specific. Some are things like requirements for Braille in certain places or that signs be a certain size. Some are requirements for how far anything can stick out of a wall, the heights of things that protrude from walls and placement of objects.
- requesting a DAS for visual impairments/blindness is the same as for other conditions. The guest would need to explain their needs related to waiting in conventional queues to CMs in Guest Relations.
And, actually, in the past, quite a few people who had GAC cards with a stamp for 'front row seating' actually posted it was easier for them to just talk to a CM about their needs and not use the GAC at all. So, not everyone with visual disabilities felt a GAC was useful for them. Someone in this thread specifically mentioned that they want to go thru the queues so they can experience the things in the queue.
- the other reason there is a lot of information about services or features for guests using mobility devices is that is information people have available to share. We can only work with the information we are given. There may not be that many people with blindness or visual disabilities on this site.
The reason there is little about services for the blind other than what is on the Disney website is that no one who has that information is sharing it.
IF no one shares which restaurants have large type menus, I can't add it to the information on this site. And, the ADA does allow providing someone (like a waiter) to read the menu in cases where there is not a large type manu available. The audio devices Disney has available will also provide an audio version of the menu.
What I have found is in post 3 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
And, finally, as I was looking for information, I found this short article from the National Federation for the Blind about travel to WDW. There is a video at the bottom of the article that includes a lot of information about the audio devices. It is rich in audio, so even if you can't see it, it is worth listening to.
http://www.nfbtravel.org/Tour_Walt_Disney_World.html
If there is new information to add, I will re-open it.
Just adding a few things.
- there used to be kennels outside of Epcot, MK, AK, the Studio and Wilderness Lodge. These were closed in 2010 when a Best Friends kennel opened.
- "Service Dog" is an inclusive term and includes Guide Dogs; they are one type of Service Dog. "Service Animal" is the term used in the ADA and, especially many younger people, have only heard that term. So, if it is being used, it is not being used to discriminate.
- kennels at attractions were one of the 'remedies' that was agreed upon in the lawsuit. These were an option guests could choose to use, not a requirement.
Many people would consider the location where wheelchairs are stored while a guest is riding an attraction to be a secure enough spot for a dog in a kennel. Others apparently don't, but since nothing has been shared about why they feel this way or what would be thought of as secure, I don't know.
- the only attractions where guests with Service Animals are not allowed to bring their dog in line are those that Service a Dogs may not ride on.
Most of those have fairly obvious reasons why.
For example, Soarin' and Peter Pan are elevated rides that will be many feet above the ground during the attraction with no way to secure/restrain an animal. Most of the others are roller coasters or things like Tower of Terror that have no way to restrain a dog and could be very dangerous for an unrestrained animal.
- I'm not sure what kind of resort accommodations people who are blind are expecting. If no one knows, it can't be provided. The Braille numbers on the room doors and markings on elevators are required by the ADA. If something additional would be better, that would be best addressed by trying to suggest changes to the ADA.
WDW does have GPS enabled audio devices for the blind and visually impaired available. These do things like provide audio orientation for way finding, audio descriptions of attractions and menu readers for restaurants (video in link to article at end of thread).
- this website has a lot of information about wheelchair accessibility because that is a very 'concrete' thing. There are specific things provided, such as wheelchair accessible ride cars. A lot of these things are spelled out very specifically in the guidance documents that support the ADA, including specific measurements.
A lot of things in the ADA that are meant to accommodate individual who are blind or have low vision are not so specific. Some are things like requirements for Braille in certain places or that signs be a certain size. Some are requirements for how far anything can stick out of a wall, the heights of things that protrude from walls and placement of objects.
- requesting a DAS for visual impairments/blindness is the same as for other conditions. The guest would need to explain their needs related to waiting in conventional queues to CMs in Guest Relations.
And, actually, in the past, quite a few people who had GAC cards with a stamp for 'front row seating' actually posted it was easier for them to just talk to a CM about their needs and not use the GAC at all. So, not everyone with visual disabilities felt a GAC was useful for them. Someone in this thread specifically mentioned that they want to go thru the queues so they can experience the things in the queue.
- the other reason there is a lot of information about services or features for guests using mobility devices is that is information people have available to share. We can only work with the information we are given. There may not be that many people with blindness or visual disabilities on this site.
The reason there is little about services for the blind other than what is on the Disney website is that no one who has that information is sharing it.
IF no one shares which restaurants have large type menus, I can't add it to the information on this site. And, the ADA does allow providing someone (like a waiter) to read the menu in cases where there is not a large type manu available. The audio devices Disney has available will also provide an audio version of the menu.
What I have found is in post 3 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
And, finally, as I was looking for information, I found this short article from the National Federation for the Blind about travel to WDW. There is a video at the bottom of the article that includes a lot of information about the audio devices. It is rich in audio, so even if you can't see it, it is worth listening to.
http://www.nfbtravel.org/Tour_Walt_Disney_World.html
