Lost respect, why are people so shady?

[Viva Las Disney]

I was talking to a co-worker tonight about my upcoming trip to DL for the Neverland 5k, and a few days of park time , and she said to make sure I go to guest services and tell them I have social anxiety and they'll give me a pass to skip the lines. At first I was shocked, then angry, and then just sad. This is a friend I've worked with for several years and I instantly lost a ton of respect for her. I held my tongue for the most part but did mention they recently changed the system because of people like her abusing it.

I just kept thinking this is why we can't have nice things.

I've read a lot about the abuse with the old system but never actually experienced it and this is the first time I've had first hand experience with the abuse and I'm still shocked, I'm not sure I'll ever view my friend in the same light again. Sad.

 

[Belle1386]

The biggest problem with the GAC.... there were way too many people who would come in and "pretend" they had a problem just so they could skip the lines.... hey, word gets around, and since Guest Relations was not going to question the guest, the GAC was issued with whatever accommodations the guest requested--- no questions asked, no doctor's note required. Guest Relations did not have the medical background to make a judgment one way, or the other. They started keeping track of how many GACs were distributed per day, and honestly, the number was startling. We always said that there would come a day that the people who "pretended" to have a problem would ruin it for all of the people who really needed the card. We all understood the reasoning behind children who had problems with being in tight spaces, around too many people, for whatever reason. We also understood that there are people who have problems with stamina due to chronic illness that may need to expedite their visit. Do I think there should be accommodations in those cases... yes! These things need to be taken on a case by case basis, not a one size fits all situation. Was DAS the way to go? Well, it was the system authorized by the Americans with Disabilities and many focus groups that were interviewed when it became apparent that something new was needed, so it was implimented. It is in line with all of the other parks in the Orlando area. I have been on both sides... as a former castmember, and now as someone who has needed to use a wheelchair/scooter. I can empathize with the parent who has a child with special needs who just wants their child to experience the joy of Disney, but may not have the energy due to illness, or the ablilty to control meltdowns in many situations. Those parents don't want to expedite lines for the sake of "getting more done than anyone else"... they want their child to be comfortable and not cause aggravation for those around them. I can also empathize with the person in a wheelchair who waits in the standby line, only to have to wait in a new line for wheelchair access. Are there kinks that need to be worked out? Of course... nothing roles out without a few hiccups. Hopefully, with feedback, the system will become more user friendly for those who need it, but avoid the abuse that ruined the GAC. Remember, we all have one thing in common... we want to enjoy our vacations and make good memories with our families and friends. Walk a mile in someone else's shoes before making judgment. One never knows when he/she may experience a similar situation.

 

[OurBigTrip]

The biggest problem with the GAC.... there were way too many people who would come in and "pretend" they had a problem just so they could skip the lines.... hey, word gets around, and since Guest Relations was not going to question the guest, the GAC was issued with whatever accommodations the guest requested--- no questions asked, no doctor's note required. Guest Relations did not have the medical background to make a judgment one way, or the other. They started keeping track of how many GACs were distributed per day, and honestly, the number was startling. We always said that there would come a day that the people who "pretended" to have a problem would ruin it for all of the people who really needed the card. We all understood the reasoning behind children who had problems with being in tight spaces, around too many people, for whatever reason. We also understood that there are people who have problems with stamina due to chronic illness that may need to expedite their visit. Do I think there should be accommodations in those cases... yes! These things need to be taken on a case by case basis, not a one size fits all situation. Was DAS the way to go? Well, it was the system authorized by the Americans with Disabilities and many focus groups that were interviewed when it became apparent that something new was needed, so it was implimented. It is in line with all of the other parks in the Orlando area. I have been on both sides... as a former castmember, and now as someone who has needed to use a wheelchair/scooter. I can empathize with the parent who has a child with special needs who just wants their child to experience the joy of Disney, but may not have the energy due to illness, or the ablilty to control meltdowns in many situations. Those parents don't want to expedite lines for the sake of "getting more done than anyone else"... they want their child to be comfortable and not cause aggravation for those around them. I can also empathize with the person in a wheelchair who waits in the standby line, only to have to wait in a new line for wheelchair access. Are there kinks that need to be worked out? Of course... nothing roles out without a few hiccups. Hopefully, with feedback, the system will become more user friendly for those who need it, but avoid the abuse that ruined the GAC. Remember, we all have one thing in common... we want to enjoy our vacations and make good memories with our families and friends. Walk a mile in someone else's shoes before making judgment. One never knows when he/she may experience a similar situation.

Very well said, and I would only disagree on two points.

One, the problem with the GAC wasn't just with the abuse, it was with the use and the fact that Disney didn't enforce its own GAC rules, namely, it was never meant to be a "skip the line" card. Had Disney enforced the rules, there wouldn't have been as much incentive to abuse or use it.

Two, I don't agree that the need to expedite a visit should be a consideration. If someone has three hours to be in the park, they should be able to do three hours worth of attractions, disabled or not. There are plenty of reasons that have nothing to do with disability that result in someone being in the parks for only a few hours.

 

[Belle1386]

Very well said, and I would only disagree on two points.

One, the problem with the GAC wasn't just with the abuse, it was with the use and the fact that Disney didn't enforce its own GAC rules, namely, it was never meant to be a "skip the line" card. Had Disney enforced the rules, there wouldn't have been as much incentive to abuse or use it.

Two, I don't agree that the need to expedite a visit should be a consideration. If someone has three hours to be in the park, they should be able to do three hours worth of attractions, disabled or not. There are plenty of reasons that have nothing to do with disability that result in someone being in the parks for only a few hours.

While I do understand where you are coming from, I have seen first hand the people who do not have the energy to be in a park more than a couple of hours at a time... patients who aren't sponsered by Give Kids the World, or other organizations, but their families are bringing them to the parks to make lasting memories. I am not talking about people who want to spend the rest of the day at the pool, or have to catch a flight. I am only speaking in terms of severe medical reasons. It is not they they only WANT to be in the parks for 3 hours, but that is all the guest in question can tolerate. I do agree that the GAC card use wasn't enforced as it should have been, but in many cases, it was because of the backlash that came from doing it, and once it was issued, it was not to be questioned. Not really a good excuse, but I can understand.

 

[OurBigTrip]

While I do understand where you are coming from, I have seen first hand the people who do not have the energy to be in a park more than a couple of hours at a time... patients who aren't sponsered by Give Kids the World, or other organizations, but their families are bringing them to the parks to make lasting memories. I am not talking about people who want to spend the rest of the day at the pool, or have to catch a flight. I am only speaking in terms of severe medical reasons. It is not they they only WANT to be in the parks for 3 hours, but that is all the guest in question can tolerate. I do agree that the GAC card use wasn't enforced as it should have been, but in many cases, it was because of the backlash that came from doing it, and once it was issued, it was not to be questioned. Not really a good excuse, but I can understand.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on the issue of giving expedited access just because someone can't stay in the park for very long due to medical issues, other than Wish kids. Many toddlers can't last more than two or three hours in the park, but that doesn't mean that their families should get to skip lines so that they can enjoy six hours worth of attractions in three hours.

 

[semrick]

We'll just have to agree to disagree on the issue of giving expedited access just because someone can't stay in the park for very long due to medical issues, other than Wish kids. Many toddlers can't last more than two or three hours in the park, but that doesn't mean that their families should get to skip lines so that they can enjoy six hours worth of attractions in three hours.

I'm taking my 2 kids for the first time. We aren't part of any Wish programs/wish kids. She can't last more than a few hours due to her heart surgery and pacemaker she had, plus her pulmonary issues. She is 3 with Down syndrome. She gets over stimulated easily, plus tires out quickly.

 

[dsneprincess]

OP, I also had someone suggest this to me, only she told them her child was special needs to bypass the lines, when he wasn't &she just didn't want to wait. I find that reprehensible &yes, you will never look at that person the same again. I do feel that medical needs should get preferential treatment at the theme parks. I don't think it takes much, if anything, out of my day. I just thank God that we don't need the special access and don't mind if someone else gets an easier day at Disney. I think, in a lot of ways, everything else is more difficult, so why not even the field for a day. However, I can't imagine lying, cheating, and/or scheming for better access; I am lucky that I haven't really had to have contact with this person since the conversation. (just lucky, not by design)

 

[old lady]

It is terrible that people abused the system and make those who really do have special needs suffer.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . It is not they they only WANT to be in the parks for 3 hours, but that is all the guest in question can tolerate. . .

1) If people cannot stay in a park for long periods, this is their issue(s). *
2) Resolution should not be born by other guests.
3) The ADA provides for "ACCESS", not "EXCESS".
. . . Guests should be able to get onto/into a ride.
. . . They should not be granted more rides than other paying guests.

* Not trying to be harsh or nasty. But the Constitution does not guarantee
fairness or happiness. As long as disabled have access to attractions, they
are being treated properly. As for getting more rides because a guest cannot
spend more time in the parks, what about
. . . older folks who can't take the sun,
. . . parents who get stressed-out with handling four kids all day,
. . . kids who get stressed out by their parents handling of them,
. . . guests who need to eat at 5:00pm, so they have to leave the parks
. . . etc
The list can get pretty long, and I am sure I can find a reason for almost
anyone to have to get more rides in a shorter time period.

 

[andipanda]

I share your disdain. I am an AP in California, at Disneyland. I have to use a ECV for mobility in the parks. And my child has true anxiety and issues with sensory stimulation. The GAC is perfect for us/her. We can wait away from the press of the crowds in the lines, and we are thrilled that Disney allows her to be able to experience the parks this way.

When parents insist on pushing their way into the handicapped line for wheelchairs and scooters, with their strollers because they don't want to take the kids out, I have been known to do the following :

While looking concerned, and sincere, I say to the parent : "Oh, it must be so hard to parent disabled children." (or some other heartfelt sentiment) to which they always reply indignantly "There is nothing wrong with my child/ren !" and I can innocently reply "oh, then why are you in the area designated for handicapped ?"

I know, I'm a witch with a "B". But please. Don't take up space for those of us who really MUST use assistive devices, and who cannot fold up the chair or scooter and just climb up the stairs. I would be happy if I could. But I cannot. Don't cheat the system. Support the system, that you might one day truly need.

 

[nighttowll]

We'll just have to agree to disagree on the issue of giving expedited access just because someone can't stay in the park for very long due to medical issues, other than Wish kids. Many toddlers can't last more than two or three hours in the park, but that doesn't mean that their families should get to skip lines so that they can enjoy six hours worth of attractions in three hours.

I've got to agree with Belle on this one, but I respect that you feel differently. I don't see a toddler as the same as someone with a chronic or severe disease who physically can't do it. Toddlers can take naps and come back later, toddlers can go swimming at the pool, play in the hotel, any number of things. They also get older and can do more. If they can't handle more than 3 hours of Disney at age 2, you have the option to bring them back at age 4 when they can. On the other hand, a 2 year old with a chronic disease is still a 4 year old with a chronic disease. I would never compare a toddler with someone who walks across a room and is so tired they need to sit down or becomes so exhausted that they need to spend the rest of the day in bed after being out of the house for only 2 or 3 hours. As previously stated, it's not about choosing to leave. It's about having to. It's not about leaving to go rest by the pool. It's about leaving to go to bed. Maybe you would pay all that money for tickets to spend 2 or 3 hours at the park one day, but for people already struggling with medical bills, for many its just not very feasible.

I will admit, I'm not sure I'd feel this way if I hadn't lived with someone in this situation. It definitely opened my eyes. I don't think anyone can really understand unless they have experienced it, but living or taking care of someone with a chronic illness impacts every aspect of your life, every little decision. Where you can eat, go, shop, etc. My little sister has a chronic disease, and I've watched her struggle with it for years. I've seen her struggle just to make it through half days at school which she could only manage about 3 days a week. I watched her spend a couple hours up and then sleep for days because it exhausted her so much. Forget about a vacation. Every time we tried to go anywhere or do anything it never worked out well because she'd get sick the whole time or become too weak to do anything or both.

When I first heard about the GAC, I thought here was our chance to maybe go somewhere and have it work out ok. She still needed to improve a lot at the time, but I thought we might be able to get her up to lasting a few hours, maybe half a day, and with a GAC that would be enough to justify going. Now that option is lost to us. She's been through a lot over the last few years. We've never applied to or been recommended for Make a Wish or a similar program and that's fine. But I do feel that just because we take her somewhere ourselves, and she isn't on an official wish trip, it shouldn't make any difference. She needs something to be excited about as much as the next kid, especially when you think about a kid struggling with chronic pain and hospitalizations.

Luckily, she is doing much better right now due to new meds, and she is able to tour pretty well at the moment. We still have to watch how long we stay, make sure she gets plenty of sleep, and that we take breaks (Think touring with a toddler on a FODMAP diet) (And yes, this is what I mean by she is doing well and is able to tour.) We have changed the way we tour to fit what she can handle, and I don't mind that what were once 12 hour park days are more like 6 hours now, and will probably never be 12 again. However, it would never be worth the money to go if she got really sick again, and we had to limit our park time to around 3 hours, plus a rest day after. It's nice to think, "well just don't go if she's that sick", but guess what? this is the first time in 3 years she's been this well. Should we have just kept her home for 3 years straight? Would you if it was your kid?

Overall, our last trip was great except for one day. My sister got really sick at the park at about 10:30 one day and didn't get better until around 5:00. Here she is sick crying in the bathroom that she is ruining another vacation because I paid all that money for the tickets, and we have only gotten to see 2 attractions all day. I'm standing there telling her its alright its not ruined its fine, but what good does that do when we've missed our ADR and everything she wanted to see, and she knows it. By the time she was feeling better enough to tour anymore, we could only fit a few more attractions in. I would have loved to have had a GAC at this point. Even with it, we still would have only hit around half of the attractions an average family would have in a day, but at least, it would have been something, and she wouldn't have felt like her disease was ruining everything again. We wouldn't have used the card on the other days when she was physically capable, but it would have been nice this one day when her disease was acting up. I think for many people like us, knowing the GAC was there just in case was a nice security blanket. It made people feel like it was ok to take a vacation, and they wouldn't be wasting their money if something went wrong.

I know many people will point out that anyone could get the flu, a stomach bug, a migraine, anything that would make them miss a park day as described above. However, I'm not talking isolated incidences. If I got the flu, I'd suck it up that we lost a day. It happens. I'm talking every vacation you plan, every weekend get away you take, you are sick you miss out. Imagine getting the flu on every vacation you take, every holiday, every festival you try to attend. It's a constant thing over and over again. Daily life, parties, dances, school events, etc., all get constantly interrupted. We've missed 3 planned outings this week alone, and she's doing good. It was a miracle we made it through the trip with only the one major interruption which wasn't the only time she got sick, just the only time that impacted us more than a few hours. So for me and others in similar situations, it was kind of nice that there was one place you could go and know you at least had a chance of having a semi decent vacation.

So I'm just asking that before you write off me and Belle completely, you just ask yourself. If you had a kid who was really sick and physically couldn't last more than a few hours, could you tell them they only get to ride say 4 rides because there isn't time for more? Or would you pay all that money for hotels, food, and tickets, only to see a handful of attractions? If yes, then I respect your decision, but I just couldn't do it. We got lucky. My sister's doing better and Disney became a possibility, but other kids don't get to wait until they are doing better or can't afford to wait. The GAC gave them a chance to enjoy Disney in the limited time available to them. Should they just have waited until a "wish trip" came up? What if one never did? It's just not a simple situation. We have always tried to do everything in our power to make things work without special accommodations, rather at Disney or somewhere else. We plan ahead, plan breaks, tour in off season, etc. I think if possible that's best. IMHO the GAC shouldn't be first, it should be last case for emergencies or when there are no other options. I really hate that the people who abused it ruined it for everyone.

My main issue with the whole new situation is that it doesn't in anyway stop the abuse, just changes it. Abusers can still use the system, and as the old FP- machines disappear having multiple FP+ (which is essentially what you are getting a return time) beyond the 3 will just become even more popular. It will take a little more thought, but a good abuser will get around it. Especially if they think they can make a profit. They will cheat no matter what the system. It just hurts those who needed the old system as it was. I wish they had just required some type of proof, but I guess legally they couldn't which I think kind of sucks. I firmly believe if you want special treatment you should have to prove your case no matter if it is Disney or someone else, but I get that I'm probably in the minority with my feelings on that one.

There really is no easy answer to this issue. I'm just hoping that maybe this post can help people to see this issue from another side, instead of just a bunch of people who were abusing the system.

 

[OurBigTrip]

So I'm just asking that before you write off me and Belle completely, you just ask yourself. If you had a kid who was really sick and physically couldn't last more than a few hours, could you tell them they only get to ride say 4 rides because there isn't time for more? Or would you pay all that money for hotels, food, and tickets, only to see a handful of attractions? If yes, then I respect your decision, but I just couldn't do it. We got lucky. My sister's doing better and Disney became a possibility, but other kids don't get to wait until they are doing better or can't afford to wait. The GAC gave them a chance to enjoy Disney in the limited time available to them. Should they just have waited until a "wish trip" came up? What if one never did? It's just not a simple situation. We have always tried to do everything in our power to make things work without special accommodations, rather at Disney or somewhere else. We plan ahead, plan breaks, tour in off season, etc. I think if possible that's best. IMHO the GAC shouldn't be first, it should be last case for emergencies or when there are no other options. I really hate that the people who abused it ruined it for everyone.

If I had a chronically ill child that could only last three or four hours in the park, and if I chose to go to Disney World, I would use the DAS, and I would expect to ride the same number of rides as someone without a DAS would in that period of time. I wouldn't expect that I should be able to negatively impact other people's vacation because of my child's illness or condition.

My main issue with the whole new situation is that it doesn't in anyway stop the abuse, just changes it. Abusers can still use the system, and as the old FP- machines disappear having multiple FP+ (which is essentially what you are getting a return time) beyond the 3 will just become even more popular. It will take a little more thought, but a good abuser will get around it. Especially if they think they can make a profit. They will cheat no matter what the system. It just hurts those who needed the old system as it was. I wish they had just required some type of proof, but I guess legally they couldn't which I think kind of sucks. I firmly believe if you want special treatment you should have to prove your case no matter if it is Disney or someone else, but I get that I'm probably in the minority with my feelings on that one.

Taking away the incentive to cheat is the first step in eliminating the cheaters, and the DAS does that. There is little reason to cheat using a DAS when it isn't going to make your experience that much better than any other guest.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I'm taking my 2 kids for the first time. We aren't part of any Wish programs/wish kids. She can't last more than a few hours due to her heart surgery and pacemaker she had, plus her pulmonary issues. She is 3 with Down syndrome. She gets over stimulated easily, plus tires out quickly.

So she should get to ride twice (or more) as many rides as a typical three year old that gets tired and cranky after a few hours and needs to leave the park? Sorry, but I just don't agree with that.

 

[aaarcher86]

While I do understand where you are coming from, I have seen first hand the people who do not have the energy to be in a park more than a couple of hours at a time... patients who aren't sponsered by Give Kids the World, or other organizations, but their families are bringing them to the parks to make lasting memories. I am not talking about people who want to spend the rest of the day at the pool, or have to catch a flight. I am only speaking in terms of severe medical reasons. It is not they they only WANT to be in the parks for 3 hours, but that is all the guest in question can tolerate. I do agree that the GAC card use wasn't enforced as it should have been, but in many cases, it was because of the backlash that came from doing it, and once it was issued, it was not to be questioned. Not really a good excuse, but I can understand.

Then it just becomes an issue of who qualifies for that and who gets to be the judge.

I think the idea is nice, but the reality wouldn't work IMO. Everyone has some kind of limit. It's up to each person to decide if their limits versus the cost make sense.

 

[Poohlove]

I know someone who is an AP holder, travels to Disney numerous times a year and each time has a note from her doctor that somehow allows her - and her party - to bypass lines due to her weight. If she had a true medical condition which caused her to be overweight than ok, but she brags about how she "pulls one over" and her and her party of at least 4 each time don't have to wait in line.

I think that if you don't have a true medical condition, why wish for one and try to benefit from it. There are so many people who would love to be able to be healthy I would think that waiting in a line would be such a small trade off for that.

 

[aaarcher86]

I know someone who is an AP holder, travels to Disney numerous times a year and each time has a note from her doctor that somehow allows her - and her party - to bypass lines due to her weight. If she had a true medical condition which caused her to be overweight than ok, but she brags about how she "pulls one over" and her and her party of at least 4 each time don't have to wait in line. I think that if you don't have a true medical condition, why wish for one and try to benefit from it. There are so many people who would love to be able to be healthy I would think that waiting in a line would be such a small trade off for that.

Since the change in October that won't be happening anymore. Unfortunately, there are lots of people like her.

 

[SteveMouse]

Yep, someone using a wheelchair should be able to experience the same number of attractions as someone without equipment in the same amount of time. Disney's infrastructure doesn't allow for this on some attractions, creating delays for mobility equipment users. Disney does need to address that issue- the current DAS does not. One way might be to shorten the return time to compensate additionally for the wait fit the accessible vehicle for applicable attractions.

 

[aaarcher86]

Yep, someone using a wheelchair should be able to experience the same number of attractions as someone without equipment in the same amount of time. Disney's infrastructure doesn't allow for this on some attractions, creating delays for mobility equipment users. Disney does need to address that issue- the current DAS does not. One way might be to shorten the return time to compensate additionally for the wait fit the accessible vehicle for applicable attractions.

Yes. That's really the only gripe I have with the DAS, is that those waiting for accessible vehicles wait much longer.

I don't really know of an idea for solution, honestly. Even if they shorted the DAS wait there could be 5 people in front of you and the wait would be very long. Maybe a separate system for those vehicles entirely if that were possible would be beneficial.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

I can, and have, informed people I know who are outright on cheating the system when it comes to things like the DAS (or GAC), disabled parking, etc. that I disapprove. There have been fights with my father over this when it comes to parking (he's tried to park on hashmarks when all the disabled spaces were full and I was in the car). I have also cut acquaintances over it (somehow all my friends know better ). I won't make the judgment if it's just seeing someone who I think doesn't look disabled. That's extra true when it's a GAC or DAS. (Obviously, comments like a previous poster mentioned where parents said they and their kids weren't disabled fall under the outright cheating. There are legit reasons why a disabled adult might need the "stroller as wheelchair" accommodation for their non-disabled kids.)

I'm a person with a chronic illness (and a wheelchair user), that I've had since I was young. I probably qualified for a GAC, but I never requested one. I actually do not understand why in my limited time in the park I should have the expectation of doing more than a non-disabled person does in that time. I managed fulltime (sorta) in k-12 education, but every kid I know who has attended part time or been homebound due to health reasons has still done the same amount of work as the kids in the classrooms. I couldn't attend college fulltime and it took me extra years to graduate. The waiting for the DAS is the equivalent to doing the work to pass classes/get a degree.

I wish they had just required some type of proof, but I guess legally they couldn't which I think kind of sucks. I firmly believe if you want special treatment you should have to prove your case no matter if it is Disney or someone else, but I get that I'm probably in the minority with my feelings on that one.

The DAS isn't "special treatment". That's the entire point of the new system. It's to be equal treatment. That means for those people who can't safely wait in lines, they now can wait safely somewhere out a line. It doesn't mean that everyone can suddenly do as many attractions as everyone else, which could only ever be regulated if every guest, regardless of disability status, was given a certain number of attractions they could see in a given day. Instead it provides a safe way for everyone to have equal access. If WDW had wanted to continue to give special access with the GAC (along with the equal access of the DAS), they could have required documentation, but the logistics would have been horrible for WDW, CMs, and guests alike.

If you use the education example, the DAS could actually be used in ways that are similar to attending school part time. There's nothing that says you can't go back to your resort to rest during the wait time on your DAS. There is also the option to lie down in First Aid. It wouldn't work for everyone, but I suspect that lying down in FA for rest or a nap during DAS waits would actually extend the amount of time some people with stamina issues can spend in the park.

I do think the major problem that needs to get worked out is removing the extra waits for mobility aid users who can't transfer (or for rides where even those who can transfer get backed up). This isn't a new problem. Every visit I've had as a mobility aid user, there have been rides where I've waited longer (sometimes substantially longer) than those in standby. I think some of that can improve with the DAS because of removing the non-mobility aid users from accessible alternate entrances (i.e. Sue's more recent experiences with Small World). Others should improve with the close-ended return wheelchair return times (one reason I wouldn't necessarily object, as a non-DAS user, to being given a longer than standby wheelchair return card to something like Jungle cruise if the card really did mean not waiting for the boat when I returned). I don't know the best way to fix it for rides with mainstream queues that then bump you to another corridor at the normal boarding point (those I've always waited extra for, even when the only mobility aid user in the off season), but I think long term WDW can figure out a system. Once the DAS is more ironed out (because it can still use improvement even though I think in general it works), maybe WDW can start putting it's creativity towards reducing the longer than non-disabled people waits for mobility aid users.

 

[afnaechiquita]

i've lost friends over that exact situation. and i've said to them, "because of what you're doing, one disney will take it away from those of us who truly need it."

now we both lose.

i do believe if there was not so much abuse by those people, things would not have changed and the general touring public would not have known the wiser/cared as much. the abuse is what made the access so publicized and "envious," with people bragging about getting front of the line access (where were they when i was waiting 30+ minutes in the FP line at RnR with a 15 y/o stronger than me who knows exactly how to wheel his wheelchair around and hit the shins because it's hot and he's grumpy and wants to be on the rollercoaster yesterday?).

i don't know what magical symptoms these people present that would make them fool a CM to believe they needed to be in the front asap. once, while wheeling my brother up the ramp to get on space mountain, we were surpassed by a group of running kids holding a GAC. i agree, it needed to stop.

and so disney did stop it, the only way they felt they reasonably could while still providing access to those who truly need it. it's a much more limited access than what we had before, but it is still there. we are not limited to the 3 FP+ a day, because the DAS is essentially a multiple use FP. you go up, get your return time, and come back later. at first i was really bothered by not having the immediate access to FP lines, but after much thought i think we can make it work with our situation. just like the general touring population is having to change their entire tour process to work with FP+, we have to change ours to work with DAS. it is what it is. i think there are still people with valid complaints/physical limitations and the DAS does not work for them, but for most of us, it's a matter of changing the touring process and keeping expectations in line (i.e., there is no way that we will take my brother to the line with us to get the return time, as he is unable to process why we are not going on it now and everyone around us will know it. keeping him away from that process will help in managing his behavior).

we have not been since my brother became acquainted with his ipad. i think our waits will be more doable if he has that as a distraction (it has helped with restaurant waits immensely) when he gets antsy.

that got longer than i intended.