My husband almost beat someone's butt..

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Ok, Joanna was able to find some of her old info pamphlets and sure enough, it was 7 nights a week even during the off season. We are both very confused, we could have sworn it has always been only two or three nights a week during the off season. I guess we just have Spectro on the brain (which is definitely only a few nights a week during the off season! I remember that well from having performed in it). Huh. Just goes to show how faulty human memory is.

The move does not surprise me. Given what goes into Fantasmic, I'm surprised it took them this long.

 

[MarriedToAPrince]

That is what I am terrified of encountering the next time we go. I was in an accident on Halloween 2007 and fractured a vertebrae in my spine and I have pain 24/7. I am still working with my pain and spine injury specialist to try and find a medication that works, but so far it is heavy narcotics. I can't walk far and I know that I will end up in a scooter or wheelchair before the days are over and I am terrified that someone will say something or treat me like that. I mean to the naked eye I am fine because I hide my pain well, but to know me you would know what I deal with. I just cannot believe that there are jerks out there like that, well actually yes I can, I just wish they didn't exist. I am so sorry that you had to deal with that treatment and I am glad to see the cast member stepping in and handling things. I think my DH would have kicked some butt too!

 

[mechurchlady]

When them rude people are not picking on people who are disabled then they are whining about goths, fat people, ugly people, people who wear religious garb, and things that annoy them like strollers, kids, and other guests.

Never let what people think of you stop you from having fun. I have to use a shopping cart or an ECV. I have been seen at DLR doing donuts and acting like a little kid who has just gotten their first skat car. I am a free bird and I do not care if someone does not like my ECV use.

I do try not to abuse my priviledges and try not to get special treatment. At Taste Pilot's Grill you will see me go inside and park my scooter, get a table then stand in line. I could set in that ECV and have the CM carry my food to a table but that would be me abusing the system. Besides that scooter is for me to get from point A to point B then do some exercise.

I know I do not always practice what I teach and preach but please never let anyone stop you from having fun.

 

[Sully&CJ]

I also have experienced this on my various trips to WDW. I am an active fit twenty-something woman that has been fighting with a bone tumor in my left hip and thigh for a number of years. Unless you see the foot long scar running down my leg, you would not know that anything is different about me. (BTW my brother lovingly refers to the scar as my shark bite). I have encountered the snide comments, angry looks, and yes, I have clipped my fair share of people. Luckily I have my two bodyguards, my brother 6'4" and 220 and husband 6'3" and 190, to protect my honor. What kills me is the fact that you are invisible when you enter a wheelchair. It is almost as if you cease to be a person and become an object, if you are seen at all. People cut or stop in front of you - because we all know that it is easy to stop a large wheeled object on a dime. The pass things to others over you and spill things on you. Gross!
But, on a lighter note I should share a warning to watch for the trolley tracks in MK. A wayward escort was wheeling my chair down main street, when she got the front wheel stuck in the track. I was then catapulted out of the chair and onto the pavement. No damage was done.....except to my pride. However, she was banned from pushing ever again.

 

[toocherie]

IBut, on a lighter note I should share a warning to watch for the trolley tracks in MK. A wayward escort was wheeling my chair down main street, when she got the front wheel stuck in the track. I was then catapulted out of the chair and onto the pavement. No damage was done.....except to my pride. However, she was banned from pushing ever again.

LOL--are you sure that she wasn't trying to get banned from pushing?????

Actually, I am fat and in a scooter and usually wear capris so the scars on my knees can't be seen, but to my knowledge I have never heard anyone complain about my ECV use. Maybe they've said something and I haven't heard it. Watch--some numbskull will say something when I go on my next trip!

 

[going/again]

Isn't it just as hard to get the people using wheelchairs and ECVs through the crowd though in the beginning? The OP mentioned being in the crowd and taken through it to go in first - that's just as much jostling and squeezing, maybe even more as people are ahead of them and not paying too much attention to what is going on behind them. I'm just thinking of the 'crowd mentality' and the difficulty in getting a large group of people to make a path open for others to get through. Doesn't make sense to me for it to be handled this way. As a PP stated, sounds like a poor design for Fantasmic, that's for sure.

if your not convinced, get a wheelchair for a day and try it.then see if it makes sense.

 

[DisneyGirl@Heart]

That is funny that you ask this. I really did not realize how "too close" people and things can get. I generally do not go out in a crowds and travel seperate from a group of people while at home.

Well, while in a long line of people at Epcot a lady and her butt got all over my controls and joystick. The chair went out of control becuase I could not get her butt off my hand and controls. She did get hurt and I was sorry that her butt was too big. I could not do anything about the chair spinning and hitting her.

I did not think much of the innsodent. I had thought it was just one of those things until it happened again in a line of people. A ladys purse snagged onto my controls and pullled off my joystick. The chair did go out of control and the lady was hit. Personally, I did not care how she got hurt. She was busy trying to crowd me out to get in front of me at a food line in Epcot and I was busy trying to get away from her.

After all that had happened I can see why there is precautions put in place to seperate the chairs and people. It is way to crowded and people do get hurt.

OMG, something similar happened to me earlier this year. I was using an ECV and waiting in line at finding Nemo in AK, all the way to the right side of the line, near the yellow cord. Someone wanted to sneak in front of me and my party and passed me on my right side, squeezing in between me and the yellow cord, but resting on my hand which was on the control and of course, the ecv moved forward. Scared, the person proceeded to push against me and the ecv, but without releasing my hand which they had jammed on the control, so of course, the ecv kept moving.

so of course everyone around us was freaking out and i instinctively turned to the right, away from the crowd, and right into the yellow cord, which caught me right under my chin, and i thought was was going to choke right there. i was so traumatized and i thought my dad, along for the trip and in his seventies, was going to have a heart attack... the next day i had an ugly bruise across my neck that took almost two weeks to disappear!

 

[Schmeck]

if your not convinced, get a wheelchair for a day and try it.then see if it makes sense.

I have been in a wheelchair for a day - and trying to get through a crowd of people to get up front was not pleasant. There has to be a better way, that's all I'm saying.

 

[carouselgirl]

We run into problems like that all the time. My husband has psoriatic arthritis and lives in pain constantly. He is aslo very stubborn and refuses to use a wheelchair. If it hurts too much, we just go back to the hotel and rest by the pool. We have never had a problem with cast members using the wheelchair entrance if he feels he needs extra help getting on and off rides. The problem is with other people making the "I bet he isn't even handicapped" comments. I have learned to ignore it. Why let it ruin your day because other people are ignorant.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I cannot believe someone would say those things and then actually try to move you! Wouldn't that be considered assault?

 

[ntsammy5]

One word ----- taser

 

[BroganMc]

I cannot believe someone would say those things and then actually try to move you! Wouldn't that be considered assault?

Yes. A person's wheelchair is considered an extension of their bodies. It's no different than some guy grabbing you by the shoulders and trying to push you out of your seat.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

I cannot believe someone would say those things and then actually try to move you! Wouldn't that be considered assault?

I am not surprised.

Last trip to WDW I had to accept an ECV or cancel the trip (physical limitations from an accident 6 months before). People don't see you and can be very rude at times.

I was trying to move toward the castle on main street - we had dinner reservations. If we had not planned a dinner there, I would have scooted the other way - so crowded.

I was stopped, the photopass person pushed me...so I fell out of my seat. I managed to get up....scooter tire now suck in one of the ruts in main street and people yelling at me for being in the way. It was pretty awful.


In 33 days we are heading to DL and 2 1/2 weeks following knee surgery. Surgeon said the only way was a scooter.

Once again an EVC will come to my rescue for a disney trip.


I would give just about anything to walk like so many of the disney guest....hopefuly soon. Unitl then, I scoot in my EVC.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

and to continue......

I will also say...we came close to cancelling because of the limitations.

What we found was we stopped and enjoyed our Disney experience so much more. We had "War Admiral vs. Seabiscuit" races from Boardwalk to HS or over to EPCOT, we spent more time outside the parks which we thoroughly enjoyed.

We discovered how special each of us was and how important we were to eath other.

We had a magical time and made lemonaid out of limons.

 

[Danislee]

I recently returned from my belated honeymoon from 09/05-09/11. Fantasmic is one of my favorite things in Disney. I have CP and brought my chair from home on this trip. I went to Fantasmic this last trip and for the most part it was enjoyable.

I am sad to have to report that indeed there are the people who get far too close to the wheelchairs, touch them, and jostle them. One gentleman in particular went pretty far as far as arguing for a position in the accessible section. He decided it would be fine to stand between right behind me, between the handlebars. There were also a variety of parents who continued to do this, or some form of touching the chair. Some people were quite rude. The number of times my husband and I had to ask people to please back away, get off of my chair, etc, was bothersome. And the amount of jostling, jerking, and shoving had made my body react by becoming unintentionally tense.

I don't have anxiety issues, but when this happens, I panic, quietly, but I panic. I think part of that is because there are so many people, and aside from Disney, people don't generally get that close to me.

I have to hand it to the Cast Members however. They were fantastic. Granted these things happened, but there were quite a few people, and they were busy. However, when they came back from herding people to the left side of the seating, they were very much on top of everything. They told the people that they could not be where they were, were firm, without being rude, and did not give in. For the gentleman who really felt it was acceptable to stand in between my handlebars, they told him it was a safety hazard. When he said, if there were an emergency he'd simply step out of the way, they handled him really well.

For our Fantasmic experience, because there were limited showings, we did come early. I think we were about forty five minutes early, and we were VERY lucky. I think we got the last accessible space in the Mickey middle section. I was glad, because as the area filled and others in scooters or wheelchairs came, they had to go further, among more people. And many of the people who were getting to seating, had no qualms trying to climb over or around them. Thankfully, they did offer each party in need of accessibility at least one Cast Member who helped keep the party together and safe.

So, Ears Off to the Cast Members at least on my night!

 

[RCaroll]

A disability is not always obvious to the one watching and often people DO abuse the spots saved for those such as yourself, this causes resentment in those less mentally capable of keeping things in perspective. Obviously a man this anxious was not a good role model for his children at Disney and more than likely not when they are home either. Regardless, if you were sneaking in by pretending or not as he suspected, he should have kept his mouth SHUT so he would not ruin the magic for his own kids who I am so sure also felt embarrassed and uncomfortable as their father verbally attacked a woman they did not know in a wheel chair. POOR kids!!! They have to live with him!

 

[Lachesis00]

Please get one before you go. If you push yourself too much, you will be in more pain (take it from the expert who will soon be getting her own wheelchair {Really I couldn't have avoided it. When I was tiny, we were told this would happen by 40, and I am 39 and in the process}) and it isn't worth it... especially at DL/DW.

I have and will push it if needed, but it really puts me out for a day or three or more sometimes. Of course I have hips and knees that dislocate, severe arthritis in my back, hips, ankles and knees.

I know this "sounds" bad, but when I read the horror/sad stories here, it makes me thankful I look different... *really* different then most (I was born w/TAR Syndrome and have shortened ulnas and no radius bones).
NO one has ever been rude to me (EXCEPT last week at the grocery store when someone was backing out, we were pulling in... Some guy started screaming at us, so I got out of the car and said "WHAT is the problem?? I *can not* walk!" while shaking my little fists at home (I am sure I was *so* threatening!! All 5' of me and a funny looking little body!). He did shut up though!
I am glad I can laugh. Sometimes it is all you can do!!

That is what I am terrified of encountering the next time we go. I was in an accident on Halloween 2007 and fractured a vertebrae in my spine and I have pain 24/7. I am still working with my pain and spine injury specialist to try and find a medication that works, but so far it is heavy narcotics.