Osborne Lights anxiety....

[livndisney]

We just left the lights. They have changed how they are doing things this year. They are now directing everyone in one direction, which is fine until you reach the end of the street by Muppets. The only way out from that dead end is to go back up the street (through insane crowds) and out by Sci Fi Diner. With anxiety or crowd/space issues this is tough. You can see open "safe" places, but the CM's will not let you exit there.

I stopped into GS to ask if any "assistance" was available for those with needs and was rudely told "all we have to provide is wheelchairs". (Trying to get a wheelchair out of there would have been a nightmare)

So if you are going in the next week, you may want to avoid that side road with anyone with crowd issues, strollers or an ECV.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks for the heads up.
Having gone to Osborne Lights quite a few times in the past, I'm not sure there is a good way to route people around. With that many people trying to move around in a relatively small space, especially when they are all trying to watch the light show. It's already anxiety producing for people without any special issues to be in a dense crowd like that, so I can only imagine how difficult it becomes for someone who knows they have issues.

I think your suggestion to avoid that part is probably best. While the CM's response to you was kind of rude, I can also see that allowing exceptions in that kind of setting would mean the crowd would follow (since it's less congested) which would mean losing control of the crowd. Not sure if there is any better option for special needs that avoids that problem.

 

[winniedapooh]

We were at Osborne lights on 12/11 and I can tell you--what a mess of a crowd it was!!! I was in a wheelchair after having knee replacement surgery. DH folded the wheelchair up and left it parked. He walked, or should I say we limped to the end of the lights--it took us 15 minutes with the crowds. I waited next to a trashcan while he went around to bring the wheelchair back to me. It took him another 20 minutes to get through. While waiting people kept taking down a rope near the end and using it as a cut through. CM's were getting frustrated, people did not care--they just walked right past them, taking the rope back down.

We have been to Osborne lights many times Christmas week and have never seen it as busy and congested as it was that night. The next day we went to HS for a few hours and walked through during the day just so we could see the display, lol!

I agree with others who have said it would be really bad for someone who had crowd issues or anxiety. BTW, I saw not one other person come through in a wheelchair or ECV in that 4-45 minute span. Did see a few strollers with terrified little ones in them though!

 

[maroo]

Oh my...

I really hate to see us tell someone to just skip such a wonderful display. That makes me sad.

Personally, I will just plan an extra hour or two for crowds if I ever get to go back over Christmas with anyone in a wheelchair - it was worth it for us.

 

[livndisney]

Oh my...

I really hate to see us tell someone to just skip such a wonderful display. That makes me sad.

Personally, I will just plan an extra hour or two for crowds if I ever get to go back over Christmas with anyone in a wheelchair - it was worth it for us.

For someone who's needs are met with a wheelchair an "extra hour or two" may work. With anxiety time is the not the issue, crowds and "no escape" are.

I did not suggest "skipping" the display, but rather cautioned against getting caught in the dead end.

 

[dclfun]

I missed it this year on purpose and we were at the Poly/AKL for 8 nights from Dec 9-17. Between my power wheelchair and service dog, there is no way I'm subjecting either of us to those crowds. People are understandably gazing at the lights and not watching where they're going. Last year Skye was hit several times with handbags, backpacks, and strollers and had a near-miss with a mug of hot chocolate that was spilled mere inches from her head. I wish they had a wide queue line set up throughout the exhibit JUST for wheelchairs, ECV's or people who have issues with close spaces but I guess it would be hard to keep the line moving and it would prevent people from being able to see both sides. Sigh. Another one bites the dust.---Kathy

 

[SueM in MN]

Thought I had typed this earlier, but I meant to add that it might be worth a trip to the lights area earlier in the day to kind of get an idea of what areas might be problematic - things that are already dead ends or very narrow.

 

[livndisney]

Thought I had typed this earlier, but I meant to add that it might be worth a trip to the lights area earlier in the day to kind of get an idea of what areas might be problematic - things that are already dead ends or very narrow.

Good idea except they don't start blocking things off until just before the lights. Basically they set up barricades across the entire front of the San Francisco frontage. They route people into the lights area starting over by Star Tours. If you are already in the area when they turn the lights on, you have no idea they are routing traffic.

 

[toniosmom]

We were there in early December and I can't imagine navigating that crowd with a stroller, wheelchair, or ECV. I have read on DIS from another poster (or maybe it was a tip on AllEars) that if you go after they turn on the lights -- later in the evening or closer to closing time -- the crowds are much less. No, you won't see them initially turned on, but you will still enjoy the "dancing lights". If we ever go back during Christmas season, that's exactly what I plan to do.