Pet peeves I saw today at Magic Kingdom

[Tinkerbell10403]

Maybe I did not make this clear...merge was not the right word...we were already in line and they cut in between our party (between member 3 and 4) obviously impatient to get on the ride. In this case...myself and sister were left behind and excusd ourselves to catch up. We were not cutting..we were 'cut'.

 

[waltfan1957]

the stall is not reserved for the sole use of handicapped individuals - it is designed for their convenience and open for anybody to use if they choose.

wonder why they call it a handicapped stall then? this kind of attitude is precisely why handicapped people have such a hard time of it and no I am not handicapped

 

[Tazicket]

With the whole HC stall thing: I had knee surgery last year and was in a wheelchair for several months because of it. I cannot even begin to count how many times I would roll into the ladies room and have to wait because people who were not HC in the slightest were in the HC stall....with all the other stalls empty. I know I know, it's different when you're somewhere like WDW with long lines for the bathroom and such. I totally understand a mother who needs to take her young children in with her, but for those who are capable of using a regular stall, please be courteous and do so. You have a choice of which one you can use. Someone in a wheelchair does not.

 

[MareQ]

wonder why they call it a handicapped stall then? this kind of attitude is precisely why handicapped people have such a hard time of it and no I am not handicapped

First of @@ I don't have an attitude towards handicapped people - I DO have a disabled child...

I am simply stating facts. Like it or leave it.

 

[disneynutt1225]

With the whole HC stall thing: I had knee surgery last year and was in a wheelchair for several months because of it. I cannot even begin to count how many times I would roll into the ladies room and have to wait because people who were not HC in the slightest were in the HC stall....with all the other stalls empty. I know I know, it's different when you're somewhere like WDW with long lines for the bathroom and such. I totally understand a mother who needs to take her young children in with her, but for those who are capable of using a regular stall, please be courteous and do so. You have a choice of which one you can use. Someone in a wheelchair does not.[/QUOTE]

That was very well said.

 

[Tazicket]

That was very well said.

Thank You

 

[jann1033]

wonder why they call it a handicapped stall then? this kind of attitude is precisely why handicapped people have such a hard time of it and no I am not handicapped

actually the law in our state( not sure if it's national) is they have to have a bathroom or stall that is handicapped accessible, not only for handicapped people. most people misunderstand that and think it is like the parking permits but it's not. so anyone can use them and if there is a line why leave it empty just in caseand unless you ask each person their medical history before they go, it might be difficult to know just who might need those bars.( as has been discussed on the dis ad nauseam

btw i do need the handles although you wouldn't know it to look at me usually but why shouldn't i have to wait just like the other 30,000 guests in the park that day .I know i am the reigning Disney queen but really not that special and I'd rather mama take in her brood than have one of them peeking under all the other stall doors while mama is otherwise "occupied" which has happened to me also

 

[waltfan1957]

First of @@ I don't have an attitude towards handicapped people - I DO have a disabled child...

I am simply stating facts. Like it or leave it.

my wife is permanantly in a wheelchair so I see this a lot wasn't having a go at you, but a lot more people these days don't care about the affects their actions have on others, you must have noticed this yourself. sorry about your child

 

[waltfan1957]

actually the law in our state( not sure if it's national) is they have to have a bathroom or stall that is handicapped accessible, not only for handicapped people. most people misunderstand that and think it is like the parking permits but it's not. so anyone can use them and if there is a line why leave it empty just in case( btw i do need the handles although you wouldn't know it to look at me usually but why shouldn't i have to wait just like the other 30,000 guests in the park that day I know i am the reigning Disney queen but really not that special )

yes but as one reply stated all the other stalls were empty the person using it was doing so only because there was more room, how is this just in case as you put it

 

[SueM in MN]

There are no laws regarding the use of handicapped batroom stalls. They are open to anybody that wants to use it - regardless of why they need to use it.

The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) has certain requirements (by law, for the entire country) for the size and number of handicapped accessible toilets in public restrooms, not who can use them.
The basic requirement is that 5% of the stalls (but not less than one stall) must be handicapped accessible. This means that in a large public restroom with 50 stalls, only 3 are required to be HA. A small restroom with only 3 stalls total, would be required to have 1 HA stall. It doesn't make sense to "reserve" one stall in those little restrooms to be only used by people with disabilities (doing that would mean long waits for everyone). But, in larger restrooms when other stalls are empty, it does make sense to choose another empty one if you don't need the features of the HA stall.

Some of those HA stalls are required to be accessible to people who need grab bars they can use to walk on both sides of the stall (meaning the stall is 36 inches wide). This means it is too small for people with wheelchairs unless they are independent.
The minimum requirement is for the HA stall to be 56 inches long; many wheelchairs are up to 48 inches long from the back to the front of the footrests. That means many of the HA stalls are not accessible to people who need their wheelchair in the stall with them (or older children/adults who need an adult in the stall with them).
If you think it is hard getting into a regular stall with a child, think of getting into a 36 inch wide by 56 inch long stall with your child whose wheelchair is 24 inches wide and 48 inches long - the footrests touch the front of the toilet and it practically takes an engineering degree to figure out how to arrange everything so the child can actually use the bathroom. And then, add that the child can't stand without assistance and you can see the difficulty in using those stalls.

Most of the HA stalls at MK and Epcot only meet the minimum requirement, which means that they are not accessible for most people with disabilities who need their wheelchair or an assistant in the stall with them.
Most of the restrooms in AK and MGM have at least some larger HA stalls (many much larger stalls with sinks in the stall), so the "wheelchairs don't fit in the stall" problem is not as bad in those parks.

There are family restrooms. I know there is one in Epcot, right near spaceship earth. It is right between the mens and womens entrance. I have used that lots of times with my kids. I am pretty sure there are more...just can't remember right now. They do need more of them though!!

Actually, people call those restrooms Family Restrooms, but they are Companion Restrooms at WDW and are are labeled "Companion Restrooms". They are WDW's solution to the "HA stalls are too small" problem. The only places that their location is listed are in the Guidebooks for Guests with Disabilities. There are not enough of them to function as Family Restrooms, so they are only "publised" in the disability information.

At MK, for example, there are 6 or 8 of them. (including one in First Aid which is a bit small to comfortably bring a wheelchair in. Also, I prefer not to use that, as it is the only restroom available to someone who is ill in First Aid.)

Although the handicapped stalls in the restrooms may look large, almost all of them at MK and Epcot are too small to bring a wheelchair into the stall and close the door or for an adult to assist another adult or large child.
Some older people (like adults or older children who are disabled) need someone of the opposite sex in the restroom with them (and because of that, can't use the men's or ladies' rooms). The only places available that some people can use are the Companion Restrooms.

For people like my DD, since MK has only 6-8 Companion Restrooms, that means there are only 6-8 toilets in the whole park that she can use. Not 6 - 8 restrooms with multiple toilets in each one; 8 or less toilets. Total. In all of MK.

To some people, it may be just another restroom out of many (or another stall out of many in a restroom) that they can choose to use. To many of us, we have no choice. That restroom (or that handicapped stall in the restroom) is the only one we can use.

I usually say that anyone who is going to use the HA stalls or Companion Restrooms should keep in mind that for some people using them is a choice, but for other people they are a necessity. I personally would appreciate it if the people who have other possible choices would consider their choices before deciding to use them and realise that some don't have any choices.

 

[waltfan1957]

The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) has certain requirements (by law, for the entire country) for the size and number of handicapped accessible toilets in public restrooms, not who can use them.
The basic requirement is that 5% of the stalls (but not less than one stall) must be handicapped accessible. This means that in a large public restroom with 50 stalls, only 3 are required to be HA. A small restroom with only 3 stalls total, would be required to have 1 HA stall. It doesn't make sense to "reserve" one stall in those little restrooms to be only used by people with disabilities (doing that would mean long waits for everyone). But, in larger restrooms when other stalls are empty, it does make sense to choose another empty one if you don't need the features of the HA stall.

Some of those HA stalls are required to be accessible to people who need grab bars they can use to walk on both sides of the stall (meaning the stall is 36 inches wide). This means it is too small for people with wheelchairs unless they are independent.
The minimum requirement is for the HA stall to be 56 inches long; many wheelchairs are up to 48 inches long from the back to the front of the footrests. That means many of the HA stalls are not accessible to people who need their wheelchair in the stall with them (or older children/adults who need an adult in the stall with them).
If you think it is hard getting into a regular stall with a child, think of getting into a 36 inch wide by 56 inch long stall with your child whose wheelchair is 24 inches wide and 48 inches long - the footrests touch the front of the toilet and it practically takes an engineering degree to figure out how to arrange everything so the child can actually use the bathroom. And then, add that the child can't stand without assistance and you can see the difficulty in using those stalls.

Most of the HA stalls at MK and Epcot only meet the minimum requirement, which means that they are not accessible for most people with disabilities who need their wheelchair or an assistant in the stall with them.
Most of the restrooms in AK and MGM have at least some larger HA stalls (many much larger stalls with sinks in the stall), so the "wheelchairs don't fit in the stall" problem is not as bad in those parks.

Actually, people call those restrooms Family Restrooms, but they are Companion Restrooms at WDW and are are labeled "Companion Restrooms". They are WDW's solution to the "HA stalls are too small" problem. The only places that their location is listed are in the Guidebooks for Guests with Disabilities. There are not enough of them to function as Family Restrooms, so they are only "publised" in the disability information.

At MK, for example, there are 6 or 8 of them. (including one in First Aid which is a bit small to comfortably bring a wheelchair in. Also, I prefer not to use that, as it is the only restroom available to someone who is ill in First Aid.)

Although the handicapped stalls in the restrooms may look large, almost all of them at MK and Epcot are too small to bring a wheelchair into the stall and close the door or for an adult to assist another adult or large child.
Some older people (like adults or older children who are disabled) need someone of the opposite sex in the restroom with them (and because of that, can't use the men's or ladies' rooms). The only places available that some people can use are the Companion Restrooms.

For people like my DD, since MK has only 6-8 Companion Restrooms, that means there are only 6-8 toilets in the whole park that she can use. Not 6 - 8 restrooms with multiple toilets in each one; 8 or less toilets. Total. In all of MK.

To some people, it may be just another restroom out of many (or another stall out of many in a restroom) that they can choose to use. To many of us, we have no choice. That restroom (or that handicapped stall in the restroom) is the only one we can use.

I usually say that anyone who is going to use the HA stalls or Companion Restrooms should keep in mind that for some people using them is a choice, but for other people they are a necessity. I personally would appreciate it if the people who have other possible choices would consider their choices before deciding to use them and realise that some don't have any choices.

Hi Sue 2 years ago on new years eve at one of the companion restrooms in Epcot there were several young women waiting to use this facility there were three disabled people behind them the second being my wife the lady in front of my wife could barely walk and had her 3/4 year old son with her when it was pointed out this was a companion restroom the reply they got was well we will go in 2 at a time I ended up having to take the womans son to the mens room leaving the mother in line for the companion restroom while she worried herself about her son my wife reassured her it would be ok but I was a stranger to her and she was bound to worry, the point being not only did these selfish people cause this poor woman to wait they put her through added grief due to her sons needs, why can't people be more considerate

 

[jann1033]

yes but as one reply stated all the other stalls were empty the person using it was doing so only because there was more room, how is this just in case as you put it

perhaps you missed the "if there is a line" in my post? it seems like it would be difficult for someone outside the situation to know if it's needed or not. if the parent can't fit in the stall with her kids and needs to help them for what ever reason is that an"official " need? how much can anyone guess what another's situation is from the 2 second glance they see them in the bathroom line. that was my point...no one knows if that person needs to use that restroom stall & they are not breaking any "laws" by doing so. and personally i don't think my own needs outweigh everyone elses. i need the handrails, does that outweigh someone else's need, like maybe a child who can't tend to himself? not imo.

we go off season ( mainly due to my "needs") so i have yet to see a line for the companion rest rooms. ( not saying that is always the case) but maybe it is a lack of forethought, maybe it's an invisible malady that the person in front of you has. some people that are not in a certain situation just don't think about the difficulties some may face. if it's an innocent mistake i just don't see any reason to hang them out to dry for it( ie what do some teenage girls think about except their looks, boys etc...happily some are able to escape the more serious facets of life till later.) so maybe inform them but then get over it. ( not particularly directed as a rebuttal to any posters, just an observation.) i certainly am not saying being in a chair is fun/easy but just trying to point out some people just don't get it without being there and it is a lot less stressful imo acknowleging that fact than stewing about it.

 

[MareQ]

yes but as one reply stated all the other stalls were empty the person using it was doing so only because there was more room, how is this just in case as you put it

Thes issue though is that nobody KNOWS why that person was in that stall - kwim?? People all too often make snap judgements about people and situations and more often than not they're way off.

I have a friend that uses the accessible stalls because she is a diabetic and needs the room to check her blood sugar and adjust her pump if necessary. There's just not enough room in the regular stalls for more than the "usual" business in there - lol She appears perfectly healthy of course, all she goes in there with is her purse. If somebody saw her coming out one might assume she just went in there for the heck of it which if far from the case.

The bottom line - for me anyway - is that there's so many disabilities that people have that aren't obvious, because of that nobody, including a highly trained and qualified physician, can look at a person and determine if they "need" the stall they just came out of - it IS open for anybody to use, regardless of why they're in there.

 

[Tazicket]

I might be a little off base, but the point that some are trying to make regarding HC stalls is for others to just be considerate. There are all kinds of reasons that someone may need (i.e. small children, hc of some sort, etc...) to use a HC stall for and that is fine.

The problem that most seem to have is with people who are perfectly capable of using a regular stall and have the opportunity to do so and choose to occupy the HC one. Again, those not HC have a choice of which stall s/he can use. Someone in a wheelchair, or otherwise HC does not always have that freedom. There is nothing wrong with being considerate of others who are more limited in their choices.

 

[goofyernmost]

Sometimes you DO need the extra space in the larger, handicapped stall with small children. Most of the average stalls barely fit one, much less two or three or more. That, to me, is a legitimate need.

Most people get confused about the handicap stall. It is not an exclusive location. It is so a space is available that can accommodate a person in a wheelchair. The same as a ramp into a building. It is for a wheelchair but it can be used by anyone. As long as people yield to a person in a wheelchair when necessary there is no reason to feel guilty about using it. Yes, you have no way of knowing if someone is coming up to use it but they should be next and that is a far better situation then the rest of us have that have to wait no matter what the urgency.

Handicap parking, that's a little different because there is no way of knowing when the it will become available again. In this case, unless someone has moved into the stall, it should be free real soon.

 

[disneyphanatic1911]

Not to mention that the HC stall is usually cleaner than the rest. Just my 1 1/2 cents.

 

[mickeymousemom]

I haven't read all the replies, so not sure if this has been posted, but my biggest pet peeve is when people come to the parks not knowing anything. They don't know to make ADR's the most crowded time of year(or know nothing at all about ADR'S, period), then gripe because they can't get a table when its convenient for them. They know nothing about FP's so when we're walking thru the line ahead of these people, they look at us like we're Charles Manson. They make stupid comments and assumptions such as thinking that Fantasyland is Epcot, that Spaceship Earth is Epcot...that the ducks in the water anywhere on site are animatronic..you name it, I CANNOT stand people who just don't know what's going on(these are the same people who drive in the passing lane for 300 miles on a major interstate going EXACTLY the speed limit or slower). I'm not talking about not knowing little bits of trivia, etc...there is still stuff I don't know..but some of these comments are just assinine...ticks me off and cracks me up at the same time.

OH...here's more..
That Universal is part of Disney, or that MGM is not(I can't get it thru an old friends head that Universal and Disney have nothing to do with each other)
..which leads to the assumption that the monorail will go to Universal...


Great thread Vacation Dad...i always enjoy your posts!

 

[waltfan1957]

perhaps you missed the "if there is a line" in my post? it seems like it would be difficult for someone outside the situation to know if it's needed or not. if the parent can't fit in the stall with her kids and needs to help them for what ever reason is that an"official " need? how much can anyone guess what another's situation is from the 2 second glance they see them in the bathroom line. that was my point...no one knows if that person needs to use that restroom stall & they are not breaking any "laws" by doing so. and personally i don't think my own needs outweigh everyone elses. i need the handrails, does that outweigh someone else's need, like maybe a child who can't tend to himself? not imo.

we go off season ( mainly due to my "needs") so i have yet to see a line for the companion rest rooms. ( not saying that is always the case) but maybe it is a lack of forethought, maybe it's an invisible malady that the person in front of you has. some people that are not in a certain situation just don't think about the difficulties some may face. if it's an innocent mistake i just don't see any reason to hang them out to dry for it( ie what do some teenage girls think about except their looks, boys etc...happily some are able to escape the more serious facets of life till later.) so maybe inform them but then get over it. ( not particularly directed as a rebuttal to any posters, just an observation.) i certainly am not saying being in a chair is fun/easy but just trying to point out some people just don't get it without being there and it is a lot less stressful imo acknowleging that fact than stewing about it.

NO I did'nt miss if there's a line,did not miss the referance to teenagers either if there are three people outside a companion restroom behind you and one is on crutches and the other two are in wheelchairs thats not an innocent mistake that's plain ignorance, you can defend it if you choose that's your right,

 

[goofie4goofy]

Wow....this is a huge post! With so many people getting ticked off about the same stuff you would think there would be a small community of rude people Unfortunately, even with the huge response to this thread I think we are outnumbered...I think the"rudies" are winning.

Things I find offensive and rude:

1. GAPO (gorilla arm pit odor) Take a shower, use deodorant. That kind of stink is not from a few hours....Soap is cheap...use it. 1A--goes hand in hand with 1-- people that do gross things in public...fart, nose pick, butt scratch..well I can go on, but you get the idea.

2. Cigarette smoking in the parks - not in the designated areas, but walking around with a lit cigarette. No WDW is not just for kids, but there are lots of them walking around. Children and adults find cigarette smoke offensive, and dangerous to their health...that is why there is designated areas for you to do so....just like a bathroom. You would not pee while you walk would you?

3. Diaper changing on the bus...'nuf said

4.People that yell and scream and use offensive language.

5. I don't know if this has been mentioned, but people that stare at other people... Anyone ever notice this???

6. People that let their kids run amok in restautants because they think it's "Disney" and it's ok.

7. People that smoke in a non smoking hotel room.....UHHH hello! We can smell it.

8. Using strollers as a battering ram, walking at a snails pace 5 abreast, cutting in line, squeezing in front at parades...

The cigarette smoking is a huge pet peeve of mine that really hits home. My mother is a cumpulsive smoker. She wastes most of her day smoking. We no longer want to travel with her because she is obsessed with not just smoking but on when she can have her next fix. so much time has been wasted waiting for her to have a smoke that she has missed so many moments while going to smoke. Her shose is so full of smoke you can smell it from the outside. Her face is wrinkled, her nails yellow, her feet swollen stumps not to mention her teeth are brown and smoke comes out of her mouth even when she is not smoking. She also stinks to high heaven, and when she talks you have to take a few steps backwards. I know not everyone smokes like this, but maybe this gross description of my mother will make someone think twice before lighting up another one.

 

[disneynutt1225]

3. Diaper changing on the bus...'nuf said

People actually DO that?!??!