Justin Jett
I will do my Elvis impression
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2008
- Messages
- 2,252
Hi All, and happy late Easter!
Thank you for all the nice birthday wishes. I was very disappointed when we didn't make it to WDW for my birthday, but I am having fun here. Thank you all for being so welcoming.
I cannot wait for DIS-A-Palooza! That will be so much fun!!!! I promise not ask any questions about it. I don't want John's harp music following me like Peter Pan's Crocodile.
It will be so great to meet new friends. That will mean the world to me (no pun intended). I hope I don't end up in a sistern though.
I have 2 dogs named Ariel and Belle. My room is decrorated in WDW stuff. My Grandmother was an art teacher and artist. When the Studios first opened, Grandma did a painting of the Earfle Tower for my room. I love the monorail and the TTA. I had always wanted to ride a Disney roller coaster, so on one of our trips, my Dad carried me onto Big Thunder Mountain. We have video of all the color draining out of my face.
I decided that the TTA was fast enough for me. One of my favorite things to do is to memorize every word of attraction Narrations. My life-long dream is to be a WDW Cast Member. Many people think that is not possible with my disability, but I truly believe in what Walt said...."If you can dream it, then you can do it."
As for people making comments in the parks, Kevin is right. Many people just are not aware of what it is like to be in or control a wheelchair. I work as a greeter at Wet 'n' Wild in Greensboro, NC to save up money to go to college at UCF. I've heard all kinds of comments. Some are nasty. Like this lady who told the water park that disabled people should not work there. However, many of the comments come from people who want to say something nice, but it comes out completly wrong. A lady came up and hugged me, and said "Handicapped people are so sweet, no matter what they loook like." Then, there are the down right strange comments. A lady did not notice my uniform or Employee ID tag. She approached me and asked "How much did you pay to get in?" I explain that I work there. She says "Oh well, do brain damaged people, like you, get a discount?" Then the sad ones are the parents who don't allow their children to approach or talk to me. This nice little boy came up and just said hi to me. His mother pulled him away, and actually said "Don't talk to anyone in a wheelchair."
What Kevin said about bathrooms on the March 25th show is absolutely right. I have never had a problem at Disney, but flawed access is a fact of life that disabled people have to deal with regularly.
I have many frustrations in my life that are related to my disability and accessibility. Disney makes those frustrations disappear. For that, I will always be thankful.
Some people who meet me do not understand my passion and desire to be a cast member. They feel I am chasing rainbows.....one guy even told me "You need to forget about Disney. It will never happen." My family is extremely supportive, and think it is great that I found the DISboards. My parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. We come about twice a year, but have never done a meet of any kind. DIS-A-Palooza will be a fun new adventure for us.
Skip
Thank you for all the nice birthday wishes. I was very disappointed when we didn't make it to WDW for my birthday, but I am having fun here. Thank you all for being so welcoming.
I cannot wait for DIS-A-Palooza! That will be so much fun!!!! I promise not ask any questions about it. I don't want John's harp music following me like Peter Pan's Crocodile.
It will be so great to meet new friends. That will mean the world to me (no pun intended). I hope I don't end up in a sistern though.I have 2 dogs named Ariel and Belle. My room is decrorated in WDW stuff. My Grandmother was an art teacher and artist. When the Studios first opened, Grandma did a painting of the Earfle Tower for my room. I love the monorail and the TTA. I had always wanted to ride a Disney roller coaster, so on one of our trips, my Dad carried me onto Big Thunder Mountain. We have video of all the color draining out of my face.
I decided that the TTA was fast enough for me. One of my favorite things to do is to memorize every word of attraction Narrations. My life-long dream is to be a WDW Cast Member. Many people think that is not possible with my disability, but I truly believe in what Walt said...."If you can dream it, then you can do it."As for people making comments in the parks, Kevin is right. Many people just are not aware of what it is like to be in or control a wheelchair. I work as a greeter at Wet 'n' Wild in Greensboro, NC to save up money to go to college at UCF. I've heard all kinds of comments. Some are nasty. Like this lady who told the water park that disabled people should not work there. However, many of the comments come from people who want to say something nice, but it comes out completly wrong. A lady came up and hugged me, and said "Handicapped people are so sweet, no matter what they loook like." Then, there are the down right strange comments. A lady did not notice my uniform or Employee ID tag. She approached me and asked "How much did you pay to get in?" I explain that I work there. She says "Oh well, do brain damaged people, like you, get a discount?"
Then the sad ones are the parents who don't allow their children to approach or talk to me. This nice little boy came up and just said hi to me. His mother pulled him away, and actually said "Don't talk to anyone in a wheelchair." What Kevin said about bathrooms on the March 25th show is absolutely right. I have never had a problem at Disney, but flawed access is a fact of life that disabled people have to deal with regularly.
I have many frustrations in my life that are related to my disability and accessibility. Disney makes those frustrations disappear. For that, I will always be thankful.
Some people who meet me do not understand my passion and desire to be a cast member. They feel I am chasing rainbows.....one guy even told me "You need to forget about Disney. It will never happen." My family is extremely supportive, and think it is great that I found the DISboards. My parents are doing everything they can to make my dreams come true. We come about twice a year, but have never done a meet of any kind. DIS-A-Palooza will be a fun new adventure for us.
Skip
perhaps a Lurker Cruise? 
and can not get off from work!
