Pooh or Dumbo Sized

[FairestOfThemAll37]

I would try to go to the airport and get some idea whether you will have to have a second seat or not at Jet Blue. Some of the airlines have test seats. Maybe, you can get authorization for one seat. If you just don't think you will fit then I would go at an off time; maybe, the plane won't be full and they will relax the rules some. I think the policy is in place, but I'm sure they bend it at times. Do a red liner flight. What would be worse than getting refused your flight; because, you didn't buy the second seat? It could ruin your entire vacation.

What airlines have test seats?!? I've never seen this and I fly all the time.

 

[Bete]

I haven't been in a while, but Indy had it for Southwest at one time. Even if there is not a real seat then someone from the airline company in person can make a decision.

 

[verleniahall]

Why is a thread about being overweight in the disabilities section?

It has been 3 years since we went to WDW and I used this site extensively to plan our previous trip and I cannot believe the changes that have taken place not only within Disney (i.e. the elimination of the GAC for those who really needed it) but also how the disabilities section of this forum has changed.

I had no idea that being obese and allergic was now considered a disability and worthy of being discussed in a section dedicated to those whose lives have been extremely altered by an impairment that they didn't bring on themselves or a loved one. Has everyone (especially Disney) lost track of what a true disability is?

I apologize for this being my first post but I am utterly baffled by all the changes with respect to the treatment of those who have severe disabilities.

Because sometimes being overweight is DUE to a disability - i have thyroid problems so I have problems loosing weight even though I watch what i eat.

A little girl of 6 had cancer and blew up to 4 times her original weight due to the chemo and steroids she was on - do you consider that a disability or not?

Kind of a rude post for a first posting on the disboards!

 

[bopper]

Also sometimes people go to a specific sub-forum to look for related topics...the DisAbilities subforum has come to cover health-related issues at Disney.

Also you are reading it wrong it is not "disability" but Dis(ney)Abilities

 

[lanejudy]

... I apologize for this being my first post but I am utterly baffled by all the changes with respect to the treatment of those who have severe disabilities.

Here on the disABILITIES forum we try to be considerate of all guests with various needs, whether those needs are temporary or permanent, qualify a person as "severely disabled" in their regular life or simply a challenge to deal with on a vacation. This forum is a place for discussions of a wide variety, including health and medical concerns impacting a guest's experience at the Disney parks. We allow questions of all types. As pointed out, weight problems can be associated/caused by a medical condition. Allergies may not be a disability but many with disabilities also have allergies or dietary needs, and this forum has become a good spot for such information.

I'm sorry you are upset about the elimination of the GAC. That is understandable, as many people had expressed similar concerns prior to their first visit under the new DAS program. I suggest you check out the sticky threads at the top of this forum for specifics of the DAS program. There are 2 separate threads -- one for WDW and one for DL/DCA -- and while the DAS is very similar on both coasts, there are some slight differences due to park structure. The first post of each of those threads has the basic information you might find helpful. Many guests have found the DAS program to perfectly suit their needs in the parks, especially when combined with FP+ (or FP). There have been a lot of changes at the Disney parks since your last visit and this can seem overwhelming at first.

Please let us know if we can help answer any questions you have preparing for your trip. I'm glad you found this forum helpful in the past and hope we can continue to helpful for future trips.

 

[bidnow5]

Wow just wow one of the most important things I learned here is not to judge others. I have a list of problems one of which is overweight caused by several of my other issues I also have allergies both of which I consider part of my disability

 

[aaarcher86]

Why is a thread about being overweight in the disabilities section?

It has been 3 years since we went to WDW and I used this site extensively to plan our previous trip and I cannot believe the changes that have taken place not only within Disney (i.e. the elimination of the GAC for those who really needed it) but also how the disabilities section of this forum has changed.

I had no idea that being obese and allergic was now considered a disability and worthy of being discussed in a section dedicated to those whose lives have been extremely altered by an impairment that they didn't bring on themselves or a loved one. Has everyone (especially Disney) lost track of what a true disability is?

I apologize for this being my first post but I am utterly baffled by all the changes with respect to the treatment of those who have severe disabilities.

I don't see why it's so baffling? People with allergies or people who are overweight need extra accommodations at times, and this part of the forum is really the hub for that.

People working with more difficult disabilities are really hard pressed to 'share' this part of the forum? Okay.

The reality is, a lot of people aren't JUST overweight or JUST have allergies to certain foods. It's often a combination of different issues, but maybe that's the only one they're asking about. Plenty of posters have children with autism who won't or can't eat certain foods and need advice.

While I do think this particular thread would be better served merging with the pooh sized thread on another part of the forum, this area isn't exclusive to debilitating disabilities or a certain standard of struggle.

 

[RubySue]

Here on the disABILITIES forum we try to be considerate of all guests with various needs, whether those needs are temporary or permanent, qualify a person as "severely disabled" in their regular life or simply a challenge to deal with on a vacation. This forum is a place for discussions of a wide variety, including health and medical concerns impacting a guest's experience at the Disney parks. We allow questions of all types. As pointed out, weight problems can be associated/caused by a medical condition. Allergies may not be a disability but many with disabilities also have allergies or dietary needs, and this forum has become a good spot for such information.

Well said, lanejudy, thanks.

 

[JenniBugInPink]

Why is a thread about being overweight in the disabilities section?

It has been 3 years since we went to WDW and I used this site extensively to plan our previous trip and I cannot believe the changes that have taken place not only within Disney (i.e. the elimination of the GAC for those who really needed it) but also how the disabilities section of this forum has changed.

I had no idea that being obese and allergic was now considered a disability and worthy of being discussed in a section dedicated to those whose lives have been extremely altered by an impairment that they didn't bring on themselves or a loved one. Has everyone (especially Disney) lost track of what a true disability is?

I apologize for this being my first post but I am utterly baffled by all the changes with respect to the treatment of those who have severe disabilities.

Kind of a disability elitist, aren't you? I used to weigh 90 pounds more than I weigh today. Being very overweight can be disabling in and of itself. It wasn't for me (I was in pain fat, and losing the weight didn't fix anything), but for many folks the pain caused by stress on their joints, their backs, etc. render them just as unable to walk without assistance as someone like me with rheumatoid arthritis or severe osteoarthritis.

So, unless you're the person living inside the skin, my opinion is that it's better not to judge that person. You don't know the medical reasons that might impact their weight or weight loss. You don't know what their life is like, what they're having to deal with. Frankly, I can't imagine how you could even have had such an insensitive group of thoughts on the day after Robin Williams left the world. He left the same way my MIL did, and for the last three days, all I want to do is hold everyone I know and tell everyone how much I care about them. We've got to do a better job of taking care of each other in this world, not worse.

I've learned a lot from the parents of the kids with allergies here (and the adults) and am grateful for their presence. Allergies often coexist in the presence of other disease states, so this is the perfect place for these discussions. I am curious about why this bothered and threatened you so much though.

 

[1MoreTime]

Kind of a disability elitist, aren't you?

If you are referring to my child who can't walk, talk, see and who has to be bottle-fed and diaper-changed, then yes, I consider my child the elite of those who supposedly qualify for Disney's Disability Access Service.

Unfortunately, the DAS no longer views my child's disabilities as a disability so she has to wait in a hot standard queue while your perfectly physically healthy sensory-challenged child, who would benefit from waiting in line, gets to wait in a nice shaded area to ride (if not abusing the system, that is). Karma.

 

[OurBigTrip]

If you are referring to my child who can't walk, talk, see and who has to be bottle-fed and diaper-changed, then yes, I consider my child the elite of those who supposedly qualify for Disney's Disability Access Service.

Unfortunately, the DAS no longer views my child's disabilities as a disability so she has to wait in a hot standard queue while your perfectly physically healthy sensory-challenged child, who would benefit from waiting in line, gets to wait in a nice shaded area to ride (if not abusing the system, that is). Karma.

I don't think it's that Disney doesn't view your child's issues as disabilities, but rather, that the very specific accommodation offered by the DAS aren't necessary in order for your child to access the parks.

I can't tell from your posts if you've gone to the parks since the DAS was implemented, but if not, I would implore you to not assume that you can't get a DAS because your daughter is in a wheelchair. I saw a number of people during our recent trip to WDW that were in wheelchairs but were utilizing the DAS.

The key is to be able to articulate to the GS CS how waiting outside of the line will make the park accessible for your daughter. Many people have found it helpful to write down what they wish to say, so that they don't get flustered, or leave out important points when discussing the issue with the GS CM. My sister did this (used bullet points), and she had no problem obtaining a DAS for her visit.

Saying "my child can't wait in the heat" won't work; "my child can't wait in the heat because X, Y and Z happen to her due to her disability". Or you articulate how, since your daughter is bottle-fed, you can't be caught in a long line, and the DAS will make it possible for you to keep to her feeding schedule.

Rather than strike out in anger at people on this forum that have found ways to access Disney, either with or without the DAS, I think you will find that there are many people here that are willing to offer their experiences when obtaining a DAS for their trips.

 

[aaarcher86]

If you are referring to my child who can't walk, talk, see and who has to be bottle-fed and diaper-changed, then yes, I consider my child the elite of those who supposedly qualify for Disney's Disability Access Service. Unfortunately, the DAS no longer views my child's disabilities as a disability so she has to wait in a hot standard queue while your perfectly physically healthy sensory-challenged child, who would benefit from waiting in line, gets to wait in a nice shaded area to ride (if not abusing the system, that is). Karma.

Karma is a myth.

If you consider yourself elite, okay. This forum does not.

 

[1MoreTime]

Rather than strike out in anger at people on this forum that have found ways to access Disney, either with or without the DAS, I think you will find that there are many people here that are willing to offer their experiences when obtaining a DAS for their trips.

Excellent post but I read it as you are saying that we, the truly disabled, should accept the abuse by those who abused the system and to move on.

You know as well as I do that it was the "sensory-challenged" who killed the GAC yet it is this same group who is rewarded with the DAS. Why are you defending these abusers?

 

[aaarcher86]

Excellent post but I read it as you are saying that we, the truly disabled, should accept the abuse by those who abused the system and to move on. You know as well as I do that it was the "sensory-challenged" who killed the GAC yet it is this same group who is rewarded with the DAS. Why are you defending these abusers?

That's so entirely inaccurate and disgusting. Seriously - do a marginal amount of research on the issue before making such an inflammatory statement.

You won't succeed in getting people to play disability Olympics here.

 

[OurBigTrip]

That's so entirely inaccurate and disgusting. Seriously - do a marginal amount of research on the issue before making such an inflammatory statement.

You won't succeed in getting people to play disability Olympics here.

Agree.

 

[OurBigTrip]

Excellent post but I read it as you are saying that we, the truly disabled, should accept the abuse by those who abused the system and to move on.

You know as well as I do that it was the "sensory-challenged" who killed the GAC yet it is this same group who is rewarded with the DAS. Why are you defending these abusers?

The GAC was killed by overuse, and quite frankly, unless waiting in the standby line makes it impossible for your daughter to access the attractions, due to her disability, then YOU and people like you helped kill the GAC by utilizing accommodations that you didn't really need.

If waiting in the standby line will make it impossible for your daughter to access the attractions, then articulate that to GS, and you will receive a DAS.

If waiting in the standby line will not make it impossible for your daughter to access the attractions, then you won't (nor should you) receive a DAS.

 

[JenniBugInPink]

Karma is a myth.

If you consider yourself elite, okay. This forum does not.

This.

You won't succeed in getting people to play disability Olympics here.

And this.

 

[lanejudy]

As I stated previously, we try to be considerate and understanding of various disabilities. We do not engage us discussions of which is "worse" or "more deserving" because everybody's challenges are different.
The DAS is designed specifically to assist those guests who are unable to wait in a standard queue environment. This is not restricted to any specific diagnosis. As long as one is able to articulate needs, one should qualify. If the DAS does not solve the needs, please discuss specifics with Guest Relations.
Let's get this thread back on track with the original topic or I will need to close it.
Enjoy your vacation!

 

[NeuroCindy]

Back to the OP, I'm a bigger woman (size 16 or 18 depending on brand). I was worried about not fitting on rides. I road everything I wanted to at WDW and never once did I have a problem. The only one that was even slightly uncomfortable was Seven Dwarves Mine Train, because of how tight the bar is that's on either side of your knees. Universal on the other hand, there were rides I didn't fit on. I was incredibly anxious about my size with everything on this trip. If you have questions (or just want someone to relieve your anxieties), please feel free to PM me.