Quick Sign Language Question

[T1gger]

My youngest daughter learns to sign at school and I wondered if there was anywhere at Disney that sign was used? I know there will be a difference between American and UK sign but she is still at basic stages

Also it isnt something I would request as I would never take a resource away from someone who needs it but if there was a place/show it was used regularly it would be good to be there

Thanks


EDIT: I should add my daughter isnt deaf but has friends who are

 

[kim532]

I am sure someone will come along with more precise info, but I thought each park had a day of the week where the shows had signers at them. You could call Disney and ask.

 

[kim532]

I found this link.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdwi/en_CA/common/Plain?id=PlainHearingDPage#signlanguage

 

[Debbie-TN]

They do have certain times where the shows are signed. I'm sure there is a schedule somewhere. The most amazing one I ever saw was back when the Hunchback show was still there. I could not take my eyes off them. When they signed the songs, it was amazing. I've never seen so much emotion put into the songs, even without saying anything. It brought tears to my eyes.

 

[TillyMarigold]

She won't understand anything at all if she's learning BSL. ASL and BSL are completely different language families, developed out of two rival Deaf education programs (Britain's and France's), much the way English and Mandarin Chinese are completely different language families. But if you just think it would be cool for her to see a sign interpreter, then as someone said above, every show has sign interpreters at least one day a week, and you could certainly arrange to go to those shows.

 

[CarolAnnB]

Check out the Steve Soares link for the schedule of signers. Even if she can't understand it, it is amazing to watch. My husband is a bit hearing impaired and we have taken some beginner ASL classes and went to the ASL-interpreted Beauty and the Beast show. It was incredible. The signers worked harder than the singers/actors onstage. It is definitely worth going to see. We asked at the entrance and were seated down near the front on the right.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

All of the live shows have inturpreters some of the time. The translators will tour around the different parks during the week, so you have to check the schedule to see where they will be, when. As others have said, ASL is pretty different from BSL (I know a little of the latter), but I think she would get a lot out of seeing what fluent signing looks like, and how beautiful it is (the Disney translators are absolutely amazing!).

By the way, kudos to her school teaching BSL - the more people know it, the better!

 

[T1gger]

That is great guys - thanks so much for all the information

Good point Tilly - I didnt realise there was such a difference between BSL & ASL !

We will definitely check the schedule - I agree I think it would be really cool for her to see a fluent translator

Thank you!

 

[SueM in MN]

The schedules can and do change compared to what is published.
People who need the interpretation are encouraged to contact WDW 2 weeks before so that they can have the most up to date schedule.

For your purposes, since you just want to see it if it's available, I would suggest stopping by Guest Services at each park to check on the schedule to see if it has changed.

 

[chartle]

My youngest daughter learns to sign at school and I wondered if there was anywhere at Disney that sign was used? I know there will be a difference between American and UK sign but she is still at basic stages

She won't understand anything at all if she's learning BSL. ASL and BSL are completely different language families, developed out of two rival Deaf education programs (Britain's and France's), much the way English and Mandarin Chinese are completely different language families. But if you just think it would be cool for her to see a sign interpreter, then as someone said above, every show has sign interpreters at least one day a week, and you could certainly arrange to go to those shows.

I found this on Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Sign_Language#Relationships_with_other_sign_languages

I would have never thought this would be the case.

 

[Talking Hands]

THe basic schedule for interpreting is
Mon and Thur : MK
Tues and Fri: Epcot
Weds and Sun: Studios
Sat: AK

Stop at Guest Services to get the schedule for the week. Schedule changes over on Sundays and you get the schedule for the week. Enjoy. The interpreters are fine with anyone who uses or is studying sign language watching. If it is crowded they may ask you to move for a deaf person but most of the time it is not a problem.