Thankful for Disney and the way they accommodate disabilities!

[MizzouDisney]

Last weekend my family and I had an experience that made us more thankful than ever at the way Disney handles guest with disabilities/special needs! Our family consists of myself, mom, dad, brother and his wife, and my younger sister. My sister has a very serious immune deficiency and lung disease. Long story short she needs to avoid crowds at all costs due to the threat of infection from being in confined spaces with lots of people, not to mention even the slightest smell of a perfume could trigger her lung condition. We started using a GAC at Disney about 12 years ago after I suffered a trip to the ER due to the same condition while at WDW (my condition is significantly better) and a CM blew smoke in my face while he was smoking ON STAGE...not sure what happened to that CM but his manager was EXTEMELY apologetic. Anyhow, our family now always goes to Disney during the slowest times so that we can use the GAC as minimally as possible...we all just feel weird not going through the regular que...but it's nice to have the GAC so that myself back then and now my sis can fully experience the park like others.
Anyhow, moral of the story...we went to Worlds of Fun in KC, MO for the 4th of July. My sister was having a difficult day anyway but really wanted to go...she wore a special mask to hopefully help keep as many germs away as possible. We had called ahead to inquire about the possibility of an equivalent of a GAC card were told absolutely, no problem. We brought a letter from the doctor just in case. Upon arriving and going to guest relations we were told that only guests with "visable" disabilities can have an assistance pass. We explained that waiting was NOT an issue and we will GLADLY wait longer than others just to keep Jess out of lines. We through 3 people and same story...they asked "what exactly is wrong with her? She has no physical disability preventing her from standing." Statements like that make me FLY OFF THE HANDLE especially cause I went through this disease and know how horrible it can be. Literally, there are times when a cold can be life threatening. My sister finally just said, forget it lets go in and stand in the lines and see how it goes. It wasn't crowded so we gave in and went for it. Hadn't been there 2 hours when someone lit up a cigarette in a line...5 minutes later Jess is hardly breathing and it took back to back breathing treatments before she was okay. Kind of killed the rest of the day for her and we all felt horrible that she was so sick and she felt like it was her fault for ruining the day. So grateful for Disney's accommodating style...we won't being going back to Worlds of Fun. We will however be visiting WDW where my sister can at least experience WDW like everyone else...Thanks Disney!!!!

 

[christymarie]

We have two children with Autism and they have opposite issues. One is over sensitive and one is undersensitive. Disney allows us to go and both children to have a good experience. It means that we spend some parts of the day separate but that's fine because we are in the same place and both boys are getting what they need.

 

[Bete]

You couldn't ask for a better experience than Disney World for special needs.

I, too, feel blessed by them and all their efforts in this regard.

 

[Venus Falcor]

Sorry to hear about your "bad smoker" experience - it's shameful that smoking is allowed in public places like that.

Cheers to Disney indeed! They set the bar for accessibility on every level.

We went to WDW last December with my nephews and niece and it was a good lesson for them to see my partner, who has rheumatoid arthritis, get treated so well.

...and we'll be back again before too long

V

 

[lunapnp]

I totally agree with you! Disney is fabulous. I guess this is why we keep planning our vacations with Disney. Every time we go, my husband and I say, "Well, next vacation we'll try somewhere different." But, we're planning trip #6 to Disney! Just went last October, and we're going again this October. We have a 13 YO DD in a powerchair...and Disney is such a blessing. We are going to the beach in a couple of weeks and I know it will be physically exhausting for all of us. I would NEVER not take my DD because of the "work" involved, but it's just nice knowing we can go to a place that the entire family can enjoy AND DD doesn't feel "limited."

DISNEY ROCKS!!!!

 

[Venus Falcor]

Luna, I was particularly impressed with the Toy Story mania ride - was it open last Oct when you were there?

Very impressive piece of design to accommodate chairs of all types.

V.

 

[ireland_nicole]

OP so sorry you had an awful experience, and hope Jess is feeling better. We agree, WDW is the only place we go now, it's by far the safest place w/ our dietary needs and just an easy place to "make" work for both DD and DS.

 

[MizzouDisney]

OP so sorry you had an awful experience, and hope Jess is feeling better. We agree, WDW is the only place we go now, it's by far the safest place w/ our dietary needs and just an easy place to "make" work for both DD and DS.

Thanks and Jess is doing much better. She had her IGG treatments this week which is an IV treatment that she has every 3 weeks to replenish her immune system. Her potassium was pretty low this time so after the treatment she had to stay overnight to get a few IV bags of potassium but she has felt great this weekend... she always has the most energy after treatment. Also, her neutrophil levels were really good during this treatment and that's awesome since that is a major indicator of her ability to fight infections! Trying to convince her to take a week off of school and come to WDW with me and my friends this fall... she keeps saying her classes are more important...??? I'll wear her down soon!!!! I agree about WDW also being the safest place...I know that if Jess has any problems they'll take such good care of her!!!

 

[Leajess99]

OP, I am so sorry for the bad experience at Worlds of Fun. We have been there one time and was not impressed with it. The staff was quite rude and it made for an awful day. I have since been to Disney World and will never go back to worlds of Fun.

I am so glad your sister is feeling better too.

 

[If The Shoe Fits]

Disney does such a great job, other parks just can't compare!

 

[LindaBabe]

I would definitly be writing a DETAILED letter to the management of "worlds of fun" just to educate them on the importance of dealing with "unseen" disabilities with the suggestion that they train their staff.

 

[seidelhd]

Disney has certainly set the bar very high. My DD has a very rare chromosome abnormality and is significantly delayed. We have used a GAC for our three family trips to WDW. We've only had one CM who didn't know the wheelchair entrance policy and gave us a hard time; most are very knowledgeable and so helpful to her/us.

The way I look at it, she has it harder than most other kids at the parks for 364 days of the year. If she can have a couple of days where she is truly treated like a princess, then good for her.

We went to Six Flags last year for her birthday. She loves motion and rides. They did have a policy in place with a guidebook for certain rides, but it was nowhere near as organized as Disney. Six Flags White Water (in Atlanta) was a complete joke. They were not going to let her ride any of the slides b/c she needs help getting in/out of the tubes and rafts, despite the fact that I carry and lift her when needed and that she can walk short distances with assistance.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I work at Worlds of Fun now. I PM'd the OP for permission to share her story with my managers.

 

[MizzouDisney]

I would definitly be writing a DETAILED letter to the management of "worlds of fun" just to educate them on the importance of dealing with "unseen" disabilities with the suggestion that they train their staff.

Yes, we definitely wrote a long letter. We wanted to wait a little bit so that the letter wasn't written out of anger but instead was calm and collected with facts and not steaming with anger! Haven't got a response but that's okay...atleast they'll know!

Disney has certainly set the bar very high. My DD has a very rare chromosome abnormality and is significantly delayed. We have used a GAC for our three family trips to WDW. We've only had one CM who didn't know the wheelchair entrance policy and gave us a hard time; most are very knowledgeable and so helpful to her/us.

The way I look at it, she has it harder than most other kids at the parks for 364 days of the year. If she can have a couple of days where she is truly treated like a princess, then good for her.

I'm in agreement and for us and probably you as well it's never about wanting a "front of the line pass" just to be able to experience the parks like every other family! My most AMAZING childhood memories are of Disney so much so that I grew up and became a CM and did a CP down there while in college!!!

I work at Worlds of Fun now. I PM'd the OP for permission to share her story with my managers.

I PM'd you back and definitely agree that a huge issue was the childish attitude that many of the employees showed. However, as I shared in my PM to you there was an AWESOME employee at the Patriot coaster who noticed what was going on with Jess and sought us out so that once she was able he escorted us to the exit of the ride so that we could ride together as a family on the one ride we all were soooo looking forward too!!! After, he did get us a pass that was good for 2 people in our party and apologized that he couldn't get us a pass for more people than that (there were 6 in our party) but as we told him that was fine since that allowed Jess and one other to wait at an exit while the rest of us went through the que. That was fine with us...by then Jess was too tired to do much more though...attacks like that wear her out but man I wish we would have encountered that young man earlier rather than the people at guest relations!!! Whomever he was deserves a big thumbs up. My parents spoke with him so I don't remember his name but here's to him