Thanks for the help!!!

[disneynee'nee']

Hello to all who use this disABILITIES site. I am a first time poster - I'm usually just a reader - but I felt inclined to write!!! I am visually impaired - only have periphal vision left in both eyes from an eye disease called histoplasmosis. Have had this since I was 16 (now almost 30 UGH!LOL) so I pretty much have had the live life as normally as possible and deal with it kind of outlook. It keeps me positive and I bounce back more quickly from new obsticles. ANYWAY......... I am a HUGE disney fan ( I know all of you are too) and I've beento the parks twice in the past 2 years and am planning another trip in Dec. I have hada great time each time I've gone and have even found it more of an adventure to travel alone using the resort guest transportation. My main problem was asking for direction. CM's and other guests would look at me funny if I would ask where something was, even when I was standing under the huge sign pointing me there. Thanks to other threads on this site, I found out there are large print maps available, so hopefully this will make my next trip even easier!!!! I also relized that I could ask for better seating at some of the shows - never thought of that before duh!!!! I usually just rely on others to tell me what is going on.
Long story short - this is my new favorite site!!! and to those of you with little one's with vision problems - best wishes to all of you!!! My mom has been my biggest cheerleader since day one and still is!! She's my best friend and my chauffer LOL!!!

God Bless!! Renee

 

[emilee&tylersmom]

Hi Renee

We are going in October and I have a child who has almost no central vision and is considered legally blind (her central vision is 20/500). Because she has peripheral vision she gets around just find but reading maps (she's 9) and signs are a huge problem for her. She is looking forward to the enlarged park maps!!!!! Hope we can locate them. When I called WDW they said I had to wait and ask at the park for one. I'll let you know how they work out. Good luck to you!!!!

 

[SueM in MN]

Welcome to Renee. Glad you found this to be a comfortable and useful place.

Hi Renee

We are going in October and I have a child who has almost no central vision and is considered legally blind (her central vision is 20/500). Because she has peripheral vision she gets around just find but reading maps (she's 9) and signs are a huge problem for her. She is looking forward to the enlarged park maps!!!!! Hope we can locate them. When I called WDW they said I had to wait and ask at the park for one. I'll let you know how they work out. Good luck to you!!!!

Another thing you might want to do as backup, is to find some maps on the internet or in a book and make your own large type maps. You could do that as a backup in case you can't find maps at the parks, or let your child use them for planning and then use the "real" maps at the parks.

If you have a program where you can edit jpgs (the type of file most graphics are), you can "cut" the internet map into sections and then print each section larger than normal on your printer (like instead of printing it at 100%, try printing at 150% or even bigger). Some programs will let you set the size of the page or do things like change the picture from color to black and white, if that would be helpful.

If you have some actual maps or maps in books, you could copy them on a copy machine in sections, enlarging them as you print them. If you have actual maps and don't have the skill to make them larger, you could check into having it done someplace like Kinkos. If you are not going until after school starts and you can figure out some educational way to use the maps, your child's scchool may be able to enlarge the maps for you.

 

[disneynee'nee']

Hello to both of you and thanks for the replies!!! I will definitely try to print my own maps prior to the trip, but am hoping Disney will have something at the park to help me. emilee&tylersmom, good luck to you and your family on your trip. Your daughter sounds like me. Most people don't even realize how bad my eyes are. I try not to attract much attention to myself- most people think I forgot my glasses because I have to hold things so close to my face to see. Eventually I just get tired of explaining and tell them that they are right LOL!!! Keep me posted on your map quesst....
Regards to all - Renee

 

[JenJen]

Hi disneynee'nee',
I wanted to let you know they have a guest assistance card (GAC) for those that need front row seating on attractions and shows. If you go to guest realtions and explain to them you need to be closer to the front this card would allow you to sit towards the front on all shows and attrations. That way you will not have to explain your situation everytime you go on a ride or watch a show you just show the card and the cast member can direct you to your seat. You may already know this but I thought i might point it out just in case you did not. Nice to meet you and take care!
JenJen

 

[disneynee'nee']

Hello JenJen.... THis is the first I've heard of the GAC card. I read some other posts on the site, and it sounds like a great thing. I don't want to cut in lines - just maybe sit up close in the shows, so maybe I can get a card just for that. I'm kind of intimidated to ask though. Some others on the site didn't sound like they had good results with their requests. However, it never hurts to ask! Thanks for thinking of me ...Renee

 

[jodirenwick]

Hi,

I am new here also..have only posted a few times but this too is one of my favorites site......I love this site.

Jodi

 

[JenJen]

Hello JenJen.... THis is the first I've heard of the GAC card. I read some other posts on the site, and it sounds like a great thing. I don't want to cut in lines - just maybe sit up close in the shows, so maybe I can get a card just for that. I'm kind of intimidated to ask though. Some others on the site didn't sound like they had good results with their requests. However, it never hurts to ask! Thanks for thinking of me ...Renee

The card that you would get would have you go throught the regular line but once you get to the front of the line you show them the card and the stamp will indicate you need front row seating. So don't feel you are cheating the system you are not at all. It just will give you the assistance you need which is sitting closer to the front. Don't be afraid to go to guest relations they are there to help you plan your day and are very helpful!!!!
JenJen