Thanks for the wheekchair discusison

[ericafny]

Because they are safer in an actual seat.

This is actually good to know for my own personal knowledge working with special needs kids. So if the person is able to transfer to a seat they should do so? Will have to share that with my colleagues. Yes strangely enough us sp ed teachers didn't know that!

 

[challer]

To which I would have to reply....so what? This is not germaine to the conversation.

Every time this conversation pops up...and it does frequently...someone points out that there are those that use wheelchairs / ECVs that dont need them. This point usually leads to further discussion as to who "really" needs assitance and why.

You can read back through a bunch of posts where those that do need assitance get stares and comments. Those in wheelchairs / ECVs are very often made to feel uncomfortable and humiliated and it's really time for that to stop.

There are ignorant people out there ready, willing and able to abuse anything in life. Pointing out that a few idiots abuse wheelchair use allows some people to question who "really needs" to use a wheelchair and my point is still the same...

It's none of your business who really does and doesnt need to use a wheelchair.

At the risk of hurting or humiliating someone who cant visit Disney without a wheelchair or scooter....assume that those using them "REALLY NEED" them and move on. It will cost you nothing and you might save someone from feeling bad about their situation.

Now....please, understand that I have nothing against you or anyone else that has posted and I ap[ologize if it seems I have jumped all over innocent people. It's just I have taken part in too many of these conversations and it's my opinion that the language and thought process used to discuss this topic needs to change.

Consciousness needs to be raised, as people who have no other choices are being made to feel inferior, ashamed or at the very least "in the way" and in my opinion....thats unacceptable They face enough barriers in life.

Kevin, I get it. I agree. I pointed out based on your "Just try it" comment that there are idiots and animals out there that do try it for fun. They are the extreme minority, it should have no effect on those that do or may need it, it should have no effect on how we treat those in them or pushing them, etc.

I think maybe you & I are bringing up two completely separate points.

Side note: for five years I was the wheelchair pusher for my wife's grandfather every Friday night. I had to go from 84th Street to 69th Street on Manhattan's Upper West Side. You think Disney crowds are hard - try stopping short in a crosswalk because a NYC Taxi cab wants to try to squeeze in front of your chair, rather than wait the 15 seconds it takes to get to the curb.

 

[wishspirit]

This is actually good to know for my own personal knowledge working with special needs kids. So if the person is able to transfer to a seat they should do so? Will have to share that with my colleagues. Yes strangely enough us sp ed teachers didn't know that!

It depends. If the person can transfer their own weight, or can do so with assistance, and would be safer/more comfortable in a proper seat, we move them. If they can not move to transfer the weight, and they are above the weight where we can supportive hold, or their wheelchair is designed to aid their posture or support certain areas, we leave them in their chair. Quite a few of our kids have wheelchairs designed so they can sit up straight, it wouldn't be comfortable to put them into a normal seat, even with a seat belt.

It all depends on the child, and sadly, the amount of wheelchair spaces we have on the bus when we take them out on trips. Some parents bring in car seats so we save a wheelchair space, which is really kind of them, and can make their kids more comfy.

Trips can be a logistical nightmare!

 

[SueM in MN]

I fully understand being in a wheel chair, my mother-in-law had ALS, and that is the only way she could get around.

I know Disney does a great job, but one thing they need to do better is come up with a better way of locking in the ECVs and wheelchairs on the buses. That is probably the one part that is frustrating to others, the time it takes to strap in the ECVs on the bus makes thing worse that what is should be. That should be WDWs priority #1.

I am sure everyone really understands the ECV ans wheelchair thing, but when you have to wait 5 minutes for the bus driver to strap it in, it makes anyone go nuts. Especially when they are heading to a park or coming back in 90+ degrees heat.

One of the problems is that each wheelchair and/or ECV is a little different.
So, making one set of 'quick straps' to strap all wheelchairs down is very difficult.
For someone who knows what they are doing, has all the straps ready and knows where to attach them, it can take as short as 60 seconds to strap the wheelchair down. When we strap our DD's wheelchair into our own van, that's about as long as it takes us. But, the straps are set up to be in the correct configuration to line up with her chair, they are ready to attach and we know where to attach them.
That is not always the case on the buses.
Sometimes, the ramp or lift doesn't work correctly or the person has trouble manouvering into space. This takes extra time.
Often, the last driver left the straps tangled or twisted, which takes extra time to get them ready for use.
The driver may not be able to easily figure out where it is safe to attach the tie down straps and the person using the wheelchair may not be able to help. This takes extra time.

It's not easy to be the person using the wheelchair or part of the family of that person. I have often had to stand on the bus and listen to people commenting about my DD and how 'they should have a special bus for people like that'. Or people complaining about the wheelchair taking up a whole bench when THEY are sitting in seats, our party was there before them and DH and I are standing so that between DD, DH and I, we are only taking up the space that we would have if we would have walked on.

I never know whether we will have a good bus ride with nice people or a horrible bus ride where I will have to listen to rude people talking about my DD the whole trip.

However, because I saw these young people taking turns in the wheelchair, it is difficult for me to believe that they truly NEEDED a wheelchair for anything other than a shorter line at attractions, shows, restaurants and first seating on the overcrowded All-Star hotel bus.

I would hate to see more people like these disgusting Japanese tourists using a wheelchair to jump line. I know that the guys said that no one would ever get into a wheelchair for fun, but I am 99.9% sure that those people were pretending to be disabled. It may not happen a lot, but I think it does happen from time to time.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen from time to time, but I really don't think a lot of people are pushing the heavy (about 50 pounds EMPTY) rental wheelchairs around a park for long.
Plus, most people will pretty quickly find out that getting a wheelchair to get ahead in lines doesn't work too well. Most lines are Mainstreamed, which means that people using wheelchairs and ECVs wait in the same line with everyone else.
The Studio and AK were built with Mainstream lines. MK and Epcot had them added whenever possible as attractions were added or renovated.

This is a list of attractions with Mainstream Access from the WDW Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities:
Magic Kingdom® Park

• • Ariel's Grotto
• • Astro Orbiter
• • Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
• • Donald's Boat
• • Judge's Tent
• • Mickey's Country House
• • Mickey's PhilharMagic
• • Minnie's Country House
• • Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
• • Pirates of the Caribbean
• • Space Mountain®
• • Splash Mountain®
• • Stitch's Great Escape!™
• • "The Enchanted Tiki Room Under New Management"
• • The Hall of Presidents
• • The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• • Tomorrowland® Indy Speedway
• • Toontown Hall of Fame
• • Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress (seasonal)

Epcot®

• • FUTURE WORLD
• • Imagination!: All Attractions
• • Innoventions East
• • Innoventions West
• • Mission: SPACE
• • Test Track
• • The Seas with Nemo & Friends: All Attractions
• • The Land: All Attractions
• • Universe of Energy: "Ellen's Energy Adventure"
• • WORLD SHOWCASE
• • China: "Reflections of China"
• • France: "Impressions de France"
• • FriendShip Boats (NOTE: The WDW park rental ECVs don't fit on these boats).
• • Norway: Maelstrom
• • The American Adventure: "The American Adventure"

Disney's Hollywood Studios™

• • Disney's Hollywood Studios™ Backlot Tour
• • Fantasmic!
• • Lights, Motors, Action!™ Extreme Stunt Show
• • Muppet*Vision 3D
• • Playhouse Disney - Live On Stage!
• • Rock 'n' Roller Coaster® Starring Aerosmith
• • Sounds Dangerous - Starring Drew Carey
• • Star Tours
• • The Great Movie Ride
• • The Magic of Disney Animation
• • "The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™"
• • Voyage of the Little Mermaid
• • Walt Disney: One Man's Dream
• • Toy Story Mania

Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park

• • Caravan Stage: "Flights of Wonder"
• • DINOSAUR
• • Expedition Everest™
• • Finding Nemo - The Musical
• • Grandmother Willow's Grove: "Pocahontas and Her forest friends"
• • It's Tough To Be A Bug
• • Kali River Rapids
• • Kilimanjaro Safaris
• • Lion King Theater: "Festival of the Lion King"
• • Maharajah Jungle Trek
• • Primeval Whirl
• • The Boneyard
• • TriceraTop Spin

DH and I don't really mind wheelchairs but question why they get on the bus with the chair get it all buckled in and then get up out of the chair and take up a seat on the bus when they could just sit in their wheelchair. Can anyone explain why a wheelchair person would do that? Why take up the three seats for the chair then take up another to sit in when they can sit in their chair? I'm not looking for flames just seriously would like to know why they would do this. Why do they think they need to take up anouther seat? They do get buckeled in their chair if they stay in it.

In many cases, it is safer to get out and ride in a bus seat.

This is actually good to know for my own personal knowledge working with special needs kids. So if the person is able to transfer to a seat they should do so? Will have to share that with my colleagues. Yes strangely enough us sp ed teachers didn't know that!

as was already posted, if the person can transfer out of their wheelchair and sit in a bus seat, that is usually a safer option. In our case, our DD would need to be lifted out of her wheelchair and lifted into a bus seat. But, she would not be able to sit on the slippery bus seat. So, it is safer for her to stay in her wheelchair.