Agreed. What does the person do in every day life? They know FL is sunny and hot and are choosing to go there. They need to also help themselves. Disney can offer that they wait in a shaded place while their party waits in line for queues that are in the sun too.
It's really impossible to tell because it hasn't really been tested, but the GAC->DAS lawsuit does provide some insight. The court expected the plaintiff to have exhausted all of the reasonable measures of self-help and to have made a reasonable effort to use any other available accommodations before it would find that an ADA violation had occurred. For example, the court explicitly dinged the plaintiff for refusing to split the party up (in this case to send one person to get a return time so the DAS recipient themselves didn't have to) when it was a reasonable option for adapting to the new system. The court also rejected arguments that the plaintiff couldn't enjoy the parks because they had a rigid preference (significantly amplified by the cognitive disability) for the experience that the old system provided when there was evidence that it was possible for them to adapt. And on top of all of that, the court also fully accepted Disney's argument that a broader GAC/DAS system fundamentally alters the business.
I somewhat agree. All of us with disabilities are normally also changing our lives to function with the disability. We make changes at home and how we do things. Whether we do or don’t do something. People need to also do some of this at Disney. The example being sun sensitivity. People need to also take care of themselves too, do what they can to help (clothing, sunscreen, umbrella, visiting during less sunny and hot times). I say this as someone with a sun sensitivity problem due to a disability and medication I take for it. I know my limitations and need to also protect myself. I shouldn’t be asking Disney to just give me DAS because of it.
I don't understand the seeming assumption that they aren't doing this at Disney? Asking for a DAS doesn't mean individuals aren't also doing whatever they can to help themselves - they aren't mutually exclusive.
I get your point, I truly do, but at the same time, I go back to much earlier in this thread (and I've seen complaints along the same line on other sites) that went like this...my DH has MS, and the heat really bothers him and exacerbates his symptoms...if Disney isn't going to grant him DAS, are they going to give him a cooling vest like his employer does? Why would someone who has heat sensitivities not already have a cooling vest if they're going to Florida in the summer time?
Sure, people can still apply but they also shouldn’t be surprised when they are denied. Honestly I have no idea if my son will be approved and am planning many back-ups because that is what I have to do in life. We already try to go at less busy times, rope drop, usually buy the paid LL option, don’t stand in crowded areas (think fireworks). We try to do what we can do help alleviate some of our triggers. That is what I mean by people also needing to help themselves.
I agree they shouldn't be surprised - but that doesn't mean they can't still be disappointed, sad or frustrated. I don't agree with relentless call backs (and obviously don't agree with being angry with cast members at all), but coming to a spot like the disabilities board here to vent and share their feelings about it? It's valid to have a whole range of emotions about it.
I get that too, venting on the disabilities board. I think a lot of us then try to come up with solutions to help the person, but sometimes that can be taken the wrong way too. I hope things improve for you soon!
Thanks
I agree.
We do ask people not to post specific needs as that could be misused.
Yes! There were a few I’ve seen that didn’t want to use a wheelchair because they would be embarrassed, even though it would help their issue. You said it much better than I could!
My answer? I simply don't do those things. I love fireworks but can't handle the crush of people and the loud noise, so we watch from the beaches.
If FP works for you, the new LLMP might work as well! Just another option out there so help worry less about waiting in lines. Even when we had DAS in the past we used FP or G+ to help minimize issues.
I can understand both sides. When my son was younger he was diagnosed with a medical issue which is now under control. His 7 year old self would have never sat in a wheelchair. He had pain, extreme fatigue and no stamina. Would a wheelchair have helped him physically, absolutely. But the idea of it would have sent him into a tailspin and sent his anxiety of what was going in into overdrive. He didn't understand that it would help, it just made him nervous and think he was really sick. Fortunately, disney strollers are big and he had no issue riding in one after a couple of days
. Those few days though consisted of riding fastpasses only and sitting on the floor any chance he got. We lasted 3 hours a day, tops. I think depending on where somewhere is in diagnosis can also make a difference, there is a big psychological component. Jmo though.
While I understand this, especially for a child who may not fully understand, should someone be eligible for DAS even though another accommodation will work, they just don’t want to use it?I can understand both sides. When my son was younger he was diagnosed with a medical issue which is now under control. His 7 year old self would have never sat in a wheelchair. He had pain, extreme fatigue and no stamina. Would a wheelchair have helped him physically, absolutely. But the idea of it would have sent him into a tailspin and sent his anxiety of what was going in into overdrive. He didn't understand that it would help, it just made him nervous and think he was really sick. Fortunately, disney strollers are big and he had no issue riding in one after a couple of days
I understand that and for the most part agree. I just feel that it isn't always black and white. If my son's condition continued as it was, we of course would have dealt with it and if he needed a wheelchair we would have used it. I just think sometimes there are more factors at play (not saying that's the case in what you saw on social media).
There's a difference between simply not wanting to use it and using it exacerbating a co-existing disability. I'm not commenting specifically on DAS - but in general people shouldn't have to ignore the impact on one of their disabilities in order to accommodate another - both need to be accommodated.
Perhaps, but it’s also hard to be sympathetic to that argument, because everyone who has mobility issues but doesn’t want to use a wheelchair could just claim that using one causes anxiety/stress, which would be counter-productive to making lines accessible to begin with.
