Very depressing trip.....

[chris1gill]

Well, some here may remember me, some may not, but I'm coming here for solace and not to be flamed (as would happen on some boards)... But, I just got back from what I personally feel was my worst Disney trip EVER... part of it, was that I'd read a thread a month or so back that complained about us WC user's holding up the rides as we get on, and how we don't have to wait in lines (yeh right... I did my fair share) Anyhow, I guess it got to me... I've never really given a darn how people saw me, actually, I never cared, so I never noticed...

Well, I have to say I noticed this trip, and it was horrible... particularly the bus situation.. One guy who I could use adjectives for but won't, stood next to my chair (my two kids were standing in front of my chair not taking up seats on this full bus), anyhow, he's standing next to me with a cup of coffee in each hand and a pastry to boot... course the moment the bus moves his coffee spills on me, then I said something (politely)... he passed one of his coffee's back and told me I was lucky it wasn't the whole thing I said yeh, I'll take that to heart I mean it was completely ridiculous some of the things I heard and saw.... people cut you off and then blame me when I cannot stop my chair in time.... believe me I try, I do my best, but inevitably someone feels free to jump in front of me and my chair because they are too busy feeling that I don't exist I guess... Everytime a ride stopped to let me on, I knew those waiting were annoyed (thanks to Haunted mansion comments)... I mean it really just didn't end last week... and yeh, I guess the comments made on the other board made me sensitive for the first time ever, but believe me, some of this stuff (like the coffee) would have been evident even if I wasn't already sensitive about the trouble I cause everybody I'm just very sad I guess... Sad that this is what it has come to, and wondering how and when I will get back to feeling like my old self

 

[SueM in MN]

I knew from the post on the Community Board that you did not have a good trip.
Sorry to hear it was like that.
I don't understand why the bus driver didn't stop the guy with the coffee, since there is no "eating, drinking or smoking" on the buses. That was an accident waiting to happen to someone - it happened to be someone using a wheelchair, but could have been a small child or anyone else on the bus.

Our last trip with DD in her wheelchair was over New Years. We met some friends who had not really spent much time with DD before. They (especially the husband) were very sensitive to some of the looks we got from people. He kept apologizing to us for what he saw strangers do.
All in all, we had a mostly good trip, but those few bad things do bring you down.

Even on that bad thread about waiting for people with physical disabiliites to board, there were lots of people who were positive. And, one thing I have noticed on this site over the years is that when someone mentions "people getting to the front because of a wheelchair", there are many more people posting and saying that's not true. It use to be just a couple of us saying that and a whole bunch of people arguing that we didn't know what we were talking about. So, that's positive.

 

[chris1gill]

Hi Sue,

I think I've just gone soft over the last few years I guess I was never aware of what some portion of the population believed and said about those of us who are in chairs.... To me this time atound it didn't much matter that only 10% of the bus was pissed off at me for holding them up, it was the fact that anyone was mad at me for holding them up... I had never ever thought about what other people thought until recently and now I cannot let it go...

Now my husband has read this thread and he is upset with me for being upset about other people and their perceived notions and actual comments... he asked why he didn't hear these things, and I just told him, because he didn't care! He doesn't give a who ha about what anyone thinks, he doesn't hear a thing around him! I used to be that person too... He told me that once upon a time people resented me for the job I had and for what I did on the food chain, I never let it bother me, I just didn't care, I was doing my own thing... he says that even though it's a different scenario I should try to get back to feeling that way about myself again, I just don't know how to do that...

I guess this post is as much about me as it is about the crud I went through last week... a few years ago I would have laughed half of that stuff off, not now though

 

[Mkrop]

I just read your post and I want to cry. For all the creeps in the world there are people out here who just want you to enjoy and have a good time. You deserve the best vacation ever. There are rude people in this world and it stinks.

I have told my friends recently when I hear them making excuses for rude behavior (like if someone is always late, well that just how she is blah blah) well if we all accept rude behavior and do nothing about then that person will continue that behavior.

Please dont let this get you down.

I wish you the best!

 

[chris1gill]

Thanks for your kind words Mkrop... I just have to get back to somehow feeling better about myself and my situation and worry less about what others are thinking of me It's so hard, and now it is SO in my face, I hope this is just a phase for me... maybe just a phase, but it's not such a good one... but thank you for listening and responding so kindly....

 

[Mkrop]

any time

I have a DS4 and I am worried about our upcoming trip. He has hypotonia (low muscle tone) and other than that he is a happy healthy 4 year old.(Thank God) He has been in therapy since he was 1 and he has progressed so much but our big issue is still steps and climbing.

So my concern is him getting in and out of rides and I dont remeber if there are any steps up to rides. He can do it he just moves slow, so I am worried that people may get inpatient if we hold things up. And those people that you mentioned (the creeps) will emerge!

His diabilitiy is not obvious, in fact most people dont even realize and even once I mention they say "oh he seems fine now" well yeah years of PT and dont get behind him coming down the steps.

He did pretty decently at Hershey park up here so I am hoping for the best down there. One man made a comment when DH and DS were climbing up to get to the big slide about it taking forever and DH turned around to him and told him to "go pound sand". He had to watch his mouth since the kiddos were around! haha

 

[Selket]

any time

I have a DS4 and I am worried about our upcoming trip. He has hypotonia (low muscle tone) and other than that he is a happy healthy 4 year old.(Thank God) He has been in therapy since he was 1 and he has progressed so much but our big issue is still steps and climbing.

William was born with hypotonia too and took longer to sit up, stand up, walk, etc. He is doing well now (he is 5) but I remember for one of our trips when he was 3 he was big enough to ride BTMRR and we had FP's and went up the FP line. There was A LOT of walking to get to where the rest of the people were lined up and I could tell people behind us were getting impatient cause we weren't literally RUNNING to catch up with the line and were making comments. The poor guy was going as fast as he could - and the FP line still had plenty of people in it - not like they were going to ride any faster cause we still had to wait. After that I think we rode it again and just used our stroller as WC so we could use the stroller. Don't get behind William on the stairs too! Gosh! I could understand if there was a fire but....

I just wanted to say to the OP how sorry I am about the recent trip. I don't know what people are thinking when they act like that! I hope you'won't let the a*&holes get you down. You sound like a wonderful, caring person and a real Disney lover. Stay away from those mean threads here! There are really just a lot of folks here at the Disboards who like to see how nasty they can be.

 

[arminnie]

I'm so sorry that you had a bad experience.

But remember one thing - The opinions of mean, awful people do not count!

Really that was one of the best lessons that my mother taught me - that I did not have to pay attention to the opinions of everybody. I know it is not always the easiest thing to do at the time.

 

[kmjmom]

I am so sorry for the treatment you received and that it dampened the happiness of your trip. I can never comprehend how inconsiderate people can be. I have spent the last 24 years a special education teacher. I consider myself fortunate to work with children who have to try so much harder than many of those around them to accomplish the success that they desire. I can't help but feel that my little darlings are truly the most special children in the school. When I see other children be inconsiderate or rude, I find it hard enough to deal with, but to have ignorant adults behave so rudely is just unacceptable. Please know that for every one of the ignorant oafs out there, there are caring people who respect and admire your determination and strength.

 

[Mkrop]

Thanks Selkat for understanding. it is nice to know that there are others out there like my son! Glad William is doing well! Luke will get there too I am sure, we have worked too darn hard!

 

[Mkrop]

Please know that for every one of the ignorant oafs out there, there are caring people who respect and admire your determination and strength.[/QUOTe

I couldnt have said it better!

 

[Michigan]

We had a couple of bad times to on our recent trip but ours seemed to be from CM's more then guests.

Because both of my girls are in wheelchairs and neither can stand we request the wheelchair car. My youngest wheels on slides over into the companion seat and my oldest stays in her wheelchair. We had no problem doing this on any ride until we went on the Nemo ride. The cm told me that I couldn't do that and that both of my dd's had to be able to walk down a flight of stairs or they could not ride the ride. Ok after I calmly explained to the man that someone that needed that clam would not be able to walk down the stairs and he continued to tell me he didn't care it was for safety reasons he wasn't going to allow my dd's on the ride I suggest to him for his safety reasons that he find a supervisor. He left and came back and told me if I carried my youngest on and put her in the clam with her sister that they could ride.

The next one that still really bugs me is at the Festival of the Lion King at AK the front small benches used to be for handicap seating. In years past I sat at one end of the bench and my mother sat at the other with one space between us and my dd's sat one on each side of me and my mother. Now those are no longer handicap seats. The new row has a handicap seat followed by a bench with about 15 wheelchair symbols on it and then another spot for a wheelchair. I was told that I had to put my oldest dd (17) at one end and my youngest dd (9) at the other and sit next to the oldest one. Their new policy is that the person in a wheelchair has to be in the same row as the rest of their family. Since it was just me and the girls I couldn't have one in front of the other. Now this has to be the stupidist new rule I have ever heard of. At first I thought it was just this young kid's decision but after several cm's came over and told me that was now the policy I told them I would take her and sit her on the seat next to me and leave her chair at the end. Well, that's against policy too so they took her chair and then at the end of the show the theater emptied out and no one brought us back her chair and when I told them that I needed to know what they did with the chair they couldn't find it and told me I would have to wait until they had cleared the stage area for the next show. Again calmly I suggested that they find that chair fast or find me someone with $2,500 to pay for it. Then it was like a fire alarm went off and they started looking everywhere for the chair. They eventually went outside and found it halfway down the sidewalk.

 

[chris1gill]

Thanks Selkat for understanding. it is nice to know that there are others out there like my son! Glad William is doing well! Luke will get there too I am sure, we have worked too darn hard!

Mkrop & Selkat, funny enough I have EXCESSIVE tone to my muscles.... I have spastic paralysis, so although I may be able to walk 10 feet on occasion, if I try for 40 feet, my steps get smaller & smaller & soon enough my legs won't move at all... I have it in every region (arms and jaw), but the legs are the worst & the jaw gets treatment, it's all a result of mitochondrial disease...... but my doctors tell me I'm quite lucky, because if my muscle tone was the other way around I wouldn't be able to hold myself up.... course it's very funny when I become very stiff and get stuck in place I'd definitely take it this way versus that way though!! At least this way I've got a fighting shot at trying to make the most of the things I still want to do! Yup, so thank god for excessive tone, because with the level of the disease I'd be bed ridden if I had low tone... see, now that's good news right there

Oh, one common thing with the muscle tone problem, I can't do a stair to save my ever loving life.... I'm lucky to make an 8 inch walking step for ten to twenty feet at a time....

 

[chris1gill]

Thanks to everyone who has responded.... you help to raise my spirits.... they need raising for certain...

Michigan, oddly we didn't go to Lion King this trip, so I didn't know about this new rule, quite frankly I think it sounds outrageous... I rode Nemo's Clam car, and I think I went through the regular queue to do it, although I cannot be sure, I honestly don't remember now, but I'm so sorry you went through that lunacy with the CM... With much appreciation I can say that the CM's I came across were for the most part very kind and caring... I struck up a conversation with several of them....

Between you and I, you know which ride really bugs me? The Safari in AK... even with a fast pass where every Tom Dick & Harry are walking on, I still have to go, use the FP, then wait in the wheelchair line... I was lucky this last time I only had to wait about 15 minutes (we were to go on the second truck)... but on rides like that where there are only two vehicles in circulation that can transfer a wheelchair, why not let those who cannot transfer stand in the non-transfer line, I felt like I was being penalized twice, although that was the least of my concerns for the week, but since you mentioned the clam, it made me think of the Safari!

 

[a1tinkfans]

Will people never realize that unkind words and actions effect people so much??
I am so sad that your recent trip was not magical as it should have been.

Please know that there are so many of us out there that UNDERSTAND and APPLAUD you for living your life to its fullest potential. Going places and doing things that you want to do.
I just know that there are many more of us that understand than those that don't!!
Ignore those people, Live your life and Enjoy each day.
God Bless and be well!

 

[MarieS]

To the OP--
I am so sorry that some unkind treatment put a damper on your trip. I have both of my DS in wheelchairs and I know it can be hard to ignore those types of comments. But don't let a few ignorant people bring you down. I have found there are far more courteous, compassionate people out there.

Pixie dust to you

 

[MarieS]

Michigan--
I wanted to ask about some things in your post. Both of my DS are in wheelchairs and need to stay in for rides and shows.

Can you tell me more about the Nemo ride? Do the clams open up like the cars on the Buzz ride or Pooh? For these rides, I took one child in the accessible car and had my other son wait with our friend. Then we switched kids.

For the LK show, does this mean we need to split up if there are two wheelchairs in our party? It will be my mom and I with the boys on our next trip. Will we be in separate rows since we need to sit next to them in their chairs?

Thanks for any input!

 

[chris1gill]

Michigan--
I wanted to ask about some things in your post. Both of my DS are in wheelchairs and need to stay in for rides and shows.

Can you tell me more about the Nemo ride? Do the clams open up like the cars on the Buzz ride or Pooh? For these rides, I took one child in the accessible car and had my other son wait with our friend. Then we switched kids.

For the LK show, does this mean we need to split up if there are two wheelchairs in our party? It will be my mom and I with the boys on our next trip. Will we be in separate rows since we need to sit next to them in their chairs?

Thanks for any input!

I'm not Michigan, but I can say the Nemo clam does open up like Buzz & Pooh... I just can't remember how I got to the ride to get on it Not only have I gone soft (you guys are helping thank you), but now I'm getting rides confused as well... how could that happen?

 

[SueM in MN]

I'm not Michigan, but I can say the Nemo clam does open up like Buzz & Pooh... I just can't remember how I got to the ride to get on it Not only have I gone soft (you guys are helping thank you), but now I'm getting rides confused as well... how could that happen?

We haven't been on it yet; we would have had to wait 45 minutes outside in the rain to go when we were there over New Years. I wanted to see it, but not that bad.
I've seen pictures of the Nemo ride car and it does work like Buzz and Imagination. A part of the clammobile opens down toward the side. That becomes the ramp that you drive onto the clammobile on.

The cm told me that I couldn't do that and that both of my dd's had to be able to walk down a flight of stairs or they could not ride the ride.

Unless they totally changed the track from when the 'sea cabs' that were there when Living Seas originally opened, I thought that the ride track was all on one level and brought you to the same level of the building (but closer to the fish) when you got off.
Winder if that CM thinks the 'hydrolators' do really take you down to the bottom of the sea?

The next one that still really bugs me is at the Festival of the Lion King at AK the front small benches used to be for handicap seating.

We ran into something just as strange at the Lights, Motors, Action show. The front row of the section was for people traveling in wheelchairs and ONE member of their party. We had a party of 3 (DH, DD in her wheelchair and me). So, even though there was room where I could have sat next to DH, I had to go to the row above (which put my knees at the level of DD's head). The CM would not let me sit there and said I was 'required' to go up. The person who was parked next to my DD was a fairly young man, driving an ECV. Along with him was his wife and 2 children. They were allowed to stay together (the look the wife gave the CM when he told her to take the kids and sit behind her DH was enough to cause chills up my spine; she refused to go, so he let her stay.)
The thing that really bugged me though, was when the DH got off the ECV and sat on the bench and his wife sat on the ECV (that's not what bugged me - the whole next part is). When the wife sat down, my DD smiled at her; I could see the wife looked at her, sort of down her nose at her, then she looked away and would not look at DD again, although DD tried to get her attention. Then, during the show, the wife proceeded to prop her feet up on the wheels of DD's wheelchair. Then she started cleaning underneath her fingernails and flicked the dirt onto DD's wheelchair. I was too far away (and it was too noisy) to do anything. It affected my enjoyment because I was worried that DD would haul off and hit her (she has been known to hit if people invade her personal space). I finally decided that if she did get hit, she deserved it (she didn't get hit though).

 

[Amy5000]

I'm so sorry!! I'm new to the DISBoards, and I missed the ignorant gripe thread you were referring to in your post. (And I happily missed it b/c I would have been really upset). I know it's easy to say, don't let it get to you...b/c I think it would get to me too. I guess I just wanted to say that for every ignorant jerk out there, there are just as many people who don't feel that way... I don't need a WC and I'm happy that WDW tries to make the parks as accessible for all as they do. The problem is the jerks are always more memorable!