Warning! Disneyland Hazard

[nanadeb]

Apparently there is a new sport amongst 20 something Disney go-ers---body slamming the handicapped and the elderly. While in clearly open areas with plenty of space around me (remember, I was walking slower than regular traffic using my cane and limping somewhat) I was repeatedly body slammed by young men traveling in two's or couples in the same age group. It was always the young male that got me. It was not the usual brushing against you as they go by. It was shoulder slams and hip slams that left visible immediate bruises. I would have been on the ground if I hadn't had something else to grab on to. At one point, three of these slams occurred within the space of two minutes. Another time, I was just entering a shop, entranceway clean and no one but my DH beside me, when the male half of a 20 something couple did a combined shoulder and hip slam that sent me reeling. The cast member saw it and just looked away. My husband, very angry by this time, told him, "She isn't invisible, you know." The man disregarded him, his female companion said, "Sorry," and that was that.
Apparently, it is some sort of game. When another man tried to do that to my husband in the Costco in the area, from face on this time, my DH threatoned him with his cane and reminded him that he was bigger than him and would not put up with it. An older man behind him started clapping. He said that it was something the younger people have been doing, slamming in older people.
Now, I really don't consider myself to be that old, since I am only in my 50's. My DH was celebrating his 60th birthday that day. (That's not old, right?!) Regardless, this is a definite safety hazard and a cruel sport.
Please remember that this was by no means an accidental occurrence. None of these men brushed me in passing. We were walking in an uncrowded area with lots of space between us and other people. It took an effort to target me. My DH was walking with a cane in his left hand and was on my left side. He has a bum knee and was just using the cane for extra support and was not visibly limping. I was walking with the cane in my right hand and visibly limping. Each time, my cane was off the ground and moving forward. My cane was never touched. Instead, each of the men used his shoulder and or/hip behind my shoulder and/or hip to forcefully slam me forward. I was never shoved with hands or arms. Each time, the man would speed up and move away swiftly at the same speed as his companion.
My DH was never targeted at Disneyland, just at Costco. Since he was using a cane himself, he was unable to go after the slammers at Dsineyland. Thanks to him, though, I was able to keep on my feet and not hit the pavement.
Please be careful if you are mobility impaired and using a cane at Disneyland.
HTH

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Did you contact Disneyland Guest Relations about this, and the lack of response from the CMs? They need to be aware this is happening and train CMs in how to deal with this.

 

[nanadeb]

Did you contact Disneyland Guest Relations about this, and the lack of response from the CMs? They need to be aware this is happening and train CMs in how to deal with this.

I didn't do so at the time because I was literally in shock. When I looked to the CM in the shop who saw me slammed in the entranceway, I was ignored.

On my way out to Main Street later on, fireworks were in progress and every time I tried to stop to get my balance, a CM told me to keep moving, that I couldn't stop there. I tried to explain my problem, but was told to move on back to the area at the back of fireworks viewing or keep moving in the area to leave the park.
It was a nightmare. I was in pain and tears were streaming down my face, but the CM's just wanted to keep people moving along no matter what. It was all I could do to keep one foot moving along in front of the other. I did not want to stand in yet another line at Guest Relations.
I would have been OK that day if the slamming hadn't taken place numerous times. I had taken things slowly and avoided violent rides. Since my problems revolve around disk disease impinging on nerves to my legs, all the slamming caused further injuries to the nerves and subsequent nerve disfunction and escalating pain.
I would like to contact Guest Relations now, but I can't find the information on the Disneyland website to do so. Does anyone here have any idea how I can do it?
Thanks.

 

[bookwormde]

IF this is intentional is is quite simply an assult and is a crime and should be reported as such. If this is a pattern (multiple people report it) disney security and undercover police will monitor for it an arrest any individual seen doing this as a repeated pattern. It will only take one or 2 assault arrests to put an end to this "game".

Even at this point contact disney and let them know what happenened and the CM's response when witnessed. If any one else experiances this be sure and take a picture of the individuals involved.

bookwormde

 

[Chuck S]

I didn't do so at the time because I was literally in shock. When I looked to the CM in the shop who saw me slammed in the entranceway, I was ignored.

On my way out to Main Street later on, fireworks were in progress and every time I tried to stop to get my balance, a CM told me to keep moving, that I couldn't stop there. I tried to explain my problem, but was told to move on back to the area at the back of fireworks viewing or keep moving in the area to leave the park.
It was a nightmare. I was in pain and tears were streaming down my face, but the CM's just wanted to keep people moving along no matter what. It was all I could do to keep one foot moving along in front of the other. I did not want to stand in yet another line at Guest Relations.
I would have been OK that day if the slamming hadn't taken place numerous times. I had taken things slowly and avoided violent rides. Since my problems revolve around disk disease impinging on nerves to my legs, all the slamming caused further injuries to the nerves and subsequent nerve disfunction and escalating pain.
I would like to contact Guest Relations now, but I can't find the information on the Disneyland website to do so. Does anyone here have any idea how I can do it?
Thanks.

Here is a link to the "Contact Us" page from Disneyland.com

https://secure-disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/help/contactUs?name=ContactUsPage

IF this is intentional is is quite simply an assult and is a crime and should be reported as such. If this is a pattern (multiple people report it) disney security and undercover police will monitor for it an arrest any individual seen doing this as a repeated pattern. It will only take on or 2 assault arrests to put an end to this "game".

 

[peemagg]

It's just too bad that neither you or your husband could have reached out and touched them with your cane. You know one of those "OOps I'm so sorry my cane landed on your head".

 

[OneLittleSpark]

That's not just rude, it's blooming inhuman! How could anyone think that deliberately barging in to anyone was a good idea, let alone someone with mobility problems?!! As Bookworm said, this is an assault. Deb, please do report this to Disney; if the CMs know what to look out for, they can hopefully crack down on this and try to prevent any further attacks. Huge hugs to you, and I'm so sorry these [insert expletive]s attacked you, and gave you such a bad flare .

It's just too bad that neither you or your husband could have reached out and touched them with your cane. You know one of those "OOps I'm so sorry my cane landed on your head".

Myself, I would have been aiming for a slightly lower, and much more delicate, area! * Maybe best not to though, we don't want to see anyone here appearing on America's Most Wanted for lodging their walking stick somewhere unspeakable in a 22 year-old!


I hope nobody on here experiences these idiotic scum **, but if you do, please report them. I'd be very careful about taking pictures of them, though; if they're happy to slam into complete strangers who did nothing to them at all, I hate to think what they might do if they thought someone was going to get them in to trouble with the police . Make a mental note of what they are wearing and what they look like, then report it to the first CM you can. Try not to get directly involved with the attackers, let Disney take care of them. Please don't risk your own safety to make a stand - these people need to be stopped, but let the police and Disney security do it for us.


*Not that I'm condoning violence, or saying anyone should take the law in to their own hands. I know the regulars on this sub-forum will understand this as the joke it's meant to be, but I know from experience that some people on the wider board might take me literally.

**Again, for all those people who might want to take offense at something, I only mean the people who deliberately body slam others, like those Deb encountered, not people who accidentally bump in to you. *Sigh* I do wish I didn't have to put all these disclaimers after my posts

 

[brergnat]

I wouldn't even bother with "Disney" police (security). Call the REAL police if this happens to you, or you see it happening to anyone else.

The Anaheim police have a presence on Disney property. Right behind Downtown Disney. They have an office. And patrol cars.

Just call: (714) 765-4311, and report it immediately. There will be uniformed Anaheim Police dispatched to the entrance of the park within MINUTES (they have little electric carts that they ride around Downtown Disney on).

Don't put up with this.

Although, I have to say, I visit the parks VERY regularly, and I've never witnessed this...not saying it doesn't happen, but I am not sure it's such a rampant "sport" that it's something that is happening with such frequency that people really need to be worried.

 

[robinb]

How terrible for you! What a bunch of punk bullies.

 

[scroot]

I was wondering if the costco occurance was also in Orange County, CA. Or is this ill will following you around.

When I lived and worked near DL a big thing for many of the teen ap holders to do was to fill up as many benches as possible late in the day to haze the tourists.

I have seen lots of astounding crowd behavior at DL but this one surprises me.

 

[nanadeb]

I was wondering if the costco occurance was also in Orange County, CA. Or is this ill will following you around.
.

It happened to my husband at the Costco on 900 South Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, the one a little further on from the Character Warehouse.

This behavior did not occur when we were in California Adventure on Memorial Day. If I had been body slammed just once in Disneyland, I would have thought it was an odd occurence. But having it happen 3 times in less than 2 minutes was just too coincidental. By the fourth time, I was just reeling in shock.
BTW, all of this happened in Adventureland.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Please contact them using the link you were given and let them know what happened. Also let them know what you told us about being hurried along and not being able to take a needed break.

I have worked crowd control for parades and fireworks and have had to be that person keeping the guests moving. To be honest, at no point had it ever occurred to me that a guest might have a mobility problem and need to rest. We are simply told to keep things moving. It is not done to intentionally hurt anyone.

They may want to retrain cast members in this area to be on the lookout for something like this. We can't fix what we don't know about.

 

[SueM in MN]

I agree with the others - it is assault and should be reported to the authorities, both the management of place you are in and the police.

If you are in a park, it can be reported at the time to security. The CM may have 'not noticed' because they did not want to confront a possibly dangerous young person. But, if you tell a CM that you need to report something to security, any CM would be able to help you.

In any retail store, go to the service desk and ask to report a problem to the manager/supervisor. Stores have undercover security and also have cameras all over the place. If they are alerted, they can watch for the people to do the same thing to someone else and they may be able to catch it on tape. They can put an alert that prevents those people from coming into the store again (or any stores in that chain). It is private property and they can prohibit people from visiting in the future (WDW also).
Talking about Costco, anyone who comes in has to have a member card; that could even be cancelled for 'mis-behavior'.

I don't know why anyone would do it, but my guess is that they are doing anti-social things for their own 'enjoyment'. There are some people with the main goal of 'being happy' rather than fitting into society.
The same people are probably out on the highways changing lanes abruptly and often, almost causing accidents just because they can (you know the ones I'm talking about; they change lanes back and forth 6 times in a 1 mile stretch for no reason except to see how small a spot they can get into). Those people are a menace too and I have called 911 on them.

 

[disneylove69]

It's just too bad that neither you or your husband could have reached out and touched them with your cane. You know one of those "OOps I'm so sorry my cane landed on your head".

It happens sometimes. You never know when your leg is going into spasms and people run into it when they are trying to cut inline, stand in front of you when you waited an hour for the parade spot, etc.