Wheelchair Line. A new 1st

[mrzrich]

I actually saw an ECV stuck in the BTMRR stand by queue. I guess the CM missed him as he entered the standby line. Poor guy got stuck like Augustus Gloop. The people behind him in line weren't happy. I was in the FP line, so I did not get to see how they resolved it.

 

[DisneyOma]

This! We had a party of 8 and could not ride together as a family. We had to split up which was a pain. We all wanted to experience the rides together, so it was a bummer. I get the "it's for the disable guest's benefit" thing, but, honestly, when it's the family banding together to make it all work and you have to split up, it really creates a lot of stress!

For the attractions that have ride vehicles that sit more than 2-3 people, you could wait until the rest of your party was at the loading area, then board. I know some queues don't have a lot of space to wait at and it could be a fire hazard though.

For attractions where only 2-3 people fit in a vehicle, I don't get the whole "all 17 of us have to ride together" mentality. You have to split up into the ride vehicles, you have to wait for everyone to get off anyways, etc.

 

[DisneyMom111]

I don't like it when I get cut off - in a theme park ride line, on the highway, etc. But then I take a deep breath and realize - even if 20 people just cut in front of me, it probably only extended my wait by what, 2 or 3 minutes? I think its more the perception that some sort of unfairness is being perpetrated - but let me be the first to assure you, even if my mother (or other guests with disabilities) were automatically allowed to the front of any line, all the time, she STILL would only have a fraction of the Disney experience you or I will get to enjoy. I guess I try not to spend my vacations worrying about what everyone else is doing - a sure way to make yourself batty!

You are absolutely right and that's a great way to look at it. Next time I feel myself getting frustrated, I'll remember this!

You can blame the folks who have faked a mobility disability for all the cynicism.

This is true too. Not even faked, but overstated their disability. I know personally 3 people that have said to me, oh Disney is fun for us, "so and so" gets the DAS so we don't wait in lines for rides or busses. And it's always said in a laughing...in your face....bragging way. That's what is always in my mind. I know those people are few and far between though so I try to be patient.

 

[gap2368]

You're right - I've got BTMRR and Splash backwards in my head! The whole time I was typing BTMRR, I was thinking about Splash. Duh moment for me

We all do that. After I posted I was like he was probably thinking of splash

 

[mrzrich]

You are absolutely right and that's a great way to look at it. Next time I feel myself getting frustrated, I'll remember this!



This is true too. Not even faked, but overstated their disability. I know personally 3 people that have said to me, oh Disney is fun for us, "so and so" gets the DAS so we don't wait in lines for rides or busses. And it's always said in a laughing...in your face....bragging way. That's what is always in my mind. I know those people are few and far between though so I try to be patient.

Just to clarify DAS gives you no advantage as far as buses.

 

[DrunkJam]

We are only 4 people. My son qualifies for a DAS (or, he qualified for a GAC, he should qualify for a DAS as he has a condition he will never grow out of)
I did not know that GAC was a thing. We spent 4 days of our vacation not knowing, and TRYING to do what everyone else was doing. TRYING to have a magical Disney time, because, Disney is MOST fun for kids in the world, right?
Not fun for him. I remember us sitting on a wall in AK the day after our wedding (at the YC) all crying because we just couldn't DO anything. Because his disability made doing things the normal way IMPOSSIBLE.
I did not know what to do. I felt like a failure. I had brought him to a DREAM kid holiday, and (being new to the having a child with a disability thing)
As a last resort, I went to GR and spoke to the CM. I explained through my tears the problems we were having, and that I didn't know if they could do anything, but, children have a god time at Disney and HOW could I help him?
They gave us a GAC and it changed our entire holiday. We could calculate better the amount of close personal contact, touch, smell, noise he was going to have to deal with, without being able to move away, in order to ride the rides and experience the shows. We could do favourites more often which allowed us to head off meltdowns.
The DAS, which just allows us to wait the same time, but in a less sensory-crazy place is a HOLIDAY SAVER.
Would I swap this and queue like a regular person if he was going to ever be able to live independently, or not be terrified of LOADS of things, or a million and one more difficult for him things? IN a heartbeat. Does he deserve a FUN holiday that the DAS allows him to have. Absolutely.
Do we have to put up with people frowning and making crappy comments about how we are scamming the system? Yes we do. It would be a holiday for us if we didn't.since we get crappy comments and tuts and sighs about his problems at home, but, people get weird in queues.

 

[Kristine316]

We live in a "mine first" kind of society today. Parents are spending big bucks to take their families on vacation and they expect it all to be perfectly magical, if you know what I mean.
I think many are just so self absorbed they are losing compassion or consideration for others. I'm not suggesting this is OP and in fact I sort of understand the frustration. It's hot, there are crowds and WDW is expensive.. I get why someone would see 17 people following someone in a wheel chair cutting in front of everyone as annoying. I have to admit it would have gotten my attention.

Yes we can blame the super narcissistic society we live in today, where selfies have replaced Baseball as our National pastime. BUT you know what I think has been the biggest contributor to people not being open minded about stuff like this??

Those articles and hoopla a few years back about rich NY socialites gaming the system by hiring their own personal Disabled tour guide to help them get a FP filled vacation.
Many vacationers probably don't even realize WDW changed their policy regarding that and naturally they will see 17 people behind a wheel chair and assume it's someone cheating or gaming the system.

Blame those who believed they deserved better and should get special treatment by cheating. I believe this is probably the biggest reason those with disabilities get looks from other guests or feel a general lack of empathy to their situation. Many are cynical now. Its not right but, it's understandable.

 

[Kristine316]

double post.

 

[bumbershoot]

Just to clarify DAS gives you no advantage as far as buses.

It's perception though. The friends the poster is talking about have a DAS and have had some great experiences no doubt due to timing (no one else in line with the same needs, walking up to a bus and being boarded immediately, etc) and they put them together.

A friend of mine had a trip to WDW with her mom who was in a wheelchair and their trip had amazing timing and was beyond perfect. I kind of tried to let her know that their experience wasn't exactly normal and that future trips might be different but she wouldn't listen. So she will tell people how amazing it is when someone is in a wheelchair, and no doubt the buses are part of the narrative.