Can anything be done (don't read unless you want to be ticked off)

[graygables]

This has been really bothering me, so I thought maybe the pros would know. On our last trip to WDW, we encountered a larger family group (6-8 at any given time) who were sharing a wheelchair. For reference, we have a wheelchair for 9yo who has chronic fatigue as well as other problems, I had my ankle in a cast, and 11yo had a foot problem, so you may have seen any of *us* rotating out of the wheelchair, too (at least my boo-boo was obvious), I understand that. At first, I thought maybe there was some chair-sharing going on, but as we kept encountering them, they would laugh about "the card" and how they were all getting "to go in front of everyone else". At one point, one of the 20-somethings said something like, "Hey, it's my turn to be the 'retard'" I was LIVID and popped off with, "It looks like you ALL are" and immediately found a CM and told her what was going on. She just shrugged and said she really didn't know what to do about it. My DDs both did the College Program (one is still a full time CM), so I absolutely understand her viewpoint, but is there ANYTHING that one could do in a situation like that??? These people were out of control and obnoxious.

 

[Disney1976]

Wow, that's awful! It's horrible how insensitive and rude people can be, taking advantage of a system meant to help those who truly need it. Not to mention that many times, parties who have a member in a wheelchair or with another disability often find themselves waiting in the same lines, and subject to LONGER waits at rides, attractions, transportation, etc.

I'm not sure there's much that could have been done, however. Unfortunately, anyone can ask for a wheelchair, and CM's don't ask for any proof of a disability (probably because they aren't allowed due to privacy reasons). I suppose you could have complained to guest relations, or found a manager, who may have made the party return the wheelchair, not sure if they would perhaps ask the party to leave the park for something like that though.

 

[fla4fun]

Actually, I'm sitting here kind of laughing at the fact that maybe they thought they were getting ahead of everyone else by entering another way, but in fact were behind where they would have been in the regular line. I'm sure that had to have happened many times during their day, and they were just too dense to realize it!

There are always people who think the rules apply to everyone but them (consider the drivers you see on the road every day), and people who are out to get whatever special treatment they can, whether they are entitled to it or not. Unfortunately, there's no way to keep these selfish, obnoxious people from going to WDW. I'm a firm believer in what goes around, comes around. I try to ignore them as much as possible.

I think the only way something could have been done is if they were acting in a way that would either endanger them, damage the park, or endanger other guests. I've seen very few people escorted from the parks, and it's usually because they've crossed the line between obnoxious and criminal. Unfortunately, they can't be thrown out of the park for being idiots.

 

[kaytieeldr]

). I suppose you could have complained to guest relations, or found a manager,

Probably not with much success. In Epcot, there was a couple using a Disney ECV - not alternating, but riding together in violation of the contract and common sense
I went looking for the security guard I'd seen a couple of minutes earlier, but no luck. I noted the ECV number and the renter's name, and went to Guests Services. They said there was nothing they could do, that I should have found a Cast Member at the time. This happened on the World Showcase promenade, around Italy and Germany, and there were no CMs handy either.

 

[Camster0307]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: "Kharma, baby!"

Bless you for trying to report them, but don't get frustrated about it because the kharma is going to get them one day!

 

[OneLittleSpark]

I think there are probably 3 options: 1) Ignore them (easier said than done), 2) laugh at them (I seriously doubt they were getting many advantages, if any. Most rides now have mainstream queueing plus an extra wait at the wheelchair loading area) or 3) run them over (very tempting option!).

Their language is particularly bad, and that may well have flared me up into saying something. The 'r' word should not be used under any circumstances and in my view deserve a slap in the head (Basil Fawlty-style ).

Sorry you encountered such ignorant people and well done for keeping your temper so well (blood doesn't do anything for the decor of a wheelchair ).

 

[spotdog]

If it's any consolation, those people didn't need to "take turns" because they were all RETARDS!!!

The rest of us may be developmentally disabled, physically challenged or even mentally ill but we can be proud that we do the very best that we can with what we have been given and those self-proclaimed RETARDS will ALWAYS end up at the end of our line.

 

[SueM in MN]

About all you can do is report the situation to a CM.
Unfortunately, there are people who will try to take advantage of anything that they think might help them get ahead. And, hopefully also, they learned by experience after a few hours that the 'advantages' they thought they would get were not happening.
It's hard to watch something like that, but when you look at the large number of people in the parks, it's a small number. And, I'd rather have a small number who think they are getting away with something than someone who can't get the help they need.

AND, as I know from where I work, anyone is just one accident or health catastrophe away from being permanently in a wheelchair or with permanent brain injury. If they want those things so badly they pretend, I'm sure a little Karma could take care of that.

 

[Schmeck]

Unless people want to have to provide proof of a disability, which would mean changing the ADA, then anyone can rent a wheelchair or ECV and use it. Getting a wheelchair does not get you a GAC, so they must have lied to the CM to get the GAC. I wouldn't care at all that they got a wheelchair, but making something up to get a GAC is downright disgusting.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

Did they have a GAC as well? That's just wrong! Not that it will get them through most queues more quickly, though. I bet if they sent half their party through the regular line, and half with the wheelchair, they'd soon find out that the half in the regular line almost always got through more quickly. Idiots!

 

[TwitterMouse]

I've seen people doing that at Disney before too. My dad tried to report them (it was a bunch of teens, doing stupid wheelies and knocking into other people, than switching who was sitting), but no one could really do anything about it.
Like others have said: karma... it'll come back to bite them one day.

 

[mazz1]

i'm a firm believer in "what goes around comes around" too but the langage would have made me say something that would alert many others in the vicinity to their behaviour

sometimes a overly loud firm word or two may work and shame them but i suspect not for long or that they have such thick skins they would be immune to shame

it's a sad world when someone would lie to get a GAC

reminds me of those car stickers though saying "you've taken my disabled parking space, would you like my disability to?" my father still slaps these on cars parked in disabled persons parking spaces and from a distance they look like parking tickets (fines) so the person who took the space must have a few seconds panic thinking about the costs to pay before they get close up enogh to realise it's not a ticket

 

[Camster0307]

....reminds me of those car stickers though saying "you've taken my disabled parking space, would you like my disability to?" my father still slaps these on cars parked in disabled persons parking spaces and from a distance they look like parking tickets (fines) so the person who took the space must have a few seconds panic thinking about the costs to pay before they get close up enogh to realise it's not a ticket

I LOVE the idea of these stickers! Do they really exist, and if so, where can I get a handful? Usually, I leave a not-so-kindly-worded note when I see someone parked in a HP space that shouldn't be.

 

[loadsapixiedust]

The phrase 'be careful what you wish for' springs to mind. Maybe those folks will find themselves getting what they deserve someday soon. On our last trip we kept encountering a similar large group of varying ages and every time we spotted them a different one was in the wheelchair.

mazz1, I have some of those car stickers and have had some real fun using them! I purchased them at a mobility show here in the UK but I'm sure they can be got online.

 

[mazz1]

I LOVE the idea of these stickers! Do they really exist, and if so, where can I get a handful? Usually, I leave a not-so-kindly-worded note when I see someone parked in a HP space that shouldn't be.

yes they do exist in the Uk and look just like our traffic fines that a traffic warden would place on your car if you parked illegally, i think the current fine is around the £60 mark so about $120 in your money, can you imagine the face of the person taking the space on first approaching the car serves them right and would make a person think twice that's for sure, they also make them extra sticky so they are very difficult to remove

you could adapt the idea in the US if you don't allready have something like it

i would do a online search

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

If it's any consolation, those people didn't need to "take turns" because they were all R*******!!! :

No they weren't. They were callous, cruel,and selfish, however none of those characteristics apply to individuals with intellectual disabilities any more frequently than they do to anyone else. Please don't use or repeat that slur anywhere, but particularly not here.

 

[Schmeck]

yes they do exist in the Uk and look just like our traffic fines that a traffic warden would place on your car if you parked illegally, i think the current fine is around the £60 mark so about $120 in your money, can you imagine the face of the person taking the space on first approaching the car serves them right and would make a person think twice that's for sure, they also make them extra sticky so they are very difficult to remove

you could adapt the idea in the US if you don't allready have something like it

i would do a online search

Just a warning - in some states it is illegal to put anything on someone else's automobile, so if you were caught tagging a car, you could also be fined $$$.

 

[mechurchlady]

and do not forget the lawsuit for the damage to the car you stuck the sticker on. What if that person looked healthy but was really dying of a horrid disease and was having one last good day. Cute form of revenge but very expensive in the long run. don't think of tagging offenders

 

[hematite153]

No they weren't. They were callous, cruel,and selfish, however none of those characteristics apply to individuals with intellectual disabilities any more frequently than they do to anyone else. Please don't use or repeat that slur anywhere, but particularly not here.

I agree. I think that it is very important that we all keep in mind the original meanings of words when we decide to use them in a derogatory fashion. If your insult could end up creating a bad association with a person or group of people--even unintentionally--then you should choose different words.

Thank you for reminding us of this.

 

[Joanna71985]

If it's any consolation, those people didn't need to "take turns" because they were all RETARDS!!!

The rest of us may be developmentally disabled, physically challenged or even mentally ill but we can be proud that we do the very best that we can with what we have been given and those self-proclaimed RETARDS will ALWAYS end up at the end of our line.

Please don't say that. That is not funny at all.