Cast member parked in handicapped spot!

[roadtripper]

Hi all-
Great trip to Old Key West, with one issue. We went to park at the Hospitality House, and there was a van in the last handicapped spot that said "game room technician--back in 15 minutes." Of course, I went looking for the tech, and caught him as he was headed back to the car. I was shocked that it was a cast member! I was not close enough to read his nametag, but I did say "Sir you are parked in a handicapped spot, which we could really use for our son." He simply said he was moving the car-- no apology or anything. DH reported it at the front desk, but they said without a name, they could not really do anything. I got one of those disneysurvey cards in the mail, and reported it on that, but should I take it any further? Techs must keep a log of where they were, and when--it shouldn't be that hard to figure out who it was, right? What would you do?

 

[SueOKW]

You did what you could.... I would have been fuming too.

Glad to hear that was your only issue, though!

 

[SueM in MN]

I would also email Disney and DVC member services.
With the date, time and the fact that he was a game room technician driving a marked van, there is enough information for Disney to figure out who he was. It's not like every DVC CM there at that time met that description.
And if they can't figure out who it was, then a message to all the "game room technicians" might be in order. If he thought it was OK to park there, I'm prety sure he's not the only one.

 

[Nanajo1]

We've seen the housekeeping cart/trolley in the HP space at OKW.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

If you have a cell phone there is an easy way to handle it. Call Disney's main number at 407-824-2222 and when the operator answers, say that "I need someone from Security at {location} immediately." If they ask why, tell them that it involves a car and then hang up. You will get someone very quickly.

Actually, a few months ago I parked in an HP spot at DTD and forgot to put up my hang tag. I got a ticket from Orange County. I called the county and explained the situation. They said that instead of the $250.00 fine, send a Xerox of my tag and a check for only $20.00 as I had not displayed the tag while having one. Apparently they don't kid around about violations.

 

[wide awake]

That is disgusting !!!!!!! I'd be doing whatever I had to do to track this loser down. It drives me crazy to see people parked in handicapped, using a relative's tag so they don't have to walk...have they no idea what they are doing ? Yes, I understand some have invisible disabilities...but to to me those spots are for wheelchairs and amputees. I have truly horrible circulation...my feet are always purple...my DS is autistic and terrified of parking lots...but I would never dream of taking a handicapped spot...though I'm sure I could get a plackard if I applied.

 

[JudithM]

You might want to contact Carli D'Agostino, the DVC Member Satisfaction Manager. She can be reached by email or snail mail via Member Services. I know I have posted the specific addresses on the DVC bb. Please be as specific as possible with date, time, location, etc.

 

[dclfun]

A few years back durinig our stay at OKW, the housekeeping carts for every villa were parked in the blue line/no-parking zone designated for a wheelchair lift or transfer next to the handicapped parking spot. I was blocked out of my van or unable to park every time we decided to drive. I repeatedly called Guest Services at the front desk to report each and every incident ( you can imagine what I spent way too much time doing!) and called Member Services also. Since that time I have never seen a cart parked in such a manner, so they do listen. I'd call Member Services and write a letter to Guest Communications. This is one of my pet peeves...people saying " well I didn't think it mattered that I took the handicapped spot...I was only going to be a minute". Kathy

 

[Tissa]

This isn't exactly the same but it makes me mad. Every day at work I see people park in the handicapped spots with a tag but not disabled. They can't use the hidden disability excuse because I work at a gym and see these people park then come into the gym and get on a treadmill or go to an aerobics class. Then I see someone in a wheelchair that has to park way back in the parking lot because all the spaces are full. I have a tag because of my son but I never use it unless he is with me. How lazy have people become? You're going to a gym to get exercise but you can't walk a few more feet in the parking lot?

 

[JudithM]

This isn't exactly the same but it makes me mad. Every day at work I see people park in the handicapped spots with a tag but not disabled. They can't use the hidden disability excuse because I work at a gym ... You're going to a gym to get exercise but you can't walk a few more feet in the parking lot?

I certainly hope you don't have a "hidden disability." You could see me pull into a handicapped parking spot with my legal handicapped hanging tag & wonder why I park there. You don't have my knees. Certain exercises are good for strengthening my knees - other exercises are not. God forbid I have a gym membership & someone see me park in a handicapped parking spot there. You hit a sore spot with me!

 

[dclfun]

I certainly understand a hidden disability and concerns with stamina. Some people have posted that although they may be fine to enter a mall, for instance, by the time they are finished shopping they can barely make it to the parking lot. I understand the other poster though who is observing people going through strenuous paces at a gym....it's hard for me to see the many folks who arrive early at the mall for the "Mallwalkers" program with their weights in hand who I later see walking briskly around the mall and leaving, commenting that they did even more laps than ever and in a better "time". Still, I can't help but wonder if this isn't part of a cardiac training program and that being close to an exit "just in case" might make a difference. I try not to judge anyone- what's tough for me is seeing a car full of healthy teens bounding out of their vehicle after having taken the last spot or in the case of the OP, seeing someone without a tag take that spot. Kathy

 

[Talking Hands]

Tissa,
You would see me at the gym although not in an aerobics class. Treadmill yes because the doctor wants me on it, but if you notice it is set far slower than yours and I am on it far less than you. Mostly I do non-weight bearing exercise and use the pool. And yes I park in the handicapped spot. If not I would be in pain from walking and short of breath. We are trying to build my cardio but it isn't easy on the meds I take. As for the pain. That's going to take both hip and knee replacement and since I don't have insurance that is not in the near future.

 

[Tissa]

Wow my first flame. OUCh!! First of all I do know about hidden disabilities, I have a son with Autism and another son with CP who wears braces. What I was trying to say was I work at the gym 40 hrs a week in a room with a big window that is right in front of the handicapped parking spaces. Now I don't sit there and judge who is worthy or able to park there. I do notice after time the same lady who parks there and goes into an hour long aerobics class then gets on the cardio equipment for another 30minutes. I even mentioned to a co-worker about her and she told me she knows her and she doesn't have a disability. The other people are young guys who run into the gym and play 2 hrs of basketball. You work at a place long enough you get to know the members and these people don't have stamina issues. That's what makes me mad are people who abuse the system. I'm sorry if I offended anyone for posting what I see on a daily basis. I guess I should have stated more facts in the post or just should have not posted anything at all.

 

[Nanajo1]

I think some folks take posts much too personally. No one should feel accused of wrong doing either because someone posts something they saw and reported it through their experience or read a flame into a post when someone reports their situation. It is so easy to misinterpret the tone in a written report.

 

[JudithM]

Melissa, you have just as much right to post on these boards as I do or the next person does. Please don't stop posting because of a difference of opinion. It would be a dull world if we all thought alike, dressed alike, acted alike, etc. .

Yes, I did take comments in this thread personally. First of all, I have a handicapped parking permit, & it drives my nuts when I see someone without a handicapped hanging tag or handicapped license plates parking in a handicapped parking spot. I saw it at the post office just the other day. Secondly, I am an OKW member, so it bothered me to read the OP's observations. I frequently forward posts from the DIS boards to DVC management.

Then I read your comments about people using the gym & parking in a handicapped parking spot - "They can't use the hidden disability excuse because I work at a gym ... You're going to a gym to get exercise but you can't walk a few more feet in the parking lot?" The way I read those words, it did hit me wrong because I am one of the people with a "hidden disability" with my knee condition. I understand now that you, too, know first hand about "hidden disabilities" with your two sons.

Please continue to join in on the discussions on the DIS!

 

[SueM in MN]

I think we all have to remember that sometimes things don't sound quite the way we meant them when we posted. We know what we mean and it sounds pretty simple, but sometimes with only words and no body language or tone of voice, the message doesn't get thru quite the way we meant it.

 

[Figaro]

I'm one of those people who can look very normal for periods of time. And you might see me walking (looks more like strolling)(smile) at the mall and think that I don't need my handicap placard. But what you wouldn't notice or see is that I can't walk by myself and need to have someone with me all of the time because of the multiple falls that I take. So you will see me walking with my friend or my spouse and unless you look very, very closely you won't notice that they are letting me grab their arm for balance and that they are stopping falls.

And I park in the handicapped spot because while I can make it into our local mall to walk, I can't lift my legs up to get back into the car and often just making it those last few steps to the car takes everything that I have. My handicap placard is because I am unable to walk without assistance because of the falls that I take. It's just that to a casual viewer, they don't see the falls that are prevented because all they look like (if someone is watching closely) is stumbles or wobbles).

And at the moment I don't have any broken bones(smile), but in the last year I have broken my tailbone, fractured the end of one of the bones in my elbow and have broken three different toes. At least when I have the broken toes, people see me limp and assume that is why I am using my handicap placard(smile). And we still walk when I have broken toes, as I am not going to give up one tiny bit of mobility, as being a wheelchair full-time is approaching a lot faster than I would like.