Descrmination towards invisible disabilities by Cast Members or other Guests?

[disney david]

Thanks for explaining the procedure. I have a difficult time seeing where I'm going in there, I can't imagine doing it on wheels or with low vision.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I never even realized it was cobblestones there. We take so much for granted walking. I'm glad they made good on your very bad experience.

I am having a hard time understanding why they can't just let you start at the exit since it sounds like that's where you end up anyway? The only advantage would be to experience the stretching room, but if you have done if before, you should be able to opt out.

This is a very serious subject, but this line still made me

I'll admit I'm confused as to why people can't just start at the exit. It's not like they're not going there anyway. It would not be so hard for the first CM to ask people on wheels if they would like to skip the stretching room or not.

Your right sorry for make a little joke no matter how many guest complain nothing seems to work. i have been saying like you just let the guest go through the exit if they can't go through the main que and then let the guest in the wheelchair that wants to go through the stretching room Go. They wouldn't have to use more cms just have the cm out front give the option and have them tell the guest go through the exit stay to your left stop when you get to the point the wheelchairs wait and that cm will help you from their. Maybe it would mean an extra sign or set up another que it in he long run it would help them out.

 

[Kristen K]

I am having a hard time understanding why they can't just let you start at the exit since it sounds like that's where you end up anyway?

It's a mystery to me.

 

[Kristibo42]

I feel for you about the looks. I have a niece who's disability is very noticeable. But my sister still gets the dirt looks and the comments. We have learned to live with it. We are just hoping that she doesn't notice them. After having that done to us. I would never look or give comments to anyone whether their disability is visible or not. Bt the way we have never had any CM's give us the look or comments it has always been guests.

 

[2012bella13]

We have gotten the LOOKS & COMMENTS also, my DD has a hidden illness, hers is life threatening, but by looking at her she looks just like a normal healthy child. Although no CM's has made any comments, there was a few that gave an attitude, one at Toy Story ride in HS & one at the New Mermaid ride at Magic Kingdom, he told us that they was not excepting GAC at that time, that the ride was not going to start running until 1pm & just grinned, I do not know if he was telling the truth or not, I overheard that they was having problems with the ride & the line was long,the wait time said 2hrs, I just told him thank you, that there was other things that DD could do, that we did not want to wait. Other than that all of the CM's was great, one even let us ride a second time, there was no one else in line when we went to get off.
It is the other guest that makes comments, & rude faces, it did upset DH, I just ignored them, I was making memories with my DD, memories that I might not get to do again.

 

[book_junkie]

My husband has gotten looks, stares, and outright comments the last time we were in the parks (last week) when he was with us (two and a half days out of the six in total) because he was using a park ECV. He has Crohn's, and is on monthly infusion treatments that leave his stamina less than half of what he was before the illness, and he cannot stand the heat at all- and the heat spiked while we were there. It was either the park ECV or not making the parks at all. All the while, guests were making constant comments about him being in the chair.

He didn't take it through the queues- we made use of fast passes and took it really easy- but we got stares and heard underbreath talk from CMs who would see him park it and then walk up to the FP queue. Until they took a good look at his face and how pale he was, and how slow he was walking- then they quit.

I realize people use things that they're not supposed to, but really, whatever happened to giving people the benefit of the doubt?

One of our best memories with my parents who were both on ECVs was during an MNSSHP on the Haunted Mansion. Parked their ECVs, Dad had his cane and they stopped the track without a problem or complaint, then let us ride multiple times through before stopping to let us off. It was my dad's favorite ride, and that was the best trip. It's sad to hear what has happened since.

 

[FortForever]

Your right sorry for make a little joke no matter how many guest complain nothing seems to work.

Don't be sorry. It always helps to see the humor in a situation.

I realize people use things that they're not supposed to, but really, whatever happened to giving people the benefit of the doubt?

CMs should ALWAYS give people the benefit of the doubt. Not much anyone can do to control the other guests. While I would never give anyone a dirty look, stare, or make a rude comment, I'll admit I have had some not-so-nice thoughts about a family that appeared to be using a GAC fraudulently.

I will stress the word, "appeared" as I know I can't be 100% sure. But I was sure enough that I would have been willing to wager on it.

Keeping in mind that I am a person with invisible disabilities myself and the mother of a son with the same, I can imagine the thoughts of people who have not been exposed to them. Thoughts are one thing ... acting on one's thoughts are completely another.

Of course that is no excuse for rude behavior, either visual or verbal. That is just a result of being low class. I honestly couldn't care less if anyone said or thought anything about me when riding an ECV. However, if I ever caught anyone doing the same to my son, I would be showing my low class side in a big way.

 

[ttintagel]

I can understand why they wouldn't want too many people going in via the exit at the HM. That corridor isn't especially wide, and it can get crowded with people going in both directions.

But surely MOST people WANT to go through the foyer/stretching room pre-show. I don't imagine that those of us who can;t safely do so would create an unmanageable crowd.

On the attractions & strategies forum, I'm always hearing people say that they were allowed to go in the exit because their kids were scared, without even a question or a second look. I don't understand why scared kids have greater needs than people with disabilities.

And even if they're going to refuse to give accommodations, they should refuse POLITELY, which they rarely do.

 

[hsmamato2]

I realize people use things that they're not supposed to, but really, whatever happened to giving people the benefit of the doubt?

OK....I will say this....I'm not a person who even looks twice at anyone in the GAC assisted lines....we have no health issues with our family,and I wouldn't dream of inventing anything to try and get past lines. But a lot of people DO try to do that,hence I think that's why some of the CM's get all snarky. I mean,they have to deal with 1000's of people all week long,most of them rightfully use the GAC,but I would guess a fair number of people get one for 'whatever' reason,thinking it's a free fastpass. Not excusing, but I'd think it would get frustrating trying to keep lines in order,esp. if they felt like they were being taken advantage of...just sayin'......
I've traveled once with my Mom who used a GAC,and I noticed that most times we didn't really save time, just some standing,etc. The waiting was longer in a lot of places, but she couldn't do stairs,or a wheelchair, she walked,slowly,using a cane that trip....and got to sit and wait when she needed it,so it worked out...And most of her ailments weren't easily visible,but they weren't invented,either,which is probably where I learned NOT to 2nd guess people needing the GAC...

 

[PatsMom]

Thanks for explaining the procedure. I have a difficult time seeing where I'm going in there, I can't imagine doing it on wheels or with low vision.



Thank you for sharing your experience. I never even realized it was cobblestones there. We take so much for granted walking. I'm glad they made good on your very bad experience.

I am having a hard time understanding why they can't just let you start at the exit since it sounds like that's where you end up anyway? The only advantage would be to experience the stretching room, but if you have done if before, you should be able to opt out.




This is a very serious subject, but this line still made me

I'll admit I'm confused as to why people can't just start at the exit. It's not like they're not going there anyway. It would not be so hard for the first CM to ask people on wheels if they would like to skip the stretching room or not.

I think it is because by going directly to the exit you do bypass some of the line. The stretching room is really just a way of slowing down the line and controlling the speed of entry into the line on the other side of the room. As is evidenced by the disgusting article in the New York Post recently there are those who are definitely not above abusing the alternate entry cards. It is once again a case of the few who are messing things up for the many. Those is chairs must go through the regular queue is Disney's attitude - they made the queue accessible so they have met any requirements regarding accessing. Allowing entrance at the exit is allowing superior access, not equal. I personally thing they should allow it (and I suspect they do for the alternate entrance GAC). How many autistic kids just couldn't take the crush of people in the stretching room? But the prevailing attitude toward wheel chairs is that they can go through the regular line. Not a problem for me - a few aches from the jolting on the cobblestones. Someone from design should have to ride a wheelchair over that a few times! But not disabling like it is for a prior poster.

If you can't deal with the cobblestones, I would hope that you could get an alternate entrance GAC and use it at that attraction. But I suspect they are reluctant to give them to those in chairs since it doesn't occur that multiple disabilities could exist in one person.

 

[Kellykins1218]

How many autistic kids just couldn't take the crush of people in the stretching room?

Nope, my kids are autistic and we go through the stretching room the same as everyone else. They just tell us exactly where to stand once we are in there.

 

[Piper]

I think it is because by going directly to the exit you do bypass some of the line. The stretching room is really just a way of slowing down the line and controlling the speed of entry into the line on the other side of the room. As is evidenced by the disgusting article in the New York Post recently there are those who are definitely not above abusing the alternate entry cards. It is once again a case of the few who are messing things up for the many. Those is chairs must go through the regular queue is Disney's attitude - they made the queue accessible so they have met any requirements regarding accessing. Allowing entrance at the exit is allowing superior access, not equal. I personally thing they should allow it (and I suspect they do for the alternate entrance GAC). How many autistic kids just couldn't take the crush of people in the stretching room? But the prevailing attitude toward wheel chairs is that they can go through the regular line. Not a problem for me - a few aches from the jolting on the cobblestones. Someone from design should have to ride a wheelchair over that a few times! But not disabling like it is for a prior poster.

If you can't deal with the cobblestones, I would hope that you could get an alternate entrance GAC and use it at that attraction. But I suspect they are reluctant to give them to those in chairs since it doesn't occur that multiple disabilities could exist in one person.

I think you mean that the people at Disney don't think that multiple disabilities could exist in one person.......since unfortunately, many of us DO have multiple disabilities.