Fantasmic! at Disneyland

[cmwade77]

Ok, with the Fastpass system for Fantasmic! at Disneyland we are having trouble with figuring out how to get Disney to accommodate certain disabilities.

Issues in our group of people are:

• Massive panic attacks in crowds, especially with no open escape route
  • The reasons for this varies by the person, but this is the basic issue
• Service dog and not having him get stepped on
• Not being able to stand for long periods of time

Before Fastpass for the show we used to self accomodate with a tarp (appropriately sized for the number of people in our party or we would invite people to sit with us and like anyone who did this on a regular basis we would never accept ANYTHING for doing so, except maybe a cup of water that they could get for free from a restaurant if they were going to go buy food for themselves) near the back of the sitting section, this allowed us the following:

• Control over how many people were immediately around us.
• When necessary setup a wheelchair next to the tarp to allow for those who couldn't sit on the ground.
• Provide an easy escape route
• Accommodate those who couldn't stand for long periods of time.

Was it perfect? No, we had to wait substantially longer than others to accomplish this, but it did allow us to self accommodate our issues. Now it seems as though there are no accommodations made for these issues, but it used to be possible. So, I am wondering if anyone knows what to do with these issues under the new system? Guest relations doesn't ever seem to have an answer nor do the cast members working Fanstamic!, but surely they still have something available that we just don't know how to properly ask for, so how do we ask for the assistance we need?

Also, on a side note, what should we ask for with the service dog for the fireworks? Being in the crowd of people poses the same safety issue of the service dog getting stepped on.

 

[SMD]

You could bring the service dog into the accessible viewing area. And then just stay there after the show until the crowd dissipates. Before they started reserved viewing areas I never saw them allow a wheelchair into the seated area by the water. They would make guests collapse strollers so that they wouldn't block the view of seating guests. Wheelchairs had to be in the designated viewing area. I don't see how that would be any different now.

You could also look into booking the RBT package where you stay seated during the show.

 

[cmwade77]

Wheelchairs were allowed by the water, they just had to be at the back of the seated section.

As for the service dog in the accessible viewing, they say you have to have e a wheelchair to use that area and we don't always need or have one.

And yes, booking a package could work, but that isn't equal access.

 

[SMD]

Wheelchairs were allowed by the water, they just had to be at the back of the seated section.

As for the service dog in the accessible viewing, they say you have to have e a wheelchair to use that area and we don't always need or have one.

And yes, booking a package could work, but that isn't equal access.

They're not denying you access. You can bring both a service dog if you have one and a wheelchair if you have one into viewing areas. Setting down an 8x8 tarp and keeping it clear for your group isn't operationally feasible.

 

[cmwade77]

They're not denying you access. You can bring both a service dog if you have one and a wheelchair if you have one into viewing areas. Setting down an 8x8 tarp and keeping it clear for your group isn't operationally feasible.

Never once did I say it was 8'x 8', if you read the first post you would know it was appropriately sized for the number of people in the group. Putting a tarp down worked just fine for many, many years, so I don't buy into it isn't feasible.

You cannot safe take a service animal into the viewing area, other guests step on the service dog because of how tightly packed in you are, which is also an issue, but that is another story this effectively denying service.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I'm not sure how Disney could be expected to accommodate a request to not have people too close to you in an open viewing area. There is only so much space that has to fit X number of people, and it isn't really reasonable to expect enough open space for anxiety issues and service dogs, IMO.

Same with the fireworks - there will always be crowds for the fireworks, so I guess I'm not seeing what you expect Disney to do to accommodate you.

 

[cmwade77]

They have accessible viewing areas at Disney World that do accommodate such issues, at Disneyland they only allow access to these areas if you have a wheelchair. So it is very possible for accommodations to be made, but they choose not to. So, I would say it IS reasonable to expect such accommodations to be made when they have in that past and they do at other parks.

Basically, I expect there to be accessible areas that are less crowded and that those in such areas will also be more considerate to the others in the area. And that anyone who has the need will have the ability to access such areas until they are full and that full would be a lower capacity than similar sized areas.

In an ideal world they would get rid of the Fastpass mess all together, but that's not going to happen.

 

[OurBigTrip]

In an ideal world they would get rid of the Fastpass mess all together, but that's not going to happen.

The day they get rid of FastPass will be the day I never set foot in Disney World again.

 

[wilkeliza]

So WDW actually says wheelchairs as well (at least in the area I worked) so any time a service animal got you in you were being pixie dusted. Even in accessible areas they can not guarentee ease of access or space.

Based on Fantasmic this weekend your best bet will be to find a lead in the area before the show and ask them. No matter what they do every need can not be accomidated in a way that doesn't hinder regular operations. By guaranteeing some amole space they would have to deny others the ability to sit or stand in a viewing area.

 

[cmwade77]

The day they get rid of FastPass will be the day I never set foot in Disney World again.

I'm talking specifically about Fantasmic! at Disneyland only when saying get rid of Fastpass, it actually causes A LOT of problems there, the WDW version is different since it has a stadium.

 

[cmwade77]

So WDW actually says wheelchairs as well (at least in the area I worked) so any time a service animal got you in you were being pixie dusted. Even in accessible areas they can not guarentee ease of access or space.

Based on Fantasmic this weekend your best bet will be to find a lead in the area before the show and ask them. No matter what they do every need can not be accomidated in a way that doesn't hinder regular operations. By guaranteeing some amole space they would have to deny others the ability to sit or stand in a viewing area.

That's actually not true at WDW and I do have it in writing from Disney executives that all disabilities, wheelchair or not are welcome in the accessible areas at WDW, but this does not apply to Disneyland for some reason. There have been plenty of poorly trained CMs at WDW that weren't following the actual rules and my guess is the people training them were improperly trained, but the official rule at WDW according to the executives in charge of accessibility is ALL disabilities are allowed in the accessible viewing areas.

 

[wilkeliza]

That's actually not true at WDW and I do have it in writing from Disney executives that all disabilities, wheelchair or not are welcome in the accessible areas at WDW, but this does not apply to Disneyland for some reason. There have been plenty of poorly trained CMs at WDW that weren't following the actual rules and my guess is the people training them were improperly trained, but the official rule at WDW according to the executives in charge of accessibility is ALL disabilities are allowed in the accessible viewing areas.

Interesting. Hope they updated the manuals then because when I was there our manuals said it was for wheel chairs, ecvs and strollers as wheelchairs only and management even backed that up. However again those spaces don't mean that they aren't crowded. They don't stop letting people in until it is full so even in those spaces it won't help if crowds or fear of the service animal being stepped on are the issue.

 

[cmwade77]

Interesting. Hope they updated the manuals then because when I was there our manuals said it was for wheel chairs, ecvs and strollers as wheelchairs only and management even backed that up. However again those spaces don't mean that they aren't crowded. They don't stop letting people in until it is full so even in those spaces it won't help if crowds or fear of the service animal being stepped on are the issue.

The difference is these areas usually have an easy escape route and are filled with others with disabilities that are usually more aware of service animals than other guests. Basically it is not just the crowd levels, it is escape routes and types of guests in the area.

Not sure why the manuals would say different than the executives that are in charge of creating the policies.

 

[wilkeliza]

The difference is these areas usually have an easy escape route and are filled with others with disabilities that are usually more aware of service animals than other guests. Basically it is not just the crowd levels, it is escape routes and types of guests in the area.

Not sure why the manuals would say different than the executives that are in charge of creating the policies.

Because the excutives aren't who write those manuals or who are trained to enforce them every day.

 

[OurBigTrip]

Because the excutives aren't who write those manuals or who are trained to enforce them every day.

Exactly...

 

[cmwade77]

Because the excutives aren't who write those manuals or who are trained to enforce them every day.

But they do set the policy and have a right to expect that they are carried out as intended, because the policy is established to ensure compliance with the law, so if the policy is not enacted as they intended, then it may break the law.

 

[gap2368]

Cmwade, for fantastic you are going to have to accepted that the way you accessed this has changed and now you will have to pay money to see it ( if I read it right the dinning package would work for you but you do not want to pay for it). I am in the same boat at WDW with wishes if I want to see it I have to pay for the dessert party, yes it sucks but it is what I have to do.

 

[cmwade77]

Cmwade, for fantastic you are going to have to accepted that the way you accessed this has changed and now you will have to pay money to see it ( if I read it right the dinning package would work for you but you do not want to pay for it). I am in the same boat at WDW with wishes if I want to see it I have to pay for the dessert party, yes it sucks but it is what I have to do.

But that is not providing equal access, guests without disabilities don't have to buy a package to see it, so sorry I don't accept that answer and I will push for equal accommodations.

 

[gap2368]

But that is not providing equal access, guests without disabilities don't have to buy a package to see it, so sorry I don't accept that answer and I will push for equal accommodations.

But that is not providing equal access, guests without disabilities don't have to buy a package to see it, so sorry I don't accept that answer and I will push for equal accommodations.

But there is no way Disney can accommodate every disability. This just might be one where you will have make your own accommodation and that might mean paying

 

[SMD]

But that is not providing equal access, guests without disabilities don't have to buy a package to see it, so sorry I don't accept that answer and I will push for equal accommodations.

A guest who doesn't want or feels they're unable to watch in a crowd does buy a package. If you have evidence in writing that Disney is doing something on the wrong side of the law, consult an attorney.