Disney is changing its special pass for persons with disabilities

[bettyandbob]

It's a bummer. Apparently, some people fraudulently got and used passes. Some people made a business of getting the passes and getting paid by groups to be the "disabled person" for the group so the group could have line skipping access.

 

Because my family includes a person with a disability we could not all stay at the parks full days. The special pass made it possible for us to get in a little more in a half day.

 

Initially, I felt a little guilty about skipping the line, but then I realized no one in line would trade places with me in real life. The expense of a WDW trip is hard a families who have member with a disability--much income in such families is tied up in health care and therapies. So, such a trip is a bigger deal than it is for the average family.

 

I don't think my family will go back to WDW, but it makes me mad that a bunch of jerks have made it harder for families like mine.

[Jennifer in MI]

That really is too bad.  We were jsut there and we noticed a HUGE increase in the number of people with the disability passes.  I wonder how many of them are fraudelent?  That makes me really angry for people with true issues for whom this pass meant the difference between a good trip and a horrible one.  

 

How did they change it?  Will they have more restrictions? 

[Tap]

It sounds like they are going to give the families 'return times' so they can still go around the park quicker (less standing in line) but they won't be able to come off and then get back on the same ride over and over.

[BYE]

Isn't the change somewhat like a fast pass? You get the pass and come back later? The whole system is a joke. We went last year and I don't honestly believe we will ever go again. Waiting in line for 2 hours for one ride is ridiculous.

[bettyandbob]

_{http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/23/travel/disney-disability-policy-changes/index.html}

 

_{I don't know how this will work. If I recall correctly, I remember some rides didn't have fast pass. I also remember some rides even fast pass had a long line.} 

 

_{When I went to WDW I was told to bring a letter from my doctor documenting my ds's needs. I got the pass after I presented the letter. I don't understand this article saying no proof was previously required, because I had to provide something 5.5 years ago.}

 

_{It makes me mad when fools ruin something precious to a few people because they feel entitled.}

[Mergath]

I think the new policy makes sense in light of the fraud that was occurring.  Now people with disabilities won't be able to get on the rides faster than anyone else, but they won't have to stand in a line while they wait.  And I'm sure there's probably still some way to contact the company and make special arrangements in some cases, but they won't be handing out stacks of the disabled passes anymore.

[Tap]

_{http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/23/travel/disney-disability-policy-changes/index.html}

 

_{I don't know how this will work. If I recall correctly, I remember some rides didn't have fast pass. I also remember some rides even fast pass had a long line.} 

 

_{When I went to WDW I was told to bring a letter from my doctor documenting my ds's needs. I got the pass after I presented the letter. I don't understand this article saying no proof was previously required, because I had to provide something 5.5 years ago.}

 

_{It makes me mad when fools ruin something precious to a few people because they feel entitled.}

People could and did, use HIPAA to get around giving too much information citing 'patient privacy' as a concern.

[Mergath]

People could and did, use HIPPA to get around giving too much information citing 'patient privacy' as a concern.

 

You'd think the company could have asked for some kind of documentation as proof.  A doctor can always write a letter saying, "So-and-so has a documented disability that precludes him or her from standing in long lines."  I mean, they're already giving out that much information just by asking for the pass in the first place.

[bettyandbob]

If I've given my doctor permission to disclose information, why would HIPPA become involved? It's my right to waive. If I've waived my right to privacy why can't my doctor give out the requested info.

[Tap]

You'd think the company could have asked for some kind of documentation as proof.  A doctor can always write a letter saying, "So-and-so has a documented disability that precludes him or her from standing in long lines."  I mean, they're already giving out that much information just by asking for the pass in the first place

They likely did require a letter (no matter how vague), but no 'proof' beyond the most basic letter or even an official diagnosis.  And honestly, anyone with basic word processing skills could make an official looking letter.  

[Mergath]

They likely did require a letter (no matter how vague), but no 'proof' beyond the most basic letter or even an official diagnosis.  And honestly, anyone with basic word processing skills could make an official looking letter.  

 

Jeez.  That's horrible.  Anyone who types up a fake letter as "proof" of their fake disability to butt in front of little kids in an amusement park deserves whatever karma has in store for them.

[Tap]

If I've given my doctor permission to disclose information, why would HIPPA become involved? It's my right to waive. If I've waived my right to privacy why can't my doctor give out the requested info.

They would deny Disney the information citing HiPAA.  The doctor would write a letter saying something vague like 'standing in line would cause this person discomfort' but not say why.  If the patient didn't want to disclose to Disney that it was because they had an bunion, they didn't have to, citing HIPAA as a law to prevent release of information.   Without a signed medical release or disclosure statement DIsney couldn't call the doc to verify the claim.   If Disney declined the pass they looked like jerks for legit people.

[sbgrace]

They did not want to see our doctor's letter either time we went.

 

Actually, it makes me sad. The problem is many with disabilities just can't be at a park nearly as long as a typically developing child. So the passes allowed a family to see more in less time. If a child had a melt down from sensory issues and the day was done, you probably would have seen at least 4 x's what you could have seen standing in line without the guest services pass.  I think the new system will just let you wait somewhere else rather than the line for your ride time. So you're still waiting as long as if you were in line without standing in line.The way the passes are worded that could have happened anyway. They can have the disabled person just wait to the side for their regular turn in line. So in one sense nothing has changed. But in actuality they usually run those with the passes through ahead of others. 

 

I can see this being more difficult actually for those with special needs which require scheduling care activities (bathroom, feeding, etc.), though I assume the time on the card would be flexible if a person arrived afterward.

 

I wish there was another way around this.

[Ali in OR]

We had wonderful trips to Disney--WDW when disabled dd was 10 and Disneyland when she was 14. We never had a pass (um, probably because I didn't know about them), just bought her a regular ticket. But we were always treated so well. The Disney staff people saw us coming with an obviously disabled kid in a wheelchair and took us in different entrances for shows, into exits for boarding rides like Pirates of the Caribbean, onto a special car for the tram at WDW, special car for wheelchairs on the Aladdin flying carpet ride, etc. Their care really made the trips special for us. Now if we just get a card that says "come back in 2 hours" for getting on the Pirates of the Caribbean, well that's just not the same kind of treatment. In two hours dd could be asleep (she naps several hours a day) or tantrumming. I wouldn't be surprised if in person they still treat special kids well, but the policy sure makes it sound like it will be a less-pleasant experience.

[chicagoshannon]

They did/do not require any sort of proof that there is a disability.

 

Make a wish kids will still get front of the line access.

 

The GAC card was NEVER intended as a front of the line access. People with disabilities will still get no waiting in line privileges they just won't get front of the line access.

 

Instead of being given a card at the beginning of your stay you'll have to get a photo taken and then get a card stamped for each ride with a return time. The return time will be for 5 minutes earlier than the current wait time of the ride. The picture on the card is to insure that the person with the disability is actually riding the ride with the family.

 

It will be better than a fast pass in that it is unlimited and you generally won't have to wait as long to use it. So if the wait is 30 minutes at the ride you'll be able to ride it in 25 minutes. If you were to get a fast pass it would be at least an hour until you could ride the ride.

 

It will still be an advantage over Joe Schmo in the parks. For example, you get there at rope drop, get a fast pass for say Peter Pan, get a GAC for Beauty and the Beast and then go ride Winnie the Pooh. I would arrive at the park I could get a fast pass for Peter Pan and then go wait in line for Beauty and the Beast for 30 minutes. The GAC holder could ride 3 rides in an hour and have another GAC ride and fastpass and I would be lucky to ride 1 ride in an hour, maybe 2 and have 1 additional fast pass.

 

I have 2 young children so am lucky if we make it to 2pm in the parks without needing a break. We all pay the same amount for admission so I don't see why people expect preferential line cutting treatment. I am lucky that I have healthy children so don't begrudge people for using the GAC system that Disney put in place. I just don't agree that the new system will be so terrible that people with medical issues won't be able to enjoy Disney. They will just have to get used to the new way of doing things.

[bettyandbob]

I have 2 young children so am lucky if we make it to 2pm in the parks without needing a break. We all pay the same amount for admission so I don't see why people expect preferential line cutting treatment. I am lucky that I have healthy children so don't begrudge people for using the GAC system that Disney put in place. I just don't agree that the new system will be so terrible that people with medical issues won't be able to enjoy Disney. They will just have to get used to the new way of doing things.

 

 

Well the truth is you will never understand and you should just be grateful to continue to live a life very different from my family.

 

As pps have said having to return at a specific time may mean that the opportunity to ride that ride is completely missed. For some disabilities interruptions due to physical or psychological needs results in not returning at all.

 

People with typically developing dc often take a break mid day and return to the parks for little more time in the evening. My child stayed at the park until lunch and was not able to return until the next day.

 

To get the special pass you still have to buy regular park tickets. So I paid the same admission as everyone else. The way you've worded your response suggests you think persons with disabilities do not have to pay the same admission fees. If that was ever the policy, it wasn't when I went to WDW.

[sbgrace]

 

I have 2 young children so am lucky if we make it to 2pm in the parks without needing a break. We all pay the same amount for admission so I don't see why people expect preferential line cutting treatment. I am lucky that I have healthy children so don't begrudge people for using the GAC system that Disney put in place. I just don't agree that the new system will be so terrible that people with medical issues won't be able to enjoy Disney. They will just have to get used to the new way of doing things.

 

 

ChicagoShannon, it just really isn't at all the same as young kids. We are talking about people whose physical or psychological needs may take up most of the hours in the day.

[tabinfl]

I have used a GAC, and I was surprised, humbled, and a little embarrassed by the treatment. When I first got the card, I tried telling them I didn't need to skip the line, just wait somewhere I could sit down and move around, but (understandably) it's pretty much one-size-fits-all.

 

I didn't use it more than once for a ride on any given visit, I got a regular FastPass when they were available, and we used the regular line when the wait was 15-20 minutes or less (and when I wasn't in a wheelchair). The advantage to the card came in where I could only get one FastPass at a time, and if the one I had was later in the day we couldn't ride anything else that had a significant line in between. Even living where Disney is a day trip, there are some rides we might never get to experience as a family if not for that card, as I cannot stand for extended periods. I realize that we are talking about special treatment on top of what is already a luxury, but please realize that our lives are already limited in many areas because "Mommy's sick" and it is nice to have something fun to do where those limitations are minimized.

 

For those who may be sour on the idea of people with disabilities ending up with a small advantage over the general public, I realize this doesn't compensate you for having to wait a bit longer to let the people with passes ride ahead of you, but maybe you could file it under general goodwill and think of the extra time you spend in line (or the one extra ride you might otherwise fit in) as helping offset a little of what we miss out on every day in other areas of our lives.

 

The new system, as I understand it, seems a decent compromise. Less convenient, sure, but  I'd imagine Disney will have procedures in place for people whose conditions require additional assistance or for whom the ride scheduling presents a real problem. This would certainly seem to leave it less open to the abuses that were happening under the old system.

[Slartibartfast]

It is really sad that so many people were taking advantage of a system set in place for those with disabilities. I think we had a discussion here about people renting a disabled person to use for easier ride access.

 

It is disturbing and disgusting what people will do. :(

[Mrs Mungo]

It is really sad that so many people were taking advantage of a system set in place for those with disabilities. I think we had a discussion here about people renting a disabled person to use for easier ride access.

 

It is disturbing and disgusting what people will do. :(

 

I agree. 

[Plateau Mama]

_{http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/23/travel/disney-disability-policy-changes/index.html}

 

_{I don't know how this will work. If I recall correctly, I remember some rides didn't have fast pass. I also remember some rides even fast pass had a long line.}

[/sub]

They are in the process of adding fast pass to every ride in the parks for the new magic band scheduling system.

[mumto2]

The dc's have done the special pass once with their friend who has severe sensory special needs. They had a great two hours.....that was all that child could handle even with the pass. I think it equaled 4 or 5 rides so not a tremendous number. We have great pictures of them on the rides together. Her parents were absolutely thrilled. It made a Disney visit as normal as it could ever be for that particular child. Proof should be required but waiting for the fastpass time will not work for them and she doesn't have visable needs. Makes me sad that people ruined this.

[Wildcat]

I wondered what the fallout would be when the story broke about the rich folks hiring disabled people to get them on rides. I was so, so disgusted when I read about that!

 

I also wondered about the huge increase in the disabled lines the last time we were there. I don't know how one received a pass, or card, or whatever, in the past, and I understand that many disabilities aren't 'obvious', but I remember wondering about the numerous people in wheelchairs with a 'walking boot' that were in the disabled line. I totally know those aren't comfortable (understatement!), but that doesn't mean one can't wait in a regular line. Healthy-looking, engaged teens and young adults in wheelchairs with walking boots in the disabled line just seemed to stand out to my family.

 

I hope Disney thought out the new system and has some way to accommodate those who just wouldn't be able to return at a later time. I am sure that for some the new system (as it sounds) won't cause problems, but for others (like many posters here), I sincerely hope Disney has accounted for certain situations.

 

It is always a 'few' who spoil things for the many. Disgusting.

[Jeannie in NJ]

Wildcat, I agree it is so disgusting that people abuse the kindness of Disney regarding REAL people with disabilities . Disney is so great with disabled people, especially children.  My son is a special child and all Disney employees are so wonderful with him.  I find it so disgusting that rich people are HIRING "disabled" people so their (the rich family) can bypass waiting in line and then they go on social media and brag about it.

 

On our last trip to Disney, my son could only handle 2 half days at the parks out of the 9 days we were there.  The rest of us took turns going to the parks and also a very kind family that was staying near us and were doing a resort only, no parks vacation offered to watch our son at the swimming pool along with their 3 dc.  Also various cast members at our resort offered to keep an eye on him .  He is pleasant and very easy going and friendly so many kind employees liked spending time with him out by the pool and for the movies at the pool.

 

when ds does go to the parks, he is in a wheelchair.  He physically can't do the walking but he can wait in lines.  But as soon as any cast member spots us in line with the wheelchair (and looking at ds, it is obvious that he has disabilities) they will rush us to the front of the line, even when we tell them that ds can wait fine in line.  They tell us not to be silly, that their policy is that wheelchair bound people go to the front of the line.  We even felt like we were abusing the system, since ds can wait in line, he just can't walk in the parks.  But like I said he was only in the parks for 2 half days so the other days, without him, we waited in lines just like everyone else.

 

 

[Murmer]

With a child with HFA I am worried...we LOVED Disney because she could be like all the "normal" kids and do the things they do....just in the 2 hours that she was able too instead of a full day (which my sister with the same age children did on her trip to Disney).  In addition my concerns are for things like obsession...there have been times at Disney where my child was obsessed with one ride and would not leave that ride to do anything else...if we had a return pass but she is obsessed with splash mountain and it has a short line we may miss out on taking her on a ride that she would love at any other time but needs time to transition to doing it.  I actually image Disney being more of a horrible experience for us that would include more meltdowns and less fun now :(

 

[MarinesWife]

I hope that Disney will be able to work this out and that families with disabilities will be pleased with the outcome, because I truly can not understand.

 

 

I do want to say though that there are lots of things that families that cannot do and that includes expensive places like Disney. I was able to take one child recently and with careful planning and thanks to RideMax we did not wait more than 5 minutes for any ride. If you can afford Disney or it is an important expense for you then I think you'll find the wait times do not have to be long.

[jelbe5]

We enjoyed the pass with my son about 10 years ago. As a pp said I, too, felt guilty. But then I realized we very rarely get any "breaks" and we do have quite a bit of stress by having a son with autism.

 

I think it may be almost impossible for some kids to understand that the family will be able to return to get on the ride in 20 minutes or so - I envision my almost 16 year old son screaming and melting down as we try to explain that we will be coming back as we try to walk him away. He simply does not get that concept.

[*Lulu*]

We did DW when punk was 6, without the GAC. (We didn't know it was available and punk didn't have an official diagnosis at the time.)

 

We had a fabulous trip, partly because we picked an off peak time to visit, and partly because we had two adults for every child in our party. My sweet DH and his family did an amazing job of shuffling Punk between the rides and the playgrounds (so he could decompress). DH also rode the two rides Punk was fixated on over and over during the stay.

 

We have talked about going back to DW in another year or so, in part because we thought the GAC would allow DH and I to balance the needs of both SN children and our NT child between the two of us.

 

Reading this makes me think we might need to plan on a higher adult:child ratio if we want a good visit.

[KungFuPanda]

Disney Schmisney. I'm more concerned about the lack of handicapped parking in the real world. We either need more spaces, or spot checks with steep fines to make sure people have legal tags/placards and that the disabled person for whom it was issued is WITH THEM.

[Paige]

My daughter had a disability that allowed us to use the diasabled access. We did not offer proof and were not asked. Her disability was not visible. I wouldn't have minded getting a note but I was glad it wasn't required. Her pass allowed her to use her stroller as a wheelchair. DD has CP but she is mild and can walk. At the time she wore braces and splints on her legs but we didn't put them on her in the parks because they would get really sweaty and nasty and if they got wet, she would get blisters. She could walk but not for long distances and not for long periods of time. When she walked, unless you were paying attention or knew what to look for, you probably wouldn't have noticed her disability. I'm sure some people who saw her hop in and out of the stroller thought we were abusing the system but she would not have made it longer than 1 hour without the stroller if it had been constant walking or standing. She would have been tired and sore by the time we reached the park entrance. I think people shouldn't assume because they have NO idea what is going on no matter what it looks like.

 

We went several times from about 2006-2010 and most rides did not allow us a line skip. We may have waited less but not that much and not every ride. We were in low season, so maybe it differs, but we'd go to the regular line first. Many regular lines were wheelchair accessible and we'd have to stay in them. I didn't like that because just because a wheelchair/stroller can go, doesn't mean it can go easily. We were constantly being pushed and had to struggle to make turns because people would not give us space and would just keep moving around us. Other times, we were sent to a separate wheelchair accessible entrance. Once there, we were never allowed to hop right on. We usually waited a while. Sometimes we waited longer in low season because there was only one car for the wheelchair line and we'd have to wait for it while the other line had no wait. Again, we went in low season, so maybe it's different at other times, but our sticker did not make a big difference on our wait times and I don't understand why people would go to such lengths to lie or hire someone to cut down their waits by such a small degree.

 

The one area it helped the most with, and is IMO, the biggest advantage, was for Fantasmic and parades. They have wheelchair sections for all of those and you can find a space with less waiting time than you would need to otherwise. Still- if the spots were already taken we were out of luck. In Fantasmic, it was in the last row, but better than nothing. We didn't even know about them in the parades until a cast member noticed her sticker and told us where to go. Without the special seating, once she was too big for us to comfortably hold, she would not have seen anything. She could not have stood for the parades and doing stairs to find seating at Fantasmic would have been tricky and not so safe- especially in the crowd at night.

 

Mostly, though, it sounds like a PR move. Disney is seen as cracking down on abusers of the system, when there wasn't much advantage in the first place. I'm sure they will still send the Make A Wish kids straight through as usual. And I'm sure they will still have the disabled cars and entrances running because they need them and they probably won't be strict about making the person wait for an hour when nobody else is using that car. I think it is sad that Disney caved because people were complaining about a small amount of cheaters. For those who say there were more disabled passes than usual, it's probably mostly because Disney has such a good reputation for accommodating the disabled. People who can't go to any other amusement park can enjoy Disney, and through social networking, more people are sharing their experiences and trying it. Also, more people are learning that Disney will give them a pass when others wouldn't. Who would have thought 10yrs ago that someone with autism could get a disabled pass? Who would have thought that a child who can walk could use a stroller as a wheelchair to limit the walking and standing requirements? DD has had some procedures that have now made it possible to walk almost as well as anyone else so we won't be using a pass for her anymore unless she regresses. We were very concerned before her procedure, however, about if we could ever go to Disney again. She was getting too big for her stroller but we don't have a wheelchair. Disney has no child sized wheelchairs for rent and the adult ones are first come first serve. We probably wouldn't have gone back if we couldn't find a good wheelchair for her to use, but to anyone looking at her, they'd have thought we were cheaters renting a chair for the perks.

[Ottakee]

We did 2 Make a Wish trips with our girls--one for each. Disney was the wish for one and the other was to swim with the dolphins but we got 3 days at Disney as well.

 

Both look OK but we did have 1 small adult wheelchair for the 2 of them to share. They have mitochondrial disorders and their muscles fatigue much faster than normal. They can walk etc. but not the amount of time/distance Disney requires. The girls just took turns in the chair or at times the lighter one sat on her sister's lap.

 

It worked well for us. One of them also has autistic tendencies/anxiety and a severe speech impairment along with a cognitive impairment. She looks normal but once you really talk to her you realize how impaired she is.

 

Right now we have no plans to go back to Disney but if we do we will check out the current special needs pass system before deciding. Without it we wouldn't go as it just wouldn't work for them.

[Dmmetler]

This sounds similar to what was the case at Hershey Park, where you wouldn't necessarily get on the ride any sooner, but where you could wait without having to go through the crowded queue (which would have been hard for DN in her wheelchair and also was very, very good for DD, who has sensory issues-I've never tried getting her special access, but it made the park days SO much more pleasant for her to spend that time per ride "keeping DN company" in the much calmer, less crowded special access area than in the line). There were a limited number of seats on each ride that were allowed for special access, so as Paige said above, it was very possible to end up waiting LONGER for special access than the regular line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nancy Ann]

Is this policy going to change for people with wheel chairs as well?

 

I hope they can work something out. I do think Disney is doing it's best but I wonder if it's worth doing. Yes, some people take advantage and it's rude and sad, but I think more harm is coming from this change. Kids who are autistic for instance, just can't spend a long day in the park. There are lots of quiet places, nooks and crannies so to speak in both Disney World and Disneyland and maybe those will be places to go between rides. It will mean less rides for many families though and that's unfortunate. I guess I want to understand why Disney is making this change. There will always be people taking advantage of the system, but in this case people who need this system REALLY NEED it! It makes a huge difference for so many families!

 

My sister needs a wheelchair when my brother takes her and my mother to WDW. She has paralysis on one side of her upper extremity and her lower is slightly, she can walk but not all around WDW! Standing in lines would also be too much for her. My brother takes my mom and sister almost every year in January. I wonder how this will effect them.

 

ETA:I haven't been to WDW in about 14 years, but we live in California and have gone to Disneyland numerous times. We don't have any disability issues in our family, but sometimes I wonder how children and families with sensory issues deal with it. Over the last 13 years I have noticed a huge increase in stimulus with sound, colors, activity etc... at Disneyland. I don't think I have any sensory issues but I can hardly stand to go to the parks any longer. It just doesn't seem to be the same Disneyland 10 years ago. It just feels SO MUCH! Maybe it's just me getting older!! :) My kids are pretty much done after a day and a half they are 11 and 4. 

 

[bethben]

We also went to Disney with my son who is physically and mentally disabled.  It was sooo nice to be able to go to the front of the line.  I too felt guilty the first day and then it hit me that it was literally taking us twice as long to get through the park because he eats much slower, bathroom breaks took much longer, and there's just a variety of other things we need to do to take care of him that other families didn't even have to think about - not to mention trying to navigate a crowd of people with a large wheelchair and a child who likes to grab people to get their attention.  There would have been no way to even go though a lot of the lines because of how narrow they are and switchback turns, etc.  We've always wanted to go back because for once, we were all able to do something together as a family - that doesn't happen a lot.  Disney was so great in making a lot of rides accessible.  It's a shame people abused the system and spoiled it for the people who really needed it.  

 

Beth

[bethben]

Disney Schmisney. I'm more concerned about the lack of handicapped parking in the real world. We either need more spaces, or spot checks with steep fines to make sure people have legal tags/placards and that the disabled person for whom it was issued is WITH THEM.

 

You want to talk about people abusing the system?  What about people abusing Social Security Disability?  As it is right now, the forecast is that the whole system will run out of money by the time my son is 18 (in 4 years) when he could really need some extra help for his care.  All because people abused the system.  Grrr....

 

Beth

[beaners]

We had wonderful trips to Disney--WDW when disabled dd was 10 and Disneyland when she was 14. We never had a pass (um, probably because I didn't know about them), just bought her a regular ticket. But we were always treated so well. The Disney staff people saw us coming with an obviously disabled kid in a wheelchair and took us in different entrances for shows, into exits for boarding rides like Pirates of the Caribbean, onto a special car for the tram at WDW, special car for wheelchairs on the Aladdin flying carpet ride, etc. Their care really made the trips special for us. Now if we just get a card that says "come back in 2 hours" for getting on the Pirates of the Caribbean, well that's just not the same kind of treatment. In two hours dd could be asleep (she naps several hours a day) or tantrumming. I wouldn't be surprised if in person they still treat special kids well, but the policy sure makes it sound like it will be a less-pleasant experience.

 

 

That's the first thing I thought when I saw the "come back at X time" thing. Who knows how your child will be feeling then?

[bettyandbob]

Disney Schmisney. I'm more concerned about the lack of handicapped parking in the real world. We either need more spaces, or spot checks with steep fines to make sure people have legal tags/placards and that the disabled person for whom it was issued is WITH THEM.

 

That's part of what makes the change in Disney policy worse. Disney is a place to forget everyday woes and if your or a family member has disabilities you've got a lot of woes. It was nice to know there was a place somewhere where you could actually forget all your problems (at least for short periods of the day). 

[Jennifer in MI]

That's part of what makes the change in Disney policy worse. Disney is a place to forget everyday woes and if your or a family member has disabilities you've got a lot of woes. It was nice to know there was a place somewhere where you could actually forget all your problems (at least for short periods of the day). 

Oh Betty.  This breaks my heart.  Disney was the place we started vacationing with because they could deal with my child's life-threatening food allergies.  And, there were a lot of them.  We were all so happy that we could eat out like a "normal" family again.  I can only imagine how much more this is magnified for you and your family.  I sure hope that Disney can find a way to make it work for those with legitimate issues.  ((hugs))

[LucyStoner]

Classic example of the unintended but not unpredictable results of giving some one a comparative advantage over another. Economics is real.

 

It's sad that some will ruin it for others.

[Dahliarw]

It sounds like they are going to give the families 'return times' so they can still go around the park quicker (less standing in line) but they won't be able to come off and then get back on the same ride over and over.

 

This is how they do it at the Tokyo Disneyland and at TokyoDisneySea.  It's actually fantastic.  They limit it to a group of 4, however, to prevent abuse.  Though sometimes they made exceptions.  There were 7 of us, my MIL has a bad hip and was riding a scooter or walking with a cane.  We didn't even ask, they just brought us the pass and explained how it worked.  Basically we would show them the pass, and if there was a wait of more than 20 minutes, then they wrote down the time we could come back.  We'd go ride other rides and then come back.  The wait time was the same as if we stood in line - so we basically "stood in line" but didn't actually have to stand in line.  It seems like a reasonable change, IMO.  But it does stink that others ruin things for those who truly need it.  So selfish.

[Nart]

I heard the problem with the disability passes at Disneyland was primarily due to people who had annual passes and also had the guest assistance cards. For example, the new Radiator Springs ride has a wait time that can be 2 to 3 hours for a five minute ride. I read that on a typical day where 20,000 people rode the ride, 5000 were using the guest assistance passes- (1,500 people who had the guest assistant passes and each person had on average 3 to 4 people with them who also benefited from the pass). The vast majority of the people with guest assistant passes were annual pass holders who visit frequently.

The numbers of people who felt they would need accomodations has rapidly grown. I know several people with annual passes who also have guest assistance passes for mild disabilities where they could visit Disney without any accomodations (and did so in the past) but obviously enjoy Disney more since being accommodated.