Guests in Wheelchairs are people too

[DisneyWorldDork]

My mom has MS and it makes it hard for her to walk sometimes, so when we go to WDW she is in a wheelchair.

What bugs me to no end is when people treat my mom like a second class citizen

Here are some of the things that people said:

"It's not fair that the gimps get to use a special enterance, most of them are faking it to cut the line"
"She doesn't even look sick"
"She looks too young to be crippled"
"If you can't stand in line like the rest of us you shouldn't get to ride"

Also, when you are walking through the park in a crowd try to be concious of the people around you and don't think that if you cut in front of a wheelchair that they won't run your foot over. Not saying that my mom does it on purpose but there have been plenty of times that we are walking out of the park at the end of the night and someone walks right infront of my mom and she accidently hits their ankles.

One time we were in line for Small world back when guests in wheelchairs had to wait the top line and then used the side door to go down the exit. This woman in front of us starts running her mouth "I don't understand why the gimps get to cut the line, it is not fair. Us normal people have to wait in line and just because they can't walk they think that they should get special treatment" My mom being the strong woman that she is taps the lady on the back and says "If you like, I would be more than happy to give you my life damaging illiness and you can use the special enterence anytime you like. I would like nothing more than to be able to stand long enough to wait in line like 'Normal People.' How does that sound?" I have never seen anyone turn so red in the face before.

I just needed to get that out there. Thanks.

 

[Sam Eagle 1776]

Haha good for her, people who are assinign enough to say that out loud should be brought down, good story.

 

[DisneyLuver91]

Thank you for sharing and GO MOM!!!

Just because someone doesn't "look" ill, doesn't mean they aren't. People are stupid sometimes.

Also, I hope those ridiculous people didn't spoil your trip to the World or deter you from taking future ones!!!

 

[DisneyWorldDork]

Thank you for sharing and GO MOM!!!

Just because someone doesn't "look" ill, doesn't mean they aren't. People are stupid sometimes.

Also, I hope those ridiculous people didn't spoil your trip to the World or deter you from taking future ones!!!

If I stopped going to WDW just because someone did that not only would that be stupid because on almost every trip something along those lines happen to my mom, but that would also be letting the ignorant people win, ain't gonna happen

Honestly I think that event was like 5 or 6 trips ago

 

[tink2044]

My husband has to use a scooter and can't walk far or stand for long periods. I never heard one unkind word from any guest and the cast members who had to go the extra mile to handle the scooter on the buses couldn't have been nicer. His scooter even ran out of juice and cast members helped us plug in until it was charged again. We didn't realize it was low on power and broke down in the middle of the street on our way to the Contemporary and some very nice gentlemen helped get him out of the street. We were then able to make it to the Contemporary and plug in there.
We know where all the outlets are to charge up.

 

[britdaw]

LOL Tell your mom that she ROCKS. I can't believe the gall some people have! It would take all I had not to haul off and knock someone on their butt for a comment like that.

My dad had open-heart surgery in 2009. The plaque in his arteries was too hard for them to unclog it, so they tried to graft veins in. His doctor was trying to graft a vein from his groin area, but found out that it was not going to fit in his heart. When he went to try to close the vein in his groin up, it "tore like wet toilet paper", according to the doc, which forced them to do an emergency bipass, where they had to graft a piece of vein from the other side of his groin to the damaged side. So now my dad has a heart they couldn't fix, and we now know that he has extremely weak veins and poor circulation. Anytime we go anywhere he has to walk a lot, he has to get a scooter or wheelchair because the pressure on his legs could force his veins to bust. He wants to go to Disney World with us when we go, if he can, and if he does he'll be one of those so-called "gimps". I DARE someone to make a comment about my dad like that... You guys will see an article about a crazy Southern lady getting arrested for knockin' someone out. LOL

 

[DisneyWorldDork]

LOL Tell your mom that she ROCKS. I can't believe the gall some people have! It would take all I had not to haul off and knock someone on their butt for a comment like that.

My dad had open-heart surgery in 2009. The plaque in his arteries was too hard for them to unclog it, so they tried to graft veins in. His doctor was trying to graft a vein from his groin area, but found out that it was not going to fit in his heart. When he went to try to close the vein in his groin up, it "tore like wet toilet paper", according to the doc, which forced them to do an emergency bipass, where they had to graft a piece of vein from the other side of his groin to the damaged side. So now my dad has a heart they couldn't fix, and we now know that he has extremely weak veins and poor circulation. Anytime we go anywhere he has to walk a lot, he has to get a scooter or wheelchair because the pressure on his legs could force his veins to bust. He wants to go to Disney World with us when we go, if he can, and if he does he'll be one of those so-called "gimps". I DARE someone to make a comment about my dad like that... You guys will see an article about a crazy Southern lady getting arrested for knockin' someone out. LOL

Don't worry either I will come bail you out or we can share a cell after I finish what you started as they drag you off in hand cuffs

 

[britdaw]

Don't worry either I will come bail you out or we can share a cell after I finish what you started as they drag you off in hand cuffs

LOL! Sounds like a plan! Glad someone besides my sister would have my back!

 

[The Mom]

There are ignorant people everywhere, and I'll say it one more time.

You have no way of knowing why someone is riding in a scooter or wheelchair, and it's bad karma to judge.

I was in a wheelchair very briefly a couple of times in my life. Once because I was on bedrest due to pregnancy complications, and again after a knee injury (just the first 48 hours)

It was amazing how "invisible" I became - even at the doctor's office where the receptionist starting addressing her questions at my male neighbor - who had just been kind enough to give me a ride and wheel me to the desk! Even if he had been my husband, I was quite capable of answering for myself!

Don't even get me started on trying to navigate crowds, get into buildings, etc.

 

[dave&di]

I'm sorry you and your family have experienced ignorant people at WDW, isn't it the one place everyone should have compassion? There are many charities that send terminally ill people to WDW so people shouldn't be surprised by others in wheelchairs. When I've seen wheelchair users at WDW it makes me appreciate being able to STAND in line.

 

[ddbowdoin]

a few bad apples ruin it for everyone... there are plenty of people who are just fat and that is their excuse for a wheelchair... so their lazyness and poor life choices create a tarnished image for the many sickly people who legitimately need their chair

 

[Scuttle]

LOL Tell your mom that she ROCKS. I can't believe the gall some people have! It would take all I had not to haul off and knock someone on their butt for a comment like that.

My dad had open-heart surgery in 2009. The plaque in his arteries was too hard for them to unclog it, so they tried to graft veins in. His doctor was trying to graft a vein from his groin area, but found out that it was not going to fit in his heart. When he went to try to close the vein in his groin up, it "tore like wet toilet paper", according to the doc, which forced them to do an emergency bipass, where they had to graft a piece of vein from the other side of his groin to the damaged side. So now my dad has a heart they couldn't fix, and we now know that he has extremely weak veins and poor circulation. Anytime we go anywhere he has to walk a lot, he has to get a scooter or wheelchair because the pressure on his legs could force his veins to bust. He wants to go to Disney World with us when we go, if he can, and if he does he'll be one of those so-called "gimps". I DARE someone to make a comment about my dad like that... You guys will see an article about a crazy Southern lady getting arrested for knockin' someone out. LOL

Lol. That's funny. But what's not funny is how many horrible people there are out there.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

a few bad apples ruin it for everyone... there are plenty of people who are just fat and that is their excuse for a wheelchair... so their lazyness and poor life choices create a tarnished image for the many sickly people who legitimately need their chair

I'm sure there are lazy people who abuse the system but don't pass judgement on obese people on scooters so quickly. Often enough a person's obesity issues are a symptom of their health issues. Several years back I worked with a wonderful lady not that much older than me who had such severe arthritis she physically could not exercise which, in turn, caused obesity & other problems. On more than one occasion I saw her reduced to tears in frustration & pain. It was fairly common for her to come into the comm center early in the mornings with her boots untied because she physically was unable to extend her arms and bend far enough to do it. When she woke up she was super stiff and in excruciating pain. There is absolutely no way she could've walked the parks with her arthritis even if the obesity wasn't an issue. Like the OP's mother, I promise you my co-worker would jump at the opportunity to trade places with a healthy person.

Gotta be careful when you're quick to come to conclusions like that. I wouldn't want such karma upon me lest I find myself or one of my loved ones in those people's shoes someday.

 

[britdaw]

I'm sure there are lazy people who abuse the system but don't pass judgement on obese people on scooters so quickly. Often enough a person's obesity issues are a symptom of their health issues.

Yeah I second that... Since my dad has such bad circulation due to the problems we found during his heart surgery in 2009, his doctor only gave him the OK for light exercise, like walking, but even walking for long periods of time causes his legs to swell up, so he can't do that for more than, say, 15 minutes. He will never be skinny because he can't work out hard enough to get his weight off, even though he has lost weight since giving up salt, sodas, junk food, etc.
I see a lot of people giving him snide looks when I take him grocery shopping. I think a lot of people do think he's only in the chair 'cause he's too lazy to walk. I only wish they could see the truth when they look at him.

 

[ddbowdoin]

I'm sure there are lazy people who abuse the system but don't pass judgement on obese people on scooters so quickly. Often enough a person's obesity issues are a symptom of their health issues. Several years back I worked with a wonderful lady not that much older than me who had such severe arthritis she physically could not exercise which, in turn, caused obesity & other problems. On more than one occasion I saw her reduced to tears in frustration & pain. It was fairly common for her to come into the comm center early in the mornings with her boots untied because she physically was unable to extend her arms and bend far enough to do it. When she woke up she was super stiff and in excruciating pain. There is absolutely no way she could've walked the parks with her arthritis even if the obesity wasn't an issue. Like the OP's mother, I promise you my co-worker would jump at the opportunity to trade places with a healthy person.

Gotta be careful when you're quick to come to conclusions like that. I wouldn't want such karma upon me lest I find myself or one of my loved ones in those people's shoes someday.

and the 20oz bottles of coke and QS junk have nothing to do with it... I'm sure the 350lb lady zipping around with a turkey leg in one hand must just have some disease that forces her to eat poorly. I understand that illness can limit exercise, BUT at the same time even if you never moved all day and you just ate like a normal person you would never become THAT large.

Yeah I second that... Since my dad has such bad circulation due to the problems we found during his heart surgery in 2009, his doctor only gave him the OK for light exercise, like walking, but even walking for long periods of time causes his legs to swell up, so he can't do that for more than, say, 15 minutes. He will never be skinny because he can't work out hard enough to get his weight off, even though he has lost weight since giving up salt, sodas, junk food, etc.
I see a lot of people giving him snide looks when I take him grocery shopping. I think a lot of people do think he's only in the chair 'cause he's too lazy to walk. I only wish they could see the truth when they look at him.

even though your dad did this... I am a betting man, and odds are he's in the minority. In my last two trips all I saw were massively obese people zipping around in scooters and I watched eating habits... it doesnt take rocket science to figure out why they are in there

 

[BAD311]

If someone is stupid enough to make a comment about someone being handicapped, I'm stupid enough to lay'em out right in front of the handicapped person.

My mother is handicapped, she knows she couldn't do Disney, even in a wheelchair. But some people are capable of tackling the beast and they should get props for trying regardless of their condition and if anything it doesn't effect how long you wait in line 99% of the time. Heck there are more issues with kids getting in, shutting up and sitting down then handicapped people getting on the ride - that's why they board first so they have the longest to get in and belt in, and Disney does a hell of a job keeping things moving.

 

[dreamfinder]

If you have a legitimate reason to need a wheelchair/scooter/crutches/what not, then it's good to see you out an about and hopefully you can live your life as normally as possible. And in that case, it sucks that people don't treat them respectfully. I do understand those who take offense at people who go to far in the direction of kindness, assuming they can't do anything for themselves. But calling someone in a wheelchair a gimp? Bad form. No one should ever assume you know anything about anyone. Ever.

I do draw issues with the people who don't need them (blatantly or not) or those who made poor decisions to get to that point. Groups of kids swapping wheelchairs to cut lines, calling the GAC a FP, stuff like that gets me. People who are trying to abuse the system that is setup to allow those who are different live normally isn't cool.

And seriously now? The people who have a shopping cart full of ding dongs, ice cream, and chips then buy the diet soda? Really? Having a diet coke instead of a regular coke isn't going to let you get healthy enough to walk around WDW unassisted. I understand that some people have medical issues, but when as a nation, USA has gone from most states under 15% obesity levels, to only 2 states with under 20% obesity levels in 20 years, there is something greater at play here.

To the OP, sorry that your family had a rough experience of it. People are forgetting more and more of their manners, and you apparently got the worst of it.

 

[goofntink]

There are ignorant people everywhere, and I'll say it one more time.

You have no way of knowing why someone is riding in a scooter or wheelchair, and it's bad karma to judge.

I was in a wheelchair very briefly a couple of times in my life. Once because I was on bedrest due to pregnancy complications, and again after a knee injury (just the first 48 hours)

It was amazing how "invisible" I became - even at the doctor's office where the receptionist starting addressing her questions at my male neighbor - who had just been kind enough to give me a ride and wheel me to the desk! Even if he had been my husband, I was quite capable of answering for myself!

Don't even get me started on trying to navigate crowds, get into buildings, etc.

Yaaaaay MOM!!!. I occasionally hear some of my bus drivers complain to each other about having to load an ECV,and saying they didn't need it,or they were lazy,etc,etc. I tell them "You know what,how do you know if they need it or not? You don't!!! Hopefully you never need to use one,and then hear someone run their mouth about you being one!. Your a bus driver,and as a part of your job your duties include assisting guests with special needs. If you don't like it,I'll be more than happy to assist you in a transfer to another dept." Aggrevates me to no end!

 

[oommggitskait]

and the 20oz bottles of coke and QS junk have nothing to do with it... I'm sure the 350lb lady zipping around with a turkey leg in one hand must just have some disease that forces her to eat poorly. I understand that illness can limit exercise, BUT at the same time even if you never moved all day and you just ate like a normal person you would never become THAT large.

even though your dad did this... I am a betting man, and odds are he's in the minority. In my last two trips all I saw were massively obese people zipping around in scooters and I watched eating habits... it doesnt take rocket science to figure out why they are in there

While I don't want to discount your frustration and you are more than entitled to your opinion, I have to respectfully disagree. I am actually a therapist in a specialized nursing facility for people with disabilities. While various disease processes are present here, the majority of the residents do in fact have MS. It is VERY possible for someone with limited movement and mobility to gain weight rapidly. It is very unfortunate and we have many residents who suffer from obesity as a result.
Without getting into a food debate, I do agree that plenty of people (myself included!) don't eat as well as we should. But, as most everyone else here is saying, don't be too quick to judge.

To the OP: I am sorry that you had to see the worst of humanity on your trip. The facility in which I work encourages staff members to spend a day in a wheelchair to help understand the daily struggles of our residents. It is a humbling experience and I can't imagine feeling that way day in and day out. Give your mom major props and tell her to keep her strong attitude!

 

[ddbowdoin]

While I don't want to discount your frustration and you are more than entitled to your opinion, I have to respectfully disagree. I am actually a therapist in a specialized nursing facility for people with disabilities. While various disease processes are present here, the majority of the residents do in fact have MS. It is VERY possible for someone with limited movement and mobility to gain weight rapidly. It is very unfortunate and we have many residents who suffer from obesity as a result.
Without getting into a food debate, I do agree that plenty of people (myself included!) don't eat as well as we should. But, as most everyone else here is saying, don't be too quick to judge.

To the OP: I am sorry that you had to see the worst of humanity on your trip. The facility in which I work encourages staff members to spend a day in a wheelchair to help understand the daily struggles of our residents. It is a humbling experience and I can't imagine feeling that way day in and day out. Give your mom major props and tell her to keep her strong attitude!

ok, I should clear this up... when I said, you never moved... I didn't mean people who are obviously stricken with a disease such as MS. That is an awful disease and this is not what I am referring to. From my experience, MS is a pretty clear disease... No? You can tell when someone clearly is sickly and when someone is not.... as in someone in a scooter freely moving, twisting, no real signs of discomfort. When I said lack of movement I meant if you worked in an office setting and simply sat all day, no exercise... if you just ate like a normal human being you wouldn't weight 300lbs.

I understand I went off topic... but my whole point is that a few people who abuse the system and truly have no disability (other than lazyness, and obesity is NOW considered a disability which is a whole different can of worms) ruin it for everyone else.