A Spirited Perfect Ten

[wdisney9000]

I plan on having a stroller for my 6 yo this April. It is as much a safety issue as a convenience for my daughter. My wife has MS and is wheelchair bound and a stroller helps me manage both of them.

People do not care about adults in wheelchairs. People don't look for them when they are walking and since her face is at elbow level and suffers from Trigeminal Neuralgia I worry. I have to have a stroller to make sure that I can keep an eye out on the traffic coming towards us and to make sure my daughter is safe and with us.

I am sure that many parents look at a stroller as a safety device as well.

I see two types of people in wheelchairs at WDW. The ones who have a Disney rented wheelchair and the ones who have their own personal wheelchair that they came in, which is very easy to recognize. The people who are in their own personal wheelchair will always have the right of way with me and I gladly move out of the way if I see them coming. I will give them my spot for a parade or a show if it allows them to see better. For those people who have a real medical or otherwise legit reason to be in that chair, I always help out in any way that I can. On a few occasions I have a seen a legit hndicap person in a Disney wheel chair for some reason. Perhaps theirs had a problem that day, but again, its easy to tell. Mostly because they are not a heavy set person.

Now, IMO, the ones who have a rented wheelchair are the same type of people you see in the grocery store or at walmart who can walk just fine but choose to use the EVC scooter the stores have. They are lazy. I dont wanna hear any excuses about injuries or problems they have. If they had serious problems they would have THEIR OWN wheelchair or EVC by now. Do they rent scooters everyday where they live? Doubt it. They most likely only go to stores that provide free use of an EVC. That tells me that they either dont qualify for assistance in getting one or are to cheap to care about their own well being and buy one. In WDW, 99.9% of people in rented wheelchairs/scooters fall into the extremely overweight category. If they have problems walking due to their weight, thats fine, but why dont they have their own personal EVC yet? Again, they fall into the category of cheap/dont have a legit enough problem to get assistance. If they dont want to help themselves then I cant help them either. Not saying I block their path or make it harder for them, but Im also not going to go out of my way to move for them just because they are too lazy to walk and get the much needed exercise they require. This group kinda ruins it for families such as yours because they create the stereotype that lead people to think everyone in a wheelchair at WDW is lazy. I see many large people at WDW actually WALKING and its not fair to them either. They chose to not be lazy and perhaps are trying to get a little exercise as well. I applaud them.

I also realize that there is occasionally a person who may have sprained an ankle or broke a bone just before their trip and now must rent a scooter. This category of people is easy to spot because they have either a cast or brace or something that shows why they have a scooter/wheelchair. Just adding this so nobody brings it up.

 

[flynnibus]

Now, IMO, the ones who have a rented wheelchair are the same type of people you see in the grocery store or at walmart who can walk just fine but choose to use the EVC scooter the stores have. They are lazy. I dont wanna hear any excuses about injuries or problems they have. If they had serious problems they would have THEIR OWN wheelchair or EVC by now.

Sorry, your gross generalization ignores the people who rent because they don't want to haul their own ECV/scooter to FL. Flying with a stroller? PITA... Flying with a ECV? Gotta be much worse. The airports have chairs/service... so does Disney. So why bring your own except to try to save money? Most know its not worth the hassle.

 

[DisDan]

I see two types of people in wheelchairs at WDW. The ones who have a Disney rented wheelchair and the ones who have their own personal wheelchair that they came in, which is very easy to recognize. The people who are in their own personal wheelchair will always have the right of way with me and I gladly move out of the way if I see them coming. I will give them my spot for a parade or a show if it allows them to see better. For those people who have a real medical or otherwise legit reason to be in that chair, I always help out in any way that I can. On a few occasions I have a seen a legit hndicap person in a Disney wheel chair for some reason. Perhaps theirs had a problem that day, but again, its easy to tell. Mostly because they are not a heavy set person.

Now, IMO, the ones who have a rented wheelchair are the same type of people you see in the grocery store or at walmart who can walk just fine but choose to use the EVC scooter the stores have. They are lazy. I dont wanna hear any excuses about injuries or problems they have. If they had serious problems they would have THEIR OWN wheelchair or EVC by now. Do they rent scooters everyday where they live? Doubt it. They most likely only go to stores that provide free use of an EVC. That tells me that they either dont qualify for assistance in getting one or are to cheap to care about their own well being and buy one. In WDW, 99.9% of people in rented wheelchairs/scooters fall into the extremely overweight category. If they have problems walking due to their weight, thats fine, but why dont they have their own personal EVC yet? Again, they fall into the category of cheap/dont have a legit enough problem to get assistance. If they dont want to help themselves then I cant help them either. Not saying I block their path or make it harder for them, but Im also not going to go out of my way to move for them just because they are too lazy to walk and get the much needed exercise they require. This group kinda ruins it for families such as yours because they create the stereotype that lead people to think everyone in a wheelchair at WDW is lazy. I see many large people at WDW actually WALKING and its not fair to them either. They chose to not be lazy and perhaps are trying to get a little exercise as well. I applaud them.

I also realize that there is occasionally a person who may have sprained an ankle or broke a bone just before their trip and now must rent a scooter. This category of people is easy to spot because they have either a cast or brace or something that shows why they have a scooter/wheelchair. Just adding this so nobody brings it up.

Well said, I think this sums up my feelings exactly. Everytime I see a person take an ECV in a supermarket or store and then proceed to get up from it and walk out the store to their car it boils my blood. At WDW it has gotten out of control and then those same people are the first ones to complain and yell at CM's when they don't get first class treatment as if they are somehow special. When there are people with REAL needs that need that special treatment, like @Section106, which are going to be affected by the sheer selfishness of some. Again....blood boiling.

 

[DisDan]

Sorry, your gross generalization ignores the people who rent because they don't want to haul their own ECV/scooter to FL. Flying with a stroller? PITA... Flying with a ECV? Gotta be much worse. The airports have chairs/service... so does Disney. So why bring your own except to try to save money? Most know its not worth the hassle.

Good point as well, I wonder what those people do for other times when they are not in the parks though?

 

[wdisney9000]

Sorry, your gross generalization ignores the people who rent because they don't want to haul their own ECV/scooter to FL. Flying with a stroller? PITA... Flying with a ECV? Gotta be much worse. The airports have chairs/service... so does Disney. So why bring your own except to try to save money? Most know its not worth the hassle.

You right. I think this applies to EVC more than wheel chair though. Maybe Im wrong but I would think that most people that have their own wheel chair would want it with them since its made for them and is probly more comfortable than a rented one. I apologize for the generalization. I still think its very easy to tell the difference between a person who has a real issue and a person who is just overweight and being lazy. Especially when I see them get out of it and walk through the queue just fine.

 

[flynnibus]

If given the opportunity to sit in a worn out field bound to be muddy given Florida's weather.. or a clean artificial surface. Give me the latter. No grass will hold up to hundreds of people milling around on it for hours a day 365 days a year. You'd be sodding it every other day. I don't understand the grief over the choice of NOT using grass.

Now, why are people being put in a lawn in the first place -- that's an entirely different discussion.. but the hub wouldn't look like the rose garden of old if 500 people were walking around in it for 3 hours every night.

 

[flynnibus]

Good point as well, I wonder what those people do for other times when they are not in the parks though?

Are you following them around that you are sure they aren't doing something else? And is there is just as much physical exertion needed everywhere else as in the parks? You may cover several miles a day in the parks.. how many miles do you walk a day in your hotel?

Look, I'm just as against lazy behavior as anyone.. including the glut of ECVs at Disney parks... but the judging without a clue of what is going on for individuals is not only poor taste, its stupidity.

 

[wdisney9000]

Well said, I think this sums up my feelings exactly. Everytime I see a person take an ECV in a supermarket or store and then proceed to get up from it and walk out the store to their car it boils my blood. At WDW it has gotten out of control and then those same people are the first ones to complain and yell at CM's when they don't get first class treatment as if they are somehow special. When there are people with REAL needs that need that special treatment, like @Section106, which are going to be affected by the sheer selfishness of some. Again....blood boiling.

i love the people at the super market in EVC's. Its fun watching their strategy. They always have a small army of kids with them that spread like a hit squad to seek and collect the absolute most sugar coated snacks and junk food while moma bear cruises the aisles at a brisk 1 mph waiting for the return of her worker bees to store the high fructose snacks in the little cubby bin attached to the scooter. I hardly ever see the scooter people in the produce or fruit section. Seeing one in the organic section is like spotting Big Foot.

 

[DocMcHulk]

Yeah..... That's a horrible idea.

However, if it's natural grass and people were allowed to walk on it, then it'll be trampled and brown most of the time. not the best optics.

 

[Travel Junkie]

I really don't know what they re putting down in the hub but there is a big difference between turf and synthetic grass
not that this has anything to do with what they re putting down

It was joke hence the smiley face at the end. If the space will be walked on by thousands daily, then synthetic is the best way to go.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Oh man, how would you like to be the poor guy in the horticulture department who gets put in charge of not killing the synthetic turf?

Horticulture Supervisor: "OK Bob, I know that you got the job because your Mom has worked over in costuming for 30 years, and we respect that, but as it turns out, you don't have much of a talent with plants. But I think I have come up with a position perfect for your skill set. You'll mostly be using a leaf blower and a vacuum cleaner."

 

[flynnibus]

You right. I think this applies to EVC more than wheel chair though. Maybe Im wrong but I would think that most people that have their own wheel chair would want it with them since its made for them and is probly more comfortable than a rented one

The same could be said of strollers... yet people rent instead of bringing those too. It depends on the person's situation and their needs. It's a compromise for many.

I still think its very easy to tell the difference between a person who has a real issue and a person who is just overweight and being lazy. Especially when I see them get out of it and walk through the queue just fine.

So wait... should I assume you are lazy because I saw you walk to your car... but you chose to DRIVE somewhere instead of walking? Just because I saw you walk your dog, should I assume you can walk a marathon? Again your gross generalization assumes everything is binary and ignores the issues of environment, scale, duration, etc.

I don't use a wheelchair, I can walk, sit, etc... but due to my back injuries I also have a finite tolerance before spasms become a problem and I need to rest by sitting. I know how to moderate my activities to balance my exertion to avoid a full on blow out. If I were to ask for a place to sit for the fireworks would you be just as judgmental because you saw me WALK to the bench??

As I said in the post before this... there is a lot one doesn't know about another... one shouldn't assume you know.

 

[tribbleorlfl]

Personally, I can't see myself not taking a trip there because I was that impressed with Antojitos (best Mexican in FL that I've had in the last decade)

Meh, I was not impresed by the food at Antojitos. To me, it just seemed like chain Tex Mex, lacking authenticity and unique flavors. The drinks were pretty good (as were their prices), but I don't go to restaurants for the alcohol.

You want the best Mexican in the area, you need to hit up Azteca D'Oro.

 

[Rasvar]

I really have little issues with the ECV's, except when the driver is a complete jerk (such as the one time I've discussed in other threads about the jerk on the horn after the fireworks on the Tomorrowland bridge that I ended up grabbing the keys and chucking them to the Stitch queue). I don't make assumptions about why someone is using it. I had a friend who just had a bad knee sprain and we got one for her to make it through the day so she could keep up with us at Epcot. She just had a pressure wrap on under her pants, so we got some looks from people who thought we were just fooling around. However, some of those people in ECV's think they are at the speedway and not in a crowd of people. Too many drive way too fast in crowds.

 

[PhotoDave219]

However, if it's natural grass and people were allowed to walk on it, then it'll be trampled and brown most of the time. not the best optics.

I'll have to go dig up the piece that NBC did on field turf and it's link with cancer… I am just not in a position to search for it at the moment.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I went googling for an ECV image that says something. I found one. It's not the snarky snide kind of statement I was looking for. I was looking for a comment about "Americans". I found one. (Feel your first reaction get twisted with realization)

Spoiler: American Male ECVer

 

[wdisney9000]

So wait... should I assume you are lazy because I saw you walk to your car... but you chose to DRIVE somewhere instead of walking? Just because I saw you walk your dog, should I assume you can walk a marathon? Again your gross generalization assumes everything is binary and ignores the issues of environment, scale, duration, etc.

But driving several miles to get to the store doesnt mean Im lazy, its practical. Im talking about extremely large people who refuse to help themselves and have just given up. The people whose body is actually pouring over the side of the EVC. It doesnt bother me that they are overweight and I honestly dont care if they use a scooter. But when they ram into me because Im not getting out of their way or expect special treatment, yes, I take issue with that.

Its not hard to take the environmental issues into consideration either. The body language of the person allows for a lot to be learned. If a person gets out of the or scooter and is moving slowly or has their hand on their back or side, or has a person helping them then its probly safe to say that they have an actual issue. You said you have back problems. When you utilize the aid of a wheel chair or scooter and get out of it, do you just start strolling along or do you take precautions and take your time as to not flair up your injury? When I see a very large person park their scooter and just get right out and start walking and taking pictures then its probly just a person being lazy. Yes, Im assuming that. I could be wrong. But again, Im just talking about the people who are EXTREMELY overweight and most likely got that way on their own. I would bet money that less than 1% of people at WDW who are very heavy and in EVC do not have a legitimate medical issue.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I'll have to go dig up the piece that NBC did on field turf and it's link with cancer… I am just not in a position to search for it at the moment.

The synthetic grass Disney is using isn't the same stuff used for athletics. It doesn't have the chipped rubber and it's associated dust particles that are the concern when kids get their faces shoved into the turf during sports.

 

[BrerJon]

Are you following them around that you are sure they aren't doing something else? And is there is just as much physical exertion needed everywhere else as in the parks? You may cover several miles a day in the parks.. how many miles do you walk a day in your hotel?

Many of the ECV-for hire wheel-around-the-world crowd would get a bit of a shock if they went to Tokyo or Paris. In countries where morbid obesity isn't the default setting, they don't even have ECVs for hire so you'd better learn to love walking or sitting in a regular wheelchair, as there is no middle ground.

 

[ford91exploder]

Its not astroturf... Its synthetic grass. Quit trying to make things worse with wording. Same problem I have with people calling Fight of Passage, Soarin 2.0

Last time I checked astroturf WAS synthetic grass, It's simply the first and best known tradename of synthetic grass which is strips of polyethylene or polypropylene resin dyed green and attached to a substrate of varying firmness. For those afraid of the gum issue fortunately those plastics will readily release it with some citrus solvent.