GAC to Become DAS

[ddrongowski]

I believe you were the only person who said that. I don't think anyone else believes that here. There are lots of reasons why someone is overweight. I gained a good 50 pounds on medication that I have been struggling to loose. I eat very well and have an active life style. I have no issues walking in fact I always feel much better at WDW BECAUSE I walk so much during the day. If I had eaten the fat on I am sure it would come off easier with diet and exercise. I also see some severely overweight people in an rented ECV and wonder how they manage at home without one if they need one only at WDW. I understand it is more walking but we usually take it slower and utilize the benches. I think many could actually go without an ECV.

You did not follow what I was saying, sorry I guess I did not make myself clear. I was replying to Goofyernmost and said "Reminds me of the so called fact that only fat people get diabetes... Yeah right... Then explain to me how an active duty soldier that is in special forces and in the best shape of his life became an insulin dependent diabetic. Even to this day he is in very good shape and not overweight at all." I was not saying that anyone here said it, but am alluding that in the U.S. society in general, has said this. Again sorry that it was not clear enough to follow.

 

[ddrongowski]

benches... something I wish Disney parks had more of!!

The lack of places to sit down was a huge issue for me on my last DLR trip. And of course what little benches there are... people camp out on for hours to wait and watch a parade.

After my back surgeries I can do a lot.. but I know when my body needs a break to keep from pushing too far.. and at DLR it was extremely difficult.

I bet if it would increase sales they would put benches in the shops. Not what you were going for, sorry.

 

[jaklgreen]

You did not follow what I was saying, sorry I guess I did not make myself clear. I was replying to Goofyernmost and said "Reminds me of the so called fact that only fat people get diabetes... Yeah right... Then explain to me how an active duty soldier that is in special forces and in the best shape of his life became an insulin dependent diabetic. Even to this day he is in very good shape and not overweight at all." I was not saying that anyone here said it, but that in the U.S. society in general has said this. Again sorry that it was not clear enough to follow.

Ok, my bad. Diabetes is an awful disease. I wish they could find a cure for those who get the insulin dependent version.

 

[ddrongowski]

Ok, my bad. Diabetes is an awful disease. I wish they could find a cure for those who get the insulin dependent version.

They are getting closer, but until then at least tech has provided a pump system with a RF interface that actively monitors and helps with correct dosages. And now back to the topic that is already in progress.

 

[Figaro928]

I like this policy a lot - especially for the adults in the rent-a-scooters. I would even be ok with the policy if it still allowed GAC children to still have front of the line privileges.

That being said, I really wish they'd extend the policy to the transportation system too. We just got back from our vacation & there was nothing more frustrating than waiting for a bus to the resort and here comes a rent-a-scooter with 10 of their nearest and dearest. the rent-a-scooter takes up 3 seats alone. Twice we saw the bus driver tell the family that only 2 extra people were allowed on with the GAC, but the whole family was allowed anyway. Again, my grievance was with the rent-a-scooters... I never got upset at the families with disabled children.

 

[Gabe1]

They just reported the new DAS system on Fox news. They did mention that it will be rolled out on Oct 9 and it was in response to the abuse of the GAC.

WGN News in Chicago picked it up also as a good intention gone to abuse. Since the majority of guests that used GAC couldn't for various reasons stand in lines, the new system of FPs would keep those same guests out of long lines while cutting down on all types of abuse, (and they brought up the issue of hiring a disabled person for the trip) making every guests Disney experience better in line.

 

[loboftbl]

Finally glad to see this change.....I suggested this exact system (return time) in the other closed GAC thread and was flamed by many GAC users. My last trip to WDW (Aug 2013) opened my eyes to the level of abuse. As I said in the other thread, what entitles you to experience any ride 3 times in a row while many other non GAC using park guests are still waiting on ride 1? The new system is fair to everyone....period. Just as I was told when I said I missed several rides on my last vacation by several GAC users...All it takes is a little planning for the people throwing a fit they do not have unlimited Fastpass now.

 

[luv]

I completely agree. Being "fat" doesn't mean you are disabled, some people it does, but the majority is just plain laziness. The worst I saw on my last trip was a bus pulled up at DTD to the Contemp. and a lady in her early 50's was in a scooter. The bus was about 3/4 full and the driver asked her- "do you want me to wake up these 3 kids since that is the bench I have to put up to park your scooter?" The lady replied: Yes, I want on this bus and am not going to wait for another". Mind you, she just wheeled up about a minute before the bus arrived. So the driver woke up the kids that were sleeping in their parents laps and those parents were quite irrated. Then of course, 5 or 6 others in the scooter lady's party had to board in front of everyone else. She parked the scooter, and then easily walked to an open seat on the bus.

I am surprised the bus driver would pressure a handicapped person to stay off the bus. They are (obviously) not supposed to do this. I've never complained about any employee, ever. But I'd have reported that.

If people choose to sit in handicapped seats that have signs up stating that they may have to give those seats up for handicapped people, they should not be surprised when they have to move for a handicapped person. If they didn't want to move, they should have chosen other seats.

The handicapped person should have said she wanted her seat. Not all busses have space for wheelchairs and who knows how long it would have been before one arrived. She's probably waited through several busses in the past and knows this. She never should have been pressured to wait for more busses, though.

Her family should have been able to stay with her. The idea that handicapped people shouldn't be able to remain with their families is a little cruel.

If the parents had planned better, by making sure their children got enough sleep, by leaving the park before the children were so exhausted they were falling asleep or by not sitting in seats not in the section where they must be given up for the handicapped...they could have avoided moving sleeping children.

I am disappointed in society in general when people are complaining about having to make any allowances for the handicapped. There was a time in this country when children were raised to help the less fortunate, not complain about doing it. There was a day where those parents would have said, "Oh, of course!" This story would have had people shaking their heads over the ridiculous selfishness of people who were irritated that they had to give up a seat for a handicapped person.

Now, we have this. Selfish, spoiled, adult brats whining about having to make space for a wheelchair.

What is happening to our society? I just don't know.

 

[flynnibus]

I am disappointed in society in general when people are complaining about having to make any allowances for the handicapped. There was a time in this country when children were raised to help the less fortunate, not complain about doing it. There was a day where those parents would have said, "Oh, of course!" This story would have had people shaking their heads over the ridiculous selfishness of people who were irritated that they had to give up a seat for a handicapped person.

Now, we have this.

What is happening to our society? I just don't know.

I think you missed the key principle in the example... that the lady rolled up without any wait. The beef was about her urgency taking precedence over the existing wait and crowd on the bus. Not that someone had to get out of a seat in general.

 

[NowInc]

The handicapped person should have said she wanted her seat. Not all busses have space for wheelchairs and who knows how long it would have been before one arrived. She's probably waited through several busses in the past and knows this. She never should have been pressured to wait for more busses, though.

Pretty sure all buses at Disney have more than one space for wheelchairs.

 

[Lord_Vader]

I am surprised the bus driver would pressure a handicapped person to stay off the bus. They are (obviously) not supposed to do this. I've never complained about any employee, ever. But I'd have reported that.

If people choose to sit in handicapped seats that have signs up stating that they may have to give those seats up for handicapped people, they should not be surprised when they have to move for a handicapped person. If they didn't want to move, they should have chosen other seats.

I can personally attest that we have bus drivers that use any and all excuses not to load wheelchairs, a few won't even ask guests who may be seated in the seats. Several times the driver simply ignored the fact we were sitting in the wheelchair load area and loaded guests and left, even after my son or I went up to inquire. At first this was quite irritating, cost us at least 20-30 minutes of park time or made us late for a dinner reservation. We typically stay 10 days during the summer, 14 at Christmas and usually occurs at least twice a week. The drivers hate getting up/down to latch in the wheelchair and I completely understand as it would get old doing that all day but my wife cannot climb the stairs and the drivers rarely allow her to transfer to a regular seat, even when asked.

And IMO, any party with a wheelchair guest or ECV should stand unless all guests riding are seated as a courtesy to others. Rarely do my son or I sit and take up additional spots that can/are used by other guests yet we still get LOTS of nasty comments about how long it takes, how it is slowing them down getting to/from the park.

 

[Figaro928]

I am surprised the bus driver would pressure a handicapped person to stay off the bus. They are (obviously) not supposed to do this. I've never complained about any employee, ever. But I'd have reported that.

If people choose to sit in handicapped seats that have signs up stating that they may have to give those seats up for handicapped people, they should not be surprised when they have to move for a handicapped person. If they didn't want to move, they should have chosen other seats.

The handicapped person should have said she wanted her seat. Not all busses have space for wheelchairs and who knows how long it would have been before one arrived. She's probably waited through several busses in the past and knows this. She never should have been pressured to wait for more busses, though.

Her family should have been able to stay with her. The idea that handicapped people shouldn't be able to remain with their families is a little cruel.

If the parents had planned better, by making sure their children got enough sleep, by leaving the park before the children were so exhausted they were falling asleep or by not sitting in seats not in the section where they must be given up for the handicapped...they could have avoided moving sleeping children.

I am disappointed in society in general when people are complaining about having to make any allowances for the handicapped. There was a time in this country when children were raised to help the less fortunate, not complain about doing it. There was a day where those parents would have said, "Oh, of course!" This story would have had people shaking their heads over the ridiculous selfishness of people who were irritated that they had to give up a seat for a handicapped person.

Now, we have this. Selfish, spoiled, adult brats whining about having to make space for a wheelchair.

What is happening to our society? I just don't know.

Pretty Harsh. First - I'm guessing you don't have kids/never took them to Disney. Geez - even I almost fell asleep on the buses after a long park day! I wasn't there - and neither were you - but I would assume if she was a truly disabled person - and not just abusing the GAC system, other families would have no problem moving for her.

Honest to goodness, after all the abuse of the system I saw on my vacation, if I ever break my leg before a vacation - I swear I'd wait on line for the bus with every other abled body. I would almost be embarrassed of taking advantage. However, like I said in a previous post - disabled children and the truly handicapped (not the rent-a-scooter crowd) and their families can go in front of me any day.

 

[luv]

I think you missed the key principle in the example... that the lady rolled up without any wait. The beef was about her urgency taking precedence over the existing wait and crowd on the bus. Not that someone had to get out of a seat in general.

I did not. She got lucky. The first bus to pull up had a spot for her. As anyone who has gone through bus riding with a wheelchair can attest, this is not always the case.

Yea. She got "lucky". If you call not having to wait through several busses to get on one in your wheelchair "lucky."

The parents described in that story would also have no way of knowing how many busses that woman waited through and were nothing but selfish, spoiled brats. Who raised them?!

I pray that someone out there reads these threads and has a talk with their children about how hard it must be to spend your life in a wheelchair and how we should do whatever small thing we can to assist them.

 

[Figaro928]

Now, we have this. Selfish, spoiled, adult brats whining about having to make space for a wheelchair.

What is happening to our society? I just don't know.

I'm sorry - but it's the same society that lugs around Grandma with her bad knees so Jr. doesn't have to wait 45 minutes to ride or Peter Pan...

 

[flynnibus]

I did not. She got lucky. The first bus to pull up had a spot for her. As anyone who has gone through bus riding with a wheelchair can attest, this is not always the case.

Yea. She got "lucky". If you call not having to wait through several busses to get on one in your wheelchair "lucky."

The parents described in that story would also have no way of knowing how many busses that woman waited through and were nothing but selfish, spoiled brats. Who raised them?!

Nor do you know how many buses they had to wait or how long wait was for those that were already on the bus... cuts both ways doesn't it?

You're judging with only part of the story...

 

[Figaro928]

I pray that someone out there reads these threads and has a talk with their children about how hard it must be to spend your life in a wheelchair and how we should do whatever small thing we can to assist them.

The original quote states she was in a scooter. And she easily got off once on the bus. For all you and I know, she could have been a GAC because she had tennis elbow...

If she was truly truly wheelchair bound I would like to think ANYBODY would have been more than accommodating for her.

 

[luv]

Pretty Harsh. First - I'm guessing you don't have kids/never took them to Disney. Geez - even I almost fell asleep on the buses after a long park day! I wasn't there - and neither were you - but I would assume if she was a truly disabled person - and not just abusing the GAC system, other families would have no problem moving for her.

Honest to goodness, after all the abuse of the system I saw on my vacation, if I ever break my leg before a vacation - I swear I'd wait on line for the bus with every other abled body. I would almost be embarrassed of taking advantage. However, like I said in a previous post - disabled children and the truly handicapped (not the rent-a-scooter crowd) and their families can go in front of me any day.

I raised a child. He would leap out of a seat in order to allow a handicapped person to have the spot. He is extremely willing to help people. I never thought of being proud of that, lol. IMO, that's what people should do.

I did take him to WDW and other theme parks. He never had to fall asleep. I kept the fact that he needed sleep in mind. But he got crabby when he didn't get enough asleep, so I had my reasons for making sure he always got enough sleep and they had nothing to do with bus riding.

 

[minninedaisy74]

I did not. She got lucky. The first bus to pull up had a spot for her. As anyone who has gone through bus riding with a wheelchair can attest, this is not always the case.

Yea. She got "lucky". If you call not having to wait through several busses to get on one in your wheelchair "lucky."

The parents described in that story would also have no way of knowing how many busses that woman waited through and were nothing but selfish, spoiled brats. Who raised them?!

I pray that someone out there reads these threads and has a talk with their children about how hard it must be to spend your life in a wheelchair and how we should do whatever small thing we can to assist them.

I guess you missed the the info where the OP said that she was obese, on a rent a scooter, and acted like selfish entitled brat .She should be ashamed of her self because she is using up limited resources that an actual disabled person could use. Before some of uou start with the hidden disabilities and their obesity may be a result of poor health I am not buying it. Fact is most obese people are that way because of poor choices and lack of exercise which cause them to have health problems which now limit they way they are able to get around.

 

[IWantMyMagicBand]

Pretty Harsh. First - I'm guessing you don't have kids/never took them to Disney. Geez - even I almost fell asleep on the buses after a long park day! I wasn't there - and neither were you - but I would assume if she was a truly disabled person - and not just abusing the GAC system, other families would have no problem moving for her.

Honest to goodness, after all the abuse of the system I saw on my vacation, if I ever break my leg before a vacation - I swear I'd wait on line for the bus with every other abled body. I would almost be embarrassed of taking advantage. However, like I said in a previous post - disabled children and the truly handicapped (not the rent-a-scooter crowd) and their families can go in front of me any day.

Our kids were/are the same, especially if you take your own stroller. The moment we left the park gates, and then waited 20 minutes for a bus they would be asleep. And we had scheduled naps for 2-3 hours in the afternoon. Ours like sleeping in the strollers and we took advantage of that and used the times they sometimes fell asleep in the park to our advantage and could experience the parks walking around and looking up rather than keeping a constant eye on the kids.

I only have one, and a very bad on at that, experience of an ECV on a bus. We were at Epcot, and had waited for ages for a bus. We got on and sat in our "usual" seats, behind the driver on the benches, and the opposite bench as there are 6 of us. The kids noticed that the back row was free and could we sit on it. I thank my lucky stars it was. The bus driver set up the area behind him etc and called for the lady to drive on. She did, at speed too and swerved right into the benches opposite where she should park. If we had still be sitting there she would have taken out my lower legs and those of my daughter and dad. Everybody already on the bus let out an audible gasp to which she said flippantly "It's my first day driving one of these things."
We never sat on the benches again if we could see an ECV approaching the queue and we were already on the bus.

 

[luv]

I guess you missed the the info where the OP said that she was obese, on a rent a scooter, and acted like selfish entitled brat .She should be ashamed of her self because she is using up limited resources that an actual disabled person could use. Before some of uou start with the hidden disabilities and their obesity may be a result of poor health I am not buying it. Fact is most obese people are that way because of poor choices and lack of exercise which cause them to have health problems which now limit they way they are able to get around.

There was no description of the handicapped person behaving badly. The description was of a woman saying, "Yes, I want a seat on the bus."

I am going to ask you to think about what you said. People get fat because they don't get enough exercise.

Now think about how that might apply to someone in a wheelchair.

I am actually disgusted that this thread has turned into a bunch of people picking on the handicapped. You should be ashamed of yourselves. I assume that one day, you will understand why you shouldn't pick on the handicapped (even if they are fat) and will stop.

I have to bail on this.

Continue on with your selfish, spoiled, cruel whining about those handicapped people and how their wheelchairs inconvenience you. I won't stop you.