GAC to Become DAS

[Lord_Vader]

So is that bench marked or NOT marked as "you must yield this seat to the disabled/elderly?" By "put up" I am assuming the bus driver has to physically move (fold?) the seats to accommodate the EVC tethering?

The only seats I recall as being marked "you must yield this seat to the disabled/elderly" are the seats that face "sideways" about 1/3 way (approx) from the front of the bus. I don't think those seats "fold up" to accommodate ECVs or wheelchairs. Or am I wrong?

Some busses have two sets of three seats opposite the ramp and some have a third set on the same side as the ramp on the front half, all are clearly marked.

It is like sitting in an exit row on an airplane, when you sit in those seats you are taking the chance that you may be asked to move.

In the case above the woman should have waited, it would have been the polite thing to do but courtesy seems to be a rare thing these days.

 

[minninedaisy74]

I would personally rather move and stand up for 20 ECVs that do not need them than to have to live with myself knowing that one of them needed it.

Having sat at stops at times when drivers 'miss' the fact you were there, even when you were there in from before most if not all the guests were in line will make many guests in chairs simply dismiss others needs as it was done to them before. Not an excuse but I can honestly say I have been on both sides and would rather not deal with the hassle of loading and unloading while all the guests glare and resent you for something you have I control of.

Disney's policy is to not load a chair or ECV at parks if they are already loading the bus when you arrive, some drivers do go above and beyond and others go the other way and will avoid picking you up at all costs including telling you another bus is on the way.

Normally I would have no problem what so ever moving or even getting off the bus for someone who is disabled and my comments were in reference to the particular women in the story that was posted.

 

[OswaldTheRabbit]

Barnstormer is not that old of a ride. I just wonder how much the routine is embedded due to this. There was an earlier post that stated a family did some modification at home making less popular rides more appealing to their child. I wonder if that would help with you.

I should try that. He has favorites at other parks too but barnstormer is the end all be all .

We limit his as to how much he can ride it so he doesn't get stuck in a pattern.

Oddly enough at Epcot it is Great Piggy Bank Adventure at innoventions. I bet he is the only kid that talks about that after a trip!

 

[OswaldTheRabbit]

Ahh, I know those scripts well. But, I'm not sure the changes make the necessity for planning any greater. On my last trip we took my son to Pooh (his primaty fixation) which we are REQUIRED to hit at least once per visit to the MK. The line was only 15 minutes, so we decided to forego the GAC. He played with the interactive qeueue for a bit, and then 10 minutes in Pooh broke down. It wasn't pretty. He started tearing up, then proceded to scratch the back of his hand, then tried to scratch me. Then he tried to push the stranger next to him, so we had to bail quickly. So, we missed our opportunity to get the free fastpasses they handed out for those stuck in line.

Now, 5 years ago, this would have been the end of our day. We would have gone back to the hotel to let him watch a movie, sleep it off, and coe back and try again the next day. But, seeing this as a problem 5 years ago, we've prepped him to fixate on more than one ride. None, will ever match his love of Pooh (oh how I dread the day that ride is closed during our trip) but I was able to bargain IASW, Carousel, and french fries at cosmic rays for one lost ride on pooh. And he begrudgingly took it.

This was all with GAC. "Stuff" happens, especially in a chaotic place like WDW. Relying on any level of predictability is dangerous when dealing with autism, so I've found if you prepare for the worst you'll always be ready and most problems become solvable. Nothing a few french fries can't solve.

This is my world in a nutshell . French fries and all! Those outbursts/ transition problems are the same here (but he is a spitter at me) and is dealing with changes much better. We limit him on barnstormer so as to not get stuck in that big of a loop. Right now his line limit (anywhere not just disney) is about 10-15 min. This DAS will work especially since I can go up there to get it signed for him.

IASW is his other at MK .... That song is in my head all day when we are at the park!

 

[jaklgreen]

Yes, but you will notice that whenever this thing is referred to it is always "men don't give their seats". They hardly ever say..."People, male or female, don't give their seats to someone seemingly in need". Are all women pregnant or elderly? Are all men that seem able, really able? Are all women unable and needy of a seat? I think they answer to all of those is a resounding no! However, lets talk about men being the a-holes (as mentioned below)


Before feminization, for lack of a better term, that was completely reversed. The women would walk off with the cup and the men were left to pay and carry. Seems to me to be the very definition of feminization. Things change. Women are no longer on the pedestal that they once were. They wanted equality and for the most part (other then some pay discrepancies, not all) they got it, now it is being discovered that there were a few perks connected to the old days. To bad for some. For my daughters who have had worlds of opportunities open up to them because of it, I say hooray!

WOW what a gentleman! Just because women wanted the right to be able to get a job and support themselves, that means that men can't be gentlemen anymore? My husband would never do that.

 

[englanddg]

I should try that. He has favorites at other parks too but barnstormer is the end all be all .

We limit his as to how much he can ride it so he doesn't get stuck in a pattern.

Oddly enough at Epcot it is Great Piggy Bank Adventure at innoventions. I bet he is the only kid that talks about that after a trip!

Nope. My kid is addicted to the piggy bank as well. Hands down one of her favorites at Disney.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Ok, how about... the mentality that we are all in this together.. including waiting. So why does the ECV lady think her need trumps everyone? You keep glossing over that one.. that somehow her right to get on THAT bus is the most important thing. You talk about others sacrificing a bit... would it be so much to as the ECV lady to sacrifice a bit and wait like everyone else for a bus that can accommodate them? At every turn you discount the rest of the situation you don't know about because you think the ECV's lady's right should be at the top of the list no matter what.



I agree they should have moved... but I also am willing to accept I don't know their situation either and are willing to give them the benefit of the doubt (just as I would give someone my seat without knowing their full story) before calling them names, attacking them, and anyone else who didn't push them out of the seat.

Heck, you're the one that keeps quoting ADA. It is possible that Disney could ignore it and nothing would happen, but, for municipal buses that are generally funded by the government, they stand to lose a lot if they are reported as leaving a person with a mobile device sitting on the side of the road when space is available. Disney doesn't get government subsidies so they might be able to get away with it. I'm trying to remember the exact requirements but it seem that I recall that if you do not have space available on a bus then you can refuse but that the person has to be picked up within a half hour. That's cutting it close for many smaller community transits.

 

[Goofyernmost]

WOW what a gentleman! Just because women wanted the right to be able to get a job and support themselves, that means that men can't be gentlemen anymore? My husband would never do that.

I believe that I said that I would do the "gentlemanly" thing, but the question was, why isn't it automatic anymore. Because the times have changed and the requirements have changed and it is no longer just the male that is expected to be courteous. What if there are 6 able bodied females and 1 male...would they fight him for the opportunity to be gracious and caring? I'm guessing not...but men are scum (except your husband, of course) and are thoughtless and selfish. Is that about correct?

 

[luv]

I think the whole point of that particular story AND this entire thread is that she didn't appear outwardly handicapped. The sleeping kids, the bus seats and how long she waited on line are all moot points. Since got got up with ease after parking the EVC the poster who saw this particular transaction felt as though she was abusing a system. She may have been honest to goodness handicapped - and she may not have been. However, Disney obviously feels as though there are enough people who are also cheating the system that they changed policies. And hopefully that will not only reduce the amount of abusers but also the angst towards those who truly need EVC's.

@luv I am actually very curious to hear your opinion on the new policy.

If she didn't appear handicapped enough to suit the original poster of that story, who cares? Honestly. It means nothing except that the person posting it was watching her, trying to decide if she appeared handicapped enough...and decided that she didn't. It matters not at all.

We don't know if she was faking or not. Having experience touring parks with an ECV, I know how much slower it is, how much longer everything takes and how walking makes everything so much easier and faster. I do not think that anyone who didn't need to would pay money to be so very inconvenienced. So, I assume she wasn't faking and did need the chair.

At the bus stop, people in ECVs will usually wait longer than they would have without it, so I don't think they'd pay to be disadvantaged there, either.

However, even if she was faking, the people on the bus had no way of knowing that when they were irritated about having to change seats. They were simply irritated because they wanted to remain in the handicapped seats. Selfish, spoiled brats who made a series of questionable choices and felt someone else should be inconvenienced, not them.

These new rules won't have any effect on renting ECVs or using them on busses. I don't know where you got that, but it isn't the case

 

[jaklgreen]

Here's the original post:

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.

This is why I avoid the handicapped seats like the plague. If I am lucky enough to get a seat I try not to sit in one of those. Even so, at the end of the day I usually end up giving my seat up to an elderly person or someone with a baby.

 

[luv]

Normally I would have no problem what so ever moving or even getting off the bus for someone who is disabled and my comments were in reference to the particular women in the story that was posted.

So, which handicapped people do you get out of the handicapped section for?

And for which people will you refuse to leave the handicapped seats?

Do you have a personal policy on your refusal to leave the handicapped section or do you make this determination on a case-by-case basis?

 

[jaklgreen]

I believe that I said that I would do the "gentlemanly" thing, but the question was, why isn't it automatic anymore. Because the times have changed and the requirements have changed and it is no longer just the male that is expected to be courteous. What if there are 6 able bodied females and 1 male...would they fight him for the opportunity to be gracious and caring? I'm guessing not...but men are scum (except your husband, of course) and are thoughtless and selfish. Is that about correct?

I have seen more women then men give up seats on the WDW busses in the last 5 years. Things are definitely different.

 

[unkadug]

So, which handicapped people do you get out of the handicapped section for?

And for which people will you refuse to leave the handicapped seats?

Do you have a personal policy on your refusal to leave the handicapped section or do you make this determination on a case-by-case basis?

Luv, I agree with your assessment that some people seem to have a lot of hidden prejudices and I also foresee this thread being closed very shortly.

 

[minninedaisy74]

So, which handicapped people do you get out of the handicapped section for?

And for which people will you refuse to leave the handicapped seats?

Do you have a personal policy on your refusal to leave the handicapped section or do you make this determination on a case-by-case basis?

Seriously your attempts to harass me or very amusing. However I have better things to do then continue an argument with you that is going no where. You obviously can't see past your opinions or ideas and enjoy critizing others who think differently then you.

I will say after reading all your comments in reference to the original story and comments made about the story I am serioulsly questioning your comprehension skills.

 

[luv]

Seriously your attempts to harass me or very amusing. However I have better things to do then continue an argument with you that is going no where. You obviously can't see past your opinions or ideas and enjoy critizing others who think differently then you.

I will say after reading all your comments in reference to the original story and comments made about the story I am serioulsly questioning your comprehension skills.

It would be easier for everyone to understand if you'd simply explain.

You will get out of the handicapped section for some people and not others. You've stated that.

We just need to know for whom you refuse to leave the handicapped section.

I think we will all understand, if you clarify.

You don't want to say, do you?

 

[minninedaisy74]

It would be easier for everyone to understand if you'd simply explain.

You will get out of the handicapped section for some people and not others. You've stated that.

We just need to know for whom you refuse to leave the handicapped section.

I think we will all understand, if you clarify.

You don't want to say, do you?

Because I have said it several times and it is getting old. So here it goes again I would not have gotten my sleeping children up for that woman in that story . If she was in fact as rude as stated in the story I would have been put out out by her attitude that her needs were more important them those of ny children. The way I would have dealt with this particular women is not how I would have dealt with others in wheelchairs or EVC's.

So now that I have stated that once again feel free to question my parenting skills , criticize my moral compass, and my parents for raising such a spoiled brat because that is what you have done the last 10 times I have tried to explain myself.

 

[unkadug]

Because I have said it several times and it is getting old. So here it goes again I would not have gotten my sleeping children up for that woman in that story . If she was in fact as rude as stated in the story I would have been put out out by her attitude that her needs were more important them those of ny children. The way I would have dealt with this particular women is not how I would have dealt with others in wheelchairs or EVC's.

So now that I have stated that once again feel free to question my parenting skills , criticize my moral compass, and my parents for raising such a spoiled brat because that is what you have done the last 10 times I have tried to explain myself.

Just out of curiosity, would you also refuse to move your vehicle if it was improperly parked in a handicap zone, if you thought that the handicapped person needing the space was rude?

 

[luv]

Because I have said it several times and it is getting old. So here it goes again I would not have gotten my sleeping children up for that woman in that story . If she was in fact as rude as stated in the story I would have been put out out by her attitude that her needs were more important them those of ny children. The way I would have dealt with this particular women is not how I would have dealt with others in wheelchairs or EVC's.

So now that I have stated that once again feel free to question my parenting skills , criticize my moral compass, and my parents for raising such a spoiled brat because that is what you have done the last 10 times I have tried to explain myself.

So, it's on a case-by-case basis, then.

Charming.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[minninedaisy74]

Just out of curiosity, would you also refuse to move your vehicle if it was improperly parked in a handicap zone, if you thought that the handicapped person needing the space was rude?

Don't park in handicap spots so it wouldn't an issue!

 

[unkadug]

Don't park in handicap spots so it wouldn't an issue!

Then why sit in a handicap seat?