ddrongowski
Well-Known Member
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GAC to Become DAS
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JerseyDad
Well-Known Member
....well ....I have ....and I sent requests for an expanded ...BOTH sides of the coin story related to this issue to NBC News / Today Show ....and to CNN, who did a completely one sided story on this earlier this week.
OswaldTheRabbit
Well-Known Member
I just wanted to chime in here about the mom in the video.
As a mom with an autistic son her behavior is not something that I would ever do. It is just not acceptable to be a ranting jerk.... Period. Workers are people too and should be respected and treated civilly.
A jerk is a jerk..... Autistic kid or not. Clearly this is how she deals with things. Appalling.....
As a mom with an autistic son her behavior is not something that I would ever do. It is just not acceptable to be a ranting jerk.... Period. Workers are people too and should be respected and treated civilly.
A jerk is a jerk..... Autistic kid or not. Clearly this is how she deals with things. Appalling.....
Aurora1
Well-Known Member
100% agreed. Most people would think she's a horrible human being even if she didn't have an autistic son... it just happens to align with the issues at hand right now. I would be so embarrassed if that was my family member and they treated cast members that way.
pais
Member
It's a shame that, as always, the loud nasty people try to be the face of an entire group. Her son seems like a great kid though. She's the only one ruining his chances to enjoy Disney.
minninedaisy74
Active Member
Yeah I agree her response to the her sons situation at the festival makes her seem like a very rational and compassionate mom of a truly Autistic son. I can't really grasp why her reaction with Disney's new rule is so over he top since it seems in other everyday life events she seems to want her son to at least try to conform to society's norms.Here is a story she wrote on her blog about 2 weeks ago. I totally believe her last line (under the pic)....its about the smartest thing I've seen from her all day. Oh, the irony of that statement. I believe she is about to find that out firsthand.
http://autismhippie.blogspot.com/2013/09/lockup-raw-strawberry-festival.html
After reading the entry I now believe that all attraction CMs should dress as police officers.
NowInc
Well-Known Member
Before anyone jumps in and says that all this distaste for this particular person equates to everyone bashing autism, I will point out..yet again..that no one..not a single person..has once said anything about autistic children not deserving any sort of special assistance, or in some cases, individual special needs. I know that it will inevitably happen that someone will conveniently come here and start name calling and making wild accusations about how everyone on the forums hates the disabled...but thats just not even CLOSE to being the case.
Maybe I should put it in bold..even tho I know it will be ignored:
Any unpleasant thoughts about a person exploiting the system (or their disabled child) for their own personal gain is not reflective of the opinions anyone has on a group in its entirety. The thoughts expressed in said statements are directed at particular people and should not be considered anything else than what it is. To draw a conclusion of a persons thoughts based on a single narrative aimed at an individual and twist it to support a wild accusation upon which the result is a generalized opinion of a whole set of people is simply childish and juvenile, and I would humbly request that it stop being done as many find it insulting.
Maybe I should put it in bold..even tho I know it will be ignored:
Any unpleasant thoughts about a person exploiting the system (or their disabled child) for their own personal gain is not reflective of the opinions anyone has on a group in its entirety. The thoughts expressed in said statements are directed at particular people and should not be considered anything else than what it is. To draw a conclusion of a persons thoughts based on a single narrative aimed at an individual and twist it to support a wild accusation upon which the result is a generalized opinion of a whole set of people is simply childish and juvenile, and I would humbly request that it stop being done as many find it insulting.
pais
Member
I don't see this woman as the face of parents of children with autism at all. I know several parents of children with autism and they all handle life with grace and dignity. I admire a lot of the parents on here who work so well with their children. This woman just seems so ugly. I feel for her son, who seems like a sweet guy. If I saw them at Disney, I'd smile at him and move away--from HER--not him. I can't stand mean, loud, entitled, demanding, and aggressive people. Him, I'd have a lot of compassion for.
NowInc
Well-Known Member
I couldn't agree more. I feel really bad for HIM.
I'm a "local" as well, so my chances of running into that lady are higher than I like to think about..ugh
My second day using DAS at DHS was so much better and a different experience. Difference was the CMs. Instead on focusing so much on potential abuse they seemed more intent on explaining how the new program works for disabled guests to make their experiences in Disney better.
For instance instead of being stuck inside the wheelie queue of TSM for 30-40 mins, I was free to go over and meet Characters on Streets of America. By using DAS and the alternating 8seater they've gotten that wait down to 10-15 mins.
I don't have time to post more because we're leaving today, but I think things will work out fine. I had long talks with managers and guest relations giving my feedback and suggestions for improvement. They are meeting constantly over the next for weeks and months to tweak this until it's just right. Giving services to the disabled while monitoring possible abuse from overuse and blocking the fakers from mucking up the system.
Oh and they had a lot of similar stories like mine at EPCOT GS on day one. Guests who went to the other parks had generally positive experiences explaining their needs. It was just the one who went to EPCOT who had problems being understood. Managers told me that inconsistency is something they are correcting.
For instance instead of being stuck inside the wheelie queue of TSM for 30-40 mins, I was free to go over and meet Characters on Streets of America. By using DAS and the alternating 8seater they've gotten that wait down to 10-15 mins.
I don't have time to post more because we're leaving today, but I think things will work out fine. I had long talks with managers and guest relations giving my feedback and suggestions for improvement. They are meeting constantly over the next for weeks and months to tweak this until it's just right. Giving services to the disabled while monitoring possible abuse from overuse and blocking the fakers from mucking up the system.
Oh and they had a lot of similar stories like mine at EPCOT GS on day one. Guests who went to the other parks had generally positive experiences explaining their needs. It was just the one who went to EPCOT who had problems being understood. Managers told me that inconsistency is something they are correcting.
networkpro
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
I'm glad they're adapting their approach dynamically as well as educating how their policy should be enforced.
networkpro
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
Oh yes theres no doubt she had a preplanned agenda before she set out, its on her blog. She's also been (edited: I got lazy and put in "be" orginally) hit by a youtube takedown for her videos and moved them over to Vimeo .
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pais
Member
It sounds like Disney is doing a great job! From the two videos I have seen with cast members being grilled, the CMs came off as extremely professional and knowledgeable. Way to go Disney!
Gabe1
Ivory Tower Squabble EST 2011. WINDMILL SURVIVOR
Want to thank you for your updates, always great to read first hand experiences even if experiences vary. My DS did say they were meeting and tweaking and when they do it takes a while for all parks, CMs, resort to get on the same page. Logistically it is just a lot of people and you come back after a day off and are hit with so much info that it is a lot to take in for the CMs. They are evolving as the guests are.
It was helpful for you to share personal physical info, it made it easier to follow what you shared in the wee hours of the morning yesterday and again today. Thanks for that. Will be interested to hear more of your experience upon your return. As I said posts ago, guests that were GAC at the start of their vacation and DAS as the week on had a unique experience. Hope they iron all the wrinkles out of the system for you.
Lord_Vader
Join me, together we can rule the galaxy.
To be honest I under estimated people like this Hippie girl. I knew the unscrupulous would push the boundary and game the soft-spots... but I under estimated the determination of the 'disabled' to go out and try to shoot the system down on day one. Oh the horrors...
Irony is, the disabled guest is her son but she is perfectly able and causing all the issues but he seems perfectly happy no matter what is going on with his mother.
JerseyDad
Well-Known Member
....I guess ....given the situation for him ...it's a case where you can honestly use the phrase: Ignorance (of the situation) is bliss.
JerseyDad
Well-Known Member
flynnibus said: ↑
To be honest I under estimated people like this Hippie girl. I knew the unscrupulous would push the boundary and game the soft-spots... but I under estimated the determination of the 'disabled' to go out and try to shoot the system down on day one. Oh the horrors...
.....again ...something about her video-recorded rants just doesn't hold water for me: She pretty much has put forth the information that ...if her son is not doing what he wants to do ...when he wants to do it ...he's agitated and difficult to handle. And, the new DAS system of getting a 'return time' just won't cut it for her son. Yet, she's taking HER sweet time ....spanning several minutes in most instances .....to set up and stage these videos? Clearly there is a misplaced priority going on with her ....
GrumpyFan
Well-Known Member
After watching the video yesterday of the mom who had the meltdown, and even offering some of my own criticism of her, I've had a slight change of heart since sleeping on it. Mind you, I don't condone her actions and how she berated the CMs who were trying to help her, but I think there's something more here that Disney should look at to try and understand.
She was noticeably upset and very distraught over a program/feature that Disney has changed, that she and her son used in the past and it brought them some comfort in dealing with autism. In some regards, it could be considered therapeutic for them to visit Disney and ride his favorite attractions. I'm not an expert on Autism, but I have heard several stories similar to theirs, where they visit Disney frequently to get a "fix", and for some a "reset", if you will. It helps them cope with the condition. In some ways, I can understand this. Disney is somewhat of a "reset" for me as well. It's a temporary escape from an otherwise stressful and sometimes cruel world. So, with the changes in the assistance program, it causes them not to be able to get that fix quite as easily as before, which from what I know about Autism, just compounds the problems that can arise.
So, what should Disney do about this? Some might say nothing, they're already doing enough. I even said that yesterday. But, after thinking about it, I think there is an opportunity for Disney to come out shining like a champ on this. First, put more effort in to visibly supporting Autism organizations, and perhaps others like Give Kids the World. Second, look into re-creating the parks virtually/visually on Blu-Ray/DVD and other media such as iPad, Android, Xbox, PS3/4, etc. Build the parks and attractions digitally in such a way as to bring the magic home in an in-depth, immersive and re-playable format that can be used not only by the Autism community, but fans too who want to take the parks home with them and enjoy the attractions over and over. Disney has the talent abundant to do this, both visually thru their studios, video game developers and their research labs. This needs to happen. Not necessarily to keep people with disabilities away from the parks, but to be able to open them up and spread the magic in a way like never before, especially for those with disabilities.
She was noticeably upset and very distraught over a program/feature that Disney has changed, that she and her son used in the past and it brought them some comfort in dealing with autism. In some regards, it could be considered therapeutic for them to visit Disney and ride his favorite attractions. I'm not an expert on Autism, but I have heard several stories similar to theirs, where they visit Disney frequently to get a "fix", and for some a "reset", if you will. It helps them cope with the condition. In some ways, I can understand this. Disney is somewhat of a "reset" for me as well. It's a temporary escape from an otherwise stressful and sometimes cruel world. So, with the changes in the assistance program, it causes them not to be able to get that fix quite as easily as before, which from what I know about Autism, just compounds the problems that can arise.
So, what should Disney do about this? Some might say nothing, they're already doing enough. I even said that yesterday. But, after thinking about it, I think there is an opportunity for Disney to come out shining like a champ on this. First, put more effort in to visibly supporting Autism organizations, and perhaps others like Give Kids the World. Second, look into re-creating the parks virtually/visually on Blu-Ray/DVD and other media such as iPad, Android, Xbox, PS3/4, etc. Build the parks and attractions digitally in such a way as to bring the magic home in an in-depth, immersive and re-playable format that can be used not only by the Autism community, but fans too who want to take the parks home with them and enjoy the attractions over and over. Disney has the talent abundant to do this, both visually thru their studios, video game developers and their research labs. This needs to happen. Not necessarily to keep people with disabilities away from the parks, but to be able to open them up and spread the magic in a way like never before, especially for those with disabilities.
Gomer
Well-Known Member
I've been asking for this for years. But Disney never wants to release anything that they think might keep people at home and not in the parks. That's why they don't sell all of their attraction/area music. But, they shouldn't fear. Without the sensory stimulation that the movement of the ride vehicles provides, no video will ever replace a ride. But, it would be nice to have simulated ridethroughs instead of letting my son watch youtube videos over and over. They could really make a mint off of it if they wanted to.
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