GAC to Become DAS

[minninedaisy74]

What's interesting to me is that 30 years ago there was a 1 in 2,500 diagnosis of autism...now the rate is more like 1 in 100 children are diagnosed with it.

PLEASE STOP SAYING FOTL PASS!!!!! I don't see anywhere in this thread that says we, parents of disabled kids, expect front of the line access. several people have said this over the past few pages and I am sick of it. i have posted many times in this very thread about my 5 year old son who walks with a walker but is not wheelchair bound and who has zero cognitive delay. we don't expect FOTL access and never have. We used the GAC several times and were hoping the use the DAS on our next three scheduled trips (we live in Baltimore, so a trip to WDW is not a 15 minute ride). We fully agreed something had to change and the DAS seems to be an acceptable alternative, except that everyone is saying that it is ONLY for kids or people with cognative disabilities. I don't expect to go to the front of the line over and over, but I do expect WDW to accomodate my son who standing in the lines in his walker is not only extremely tiring for him, but it is a hazard to him and others around him. For him to not qualify for a DAS is my biggest complaint. But please STOP saying that many on this board are complaining that there is no more FOTL access.

Go back and read all 128 pages or on any Disney forum discussing this topic and you will find people who don't agree with the new system and the fact that it now requires a small waiting period. Their argument is that their kid doesn't have the cognitive ability to wait and not being able to hop right on the ride(some saying they should be able to do this continually) is going to cause undue stress on the child and the family and will ruin their entire vacation. Oh and for the record I don't blame you for being bothered that your kid may not be included in the new DAS. I have no problem with those with both physical and mental disabilities actually hopping to the FOLT once or twice per ride my aggravation is with those who think Disney owes them this privilege and parents like Autism Hippy who think they should be able to ride things like Peter Pan 10 times in a row with no wait. Please don't say Autism Hippy is in the minority because she is absolutely not.

 

[Gomer]

Please don't say Autism Hippy is in the minority because she is absolutely not.

I'm a somewhat reasonable guy. Show me some proof that Autism Hippy is truly the model of prevalent behavior amongst the majority of those in the autism community visiting WDW and I will change my entire tone in this thread in support of your opinions. If that were true I would be horrified by my fellow human beings in the autism community.

But I don't see it. I see some people of questionable sanity who post to message boards (historically an attractor for extreme opinions outside the norm) and a quick flare out of frustration amongst some people in California that died as quickly as it began after their protests failed to be recognized. All that remains are some anecdotal stories of complaints at guest relations by a few entitled and obnoxious individuals. But nothing even close to a majority of the over 3 million estimated people affected with Autism in the United States alone.

Every community has some people with outlying opinions that talk loudly and get a lot of attention. That doesn't make them a majority. It is a generalization based on a few outliers. We are not the sum of our lowest common denominators.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

unfortunately, the handheld devices really disappointed me.
they never worked..rebooted by themselves.. battery warnings on the middle despite being 98% full.. didn't display the close CC text.. an hassle to carry them around for nothing D:

reflective captioning at the Fantasmic! show at Hollywood studios was also not working.. :/

What about one of those amplifying devices? Would that work for you or would it interfere with your aid?

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Go back and read all 128 pages or on any Disney forum discussing this topic and you will find people who don't agree with the new system and the fact that it now requires a small waiting period.

Okay, the old system once you were in line required a small waiting period. We would sometimes have to wait as long as 20 minutes, and for that reason used standby if it was 30 minutes or less. It was never a front of the line pass.

Personally, I think that the new pass will work fine as they had a similar system with it in DCA with RSR. My only concern is that if it's the wait time minus 15 and we wait for 30 minutes in FP (known to happen) we'll have essentially waited longer for the ride. Granted, we'll be off doing other things, but still. Racers only have a 45 minute out of line wait ever, and then 20-30 minutes standing in line. It worked fine for us. Combined with FP+ and regular FPs, I think my parents and brother will do fine in January. I'm going separately from them in January because of school, but I'll get their feedback on it when they come back.

 

[minninedaisy74]

I'm a somewhat reasonable guy. Show me some proof that Autism Hippy is truly the model of prevalent behavior amongst the majority of those in the autism community visiting WDW and I will change my entire tone in this thread in support of your opinions. If that were true I would be horrified by my fellow human beings in the autism community.

But I don't see it. I see some people of questionable sanity who post to message boards (historically an attractor for extreme opinions outside the norm) and a quick flare out of frustration amongst some people in California that died as quickly as it began after their protests failed to be recognized. All that remains are some anecdotal stories of complaints at guest relations by a few entitled and obnoxious individuals. But nothing even close to a majority of the over 3 million estimated people affected with Autism in the United States alone.

Every community has some people with outlying opinions that talk loudly and get a lot of attention. That doesn't make them a majority. It is a generalization based on a few outliers. We are not the sum of our lowest common denominators.

Yes I am sure there are more logical thinking people like yourself then Autism Hippie however they aren't the ones who have taken to the internet with their personal feelings on the subject. She alone has almost 3000 followers on FB and if you do quick a search the internet is full of blogs of parents crying fowl with Disney's new policy. Again I have nothing against those who need special accommodations and I would gladly let a 100 families with special needs individuals go right in front of me with no problem but it is the whole attitude that Disney owes them special accommodations that go beyond the law and if you don't agree with that you hate the disabled.

Also when did ADHD become a disability or one that would fall under the ADA?

 

[Gomer]

Yes I am sure there are more logical thinking people like yourself then Autism Hippie however they aren't the ones who have taken to the internet with their personal feelings on the subject. She alone has almost 3000 followers on FB and if you do quick a search the internet is full of blogs of parents crying fowl with Disney's new policy.

Really those numbers are a drop in the bucket though. 3+ million diagnosed with multiple family members. You are talking over 7-10 million possibly who might consider following her in the US. so, 3k is about as low as 3 one hundredths of a percent of the US autism community. I mean 25k people signed the petition for the US government to build a Death Star. People on the internet are crazy and shouldn't be held up as a standard. They should be looked at for exactly what they are. A crazy, loud, and very small minority of the population. The good news is, they are also yelling mostly for their own enjoyment. Outside of these message boards, no one is really talking about this anymore. A few sensationalist news stories, and then it faded. Autism hippie and her cohorts aren't gaining any ground in this battle. They are flailing and screaming into nothingness. No one but those of us discussing here, or at other meaningless message boards, is listening.

Again I have nothing against those who need special accommodations and I would gladly let a 100 families with special needs individuals go right in front of me with no problem but it is the whole attitude that Disney owes them special accommodations that go beyond the law and if you don't agree with that you hate the disabled.

On this we agree. Disney owes us nothing. Legally or otherwise. They do it because they see a monetary benefit in it. There's a very simple reason Autism is still allowed a DAS. There are a lot of us, Disney Parks are very popular amongst the Autism demographic, and we bring a lot of repeat money in. 3million+ estimated as diagnosed and growing by 10-15% every year. We are predictable spenders which is their primary target now as has been seen in Next Gen. People who think that Disney owes this legally or morally aren't going to get anywhere. Its a business, and as long as Disney sees a profit in offering the DAS, they will continue to do so.

 

[JLipnick]

Oh gosh. It's not about not being able to play sports, but about finding a sport you can do. I used to dance and my asthma is horrible (and I mean, put me into the hospital bad). It's one thing to say, "not outside" because of temperature or allergies. I don't exercise outside if it's below 50 degrees. But indoors is fine usually. Most people with asthma can do badminton or volleyball. Wish I were as lucky with you and the soccer. I ride an exercise bike indoors at full speed on a regular basis. Running for more than a minute makes me wheeze. All about finding the right type!

But anyway, off the asthma topic...

There is a big difference from not being able to play sports due to a disability to not being able to just run and play on a playground or go roller skating or ride a bike, etc... I think this is what people who have never dealt with a child with a physical disability fail to understand. You take so many things for granted. Case in point, I saw for the first time my son ( who is 5 and can't walk on his own) get so upset that he couldn't do things everyone else his age and those younger and older than he when we went to a roller skating party. everyone else was roller skating. he could have had they let his walker on the rink but they wouldn't and so he couldn't participate. I know there are things he is going to have to just understand he can't do, but there is no way you are going to reason with a 5 year old regardless of a disability or not.

So all this talk about laws and disney not having to go above and beyond ADA means nothing. How about some compassion? Disney shows a ton of compassion when it doesn't have to every day, especially to kids. You don't need laws to show a 5 year old experiences he may not normally be able to have.

StarWarsGirl95 - this was not directed at you. it was just a response to the playing sports topic...

 

[JLipnick]

Yes I am sure there are more logical thinking people like yourself then Autism Hippie however they aren't the ones who have taken to the internet with their personal feelings on the subject. She alone has almost 3000 followers on FB and if you do quick a search the internet is full of blogs of parents crying fowl with Disney's new policy. Again I have nothing against those who need special accommodations and I would gladly let a 100 families with special needs individuals go right in front of me with no problem but it is the whole attitude that Disney owes them special accommodations that go beyond the law and if you don't agree with that you hate the disabled.

Also when did ADHD become a disability or one that would fall under the ADA?

And I bet very few if any of her 3000 followers use these boards. I recall about a dozen or two posters on this thread alone with either kids or siblings with disabilities and maybe one or two questioned the new policy. most including myself said we will see how it works and will adjust. however, the biggest complaint about it which has NOTHING to do with AutismHippie's views is that appears to be ONLY for those with cognative disabilities, not physical disabilities. So all we are looking for is to be included in the program as we were before. We are not looking for them to change it back so we can go through every FP+ line as much as we want.

 

[Gomer]

There is a big difference from not being able to play sports due to a disability to not being able to just run and play on a playground or go roller skating or ride a bike, etc... I think this is what people who have never dealt with a child with a physical disability fail to understand. You take so many things for granted. Case in point, I saw for the first time my son ( who is 5 and can't walk on his own) get so upset that he couldn't do things everyone else his age and those younger and older than he when we went to a roller skating party. everyone else was roller skating. he could have had they let his walker on the rink but they wouldn't and so he couldn't participate. I know there are things he is going to have to just understand he can't do, but there is no way you are going to reason with a 5 year old regardless of a disability or not.

So all this talk about laws and disney not having to go above and beyond ADA means nothing. How about some compassion? Disney shows a ton of compassion when it doesn't have to every day, especially to kids. You don't need laws to show a 5 year old experiences he may not normally be able to have.

StarWarsGirl95 - this was not directed at you. it was just a response to the playing sports topic...

I agree with everything you said, but if you are waiting on Disney for compassion for compassion's sake, you may be waiting a long while. Call me cynical, but these days Disney only seems to show compassion in support of their image. They do it as a PR tactic to increase the bottom line, not because of the seemingly extinct "Disney culture" that once existed. At times, it seems as if they do it because that is what is expected of Disney, not because it is part of their business model. If you want to be included in the DAS program, your best bet is to find a way to make Disney think it is in their own interests monetarily. Otherwise, I would fear it won't happen. I hope I am wrong, but this is how things seem at this point in time.

 

[Cesar R M]

What about one of those amplifying devices? Would that work for you or would it interfere with your aid?

my issue is not exactly of "not hearing" but actually more of "not understanding".
(that's what happens when you get chemo and your cochlea cells die)

I cant read lips in english (id say less than 20%, compared to my 60% of Spanish) very well.. the issue is ... you cant read the lips of an speaker system

 

[StarWarsGirl]

my issue is not exactly of "not hearing" but actually more of "not understanding".
(that's what happens when you get chemo and your cochlea cells die)

I cant read lips in english (id say less than 20%, compared to my 60% of Spanish) very well.. the issue is ... you cant read the lips of an speaker system

I got ya. That would have to be hard, being in a country where they don't speak your native language and being hard of hearing

 

[Cesar R M]

I got ya. That would have to be hard, being in a country where they don't speak your native language and being hard of hearing

Believe it or not, not the first time I've been in that type of problems.
Its not like its going to stop someone from enjoying their experience (in Disney for example)

If things get ugly, there is always a cell phone to write stuff up (or the good old pencil and paper)

 

[minninedaisy74]

And I bet very few if any of her 3000 followers use these boards. I recall about a dozen or two posters on this thread alone with either kids or siblings with disabilities and maybe one or two questioned the new policy. most including myself said we will see how it works and will adjust. however, the biggest complaint about it which has NOTHING to do with AutismHippie's views is that appears to be ONLY for those with cognative disabilities, not physical disabilities. So all we are looking for is to be included in the program as we were before. We are not looking for them to change it back so we can go through every FP+ line as much as we want.

What in any of my responses leads you to believe that I am talking about you or any other parents with children who have physical disabilities? I am not sure what you don't understand because I have stated it several times that I am referring to those parents that are behaving like Autism Hippy ! I am not sure why you keep trying to make it all about you and your son as if I am attacking you or something? I will say this though to insist Disney offer you anything then what the law mandates definitely makes one think you have a definite since if entitlement.

 

[luv]

That Hippie woman is one little crackpot on the Internet. I think she is far less deserving of all the talk and attention she receives than you give her. If you all have personal grudges, why not take them up with her?

She really isn't of any importance at all and the constant obsessing about her does no good.

 

[mr spalding]

We all know that Disney is a physically demanding destination and as a parent of a disabled child (Cerebral Palsy) who is wheelchair bound and heat intolerant, I think it is unconscionable that Disney would not give a physically disabled child like mine a DAS in order to wait out of the sun. This kowtowing by Disney to the autistic, who have no physical disabilities, is an insult to those who are truly disabled and need the help of the pass in order to have a reasonable equivalent Disney experience. And for you internet bullies on here, I don't want to hear any of this "well, maybe your kid shouldn't go to Disney" BS because we have three perfectly healthy children and they do have every right to visit Disney let alone our disabled child. God forbid that some frail child, who will never be able to experience life as you know it, get a helping hand. You browbeaters should be ashamed of your selfishness.

 

[Nemo14]

We all know that Disney is a physically demanding destination and as a parent of a disabled child (Cerebral Palsy) who is wheelchair bound and heat intolerant, I think it is unconscionable that Disney would not give a physically disabled child like mine a DAS in order to wait out of the sun. This kowtowing by Disney to the autistic, who have no physical disabilities, is an insult to those who are truly disabled and need the help of the pass in order to have a reasonable equivalent Disney experience. And for you internet bullies on here, I don't want to hear any of this "well, maybe your kid shouldn't go to Disney" BS because we have three perfectly healthy children and they do have every right to visit Disney let alone our disabled child. God forbid that some frail child, who will never be able to experience life as you know it, get a helping hand. You browbeaters should be ashamed of your selfishness.

So, this thread has once again turned into a "peeing contest" about who is more disabled?
The fact of the matter is that Disney more than complies with Federal law concerning ADA standards, and anything else they may choose to offer is gravy. You don't have to like it anymore than any of us have to like the general decline in quality at WDW in general, but it is what it is.

 

[fosse76]

We all know that Disney is a physically demanding destination and as a parent of a disabled child (Cerebral Palsy) who is wheelchair bound and heat intolerant, I think it is unconscionable that Disney would not give a physically disabled child like mine a DAS in order to wait out of the sun.

I'm struggling to identify any queue without cover. So that argument is extremely weak.

This kowtowing by Disney to the autistic, who have no physical disabilities, is an insult to those who are truly disabled and need the help of the pass in order to have a reasonable equivalent Disney experience.

NO ONE is legally entitled to an "equivalent" experience. People are only entitled to reasonable access. There's no such thing as an equivalent experience.

And for you internet bullies on here, I don't want to hear any of this "well, maybe your kid shouldn't go to Disney" BS because we have three perfectly healthy children and they do have every right to visit Disney let alone our disabled child. God forbid that some frail child, who will never be able to experience life as you know it, get a helping hand. You browbeaters should be ashamed of your selfishness.

Above you want an equivalent experience. Now you want a "helping hand," which would give you an advantage other guests don't receive thereby eliminating the equivalence. Which is it you want?

 

[mr spalding]

So, this thread has once again turned into a "peeing contest" about who is more disabled?
The fact of the matter is that Disney more than complies with Federal law concerning ADA standards, and anything else they may choose to offer is gravy. You don't have to like it anymore than any of us have to like the general decline in quality at WDW in general, but it is what it is.

Are all of the rides wheelchair accessible? NO. Do people who are wheelchair bound have to wait longer on some rides? YES. Disney is discriminating against those with physically disabilities because of this and then they rub our noses in it by giving the cry baby autistic people a pass.

 

[wm49rs]

We all know that Disney is a physically demanding destination and as a parent of a disabled child (Cerebral Palsy) who is wheelchair bound and heat intolerant, I think it is unconscionable that Disney would not give a physically disabled child like mine a DAS in order to wait out of the sun. This kowtowing by Disney to the autistic, who have no physical disabilities, is an insult to those who are truly disabled and need the help of the pass in order to have a reasonable equivalent Disney experience. And for you internet bullies on here, I don't want to hear any of this "well, maybe your kid shouldn't go to Disney" BS because we have three perfectly healthy children and they do have every right to visit Disney let alone our disabled child. God forbid that some frail child, who will never be able to experience life as you know it, get a helping hand. You browbeaters should be ashamed of your selfishness.

Oh the irony....

 

[CaptainessKylie]

We all know that Disney is a physically demanding destination and as a parent of a disabled child (Cerebral Palsy) who is wheelchair bound and heat intolerant, I think it is unconscionable that Disney would not give a physically disabled child like mine a DAS in order to wait out of the sun. This kowtowing by Disney to the autistic, who have no physical disabilities, is an insult to those who are truly disabled and need the help of the pass in order to have a reasonable equivalent Disney experience. And for you internet bullies on here, I don't want to hear any of this "well, maybe your kid shouldn't go to Disney" BS because we have three perfectly healthy children and they do have every right to visit Disney let alone our disabled child. God forbid that some frail child, who will never be able to experience life as you know it, get a helping hand. You browbeaters should be ashamed of your selfishness.

You are so bloody ignorant. Your argument is so valid and I was agreeing with you until you decided to belittle people with disabilities that aren't CP. What about the people with CP that aren't in a wheelchair, are they not TRULY disabled? You seriously need to learn some compassion. You clearly have none and think your child rules the world and its people like you and the entitlement stigma that ruined it for people like my family and others.

It's degrading to people with non-autism disabilities that Disney has decided this is the only disability that exists. You can do something like I am, write to Scope, inform them, write to some of the autism charities, inform them too, make a point. How would you feel if someone came on here and said well at least my child with autism gets a DAS because he is truly disabled and you can just be accomodated with the shade. I can only hope your children haven't been raised thinking that CP isn't the be all and end all of disabilties. We need a world that is equal disability or not and you have just made the world of disability unequal.