I think we agree, but our perspective is different. The nuance is that in terms of motivation, I don’t think these people see themselves as cheaters or liars.
I would sum up your view as 'the audience in need is growing' in part to the new extenuating factors of what it means to experience the parks.
While I can agree that element would exist... I don't think it covers the bulk of the change in usage that were observed. Visiting the parks hasn't changed that much - these populations weren't being pushed into being park commandos by operational changes. The folks that took things slowly, by choice or need, still are going to do that. That audience tends to book for extended stays knowing that's their style.
IMO what has changed is multiple factors including...
- The expansion and addressing of what I will lump (very poorly BTW) under 'spectrum disorders'. This has a multiplying effect because people that otherwise would have just considered their kids conditions something individual... they now get to stake claim to something more recognized, and in so gets attached to other larger things.. like being labeled a 'disability'.. and what comes along with that
- The societal shifts towards inclusion and pushing acceptance of that as the default expectation has made it so being labeled 'disabled' isn't as much a scarlet letter as it used to be. As such, many more people are willing to be more open about their issues, and thus be open to calling themselves 'disabled' or willing to accept help
- The expansion of services in schools is leading to a lot more people being diagnosed, and in turn a lot more people exposed to, and learning what accommodations can be for them. Instead of individually suffering, the expansion of accommodations in school (vs the old methods of special education) has effectively 'main streamed' accommodations to many that in years prior would never really been exposed to that kind of individualized opportunity. People are being exposed to what it means to have accommodations in much higher numbers than in generations prior
So those points together mean you have a lot more people willing and able to label their conditions as disabilities.. a society that is shifting to make it so someone isn't looked down upon who is labeled as having a disability... and whole audiences getting exposed to what individual accommodations can be through programs like IEPs. Now you have a whole new generation of parents and children who have lived through this and now have a new baseline expectation of how things should be in terms of being recognized, acceptance, and entitlements.
Combine that with the expansion of what is covered as a disability for accommodations. This started 20+ years ago when the ADA was clarified to not be limited to physical disabilities, but has been accelerating more and more as the aforementioned societal shift about inclusion is happening... combined with a surge in the population now considered as having a disability.. And you can see a huge growth in the size of your customer base who is now informed enough to SEEK OUT accommodations... not just suffer in silence.
Now take on the same societal acceptance of 'disability' and inclusion and people that may have otherwise been suffering individually from physical alliments but were not willing to put their issues out in public, but are more willing to now.
And that's just the population that IS SUPPOSED to be covered... You basically have a shift in the expectation of your customers and a huge growth in the size of that audience.
Then you have your grey area or cheaters....
While society has made inclusion something that is to be expected.. we also have been tolerating more and more selfish behavior with greater risks to standing up to people. This creates the opportunity for people to worse humans with less fear of repercussions. That opportunity is just undeniable to many. Why would someone with a normal job and family become a porch pirate on a whim? Because the temptation is too strong with basically zero fear of repercussions.
It's similar here... the temptation of what you gain is just too powerful with almost zero risk. Add that to the society embracing inclusion.. and there is even LESS negatives than before of being seen this way. And lying? Who are they are to challenge me? The selfish and 'hands off' expectations that are so common now basically creates safe harbors for this bad behavior to flourish. The 'barrier to entry' is lower, and people's attitudes make them care less about the morality of what they are doing.
Add in Disney's extreme customer service, and extreme hands-off attitude towards customers.. and you have a utopia for those willing to turn off that morality check ... because its a victimless crime and what recourse would they face? No one dare stand up to them... because that's not cool anymore either.
Then taking away FP just throws gas on that fire.. adding people thinking its just getting back what they thought they were entitled to in the first place, etc.
All very long... but I don't think it's Disney that really spurred this change en large... It's what society is doing and that shift has overloaded Disney's prior approach to things. The G+ vs FP thing is gas... but it's not the spark, nor is it the one conditioning people before they even get to a Disney park.
