New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[Angel Ariel]

That companion doesn’t have to be a caregiver, it can just be a friend.

I think this was the point that someone was trying to make earlier that was missed. A person with a disability using AQR should be able to have a companion - regardless of whether or not that person provides care to the disabled person. Caregivers and companions are different things.

(And perhaps they can - but the wording I've seen consistently is caregiver, and that does mean something specific to people with disabilities).

 

[Chi84]

Again, these types of facilities cannot be segregated. You can’t have a group restroom with a wheelchair accessible stall, even if there is a wheelchair accessible restroom right outside. You cannot have the wheelchair accessible section in a theater. You cannot group all of the different accessible hotel rooms in one part of a hotel.

Forcing a person to be alone is a separation. That’s why venues have to have companion seats, so that a disabled person isn’t forced to be alone. That companion doesn’t have to be a caregiver, it can just be a friend.

But no one is forcing anything. Disney is offering an accommodation to skip standing in line.

Disney is not forcing disabled people to ride in separate cars or sit in separate sections in theaters. Everyone is allowed to experience the attractions together.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Disney is not forcing disabled people to ride in separate cars or sit in separate sections in theaters. Everyone is allowed to experience the attractions together.

Visiting the theme park, as a whole, is part of the experience.

You can’t possibly believe it’s right to tell a disabled person they have to wait alone outside of the attraction?

 

[lazyboy97o]

But no one is forcing anything. Disney is offering an accommodation to skip standing in line.

Disney is not forcing disabled people to ride in separate cars or sit in separate sections in theaters. Everyone is allowed to experience the attractions together.

Yes they are. It’s either receive the accommodation and be alone or don’t. There is an underlying philosophy that you don’t isolate people being accommodated.

 

[Chi84]

Yes they are. It’s either receive the accommodation and be alone or don’t. There is an underlying philosophy that you don’t isolate people being accommodated.

I don’t see this as an ADA issue. It’s more of a preference or customer service question. In any event it doesn’t seem to be a problem in real life just yet.

 

[MintCity]

Yes they are. It’s either receive the accommodation and be alone or don’t. There is an underlying philosophy that you don’t isolate people being accommodated.

The point being made earlier with the Tik toc is how many need to stay with? Is it the whole party? Is it 1? Can the remaining party remain in line while the disabled guest and a companion wait?

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

The point being made earlier with the Tik toc is how many need to stay with? Is it the whole party? Is it 1? Can the remaining party remain in line while the disabled guest and a companion wait?

Everybody in this thread has continued to say “a companion”

 

[lazyboy97o]

The point being made earlier with the Tik toc is how many need to stay with? Is it the whole party? Is it 1? Can the remaining party remain in line while the disabled guest and a companion wait?

One to two companions would align with other minimum requirements (one) and best practices (two or more) for things like seating.

 

[Chi84]

The point being made earlier with the Tik toc is how many need to stay with? Is it the whole party? Is it 1? Can the remaining party remain in line while the disabled guest and a companion wait?

That’s where the problems come in. Suppose you have a disabled person who does not need an aide but would like company while they wait. She’s there with her sister and three kids under 14. Now you have 5 people leaving the line because Disney is trying to extend a line skip accommodation to one person.

But it’s really not productive to go too far down this line. Until there is some evidence of people not willing to leave the line alone and rejoin their party it’s pretty much a made-up issue.

 

[lazyboy97o]

But it’s really not productive to go too far down this line. Until there is some evidence of people not willing to leave the line alone and rejoin their party it’s pretty much a made-up issue.

People dealing with a lousy offer doesn’t make something a made up situation. This is why so many blatant violations go unchanged and are perpetuated, because people tire of the constant arguing and just deal with the lousy situation.

 

[NotTheOne]

Again, these types of facilities cannot be segregated. You can’t have a group restroom with a wheelchair accessible stall, even if there is a wheelchair accessible restroom right outside. You cannot have the wheelchair accessible section in a theater. You cannot group all of the different accessible hotel rooms in one part of a hotel.

Forcing a person to be alone is a separation. That’s why venues have to have companion seats, so that a disabled person isn’t forced to be alone. That companion doesn’t have to be a caregiver, it can just be a friend.

Experiencing an attraction and waiting to experience an attraction are two different things. I agree that Disney is required to allow a caregiver to wait outside the line with a disabled person, but I don't believe they are required to allow a non-caregiver companion to wait outside the line with a disabled person.

 

[NotTheOne]

That’s where the problems come in. Suppose you have a disabled person who does not need an aide but would like company while they wait. She’s there with her sister and three kids under 14. Now you have 5 people leaving the line because Disney is trying to extend a line skip accommodation to one person.

But it’s really not productive to go too far down this line. Until there is some evidence of people not willing to leave the line alone and rejoin their party it’s pretty much a made-up issue.

Yep. Back to the same old want v. need.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Experiencing an attraction and waiting to experience an attraction are two different things. I agree that Disney is required to allow a caregiver to wait outside the line with a disabled person, but I don't believe they are required to allow a non-caregiver companion to wait outside the line with a disabled person.

Getting into a museum is different than actually experiencing the museum but you can’t put the ramp around back.

 

[Chi84]

Experiencing an attraction and waiting to experience an attraction are two different things. I agree that Disney is required to allow a caregiver to wait outside the line with a disabled person, but I don't believe they are required to allow a non-caregiver companion to wait outside the line with a disabled person.

At this point, I wouldn’t speak in terms of requirements - just what people believe is necessary and reasonable. There are no express requirements.

 

[Chi84]

Yep. Back to the same old want v. need.

And I’m not sure it’s even a want.

 

[Angel Ariel]

And I’m not sure it’s even a

I'm not sure why there's question of it being a want?

The companion seating at theatres for example is not limited or specific to caregivers - it's for a companion. And it's not just for the movie itself, but for any and all wait time from the time the theatre doors open until the movie begins. That's not so far removed from the experience of a queue to think there aren't people with disabilities who *want* to be able to wait with a companion (not caregiver) when using AQR.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Even if it’s allowed, making someone do something alone to be accommodated is just a jerk move, doubly so at a place marketed as a social activity with friends and family. It is very much against the tend of how disabilities have been handled. We’ve moved away from dedicated schools and classes towards more integration. We’ve moved away from accessible seating areas. We’ve moved away from separate but adjacent accessible restrooms. Telling someone to chose between something like severe physical pain or being alone is just being cruel.

 

[NotTheOne]

Even if it’s allowed, making someone do something alone to be accommodated is just a jerk move, doubly so at a place marketed as a social activity with friends and family. It is very much against the tend of how disabilities have been handled. We’ve moved away from dedicated schools and classes towards more integration. We’ve moved away from accessible seating areas. We’ve moved away from separate but adjacent accessible restrooms. Telling someone to chose between something like severe physical pain or being alone is just being cruel.

Waiting alone and riding alone are two very different things. I may have missed it, but I haven't seen any cases where Disney is making people ride alone.

 

[Chi84]

I'm not sure why there's question of it being a want?

The companion seating at theatres for example is not limited or specific to caregivers - it's for a companion. And it's not just for the movie itself, but for any and all wait time from the time the theatre doors open until the movie begins. That's not so far removed from the experience of a queue to think there aren't people with disabilities who *want* to be able to wait with a companion (not caregiver) when using AQR.

Queues at WDW are distinguishable from waiting to enter a theater. When you go to a movie, you access the theater, wait to enter, watch the show and leave. The theater isn’t separately selling a skip the line system because waiting is short and a one and done. Waiting is a non-issue.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Waiting alone and riding alone are two very different things. I may have missed it, but I haven't seen any cases where Disney is making people ride alone.

Yes, they are different. Waiting is when everyone’s attention isn’t elsewhere. It’s when people have time to socialize with their group.