Like many of you, I have been fortunate enough to visit Disney World and Universal a number of times. My most recent visit was my first time using a mobility device. It was eye opening. Previously, I had visited the parks with extended family who needed to use mobility devices like strollers and ECV's, so I thought I had some idea. Nope.
PHEW!
First, I want to say that most of the staff at both Universal and WDW were wonderful and kind, especially the staff at Universal.
Second, a number of strangers were nice about holding doors. That kindness seems to have been instilled in many people. When it came to gates though, like the monorail gates, nope. Most people made NO effort to even hold the gate behind them at all. They just let it slam shut. I didn't expect anyone to actually stand and hold the gate open long enough for me to entirely pass through, but most folks couldn't even be bothered to hold it so it stayed open as they passed through. Just that extra second would have been very helpful.
What really surprised me was the experience of handicapped bathroom stalls. PLEASE be considerate when opting to use/not use the handicapped stall. There are a number of legitimate reasons people may need to use the larger stall, and we all sometimes have to wait our turn, but I'm also quite sure a number of folks choose the large stall for purely selfish reasons.
Please remember that wheelchair users have no choice but to use the larger stalls, and there is often only 1 stall. Time and again I found bathrooms with mostly empty stalls, EXCEPT the handicapped stall was being used by someone that likely did not need to use the larger stall. (Hint- they apologized on their way out or made a big effort to avoid making eye contact.) Other times, I waited a good while, but the wait was long, ahem. I found a way to hobble/hop into a regular stall. It was hard to hop on a wet floor on just one (tired) leg, but not every wheelchair user can do what I did.
I also encountered many stalls that were nasty. It was gross having to use a handrail after someone else left bathroom trash on the handrail. I also encountered a LOT of unflushed toilets. Eww! Mind, I'm not just thinking of my own needs. I was able to hobble into a regular stall, but many disabled folks can't. When using the handicapped stall, please make an effort to flush the toilet.
Mind, I didn't call anyone out. I'm just asking everyone to TRY to be considerate.
Out in the open, it was also crazy the number of people who cut me off, ran right in front of me, nearly trampled me, and some who even kicked/hit me- without apologizing. I thought I had seen plenty of discourteous behavior before, but this trip was truly eye-opening.
I was CONSTANTLY being cut-off, blocked, and I encountered a number of parents who actually PUSHED their children DIRECTLY in front of me, so that I had no choice but to immediately STOP to avoid running them over. And this was just like on a random path on the way through Epcot where there was PLENTY of room to walk on either side of me. Just wow!
Now that I've gotten all that off my chest, I greatly appreciate the folks who do take a moment out of their day to help. I've met some very kindhearted nurses, PT's, taxi drivers, and strangers who DID take a moment out of their day to help. Those little acts of kindness go a long way to make up for the folks who are less considerate.
PHEW!
First, I want to say that most of the staff at both Universal and WDW were wonderful and kind, especially the staff at Universal.
Second, a number of strangers were nice about holding doors. That kindness seems to have been instilled in many people. When it came to gates though, like the monorail gates, nope. Most people made NO effort to even hold the gate behind them at all. They just let it slam shut. I didn't expect anyone to actually stand and hold the gate open long enough for me to entirely pass through, but most folks couldn't even be bothered to hold it so it stayed open as they passed through. Just that extra second would have been very helpful.
What really surprised me was the experience of handicapped bathroom stalls. PLEASE be considerate when opting to use/not use the handicapped stall. There are a number of legitimate reasons people may need to use the larger stall, and we all sometimes have to wait our turn, but I'm also quite sure a number of folks choose the large stall for purely selfish reasons.
Please remember that wheelchair users have no choice but to use the larger stalls, and there is often only 1 stall. Time and again I found bathrooms with mostly empty stalls, EXCEPT the handicapped stall was being used by someone that likely did not need to use the larger stall. (Hint- they apologized on their way out or made a big effort to avoid making eye contact.) Other times, I waited a good while, but the wait was long, ahem. I found a way to hobble/hop into a regular stall. It was hard to hop on a wet floor on just one (tired) leg, but not every wheelchair user can do what I did.
I also encountered many stalls that were nasty. It was gross having to use a handrail after someone else left bathroom trash on the handrail. I also encountered a LOT of unflushed toilets. Eww! Mind, I'm not just thinking of my own needs. I was able to hobble into a regular stall, but many disabled folks can't. When using the handicapped stall, please make an effort to flush the toilet.
Mind, I didn't call anyone out. I'm just asking everyone to TRY to be considerate.
Out in the open, it was also crazy the number of people who cut me off, ran right in front of me, nearly trampled me, and some who even kicked/hit me- without apologizing. I thought I had seen plenty of discourteous behavior before, but this trip was truly eye-opening.
I was CONSTANTLY being cut-off, blocked, and I encountered a number of parents who actually PUSHED their children DIRECTLY in front of me, so that I had no choice but to immediately STOP to avoid running them over. And this was just like on a random path on the way through Epcot where there was PLENTY of room to walk on either side of me. Just wow!
Now that I've gotten all that off my chest, I greatly appreciate the folks who do take a moment out of their day to help. I've met some very kindhearted nurses, PT's, taxi drivers, and strangers who DID take a moment out of their day to help. Those little acts of kindness go a long way to make up for the folks who are less considerate.
