Rich Manhattan moms hire handicapped tour guides so kids can cut lines at Disney World

[Magenta Panther]

That's so stupid and arrogant it's just unbelievable. Like a skit from South Park or something.

 

[DizFiz]

Really?.... at those rates I'd just rather wait in line and admire the scenery... I can't believe people would even do such a thing.... I actual always wondered if people actual ever abused the system and then this pops up.

 

[OldYeller]

Aside from the issues I have with the practice described, anybody who refers to themselves as the "1%" deserves every ounce of ridicule they receive.

 

[copcarguyp71]

Actually it would make a pretty funny George Costanza skit if Seinfeld was still on. No... disabilities are not funny...but sometimes irreverent humor is!

 

[ddbowdoin]

Because its a subject every close to home for many people. A lot of people here just want to stand up for their loved one. I think being able to be that logical is good to a point, but some empathy is required to balance that.

And why shouldn't these parents be allowed to bring their children to WDW? It's their choice. I don't see how that would affect you in any way.

we have standards of parenting... and if a child is disabled to the point where environments affect them, in terms of visual and auditory stimulants, bringing them to Disney starts to cross into the danger zone.

 

[ddbowdoin]

Aside from the issues I have with the practice described, anybody who refers to themselves as the "1%" deserves every ounce of ridicule they receive.

believe it or not, there are some very wealthy people... I am not of them though =(

 

[loboftbl]

There is an easy fix to the abuse, take away the reward. If you have a GAC, you get a card like before. When you go to ride an attraction with a 60 min wait, you get a stamped return time similar to fastpass for 60 mins later. There goes the instant reward(no wait) while keeping the system for people who really need it. Doesn't Universal do this already to prevent abuse?

 

[ddbowdoin]

There is an easy fix to the abuse, take away the reward. If you have a GAC, you get a card like before. When you go to ride an attraction with a 60 min wait, you get a stamped return time similar to fastpass for 60 mins later. There goes the instant reward(no wait) while keeping the system for people who really need it. Doesn't Universal do this already to prevent abuse?

sounds good to me... I am tired of seeing it abused.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I do not think it is against the law for Disney to ask, but I am far from what would be considered an expert.

They can ask what the individual requires in the process of issuing a GAC card...but, they don't have the right to ask what the exact nature or identification of the disability is. On the other hand they don't have to offer GAC cards either. All they have to do is provide access to the rides under ADA. I believe that ADA doesn't cover emotional/phobia's that would have too wide a range of possibilities for anyone to be accommodating. They don't have to offer GAC's, Wheelchairs or Scooters. They do all those things as a service to the public with disabilities. It is an un-winable situation for a place like Disney. Damned if they do something and damned if they don't.

 

[JimboJones123]

I have a bit of a limp. Sounds like a pretty good gig.

 

[PhotoDave219]

That's so stupid and arrogant it's just unbelievable. Like a skit from South Park or something.

Actually.....

You need to watch the South Park episode "Raising the Bar" or specifically this clip. http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/si9uu7/oh-how-humiliating I wont embedd it but its HILARIOUS.

 

[midwest_mice]

I thought I've seen it all. So does this mean the next time I'm down at WDW I could hire myself out for $110/hour, rent a scooter and do the same thing? This just opens up a can of worms for anyone to try doing this now.(by the way, I'd never stoop so low to try it even if I eventually may need a wheelchair)

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

There is an easy fix to the abuse, take away the reward. If you have a GAC, you get a card like before. When you go to ride an attraction with a 60 min wait, you get a stamped return time similar to fastpass for 60 mins later. There goes the instant reward(no wait) while keeping the system for people who really need it. Doesn't Universal do this already to prevent abuse?

This is what is done at Radiator Springs Racers in DCA, works just fine.

 

[PhotoDave219]

This is what is done at Radiator Springs Racers in DCA, works just fine.

I like this idea.

 

[tissandtully]

Am I the only one thinking BS on the details this article? I spend more time in WDW than most people and do not see people in scooters getting such drastically different treatment. At best a GAC card acts like a golden fastpass. I do not doubt that someone would pay to do this, but I do not see it being as drastic of a benefit as the article implies.

It's The Sun, so I doubt most everything about it.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Does anyone think it would have been clever of Disney to leak this story to get some press to make GAC changes due to the abuse?

Or do I need to take off my tinfoil hat?

No, I wouldnt give the mouse that much credit.

 

[TBZimmer]

I have seen people doing this, saw one couple with the motorized scooter and Husband behind the wife as they get in front of us on a ride. Later on that day we have a swith on who was driving the scooter, I was like you have got to be kidding

 

[Violet]

I thought I've seen it all. So does this mean the next time I'm down at WDW I could hire myself out for $110/hour, rent a scooter and do the same thing? This just opens up a can of worms for anyone to try doing this now.(by the way, I'd never stoop so low to try it even if I eventually may need a wheelchair)

Yes, you can do that. No questions asked.

 

[Violet]

It is an un-winable situation for a place like Disney. Damned if they do something and damned if they don't.

It's not really unwinnable IMHO. Disney just doesn't want to spend the money to properly run something like the GAC program.

Lots of things could make this more fair...return times, more covered and air-conditioned waiting spaces with seats, more CMs at the attractions...But all of that would cost Disney money. It's cheaper for Disney to just scoot people to the Fastpass entrance on many attractions.

Same for the buses that everyone is always complaining about with the ESVs. That's another thing that could be fixed a bit for everyone involved, but Disney won't spend money on it.

 

[SuprDav]

You do realize that just because you can't see a disability doesn't mean that there isn't one? I guarantee if you saw me, a young, in shape person in a wheelchair you would assume I was gaming the system. Then when you saw me try to get up from said wheelchair you would still think that. However if you saw me trying to walk the distances required at Disney you would realize that I had a burst disk in my back which required surgery and prevented me from walking long distances and standing for long periods of time.

So maybe you should think twice before assuming that just because someone doesn't look disabled they are taking advantage of the system. Also as someone who has been in disney in a wheelchair before, let me tell you, it isn't fun, I would much rather be able to walk everywhere then trying to navigate in a wheelchair. It also certainly isn't worth the tradeoff of getting to the front of the lines. Most of the lines have now been streamlined anyway, that 120 minute wait for soarin? yeah wheelchair bound folks have to wait in that line as well. The 60 minute wait on PoTC? Yeah you are waiting in that one as well now. It isn't the advantage people make it out to be.

Maybe you should reel it in a notch or two. I am entitled to my opinion. I still think that there are some who exploit the system and the good intentions of what Disney tries to do for people who actually have a disability.