i'm sorry this might sound mean but does it bother anyone else to see someone overweight or clearly able to walk, using a wheelchair to get to the front of a line, then watching them walk no problem onto the ride? shouldn't there be some sort of wait for them too? it just bothers me seeing some people ( not everyone) taking advantage of the system:shrug:
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should there be a waiting period for wheelchairs
- Thread starter wdwfanatic4yrs
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cassiedoodle
New Member
Ya know, as heartless as it may sound I kind of have to agree. I mean, I know it CAN'T be easy for them when there are tons of people moaning and groaning that they get on first, but it is frustrating when you've been walking all day in the hot sun, wait in line for a bus for a half hour and someone in a wheelchair jumps right in front. I think in this situation, it is the fault of the system. I would feel so guilty if I were in a wheelchair and I got on before everyone else, and I know a lot of them do!
The Disney Kid
Well-Known Member
Deleted
Dads 2 Boys
Well-Known Member
I happen to agree especially with the bus thing but more specifically to the amount of people that get on with the wheelchair person.
It drives me out of my mind that the person with the wheelchair can have 700 people get on with him/her (and do it before every other person who has been waiting in line (either at the resort or the park). I have no issue with the person in the wheelchair getting on first but it should be limited to two other people to accompany them. Unless it's a child and then his/her parents and siblings only.
They should not be allowed to have their entire party get on with them....it should be limited. It's not in any way fair to guests who have been waiting in line after a long day at the park or a long line at the resorts in the morning. :shrug:
It drives me out of my mind that the person with the wheelchair can have 700 people get on with him/her (and do it before every other person who has been waiting in line (either at the resort or the park). I have no issue with the person in the wheelchair getting on first but it should be limited to two other people to accompany them. Unless it's a child and then his/her parents and siblings only.
They should not be allowed to have their entire party get on with them....it should be limited. It's not in any way fair to guests who have been waiting in line after a long day at the park or a long line at the resorts in the morning. :shrug:
fireworkz
Active Member
Sure it's tough after being in line in the hot sun to see anyone appear to just jump on a ride, but there are reasons why Disney does this. Some rides have special vehicles for Wheelchair users such as Small World. Wheelchair users and people accompanying them have to be near by and ready to get aboard when that boat becomes available. It does no one any good if they are way back in line and that boat comes in to the loading area. If they weren't allowed to jump ahead, then they would be the ones waiting and waiting for that boat to come back around while everyone else jumps ahead of them. On other rides where they would have to leave their chair I imagine the CMs like to have them at the front of the line so they can prepare and co-ordinate things if they have to stop the ride to allow for extra boarding time.
You have to consider overall there are a lot less wheelchair users at WDW than people out of chairs, so they have very little effect on how soon you get on the ride just because they are allowed to jump to the front.
You have to consider overall there are a lot less wheelchair users at WDW than people out of chairs, so they have very little effect on how soon you get on the ride just because they are allowed to jump to the front.
smk
Well-Known Member
Seven years ago I had a cast on my leg up until the DAY before I took my three kids, alone, to WDW for a national tumbling meet my daughter was competing in. My leg was so swollen and painful, I had not walked in 8 weeks before the trip, so yes, I rented a chair. Did I look impaired? NOPE. Was I impaired? YES.
I have a daughter with Lupus, she is going with us September. The heat and stress make it worse sometimes. Does she look impaired? NOPE, Is she impaired? YES. Will I rent a chair if she gets too tired? YEP, darn right I will.
I find it best to mind my own business, usually. And now, I have said my peace, but you all better duck because you are about to get slammed if this thread is not locked.
Ok, pass the popcorn please!
I have a daughter with Lupus, she is going with us September. The heat and stress make it worse sometimes. Does she look impaired? NOPE, Is she impaired? YES. Will I rent a chair if she gets too tired? YEP, darn right I will.
I find it best to mind my own business, usually. And now, I have said my peace, but you all better duck because you are about to get slammed if this thread is not locked.
Ok, pass the popcorn please!
in no way am i saying that people don't need to use the wheelchair line. there are a bunch of people like yourself that need it for good reason. and i hope you and your family have a great time but the ones just use it so they can get to the front of a line are the ones i'm talking about. like cassiedoodle said, when you stand in lines all day in the hot weather and your kids are hot and tired at the end of the day waiting to take the bus back to the hotel, and you see someone cheating the system, it's frustrating. so there's no need to get defensive. i'm just voicing my personal opinion as are several others. nothing personal
xsupaxmanxsfnex
Well-Known Member
I work as a supervisor in the Admissions department at a park called near Cincinnati, Ohio. We also help out in Guest Services a lot and one of the most dealt with issues are the ride admission passes for those who need special access. We examine the person and ask them questions and based on that information we issue a pass that will accommodate them the best. It is important for them to be safe while riding so the may not be able to ride some attractions. Often times the person is just to overweight to walk so they need a wheel chair. In this case since they were able to walk into the park they are not given special access to bypass the line just because they are overweight. The people who are in actual need of bypassing the line such as people with children that are autistic or other problems are issued passes to go up the exit. I think this is a very safe and fair process for dealing with this issue.
smk
Well-Known Member
You are free to voice your opinion.
However, when I read things like "you see someone cheating the system" it makes me think your opinion may be based on a pre-concieved notion that it is okay for you to judge the needs of a particular person, in this case, a total stranger to you. IMHO, to judge the needs of other based on their outside appearence alone is very short sided. I don't need you to tell me there is no need for me to "get defensive" because, once again, you don't even know me. I am just voicing my personal opinion, like others will undoubtedly do.
listen i'm not trying to judge anyone. if it's a situation where someone actually needs to use it, fine. i have no problem with that at all. but when you see one person using a wheelchair early in the day, then the person that was pushing it is sitting in the chair later in the day. i've seen it happen several times. that's what i'm talking about when i said "cheating the system". i understand a lot of people need and deserve the special treatment. the ones that just act like they do just to get ahead is the problem and needs to be fixed. and you're right i don't know you but nothing was directed at you or your family either. i do hope you have a great time in september, which i'm sure you will
Jimmy Thick
Well-Known Member
If someone has to be so low as to use a wheelchair in order to get on a ride faster, who is otherwise healthy, that's on them. While I might say something towards them, I would prolly feel way to embarrassed for them.
What goes around, comes around.
Jimmy Thick- Yeah, I would humiliate them.
What goes around, comes around.
Jimmy Thick- Yeah, I would humiliate them.
that would be a good way to help fix the problem
raven
Well-Known Member
I think the problem more lies with how many people they bring into the line with them rather than the handicap person themselves. About 10 years ago I saw a group of 20 or more enter the handicap entrance with only 1 person in the wheel chair. Maybe a limit could be implimented.
Walt Disney1955
Well-Known Member
For the LEGITIMATELY handicapped, then yes. That's the way Walt wanted it and I believe Disneyland was very groundbreaking in the way that they had wheelchair access and so on. If your leg is broken, if you have MS, if you have spina-bifida, etc. then I have no problem with them getting a free pass. I'll take being a healthy person physically with the ability to walk as an exchange for having to wait in a line up.
But yeah the person who is just flat out lazy? We all know there are those people out there. I am related to one. That's just too bad and it's a shame that they abuse the system. But should we be surprised? Look at Welfare, or Unemployment for instance. If people abuse that, then they'll cry wolf by being hurt making the truly handicapped ones look bad. Shame.
But yeah the person who is just flat out lazy? We all know there are those people out there. I am related to one. That's just too bad and it's a shame that they abuse the system. But should we be surprised? Look at Welfare, or Unemployment for instance. If people abuse that, then they'll cry wolf by being hurt making the truly handicapped ones look bad. Shame.
powlessfamily4
Well-Known Member
It is very difficult to look at a person and judge if they are impaired or not. My Mother has asthma, people look at her when she parks in handicap parking spaces and judge the fact that she has two legs that work and she must be a fraud. Actually, walking long distances, particularly in the sun, can leave her gasping for oxygen and using a rescue inhaler to breathe. Having said that, I think we would all be naive to believe there are not people out there who are not above the board. It is a fact of life and it doesn't just happen at WDW. I don't believe it is as wide spread as we probably think it is. I think maybe they should limited the number of individuals who accompany the person in the wheelchair.. You can’t expect handicap people to give up riding with their families and at the same time it is frustrating to wait your turn while you see group after group surge ahead of you in line. Hard choices.
Bluewaves
Well-Known Member
I work part time for a Cedar Fair park and when we issue a guest pass for someone with a disability it usually has a number of people that can accompany that person, say its someone with 2 young children and they are the only adult there with them then they get the pass with them and the 2 young children. Now same person with 20 of their friends, nope still get the same pass for the 2 kids their friends get to wait in the regular line, you try and change the card, we take it away, plain and simple. I have no issue if its husband and wife and kids and one of them is disabled and they allow them to stay together, but when its 15 people and just because good old grandma is old and can't walk or cousin sue is 400lbs and needs a chair because her knees said forget about it a long time ago so a party of 40 can get on ahead of everyone else that is just a little too much. It should only be for a small party or one person who is accompanying them not the whole group your with.
raven
Well-Known Member
If? People DO abuse welfare and unemployment.
mike10
New Member
You know what gets me is honest people are struggling sometimes to make ends meets while you get a person who abuses the system and says something like this on FB after a person says they are getting an iphone 4:
"My sistr is goin to be gettin it wen it go on sale. Lucky for me i get her cute Blackberry!
Im actually thinkin about gettin the iphone. I just applid for food stamps and i'm probably goin to be gettin more child support soon so i'll be able to aford it. Wootz!"This coming off someone's FB...........:brick:
It's like anything else, where you have to weigh whether it's worth letting a few abusers ruin it for those who truly need it :shrug:
In my opinion, in this particular case, it's not. I don't know how they can live with themselves, but all I can say is, what goes around, comes around. At least that's what I tell myself to make myself feel better :lol:
In my opinion, in this particular case, it's not. I don't know how they can live with themselves, but all I can say is, what goes around, comes around. At least that's what I tell myself to make myself feel better :lol:
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