a lot of you are taking completely the wrong way. all i was asking about was the people who ARE NOT handicapped, and just using wheelchairs to get the easy way to get on a RIDE OR BUS. not the people that actually need assistance. i do have to agree with the person that said there should be a limit of 4 or 5 people that get to go up front
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should there be a waiting period for wheelchairs
- Thread starter wdwfanatic4yrs
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But that's a big part of the problem. As a lot of people have tried to explain, sometimes you can't tell by looking at someone whether they have a disability or not. It's one thing to be able to get out of a wheelchair for a few minutes unassisted, and another to be walking around a park all day. Just because you see someone who looks to have no problems doesn't mean he or she is as capable as you are.
Mr. Morrow
New Member
Thank you Erika!! My GF looks fine and looks like she doesn't need a wheel chair. She has MS and it is very hard for her to walk around in WDW that much. She hates using one and doesn't look like she needs one but when she does people give her dirty looks.
Just because someone doesn't look like they need one doesn't mean they don't.
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
Wow, this is all over the place.
1) Current ride queues are built to ADA standards - scooters and chairs can navigate them. That means the person in the ECV or chair and their party waits in line with everyone else - there is no gaming of the system.
2) Older ride queues were not built to ADA standards, in these cases people in chairs and ECVs bypass the line. In some rides, such as It's a Small World, it makes no difference. There are wheelchair boats, and only wheelchairs can fit on them. If they were no wheelchairs waiting, they would go off with the deck empty. Yes, you can fit a few people in the seats, so if the wheelchair has a party with them, I can grant you the jumping in front issue. As rides are refurbished the queues are made ADA compliant and this no longer becomes an issue.
3) I BELEVE that wheelchairs and ECV's no longer go to the front of the line for busses. They wait just like all others. Of course when their bus comes, they do board first. It is just practical. But I don't think they get to skip busses. They also have to unload last. It's a question of guest safety.
4) There are some cases where a person may have front of line passes. If you have a medical condition that makes long waits difficult (for you and those around you), such as kids with certain neurological disorders, they may be passed to the front of the queue.
-dave
1) Current ride queues are built to ADA standards - scooters and chairs can navigate them. That means the person in the ECV or chair and their party waits in line with everyone else - there is no gaming of the system.
2) Older ride queues were not built to ADA standards, in these cases people in chairs and ECVs bypass the line. In some rides, such as It's a Small World, it makes no difference. There are wheelchair boats, and only wheelchairs can fit on them. If they were no wheelchairs waiting, they would go off with the deck empty. Yes, you can fit a few people in the seats, so if the wheelchair has a party with them, I can grant you the jumping in front issue. As rides are refurbished the queues are made ADA compliant and this no longer becomes an issue.
3) I BELEVE that wheelchairs and ECV's no longer go to the front of the line for busses. They wait just like all others. Of course when their bus comes, they do board first. It is just practical. But I don't think they get to skip busses. They also have to unload last. It's a question of guest safety.
4) There are some cases where a person may have front of line passes. If you have a medical condition that makes long waits difficult (for you and those around you), such as kids with certain neurological disorders, they may be passed to the front of the queue.
-dave
How is the system broken? I took the buses without an ECV/wheelchair for over 14 years (I use crutches to walk) and waited in line just like you for those many trips (1-2 trips per year). Only within the last 2 years have I needed to use an ECV, and I spend just as much time getting to my destination as you do - but you don't see the many delays at the other points of my journey - you only see the one point, the fact that I get to board the bus first - which is a very small part of the entire picture.
Be thankful that you have two legs to get you where you need to go under your own power.
If someone is trying to "game the system" so they can get on the bus first, they have a nice awakening for them when they need to wait to get off the bus last!
bobjl527
Member
OK. Here's my opinion and an incident my family encountered. I just have to speak my mind on this one.
You are standing in a long, hot line. A group of people with someone in a wheelchair gets access to the ride before you. Now think about it. How much time does this really add to your wait? I know you've been waiting for a long time but, I say just deal with it. Sorry to be so blunt, but it's true. You are at WDW. You should be having a wonderful time with family and friends and creating wonderful memories that will last a lifetime. Maybe the person doesn't really need a wheelchair. Maybe they are using it just to get to the front of the line. If they are frauds, I say that's their problem. Why let it get to you? Don't let them ruin your experience. It's going to happen anywhere there is a line to get onto an attraction.
OK, now let me tell you what happened to me and my family back in 2001. My mother, who was 70 years old at the time and was overweight and was dying of renal cancer just happened to be in her own personal wheelchair. There was a bit of a delay because we had a problem loading her chair onto It's a Small World. Looking at my mom, you would only see an older lady who was overweight. You would never suspect that she was dying. I overheard a man in line standing with his wife and 3 kids say, "Maybe if she ate a salad every once in a while, she wouldn't have this problem." Thank God my mother didn't hear him, but I did. My first instinct was to punch him in his mouth, but like I said he was with his family. After our ride, my wife took my mother to the restroom. About 30 seconds later, here comes the man with his family exiting the ride. My mother and her wheelchair had added a whole 30 seconds to his wait time. Like I said, I wanted to lay this guy out. However, I wouldn't have done that because it would have traumatized his children and ruined their vacation. It's not their fault daddy is a jerk. I just gave the guy a glare and when he made eye contact, I blew him a kiss. I think that scared him more than me causing a scene.
It is frustrating, but like I said, it's going to happen in every single theme park you go to. Don't let it bother you.
You are standing in a long, hot line. A group of people with someone in a wheelchair gets access to the ride before you. Now think about it. How much time does this really add to your wait? I know you've been waiting for a long time but, I say just deal with it. Sorry to be so blunt, but it's true. You are at WDW. You should be having a wonderful time with family and friends and creating wonderful memories that will last a lifetime. Maybe the person doesn't really need a wheelchair. Maybe they are using it just to get to the front of the line. If they are frauds, I say that's their problem. Why let it get to you? Don't let them ruin your experience. It's going to happen anywhere there is a line to get onto an attraction.
OK, now let me tell you what happened to me and my family back in 2001. My mother, who was 70 years old at the time and was overweight and was dying of renal cancer just happened to be in her own personal wheelchair. There was a bit of a delay because we had a problem loading her chair onto It's a Small World. Looking at my mom, you would only see an older lady who was overweight. You would never suspect that she was dying. I overheard a man in line standing with his wife and 3 kids say, "Maybe if she ate a salad every once in a while, she wouldn't have this problem." Thank God my mother didn't hear him, but I did. My first instinct was to punch him in his mouth, but like I said he was with his family. After our ride, my wife took my mother to the restroom. About 30 seconds later, here comes the man with his family exiting the ride. My mother and her wheelchair had added a whole 30 seconds to his wait time. Like I said, I wanted to lay this guy out. However, I wouldn't have done that because it would have traumatized his children and ruined their vacation. It's not their fault daddy is a jerk. I just gave the guy a glare and when he made eye contact, I blew him a kiss. I think that scared him more than me causing a scene.
It is frustrating, but like I said, it's going to happen in every single theme park you go to. Don't let it bother you.
riogirl
Active Member
Is everyone reading this forum "correctly"? The person who started this is NOT saying that people shouldn't use a wheelchair, they are saying that it is UNFAIR for a person FALSELY using a wheelchair and how they take advantage of the wheelchair.
For those of you taking it personally...get a grip..this is not about YOU personally. I am sure that many people have every right to be in a wheelchair, but I am SURE that all you OFFENDED people would be just as annoyed if you SAW someone in a wheelchair that was FINE. Why can't people voice opinions on here and not be attacked?
I was in Disney last summer and I agree it is annoying that the entire group is accommodated. It should be limited to be fair to the people standing in lines also.
For those of you taking it personally...get a grip..this is not about YOU personally. I am sure that many people have every right to be in a wheelchair, but I am SURE that all you OFFENDED people would be just as annoyed if you SAW someone in a wheelchair that was FINE. Why can't people voice opinions on here and not be attacked?
I was in Disney last summer and I agree it is annoying that the entire group is accommodated. It should be limited to be fair to the people standing in lines also.
mastif
New Member
what about this. One time we waited in line for a bus for 15 minutes in the rain. The bus pulls in, but is to far away from the curb. He wasn't able to lower the ramp onto the side walk, therefore the wheelchair bound person wasn't able to get on. Instead of letting everyone on, the bus driver decides to continue his rounds at the AS resorts, and stop for us on the way back. Thankfully when he came back he was able to park correctly. That was fun, rain and all.....
Of course its unfair - but then the question becomes, how do you determine who is eligible or not without bogging down the entire system?
Dads 2 Boys
Well-Known Member
I agree that none of us should judge who we believe is handicapped and who is not. The number of people trying to "manipulate the system" is so few and far between that it shouldn't be worried about.
For me it's about the number of people that get on the bus/ride with them. That has to be limited and that should be the focus. A party of 10-15 (or more) should not be able to stroll up and get on the bus/ride first while 50 or 100+ people are waiting.
It has to be very difficult to manuever that around and while some are rude with it, it should not have an effect on the large majority of people who are considerate in the whellechairs/ECVs.....and I am not one of those so this is not a biased opinion.
For me it's about the number of people that get on the bus/ride with them. That has to be limited and that should be the focus. A party of 10-15 (or more) should not be able to stroll up and get on the bus/ride first while 50 or 100+ people are waiting.
It has to be very difficult to manuever that around and while some are rude with it, it should not have an effect on the large majority of people who are considerate in the whellechairs/ECVs.....and I am not one of those so this is not a biased opinion.
Exactly- looks can be very deceiving.
Nobody is saying we aren't frustrated by people abusing the system. What we are saying is, just because you think someone is "fine" doesn't mean there is not a legitimate need.
devoy1701
Well-Known Member
I agree that I think people are missing the point of this thread. We all know that there are people who "abuse" the fact that people using wheelchairs or ECVs get some special treatment at WDW. We also all know that you can't always tell just by looking at someone if they truly have an underlying medical condition.
But sometimes you CAN just tell. Such as when you have a group of teenagers without supervision who are pushing a group member chair, and all the sudden, the person in the chair gets up and switches with someone else who now wants to be pushed for awhile. :shrug: And whether or not you can actually tell if someone is abusing the system or not...we all it is happening.
I agree that there should be a limit of "traveling party" for line queues, but dependent on the situation. If you have a group of 15 people and only one person is in a wheelchair, then it should be limited to immediate family or 2 or 3 guests. But if you have a family of 5 or 6 and one member is in a wheelchair, then of course you shouldn't have to split up.
I do have a problem with the bus system though...ECVs can navigate the bus queues, and when you have 35 people waiting in line to board a bus and just as it pulls up, so do 2 ECVs, everyone else is now standing another 10 minutes to accomodate a very small group, and you lose at minumum seating for 8 people. I believe they should wait in the queue or if there is a serious issue at that particular moment where they simply cannot wait like the rest of us, they should arrange a shuttle van with Disney or rent a private vehicle. Just my opinion.
EXACTLY!! perfectly said. i was just trying to get other peoples opinion on this and some people just took and ran in the wrong direction
Here's the issue with that (and BTW, I have no issue with waiting in line with my ECV):
- let's just say there are 75 people in line, and only 50 can fit on the bus; I'm currently #70
- the first bus pulls up and the first 50 people board, leaving 25 in line, now I am #20 (and the rest of my party, 3 other people, are just behind me)
- the next bus pulls up - what should happen?
Should
A) The first 19 people board the bus and then it leave, since I can't board with people already seated; I then need to wait for yet another bus....
OR
B) The driver sees me, and has me and my party board before the other 19, potentially making them upset?
Yeah, that might be a dead giveaway :ROFLOL:
And as I said in my first post, there will always be people who abuse the system, and I guess that's life :shrug:
Sometimes all you can worry about is yourself and know that YOU are doing the right thing.
I think the part in bold is what threw some of us off.
The flip side to the bus problem is that the buses can only accomodate a certain number of wheelchairs/ECVs. So, if there are several people with them waiting, they have to wait for another bus, even though they may have been there earlier than other riders. This happened to me at AKL with my mother. There were several people in ECVs in front of us, and nonhandicapped riders.
We had to wait through 3 bus loadings before we could ride on the 4th bus, while several parties without wheelchairs who arrived well after us were able to board buses 2 & 3.
The same thing happened at the Safari attraction - we waited far longer than people who entered at the same time.
So, sometimes it makes things smoother, sometimes you end up waiting longer. I think it all evens out at the end. And the true abusers are tempting fate, IMO. We're all just an accident/illness away from needing a wheelchair or ECV, and I certainly would not willingly spend one second in one if I didn't have to - I know that there is a good chance that I may not have a choice in the future.
We had to wait through 3 bus loadings before we could ride on the 4th bus, while several parties without wheelchairs who arrived well after us were able to board buses 2 & 3.
The same thing happened at the Safari attraction - we waited far longer than people who entered at the same time.
So, sometimes it makes things smoother, sometimes you end up waiting longer. I think it all evens out at the end. And the true abusers are tempting fate, IMO. We're all just an accident/illness away from needing a wheelchair or ECV, and I certainly would not willingly spend one second in one if I didn't have to - I know that there is a good chance that I may not have a choice in the future.
devoy1701
Well-Known Member
perfectly valid point. and I'm sure if there was a better way to handle the situation then Disney would have implemented it by now. Personally in this case, I think if someone in an ECV is waiting in the line and the bus driver knows that they are in a spot of the line where they would definitely fit on the said bus, that they should be brought to the front and loaded. But if they are say in the 50th position, and we can only fit 30 on the bus, then I believe they should wait for the next bus like people in the 31-49 position.
Again, this is just my opinion and I by no means am dissing on those who ride ECVs. There is definitely going to be a difference in opinion of what a person needing an ECV deems fair and what a person without what deems fair.
I agree with Mom's comment about those who abuse the system are tempting fate and are walking on thin moral ground.
Karma can be a brass-plated b$&*h for some in the end....
MommaMouse62
New Member
I am a handicapped person and unless you look closely at my knee to see my three scars I otherwise look healthy. I know how it feels to be hot and exhausted after standing in line or at the end of the day as I wasn't always in an ECV and I understand how my fellow posters feel. That being said, does anyone stop and think how degrading it feels to have people stare rudely as you are lifted on the back of the bus first, how much a handicapped person would gladly love to stand in line with their kids laughing and enjoying WDW,and how nice it would be to be able to stop and walk over to a window and look inside or be able to navigate to areas that are so crowed we could never get through without being an inconvience for too many people. I sure understand both sides of the coin, but I just wish we could ALL be thankful that we are able to be at WDW at all because so many are bedridden or worse. Try and walk in someone else's shoes before you judge.
And for the people that abuse the situation as I know you were speaking of in your original post, God has a way of sometimes showing them how mocking a person or the system can come back and haunt them in the end. Why can't we just enjoy what we have and be thankful for it, It can be taken away so quickly.
And for the people that abuse the situation as I know you were speaking of in your original post, God has a way of sometimes showing them how mocking a person or the system can come back and haunt them in the end. Why can't we just enjoy what we have and be thankful for it, It can be taken away so quickly.
i really do apologize about that. it wasn't meant to sound like that. i was just trying to use some kind of example. probably shouldnt have used those
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