Wheelchair Abuse

[Laura]

ok, i just read more of the thread, and i have to say, i am APPALLED at one of the attitudes on here. some are ignorant, which can be fixed, but some are just plain offensive.

Lets dispell a few "disabled' rumors.

you cannot be required to "prove" disability. it is against the ADA. Most disabled people do not have a "card" other than a parking tag. if you drove to the parks, you obviously need to leave it in your car, so you cannot bring it with you...

being in a wheelchair does NOT get you head of line privilege.

I am a little offended at the OP "testing" the wheelchair at so many rides. if you were so embarrassed, why did you keep doing it?

there are more disabilities that being paralyzed.

there are minor disabilities that may not affect people in daily lifem, but make a difference at a place with as much walking as disney.

the average manual wheelchair costs $2000. the average power chair costs $20,000. this could be why people rent at disney, rather than buying their own.

i want to know what a "disabled" person looks like, and how you know a person is disabled by looking at them.

i want to know why overweight people are suddenly not allowed to eat. apparently eating while on a scooter is offensive. i fail to see how.

the wait for most wheelchair-bound people is longer than for walkers. this is because you have to wait for the wheelchair accesible car to come around.

there are some people with a temporary disability, which lead them to rent a chair in disney, but not need it full time.

there are invisible disabilities and illnesses, and when you assume that someone is faking, it is very hurtful for those of us who fight to be believed every day.

i would be happy to tell my story and give some examples of my life, but with as narrow-minded as some of the comments were, i doubt it would make a bit of difference...

Amen. :lol:

Don't you know that 99% of people who visit WDW have x-ray vision and abilities that are greater than most doctors, making them able to diagnosis other people with a single glance?

I've never seen anyone FAKING needing a wheelchair because how the heck am I supposed to know if they need it or not? If someone's in a chair, give them the benefit of a doubt and stop pretending to be God.

 

[TinkerbellK]

oh, and let me say that without a doubt...

Those of us with disabilites, especially "unusual" ones (not paralyzed but needing a chair or other aid for a different reason)... WE HATE THE FAKERS MORE THAN YOU DO!!!

i hate the fakers more than you do, although i think there are far fewer of them than most do, because it makes my life that much more difficult.

 

[BuzzLite_Fran]

Don't you know that 99% of people who visit WDW have x-ray vision

At least every red blooded American Male teen wishes they had it :ROFLOL: :ROFLOL: :ROFLOL:

sorry couldnt resist to bring back a little humor in this thread :hammer:

 

[CaptainMichael]

For the buses, Disney could easily setup a better system. First idea: run more buses! Second, what about a dedicated wheelchair transport vehicle set? Little easy to roll into vans - and little stations with ramps so they can roll right in. DLR does it for their parking lot and tram, why can't WDW do it for their resorts and the parks?

Oh, money, right.

Actually, Disney just hired hundreds of new bus drivers that are now being trained, so it stands to reason that they'll have to run more busses.

 

[JShkNBak]

Ive just gotta comment on this...my grandpa who is 85 and had an airplane crash into his barracks onto his legs in WWII walks around allllllllll day at Disney. Maybe others should follow his lead and suck it up!!!!!

 

[BuzzLite_Fran]

Ive just gotta comment on this...my grandpa who is 85 and had an airplane crash into his barracks onto his legs in WWII walks around allllllllll day at Disney. Maybe others should follow his lead and suck it up!!!!!

So according to your post I guess because your grandfather was blessed enough to be able to continue to walk unaided.......everyone else should have to as well........I guess we should all aquiece to your grandfather.

((Not everyone is as lucky and blessed as your grandfather)):kiss:

 

[TinkerbellK]

Ive just gotta comment on this...my grandpa who is 85 and had an airplane crash into his barracks onto his legs in WWII walks around allllllllll day at Disney. Maybe others should follow his lead and suck it up!!!!!

My grandfather had his ship sunk out fromn underneath him in WWII.... whats your point?

I am not your grandfather, nor is anyone else in the parks... i am glad your grandfather is in such good health that he is able to walk, but some of us are not.

i personally believe your comment is a little thoughtless, though i know you did not mean to be rude or anything. remember, you cannot possibly know what others go through just my looking. i am all for walking if you can, but for those of us not in perfect health, we will do what we can do enjoy the life we have...

 

[BuzzLite_Fran]

My grandfather had his ship sunk out fromn underneath him in WWII.... whats your point?

Too Funny your making my side hurt!
:ROFLOL: :ROFLOL: :ROFLOL: :ROFLOL: :ROFLOL: :wave:

 

[shoppingnut]

For as many rude people in ECV's and wheelchairs there are rude walkers who DONT watch out where they are going and walk right in front of someone being pushed in a wheelchair, and/or ECV ((I have experienced this personally.))

I have experienced this too when we took my mom last year. After it happened a few times, especially at park close, I would walk about a foot in front of the scooter with my arms spread out to prevent people from running in front of her and expecting her to stop. I figured this would be easier and worked well, because otherwise, I would have been forced to give these people a few choice words if she ran into them. BTW, my mom just has trouble walking long distances or up any inclines or standing too long as she gets out of breath. Unfortunately the open heart surgery didn't help as much as we hoped. We don't have an ECV at home because there is no real need so we rented one at disney.

Last year when I broke my ankle 5 days before coming to WDW in December, I had to rent an ECV to get around and I can tell you the only front of the line privilege I received was with a fastpass and I used them for rides that had long lines as I knew standing for too long wasn't such a good idea. There were even rides like Dinosaur, Test Track and Splash, I wasn't able to go on because of the ankle, but I was just so happy to be in my favorite place in the world that it didn't matter, I would just do those rides next time. If anyone would have seen me get up and walk to the ride they would have not known my ankle was broken because it was cool enough that I had on long pants and had an air cast which fit inside a regular sneaker just with the laces all undone.

 

[TinkerbellK]

Too Funny your making my side hurt!
:ROFLOL: :ROFLOL: :ROFLOL: :ROFLOL: :ROFLOL: :wave:

I should mention he hurt his back and would have been playing minor league ball if he hadn't been hurt. he has had a knee replacement, should have the other done, and he still gets around unaided.

i, on the other hand, at age 22, have osteoarthritis in my knee and possibly even my neck. i have a rare genetic disorder that means my body cannot hold itself together, and it has been discovered i also have GI and endocrinology problems, which may in fact be a potentially fatal problem. so i guess age has nothing to do with it!

 

[BuzzLite_Fran]

[I should mention he hurt his back and would have been playing minor league ball if he hadn't been hurt. he has had a knee replacement, should have the other done, and he still gets around unaided/QUOTE]

thats good

 

[TinkerbellK]

he can only walk 50 yards or so, but he is too stubborn to use a cane or see a doctor. that is his decision. but he is in his 80s, and has lived a full life. i am only 22, and i am not going to watch my life out the window! i am going to go out and live, and if that means using a chair at disney, so be it. some people may not like it, but pooh on other people. it is MY life, and i wanna do to DISNEY!

 

[shoppingnut]

i am not going to watch my life out the window! i am going to go out and live, and if that means using a chair at disney, so be it. some people may not like it, but pooh on other people. it is MY life, and i wanna do to DISNEY!

Totally agree with you and disney is one of the few places that makes it easy and is easy for you to get around.

 

[PhilharMagician]

Amen. :lol:

Don't you know that 99% of people who visit WDW have x-ray vision and abilities that are greater than most doctors, making them able to diagnosis other people with a single glance?

I've never seen anyone FAKING needing a wheelchair because how the heck am I supposed to know if they need it or not? If someone's in a chair, give them the benefit of a doubt and stop pretending to be God.

I have stood in line waiting to pay for wheelchair rental and had a family behind us in line with the plan to get a wheelchair since it was only $10 so they couls get on the rides faster. This happens all the time. Another example was at USF we were getting a stroller for my DD a few years ago and a group of 6 teens came up and payed for a wheelchair and were joking in line how they were going to get a cheap express pass for buying one wheelchair. We saw them later cutting in front of us for the front row seats in what was the Animal Planet show.

These people would stop trying to take advantage of this if they had to stay in lines like everone else, and they also ruin it for all the people that really require the assistance. Last year MK ran out of wheelchairs one day when we were there and we had to leave since my mother in law cannot walk very long distances with her problem. I wonder how many wheelchairs were out that day to help cut lines?? "The world may never know".

 

[BuzzLite_Fran]

Totally agree with you and disney is one of the few places that makes it easy and is easy for you to get around.

I agree with you

 

[TinkerbellK]

I have stood in line waiting to pay for wheelchair rental and had a family behind us in line with the plan to get a wheelchair since it was only $10 so they couls get on the rides faster. This happens all the time. Another example was at USF we were getting a stroller for my DD a few years ago and a group of 6 teens came up and payed for a wheelchair and were joking in line how they were going to get a cheap express pass for buying one wheelchair. We saw them later cutting in front of us for the front row seats in what was the Animal Planet show.

These people would stop trying to take advantage of this if they had to stay in lines like everone else, and they also ruin it for all the people that really require the assistance. Last year MK ran out of wheelchairs one day when we were there and we had to leave since my mother in law cannot walk very long distances with her problem. I wonder how many wheelchairs were out that day to help cut lines?? "The world may never know".

At Disney, all lines at MK, AK, and MGM are mainstreamed, which means people in wheelchairs DO NOT get head of line privilege. there may be other reasons a person does not wait in the main line, but getting a chair WILL NOT get you out of the lines. almost all lines at MK are mainstreamed but a few, so really there is no real benefit to using a wheelchair for this purpose.

 

[PhilharMagician]

At Disney, all lines at MK, AK, and MGM are mainstreamed, which means people in wheelchairs DO NOT get head of line privilege. there may be other reasons a person does not wait in the main line, but getting a chair WILL NOT get you out of the lines. almost all lines at MK are mainstreamed but a few, so really there is no real benefit to using a wheelchair for this purpose.

The only ones I remember are Peter Pan, IASW, Buzz & Jungle Cruise. Each of these we bypassed the main line and were typically on within 5 minutes.

KS @ AK was a bummer with the wheelchair, because once you wait through a typical queue the wait for the wheel chair accessible vehicle (in a second separate queue area) was fairly extensive. I would say it took us another 20 minutes from that point easily.

Onther issue for wheelchair guests is Illuminations. We went to see Illuminations one night after dinner and we hit three separate wheelchair areas and they were all full. The areas were full of wheelchair guests and their families, but some of the families were huge and took up valuable space that could be used for other wheelchair guests. the next night we went back i left my DW with my MIL and my daugheter and I went outside the area to make room for peope who really need to be able to see.

 

[iheartdisney91]

Ive just gotta comment on this...my grandpa who is 85 and had an airplane crash into his barracks onto his legs in WWII walks around allllllllll day at Disney. Maybe others should follow his lead and suck it up!!!!!

WOW! thats great!
but unfortunately alot of people in the chaires actually need them so i dont think it'll be that easy if they can "suck it up" sometimes their chair is like their legs. others jsut get tired which i think is abuse especially when you see 2 kids being pushed around in the same wheel chair.... then the cut in the line and think nothing of it...

 

[TinkerbellK]

again, you do not get head of line access if you are in a wheelchair...

one of those kids probly needed the chair, and the other sibling may have just hitched a ride. after all, if there is only one parent you cant push a wheelchair and a stroller... sometimes you do the best you can.

 

[TinkerbellK]

once again (broken record here) you do not get to skip the line cause you are in a wheelchair!

odds are one of those kids needed the chair, and the sibling hitched a ride. if there is only 1 parent, you cannot push a wheelchair and a stroller... so you do the best you can. i am not saying that they are right, and i dont think teaching you kids that a wheelchair is a glorified stroller is a good thing, but that is what some people end up doing...