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View Full Version : Does this upset anyone else??



Mickey'sIrishPAl
10-20-2010, 12:49 PM
I love all things Disney and never have complaints, but after a recent trip I was really starting to get upset with a recurring theme when it came to leaving the parks and jumping ona bus back to the hotel.
First off, I do not want anyone to misconstrue what I am telling you because I am totally in favor of those who are physically disabled getting special treatment as far as getting on a bus first ( I am an administrator for an agency that houses individuals with disablilities). But there were 2 instances where myself along with a line full of others were not so happy.
We stood in line at MK for close to 20 minutes. Kids are tired, we're tired, and there are close to 80 others just like us in line. A bus finally pulls up and as we are waiting for the door to open, a family of 12 come running up the handicap accessible rear of the bus. There was a young man in a wheelchair with an elderly woman pushing him and 10 other family members standing in wait for the rear door to open. OK, this is fine. What I saw next is what upset me. The teenage boy stands up from the wheelchair and allows the elderly woman to sit in the wheelchair to allow immediate entrance on the bus. Wait a minute??? The older woman pushed this young man from (at least) the bus stop # sign to this stop (AKKV bus stop) but all of a sudden, she is unable to enter the bus like the rest of us?? Needless to say, We did not make that bus and had to wait for another to arrive but I thought that was unacceptable.
Again, I hope that no one misinterprets my words as thinking that I am not compassionate or understandign about disabilities but I thought that was just not right.

MississippiDisneyFreak
10-20-2010, 01:12 PM
It does sound bad...maybe there was an honest explanation though...
I certainly hope so because I would hate to think someone would sink low enough to fake a disability just to get perks.:( I really hope that wasn't the case.

btharvey
10-20-2010, 01:14 PM
Well, one can make the case for both being handicapped. Not necessarily physically ... spiritually? Ethically?

I can think of one instance where the woman's and boy's behavior is perfectly explainable, though it is a stretch: Say, the woman has a severe weakness with her legs or joints or whatever that precludes her from climbing. However, being a determined woman who doesn't like being a "feeb," she insists on pushing the wheelchair instead of riding in it, as much as possible. Grandson, being a boy, tends to like to 'ride' as much as possible, and helps out Grandma with her 'exercises.' Upon arrival at the bus, however, she cannot climb the steps (while grandson can), so they switch places.

Plausible? Mythbusters would probably say so. Not "confirmed," mind you, but plausible. I'm not saying I wouldn't have exactly your reaction to it (I'd probably be even more severe), but there is ONE explanation for the behavior. Granted, only one, but there is one.

btharvey
10-20-2010, 01:15 PM
... I would hate to think someone would sink low enough to fake a disability just to get perks.:( I really hope that wasn't the case.

I'm sure they do fake all sorts of things. Usually I would hope they'd be better at it than that.

Mickey'sIrishPAl
10-20-2010, 01:26 PM
I swear it was like Grandpa Joe (Willie Wonka) in reverse. Grandpa Joe gravy trained his grandson when Chuck found the golden ticket and he hopped out of the sack after years of laying in bed and was doing cartwheels around the room. Kind of the same feel in this instance. Bus pulls up and she is laughing while pushing what had to be a 13 or 14 year old kid and as soon as they were ready to open the rear doors, she hopped into the motorized cart and acted as if she was ready to fall asleep. Maybe I was just tired and cranky (which usually I am not!!) :mickey:

disneymom15
10-20-2010, 02:01 PM
We've seen that happen many times. It does get irritating.

Pastcastmemberdaughter
10-20-2010, 02:21 PM
We were there last week and they added a rules sign to the bus stop areas. One of the "rules" was that Disney ask that groups of 6 or more with a wheelchair in their party are ask to split up and meet at their destination. I doubt that many will adheir to this request but it looks like Disney is at least attempting to address the situation some way. It's at least a start to try to make things a little more fair for everyone.

phlo8810
10-20-2010, 02:33 PM
My dad uses an electric scooter at wdw. When my wife and kids are with them we always wait in the "normal" line and let my mom and dad board in the back. Fortuntely we've always made the same bus but I wouldn't mind waiting longer if I had to. My dad hates using the buses we are dvc and this is one reason we can't get him to stay at AKL.

Disney Hungarian
10-20-2010, 03:08 PM
I recently took mom and she had to use a wheelchair. I felt so self-conscious having to get her loaded before the people who were waiting in line. I could never imagine someone doing this on purpose.

On a side note. One thing that irritated me and caused me to drive mom to the parks in our car, was. We left MK around 6pm on a night they were having MNSSHP. Boarded the bus to the BC. When we stopped at the YC the bus filled with passengers and I gave up my seat and stood in the space behind mom's wheelchair. When we got to the BC. The passengers that loaded at YC were told to exit the bus to allow room for us to get off. They were told they would have to reload at the front of the bus. There was a line and I am afraid the people who had to get off had to wait for another bus. I felt so bad about that. Disney should have a better policy in place.

DizneyRox
10-20-2010, 04:24 PM
... I could never imagine someone doing this on purpose.

You might be surprised to see the many different directions a moral compass can point!

magicofdisney
10-20-2010, 04:46 PM
We were there last week and they added a rules sign to the bus stop areas. One of the "rules" was that Disney ask that groups of 6 or more with a wheelchair in their party are ask to split up and meet at their destination. I doubt that many will adheir to this request but it looks like Disney is at least attempting to address the situation some way. It's at least a start to try to make things a little more fair for everyone.
Honestly, I'm a little embarrassed to admit I'm happy to see this. I guess, because I've witnessed so much abuse, it's sad it's come to something like this.

Cinderelley
10-20-2010, 04:52 PM
Due to a motor vehicle accident, I have a muscular disability in which I need to change position every 15 mins, or it becomes increasingly painful. When we first started going to Walt Disney World, I was in a lot worse shape than I am now and needed a wheelchair to do a lot of things. Unfortunately, I would have to get out of it and walk or stand every 15 mins. My kids then were 10 - 16 years old, and, being kids, had fun in the wheelchair while I wasn't using it. I received many dirty looks for this, but it was necessary for me to be able to get around the park. I was 34 and perfectly healthy looking because all of the damage is internal. In that situation, I would have done the same thing the older woman did. I would have walked to the bus knowing that I would've probably been sitting on the bus for more than 15 mins to get back to the resort.
Just keep in mind that things aren't always what they seem.

DisneyPrincess21
10-20-2010, 11:32 PM
Just keep in mind that things aren't always what they seem.

I agree 100%. My father has a condition that causes his bones and spine to fuse together, he also has arthritis, needs knee replacement surgery, but he looks "normal" he doesn't have to be in a wheelchair 24/7 but he definitely can't walk to parks the whole day. I have a back condition, and have had previous foot surgery. While I look "normal" I can't walk the whole time on my foot and back as I get in a lot of pain. So we will be renting an ecv and sharing it. We can both walk for a short time, but not the whole days worth of walking at Disney. We can't afford to rent two, and we both don't need the ECV the entire time, just off and on throughout the day when the pain gets too bad. I know this sharing will probably cause lots of dirty looks, and I am a little apprehensive about our trip because of this fact. But there really isn't any way for me and my father to both get to enjoy the parks without sharing an ECV. :(

I am hoping I don't run into too many people who are quick to assume or judge, and who automatically say "well they look normal, their laughing, they seem too happy to need a ECV, their sharing an ECV they must be faking it, etc" I hope the people I come across offer more benefit of the doubt and grace in the situation. :(

magicofdisney
10-21-2010, 10:42 AM
My husband is a disabled vet. He qualifies for a handicap parking decal. When he was first injured, he requested and used his decal. One day we went to the grocery store. As we were walking in, a van drove by and the driver was hollering at us and giving us a hard time for using the only available disabled parking space. Because my husband's disability isn't visible, I suppose this driver (who also had a decal) assumed my husband was faking it. Unfortunately, this prejudice runs both ways.

PAYROLL PRINCESS
10-22-2010, 09:50 PM
My Mom has MS. She could walk, just not for long periods of time. She was able to transfer to get on rides etc. To look at her, you would have thought she was perfectly healthy. However if you observed her walking for any period of time you would have thought she was drunk because she'd start staggering. The heat especially would bother her after a very short period of time.
I could totally have seen one of my nephews being pushed by her in the chair years ago and then them switching places. Unfortunately now she's completely wheelchair bound.
Of course that's not to say there aren't a number of people that do fake it to get preferential treatment. I just tend to give them the benefit of a doubt because of my Mom.

aurora, ariel, and bell
10-24-2010, 10:39 AM
I used an ECV our last trip. I don't look like there is anything wrong, I have sciatia and knee problems. Sometimes I can walk quite far and then other times not far at all. I hated going on the buses ahead of people waiting before me. I don't know of another way to do it though. Before i used the ECV I thought that other members of my party could wait in line and we would be allowed to board when they reached the front of the line. This wouldn't work because then there would be no way to manuver the scooter.
I would love to go and not rent a scooter and be bothered with it on the bus, but once the sciatia starts acting up it is sooo painful i can hardly walk. All the people we encountered were very nice and even tried to help with the manuvering of the scooter.

VWL Mom
10-24-2010, 03:17 PM
We stood in line at MK for close to 20 minutes. Kids are tired, we're tired, and there are close to 80 others just like us in line. A bus finally pulls up and as we are waiting for the door to open, a family of 12 come running up the handicap accessible rear of the bus.

We've been in the same situation as you. While I understand the ECV right of way, I would one time like to see one pull up, acknowledge that there are that many on line, and tell the driver "these people were here before us, we will wait for the next bus". IMO courtesy is a 2 way street and if your not going to extend it, don't look to have it given back.

pdrlkr
10-25-2010, 08:53 AM
Karma!

AvaNellMouse
10-25-2010, 09:44 AM
I ended up in an ECV for our trip last year. Please know that I would have loved to walk instead.

As far as the bus goes, first on, last off. We waited just like everyone else but if there were more than two chairs in line, regarless of how many mobile folks were there, we waited for another bus. Try to be patient and understanding. People in the chairs would much rather walk than ride.

I had an instance when I was rolling into a restroom at MK. A woman dashed around me with her two children and took the only handicapped stall in the restroom. :confused:

Just try to be happy that the people that are forced to be in that situation are able to be on vacation with their families. We had a great trip despite the lack of mobility. The cast members are AMAZING!:thumbsup:

Disney4us2
10-25-2010, 11:21 AM
We've been in the same situation as you. While I understand the ECV right of way, I would one time like to see one pull up, acknowledge that there are that many on line, and tell the driver "these people were here before us, we will wait for the next bus". IMO courtesy is a 2 way street and if your not going to extend it, don't look to have it given back.

I plan on that on our upcoming trip. I will be using an ECV/and walker. If I see a long line, I will gladly wait my turn and wait for the next bus.... hey, I will be on vacation, what's the rush. If someone in the H/C line is ahead of me... I just wait my turn. ECV's are not fastpasses. Just a mobility device. I would love not to have to use my mobility helpers.

magicofdisney
10-25-2010, 11:41 AM
People in the chairs would much rather walk than ride.

It only takes one person to make that blanket statement untrue and I personally know her.

Mickey'sIrishPAl
10-25-2010, 12:03 PM
We've been in the same situation as you. While I understand the ECV right of way, I would one time like to see one pull up, acknowledge that there are that many on line, and tell the driver "these people were here before us, we will wait for the next bus". IMO courtesy is a 2 way street and if your not going to extend it, don't look to have it given back.

Very well said. I agree 100%.

I have read all posts and I now see both sides of it. Those that have opened my eyes to the other side have very valid points and have showed me that it probably takes a little more patience on my part and remember that there is always 2 sides of every story and what you see may not be what it actually is. Thank you for the reality check. Who knows what the situation really was?? Not my place to judge because throughout the day may be I do things that others don't like (maybe my cigarette smoke unknowingly blows into someone's face or I bump someone's chair unknowingly at a restaurant).

Again, I hope that i did not offend anyone and thanks to all for your opinions.

btharvey
10-26-2010, 04:59 PM
No offense, I believe. Just as you say, we don't know whether or not to be outraged.

In my case, it depends on how my day has gone .... :mickey:

captain j
10-26-2010, 05:28 PM
Karma!

I agree!

Granny Jill A
11-01-2010, 04:02 PM
I can think of one instance where the woman's and boy's behavior is perfectly explainable, though it is a stretch: Say, the woman has a severe weakness with her legs or joints or whatever that precludes her from climbing. However, being a determined woman who doesn't like being a "feeb," she insists on pushing the wheelchair instead of riding in it, as much as possible. Grandson, being a boy, tends to like to 'ride' as much as possible, and helps out Grandma with her 'exercises.' Upon arrival at the bus, however, she cannot climb the steps (while grandson can), so they switch places.

Yup, your story might be the truth, but a family who does this should not be shocked when other people get steamed. They don't know the backstory. They just know they are tired and ready to stop standing around. :D

This is a situation that has no clear solution. I wish the geniuses at Disney would think of a way to accommodate everyone without causing a situation at the bus stops. I keep hoping....

kakn7294
11-01-2010, 06:07 PM
It's a touchy subject. My mother went to WDW in March '09. She had knee injury in November and all of the walking lead to severe pain and swelling in that knee, so much so that she ended up using a wheelchair for much of the trip and had to have surgery in April. While she definitely needed that wheelchair, my cousins that she traveled with loved that they could use the wheelchair to get front of the line privileges. They kept telling us that we needed to rent one for ourselves and how much they were able to see and do because of that wheelchair.