OT:just back from Hershey park,never going back!!(LONG)

[kayc86]

Ok so i know this is the WDW boards but I really need to vent and I knew everyone here would understand.My mom,dad and little brother were going to hershey park from July 5 till july 8 and asked me and DH if we wanted to come along.We thought it would be nice to take the kids for a little get away.We were in the park on the 6th and it was SO hot we went over to the new board walk where they have all the water rides.There is a little kiddie area that DS(almost 2)was playing in with DH.My oldest DS looked so hot I thought it would be ok if i rolled him into the water just so his feet could get wet where the water was shooting up(His front wheels were about 7 inches in the water)He LOVED it and he kept smiling.Other parents were smiling at me and would say thing like hes having a blast.The lifeguard was walking around near by.
We took a lunch break after awhile and then went back for some more water fun,My DS and DH were splashing around so I rolled my older DS back to where he was before and after about 2 min. a different lifeguard by the name of Brian came up to me and told me that the wheelchair cant be in the water.I looked at him and asked why???He said that the water can ruin the chair and because of the oils in the chair.I asked to speak with his manager.The Manager whos name was Chris came over and when I told him that my son had been there early in the day playing in the water and there were no issues then he told me that they did have a water chair he can use but that he could not use his own.I told him that he could not come out of his chair he then told me that he could not play in the water.This whole time im talking to the manager the lifeguard was standing next to him with a big smile on his face as to say,I told you so.
I was stunned,I walked away with tears running down my face,I didnt want much,I just wanted my 7 year old son to be able to play in the water.I then went to speak with the manager of the boardwalk area and he was really nice but said that there was nothing they could do for us.He then let me,DH and our kids sit in a private room for alittle while so I could stop crying again.
I felt so heart broken for my son,I am one who never likes pitty from anyone but that was the first time I felt soo sorry for us as a family.This made us miss disney so much and we cant wait till our trip for christmas.
Sorry if this is long and thank you for letting me vent!!Alison

 

[cmwade77]

I am so sorry that happened to you, I know there has to be some agency in charge of enforcing ADA laws, I would report this with them as this would clearly be a violation by not granting equal access. I am not saying to try to get anything out of this, but at getting them to correct the situation. I would also write a letter to them and let them know what happened. I think most companies would stand up and do the right thing. I mean really, what harm is coming from this? It just seems wrong in so many ways.

 

[disneychickforever]

That's terrible Alison!

I just realized how mean I could be, though. I wouldn't take that for an answer and would have told them right there I was going to report them. Scare them a bit, ya know?

That is just awful, I am so sorry you had to endure that.

But you are right, you have people here who understand

Best wishes to you and your family.

 

[kayc86]

Thanks cmwade77 and disneychick.I do plan on writing some letters and finding out how to turn a bad situation into a good out come for all,if a child with out a wheelchair can play in the water then surely a child in a chair should be able to do the same.I dont want another family to feel the way we did that day!!Thanks again for your compassion

 

[disprincesspatty]

I am sure you were very hurt, but don't let it turn you off of Hershey Park. They just opened the water park area this spring. Maybe they are still in the learning process. Not that it compares to your situation at all, but at Disney we had restrictions at the water parks because of a swim cast that I paid extra for just so my son could get in the water, and my other son doesn't fit on some of the rides. Everything can't be accessible to everyone all of the time. But I do realize these are small problems compared to what you are dealing with. Hershey is normally the "Sweetest Place on Earth".

 

[JoyMouse]

Alison, I am sending a bunch of pixie dust your way. I am so sorry that you guys had such a bad experience.
Joy

 

[Michigan]

I hate to say this but they are within the right of the ADA law. They did have a water wheelchair which was offered to you so that means they have complied and that's all they have to do.

 

[SueM in MN]

......it would be ok if i rolled him into the water just so his feet could get wet where the water was shooting up(His front wheels were about 7 inches in the water)..............

a different lifeguard by the name of Brian came up to me and told me that the wheelchair cant be in the water.I looked at him and asked why???He said that the water can ruin the chair and because of the oils in the chair...................

he told me that they did have a water chair he can use but that he could not use his own.I told him that he could not come out of his chair he then told me that he could not play in the water.

I'm sorry about what happened to you and it sounds like they did not handle it very well, but what they told you was correct.

When the water gets onto the axel of the wheelchair wheels, some of the oil from the axel comes out and gets into the pool water. Some water park areas allow wheelchair users to go into the water as long as the axes are above the water. Some water parks just say no wheelchairs in the water at all.

It is for both reasons that were mentioned to you. Oil gets in the water, which is a pollution problem and because the oils is washed out of the axel, the wheelchair can be damaged. I 'overcleaned' my DD's front casters once and it took about a week (plus some oil) before the front casters did not squeak. There was no permanent damage, but there could have been.

The ADA requires reasonable accomodation, which the park provided by having a water wheelchair available that could go into the water without damage to either the wheelchair or the water. The water wheelchair they provided was not appropriate for your child, but they made the effort that was required by the ADA. The are not required to make everything accessible or to allow access if access could harm either their or your equipment.

Rather than fight the 'wheelchair in the water' rule (which you won't win), I'd suggest coming up with some ways they could make the area accessible in other ways. For example, would there be some kind of chair that could go in the water that children like your child could use (for example, there are some therapy chairs that are made of a firm plastic that could go in water). Or, would he have been able to use the water wheelchair if it had some simple modifications (like a lot of times, the only ones they have are adult size, maybe a smaller one or even just adding something simple would make it more accessible. Maybe they could add some roll under water tables, so even if the child can't roll into the water, they could play in it. Or maybe some interactive fountains that don't have any standing water that can get up to the level of the axels.
Be creative and positive and you might be surprised at what might happen.

Good luck.

 

[lovethattink]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience at Hershey Park. We visited there on vacation a couple weeks ago. We noticed a lack of customer service at the boardwalk area too.

 

[kayc86]

Thank you to everyone for your kind words and ideas.I have passed this issue off to someone close to me and my son to work on.As a mom to a 7 year old,2 year old and 5 month old with 2 jobs I just have too much on my plate right now.thanks again to you all,the dis boards truely are a great place

 

[roseprincess]

I am so sorry this has happened to you
My family and I went to Hershey Park for the first time ever, in June of this yr.
We went and played in the Boardwalk area (water area) one of the days we were there. I know that one huge area you probably had your DS there, was extremely crowded in the afternoon when we went too.
We didn't have any problems with that particular water area of Boardwalk, (my kids are ambulatory). But we were floored how much the lockers fee was at the Boardwalk The locker fee at Boardwalk was incredibly much higher than using a locker at another part of the park, for the same amt. of locker space. And the thing is, I called Hershey Park a week before we left for vacay. I asked how much the locker fees are. Was never told the locker fees at Boardwalk. Only that the lockers were $2.00 overall and that was it.
My DH did confront nicely to the locker attendant person at Boardwalk, that the locker fees were too high priced but DH didn't get a response back from her

I'm hoping the management at Boardwalk in HP will get some of the kinks out by next yr, as of the high cost of lockers there and making the water areas more accessible for children with disabilities.
Otherwise, the rest of our Hershey Park trip went well.

I'm sorry you had to go thru the humiliation of all that with the Boardwalk

 

[SallyfromDE]

My understanding is that if you did the same at the Disney waterparks, you'd be told the same thing. It's not limited to Hershey.