WDW -Disability Access Service (DAS) - ARCHIVED THREAD; no longer vslid

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I wonder what the CM would do if your child was in a wheelchair. Did you let someone at Disney know? Sorry you had such unpleasant episodes with really ignorant people. Glad to hear you a good time.
 
I wonder what the CM would do if your child was in a wheelchair. Did you let someone at Disney know? Sorry you had such unpleasant episodes with really ignorant people. Glad to hear you a good time.

I just wrote a letter to guest relations regarding the baby center issue. I'll post on the thread if I get a response.
 
I can't even begin to tell you how nasty people were to us. Several nasty comments from other guests. At epcot, in "the land" building, we had at least 5 people make comments of how we must have "snuck" the stroller in. When I said to one woman on the elevator "we didn't sneak it in, she's disabled" the woman started mocking me saying oh yeah sure , she's not disabled. At little mermaid in MK I had a man yell at us for "cutting" the line (we did not cut, we were ushered into the wheelchair parking section" and then he started yelling that we were those people like on the news that fake things to get ahead in line. I just can not believe how nasty complete strangers were. Has anyone else had this happen? Do you ignore people or try to explain to them why your child has the tag?

I don't have a child, but my last trip I was in a wheelchair for part of it and got nasty comments and looks. I don't "look disabled", but I had torn the tendons in my ankle a couple weeks before we left and could barely walk half the time. I tried to just ignore it but it did hurt. Surprisingly, two trips with a GAC and I never got a comment using that, but had I I would've probably had a nice little chat with whoever thought they had a right to comment.
 
As someone who has worked in Guest Relations I can say that we can read notes from doctors. However they are usually one of two things. Either a diagnosis written in complicated medical jargon that the CM cannot understand or something incredibly vague such as "cannot wait in line" or "has diabetes". Neither of these explain specific needs.
 
I have a feeling this question has been asked and answered, but I can't read through 102 pages to find out, I'm sorry. I did read the info provided by Sue in the first couple of posts.

I'm wondering if anyone could clarify whether people with severe mobility issues will need a DAS card.

My understanding is that if I'm using a personal scooter, the CM at the attraction will just direct me to the wheelchair accessible queue, but I do need minor accommodation beyond just being able to bring my scooter into a queue.

Not much, mostly I just need a lot of extra time getting into and out of ride cars, and for the moving walkways or platforms to be stopped. My sister will help me do as much as I can, but it's a slow and painful procedure for me to get from my scooter over to wherever I'll be sitting during the attraction, especially when it involves stepping up or down onto a different surface.

For that matter, if I've been sitting on the scooter for awhile without getting up, when I first stand up it takes a minute or two to adjust, get my balance. Silently bully my knees into unlocking and moving properly, and inform my feet that we WILL be walking a short distance, so they have no choice but to take my weight and shuffle forwards when I want to move. Come on, joints. We're moving, don't argue with me just behave and move when I tell you to. Please don't embarass me in public by locking up mid-step and I'll give you some nice dilaudid in an hour or two. Let's go.

Would I need a DAS card for this sort of accommodation? I never used a GAC, never needed one.
 
I have a feeling this question has been asked and answered, but I can't read through 102 pages to find out, I'm sorry. I did read the info provided by Sue in the first couple of posts.

I'm wondering if anyone could clarify whether people with severe mobility issues will need a DAS card.

My understanding is that if I'm using a personal scooter, the CM at the attraction will just direct me to the wheelchair accessible queue, but I do need minor accommodation beyond just being able to bring my scooter into a queue.

Not much, mostly I just need a lot of extra time getting into and out of ride cars, and for the moving walkways or platforms to be stopped. My sister will help me do as much as I can, but it's a slow and painful procedure for me to get from my scooter over to wherever I'll be sitting during the attraction, especially when it involves stepping up or down onto a different surface.

For that matter, if I've been sitting on the scooter for awhile without getting up, when I first stand up it takes a minute or two to adjust, get my balance. Silently bully my knees into unlocking and moving properly, and inform my feet that we WILL be walking a short distance, so they have no choice but to take my weight and shuffle forwards when I want to move. Come on, joints. We're moving, don't argue with me just behave and move when I tell you to. Please don't embarass me in public by locking up mid-step and I'll give you some nice dilaudid in an hour or two. Let's go.

Would I need a DAS card for this sort of accommodation? I never used a GAC, never needed one.

My FIL has severe mobility issues and we had no issues over Mother's Day weekend getting him all the accommodations he needed. No grumbly cast or guests either.
 


Just spend 3 days at WDW. Our 2yo has a seizure disorder. She is severely developmentally delayed, non mobile & non verbal. She also has hypotonia, CVI & retinopathy so she is very floppy and doesn't have good head control and we know she can see because she recognizes people and objects, just unsure of how much she sees and processes.
She loves Disney though! I think it's all the stimulation, the movement, the colors. We have a "stroller as a wheelchair" red tag that we used on our trip. I can't even begin to tell you how nasty people were to us. Several nasty comments from other guests. At epcot, in "the land" building, we had at least 5 people make comments of how we must have "snuck" the stroller in. When I said to one woman on the elevator "we didn't sneak it in, she's disabled" the woman started mocking me saying oh yeah sure , she's not disabled. At little mermaid in MK I had a man yell at us for "cutting" the line (we did not cut, we were ushered into the wheelchair parking section" and then he started yelling that we were those people like on the news that fake things to get ahead in line. I just can not believe how nasty complete strangers were. Has anyone else had this happen? Do you ignore people or try to explain to them why your child has the tag?
Lastly, I was a bit disappointed at MK. Their baby care center is not wheelchair accessible. I was surprised because the one at hollywood studios was so nice & we were able to take the stroller in. At MK, I had to park the stroller outside (even with the tag on it) and carry my daughter and all of her gear in which was not an easy task. Is there anywhere else at MK that is handicap accessible and offers a place to change and feed a young child? What would they do if the mother was in a wheelchair? Seems a bit off to me.

All in all, we had a wonderful trip. I tried very hard to not let the comments of others get to me. I'd give anything to wait in a real line and have my daughter walk onto a ride like other healthy two year olds. I'd happily ditch all the gear and the stroller to have her take steps in "the land". I guess others just don't get it.
That is not new and isn't actually just strollers being used as wheelchairs.
One of my vivid memories from when my youngest DD took her first trip using a wheelchair is a parent blocking the CM at The Land from letting us in.
She was angry because they would not let her bring her stroller in and was yelling, "you have to let me bring my stroller in! You are letting her bring hers in," (pointing to us).
The CM explained we were using a wheelchair and ask the woman if her child was disabled. She said no, but still kept going on that it was not fair we could bring our 'stroller' in and she could not.
Now, our DD's wheelchair looked nothing like a stroller - it was a traditional wheelchair with big back wheels. It didn't matter to the woman that both the CM and her husband were telling her that ours was a wheelchair, she didn't like it!
The CM said no. I even showed her the red tag and she said absolutely not because it's a safety hazard. She said there is only one exit so it wasn't allowed. I was surprised too. After a few mins of trying to struggle with gear I walked out in tears. I didn't try the one at epcot or AK but the one at hollywood studios was very nice.
That does surprise me - as someone else mentioned, what would they do if a parent came in using a wheelchair?

I have not been in Baby Care at MK in a long time. I wonder what the space is like - I know it is small and wonder if a stroller in the changing area would block passage??
But, if that was the case, the logical thing yo do would be send you next door to First Aid. You could have used one of the rooms there to change your child without any issues with blocking an exit.
As someone who has worked in Guest Relations I can say that we can read notes from doctors. However they are usually one of two things. Either a diagnosis written in complicated medical jargon that the CM cannot understand or something incredibly vague such as "cannot wait in line" or "has diabetes". Neither of these explain specific needs.
I know a couple of Guest Relations CMs have said they were told not to read notes from doctors.
The main reasons were the ones you mentioned, but also to avoid given any appearance that a note might be required. (The ADA states no proof can be required).
So, CM's understanding about might depend on how their manager presented it to them.
I have a feeling this question has been asked and answered, but I can't read through 102 pages to find out, I'm sorry. I did read the info provided by Sue in the first couple of posts.

I'm wondering if anyone could clarify whether people with severe mobility issues will need a DAS card.

My understanding is that if I'm using a personal scooter, the CM at the attraction will just direct me to the wheelchair accessible queue, but I do need minor accommodation beyond just being able to bring my scooter into a queue.

Not much, mostly I just need a lot of extra time getting into and out of ride cars, and for the moving walkways or platforms to be stopped.
My sister will help me do as much as I can, but it's a slow and painful procedure for me to get from my scooter over to wherever I'll be sitting during the attraction, especially when it involves stepping up or down onto a different surface.

For that matter, if I've been sitting on the scooter for awhile without getting up, when I first stand up it takes a minute or two to adjust, get my balance. Silently bully my knees into unlocking and moving properly, and inform my feet that we WILL be walking a short distance, so they have no choice but to take my weight and shuffle forwards when I want to move. Come on, joints. We're moving, don't argue with me just behave and move when I tell you to. Please don't embarass me in public by locking up mid-step and I'll give you some nice dilaudid in an hour or two. Let's go.

Would I need a DAS card for this sort of accommodation? I never used a GAC, never needed one.
You would not actually need a DAS for that kind of accommodation - DAS is just for the actual waiting in line, per Disney's information. Those other things would be communicated by you at the time.
Since you will be using the ECV in line, you will be boarding at the accessible boarding area, if it is not the same as the standard boarding area/entrance.

You can try to explain your needs to CMs at Guest Relatuons, but are likely to be told you don't need a DAS and should just talk to CMs about your needs the way you did before DAS.

A couple of other things to be aware of -
- the attractions that don't accommodate ECVs in line do have ECVs you can use in line. Ask at the entrance before parking your ECV.

- they are seldom actually stopping the moving walkways; it is much more common to slow them. Having a DAS would not make it more likely that CMs would stop the moving walkway.
 
You would not actually need a DAS for that kind of accommodation

You can try to explain your needs to CMs at Guest Relatuons, but are likely to be told you don't need a DAS and should just talk to CMs about your needs the way you did before DAS.

Excellent, thank you for the answer. I'd rather avoid the DAS if possible, it's just one more thing to keep track of and I have plenty of those as it is!
 
there is a reason Disney needs to have guests explain their needs, rather than give their diagnosis. The guest relations CMs aren't medical professionals. They don't just know what diagnoses require what accommodations, and it isn't like they can have a list behind the counter that says "if a guest has autism, they get this accommodation, if they have diabetes they get this, etc.". Medical issues affect everyone in different ways...one autistic.child may need sensory accommodations,.while another may not, etc. That is why guest relations need guests to explain their *needs* related to the diagnosis, and not the diagnosis itself.
My daughter is not yet 2 and has a genetic condition that has caused significant developmental delays. It's not.like I can walk up to GR and say "my daughter has a microduplication on chromosome 16, which causes developmental delays" and expect them to know how to help me. That statement doesn't tell them what her delays are in relation to the park. In our situation, I would need to tell them something more like "my daughter has developmental delays and cannot walk or stand on her own. My husband and I are not able to hold her in long lines, and would like to use her stroller as a wheelchair to accommodate her condition."

Does it suck to have to explain it? Yes. I am still dealing with all if this myself, and we have no idea what her condition will mean for her because there is so little research. I still cry when I see other children her age doing what she can't. But only I know how best to accommodate her, and its my responsibility to communicate that, to be her advocate, no matter how difficult it is to always have to explain.
 
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/disney-parks-disability-access-service-card-fact-sheet/

This states Disney takes guests at their word. We all know that. They don't require doctors notes and it's been a long time that the general rule is that they will not read them. That's it. Doesn't really matter why.

They're are legal issues with asking and I can't fault Disney for not wanting to even take a chance at looking at one with people being so sue happy. Then you'll have the 'well, I had a doctors note and they gave me xyz extra. Must have been the note!' And it's all downhill from there.
 
I've done this & had no problems with CM's willingly taking my note & nicely providing the assistance I need.

Just to clarify my statement. I wrote a note explaining what my needs are (no diagnosis) and politely asked if there was a way that Disney could help me out. I handed it to the CM and asked if they wouldn't mind reading the note that I wrote and they had no problem with that.
 
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