Ok, so this week's "tip," if you can call it at tip, is very simple. BEHAVE and DO WHAT'S RIGHT!!!
(sorry for the shouting)
As many of you probably have read, there's apparently a few businesses out there that are hiring handicapped individuals to serve as tour guides to then use the handicapped entrances to attractions and bypassing standby lines.
If you haven't read the story yet, check it out here: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/disney_world_srich_kid_outrage_zTBA0xrvZRkIVc1zItXGDP
While the outrage is understandable and totally warranted, I do want to take this opportunity to share a few words of calm. First and foremost, please DO NOT think that all special needs guests are out to game the system. Disney goes above and beyond to be as accommodating as they can for special needs guests. That's why they put in special entrances and give special access to guests with disabilities. I want to see guests using these services -- that's why they're there.
What a don't want are guests ABUSING these opportunities. There's a big difference between the two and, sadly, it's pretty tough to tell the difference.
So, as I said, when you see guests using the privileges for handicapped guests, please don't assume that someone's out to take advantage of the system. The vast majority of guests are doing the right thing and acting in an honest manner.
So how can we as guests try to stop this sort of behavior? Well the easiest way is to stop using these kinds of "tour guides"!! There's really no way that Disney can police this kind of behavior, nor should Disney waste a bunch of effort trying to do so because of the potential negative impacts on disabled guests who are simply doing the right thing and using the services available to them.
Sure, Disney could cut down on the number of able-bodied guests who can accompany a disabled guest, but consider the impact of such action. You want to experience an attraction with your family - how would you like it if you had to break up. One group gets to use the FastPass line, while the other has to go through the standby queue.
Nor can Disney ask for a bunch of medical documentation - HIPPA privacy laws forbid it. Also, there's no real way Disney could require the accompanies guests to be "family." These days families have so many different last names that it would be impossible to verify the relations.
No, the way to stop this is to not use these services ourselves and discourage anyone else from using them.
I promise I'll get back to more magical posts next week, but this got under my skin and I needed to share my thoughts.
1 comment:
I have a personal experience that I would like to share with you. My father has Multiple Sclerosis. Last year we spent a week in disney world and went to get a disability card as we usually do in town hall. When we asked for one the cast member informed us that we would no longer be able to receive shorter wait times for rides because the passes were being misused. Because of this my father, mother, and I were un able to go on multiple rides, had to go back to the hotel more frequently for my father due to the increased wait times, and overall had a less enjoyable vacation. It is so upsetting to me that these Manhattan moms think that they can misuse the system the way they did. I hope their children never have to deal with an illness that would make them need these resources because they will no longer be available due to their lack of humility.
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