Is the child in the stroller assumed to be more ambulatory than the adult in the wheelchair? If so, based on what?
I completely agree with you, cobright, and the answer is an absolute, no. A child in a regular stroller or specially equipped stroller or even if the only child sitting in a twin stroller, etc.; and is not assumed to be more ambulatory than an adult in a wheelchair or using a cane on not using any mobility device. Same for a child.
Cobright, based on my personal experience of staying at the Swan Resort and using the boat launch from from the following five boat launch stops in the circuit from Epcot to BW to BC/YC to Swan to DHS. I was on vacation and I enjoyed the beautiful days and nights of all the areas when waiting for the next boat launch. It gave me a time to reflect on how lucky I was to be at WDW. There was only one day that it rained while I was at WDW and even though heavy, the rain was very brief. Very unusual to not even have afternoon, evening rain showers.
Cobright, I also stayed at the Swan Resort for eighteen days using this boat launch when not using the sidewalks if I was worried about the battery. I was able to use the bus to AK and MK and DTD. No busses were available for the previous stops listed unless coming from a Disney Park, etc.
Cobright, while actually already on the boat launch in transit, I had a few boat launch captains verbally asked a parent if they they could move their stroller and they did move it to allow a wheelchair to park. There were many strollers with infants asleep in their stroller parked in one of the handicapped spots. Cobright, I think that most understanding people would understand leaving that infant in that space, but that is my personal opinion. I understand that on a bus they may not have that option and must fold up the stroller to enter the bus. While if a parent asked on a bus, they were, of course, allowed to tie down their stroller and child on the bus handicap space and enter up the bus side ramp as they entered the handicap bus queue gate or entrance.
I think that many parent or parents were just tired and did not have handicap experience. Many parents just parked their single or double strollers in the boat launch handicap area and carried their child to a seat or the older children sitting in the stroller just went with their parents to sit down. There were many strollers left in one or two spaces.
While on the boat, I saw where some boat captains asked if the parents could fold up their strollers so that a wheelchair could enter and park and most parents did just that. But, many boat launch captains did not ask and left wheelchairs at the BW and BC/YC and Swan on their way to DHS based on my personal observations.
Cobright, I also know that parent's strollers cannot be allowed in the open rear area in the rear of the boat launch and nor are they allowed in the walkway inside the boat launch for emergency situations and I always saw this enforced. Of course, people were allowed to stand in the open area and walkway area.
Cobright, I think that since parents can't park in the rear of the of the open boat launch, nor walkways, it may seem natural for them to just park their strollers in the four handicap areas or just stand in the handicap areas.
Cobright, while waiting for a boat launch to arrive and told by the boat launch captain that I was couldn't board because it was full was understandable to me because of what I posted in my first post of it being very busy and leaving at unusual times of people wanting to go to DHS for Osborne Lights or to Epcot for Illuminations while they went from one park to another. Even if not during those special times the resorts and parks seemed to be the busiest in over a decade for me after staying in the first two weeks of December every year.
Cobright, I, like so many others know that you should never judge infants, children, or adults by their looks. Frankly, I personally believe that no one should be judged about anything. I believe only God can judge.
There are many adults using ECV that, based on blind assumption, seem perfectly capable of walking around on their own and not taking up 3 spots on the bus.
Cobright, most of the buses only have two handicap spots, some do have three handicap spots, and one bus has four handicap spaces based on my experience talking with the bus supervisors at MK. Even the new double or expanded busses only have two handicap spaces based on my conversation with the bus supervisor at MK and Art of Annimation bus driver of at double or expanded bus.
Cobright, I read on many Disney boards that many people say the same thing, but personally speaking, I just cannot judge anyone as you do not judge anyone. I cannot help those that seem to judge, but I have been known to step in and defend a parent with a child or adult in that situation at a bus stop.
Cobright, I see many a parent or parents struggle so hard when leaving a park trying to fold up their stroller or strollers when entering the bus and trying to manage their small children at the same time on a standing only bus. This is why I can understand why parents see an open space on a boat launch and just park their strollers without understanding the handicap area use.
But intelligent and empathetic human beings don't make judgments like this because we know that the wholeness of the situation is not always available to the eyes of strangers.
Cobright, I completely agree with you. I hope that you and everyone else does not think that I judge people based on what the situation looks like. I do try and understand the complaining person and at WDW, and I try to place myself in their place. Maybe a dad was having a bad day and was very tired while at MK all day and said something out of frustration that he would not normally say. I try not to take taunts personally.
I have not proof read this and just typed this. If I made any typing errors or if I didn't express myself properly, I will try and come back and see what mistakes that I might have made.
I refuse to let anyone to take away my joy.
