DO DISABLE PERSONS FEEL LEFT OUT

[jeffn5631]

With all of the major changes to Disney World does it seem to say that to our community we have been ignored and we will not take any part in the anniversary celebration events?

 

[Shanti]

With all of the major changes to Disney World does it seem to say that to our community we have been ignored and we will not take any part in the anniversary celebration events?

I wouldn't say so. I think Disney tries to make everyone feel included.

 

[HookdonWDW]

How do you feel excluded?

 

[maxiesmom]

????

 

[Allison]

Is there something specific you can reference? I'm not sure why someone would feel this way.

 

[SteveMouse]

I, for one, am not at all happy with the House of the Mouse.

I can ride neither of the attractions in Pandora.

It would have been so easy to have a space where folks in wheelchairs who can’t get their legs over the banshee could at least experience the visuals and share in the experience with our family members.

Similarly, they could have so easily used the boats from Small World or The Land, which accommodate wheelchairs, instead of going the path they did, denying access to those who can’t bump transfer.

 

[cmwade77]

I have to say accessibility seems to have been suffering lately and with Pandora I will be shocked if lawsuites aren't filed at some point. For my needs it doesn't prevent me from going, so I would have no standing to file such a suit, but really this could have been done in a way that the attractions could be accessible.

 

[yesdnil]

Hmm, do I feel excluded in life? Yes, absolutely. My disabilities have taken hundreds of thousands of opportunities and choices from me. I feel excluded all the time. But at Disney World? Not at all. They have put so much thought and consideration into how disabled people like myself will be able to enjoy their vacation, without diminishing the ability for fully abled people to enjoy the parks, including thrill rides that I'm no longer able to do, like rock n roller coaster.

I certainly understand my limits, and I know that not everything is for me. I'm very happy with how much fun I'm able to have at Disney.

 

[SueM in MN]

I, for one, am not at all happy with the House of the Mouse.

I can ride neither of the attractions in Pandora.

It would have been so easy to have a space where folks in wheelchairs who can’t get their legs over the banshee could at least experience the visuals and share in the experience with our family members.

Similarly, they could have so easily used the boats from Small World or The Land, which accommodate wheelchairs, instead of going the path they did, denying access to those who can’t bump transfer.

The boats at Na’vi River Journey are not long enough to have a ramp built in like the boats at Small World or Mexico.
Wheelchair accessible spots on water rides also need to be designed for balance of the center of gravity of the boat. I don’t think the Na’vi boats are wide enough to put a wheelchair in the center of the boat and have a space for a companion.

I’ve read rumors that the river path was shortened from the original plan, which made the turns too tight for a longer boat. I do not know if that is true or not.
I’ve also read rumors that there was a plan for a seat that lifted up and out from the boat so that the guests who could not do a bump transfer could get in.

I don’t know if there were any plans for an observation room for Flights of Passage, but Disney did put one in the Finding Nemo Submarine ride at Disneyland.

I have to say accessibility seems to have been suffering lately and with Pandora I will be shocked if lawsuites aren't filed at some point. For my needs it doesn't prevent me from going, so I would have no standing to file such a suit, but really this could have been done in a way that the attractions could be accessible.

Although I personally wish the attractions in Pandora were wheelchair accessible, I don’t see a way a lawsuit could be filed. There is no ADA requirement that attractions be totally wheelchair accessible.
This is a quote from the ADA Amusement Parks document about what is required:
Each newly constructed or newly designed amusement ride must provide at least one wheelchair space, or at least one ride seat designed for transfer, or a transfer device designed to transfer a person using a wheelchair from the load and unload area to a ride seat. The choice of which type of access that is provided for each ride is left up to the operator or designer.
https://www.access-board.gov/guidel...on-amusement-rides/accessible-amusement-rides

IF attractions are wheelchair accessible, there are some requirements as far as space, access route, etc. But a wheelchair accessible ride vehicle is not required.
This is a link to the wheelchair requirements:
https://www.access-board.gov/guidel...-rides/amusement-rides-with-wheelchair-spaces

There are also guidelines for seats designed for transfer:
https://www.access-board.gov/guidel...es/amusement-ride-seats-designed-for-transfer

And for transfer devices:
https://www.access-board.gov/guidel...ansfer-devices-for-use-with-an-amusement-ride

Disney does meet or exceed those - especially in the transfer devices provided for Flights of Passage. We were able to lift and transfer our daughter to both attractions, but I’m pretty sure the difficulty of the transfer and her instability in the seat led to hating Na’vi River Journey.

 

[FortForever]

I do agree that Disney has really been disappointing with not making their newest rides accessible. I have not read the thread on Toy Story land yet, so not sure about those. But I do feel when a brand new ride is built, there is really no excuse to not integrate accessibility into the plans.

There is still a lot to do at Disney, and lots of accommodations for a variety of people. However, I feel like they could do better when they build new things.

 

[mamabunny]

It's tough for me... I find that no where else in the world can I vacation as *easily* as I can at WDW. As long as I can reserve the correct type of accommodations for me (I require a roll-in shower room) and as long as I can afford the travel *and* the cost of the room/ticket/meal plan/shopping/souvenirs/drinks/etc. etc. etc. while *at* Disney World...

So, yes - there are some rides for me that I can no longer participate in, without the sure and certain knowledge that Reedy Creek EMS will have to be called to get me back out of that ride vehicle (if I can get in it to begin with). It makes me sad to think about, sure... but so does the fact that I will never again dance with my husband, or play tennis, or do any of the hundreds of other things I can't do in the "real" world. Not everything is fixable.

After my experience last fall at Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO I came to a new appreciation of how much easier Disney World is for those of us with disabilities. WDW earns my vacation dollars because in a world that doesn't always "work" for me now, it works better than most of the real world for me.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Asking the disabled community is way too general.
There are sooo many types of disabilities from mobility disabilities, to vision disabilities, to hearing disabilities, to mental disabilities....
Not every single attraction can be tailored to every single person.
In what way do you feel left out?

 

[AdamEfimoff]

Asking the disabled community is way too general.
There are sooo many types of disabilities from mobility disabilities, to vision disabilities, to hearing disabilities, to mental disabilities....
Not every single attraction can be tailored to every single person.
In what way do you feel left out?

thank you

 

[FortForever]

I'll be very specific about what I would like see:

Every NEW ride built should have accommodations for a wheelchair bound person to ride. Whether that be a boat that accepts wheelchairs/ECVS, or a watered down version of the ride where they can experience at least the visual component, without the movement. Of having the seat of rides chair height to make transfer doable.

It just seems like this was a priority for years, and no longer seems to be. Once again, I'll continue to enjoy all the things that are done well. And there are more at Disney than anywhere.

I'd still like to see more thought for the physically diabled go into new designs.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I'll be very specific about what I would like see:

Every NEW ride built should have accommodations for a wheelchair bound person to ride. Whether that be a boat that accepts wheelchairs/ECVS, or a watered down version of the ride where they can experience at least the visual component, without the movement. Of having the seat of rides chair height to make transfer doable.

It just seems like this was a priority for years, and no longer seems to be. Once again, I'll continue to enjoy all the things that are done well. And there are more at Disney than anywhere.

I'd still like to see more thought for the physically diabled go into new designs.

So you care about mobility disabilities but not other disabilities?

What about the person that can't see or can't hear?
I think those with mobility disabilities are accommodated quite well in comparison.

Not every attraction can be modified and they should not have to.

 

[maxiesmom]

Not everyone person can do every ride. And it doesn't even have to be something considered a disability to make it so. I can't ride FoP because I would feel trapped and panic. Should there be a version of the ride for me? Or how about one for my dad, who would struggle with getting on and off of the bike, but doesn't need an ECV to see the parks. Should there be some sort of bench for people like him? The point I'm trying to make is you could go on and on and on with accommodations. And sometimes you have to say, This ride isn't for me, and move on. Lawsuit? Nope.

 

[DisneyOma]

I, for one, am not at all happy with the House of the Mouse.

I can ride neither of the attractions in Pandora.

It would have been so easy to have a space where folks in wheelchairs who can’t get their legs over the banshee could at least experience the visuals and share in the experience with our family members.

Similarly, they could have so easily used the boats from Small World or The Land, which accommodate wheelchairs, instead of going the path they did, denying access to those who can’t bump transfer.

I was surprised Navi wasn't more accessible, but not surprised at all that FoP doesn't have a viewing area - if you look online at videos of the build, etc, the floors move enough that putting a wheelchair on it wouldn't be safe, especially if the person in it has no upper body control. And while they can have one transport in Star Tours not move, as they run independently of each other, doesn't the whole cinema go at once at FoP?

I do agree that Disney has really been disappointing with not making their newest rides accessible. I have not read the thread on Toy Story land yet, so not sure about those. But I do feel when a brand new ride is built, there is really no excuse to not integrate accessibility into the plans.

There is still a lot to do at Disney, and lots of accommodations for a variety of people. However, I feel like they could do better when they build new things.

I think it depends on the intent of the attraction - a more physical ride, like a coaster, or a simulator, is going to have safety limitations to start with, and it wouldn't make sense to have an accessible vehicle if it wasn't safe for a person in a wheelchair to ride in the first place.

I'll be very specific about what I would like see:

Every NEW ride built should have accommodations for a wheelchair bound person to ride. Whether that be a boat that accepts wheelchairs/ECVS, or a watered down version of the ride where they can experience at least the visual component, without the movement. Of having the seat of rides chair height to make transfer doable.

It just seems like this was a priority for years, and no longer seems to be. Once again, I'll continue to enjoy all the things that are done well. And there are more at Disney than anywhere.

I'd still like to see more thought for the physically diabled go into new designs.

How would that work for coasters, etc? How would you make an accessible car on SDD? Or even on Alien Swirling Saucers (the acronym won't work on the DIS, LOL!) The whipping action of Aliens isn't the safest thing for some guests in wheelchairs. Of course some people in wheelchairs have upper body strength enough to hold themselves, but a lot don't and then there'd be the whole can of worms opened about who gets to ride.

 

[gap2368]

Not everyone person can do every ride. And it doesn't even have to be something considered a disability to make it so. I can't ride FoP because I would feel trapped and panic. Should there be a version of the ride for me? Or how about one for my dad, who would struggle with getting on and off of the bike, but doesn't need an ECV to see the parks. Should there be some sort of bench for people like him? The point I'm trying to make is you could go on and on and on with accommodations. And sometimes you have to say, This ride isn't for me, and move on. Lawsuit? Nope.

This is so true. For me I am not a big roller coaster fain so I do not go to universal you do not have to go to Disney I think for the most part they do a good jab can they do better yes they can.

 

[ttintagel]

It does seem to me like their commitment to accessibility and accommodation isn't what it used to be. But they still do more than a lot of other places.

 

[DisneyOma]

It does seem to me like their commitment to accessibility and accommodation isn't what it used to be. But they still do more than a lot of other places.

Could you clarify with examples?