Latest Arguments in DAS Lawsuit

[DisneyAuntie12]

I totally understand the OCD however I believe the particular family who started the suit comes from Canada. How often would this young man be coming to Disney to be in a routine of riding it over and over? He isn't a local that comes every day.

I think in some ways that would make it worse though - because of the distance, there would be almost no time to work on it. If he was a local they might be able to put a behavior plan in place to slowly acclimate to the new system.


Again, I do question the wisdom of bringing a large, aggressive person with autism to an environment as hectic as Disney in the first place, so I'm not sure what to make of that particular lawsuit. That said, I understand that the switch between systems could have been a real problem for many families with kids on the spectrum. And while I am usually very wary of anything that hints of tort abuse, I think that the parents of children with special needs are a unique group in that they often have a long history of having to fight for every therapy, every accommodation, every insurance benefit for their child (at least in the US, where buying a copy of Wrightslaw and hiring an advocate can be routine before heading into an IEP,) so unfortunately this becomes a routine part of life. Add to that the level of stress and isolation that parenting a child with autism can bring (one study said the parent of a child with autism experiences daily stress on par with a soldier in combat,) and I a much more sympathetic in these cases in general. That's not to say, again, that there aren't people who game the system by using a very dubious diagnosis mostly to access rides faster - that is just straight up cheating, and I am not ok with that. But for people who have a genuine issue, I do feel for the parents. There are a lot of difficult calls they have to make - live an isolated life or risk something happening by doing the 'normal childhood' stuff, for example - and while I don't think every parent is going to get it right every time, I sympathize with the fact that these would not be easy decisions to make.

 

[DLgal]

Your description of the lines for rides is pretty much the same as the entire park. The whole park is one sensory assault after another. How does your child react to being bumped while walking around the park? I imagine that happens fairly often. It worries me when parents expect other people to adjust to their child's behaviors. If he were to crowd in my daughter's personal space she would be likely to tell him to back off. How do you handle that?

No, the rest of the park is NOT like the lines. The lines are in a contained space and that amplifies everything. But, to somewhat answer your question, my son does put on ear defenders when walking around the parks when there is a live performance or parade happening, or anything else that is too loud. He wears a baseball cap and sunglasses and pulls the hat WAY down to limit visual input, and generally walks very quickly from place to place. He actually doesn't ever get bumped while just walking around. He is very good at weaving through crowds and avoiding contact. So good that we dress him in neon colors because it's easier to keep tabs on him as he walks 20 feet ahead of us most of the time. And to answer your last point, if he crowds someone and they tell him to back off? He will likely not react at all, and will completely ignore the person because he's autistic and 1. He won't realize he is being spoken to directly unless you address him by name first 2. People with autism generally don't respond to social interactions the same way NT people do and 3. He won't respond to a comment like "back off" by actually moving away because it's not a phrase he would understand. He would respond to "you're standing too close to me, can you please move backwards a few steps." You have to be really clear and direct with him. As it is, WE are always the one either telling him to move away from the person in front of him, or physically have to pull him back, or physically have to stand in front of him and create a buffer zone. And honestly, it gets very tiring. We don't want others to feel uncomfortable and feel like they need to confront him in a line. He is 12, but behaves more like a 4-5 year old, he is very aloof, and he is also VERY sensitive and cries easily of people are mean to him or generally harsh towards him. He is a very sweet boy who is very confused about the world much of the time. He absolutely LOVES Disney parks though and they are one of the few places we can successfully go as a family and consistently have a good time. Most typical leisure places people go with their kids have been massive failures for us (sports games, bowling alleys, minigolf, hiking, the beach, etc).

Your point that it "worries you that parents expect other people to adjust to their child's behaviors" is PRECISELY the reason for the DAS. We do NOT expect anyone to adjust to our child's issues. That's the whole point. The DAS allows us to AVOID that scenario by giving us an alternate waiting location so that these line behaviors won't affect others.

I don't expect the world to bend to my child, which is why we mostly stay home rather than take him to places that we know will be difficult for him for whatever reason. You really have no idea how much that sucks. It would be nice, though, if people would generally be a bit more compassionate and understanding of those who experience life differently that they do. I get that from the outside looking in, people with mental disabilities sometimes look like spoiled brats throwing tantrums, but I assure you, that is not the case at all. An autistic meltdown is an absolute loss of emotional control /inability to regulate that is not purposeful or driven by superficial needs (like a kid who wants a candy bar/toy in a store and his mom says no). Imagine how you would feel if, in a moment of confusion or fear, or a very slight change from what is expected, you were all of a sudden overcome by such strong emotional feeling that you could not stop the torrent, even though you knew it was a minor issue. Imagine the worst moment/day of your life and think about how you felt then. Now imagine that feeling overcoming you several times a day, for issues as minor as dropping a piece of food on the floor while you are eating, or accidentally knocking over a glass and breaking it. Imagine those occurrences making you feel the same way you felt when you found out a loved one had died, or you got fired from your job. This is life with autism for many people. It is heartbreaking to experience and we deal with it almost every day. My son is the sweetest, happiest, funniest kid 95% of the time. The other 5%, he is an emotional mess, crying out of control over minor things, and when that happens, he completely shuts down. It's almost like a seizure. It's a 30 minute process to get him through it and then he is exhausted and falls asleep at the end of it (or just super zones out watching a video).

Anyway, sorry for rambling, but my hope is that this information will, at the very least, help shed some light on our world. Best case, people like you change the way they view people like my child and maybe even teach their own children to be kinder to others and recognize when a child/adult is struggling rather than cast judgment.

 

[Aladora]

Your description of the lines for rides is pretty much the same as the entire park. The whole park is one sensory assault after another. How does your child react to being bumped while walking around the park? I imagine that happens fairly often. It worries me when parents expect other people to adjust to their child's behaviors. If he were to crowd in my daughter's personal space she would be likely to tell him to back off. How do you handle that?

I can answer this as it relates to our son. He reacts differently to different line queues. Roger Rabbit is one that he refused to go through, even if there was no wait at all. We ALWAYS had to use the GAC (back when it was a thing) or a DAS return time, regardless of the wait time. For some reason, that queue was too much for him, even though he loves the ride. FTR, I do not love the ride and wish he would start hating it as much as I do! (spinning, ) To this day, we still have no idea what it is about that queue that upsets him.

We do not expect the world to adjust to his behaviour, we have worked with him for the past 7 years to get him to a point where he does not need the level of support that he did when he was first diagnosed at almost 6. We do, however, appreciate that places like DL and WDW accommodate some of his needs that are different from others such as the Roger Rabbit queue.

We are quite fortunate in that we have been able to work hard with DS and get him to a point where he needs far fewer supports in his day to day life than he did when he was young. We are also one of the families who were impacted by the GAC to DAS change. (NOT one of the ones who are involved in the lawsuit!) When the change was announced we had a few months to prepare DS before our next trip. I spent a lot of time talking ti him about the change and how we would do Disney differently. We had to go over and over it a number of times before our trip.

I totally understand the OCD however I believe the particular family who started the suit comes from Canada. How often would this young man be coming to Disney to be in a routine of riding it over and over? He isn't a local that comes every day.

I'm pretty certain that the particular family who started the suit comes from Florida, not anywhere in Canada. Oh, and we are from Canada and have taken our son to Disney approximately twice a year since he was 6. We had gone 4 times using the old GAC which was enough to create a routine for DS,which was why we had to talk to him a number of times to get him to understand the changes.

 

[DLgal]

I can answer this as it relates to our son. He reacts differently to different line queues. Roger Rabbit is one that he refused to go through, even if there was no wait at all. We ALWAYS had to use the GAC (back when it was a thing) or a DAS return time, regardless of the wait time. For some reason, that queue was too much for him, even though he loves the ride. FTR, I do not love the ride and wish he would start hating it as much as I do! (spinning, ) To this day, we still have no idea what it is about that queue that upsets him.

We do not expect the world to adjust to his behaviour, we have worked with him for the past 7 years to get him to a point where he does not need the level of support that he did when he was first diagnosed at almost 6. We do, however, appreciate that places like DL and WDW accommodate some of his needs that are different from others such as the Roger Rabbit queue.

We are quite fortunate in that we have been able to work hard with DS and get him to a point where he needs far fewer supports in his day to day life than he did when he was young. We are also one of the families who were impacted by the GAC to DAS change. (NOT one of the ones who are involved in the lawsuit!) When the change was announced we had a few months to prepare DS before our next trip. I spent a lot of time talking ti him about the change and how we would do Disney differently. We had to go over and over it a number of times before our trip.



I'm pretty certain that the particular family who started the suit comes from Florida, not anywhere in Canada. Oh, and we are from Canada and have taken our son to Disney approximately twice a year since he was 6. We had gone 4 times using the old GAC which was enough to create a routine for DS,which was why we had to talk to him a number of times to get him to understand the changes.

My son had a meltdown in the queue for the Nemo ride at Epcot. There was no wait (It was a walk on) so we headed in and he had a panic attack halfway through. We could not figure it out. Later, he was able to communicate (I felt like under water in the pool) and we realized that the underwater effect with the lighting rippling on the ceiling made him feel like he was ACTUALLY under water and he was scared the room was going to fill up and he would drown. It is often very hard to convince him that lots of things at Disney are "pretend."

Some queues also have sound effects like bugs/bees flying by that scare the crap out of him. He has a phobia of flying insects, so this is the kind of thing that can ruin a queue for him.

We are always having to play detective. It's not an easy task.

 

[Nikciburd]

You sound like a great mom and I agree, it's not fair to your other children to deprive them because your son might not be able to adjust at times. I would keep taking him out and teaching him he has to adjust, even if he has a meltdown and scr*w anyone around you that doesn't like it. The fact that his meltdown was only a minute is key. I can't believe the lady said something to you when she saw your son having a meltdown. What a moron. Why can't people mind their own damn business?

Thank you! And yes I almost educated her but I think I already did an inadvertent mom death glare and she stopped after that. I have RBF () so my death glare is much more intimidating than my high pitched voice. If I wasn’t busy I might have made a comment anyway but I was also busy redirecting my child to worry about the ignorance. I’d also like to add that she was already prissy because the cashier had told her where the line started as she tried to cut the queue I front of me.

 

[Nikciburd]

No, the rest of the park is NOT like the lines. The lines are in a contained space and that amplifies everything. But, to somewhat answer your question, my son does put on ear defenders when walking around the parks when there is a live performance or parade happening, or anything else that is too loud. He wears a baseball cap and sunglasses and pulls the hat WAY down to limit visual input, and generally walks very quickly from place to place. He actually doesn't ever get bumped while just walking around. He is very good at weaving through crowds and avoiding contact. So good that we dress him in neon colors because it's easier to keep tabs on him as he walks 20 feet ahead of us most of the time. And to answer your last point, if he crowds someone and they tell him to back off? He will likely not react at all, and will completely ignore the person because he's autistic and 1. He won't realize he is being spoken to directly unless you address him by name first 2. People with autism generally don't respond to social interactions the same way NT people do and 3. He won't respond to a comment like "back off" by actually moving away because it's not a phrase he would understand. He would respond to "you're standing too close to me, can you please move backwards a few steps." You have to be really clear and direct with him. As it is, WE are always the one either telling him to move away from the person in front of him, or physically have to pull him back, or physically have to stand in front of him and create a buffer zone. And honestly, it gets very tiring. We don't want others to feel uncomfortable and feel like they need to confront him in a line. He is 12, but behaves more like a 4-5 year old, he is very aloof, and he is also VERY sensitive and cries easily of people are mean to him or generally harsh towards him. He is a very sweet boy who is very confused about the world much of the time. He absolutely LOVES Disney parks though and they are one of the few places we can successfully go as a family and consistently have a good time. Most typical leisure places people go with their kids have been massive failures for us (sports games, bowling alleys, minigolf, hiking, the beach, etc).

Your point that it "worries you that parents expect other people to adjust to their child's behaviors" is PRECISELY the reason for the DAS. We do NOT expect anyone to adjust to our child's issues. That's the whole point. The DAS allows us to AVOID that scenario by giving us an alternate waiting location so that these line behaviors won't affect others.

I don't expect the world to bend to my child, which is why we mostly stay home rather than take him to places that we know will be difficult for him for whatever reason. You really have no idea how much that sucks. It would be nice, though, if people would generally be a bit more compassionate and understanding of those who experience life differently that they do. I get that from the outside looking in, people with mental disabilities sometimes look like spoiled brats throwing tantrums, but I assure you, that is not the case at all. An autistic meltdown is an absolute loss of emotional control /inability to regulate that is not purposeful or driven by superficial needs (like a kid who wants a candy bar/toy in a store and his mom says no). Imagine how you would feel if, in a moment of confusion or fear, or a very slight change from what is expected, you were all of a sudden overcome by such strong emotional feeling that you could not stop the torrent, even though you knew it was a minor issue. Imagine the worst moment/day of your life and think about how you felt then. Now imagine that feeling overcoming you several times a day, for issues as minor as dropping a piece of food on the floor while you are eating, or accidentally knocking over a glass and breaking it. Imagine those occurrences making you feel the same way you felt when you found out a loved one had died, or you got fired from your job. This is life with autism for many people. It is heartbreaking to experience and we deal with it almost every day. My son is the sweetest, happiest, funniest kid 95% of the time. The other 5%, he is an emotional mess, crying out of control over minor things, and when that happens, he completely shuts down. It's almost like a seizure. It's a 30 minute process to get him through it and then he is exhausted and falls asleep at the end of it (or just super zones out watching a video).

Anyway, sorry for rambling, but my hope is that this information will, at the very least, help shed some light on our world. Best case, people like you change the way they view people like my child and maybe even teach their own children to be kinder to others and recognize when a child/adult is struggling rather than cast judgment.

I don’t get why some seem to see this here. Your post is excellent and well stated. I’m hoping Disney’s compassion toward disabled autistic children can allow us to actually have a good time rather than being on guard every second of the day. I don’t see how some people seem to think we’re getting special perks when every single day is usually a struggle when compared to typical parenting. I know this because I have two typical kids as well. The DAS pass is good for non disabled patrons too, because our kids will not be negatively impacting their day.

 

[kreckl]

I am curious as to what these parents do with their children, who apparently cannot wait at all in a line, when they are at the grocery checkout, in a TSA line at the airport (even the handicapped TSA line has a wait), waiting to get on/off an airplane, waiting for the school bus, etc.

I have 2 adult sons with disabilities; one Autism and one Down syndrome. They have learned to wait over the years in all kinds of lines. We didn't take our kids, when they were kid age to Disney World until we had gone to other, smaller theme parks, local festivals, etc. and we were confident that they could handle a place like Disney World. If they had not learned when they were younger, they would have never had the opportunity to go. I would not subject myself or other park goers to their tantrums. But that is just me, trying to be considerate of other people.

I was just thinking the same thing!
Why on earth would they think that’s ok?

 

[Lauren in NC]

three people show up to Ride X.

person 1: no DAS or FP. they get in line, which is a 2 hour wait. for those two hours they get to stand in line doing nothing else.

Person 2: has a FP; which has a stated wait time of oh, say 30 minutes. after 30 minutes they ride and then can go off to the next ride, which has a standby wait of 30 minutes, after which they grab a Mickey Bar.( standing in line for 30 minutes cuz its bloody hot out and everyone wants a Mickey bar)

Person 3: DAS. they get a return time. for the next 1 hour 45 minutes, they grab a Mickey Bar( same 30 minute wait as the other guy) walk on to Ride A with no wait. Ride B is a 10 minute wait so they go ahead and grab that while they are in the area. and oh, look, their Fast pass for Ride C is now valid so they get in that liner and wait 5 minutes. they even have time to visit the potty.

so who has the better 2 hours?

In my circle of SN families, I'm the DL "expert" and I've honestly never spoken with anyone with a DAS who had a Person 3-like experience. When I used the DAS for my son, we used the "extra" time for more bathroom breaks (part of his SNs for a while involved relearning when he had to go), cocooning in his sister's stroller or finding a quiet spot where he could stim without bothering other people. Maybe half the time we rode another ride using FP or walk-on while waiting on a DAS return time. Keep in mind that for many SN families, their hours in the park are cut down significantly due to medical or overstimulation issues. Nowadays, we're able to use FP like we used to use DAS and he's got the ability to tell us when he needs a break / what kind of break he needs, but we still spend hours less in the parks than our friends with similarly aged NT kids. It's just the way it is.

 

[DisneyAuntie12]

I was just thinking the same thing!
Why on earth would they think that’s ok?

Think of it this way - if a child has epilepsy, would you begrudge them a trip to the park because you could be subjected to their seizures? What about diabetic children who could potentially go into insulin shock? A child with Tourettes Syndrome who made loud barking noises? Etc. Autism is a neurological issue.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Are any of those conditions potentially dangerous to others? Do any require (as in previously being conditioned to) immediate/repeated access to attractions?

 

[DisneyOma]

Think of it this way - if a child has epilepsy, would you begrudge them a trip to the park because you could be subjected to their seizures? What about diabetic children who could potentially go into insulin shock? A child with Tourettes Syndrome who made loud barking noises? Etc. Autism is a neurological issue.

I would be concerned for the child with epilepsy - there are so many triggers down there, so I'd be doing so much research about each attraction, etc, and would have to consider if the trip was worth it. If my child had diabetes and it was at the level where insulin shock was possible, I'd not take the child.

But I do believe that taking a person who is out of control if routine is not met to a large, crowded theme park is not wise. Is it OK for someone with autism to hurt someone else?

 

[Disneylvr]

I thought the purpose of this forum was to "share tips and information on touring Disney World with any disabilities, including minor or temporary ones." These threads about the DAS lawsuit always turn into what feels like a bashing of individuals with autism and their families. Perhaps I am overly sensitive. For the record, my daughter is 15 and has severe autism and is non-verbal. We are former users of the GAC but find the accommodations of DAS in combination with FP+ to work just as well. I am not a party of nor a supporter of the lawsuit but hope that this is still a forum where I can come to help others, offer tips and information about WDW with autism.

But I do believe that taking a person who is out of control if routine is not met to a large, crowded theme park is not wise. Is it OK for someone with autism to hurt someone else?

Being a parent who is always very aware of her teen's behavior in the parks (watching for triggers, isolating her if a meltdown occurs etc...) I am also aware of the behavior of people around me and there are lots of presumed NT guests that shouldn't go to crowded theme parks either based on your statement. Agreed?

 

[DisneyAuntie12]

Are any of those conditions potentially dangerous to others? Do any require (as in previously being conditioned to) immediate/repeated access to attractions?

But I do believe that taking a person who is out of control if routine is not met to a large, crowded theme park is not wise. Is it OK for someone with autism to hurt someone else?

I think it's understandable that parents would have these worries and concerns after seeing stories in the news like the one about the original lawsuit in this case. But I think discussing these stories is a good time to clear up misconceptions about autism. Not every child with autism is aggressive, or potentially going to become aggressive if they are overstimulated. Having autism does not mean a child automatically has aggressive behaviors just waiting to be triggered - many simply meltdown, become quietly distressed, or engage in unusual behaviors (for example, flapping, hopping up and down, biting their knuckles or clothing.) Typical children can have problems with biting, pushing, or hitting peers; children with autism can be as gentle as lambs while still having meltdowns - a person's status as autistic does not say anything about their level of aggression or potential aggression.

I would be concerned for the child with epilepsy - there are so many triggers down there, so I'd be doing so much research about each attraction, etc, and would have to consider if the trip was worth it. If my child had diabetes and it was at the level where insulin shock was possible, I'd not take the child.

I understand that finding a responsible balance between inclusion / exclusion is important and people will have different intuitions on this. It really comes down to the age old push and pull between collectivism and individualism. But, for me personally, my opinion is that if an accommodation means the difference between the child being able to reasonably attend the park or not, then I am glad the accommodation is provided.

 

[chelseabun76]

Your point that it "worries you that parents expect other people to adjust to their child's behaviors" is PRECISELY the reason for the DAS. We do NOT expect anyone to adjust to our child's issues. That's the whole point. The DAS allows us to AVOID that scenario by giving us an alternate waiting location so that these line behaviors won't affect others.

This was probably the best thing I have read out of all of the posts. More people need to read just this part. Will there always be people who abuse the DAS? Yes. But there are also real people with real issues who are just trying to enjoy an amazing experience at the most magical place on earth, which for some families is not an easy task.

 

[DisneyOma]

I thought the purpose of this forum was to "share tips and information on touring Disney World with any disabilities, including minor or temporary ones." These threads about the DAS lawsuit always turn into what feels like a bashing of individuals with autism and their families. Perhaps I am overly sensitive. For the record, my daughter is 15 and has severe autism and is non-verbal. We are former users of the GAC but find the accommodations of DAS in combination with FP+ to work just as well. I am not a party of nor a supporter of the lawsuit but hope that this is still a forum where I can come to help others, offer tips and information about WDW with autism.



Being a parent who is always very aware of her teen's behavior in the parks (watching for triggers, isolating her if a meltdown occurs etc...) I am also aware of the behavior of people around me and there are lots of presumed NT guests that shouldn't go to crowded theme parks either based on your statement. Agreed?

Not agreed, unless you could please provide examples of what you are talking about - and what exactly is a "presumed NT guest". What behavior does the before-mentioned have that would mean they shouldn't be in the parks? If anyone is assaulting another person, then no, they shouldn't be there. Or if they need things to be an exact way or they explode upon others, no, they shouldn't be there. For no one can guarantee that things will go exactly, but if one knows someone becomes violent and lashes out, then no, they shouldn't be in a crowded theme park, without an accessible safe place to go to get through the frustration and/or meltdown.

I think it's understandable that parents would have these worries and concerns after seeing stories in the news like the one about the original lawsuit in this case. But I think discussing these stories is a good time to clear up misconceptions about autism. Not every child with autism is aggressive, or potentially going to become aggressive if they are overstimulated. Having autism does not mean a child automatically has aggressive behaviors just waiting to be triggered - many simply meltdown, become quietly distressed, or engage in unusual behaviors (for example, flapping, hopping up and down, biting their knuckles or clothing.) Typical children can have problems with biting, pushing, or hitting peers; children with autism can be as gentle as lambs while still having meltdowns - a person's status as autistic does not say anything about their level of aggression or potential aggression.





I understand that finding a responsible balance between inclusion / exclusion is important and people will have different intuitions on this. It really comes down to the age old push and pull between collectivism and individualism. But, for me personally, my opinion is that if an accommodation means the difference between the child being able to reasonably attend the park or not, then I am glad the accommodation is provided.

No, not every person with autism is aggressive, but that's not what we were talking about - we were talking about an aggressive, uncontrollable adult who had to have things a certain way or would attack people. Even with instant access to any attraction, what happens when the attraction is down? If it stops in the middle of his ride and he explodes? And I still wouldn't take a child expecting Disney to accommodate every single thing. How do you accommodate for epilepsy on attractions that have triggers? Or even the sun flashing off some of the infrastructure that can resemble a strobe light? There has to be some personal responsibility in there too - just like there is in the rest of life. You have to balance personal responsibility and risk taking, with the amount of responsibility you want/should put on an outside entity. I'm actually worried with society's new trend of expecting the outside entity to meet the personal responsibility.

 

[Disneylvr]

Not agreed, unless you could please provide examples of what you are talking about - and what exactly is a "presumed NT guest". What behavior does the before-mentioned have that would mean they shouldn't be in the parks? If anyone is assaulting another person, then no, they shouldn't be there. Or if they need things to be an exact way or they explode upon others, no, they shouldn't be there. For no one can guarantee that things will go exactly, but if one knows someone becomes violent and lashes out, then no, they shouldn't be in a crowded theme park, without an accessible safe place to go to get through the frustration and/or meltdown.

NT= Neurotypical. I say presumed because we don't know if someone has a disability or mental illness based on first meeting only. In my experiences at WDW I have observed drunk guests spill food/beverages on others, guests screaming, cursing and verbally threatening cast members or other guests, parents angrily push strollers into others causing them to trip or fall, even some physical flights. I have had people physically push my daughter out of the way because she didn't respond immediately to them shouting "MOVE" to her. My point was that other guests, without disabilities, are capable of behavior that can harm or scare others too when they don't get their way especially if they have been drinking. I have not seen it to the extent described in the lawsuit nor do I believe her son has actually exhibited behavior to that extent at a park. I think she is using worst case scenario in a desperate attempt to win her lawsuit.

 

[Nikciburd]

I think that’s the problem. You are talking about that one specific child, and, at least to me, the discussion has moved on to a more general discussion of the accommodations afforded to parents with autism in general. Maybe we need to be more clear in our terms when engaging in this discussion. Otherwise, we autism parents are going to find offense when maybe none is intended since we are talking about one specific family who I think we can all mostly agree is acting a little unreasonable in this one specific case. I do not think, however, that the DAS pass is an unfair accommodation provided to autistic children(especially) as has been implied elsewhere in this thread. Since that implication has been made a few times the rest of us might me a little defensive when you return to the original family. Hope that made sense.

 

[Disneylvr]

I think that’s the problem. You are talking about that one specific child, and, at least to me, the discussion has moved on to a more general discussion of the accommodations afforded to parents with autism in general. Maybe we need to be more clear in our terms when engaging in this discussion. Otherwise, we autism parents are going to find offense when maybe none is intended since we are talking about one specific family who I think we can all mostly agree is acting a little unreasonable in this one specific case. I do not think, however, that the DAS pass is an unfair accommodation provided to autistic children(especially) as has been implied elsewhere in this thread. Since that implication has been made a few times the rest of us might me a little defensive when you return to the original family. Hope that made sense.

Thank you Nikciburd for saying what I couldn't. You summarize my feelings exactly.

 

[DLgal]

My autistic kids have never once become even remotely aggressive. Their meltdowns are just crying and screaming. It has never even approached violence towards another person. Nor have they ever hit, bitten, grabbed, or otherwise touched anyone else, at home or at school. They have many peers who have been aggressive, though.

My personal opinion is that NO ONE who has a history of violence and may lash out at others should be allowed at a Disney park and if they should do so while AT a Disney park, disability or no disability, they should be removed from the park and banned. There is no excuse for violence and I feel very strongly that people with disabilities who are violent should not be entitled to protections that allow them to be wherever they want. Those people need to be In places where they feel safe and where others won't be put in danger if they should lose control. This lawsuit, IMO, is ridiculous.

 

[Nikciburd]

My autistic kids have never once become even remotely aggressive. Their meltdowns are just crying and screaming. It has never even approached violence towards another person. Nor have they ever hit, bitten, grabbed, or otherwise touched anyone else, at home or at school. They have many peers who have been aggressive, though.

My personal opinion is that NO ONE who has a history of violence and may lash out at others should be allowed at a Disney park and if they should do so while AT a Disney park, disability or no disability, they should be removed from the park and banned. There is no excuse for violence and I feel very strongly that people with disabilities who are violent should not be entitled to protections that allow them to be wherever they want. Those people need to be In places where they feel safe and where others won't be put in danger if they should lose control. This lawsuit, IMO, is ridiculous.

Lol like that will ever happen. I was punched in the face by a 13 year old boy when I worked as a teacher. He had no actual disability though he was in special ed as having a “conduct disorder” which really resulted from a life of chaos (parents). Since he was on an ed plan he was back in school the next day.