Smoking & stroller wagons banned May 1!

[cmwade77]

Great!

ETA - Are they outlawed in DTD as well? I know you have to get through security to go to DTD, but I thought the rules specifically mentioned the parks.

Well, considering they are not allowed to go through security, that would indicate that they couldn't be taken into DTD either. Disney Springs in Florida may be different though.

 

[LaurenDis]

I just saw two Keen Wagons tonight in DCA, but they were both tagged with a wheelchair tag.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

I just saw two Keen Wagons tonight in DCA, but they were both tagged with a wheelchair tag.

Hmm. I foresee a lot of Keenz with disability tags if that's an option. Unfortunately, I know of a lot of people who abuse those tags already; it's hard to imagine that loophole won't be exploited. Too bad.

 

[CO2CA]

That's a bummer everyone is congregating outside the security tents. I hate cigarette smoke, but there really is no good area. We'll just have to hold our breath and race down that patch outside of security.

 

[cmwade77]

That's a bummer everyone is congregating outside the security tents. I hate cigarette smoke, but there really is no good area. We'll just have to hold our breath and race down that patch outside of security.

That is a problem

 

[EmJ]

Hmm. I foresee a lot of Keenz with disability tags if that's an option. Unfortunately, I know of a lot of people who abuse those tags already; it's hard to imagine that loophole won't be exploited. Too bad.

I’m not commenting specifically on the two Keenz seen by pp, but if people are claiming their child has a disability when the don’t, or claiming that their child has a disability requiring a Keenz stroller when they don’t, that is disgusting behavior. Aside from the dishonestly of it, it undermines and impairs the ability of those who really do need it to be believed. What is wrong with people?!

Keenz have been on the market, what, five years? So I’m assuming that none of the people falsely claiming to “require” a Keenz could have POSSIBLY ever visited the parks prior to 2014

 

[cmwade77]

I’m not commenting specifically on the two Keenz seen by pp, but if people are claiming their child has a disability when the don’t, or claiming that their child has a disability requiring a Keenz stroller when they don’t, that is disgusting behavior. Aside from the dishonestly of it, it undermines and impairs the ability of those who really do need it to be believed. What is wrong with people?!

Keenz have been on the market, what, five years? So I’m assuming that none of the people falsely claiming to “require” a Keenz could have POSSIBLY ever visited the parks prior to 2014

Except it is very possible that they didn't have a child with a disability prior to 2014, so it is reasonable to expect there would be some. My guess is Disney is allowing it as a stop gap measure until the parents can find a viable alternative, I cant imagine this being allowed in the long term.

 

[Kender]

Keenz have been on the market, what, five years? So I’m assuming that none of the people falsely claiming to “require” a Keenz could have POSSIBLY ever visited the parks prior to 2014

I actually looked into this out of morbid curiosity: they've only been in the States for a couple years. They were in Korea before that where they first became popular end of 2015. They got their stroller certification (due to the two 5-point harnesses) around the end of 2016/beginning of 2017. Most "check this out" type of articles for the States shows them not arriving until 2017, though. Which matches up with what I saw at the parks.

Hopefully no one abuses having them tagged as wheelchairs to get around the rule otherwise they'll eventually ruin it for those who legitimately are using them for truly special needs children.

 

[EmJ]

Except it is very possible that they didn't have a child with a disability prior to 2014, so it is reasonable to expect there would be some. My guess is Disney is allowing it as a stop gap measure until the parents can find a viable alternative, I cant imagine this being allowed in the long term.

Sure, but I said specifically those people *falsely* claiming to have a child with a disability. If they had a child who developed or was born with a disability after 2014, then it wouldn’t be false.

To be more blunt - people who lie about disabilities because they think they can’t “do Disney” without a Keenz are (a) wrong and (b) have some serious problems with integrity.

 

[Gaugersaurus]

I think the desire to use keenz for disability access stems less from the child’s actual needs and more the desire to spend as much time in the parks. Like previous posters have mentioned keenz aren’t absolutely necessary in order to tour the parks with disabled or special needs children; people found a way to go without from the 50s until just recently.

I do understand and feel for people who have disabled/special needs family members and can relate as I have a family member with a disability but there’s no reason to purposely violate park rules regarding wagons for your benefit when there are other alternatives available.

 

[cmwade77]

Sure, but I said specifically those people *falsely* claiming to have a child with a disability. If they had a child who developed or was born with a disability after 2014, then it wouldn’t be false.

To be more blunt - people who lie about disabilities because they think they can’t “do Disney” without a Keenz are (a) wrong and (b) have some serious problems with integrity.

I agree with you, sadly there will be people that do if it is allowed long term.

 

[cmwade77]

I think the desire to use keenz for disability access stems less from the child’s actual needs and more the desire to spend as much time in the parks. Like previous posters have mentioned keenz aren’t absolutely necessary in order to tour the parks with disabled or special needs children; people found a way to go without from the 50s until just recently.

I do understand and feel for people who have disabled/special needs family members and can relate as I have a family member with a disability but there’s no reason to purposely violate park rules regarding wagons for your benefit when there are other alternatives available.

Yes, but I can also see how they could be beneficial for some needs, that being said I still think it won't work long term.

 

[WonkaKid]

To be more blunt - people who lie about disabilities because they think they can’t “do Disney” without a Keenz are (a) wrong and (b) have some serious problems with integrity.

Many of us will recall that a ring of one-percenters in NYC would hire disabled people to come with them to DW so that they could take advantage of their wheelchair line privileges. Story here. for those that don't recall. Won't be long until something similar crops up. There are always cheaters.

 

[EmJ]

Many of us will recall that a ring of one-percenters in NYC would hire disabled people to come with them to DW so that they could take advantage of their wheelchair line privileges. Story here. for those that don't recall. Won't be long until something similar crops up. There are always cheaters.

Oh my god!

 

[cmwade77]

Many of us will recall that a ring of one-percenters in NYC would hire disabled people to come with them to DW so that they could take advantage of their wheelchair line privileges. Story here. for those that don't recall. Won't be long until something similar crops up. There are always cheaters.

Yep, although the people who were selling such services were equally to blame on that one.

 

[WonkaKid]

Yep, although the people who were selling such services were equally to blame on that one.

Absolutely. No question.

 

[DizMe]

This is strictly my own opinion, but having a special needs child does not make you a special needs family whose rights prevail over other families. Yes, there are areas that are difficult to navigate and yes, some things just can't be done easily, well, or at all if you have certain disabilities. Accommodations should absolutely be given, but that doesn't mean the rest of the world owes you accommodations that supersede the rights of everyone else in a way that impedes a harmonious flow of things. Please note that I say 'supersede' the rights of others, as in no one's rights should be greater than another's if the overall effect is negative. It becomes sticky, and I readily acknowledge that. You can't simply make everything equal. But if the accommodations allowed have a pronounced negative effect on most park-goers, then what you have is not an accommodation but a system that is inherently unfair to the majority and fosters resentment. I feel Disney has done a pretty good job of recognizing and assisting with special needs families. I also feel those families should, in turn, recognize that their accommodations are not designed to level the playing field but to give them the best accessibility to Disney that Disney can provide without taking away the special experiences for other families. In light of that, I see Keenz and such as areas that might overstep the rights of one community on the majority.

I also thought I'd add that I myself have a special needs child (who is actually no longer a child, but 18). Most of my family has worked with special needs children and adults, as have I. My viewpoint is as a person who believes we can all give a little when it comes to addressing all needs. We also managed just fine without a Keenz. Would that have made things easier? Maybe, but so would lowering the noise level, reducing the visual stimulation, providing personal bathrooms without automatic flushers, limiting characters in costume, removing fireworks, etc. But then you would no longer have Disneyland.

 

[cmwade77]

This is strictly my own opinion, but having a special needs child does not make you a special needs family whose rights prevail over other families. Yes, there are areas that are difficult to navigate and yes, some things just can't be done easily, well, or at all if you have certain disabilities. Accommodations should absolutely be given, but that doesn't mean the rest of the world owes you accommodations that supersede the rights of everyone else in a way that impedes a harmonious flow of things. Please note that I say 'supersede' the rights of others, as in no one's rights should be greater than another's if the overall effect is negative. It becomes sticky, and I readily acknowledge that. You can't simply make everything equal. But if the accommodations allowed have a pronounced negative effect on most park-goers, then what you have is not an accommodation but a system that is inherently unfair to the majority and fosters resentment. I feel Disney has done a pretty good job of recognizing and assisting with special needs families. I also feel those families should, in turn, recognize that their accommodations are not designed to level the playing field but to give them the best accessibility to Disney that Disney can provide without taking away the special experiences for other families. In light of that, I see Keenz and such as areas that might overstep the rights of one community on the majority.

I also thought I'd add that I myself have a special needs child (who is actually no longer a child, but 18). Most of my family has worked with special needs children and adults, as have I. My viewpoint is as a person who believes we can all give a little when it comes to addressing all needs. We also managed just fine without a Keenz. Would that have made things easier? Maybe, but so would lowering the noise level, reducing the visual stimulation, providing personal bathrooms without automatic flushers, limiting characters in costume, removing fireworks, etc. But then you would no longer have Disneyland.

I personally have very mixed feelings on Keenz for those who have disabilities, it is the core group that the devices we're originally designed for, but they opted to get designated as a stroller rather than a mobility device. That being said, I acknowledge there may be needs that wouldn't be fully met by other devices, but I can see issues if everyone starts trying to pass off their Keenz as needed to accommodate a disability, which will make it harder on those that actually do. The hardest issue here is parents already have bought these as devices that meets their children's needs, to tell them they now have to replace an expensive device with a special needs stroller that is even more expensive isnt really fair when they bought it under the impression it would be allowed in the parks. So I think allowing Keenz as mobility devices for a certain amount of time is reasonable, especially when Disney doesn't rent any special needs strollers at all. As I said, I don't think it will work long term though.

 

[becks59]

I’m really curious if anyone knows if double bob strollers are still okay to take to the parks? We love using ours at DL and I want to know if it is still okay for future trips.

 

[OKW Lover]

Double strollers - well, any stroller - needs to fit the new overall dimension limitation. How large is yours?