Not So Magical...

[rdcalk]

I had a dreadful disability holiday at WDW this last week. Many other tprevious rips were wonderful.

I was actually verbally attacked and humiliated when forced to parallel park my scooter in a bus. I asked people ahead of the space to move and they were dreadful, threatening to kick me, if I hit them! The entire scene was straight out of the "Lord of the Flies," and the non-English speaking busman, was of NO help. Not only this, but the responses of Contemporary hotel staff, manager and the Transportation manager were unbelievably insensitive.

I can't believe that access for wheelchairs and scooters forces a "manual" interaction by the staff, rather than a simple automatic entrance to the bus and monorail. I was embarrassed to go out alone.

Further, we were mixed with children in carriages and had to get off to allow the carriages to exit and then reboard the monorail. It was ridiculous, but the director of transportation informed me that their system was state of the art!

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

I'm sorry about the poor treatment, some people never think about what it feels like until they are in your position...I hope you at least had fun in the parks

[ElenitaB]

I also have had very unfortunate interactions with other guests on the busses (in my case, it was a bus at OKW).

It is, however, rather unfortunate that you had to exit the monorail to let a stroller in and out.

I would send an e-mail to WDW regarding your experiences. They will not be able to improve, nor feel compelled to, until enough people explain to them just how it feels to be in that situation.

[dnickels]

That's too bad about the bus experience.

I can kind of understand the monorail thing though, I have to use a walker or crutches due to some major paralysis so I'm usually directed to the handicap entrance to the monorail and when you've got more than one stroller/wheelchair/scooter in a single car there really isn't any other way to get the one on the far side of the exit out than to move the one on the near side out of the way first. As convenient as it would be for one person, it's just not practical to only allow one stroller/wheelchair/scooter per car because it would slow down boarding for guests using those things right behind you.

In my experience (40+ times over the past year) the CMs have always been quick to set the ramp up and have been very kind.

[ElenitaB]

On the busses, people are asked to collapse their strollers. Is this not the case on the monorail?

[sisterdisco]

I am so sorry for your experience. Unfortunately, there are far too many ignorant people in this world. Just remember that "they" are the ones that are wrong, not you. Too bad I wasn't on that bus with you when you were trying to parallel park. I would have spoken up to those rude people and if my DH heard someone threaten to kick you if you ran into them, I bet he would have gone nuts!!

[TINKERBELL_82]

I am so sorry for your experience. Unfortunately, there are far too many ignorant people in this world. Just remember that "they" are the ones that are wrong, not you. Too bad I wasn't on that bus with you when you were trying to parallel park. I would have spoken up to those rude people and if my DH heard someone threaten to kick you if you ran into them, I bet he would have gone nuts!!

I agree wholeheartedly. I'm so sorry you had to endure that. Trust me, if I were within earshot of those hideous remarks they would have experienced the wrath of Tink!

When you go anywhere as crowded as WDW you're bound to run into at least one person with no common sense or social skills.

But please do contact Disney about your inconveniences. You may be the person that makes a difference.

[tinkerbellybutton]

I too, am sorry to hear about your experience. When I was there in '06 they only put parties with w/cs or scooters in the car for disabled guests. There were plenty of people trying to push their way in but they were politely told that there were many other cars for them to board.
I am SO sorry that you were treated so poorly I know how rough it is, it's bad enough to face challenges every day but to have to contend with that as well just stinks! I agree that you should contact Disney, I have never seen them sit still when informed of poor treatment of guests.
That your next trip is magical and relaxing.

[pink]

That is a very un-Disney like experience. I can't believe no one tried to help you but instead threatened you. Some people just have no manners anymore. I agree with a previous poster, people don't understand what something is like until they're in that situation. I hope that your next trip is more magical.

[Marilyn Michetti]

I'm sorry that no one noticed that this was your first post.

WELCOME TO INTERCOT.

[Here we go again...]

On the busses, people are asked to collapse their strollers. Is this not the case on the monorail?

No, strollers are allowed to stay open on the Monorail which is why parents love the monorail resorts. No waking the baby to bet on and off of Disney transportation.

I did get yelled at on a monorail because someone had their stroller turned so they could hold on to the handle while sitting. When I went on in my scooter, I did not see the wheel was across the other side of the car and I caught it under the scooter. Thank goodness the wheel was one that popped on and off and it was fixed easily. They were still mad at me though.

I have had many people give me the ugly looks on the bus and the "I dare you to run over me" look. I look at it this way... If they are not considerate enough to move for me I can not be very concerned about their toes. There is barely enough room to manuver that scooter in a bus with no people.

[dtootsie42]

I'm so sorry about your experience. I'm wondering if this happens more than is reported because we saw a horrible event happen at The Studios, when it was pouring rain, and the bus driver and the people waiting in line to get on the bus were simply terrible.

If people would stop and think this could be my family member perhaps they would not treat others in such a horrible manner.

I do hope you had fun in the parks and the rest of your trip went smoothly.

[CAS]

That is really bad. Although they probably are "state of the art" that still doesn't mean it makes it easy. The first time I saw one of the new busses I was impressed, but only because I knew the ridiculous modification the previous buses had to undergo to accomodate each chair/scooter. I would be totally embarassed.

And to be honest it's a little hard for me, too (6'4"+) to fit in any public seat without my knees on my chest or taking up 2 seats. Is everyone on earth 5'2" or what???

[Here we go again...]

Is everyone on earth 5'2" or what???

Hey, what is wrong with being 5'2"??
Actually, I always thought everyone must be at least 5'7" because I always have to look up to everyone and have to look for someone in a store to get stuff off the top shelf.

Want to trade for a day?

[mickeefan]

I can relate to scooters and the buses. I refuse to go on a bus anymore. People are unbelievably discourteous. The monorail is the complete opposite. I have always found the CM on the monorail to be fantastic.

[Puppy Mom]

I cannot believe the selfishness of some people.

The rudeness seems to come from people of all walks of life too. Everyone thinks they are more entitled to what they need or want than the next person.

One of my "favorites" was the time we got on the bus at the end of a long day and were faced with a mom and dad with two kids taking up EIGHT seats. Mom and Dad were sitting just fine, but they were letting their pre-teen kids each lay across three seats that face toward the center of the bus.

There were no other seats so we had to find a place to hold on. The kids didn't move and the parents didn't ask them to. Finally the bus driver had to tell them that there should be one seat per person.

SHEESH!

[Renfairwedding]

The first time I needed to use a wheelchair coming from the Magic Kingdom to All Star Movies. The looks and comments were terrible. I was obviously there to ruin their day and make them wait.

The Kids I can understand but the adults were the worst. When I was able I would be sure to help anyone who needed.

Now I have my own scooter and make every effort not to use the bus system. If I can use the Monorail, Boats or my Van. I really don't like slowing down the bus and I know it been a long day for all but this is not fun for me either. We now stay in a Monorail resort.

In the parks people other than close calls with people walking in front of my moving vehicle I found very little problems and the CMs to be very helpful.

After all that let me point out that not all guest act this way. I also have many good stories to but in all I stay away from the bus trips.

[MegaDisney]

I'm sorry that no one noticed that this was your first post.

And last it seems.

[LHodell]

in '06 when we traveled with my child who has cerebral palsy. We booked a WDW vacation for his 4th birthday. Since he was young we decided to use a jogger instead of his wheelchair.
The first incident was with ME. I had called in advance to tell them that we would be bringing a gait traner (supportive walker) and didn't have enough tags. They told me it was fine. That I should just label it. I did. They lost it.
Next, because we used the stroller rather than the wheelchair we had to take him out of the stroller for bus rides. On several occasions I would end up standing up, holding a 35lb child and keeping the folded stroller steady while people sat with their very small children and didn't offer to hold the child on their lap so that I could sit with mine. I was amazed at that lack of common courtesy.
Finally, we had gone on the first day to get a "stroller as wheelchair" pass. While we were on one of the attractions we had left the stroller in the wheelchair "lot" with the pass clearly visible. When we finished the jogger was gone. I was frantic until a cast member told me that she had moved it to the stroller lot. I told her that it was a "wheelchair" and clearly labeled as such. She just shrugged and walked away. I was furious. I called Disney when I got home. They sent me a vacation survey and that was about it.

Lori

[dmosher]

While I should be surprised by the sad interactions listed here by both CM's and guests I am not. Common courtesy as long gone by the way-side. Do I enjoy when a ride I am on is stopped because they need to load someone form a wheelchair? No of course not, but it's part of WDW, everyone deserves to enjoy the magic.
That being said, there is a POV that few people take into consideration.
Personally, when I was younger I spent quite a while in a wheelchair and yes it is awful. It is hard to get around, tiring and annoying when others don't give you room to do the things they can normally do in half a second. However, I have seen many, MANY instances of people in the parks in scooters, etc that honestly do not need them. I get really annoyed when I see people driving around, pushing people out of the way and being rude because they are moving faster than others on their little carts, etc, then getting out, picking up children, or large heavy objects, etc. Or worse is when one person gets out and they other gets in and they swap between rides. If you don't need it, don't use it.
Now I am not saying that anyone on this post is this type of persona at all,far from it. But I have to admit that when I see someone on one of these, recently my first reaction is, do they need it or are they just being lazy. If your older or obviously handicapped in some way, this does not apply.
We had a man hold up loading a bus on a very very rainy night (last bus of the night) to load a scooter, no big deal right. Except that before the bus had arrived, he had gotten out of the thing, played with kids (throwing them up in the air, etc) actually, lifted the scooter around to get it into place (when he found he couldn't park it correctly) chased the kids around the lot a bit (running) then as soon as the bus came around the corner he jumped into the seat and waited, then instead of just getting on and loading the thing he proceeded to drive it (poorly) onto the bus and block a two seater area (leaving 1 couple to wait there for another bus that needed to be called). Maybe I am out of lien here but that ruins the image of these vehicles for those of you who truly NEED them. I just find it annoying and sad that some people ruin it for others on both sides of that issue.

D