Many cant stand for more than a few minutes at a time, let alone for hours.

nobody who can't stand for more than a few minutes is touring the park on foot anyway. I believe the rides should be made as accessible as possible, but jumping to the front of the line is unfair to other paying guests imo..

that helped to right that grave injustice, too. Thank goodness everything's equal now. I bet Disney is much more fun.

As I recounted before, after one ride on the side I saw two girls "trade the wheelchair" in their group of about seven including an adult.

Pretty pathetic...

Maybe they should have a nurse there in full dress "checking" the disabled...I know that sucks, but at least the scams would stop.

that got Disney to revoke the policy. And I have a strong suspicion they did it because those stories were bad publicity.

sensory issues or autism or anxiety issues can't stand waiting in those crowded cues. It isn't just people like me with a bumb knee who can walk but has a hard time standing for long periods.

You are going to take someone with anxiety issues into, what, exactly?

Take a claustrophobic into 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea and watch him freak the fuck out?

There is the story of the autistic guy in his twenties who rode snow white every day since he was a kid.

In fact, because of Bashful, she had Sunday's off.

Maybe on a few but my wife is in a wheelchair and I have been through the whole trying to walk that thing through the queue. It's not easy, and almost impossible where the queue is on a hill or is not paved flat. Not to mention how wonderful people are to you when you are just sailing through life getting all the breaks while stuck in a fucking wheelchair.

Disney's making their parks less accessible with this simplistic approach to the problem.

You have nailed it.

I suspect they are very careful to be fully ADA compliant, no? So if someone shows up in a wheelchair they should be able to ride every ride in the park in 5 hours because they don't have to wait in line, while everyone else may get in 5 or 6 rides plus 10 hours of line waiting? Nah, it would be a shame if anyone didn't get to enjoy the full joy of the park, including the lines..

I apologize that my wife's disability interferes with your enjoyment at Disney. The place I had a problem was Universal Studios. But they have a solution to make sure you can't call the ADA. For an extra $50 a person you can use the "VIP" lines. I'm sure Disney will follow suit. Right after they change all the queues as most of the Disney queues are impossible to navigate with a wheelchair.

So.. there you have it. Thanks to people like you are upset that maybe 20 people get to cut the line on you because they are privileged to be stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of their lives, and because of assholes who think it's cool to pretend they are handicapped or think they are too rich to have to wait in line like the serfs I get to pay an extra $200 for my family to be able to enjoy themselves.

Maybe if people were nicer, and not so rude, it would be easier to deal with. However if you aren't in a chair or have not spent much time pushing one you have no idea how difficult it is, most people are at best condescending and at worst like you, angry that someones disability is causing you to have to wait 3 more minutes in line.

"nobody who can't stand for more than a few minutes is touring the park on foot anyway..."

Except when I went there with a person who suffers from MS some years back. We walked for twenty minutes, then sat down for twenty minutes. She didn't use a wheelchair... merely a quad-cane.

shuffles those of us who are disabled to a place up front and then when the rest of the party makes the front, the disabled person joins their family and friends.

CP doesn't get the coverage that The Mouse does, but it is a great park.

that ruin conveniences for the disabled.

Honestly, it makes me want to put them on crutches for a few weeks so they'll find out how hard it can be before they open their wallets.

Not that I necessarily blame them for making a buck any legal way they can, it's tough working when you are not fully mobile as I found out when I spent six months on crutches.

Read the new policy. Someone in a wheelchair who wants to do a ride with a long line will be issued a pass with a return time. When that person returns at the specified time he or she will get to ride without a wait.

This seems perfectly fair to me.

They have fast pass machines at the entrance of every ride to facilitate a schedule system that reduces wait times by distributing demand over the day.

People using it will also be able to use Fastpass. With the DAS, someone can get a return time based upon the current standby waiting time (as opposed to the Fastpass window). So if you have a DAS, you can still use Fastpass, but if you choose not to use Fastpass for a ride, you still don't have to wait in the standby line, you get to come back at a time based on how long the standby wait time is.

In May my husband and I took our 20 year old son to Disneyland and got a guest assistance pass. It saved us and helped us have a good experience. The couple of times we waited in line my son laid out on the dirty concrete, sat on fences and when told to get down melted down. We wanted to see how he was in long lines. Not too good. He has sensory issues where he can't stand for long periods of time. Now I am really pissed that rich people have destroyed the one thing that me as a parent of an autistic son needed to enjoy the Disneyland experience.


In August we took him to magic mountain in Valencia they have a system that they give a time to return usually an hour later so we wandered around looking for shorter lines. This worked somewhat but we enjoyed disneyland a lot better.


Disneyland is penalizing parents of special needs people who really need that extra perk. I have met several parents at Disneyland who were in the same situation and were thankful for that little perk. Grrrr to those rich people who ruined it for the rest of us!

and we will absolutely not do our annual Disney trip until they fix this.
Our 10 year old has autism and all year long he looks forward to going. But he severely melts down on the long lines EVERY TIME and it was EXTREMELY difficult to have a good time.
I am heart broken they have done this our family and others like us.
I actually am fighting back tears as I write this because my "little man" cannot go next year.

So under the new system he will still not need to wait in long lines.

"a shorter wait, similar to those of the FastPass system that’s offered to all park guests now." Similar to those of the FastPass system.

Also from the article: According to an Associated Press report, the new policy, which takes effect on Oct. 9, will issue disabled visitors with tickets that offer an entry time and a shorter wait, similar to those of the FastPass system that’s offered to all park guests now.

It's the same as what all guests do now. They've simply revoked their ability to go to the front of the line. A fast pass still means waiting in line.

A GAC allows direct access to the Fastpass line. So will a DAS. This usually has a short wait (no more than 10 minutes or so). The only change is that with the DAS you will be given a time to enter the Fastpass line as opposed to being allowed to enter it right away.

No. That doesn't make sense. GAC doesn't allow them access to the fastpass lane. Otherwise what distinguishes it from a fastpass? It allows them direct access to the ride, through the exit gate.

The difference is that when an able-bodied person uses Fastpass they need to get a ticket with a return time, and can only hold one Fastpass at a time. Also, the Fastpasses for the popular rides tend to run out well before the park closes.

A GAC essentially became an unlimited Fastpass; no ticket or return time necessary, you could just use it at any Fastpass attraction to immediately enter the Fastpass line. That is what made them so attractive to people abusing the system, and that is what is ending.

necessitating the change in policy? Which, if what you claim is true, is a policy change that changes exactly nothing? No, I'm sorry, that makes absolutely no sense. I think I'll go with those who say they were able to go to the head of the line, and wait exactly zero minutes, which is why they're upset. That makes a lot more sense, and and they have no reason to lie about that.

ETA it also states it, from another article: Under the current policy, Disney visitors can get a guest assistance card that grants quicker access to rides, often entering through exit doors to bypass the main lines.

As well as Disney, who says they allow people to do so, is lying? People with disabilities may be able to access fastpasses that way as well. But I think sufficient evidence exists that they can also skip the line entirely, at least for some rides.

I actually think the claim that rich people pay to go along with disabled people might be overblown, but Disney overreacting to the bad press due to these claims.

say you have a gac card (a red card) that is front of the line.

You took the gac card to the person at the fast pass line. They let you through the fast pass line.

You didn't have to go to the fast pass dispenser and get a fast pass that told you what time to come back later. You just went up the fast pass line with the gac card.

So it was like an immediate fast pass. It also wasn't limited like fast passes where you can have them at the same time.

But on attractions that have fast pass, typically the fast pass line was the gac line.

This is not always the case.

Splash MT. for example, has a separate wheel chair line for people who have to transfer out of a wheel chair. With a GAC you could go through the fast pass line OR the wheel chair line, depending on your need. Same thing with toy story mania. Peter pan on the other hand, you just went through the fast pass line. Some attractions don't have fast pass lines, like small world. There you just went to the exit and there was a wheel chair sign for guest access that way. Haunted Mansion has a separate entrance for wheel chair, so does pirates.

So the guest access card was essentially a front of the line pass - either through the fast pass line (immediately) for attractions that had one or through a separate line.

GACs are, as you say, essentially a front of the line pass. No matter how else Nye spins it, they're still revoking it. The fact they won't have to wait in long lines doesn't change things. It still adds a barrier that didn't exist for them before. Nye is trying to pass it off as an insignificant difference. It might not be so insignificant. In some of the articles, some people with disabilities have outlined how it could be a problem for them. But, I've been dismissed as outraged, so that's it.

I agree for a lot of families it will make it harder to get to a certain place at a certain time. It doesn't help with autistic crashes etc. either.

And you can't get multiple wait times though. Magic mountain has the dar system. Basically you have to sit around until your time is up you only get a ride an hour. So for 1 hour you sit around. They don't let you get listed for multiple rides.
This is a shitty system and it hurts real people who have children with special needs. I guess yo must work for the disney company. This will backfire on them . Let them know please.

Chill out, have a snack, watch a show, or do a less popular ride with no line. But when your time comes around you get to do the ride with little or no wait. This is much better than actually having to stand in the line for the entire wait time and seems very fair to me.

That's a lot easier to do for those of us that don't have special needs to consider. You don't even think about that, though when you're able bodied. Oh, there's a wait time? I'll just chill out at the restaurant. No biggie. That's not how life is for everyone, though. Fair doesn't enter into it. The same reason it isn't unfair that handicapped parking spaces are closer to the door.

The DAS eliminates this problem. While an able-bodied person is actually standing in the line for 2 hours, the person with special needs can go and do anything, and then come back at the specified time and ride with little or no wait. This seems to solve the problem satisfactorily. Moreover, Disney has developed this system in conjunction with disability rights advocates who probably understand the issues better than you or me.

Was free up the exit door entry for rides for what it was truly meant for. The rich guests paying big money for the VIP tickets. And lets face it, the guests selling the "discount VIPs" were cutting into that market, too. So that was probably bound to be rectified eventually, who are we kidding. When it got what was going on, it gave Disney a black eye, and that was the last straw.

"They can go and do anything and come back" You didn't even listen.

But I will reiterate that the new DAS system was developed in conjunction with disability rights advocates such as Autism Speaks. If the new system is not fair and reasonable, why would these groups go along with it?

And the key point is that NOBODY WITH A DAS HAS TO WAIT IN A LONG LINE.

Since when? And forgive me if I really don't give two shits what Autism Speaks thinks about something. As far as the line wait issue. Key point? Again - and forgive me for disagreeing with you on something at risk of you thinking I'm just being outraged about something - just because you think it's a key point doesn't necessarily make it so. If it's just about wait times, then why the hell change the policy in the first place, right? But it's not, is it? But you think it's okay to blithely dismiss as a concern the fact that they no longer have the same access because "They can just go do whatever" And that's okay because Autism Speaks is cool with it? Well, I don't think so and clearly I'm not the only one. Disney could have left well enough alone if they couldn't find a solution that didn't hinder access for their disabled guests.

Sums it up right there.

ETA I had a feeling when I wrote that you'd continue to evade "they can do whatever" issue and use the opportunity to pounce right on that to derail the conversation instead. I'm not surprised.

But hey, I'll give it one more shot. How is it that they should be forced to accommodate the park by figuring out how to "do whatever" while they wait for their turn on the ride? Isn't it a shame that had to happen, instead of somehow finding out away to let them continue to have access the way they had been?

time at the park. I've never known anyone who had a great time, it always has hours of suck time and minutes of great times. People only return because they had forgotten how badly it sucked the last time..join the crowd..

While, yes, the rich paid to game the system, there also had had be someone to accept the money and aid in the deception. So, basically, not only are "the rich" to blame but also "the disabled" share the blame. Some groups are easy targets but it comes down to individuals engaging on questionable practices.

Nothing new there.

I find this whole story appalling, and anyone who says the "disabled" share the "blame" is being ridiculous. A few people engaged in deceptive activities. Poor behavior happens everyday. To act like an entire group --the DISABLED -- therefore is responsible for this bad behavior because they are "easy targets" is some very twisted logic. It is not fair, in fact it is outrageous, to shift the blame from a few lowlifes onto millions of Americans who struggle through life everyday with disabilities. There are millions who fall into the disability camp -- why in the hell Disneyland of all places would choose to punish the disabled en masse because of some idiotic, poor behavior by a very few is alarming and disheartening.

Only in republican fantasyland do the disabled get all kinds of AWESOME benefits like parking spaces; forget that the disabled have to deal with terminal illnesses, missing limbs from service in this country's multiple wars, spinal diseases that make walking long distances or waiting in a long line agony, children with many conditions that prevent them from standing and waiting in a long line but would still benefit tremendously from a trip to Disneyland. In a very republican manner, the many (in a group that-- it must be said -- is already routinely discriminated against) will be punished. Cruel and unjust -- shame on you Disneyland.

I highly doubt that many (more than a dozen) hired the disabled to help them cut in line.

It sounds more like the stories that don't exist so that the writer can manipulate faux poutrage and hope to get a segment on morning tv news.

for those with special needs.

She was barely able to walk with a cane at that point so we got her a wheel chair to enjoy the park. We didn't expect to be able to jump to the front of the line but it was nice. I have no experience dealing with a line situation with someone in a wheelchair but I assume it would suck - shuffling in a crowded line is bad enough without worrying about hitting someone with the chair.

When we visited the space center we had our own bus. That felt weird too. We were following a full bus and we had an entire bus to ourselves.

Children's entertainment with 2 1/2 hour waits? They should be able to do better than that - not just for disabled people, not just for rich people, but far all people.

you'd think they'd know by now which rides are the most popular and either build twice as many, or set aside land for future duplicates on those rides that are new and haven't yet determined how popular they might be. They'd make that much more money, people would be less stressed and get to ride more. Everybody would be happy!

I haven't been to a Disney park since the 1960s, so I don't know what they're like. And the last theme park I went to (Astro World) doesn't exist any more. Not that I miss such things, but I don't remember the lines there lasting more than an hour, no matter how popular the rides.

good thing for Disney that people have short memories or there would be no repeat visitors...ever..

because their kids want to go. Disney banks on their memories being short, while pushing the adults to let their "inner kids" go. You'll never see long lines in their ads for their parks.

In the science fiction show Babylon 5, there's at least one throw-away line/quip about "Disney Planet" and I know they mean a full planet, too! Actually, that would probably be the best thing for them, anyway. Take all their parks and such off-planet along with all the other Brand Name theme parks and let us reclaim the land back to nature

Disneyworld once, but that was eons ago. How much does a Disney vacay cost now? I'm guessing it's probably out of the reach of a significant part of the population. Can't imagine that this new policy will help their bottom line.

Don't think I'll be going back!

or Hana on Maui in winter or your home on Nantucket or in Watch Hill in the summer.

Her name was Annettee Funicello and she worked for Walt Disney and shilled for them for many years. She suffered horribly from a severe form of multiple sclerosis and died not long ago.

This video shows what her condition was like. If you can watch this and think for one second that she was a "fake" well, that is very sad indeed!

http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?playlistId=1.985726

Shame on you Disney, Shame on you!!

and therefore would not have to wait in any long lines.

She was sitting there "smiling real pretty" a few years ago for them.

Now she is dead and gone.

So much for a DAS.

"Sleeping Beauty" and "Snow White" notwithstanding.

So they still have to wait - the reservation time is based on how long the line is, and how long they'd probably have to wait if they stood in line the old fashioned way, but they can wait in a way that's more accommodating for the disabled person, instead of having to stand in the hot sun.

This actually seems fairly reasonable, given the abuse by the "tour guides" there. They're still accommodating the disabled, but without the loophole that lets assholes game the system.

in coming up with this system.

No matter how crowded the park, nobody with a DAS will ever have to wait in a long line. And that's fine with me.

During the 70s I heard the fallacy anti-welfare story of "someone on welfare" saying that it was okay to game the system because it's "just the government." Then the "solid" citizen says, "But WE are the government."

Now, it's these "solid" (rich) citizens who are gaming the system at Disneyland. The world has certainly turned upside down as the rich demand to be pampered at every turn. I'm glad that DUers in this thread have shown great empathy to those who suffer as a result of their disabilities and would like to see Disney do something to continue to help them enjoy their time at Disneyland.

It won't necessarily make your wait shorter, you just won't have to go thru the long winding line. Their guidelines even say that it is not to jump the line.