Class-Action Lawsuit against Disney Parks filed - CORRECTION: not class-action

[Angel Ariel]

Then perhaps Disney isn't the best place for them? If a child is hitting other members of the public, maybe a crowded place isn't the best idea. Sorry.

Because parents can know beyond a doubt that their child is going to get to that level meltdown on any given day?

I have a friend whose son has autism. They live near Disneyland. It's not like just entering the park makes him have a meltdown. He has had trips that were fine, and then others where there was a meltdown and they had to leave. The GAC allowed them to get a lot done in a shorter amount of time, so as to reduce the potential for overstimulation and meltdown. They'd get to accomplish what they could in a short amount of time - which would still be a LOT less than what a family who could stay in the park from RD to close could do - and it worked very well for their son.

But because he may meltdown (or may not), which the parents can't predict, he shouldn't be at Disney at all? Wow.

 

[bumbershoot]

I exceed the weight limit for horseback riding at Ft. Wilderness, perhaps I should sue Disney so that they provide a Clydesdale for my needs? Equal access and all. I'm only being a little sarcastic about that one. It would be so cool.

My husband would like that, too. Alternatively, he would like to have not developed a pituitary tumor that is making it so so so so so hard for him to lose weight, so he could ride a normal horse.

There's a "reasonableness" requirement in the statute. Some people will never be able to ride Expedition Everest, but almost everyone can ride It's A Small World, it can be made accessible to almost everyone.

Exactly. Rides cannot accommodate everyone. Safety reasons, usually.

If you need to take your wheelchair or scooter up the exit to access I have no problems with that. Wait after you get there.

Everyone hates to wait in hot sweaty lines. I am a disabled military vet with prosthetics. I also get very nervous/anxious when I am a crowd or jostled due to some of the experiences I have had.

FWIW you could have partaken in the GAC program, if what you're describing is more than a little crowd-based anxiety. Not sure about the DAS, though.

I don't like being jostled, either, and try to make sure it stops if it starts.

fork over the money for the VIP tour or pester Disney to come up with their version of the Universal FOTL pass( at a hefty premium and make it limited to a certain number per park per day)

There's no such thing as a FOTL pass at Universal. You might be in front of the standby people, but you're still in a line of others with the Express Passes.

 

[morethananyonex]

Because parents can know beyond a doubt that their child is going to get to that level meltdown on any given day?

I have a friend whose son has autism. They live near Disneyland. It's not like just entering the park makes him have a meltdown. He has had trips that were fine, and then others where there was a meltdown and they had to leave. The GAC allowed them to get a lot done in a shorter amount of time, so as to reduce the potential for overstimulation and meltdown. They'd get to accomplish what they could in a short amount of time - which would still be a LOT less than what a family who could stay in the park from RD to close could do - and it worked very well for their son.

But because he may meltdown (or may not), which the parents can't predict, he shouldn't be at Disney at all? Wow.

That's not what was said at all. The discussion was about a child becoming violent towards strangers during a meltdown, not the meltdown itself. If a child is likely to hurt others during their meltdown and it cannot be managed by the parents, then yeah, I don't think they should be in a crowded place where others can get hurt.

 

[amg35]

Because parents can know beyond a doubt that their child is going to get to that level meltdown on any given day?

I have a friend whose son has autism. They live near Disneyland. It's not like just entering the park makes him have a meltdown. He has had trips that were fine, and then others where there was a meltdown and they had to leave. The GAC allowed them to get a lot done in a shorter amount of time, so as to reduce the potential for overstimulation and meltdown. They'd get to accomplish what they could in a short amount of time - which would still be a LOT less than what a family who could stay in the park from RD to close could do - and it worked very well for their son.

But because he may meltdown (or may not), which the parents can't predict, he shouldn't be at Disney at all? Wow.

Oh, I think you know exactly what I'm saying.

I think we know the difference between children who may occasionally have a meltdown and children who are unfortunately prone to violent ones with certain stimulants and would need a GAC.

Sorry, not falling for the bait.

 

[bumbershoot]

Do other theme parks have some type of special access to guests with these types of special needs?

Yes. More on the lines of the DAS. The GAC was just a bit nicer, especially when the CMs did it wrong. DAS is more in line with how everyone else does it.

 

[JanaDee]

If your child is overstimulated by crowds, can not endure heat and lines, maybe Disney is not where you should be vacationing? I think the DAS is a very generous solution and don't understand how Disney is being lambasted for giving preferential treatment to some people.

Yup. That has been my feelings on it since I first learned about the GAC program.

 

[Mrsjvb]

Unfortunately sometimes they don't have the ability to spend their wait doing what they want because their child/adult is having a meltdown because they don't understand about waiting and instead are hitting and kicking their parents and other members of the public. When their wait time is up they will still be having a melt down or will have left the park having been on 0 rides.

well ya know what? then they shouldn't even be there at all. I have a nephew, non verbal, profoundly autistic and a danger to himself and everyone around him when he has meltdowns. so his parents DO NOT BRING HIM ANYWHERE WHERE THEY CANNOT MITIGATE ONE.

his siblings have never been to Disney,.,or any amusement park because his parents know that it can't be done safely or enjoyably.

if Junior doesn't understand then you wait until he does.. or you don't put him in the situation at all.

going to Disney is NOT a god given right for anyone. let alone being allowed to bully your way to the front just because Junior has a disease.

 

[Mrsjvb]

I exceed the weight limit for horseback riding at Ft. Wilderness, perhaps I should sue Disney so that they provide a Clydesdale for my needs? Equal access and all. I'm only being a little sarcastic about that one. It would be so cool.

for Clydesdales you need to go to Busch Gardens....

 

[1 DISNEY FAN]

How would you change it?

The best systems that I know of are at dlp and legoland Windsor uk. Both different but work well.

How do you handle taking your child to other venues where one must wait, get hot, stand in lines?
I don't take my children by myself.

As to autism, I understand it completely, I taught children with autism.

 

[1 DISNEY FAN]

well ya know what? then they shouldn't even be there at all. I have a nephew, non verbal, profoundly autistic and a danger to himself and everyone around him when he has meltdowns. so his parents DO NOT BRING HIM ANYWHERE WHERE THEY CANNOT MITIGATE ONE.

his siblings have never been to Disney,.,or any amusement park because his parents know that it can't be done safely or enjoyably.

if Junior doesn't understand then you wait until he does.. or you don't put him in the situation at all.

going to Disney is NOT a god given right for anyone. let alone being allowed to bully your way to the front just because Junior has a disease.

Autism is not a disease.

 

[Jaya]

I saw the FB page. The advocate, when confronted with the fact that almost all major theme and amusement parks use accommodations similar to the DAS, said "Disney is different, it's a vacation destination where people spend a lot of money."

Tell that to Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, Cedar Point and Six Flags.

I've been to all four. I could have sworn I spent a lot of money there. I'm sure glad the "advocate" set me straight on that. <snort>

 

[Angel Ariel]

Oh, I think you know exactly what I'm saying.

I think we know the difference between children who may occasionally have a meltdown and children who are unfortunately prone to violent ones with certain stimulants and would need a GAC.

Sorry, not falling for the bait.

I'm not talking about normal children. I'm speaking of autistic children who can be unpredictable in *how* they meltdown. They may not always be violent. But there's no way for a parent to know that on any given day.

But thank you for referring to me like a troll. I'm not, thanks.

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

All I can say is none of these issues were around in the 90's and early 2000's, too many people took advantage of their "golden ticket" and now are upset they can't get mom, dad, junior and 12 other people FOTL to ride whatever they please cutting ahead of everyone else.

I honestly can say that you never saw so many ECV's, Wheelchairs in the 90's and early 2000's, makes you wonder what the heck happened in the world, doesn't it?

 

[OurBigTrip]

I've been to all four. I could have sworn I spent a lot of money there. I'm sure glad the "advocate" set me straight on that. <snort>

I've never been to Universal, but I have been to the other places, yeah, we spent lots of money!

And I think the use of quotation marks in "advocate" is very appropriate in this case.

 

[Mrsjvb]

Autism is not a disease.

sure it is. it is a major imbalance in their brain..chemical or otherwise, that prevents them from being cognitively equal to their peers.

if it weren't then there would be no reason for my nephew to take the drugs he does every day just to keep him 'manageable'

 

[Angel Ariel]

That's not what was said at all. The discussion was about a child becoming violent towards strangers during a meltdown, not the meltdown itself. If a child is likely to hurt others during their meltdown and it cannot be managed by the parents, then yeah, I don't think they should be in a crowded place where others can get hurt.

I thought the discussion was about a child becoming violent at all. My point was, as I said to the other person, that autistic children don't always meltdown the same way. Sometimes they may become violent, sometimes they may not. It isn't necessarily a "the child is likely to hurt others" situation. It is actually possible (if not likely) for parents of an autistic child to not be able to predict *how* their child will react to something.

It seemed like if they can't be 100% sure they won't have a physical meltdown (whether or not the parents can handle it), they just shouldn't go to Disney. If that's not what was meant, I apologize, but that's what came across.

 

[morethananyonex]

I'm not talking about normal children. I'm speaking of autistic children who can be unpredictable in *how* they meltdown. They may not always be violent. But there's no way for a parent to know that on any given day. But thank you for referring to me like a troll. I'm not, thanks.

It's a parent (or caregiver's) responsibility to deal with those kind of meltdowns. If they cannot be stopped from becoming violent towards strangers, taking them to a crowded place with triggers for their meltdowns is a bad idea.

All Disney is responsible for is equal access, which they provide. It isn't their responsibility to provide more than equal access, which is what the lawsuit is about.

 

[amg35]

I'm not talking about normal children. I'm speaking of autistic children who can be unpredictable in *how* they meltdown. They may not always be violent. But there's no way for a parent to know that on any given day.

But thank you for referring to me like a troll. I'm not, thanks.

I'll quote myself again:

Oh, I think you know exactly what I'm saying.

I think we know the difference between children who may occasionally have a meltdown and children who are unfortunately prone to violent ones with certain stimulants and would need a GAC.

Sorry, not falling for the bait.

I stand by it. If a child is prone (meaning it's happened before and has a high likelihood of happening again) to having violent meltdowns that the parent can't control and being in a hot, crowded place where they have to wait or not understand they can't ride a ride at that moment triggers such meltdowns, then Disney may not be the right place for them.

 

[Angel Ariel]

It's a parent (or caregiver's) responsibility to deal with those kind of meltdowns. If they cannot be stopped from becoming violent towards strangers, taking them to a crowded place with triggers for their meltdowns is a bad idea.

I haven't disagreed with this. My point is that what may trigger a child one day may not trigger them another. It may not be as simple as "this envrionment always triggers my child, so I won't go there." It could be more like 90% of the time, the environment does NOT trigger them, but 10% of the time it does - but they can't predict when that 10% will happen.

All Disney is responsible for is equal access, which they provide. It isn't their responsibility to provide more than equal access, which is what the lawsuit is about.

What is equal access? The family I spoke of could only be in the park for 3-4 hours a day. No matter what they do, they do not have equal access to the parks that someone who is in the park for 7-10 (or more) hours will have. Even with the GAC, they didn't have equal opportunity to do what those who could stay in the parks 7+ hours could do...

That's all I was trying to say. I'm certainly not saying they should have absolute FOTL passes, as it seems my posts are being taken. But this is a heated topic, so I'm not surprised my words are being taken that way. I just had a reaction to the idea that these kids just shouldn't be in the park. Again, if that's not how that poster meant it, I apologize, but that's how it came across and what I reacted to.

Again, to be very abundantly clear, I am *not* saying that the DAS should be scrapped for immediate access.

 

[amberpi]

Again, Disney has the responsibility to provide equal, not greater access. They do. What a family has the ability to do while their waiting is not Disney's issue. If someone with disabilities has the potential to harm members of the public that is the responsibility of their caregiver to make sure it does not happen, not Disney. If that cannot be done under the completely legal system Disney provides, it is irresponsible to visit Disney.

It's funny, the party line for the GAC was always "it does not get FOTL access, it gets a quiet place to wait, sometimes the waits are even longer", but now that it's gone suddenly a quiet place to wait (or loud, you can wait wherever you want doing whatever you want) is not good enough and FOTL access is needed.

This. This. This.

A thousand times this.

Also, equality does not mean that someone with disabilities gets FOTL access to as many repeat rides on the headliners as they want. Normal guests don't unless they are willing to wait (understandably, if they can't wait in the line, that's FINE and certainly a reasonable accommodation). Guests with disabilities should certainly be given reasonable accommodation but NOT preferrential treatment. Also, if that's harrowing for a child especially, why expose them to that? I don't get it? I have 2 dear friends that can't handle crowds, they don't go places that know are crowded... I have acid relux. I LOVE red wine and coffee, you know what kills? Red wine and coffee so I don't drink them. While its a small thing, the principal of the matter seems to be the same.