Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another HUGE reason for the amount of wheelchairs- they get to cut to the front of all the lines. After I had knee surgery in my 20s, I had many people request to go to Disney with me so we could all jump to the front of the line.

Disney changed their policy about 4 years ago. Now for mobility issues you do through the utensils reguAr line. They give passes for other issues but that just allows you to get a time to return - usually the wait time minus 10 minutes and then you get in line. There is no more jumping he line.

The policy change specifically for mobility issues has been

When Disney first began to follow the ADA, many of their lines weren't ADA compliant. They had stairs built in, or tight turns, or portions that were too narrow for wheelchairs. So, rather than fixing the lines, they would have people go to the exit and wait for a chance to join the queue. Usually, this ended up with them getting on faster, although sometimes it didn't. For example, it was possible to come to the exit and find 4 wheelchairs in front of you. Since many rides only have 1 or 2 wheelchair cars, that meant you had to wait for each car to cycle through 5 times, which might result in a wait longer than the standard line. The myth that wheelchairs gave you front of the line privilege started during this era.

As Disney has updated their parks, they've gradually replaced the lines with ADA compliant ones. As soon as a line was ADA compliant, wheelchair users were asked to use it. By 2005, the first time I went, the number of lines that were not ADA compliant were very few.

Disney also used to have a system where people who had disabilities that made it difficult for them to tolerate lines (e.g. autism and other developmental disabilities, medical issues that made spending extended time in heat a problem, seizure disorders) could go to the front of the line. They were always clear that if someone's difficulty in line was due to not being able to stand/walk that they were expected to rent a wheelchair or scooter, and a pass would not be issued. Of course, there are times when someone has both a mobility disability and a developmental or medical need, so you would see some people using the front of the line privilege and also using a wheelchair or scooter.

About 4 years ago, Disney changed their system for accommodating people with disabilities that make waiting in lines challenging. At this point, those people are given tickets with a specific time they can ride a ride. The times are set up so that the wait time is the same for people with disabilities is the same as the time for people without disabilities, but people with disabilities don't stand in line while they wait.

The only exception to this is Make a Wish participants, and of course some of them also use scooters or wheelchairs, or travel with other family members who use scooters or wheelchairs.

We went during spring break and didn't see many at all. Maybe they are more popular during the cheaper times of year (summer).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone who works with people with disabilities, I can tell you that what a Disney does for accessibility is unparalleled. Many families who could not manage a trip to the beach or almost any other popular vacation destination because of disabilities, can handle Disney.

As a result, many families where one member has a physical disability choose a Disney for repeated trips. The result is more scooters.

I can tell you that not all of these people were physically disabled. I am 100% certain of that.

You've seen the X-rays of their knees? And the results of their latest EKG's? How can you possibly know this?

-- someone with arthritis of the knees who can manage well enough walking and going upstairs to look just fine, but has severe pain with extended standing still and going downstairs that I would use a scooter at Disney.

+1. I look "normal," but have terrible osteoarthritis in one of my knees (the result of a sports-related injury in college). After much physical therapy, I could do Disney without a scooter now, but I do remember one vacation where I was in constant terrible pain while trying to do "touristy" things. If there had been a scooter available, I would have definitely used it.

Stop rationalyzing the special snowflake symdrone.

Americans have largely, figuratively and literally, become so feeble minded, there are a huge amount of people craving special attention and refusing to self help. Those are the vermins of the society.

Anonymous wrote:Confirmation bias. People who think that fat people with mobility problems don't deserve vacations perceive them as being everywhere. Non-judgy people minding their own business don't.

Kind of like the study where men perceived crowds with 17% women and 83% men as 50/50.

Exactly

Confirmation bias. People who think that fat people with mobility problems don't deserve vacations perceive them as being everywhere. Non-judgy people minding their own business don't.

Kind of like the study where men perceived crowds with 17% women and 83% men as 50/50.

I used to be morbidly obese. I could walk maybe an hour if I was lucky at anyone time without being totally exhausted and in pain.

Carrying around 200+ of fat is difficult and painful. Personally I did not go to amusement parks when I was at that size because there was really no point. I couldn't safely fit in the majority of the rides anyway.

Anonymous wrote:NP here and a Disney frequent guest. OP, about five years back I swore to my husband I would never use Disney buses again. Too much waiting. And yes, the line could be two buses worth long and a scooter could pull up at the last second with her 10 family members and go straight to the front of the line. Not cool. Scooters should have to queue up like everyone else. Not we rent a car every time and it has made a huge difference.

And equally often, the line is less than a bus worth and already has scooters or wheelchairs on it, or the bus has the scooter /wheelchair spots full when it arrives, so the mobility device user has to wait.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here and a Disney frequent guest. OP, about five years back I swore to my husband I would never use Disney buses again. Too much waiting. And yes, the line could be two buses worth long and a scooter could pull up at the last second with her 10 family members and go straight to the front of the line. Not cool. Scooters should have to queue up like everyone else. Not we rent a car every time and it has made a huge difference.

I hate buses. Just can't imagine waiting 2 bus lines worth. We usually stay on monorail or boat and rent a car.

We never had to wait long, in fact several times we had the bus to ourselves.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone who works with people with disabilities, I can tell you that what a Disney does for accessibility is unparalleled. Many families who could not manage a trip to the beach or almost any other popular vacation destination because of disabilities, can handle Disney.

As a result, many families where one member has a physical disability choose a Disney for repeated trips. The result is more scooters.

I can tell you that not all of these people were physically disabled. I am 100% certain of that.

How can you be 100% certain of any specific person's disability? Or is that an educated guess, thinking that surely a few non-disabled people slipped through the cracks?

Anonymous wrote:NP here and a Disney frequent guest. OP, about five years back I swore to my husband I would never use Disney buses again. Too much waiting. And yes, the line could be two buses worth long and a scooter could pull up at the last second with her 10 family members and go straight to the front of the line. Not cool. Scooters should have to queue up like everyone else. Not we rent a car every time and it has made a huge difference.

I hate buses. Just can't imagine waiting 2 bus lines worth. We usually stay on monorail or boat and rent a car.

(Jump in the line, rock your body in time) OK, I believe you!

Anonymous wrote:Another HUGE reason for the amount of wheelchairs- they get to cut to the front of all the lines. After I had knee surgery in my 20s, I had many people request to go to Disney with me so we could all jump to the front of the line.

Disney changed their policy about 4 years ago. Now for mobility issues you do through the utensils reguAr line. They give passes for other issues but that just allows you to get a time to return - usually the wait time minus 10 minutes and then you get in line. There is no more jumping he line.

OP, e grateful you don't need one and move along.

Anonymous wrote:Another HUGE reason for the amount of wheelchairs- they get to cut to the front of all the lines. After I had knee surgery in my 20s, I had many people request to go to Disney with me so we could all jump to the front of the line.

This says more about your friend group than Disney. No one asked me that after my surgeries.