I have been meaning to post about Disneyland or should I say Disney "INC?" And how they have taken a huge step backwards in providing "magic" for ALL of their guests. I will give it to you Disney proceeds as if they are the end all, be all of entertainment providing "undeniable" top shelf entertainment for families...all along harboring one of the worst quietly enacted segregationist policies on the face of the planet...
For as long as I can remember Disneyland provided a Guest Assistance Pass for disabled individuals that was BAR NONE the best across the industry. Many of us frankly quit going to many other amusement parks simply because of Disneys Policies of inclusion and accommodation....contrary to what many believe was a cut the line ...go,immediately to the front privilege..it was in reality an alternate entrance holding area (for most) and blending you into the line type of service ..I will admit it was in some cases a bit faster than the typical ques or a fast pass but it simply was not jump to the front of the line as many perceive it to be,as well as many in the media report it to be...
On October 9 Disney changed this pass for a new Disability Assistance card??Which is problematic to say the least ?? The new process is a nightmare and IMHO discriminatory. What was once a privilege and probably the one thing that most parents of kids like Dakota were thankful for, has become the elephant in the room.What I think, is perhaps Disney was trying to achieve .... is to curtail the attendance of people with disabilities instead of doing what their PR department claims : which is to address those who were abusing or cheating !
Disney received bad press around March,about idiots who were hiring disabled
individuals to go to Disneyland simply to obtain faster access to rides by using the Guest Assistance pass ..... The knee jerk reaction of the "big wigs " in the Disney Corporate offices was to fix it and fix it fast....OH THEY DID THAT ALRIGHT!
The new Disability Assistance card it mired with flaws , and simply not well thought out or tested. Disney is claims they consulted certain organizations that should be helpful for making this a positive experience, but the fact is the organizations do not have a clue as to the mechanics of navigating Disneyland with a disabled individual.
The new procedure requires you to go thru a check I process at City hall which is about
twice as long as it used to be??that I can live with BUT; Then the fun begins..they have placed 3 kiosks in the park where you are required to "reserve a time, for ONE RIDE AT
A TIME...you cannot get a time for the next ride until you have had the previous ride crossed off. What this means is you don't even have the luxury or flexibility of a fast pass where you can go thru the park and accumulate different times to ride numerous rides. AS if there isn't enough walking around just to get through the park you must make numerous trips back to the kiosks simply to have the privilege of utilizing handicap access... Essentially what this means is the people and parents and families who need these accommodations must lug there children Back and forth to 1 of 3 kiosks for EACH RIDE...That may not sound like much to many but if you envision these families who have kids who are on oxygen (with portable tanks),feeding tubes, wheelchairs and specialized strollers with all kinds of equipment and medically necessary stuff , back packs full of medicine or specialized food , suctions or other instruments ....only too get a response from a cast member that YOU MUST WAIT FOR YOUR APPOINTED REPORT TIME, ride the ride , then have to walk back to a kiosk only get a new time for another ride which can't boarded for another hour SO you can have your family watch a parade or go get something to eat in the meantime...perhaps this sounds OK to those who don't have children on the spectrum or kid with other disabilities as well but those of us who live with this every day know this is just an abomination...Disney has ruined what was one of the brightest lights for our kids...
Finally the saddest part of this story is there have been a couple of organizations who have tried repeatedly to contact Disney to try to get them to listen but they have been silent in response ....40,000 signatures were collected and presented after 3 weeks of calls to the Corporate office and still no progress or even a hint of consideration ...
Look I don't want this to come off as someone who feel entitled or is just bitching what I want is to continue to educate and inform people including those who don't livewithin-the parameters of "my world" to an In Justice that really can affect everyone ....this is it... If you have any inclination to speak out: Mark Jones director of Services for Guests with Disbailities And Betty Appleton Risk management at Corporate head quarters on Buena Vista Street. Burbank are the ones who should be contacted ??Also Thomas O Staggs is Director of Disney Resorts and Parks..and the biggest Kahuna of the all is Robert Iger CEO of Disney corp...all at the 500 s. Buena Vista a Street, Burbank California.
I have written a coupls of letter San emails as well as many others and it hasn't made a different yet but I hope to continue this cause ..keep it in the fore front and hopefully help change this process that is so devastingto our kids...
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