Taking Advantage

[Hostess]

Let's say a Guest (not me or anyone I am friends with or related to - but I do know about) makes a reservation at a resort and "requires" special needs due to medical issues. Disney doesn't require said person to provide a doctor's note stating that these are valid "requirements." This person does not have the medical condition he/she claims to have but is simply using said condition to gain a better view and bigger room (handicapped accesible).

Is there any way these things can be prevented or does Disney fear lawsuits for questioning such "medical needs"?

It simply makes me sick that someone would pretend to have a debilitating disease just to get a free upgrade.

[Figaro55]

ADA does not allow any business to ask for proof of disability. This way disabled people are not required to tell or show clerks their medical history.

And as to getting a better view or location because the room is handicapped accessible...well, the bathroom is a LOT bigger because of the need for a fold-down shower seat and for the wheelchair to fit, but the rest of the room is actually going to be smaller because of the increased size of the bathroom.

There is really NO advantage to a handicapped accessible room except to provide accessibility. :) They are for the most part located throughout a resort and aren't going to have a better view or location just because they are accessible.

About the only advantage is that often (but not always) the fully accessible room has a king bed. That is because the room size is smaller because of the bathroom situation and the king bed allows for better wheelchair "clearance." But more and more they are fitting double beds in the fully accessible rooms, so getting a king bed is not a given and they will have to live without a bathtub in a fully accessible room. :)

[Big Wallaby]

It simply makes me sick that someone would pretend to have a debilitating disease just to get a free upgrade.

Sadly, there are those who would... like the people who get off the Monorail in wheelchairs and right as the train stops you see them jumping around the train before they get in the chair. Then, if you take more than about 1.21035 seconds to put the ramp down after the doors open, they get really angry.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

That is just sad that someone thinks they are getting something for free by posing as someone with special needs.

I think we should start thinking about changing this, or getting some sort of I.D. issued that states they need special accomodations. It wouldn't have to state their medical condition, just that they need ECV, wheelchair, and so forth.

If I had someone that needed it, but couldn't get it because someone used the available space to get something "for free", I think I would see to it that they would REALLY need one in the future!

Thats pretty low for someone to do that.

[mechurchlady]

The exception to the law is if the person receives a service that is not offered to nondisabled guests. If an agency gives free admission to the disabled then they can ask for proof. Thus Disney must treat all disabled people the same even if the person is lying.

[BRWombat]

Sadly, there are those who would... like the people who get off the Monorail in wheelchairs and right as the train stops you see them jumping around the train before they get in the chair. Then, if you take more than about 1.21035 seconds to put the ramp down after the doors open, they get really angry.

GRRRR. :mad:

That sounds like a perfect situation for a video posted to YouTube. Publicly shame the morons.

[JAG]

Do you honestly think, these idiots could be publicly shamed? :mad:

[Princess Susi]

It angers me that these people *get away* with it, only because they are using chairs and ECVs that could be available to truly disabled people. You don't really get any special treatment, since more and more attraction's lines are being streamlined and the disabled enter the same way as everyone else! And actually in some cases the seating in some shows is terrible for the disabled. There are some shows that have great seats, but there are some that are in the nosebleed section. As far as the disabled rooms, that is no upgrade. Really, believe me. I have stayed in disabled rooms in many diffferent hotels and I HATE the disabled shower that you can wheel into. I know that there are LOTS of people that cannot stand at all and need the roll in shower, but it leaks all over the place. I took quick showers standing, so that my back would not suffer too much!

By the way: Update on my back surgery...I am doing much better. Still have pain and probably always will, but it is no anywhere near the intensity it was. My legs don't have those shooting pains anymore, but if I am standing up too long, my back gets really sore and my legs and feet start to hurt.

That makes sense, because I have not been up on my feet much for at least a year and that has made all my *musckles* ;) weak.

I have lost a LOT of weight. I am down to 196, which is down from 213 in about a month and a half. It feels great and I need to lose at least 30 more pounds and then I will feel lots better. At 6 ft, 196 is not that bad, but I always feel better with a little less and I need to get toned too. The exercise regimen has started slowly and is working obviously, along with a liquid Ensure diet for two meals with one solid food meal a day. I am on the Famous Michael Floorwax ( a local morning DJ here in Denver) diet. Eat less and move around more! It works!

I may still need a chair for part of the time our next trip which should be to DL in late September/early October. I won't be able to make it all day walking yet. But I WILL get there!

It feels good to not be in that excruciating pain that totally ran my life into the ground. I still have to wear the back brace off and on, cause my lower back muscles are not strong enough yet to stand for long periods of time. It helps to keep my back straight and sturdy!
Anyway, feeling better and next year I hope to not have to use the ECV for WDW! And I pray that no more of my disks decide to disinegrate!

Susi

[February]

Sadly, there are those who would... like the people who get off the Monorail in wheelchairs and right as the train stops you see them jumping around the train before they get in the chair. Then, if you take more than about 1.21035 seconds to put the ramp down after the doors open, they get really angry.

I certainly don't jump anywhere I go in life LOL not with my spine but I do try, on the days when I can manage it, to get out of my chair before we get to the train so they don't have to put the ramp down for me.

Some days this is just not possible, and I have no doubt some of these people are wheelchair 'fakers' but do try to at least give some the benefit of the doubt that we will push ourselves physically to try to keep from inconveniencing people whenever possible. I know I sure do, because I am able to get out of the chair. But some days are worse then others and sadly during our past 5 day trip, I could not get out of it 3 of those days no matter how badly I wanted to spare people the trouble.

Bru
Only Mostly Disabled
(to paraphrase Miracle Max)

[Ladyfair]

Here's a new variation on the "get me the ramp in 1.2 nanoseconds" theme I just encountered a couple of weeks ago.

I went up the monorail ramp in my ECV and was sitting on it in the compartment, thinking of getting up and sitting with DH and the girls. All of a sudden, the car fills with about 12 members of a single family. OK, no problem, I'll just stay on the ECV. They immediately surround me, then when we get to TTC, they begin running around me to get out, and my ECV begins TO MOVE WITH THEM!!!!! They had kicked the switch, and I was in free roll!

I immediately grabbed both posts, and nearly got my arms yanked out of the sockets. Since this family is running around me, the monorail people at the station can't see me to get the ramp, and DH is trying to get me stationary instead of waving at the attendant to bring one. In the meantime, the people from the other side are trying to load their stroller into the spot where I am, rampless......

It was a mess.