SG in wheelchair

[PattyA]

I must first say how great this site is!
I have worked retail(same company)for 21 years now and can relate to every post here.

I had my first trip to DL last week(The research is How I found all you folks).
During my whole trip I didn't see much that stood out for SGT, but one lady in a wheelchair as we were waiting in line at Buzz. She(and her companion) got mad because they didn't get to go to the front of the line. She was under the impression that they should go ahead of everyone because she was in a chair.

The nice CM informed her that this line was the same for all. :twisted:

I wish I had the choice of a wheelchair or not. I could have used it last week.
(BTW..I am partcially disabled, but still able to walk.)
But the look she gave ME was of total discust and I was even the one who told her she couldn't cut!

I do want to give kudos to the following CM's
Jerry who works at Paradise Pier hotel but was at DCA that day. He was the nicest person I met the whole trip.

The guy on Splash at closing Weds 11/1 night near closing that let my son and I ride over and over!

The crew on Soaring Mon nite 10/30 for letting us go again with out exiting.(The CM after that one made us get off and go all around and there was only 2 people in line)

There is more but DH is kicking me off the computor. :mad:

[DLRFantasmic!Dan]

It gets me that guests in wheelchairs think they get special treatment on attractions likw they don't have to wait in line. I actually caught some guests in wheelchairs go through the exit at Buzz Lightyear and I go up to them and send them through the regular entrance. One time, a guests accused me of being wrong just because a Store Command CM told them they could go through the exit. What makes the guests think that a stores CM said was right???

[bpgstudios]

We've actually heard tales of Guest Relations CM's telling guests that they can go through the exit on ALL attractions with the "Use alternate entrance" and "Wheelchair stamp" GACs. The Guide for Guests with Disabilities states to use the red gate at Dumbo... But every gate at Dumbo is red; the wheelchair gate which is next to the start of the queue, and the exit gates. Yes, CM's that don't know the attraction should have the guest ask another CM, or find out for them from an Attractions CM trained on that attraction. Don't ever assume: if you don't know don't spew out a BS answer. Make life easier for the rest of us.

[felinefan]

At Knott's every ride has a handicap entrance; it's usually the exit, with the exceptions of Grand Sierra Steam Train in Camp Snoopy (wheelchair gate next to turnstile), Flying Ace Balloon Race (seperate entrance, though with a hard to see handicap sign), Calico Railroad has in effect three gates, the one by the engine when the train is in the station, go through the depot and if you can't get through the turnstile we have a chain that we can drop for you to let you through, and the exit gate next to the stagecoach trail. Shouldn't say we, I left that place nearly a year ago. I hear everybody's working 12/7 now. Some are even working 14/7.

[BirdMom]

Wow PattyA, bless you for putting up with retail for 21 years. Counting my 4 years at DL, I put in a total of 24 years in retail. Never again...

I think my worst case was at the Haunted Mansion. I was working the unload area and saw these people bring a wheelchair DOWN the speed ramp from the exit. I honestly don't know how they did it, as said ramp was functioning properly and bringing people up. Anyway, I did tell them that they needed to go through the front of the line like everyone else (it wasn't even a busy day) and that the foyer person would get them the rest of the way to where they would be boarded.

Frankly, I LOVE the new attractions with wheelchair accessible queues. That tells you the difference between those who truly are handicapped and those who rent chairs selfishly because they don't want to wait. I wish management had the cojones to require documentation for wheelchair rental when it's not obvious that someone has mobility issues.

[DLRFantasmic!Dan]

I think my worst case was at the Haunted Mansion. I was working the unload area and saw these people bring a wheelchair DOWN the speed ramp from the exit. I honestly don't know how they did it, as said ramp was functioning properly and bringing people up. Anyway, I did tell them that they needed to go through the front of the line like everyone else (it wasn't even a busy day) and that the foyer person would get them the rest of the way to where they would be boarded.

First of all.................HOW IN GOD'S GREEN EARTH did they manage to make it fit through the turnstiles at the exit. I mean, are they wide enough??? Second of all, didn't they get a clue that the ramp was an EXIT ONLY??? I mean, it was working, right??? The people going in ONE direction should of given them a hint, hahaha!!!

[wheelieman]

Hey you guys, long time no post for me! As you may remember from my previous posts, I have no problem waiting with everyone else in my wheelchair. Knott's CM's who have encountered me could attest that I am not a selfish BTard and will even ask to wait a few trains, logs, boats, whatever so that I HAVE to wait too, because it is part of the experience. But enough about how great am! LOL. The only reason that I could see a wheelchair bound person legitametly try to get into an attraction through the exit when the line is accessable is if they are UNAWARE that the line is accessable. There is not always a kind CM [the only kind I know] right there to answer your questions, especially when that park is trying to cut back on labor costs so badly just to keep it open. I had that problem when I visited Magic Mountain in August. I was in my own Powerchair, walked into each attraction vehicle using my cane, making sure to park the powerchair as close as allowed to the platform, but several times I waited the entire line only to encounter a turnstile. Oops. 27" powerchair won't fit. The one I can remember was Riddler's Revenge. I waited for an hour then encountered stairs. Now I understand that there is another entrance for wheelchairs, but my wife and I couldn't find it. So, if you see someone you don't recognize, ie NOT a passhole, doing the wrong thing, correct them politely, and there is a small chance you will get a thank you! Okay, maybe a 15% chance, but a chance none the less. I always enjoyed waiting for shows and rides at Knott's, not rushing right on, because it gave me the chance to try and brighten the CM's day.

Thanks for reading the GIANT POST.

[BirdMom]

OMG!!! *Wheelieman*!!!!!! Long time no see!!!!! Yay!!! No, you have NEVER been a SG, I will attest to that! Even though you had that phone company job where the customers treated you the way some of the guests treated us ;) Having said that, I think some guests get a bit too distracted or want to be led by the nose, so they don't try as hard as you to be proactive.

Dan, at the time the turnstyles for the HM were at the foyer, not at the exit. And if I remember correctly, we simply had handicapped logos (the wheelie sign) about 10x10 at the exits of attractions that took the wheelies through the exit. But you're right, I couldn't understand how or why they would go through hell to get the wheelie down the ramp. I remember hearing in the 80's that back when the ride was new (1970ish) they DID indeed make the wheelchairs go that way, and that they would fold up the wheelie and put it in the omnimover behind the party. But then again, when the ride was new they actually had TWO rotations and enough help to turn off the speed ramp without messing it up for everyone else. I think that sending the groups down the ER's is much more safe, and the new creep mode is a brilliant invention. When I've gone back to visit, it's been so much nicer to simply slow down in the graveyard or wherever and enjoy the details, rather than listening to the "please remain seated" spiel. Now I know that if I were to hear the spiel, it means a possible evac rather than yet another wheelie coming into load.

[kingocal]

I hate it when when I am straping a wheel chair to secure it into the trams and the guest is telling me how to do my job. "That hook goes there", "Dont forget to tighten the strap" etc...


I have put hundreds of wheel chairs into the trams and each guest thinks its my first.

[UncleHans]

A number of years ago I witnessed a guest in an ECV entering a queue at Universal Studios (near the wild west stunt show, IIRC). Every time the chair came to a turn it was unable to negotiate members of their group would lift-and-turn the chair around the corner. This went on for at least 20 minutes, through several turns, until the ECV reached a hairpin where the ECV could not possibly make the turn. This was also at a point where they were about halfway through the queue, with a great number of guests behind them.

We entered into the ride that we were in line for at that time, so I didn't get to see how the employees handled the logjam. I have always wondered how they extracted the ECV from the middle of the queue.