Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Ah, but in some cases the obesity comes from the inability of physical activity. I used to be skinny. After spending 18 months in a wheelchair, I have fought obesity ever since. Now some of these people may be lazy slobs, but for others, it may be quite real.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost Yea, but your forgetting that Dr. Spirit has the uncanny ability to know, just by glancing, if a person is fat simply because of being lazy. I hope that the good Doctor never has a problem that causes wheelchair or scooter usage. It is going to be fatal to know that everyone is wise to the "handicap" scam and shower the same type of compassion that has been expressed here.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I think that the Disney theme parks are for everyone. Its unfortunate that Disney doesn't have "the same" transportation options they did when some of their parks first opened. Perhaps then personal motorized vehicles would not be so much of an issue. Yes the Baby Boomers are aging. Along with that comes increased specialized needs around diet, hygene and mobility. As the world can tell, some Baby Boomers are just unwilling to give up their Disney theme park vacations no matter what.
Originally Posted By CMDad <<Dr. Spirit has the uncanny ability to know, just by glancing, if a person is fat simply because of being lazy. I hope that the good Doctor never has a problem that causes wheelchair or scooter usage.>> Yeah - I looked like I was fine in December when I was forced to use an ECV ... but then I guess the good Doctor would know I was about to experience heart failure.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Yea, but your forgetting that Dr. Spirit has the uncanny ability to know, just by glancing, if a person is fat simply because of being lazy.>> Give it a rest. I never said everyone who used ECV's were doing so because they're lazy. But when I see a 300-plus pounder sitting on one in line for a turkey leg, it's a good indication. It's the same debate as when I say most parents who have kids older than 4-5 in a stroller are lazy and making future lazy and fat adolescents. It's true.
Originally Posted By jkayjs There are indeed some health related problems that lend themselves to increased weight gain(including but not limited to immobility and glandular disorders). That being said I can tell you that the vast majority of morbidly obese people developed their health problems due to weight gain which is reversible. This is not an easy task but many things in life aren't easy. The fact that there is an entire industry dedicated to the every increasing girth of Americans tells the tale. People need to be active for many reasons it is literally a matter of life and death. Even the most fit person can develope a blood clot and the odds go way up with inactivity. Couple that with increased girth and you have a lethal combination. In my mind WDW is an ideal place to work on weight control and fitness. If you can't do the whole park do what you can and take more breaks. Let those little ones walk as well. Yes it may cut your day short and you may not see everything you want but believe me you will benifit 10 fold with healthier kids. Now before you get defensive I'm not refering to those that have true health care issues or with very small children. I know it is hard not to take things personal even when they aren't meant towards you. Just let me close by say that if there weren't so many folks that abuse every system it wouldn't be so hard on those with legit issues.
Originally Posted By NikkiLOVESMickey My 48 year old sister was diagnosed with diabetes over the summer. She was fairly heavy, but I wouldn't call her obese. Her blood sugar level was over 500 when she was diagnosed and hospitalized in May and she was taking insulin five times a day. In just a few months of eating right and walking daily, she's lost nearly 40 pounds and is off the insulin completely, regulating her diabetes by pills alone. Her doctor told her he's never seen anyone turn themselves around so quickly. It can be done, it's just a matter of wanting to do it.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>There are indeed some health related problems that lend themselves to increased weight gain(including but not limited to immobility and glandular disorders).<< Yes, it's called Overeating and too much dependability on those electric carts when you can carry your own weight around. No pun intended.
Originally Posted By beamerdog <<<just having fun again listening to all this discussion. 1. We're all in agreement here that some people are large due to illness. (I don't fit that category.) 2. We're all in agreement that some people who are large need to get off their hinies, excercise more and eat less. Personally, I don't care who's on the ECV and for what reason. I'm just annoyed when someone, sick or not is taking advantage of the privilege of riding one in the parks. When I can walk, I certainly do (that's one way the service dog comes in to help). It infuriates me when someone uses the line privilege for their whole group to experience a ride like HM where the handicapped person really only needs his/her companion in the buggy. Geez, just go and meet your group when you're done. Anyway, again, it's the misuse of the privilege and how it interferes with the other guests' enjoyment of the parks that really irks me. If they didn't misuse the privilege, then I wouldn't have to endure the nasty stares when people don't think I "look" handicapped *enough* to be using the ecv or have a service dog. Okay, done with my rant for the day, lol.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN and it was a good one^^^. Hope some people in Texas take note of your eloquency. Happy 50th DL. Better late than never...
Originally Posted By marion Remember, you cannot judge a book by its cover. some physical limittations are not always evident. i am some one who worked in orthopedics for 17 years. I have seen this first hand.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Good argument^^^. Likewise I can say, "PARISE THE LORD!!" as I have witnessed countless miracles at Disney's rides. It's amazing how many people leave their wheelchairs and scooters behind and *walk* to get on rides as soon as they have effectively cut to the front of the line with their entire parties of 9+ guests.
Originally Posted By CMDad During the years that I needed to use an ECV, I would always be too embarrassed to use it to get to the head of the line. Since I could stand in line (just couldn't walk all day - or for long periods of time) I always got out of the ECV and stood in line if there was one. I get very upset when I see kids using wheelchairs/ECV's for the particular purpose of line-breaking!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 There are folks in Orlando who have become millionaires by opening businesses that deliver ECV's to WDW Resorts ... you should see the trucks pull up to the Pop Century (and other resorts). Laziness has become a cottage industry. Yes, there are plenty of people that legitimately need them for health reasons ... BTW, I don't consider overeating to morbid obesity and then having other health problems as a legit reason ... I find that to be mental illness/addiction. But for every person who really needs one (or a wheelchair) there are likely 3-4 who use them to scam Disney into allowing a party of nine to gain immediate access to attractions. That angers me greatly. Even the truly disabled should wait in line, or have a member wait, and be treated equally ... getting to cut in front of people isn't equal treatment, it's preferential. And it's why the abuse happens.
Originally Posted By CMDad <<That angers me greatly. Even the truly disabled should wait in line, or have a member wait, and be treated equally ... >> Agree 100% ... I have been saying that for years ... and - as I said - when in an ECV myself, follow that as well - I will not be a hypocrite.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>That angers me greatly. Even the truly disabled should wait in line, or have a member wait, and be treated equally ... getting to cut in front of people isn't equal treatment, it's preferential. And it's why the abuse happens.<< Another reason why Fastpass needs to go, but that is another problem in addition to ECV abuse.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo " Even the truly disabled should wait in line, or have a member wait, and be treated equally" Please bear in mind that some people do not have the capacity to wait in line, and indeed it can take an hour to get from Main Street Station to It's a Small World with some conditions. I don't mind disabled plus one cutting lines so long as there is medical proof (e.g. a Dr's letter).
Originally Posted By NikkiLOVESMickey <<Please bear in mind that some people do not have the capacity to wait in line, and indeed it can take an hour to get from Main Street Station to It's a Small World with some conditions. I don't mind disabled plus one cutting lines so long as there is medical proof (e.g. a Dr's letter).>> A doctor's letter? Don't you think that a) that would be hard to keep track of and b) is the problem THAT bad that we have to police people? My mom is not disabled, but she's 77 years old and can't walk long distances. There are five of us going to WDW in February and we rent a wheelchair for her every day. She shouldn't need a doctor's letter to rent a wheelchair. Secondly, if we had to split our party and send her (and probably me) into the handicapped line and the rest of the group into the regular line, we'd spend more time apart then together on the trip. Why should we be penalized because my mother is unable to walk distances? Why should she be separated from the rest of the family? There are VERY few rides where you get to "cut" ahead of everyone else because you have a wheelchair. On most rides, even if you do get a special entrance, you also have to wait - they don't allow you to board the ride immediately. My mom tells me often that it wasn't for her kids, her grandkids and her yearly trip to WDW, she wouldn't have much of a life. Its a shame that people want to make her trips difficult by requiring doctors notes, etc. because some people abuse the system.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Don't worry Nikki, I am with you. Having been a Social Worker and someone that has been a carer to a disabled grandmother and Mother (also I have non pregressive cerebal palsy and was in a wheelchair for 18 months of my life), I was trying to look for a happy medium. An alternative solution that stops the idiots of this world and also allows to support for those in need. But if a party of 18 comes up and 1 is in a wheelchair, that is not fair for the masses. My prefered would be for the disabled person to stay seated at the exit and their party queues. When their party arrives at the boaring area, they can then all board together. This would probably work out for the best for all. But forcing disabled people to queue is not right either, which is what some posters have been suggesting.
