Originally Posted By ssWEDguy We've talked about FastPass quite a bit on these boards. Lots of people are for 'em, and for good reasons. Lots of people are ag'in' 'em -- also for good reasons. But anyone who wants a FastPass can buy it, for the price of an ECV or wheelchair rental. Plus the willingness to act as a bad example to the rest of your party by lieing about being handicapped. ------------------------ Out in the real world you need to go to a doctor to get a Handicapped Parking sticker for your car. You just can't decide for yourself that "I'm feel I'm handicapped and should be able to use these spots." But the same medical requirement is not needed to rent a wheelchair or ECV. And it will get you to the front of many long lines. ------------------------ I sympathize and respect the people that need these support devices. I have disdain for those who use that support system just to beat the lines. Here's a loophole just begging to be closed. Anyone should be able to rent whatever is available. Heck, I don't care if you want to rent a stroller even if you don't have kids, just to cart your stuff around. But Disney should require a medical document for an ECV or wheelchair renter to get to the front of a line.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy I am aware that many queues won't accomodate ECV's or wheelchairs. So to accomodate the non-medical rolling chair user -- Issue them a FastPass for a time that's as long as the length of the current Standby Line when they ask for it. This would allow them to "wait in line" like everyone else, but without having to wait in the actual line.
Originally Posted By beamerdog >>I sympathize and respect the people that need these support devices. I have disdain for those who use that support system just to beat the lines.<< Being one who needs one, I agree. I thought that once upon a time you needed some kind of doctor's note to get "priority" loading. I don't know about the Fast Pass idea. It wouldn't help me since I have a service dog and can stand in lines (although cm's sometimes grab my group to load in the alternate spot). Lots of times I'd really prefer to have the pre-ride experience with the rest of the group. My big problem is with enough room for my dog on the ride or the way cabs are loaded. Last time I was on Buzz, they refused to take me to the back loading area or slow down the access like the cm's had always done in the past. Wow, very hard to down your dog and get his tail out of the way of the front of the cab before it closes!! Ouch. I like Fast Pass when I can get an early time, lol. It helps me plan the day. But it's mostly available on rides that I can't go on anyway. Is it a help for those truly handicapped? Probably not if they have the most common mobility restrictions. And I don't think it would be fair to the general population. I think that you'd see a rise in the fake handicapped population to get the perk. Fast Passes available for purchase if you're not handicapped? I'd like to hear from everyone of how they think the system would be set up. If I couldn't afford one or chose to go economy on a visit, I'd be a tad resentful of everyone going ahead of me.
Originally Posted By beamerdog Anyway, no argument from me. I'm interested in some good discussion on this issue.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< But Disney should require a medical document for an ECV or wheelchair renter to get to the front of a line. >>> Or better still, remove front-of-line privileges for all ECV/wheelchair users. When things got out of control at DL, they implemented changes a couple of years ago that reportedly have almost completely eliminated the abuse. This isn't rocket science. WDW could implement the same policies that DL has - they've already proved themselves workable in the park, eliminate the abuse, while at the same time accomodate people's disabilities and are compatible with the ADA.
Originally Posted By jkayjs I have thought for a long time that since structual changes are pricey and in some cases not possible they should use the same method they have used to calculate wait time. Allow the guest with the disablity to proceed to the access area with a lanyard with a # on it then give a matching one to a member of their group or the next guest in line if they are alone. When the person with the matching # gets to the front of the line the disabled guest is boarded with their group. This would totally eliminate misuse and still allow easy access to the rides/attractions. Just a thought.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost I have to agree with that last post. ADA does not require preferential treatment except in a few instances. I don't believe it requires special lines just lines that can accommodate their disability. That would eliminate the abuse by quite a bit. Those with a disability to deal with crowds and people might want to reconsider their choice of vacation locations. I can't swim so I don't go to the middle of the ocean and asked to be thrown in. Or ask that they remove the water so I can be there. I wouldn't mind WDW making an accommodation for those with that type of disability as long as it was documented, but ADA doesn't allow that. I also have seen vividly that Doctors will give notes to anyone that asks. It gets them off their backs and makes their medical lives easier.
Originally Posted By jkayjs To clarify I'm not suggesting that this method would eliminate misuse of the equipment, just the attraction on always going to the front of the line. Since this seems to be some of the appeal for those that misuse I suspect that the price of the equipment would no longer be worth it if not needed.
Originally Posted By sun-n-fun I think #7 is great idea. And to agree with jkayjs, it wouldn't eliminate misuse, but it would at least let the "misusers" know that tptb are paying attention to the situation.
Originally Posted By kpwdwfan This is a big problem at WDW and I agree that something has to be done to rectify this situation. Im not aware of DL's policy but post #7 seems like a good solution. Having the group go through the stand by line or fast pass line if they have fast passes while the person with the disability waits at the front of the line makes the most sense to me. Even allowing one person to wait with the person with the disability so they don't have to wait alone would be okay. The current process isn't working and continues to get worse as people catch on that they can take advantage of the system. I'm certainly not saying that everyone is abusing this policy but I bet more often than not people are taking advantage of the system. There's nothing worse then waiting in the standby line and watching a group of fifteen to twenty people bypass the line because they are taking advatage of this process. Oops, there is one thing worse, its watching the foreign groups with the flags sending two people to wait in a queue and having the forty to fifty people in their group attempt to cut through the queue to catch up with the two people. Sorry to get off topic!!!
Originally Posted By TDLFAN I am disappointed this thread was not an official announcemt about Disney FINALLY! making the FastPass option a PAY-FOR ONLY benefit as part of the "Magic Your Way" Ticketing system. Now THAT is the way to do it, and the day Disney starts charging for Fastpass, that will be the day I will stop complaining about this unfair and bottleneck inducing service.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy One of my favorites is when an ECVer is riding with kids aboard. Either on the back of the unit, or in the driver's lap. (when there is a lap...) CM's are asked to call them on this kind of thing. "It's for your safety..."
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> I am disappointed this thread was not an official announcement about FastPass << Ooops -- sorry. Not my intention. >> the day Disney starts charging for Fastpass, that will be the day I will stop complaining << How about this? Coin slots at each FastPass machine! (<--- joking)
Originally Posted By u k fan My sister has a disability which sadly has gotten worse over the last 18 months or so. She has never needed to use a wheelchair or ECV at Disney, but on a bad day can't even make it round the supermarket without a chair so it's always a possibility. When we were planning our last trip to DLP we were advised that she could only get priority access with a note from her doctor saying that she would be unable to wait in line as it could aggrevate her condition, whether she was in a chair or not. We have never needed to do this thankfully so I can't say whether we would have needed the letter or not, but we were advised by the UK info line that it would be needed!!!
Originally Posted By beamerdog I'm wondering which rides/attractions actually let you go to the "front" of the line. Usually you're taken to a different entrance and then must wait for the appropriate time when they can either stop the loading belt or put you in/on the appropriate seating. I've been in situations when the ride was a walk-on and I've actually had to wait longer in the handicapped section. I'm not sure what will stop the abuse. And I'm still interested in the pay for Fast Pass theory.
Originally Posted By Disneybrad At Epcot only: Living with the Land, Turtle Talk, HISTA, Spaceship Earth, and I think Norway have an alternate entrance for W/c or ECV guest. Most attractions, queue's are W/C accessible, so they would go through the regular line unless they have a GAC card that says otherwise. And at least at Epcot, GAC cards being issues for Alternate Access, if you are in W/C or ECV, with no other conditions is fairly rare. Most parks if a guest shows up with a W/C or ECV and ask for GAC access is only being given "may use Standard W/C entrance" which for most Non-MK attractions is the regular line. The New system at DL is based on the WDW version. So if you think there is abuse now at WDW, imagine what it would be under the old system.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I don't mind fastpass too much as long as it is open to all. Fair opportunity for a first come first serve basis. But I would hate it if they charged extra for it. Another further tiering according to economic ability. This to me feels plain wrong.
