[nagdu] Class Action Plaintiffs Allege Disney Parks and ResortsDiscriminates Against Visually Impaired

Fri Jul 15 12:22:31 UTC 2011

Dear All,
    Since we were in Orlando for convention and Disney provided the talent 
for our opening ceremonies, an official from Disney spoke to the convention 
and demonstrated a hand-held device that helps orient blind people to their 
park. It was very impressive and I cannot wait to take our granddaughter to 
the Magic Kingdom sometime soon!

Fraternally yours,
Marion


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Albert J Rizzi" <albert at myblindspot.org>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2011 9:02 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Class Action Plaintiffs Allege Disney Parks and 
ResortsDiscriminates Against Visually Impaired


> Well, then reach out to Disney and share these thoughts with there legal
> team. It sounds as if Disney is doing  what they need to do once they are
> asked to do it. so, if anyone feels inclined to stand up for the attention
> to detail and service provided as a blind customer, then help Disney by
> sharing your positive thoughts on the matter.
>
> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
> Founder
> My Blind Spot, Inc.
> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
> New York, New York  10004
> www.myblindspot.org
> PH: 917-553-0347
> Fax: 212-858-5759
> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
> doing it."
>
>
> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Jewel
> Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2011 7:34 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Class Action Plaintiffs Allege Disney Parks and 
> Resorts
> Discriminates Against Visually Impaired
>
> I'm scrsure, there's not Braille for everything...where is there? But
> I had no problem in the parks with my legally blind boyfriend (I am
> almost totally blind myself). Cast members helped us to the right
> line, helped us figure out food service lines, gave us a full menu via
> voice (even when there was a long line behind us) and in general were
> really great. I don't understand all of this lawsuit and I don't
> believe it is totally correct. I am wondering why these three were
> treated differently than jmy boyfriend and I were, because man we had
> an awesome time and all of the cast members were very helpful and
> patient with our needs. I used their new audio description service and
> it was very awesome...
>
> I'd like to hear more about this, because really I don't see wherre
> the problem is other than the lack of places for guide dogs to go...
>
> ~Jewelatching my head here...
>
> On 7/14/11, Tami Kinney <tamara.8024 at comcast.net> wrote:
>> Huh. Wow. I am glad to hear that Disney is being held to account and
>> that these issues are being addressed. But...
>>
>> Here's what I'm starting to wonder: Why, at this stage in the game, are
>> there no monetary damages or even penalties assessed in cases like
>> these? I understand why this was the practice during the early years of
>> the ADA and the other laws that protect us and that grant us the access
>> we need to live as full citizens with the independence and freedoms
>> others take for granted. However... It's been 20 years. Businesses have
>> had plenty of time to learn the law, to upgrade their facilities, to do
>> all those things they are required by law to do so that we can spend our
>> money enjoying the services and products they provide just like
>> everybody else. But according to the report of this single case, as well
>> as reports of others and experiences elsewhere, they just haven't
>> bothered.  Because they clearly don't have the  incentive to obey the
>> law, instead requiring three blind women to take time and energy  and
>> probably a fair amount of expense to sue them in order to have a court
>> tell them to do what they should and could have done in the first
>> place.
>>
>> I dunno. I'm new enough to blindness and learning how to face my own
>> smaller instances on a personal level, as well as to the movement and
>> the finer details of that history underlying the grand bursh stokes I've
>> observed in passing on the service that I am still developing in my
>> personal philosophy about it all. Seing the surface of the work so many
>> others have been doing all these years so that I could have my
>> expectations crashed by realizing how much of what is on paper has
>> nothing to do with with the reality caused me a lot of shocks at first.
>> And they get away with all of this, do they? Still???  Now, I am over
>> feeling surprised, just sort of weary and jaded, learning how to pick my
>> battles and learning from the battles of others. Well, recovering from
>> what passes for VR here in the great state of Oregon has pretty much
>> *been* my battle. As I continue that recovery of layer after layer of
>> what used to be my life, blidn and all, I can finally start developing a
>> true strategic plan for how, where and when I can do my part to prevent
>> what happened to me from happening to others and to deal effectively
>> with the issues I will begin to face again as I move about more in the
>> world. So I'm doing a lot of cogitating about it all. And thinking that
>> including monetary damages when if comes to time to go to court is, by
>> now, a more effective plan than simply asking whoever it was who was
>> breaking the law to simply stop doing that. Hm...
>>
>> Just my thoughts. /smile/
>>
>> Tami
>>
>> On Thu, 2011-07-14 at 09:08 -0400, Ginger Kutsch wrote:
>>> Class Action Plaintiffs Allege Disney Parks and Resorts Discriminates
>>> Against Visually Impaired
>>>
>>> Orman Kimbrough, Jr.Attorney
>>>
>>> (866) 735-1102 Ext 343Posted by Orman Kimbrough, Jr.July 13, 2011
>>>
>>> URL:
>>>
> http://orlando.injuryboard.com/miscellaneous/class-action-plaintiffs-allege-
>>>
> disney-parks-and-resorts-discriminates-against-visually-impaired-.aspx?googl
>>> eid=291998
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> A federal judge Dolly Gee has certified a class action lawsuit against
>>> Disney Parks and Resorts on behalf of plaintiffs Cari Shields, Amber
> Boggs
>>> and Teresa Stockton who claimed Disney discriminated against visually
>>> impaired guests. The lawsuit against Disney and its many theme parks 
>>> does
>>> not seek monetary rewards, but was broken down into ten different 
>>> classes
>>> in
>>> order to identify ten different issues that would have to be accepted as
>>> widely viewed complaints against those who are visually impaired and
>>> toured
>>> Disney theme parks such as Disney's MGM Studios. The Court reviewed
>>> complaints made in order to justify the requirement that enough guests
>>> have
>>> had the same experiences as the plaintiffs.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The plaintiffs identified ten different classes as sources of issues for
>>> the
>>> legally blind named in the class action suit against Disney. The Court
>>> ultimately found five to withstand all the requirements to be able to
> more
>>> forward with.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The plaintiffs alleged there is lack of Braille, large-print or other
>>> alternative signs, menus, maps and theme park schedules to be found
> around
>>> various Disney resorts. The plaintiffs have further alleged that Disney
>>> cast
>>> members have refused to read menus to them.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Disney argued that its park had designated areas for service animals to
>>> defecate within the park, but the Court sided with the plaintiffs on the
>>> inability to locate area for service animals to defecate. One plaintiff
>>> recalled being told by a Disney cast member that she must take her
> service
>>> dog to the kennel located at the front of the park, while another guest
>>> noted that the spot designated for service animals was extremely remote.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The Courts agreed with the plaintiffs' allegations that Disney Parks
>>> refuses
>>> to offer cast members to assist visually impaired guests inside the 
>>> park,
>>> and that they must bring someone with them and pay full price of
>>> admission.
>>> Disney had argued that those assisting visually impaired should be paid
>>> medical personnel and not friends or family that would otherwise enjoy
>>> amenities of the theme parks.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The plaintiffs alleged discrimination against the visually impaired
>>> because
>>> some guests have been denied access to the handicap parade viewing 
>>> areas,
>>> simply because they were not confined to wheelchairs.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The Court also agreed that Disney websites are incompatible with screen
>>> reading software that assists visually impaired. Flash on websites
>>> automatically renders screen reading software unusable as there was no
>>> alternative website compatible with those programs.
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nagdu mailing list
>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nagdu:
>>>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/tamara.8024%40comcast
> .net
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nagdu:
>>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/herekittykat2%40gmail
> .com
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/albert%40myblindspot.
> org
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/blind411%40verizon.net