[Travelandtourism] Back from Disney

[Michael Baldwin]

Hi,
We are back, well mostly back from our 2 week Disney World vacation.
We are visiting family before we go home.
I will go in to more detail later if anyone wishes, but I just wanted to
post a few quick thoughts about our experience.
We visited the parks 7 days, one day each at Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood
Studios, two days at EPCOT, and 3 days at Magic Kingdom. For the most part,
it was a fantastic time. The majority of cast members were helpful and
great, but there are always those few. Because it was my wife and 3 kids,
ages 1, 3, and 6, I elected not to take my cane. Others might disagree with
this decision, but that is their choice to make. It is too loud to try to
follow my wife around, and holding on to my wife, and a child is difficult
to do when your also carrying around a cane. The majority of cast members
didn't seem to argue when we informed them that I was blind, and they were
very helpful getting my 6 year old and I on a few rides that no one else
went on. The biggest issue came at the ticket booths. Some of the people
picked up on it right away without a word being said, and others were a
really big moron about it. At Disney they like to have your finger print on
file with your ticket, this prevents the ticket from being transferred to
others or sold. I have no issue with using my finger print, if they would
have shoed me were to do it. On our second visit to the MK, the ticket
person would not let us through until my wife used her finger print on my
ticket. We went to guest services, and I explained the situation as calmly
as I could, and I was issued a new ticket with no finger print on it. There
is no reason to have my ticket matched with my wife's finger print, how
would I get in the park if I went with someone else, or by myself. The third
trip resulted in the same thing, the ticket person would not let us pass
until my wife used her finger print. It was our last day, so I didn't bother
with guest relations. Two days going in to the parks we had no issues at
all, they didn't even question us, the ticket person noticed I was holding
on to my wife, and knew right away I was blind. Three of the days were more
average, so I guess it all balanced out.

My biggest issue is that if people that get Guest Assistance  cards do not
have to show proof they have ADHD, autism, etc. so they can't stand in lines
for long periods, why do I have to carry around a cane to prove I am blind?
The finger print readers are up kind of high, so kids and people in wheel
chairs don't need a finger print matched to their tickets. I had no issues
getting the GAC, but being treated like a 3rd rate citizen at the ticket
booths is unacceptable. The problem only occurred at MK, so I am guessing
because that park is the busiest, they are trying to get everyone in as
quick as possible, and trying to show a blind guy where to place his finger
would take to much time, but yet they have to have a finger print on the
card.

This is probably the only issue I experienced as a blind person at WDW. I am
sure if I traveled there by myself I would have had a few more. Still, we
all had a great time, and the kids want to go back.

Michael