[Travelandtourism] Back from Disney

[cheryl echevarria]

Michael, will you be at the National Convention and attending the meeting.



Leading the Way in Independent Travel!
Cheryl Echevarria, Ownerhttp://www.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations@echevarriatravel.comhttp://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com
PresidentTravel and Tourism DivisionNational Federation of the Blind631-236-5138



> From: mbaldwin at gpcom.net
> To: travelandtourism at nfbnet.org
> Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2012 09:42:05 -0500
> Subject: [Travelandtourism] Back from Disney
> 
> 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
> 
> 
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