[Travelandtourism] Disabled guests at Walt Disney World NO LONGER GET TO JUMP AHEAD IN LINE starting OCT 9th

[cheryl echevarria]

Mark,
 
Thank you for replying to us on this matter.
 
Cheryl 


Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY StateLeading the Way in Independent Travel!
Cheryl Echevarria, Ownerhttp://www.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations@echevarriatravel.comhttp://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com

Affiliated as an independent contractor with Montrose TravelCST - #1018299-10 FLST T156780Your old car keys can be the keys to literacy for a blind child.  Donate your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking https://nfb.org/vehicledonations or call 855-659-9314.Echevarria Travel has partnered with Braille Smith. http://www.braillesmith.com for all her braille needs.Gail Smith is the Secretary of the NFB of Alabama
 
From: Mark.Jones at disney.com
To: cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com; travelandtourism at nfbnet.org
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2013 22:51:05 -0700
Subject: RE: Disabled guests at Walt Disney World NO LONGER GET TO JUMP AHEAD IN LINE starting OCT 9th

Hi there Cheryl.  At this point, all I can share is to “stay tuned” as we will be providing official information on this in the coming weeks (note that all of the information that is out there today is not from us).   Thanks so much! Mark From: cheryl echevarria [mailto:cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 1:50 PM
To: travelandtourism; Jones, Mark
Subject: Disabled guests at Walt Disney World NO LONGER GET TO JUMP AHEAD IN LINE starting OCT 9th Mark, I am copying you on this e-mail.
 
I don't even remember us discussing this when we were on tour back in July with you, so does this mean, we have to prove we are disabled?
 
This is from NY Daily News
 
 People with disabilities will no longer go straight to the front of lines at Disneyland and Walt Disney World after growing abuse of the system, park officials said.

Under the change, visitors will be issued tickets with a return time and a shorter wait similar to the FastPass system that’s offered to everyone.

The current way “certainly has been problematic, and we wanted to curb some of the abuse of this system,” Disneyland Resort spokeswoman Suzi Brown told the Orange County Register.

The change takes effect Oct. 9 for guests with park-issued disability cards. Disney officials said more details will be released after park employees are briefed on the new rules.

Currently, visitors unable to wait in the regular line can get backdoor access to rides or go through the exit and wait in a shorter line.

Brown compared the change to making a reservation and boarding at the appointed time.

The move was a response to the phenomenon of disabled “tour guides” who charge money, sometimes hundreds of dollars, to accompany able-bodied guests and allow them to avoid long lines. The park said others who don’t have a disability have been able to get an assistance card since no proof of disability is required.

Some families of children with epilepsy and autism criticized the change, saying some kids’ disabilities just don’t allow them to wait in standard lines.

“Given the increasing volume of requests we receive for special access to our attractions, we are changing our process to create a more consistent experience for all our guests while providing accommodations for guests with disabilities,” Brown said in a statement.

Rebecca Goddard takes her sons, age 4 and 6, to Disneyland once a week. Her sons have autism and can’t stand in lines longer than a few minutes before they start pushing other people.

“My boys don’t have the cognition to understand why it’s going to be a long wait,” Goddard told the Register. “There are so few things for my boys that bring them utter joy and happiness — to mess with it just makes me sad.”

The advocacy group, Autism Speaks, consulted with Disney officials on the change and urged parents to see how it unfolds.

“Change is difficult,” said Matt Asner, executive director of the Southern California chapter. “I didn’t want it to change, but I understand there was an issue that needed to be dealt with


Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY StateLeading the Way in Independent Travel! Cheryl Echevarria, Ownerhttp://www.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations@echevarriatravel.comhttp://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com  Affiliated as an independent contractor with Montrose TravelCST - #1018299-10 FLST T156780Your old car keys can be the keys to literacy for a blind child.  Donate your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking https://nfb.org/vehicledonations or call 855-659-9314.Echevarria Travel has partnered with Braille Smith. http://www.braillesmith.com for all her braille needs.Gail Smith is the Secretary of the NFB of Alabama