[Travelandtourism] ADA Suit Against Disney May Expand

Tue Sep 2 17:16:04 UTC 2014

The information on anyone of my emails are okay.  I will not be available this week anytime starting September 9 heading on mega fam with sandals

Cheryl Echevarria
Echevarria Travel
www.echevarriatravel.com
Echevarriatravelblog.com
631-456-5394
Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
Cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com

<div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: "Jones, Mark" <Mark.Jones at disney.com> </div><div>Date:09/02/2014  1:14 PM  (GMT-05:00) </div><div>To: Cheryl Echevarria <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>,'NFB Travel and Tourism Division List' <travelandtourism at nfbnet.org>,Amy Baron <aebaron at comcast.net>,Glenda Farnum <gfarnum at cox.net>,Margo downey <margo.downey at roadrunner.com>,Jemal Powell <derek2872 at yahoo.com>,Steven Hastalis <steve.hastalis at gmail.com>,john Tebockhorst <jptebock at earthlink.net> </div><div>Subject: RE: ADA Suit Against Disney May Expand </div><div>
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Cheryl, please provide me with a day/time for us to chat (keeping in mind I'm on the west coast) regarding the credit card number.

Thanks,

Mark

From: Cheryl Echevarria [mailto:cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2014 2:35 PM
To: 'NFB Travel and Tourism Division List'; Amy Baron; Glenda Farnum; Margo downey; Jemal Powell; Steven Hastalis; john Tebockhorst
Cc: Jones, Mark
Subject: ADA Suit Against Disney May Expand

This was posted yesterday on www.disabilityscoop.com<http://www.disabilityscoop.com> and online e-newsmagazine.

Now for those of us, who went to Epcot this past summer, the Travel and Tourism Officers did go, we had some issues not with the rides, but other things, we are working with Mark Jones about.

I have to say that when we were in Orlando, we didn't have an issues with the rides, but you never know.

Here is the story, and Mark if you can chime in after the holiday or whenever you can. I am still waiting for you to get back to me to give you information with our credit card.

Anyway, here is the article.

The number of families looking to sue Disney over changes to its theme park access policy for people with disabilities is growing substantially.

An additional 30 families including 36 individuals with disabilities are seeking to join a lawsuit originally filed this spring that accuses Walt Disney Parks and Resorts of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to accommodate their special needs. Initially, 14 families including 16 people with disabilities were part of the lawsuit.

The allegations stem from modifications last fall to Disney's procedures for accommodating visitors with disabilities. Prior to the change, those with special needs were provided passes that often allowed them and their guests to skip to the front of long lines for park attractions. Now, however, individuals with disabilities can schedule a return time for rides based on current wait times.
Disney officials said the changes were necessary following "widespread" abuse of the old system.

Since the new policy took effect, the families say in their lawsuit that visits to Disney theme parks have been marked by long waits and difficult interactions with Disney employees. What's more, the suit cites cases of kids with developmental disabilities who have experienced meltdowns allegedly because they could not handle waiting for rides.

After the initial complaint was filed earlier this year, attorneys for the families "received an outpouring of phone calls and emails" from others who were similarly affected by changes to the disability access policy at Disneyland and Disney World, according to documents filed with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California this week.

"Most of the victims wanted to offer cheers of support and witness assistance; some were in search of counsel. Ultimately, the undersigned counsel agreed to represent many of them," the attorneys, Andy Dogali and Eugene Feldman, wrote.

Disney vehemently denied the allegations in a court filing last month saying that "all guests with disabilities are provided the level of accommodation required by law." At that time, the company requested that the lawsuit be dismissed.

Attorneys for Disney have indicated they will fight efforts to add more families to the case when the issue goes before the court in October.

The case is not expected to go to trial until 2016.

Cheryl Echevarria, President
National Federation of the Blind's Travel and Tourism Division
A proud division of the
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND - "Live the life you want"
www.nfbtravel.org<http://www.nfbtravel.org>
631-236-5138
cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com<mailto:cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can have the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.

Cheryl Echevarria is also the owner of Echevarria Travel www.echevarriatravel.com<http://www.echevarriatravel.com>; 631-456-5394 or reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com> and  has partnered with Braille Smith. www.braillesmith.com<http://www.braillesmith.com> for all her braille needs.  Gail Smith is the Secretary of the NFB of Alabama