[nfb-talk] orlando attractions

Mike Freeman k7uij at panix.com
Wed Jun 29 02:52:13 UTC 2011


Peter:

Perhaps that teacher might have deigned to use a cane? After all, if his
sole mobility instrument was/is a dog, that isn't even advocated by NAGDU.

Mike


-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Peter Donahue
Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 7:29 PM
To: NFB Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] orlando attractions

Hello David and everyone,

    I've taken several of my dogs to theme parks without any problems. 
Disney has information on its Web site concerning which rides service 
animals may ride and those they may not. Sorin and Test Track at EPCOT Theme

Park,Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain,  Space Mountain at the Magic 
Kingdom,  Startours, The Tower of Terror and Rockin Rolercoaster by 
Arrowsmith at the Disney Studios Theme Park, Everest Expedition and Collie 
River Rapids at Disney's Animal Kingdom are on that list.

    Another unfortunate place where guide dogs are not permitted at Animal 
Kingdom is the "Affection Section." This is a petting zoo where individuals 
can get up close and personal with farm animals and other creatures. This is

an excellent opportunity for blind kids and adults to be able to get their 
hands on live animals. Excluding service animals from such areas creates 
problems for blind adults and blind parents who have blind or sighted 
children that are 100% dependent on a guide dog for mobility from enjoying 
these experiences. There was an incident at the San Antonio Zoo concerning 
the admission of a blind teacher who used a guide dog and was refused entry 
in to the petting zoo with her class of children. What really makes me mad 
about such situations as this same teacher could have taken her class to the

San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo and wouldn't have had an issue with 
admittance of her dog in to their petting zoo.

I've visited a number of zoos and similar attractions with several dogs and 
didn't have any trouble entering all areas including their petting zoo. I've

even exhibited chickens at several Texas fairs and poultry shows and never 
had a problem with having my dog at these events. Some zoos refuse entry of 
service animals to bird aviaries yet over 3000 blind people will gather at 
the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort which among its lobby attractions includes a 
"Bird cage" filled with live tropical birds. They will be exposed to the 
presence of guide dogs for the entire week.

    And I really don't care about what happened at the strawberry festival 
where there most likely was a sick animal in a petting zoo and several 
individuals got sick and the organization hosting the event required those 
entering this area to wear rubber gloves following this outbreak. This was 
obviously an isolated incident but one that should not be allowed to 
jeopardize our rights to access to live animal attractions such as 
"Affection Section" and other direct animal-human contact events accompanied

by our guide dogs.

Since Mary doesn't like rough rides she has agreed to take on "Dog-sitting" 
duty while I ride. Problem solved so Johnny doesn't have to stay in a 
kennel!

Peter Donahue and guide dog Johnny who want to Ride a Time Machine and a 
Clamobile.




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Evans" <drevans at bellsouth.net>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 8:05 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] orlando attractions



Dear All,

I would say that you should not take your guide dog along as it is very hot
and they can not go on the rides.  You would need someone to hold on to your
dog when you were on the rides and the employees are not allowed to help you
by watching your dog.
The parks all have boarding kennels where you can leave your dog in the air
conditioning and they will be watered and safe.
If you can use a cane, take a folding cane or a telescoping cane as you can
keep this with you in the ride cars.  I use a "D" ring clip on the lanyard
to clip it to a belt loop and leave my hands free and without worry that my
cane is going to get flung out of the ride car.  I use a telescoping cane
and never had a problem, even on Space Mountain which is very rough and has
both positive and negative "G's".
I have gone to the parks at least 12 times since I moved back her to
Florida.
I like Epcot the best and Disney World second.

I think that when the convention comes back again in 2013, I will do
something about having some tours set up and tickets ready for sale to help
people.

David Evans,NFBF and GD Jack.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 5:49 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] orlando attractions


> Theme park with a guide dog? Not a good idea. Its very hot and congested
> and you cannot take your guide on the ride anyway. So what would it do
> during that time?  I think you'd be better off with a cane and still you
> have to find somewhere to place the cane while you're on the ride. I've
> not been alone so I'm not sure what you'd do with a cane.
> Ashley
>
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Jessica
> Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 1:34 PM
> To: NFB Talk Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] orlando attractions
>
> David that is amazing. I have been to several theme parks but always with
> someone sighted. Universal's parks are so humungus though lol.
> Also has anyone went to a theme park with a guide dog?
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Jun 28, 2011, at 9:27 AM, "David Evans" <drevans at bellsouth.net> wrote:
>
>>
>> Dear Jessica,
>>
>> I do not let the thought of visiting a theme park worry me much.
>> Several years ago, I went to a National Convention in Dallas and when to
>> Six Flags Over Texas.
>> I was with 3 other Blind people who were total and I was the only one
>> with any vision at all.
>> As we came through the gate at the park, a park employee stopped us and
>> seemed concerned because we were all Blind.
>> He told us to wait there and he would be back in a few minutes.  He did
>> not say why we should wait, but we were afraid that they were going to
>> try to throw us out of the park.
>> We did not wait around, but took off to enjoy ourselves until they caught
>> us and tossed us out under protest.
>> We found our way around by asking questions of other people and rode just
>> about every thing.
>> One of the people I was with, a tall blind guy named Richard, said that
>> he would like to go on a roll-a-coaster, but not one that went upside
>> down. He was afraid that it would make him sick or that he would fall out
>> of it.
>> We did not tell him, but we took him on at least 4 coasters that day that
>> did go upside down and later when we told him what he had done, you could
>> not wipe the grin off his face.  Richard"s parents had always sheltered
>> him and discouraged him from trying things because they were afraid he
>> would get hurt.  He had no self confidence at this point in his life and
>> both of his parents were now dead.
>>
>> We also drove the bumper cars.
>> We had to wait in line for the ride and as we got up to the front, the
>> ride operators would count off so many people and then send them out to
>> get into the cars.
>> When it came time for us to go out and get into the cars, there were only
>> a few other people that went out ahead of us and got into the cars.  The
>> 4 of us split up and using our White Canes felt around and one by one
>> found an empty car and got in.
>> We then sat there for a few minutes until we heard an announcement that
>> asked for volunteers to finish filling up the cars.  I could see that the
>> line was still very long, there were at least 20 cars empty still,  but
>> not one person came out to get into the cars after us.
>> Finally, the cars started up and the 4 of us would shout and yell so that
>> the others would have an idea of where we were.  We drove around the
>> track smashing into each other and the other cars as well.  I could hear
>> some of the people in the line talking to each other and remarking about
>> us and our driving.  Like how do they know which way to go.  Did you see
>> that blind guy T-bone that other guy?  How do they do that, I would be so
>> scared.
>> The ride ran a little longer than the other times we had seen go on
>> before us, but it finally stopped and we all got out of our cars and
>> produced our Long White Canes.
>> I was closest to the exit and I yelled to the others and they used their
>> canes and worked their way around all of the stopped cars and over to
>> where I was standing on the curb.
>> As the last of our group climbed the curb and we were all together,
>> everyone in the line started clapping and yelling for us.  The 4 of us
>> looked at each other and then without a word we all turned to the crowd
>> and did a nice little bow for them.  Then we turned around and left the
>> ride laughing.
>> We bumped into people from that crowd the rest of the day and some came
>> over and said that they never thought that anyone blind could do what we
>> did or that they were surprised to see blind people having the same kind
>> of fun as everyone else.  They asked if we had special training to learn
>> how to go on the rides and do what we did  and we just told them that we
>> had mobility training but that was all.
>> There are about 250 people who will never look at Blind people the same
>> way again.
>> We spent over 6 hours in that park and then found our way out and back to
>> the bus pickup and with back to the hotel exhausted.
>> That day was a major turning point for Richard and he was never afraid of
>> going anywhere again after riding the bumper cars and those coasters and
>> going upside down.  He still claims that was the best day of his life.
>>
>> David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jessica"
>> <jessmonsilva2003 at sbcglobal.net>
>> To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 11:03 AM
>> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] orlando attractions
>>
>>
>>> I'm going to call guest services and see what they tell me since a few
>>> of us plan on going.
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>> On Jun 28, 2011, at 7:46 AM, "David Evans" <drevans at bellsouth.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> I have no information on Universial Studios, but there is a lot of
>>>> walking there just to get into the main park area.
>>>> I would suggest that you buddy up with someone you know or check with
>>>> the parks ticket offices to see if they have anything special to help
>>>> you get around.  It is always more fun with a friend.
>>>>
>>>> David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jessica"
>>>> <jessmonsilva2003 at sbcglobal.net>
>>>> To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 10:17 AM
>>>> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] orlando attractions
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> I'm wanting to go to islands of adventure to see the wizzarding world
>>>>> of Harry potter. I get concerned though since I have no sight at all
>>>>> how I'll find anything there.
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>
>>>>> On Jun 28, 2011, at 5:09 AM, "David Evans" <drevans at bellsouth.net>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Dear Kerri,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Epcot and Disney World have an electronic system that uses a hand
>>>>>> held device to give you directions and information about the park, as
>>>>>> you walk around.  It can help you locate restrooms, places to eat.
>>>>>> the entrances of the rides and attractions and much more.
>>>>>> Our own Dwight Sayers of the Florida Affiliate has tested these
>>>>>> devices and could give you more about them.  Contact the ticket
>>>>>> offices at Disney to get more info.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.
>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kerri Kosten"
>>>>>> <kerrik2006 at gmail.com>
>>>>>> To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 2:31 AM
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] orlando attractions
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi Jessica and Everyone:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'm kind of wondering the same thing. My aunt and uncle are coming
>>>>>>> up
>>>>>>> on July 10th and we are going to Disney but I have the day of July
>>>>>>> 9th
>>>>>>> (day after convention) to myself and am trying to figure out what to
>>>>>>> do. I would really like to go to one of the parks but at this point
>>>>>>> don't have anyone to go with. I'm also curious to see what others
>>>>>>> are
>>>>>>> doing.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Kerri
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 6/28/11, Mike Freeman <k7uij at panix.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>> I'm going early rather than staying late.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Mike Freeman
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>>> From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>>> [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>>>>>>> Behalf Of Jessica silva
>>>>>>>> Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 9:00 PM
>>>>>>>> To: nfb-talk at nfbnet.org; nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>>> Subject: [nfb-talk] orlando attractions
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Hello all:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I know we are all getting excited for the convention coming up, as
>>>>>>>> we should
>>>>>>>> be.  There will be lots of interesting neat things related to
>>>>>>>> blindness that
>>>>>>>> will be presented and discussed.  I'm writing to ask however, if
>>>>>>>> anyone is
>>>>>>>> staying after the 8th, since it will be a weekend.  If so, do you
>>>>>>>> plan on
>>>>>>>> going to any of the local Orlando attractions or any of the tourist
>>>>>>>> attractions and which ones?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> This convention seems like it is going to turn out to be  certainly
>>>>>>>> one of
>>>>>>>> the biggest.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> See you all in Orlando.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Jessica
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
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