People keep asking me what I think of the new changes to the guest assistance card at the Disney Parks. I first reported about it when the new disability access pass was just a rumor for Traveling Mom and watched as the uproar among the special needs community commenced. It's been ugly. People are upset about these new changes. I just don't happen to be one of them.I guess people consider me a leader in the spina bifida world or disability travel world and maybe that is why I keep getting asked why I am not up in arms over it. Mostly it is because I was one of the people who asked for change. Remember our trip last Spring when Disney World hosted us for a week? And all I saw was abuse after abuse of the wheelchair system? Yeah. That. That is why I am not upset.Look. Disney has to do something. I don't know that I think this new plan has it right. But I don't know that any plan will have it exactly right at this point. This is what they have told us the new plan will look like:Frequently Asked Questions About the Changes to Disney’s Guest Assistance Pass How will the new Disney program work?The Disability Access Service Card will offer Guests a return time for an ...
If You Don’t Have a Disability in Your Everyday Life, You Don’t Get To Have One In Line at Disney
I am going to let you in on a little secret. Wheelchair users love Disney Parks. They are one of the few places where being 'special' pays off. Despite spending the majority of your time looking for accessible entrances, staring at people's butts in crowds, and trying to smile politely when people run into you because they didn't see you 'down there', there is a major perk to being a chair user.You get to skip most of the lines.That's right, when there is a 90 minute wait for Toy Story Mania, wheelchair users roll happily past to a private loading area where they usually get on in less than 10 minutes. Want to know an even bigger secret? If there are no other chair users in line, Cast Members have been known to let you ride over and over to your hearts content.Why?The answer usually comes down to logistics and a little bit of sympathy. Most ride vehicles have to come to a complete stop and it takes quite a bit of extra time for a wheelchair user to transfer themselves. The process isn't pretty and usually involves having a family member lift them into and off of the vehicle or completely strapping down the wheelchair. Instead of stopping the ride each time a chair ...
Is a Disney Cruise Right for Your Special Needs Family?
Before I left for the media preview Fantasy Cruise last month, I did some price comparison. While my husband, oldest and I have all cruised multiple times, I have yet to take our youngest. And I feel really badly about that. But to be honest with both the wheelchair and autism hurdles to overcome with him, I just have never been quite sure how he would do. Since he is such a Disney fan I always thought that his first cruise would probably work best on a Disney ship. Every time I went to book one though two things stopped me: the price and the fact that they always seemed sold out of the itineraries we wanted.Disney cruises aren't cheap. Comparing the cost between two fictitious similar itineraries to Mexico, Princess Cruises were close to $3000 less than the Disney counterpart & 3 days longer. ;Which is the point where I would take my hand off the 'book' button and walk away, dazed and confused to exactly why I thought that sailing on a Disney ship was going to be so much better.I'll be honest. I posed this question to several friends that had cruised Disney before. They all assured me that once I was on board I would see why they are almost always booked and ...
Disney’s Club 33 Review
Ah, the mystery, the allure, the exclusivity of Disney's Club 33!Walt Disney's private club hidden inside the New Orleans area of Disneyland. It's only mark on the outside is a simple 33 posted on the door near the exit of Pirates of the Caribbean. There are many stories about the who, what, when, where and why's behind Walt's creation of Club 33. It is a legendary place among Disney fans and it is rare to get the opportunity to visit. The general consensus is that Club 33 was opened by Walt as a place to entertain the original 33 investors of Disneyland. However, it says on the menus that is named simply because of its address. Believe what you will. It is the only place within the main (old) park that serves alcohol to this day. It is said the wait list for membership is about 15 years long. The fee's are quite steep. Most families that I know who have had the chance to visit work for one of the companies that have a corporate membership.So, what is a visit to Club 33 really like and what is the hype all about?You start your day by going to guest services outside of the park. You pick up day passes for your family to the park. These don't have your name on it and ...