So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

[SoCalbma]

Hey Guys,

Have you ever been to Disneyland and keep seeing many teenagers and other people renting a wheelchair and trying to take advantage on getting on the ride faster? OR is could be that they are using one of their relatives or friends wheelchair ( for example, a grandmother that is handicap decided to not ride space mountain, so the children will use the handicap instead).

I have seen it so many times. One time I saw another teenager having fun by jumping around. I mean really jumping around and then when is come to riding ride. I saw the guy just got on the wheelchair and enter through the exit.

Also, I know that some people who have to show their Handicap pass to get a special privilege pass. For me, I have a cousin who have autism. She can't stand in line for that long. She would be jumping around. As a result, we would take her into city hall and show them the handicapped pass, so she can get a pass that allows her not to wait in line for a long time.

REMEMBER I AM ONLY TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE DEFINITELY FAKING IT. LIKE IN ONE OF MY EXAMPLE above.

[CinderellaStory]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

Many people try to use the handicapped privilages that should not. But many rides now have queues that allow the wheelchair passengers to wait in the normal line, so the problem is getting better.

[Colorized]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

I think when my family went to Disney World a couple years ago my sister and her friend got a wheelchair. It wasn't to get on rides faster, or anything, it was just because they would get to lazy to walk sometimes. :P

[aimster]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

I thought Disneyland revised their GAC procedures so this doesn't happen as much anymore?

[DuffyGuardian]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

We have someone in out party that uses an ECV(she needs to have a knee replaced). Im not sure why people think they are so great and rent them when they don't have too. Some of the lines we have waited longer to get on a ride, then we would have if we could have just walked on. PoC is one of those rides, which we tend to avoid,because it takes up so much time.

Also its not easy driving those ECV though the parks. Imagain how many times people bump into you as you are walking or run out in front of you. Its no different with an ECV. People are always running in front of her.

I have no idea why people would rent them if they didn't need them. Im sure the lazyness and the thought they might get on ride quicker. What they forget is once the park gets busy, its harder for an ECV to move then people walking. So really is there any time gained by having an ECV? I would say no.

[Villains Fan]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

First off, it's not for us to judge who needs and who does not need a wheelchair. How do you know these people did not need a wheelchair, because they were young or didn't look like they needed to be in a wheelchair? A lot (if not most people) have injuries or handicaps that are not visible and it is not up to us to decide if they should be in a wheelchair or not.

Second, being in a wheelchair does not necessarily get you on a ride faster, it only offers a different option to wait in a line where a wheelchair cannot go through the regular line. I have waited in a handicapped line with friends, and have had to wait just as long as the regular line.

And yes, there are people who abuse the system, but there's people who are going to be like that in every walk of life and someday karma will catch up with them.

[Brisal73]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

Still too many fake wheelchair users. Not even sure why Disneyland doesn't force Wheelchair users to wait in the normal queue like everyone else. Some queues have been created with wheelchair access in mind (example Indiana Jones).

If you add the wheelchair issue with the stroller issue and Disneyland becomes super jammed

Stroller Issue = Kids that could walk are riding in a stroller. To much space is taken up by Stroller Parks. Mostly because the parents are to lazy to watch or hold onto there kid throughout the day.
If you blame the big crowds and safety... then don't take your kid to Disneyland on a crowded day.

It is an amazing thing once you start noticing it at the park.
My trip to Tokyo Disneyland Resort this Spring = no issues at all... I dont even remember seeing a stroller or a wheelchair.

[DisneyDiana]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

Last time I was at Disneyland, I saw tons (I mean everywhere I went) of girls around my age in wheel chairs (most of them looked like they had their boyfriends or friends pushing them around the park)

I wasn't going to judge or anything, since you don't know the person and don't know their situation. But after a couple hours at the park, I'm not going to lie, I did get a little suspicious about it.

But you can never know for sure.

[DisneyIPresume]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

I went through the handicapped entrance at BTMRR one day with a friend with a legitimate disability. In front of us was a girl maybe 11 years old with a cane. Only this cane went up to her shoulders! I'm sorry but who is she trying to fool? I didn't say anything. Sure enough when we got off the ride we saw her with her family, and one of them was an older person in a wheelchair. The little girl had no cane.

That just burned me up!

[CinderellaStory]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

Still too many fake wheelchair users. Not even sure why Disneyland doesn't force Wheelchair users to wait in the normal queue like everyone else. Some queues have been created with wheelchair access in mind (example Indiana Jones).

Hate to be nitpicky, but the "normal" queue for Indiana Jones is by no means wheelchair friendly. Even the thinnest wheelchairs would have trouble moving through those caverns.

But for many rides, handicapped riders DO wait in the normal line. One time on Toy Story Mania (where the handicapped are only separated out of the line at the end to ride on a VERY cool special car) my one-legged mom was asked if she could just ride the "regular ride" because all that was required was that she walk up a big flight of stairs after the ride. I laughed at that poor Cast Member.

[Bobd20011]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

I wish that everyone would be honest also. However, in the end, I think that you can only worry about yourself.

[sunnygirl]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

How can you ever really know if someone needs to be in a wheelchair or not? What does someone who needs to be in one look like? How should they behave? The OP acts as though a person doesn't belong in a wheelchair unless they're old, obviously in pain, or look very sad. This is not the case. You don't know these peoples' circumstances, how can you judge?

[sgtpeper]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

As a person who has to use an ECV or i cannot enjoy the park with my son, I can say from personal experience that there are pros and cons.

I have gotten looks from people because I am young and don't have a physical deformity.

I cannot go to Tom Sawyer Island and run and play with my son, which upsets me a great deal.

I have to maneuver a somewhat difficult piece of equipment around crowds. Imagine trying to get out of the park at close and having to deal with crowds full of inattentive parents that let their kids run wild and then get mad at me when their "precious" runs into me, foolish teenagers who shove each other cause (it's so funny) and people who just stop all of the sudden right in front of me.

I do get on faster on SOME rides like Indy, but i have to navigate part of the que with very tight twists and turns, drive into an elevator that can barely fit the ECV, navigate a small hallway, do the elevator thing again to finally get to the ride que. Then sometimes the CM's will be nice enough to move the ECV, but more often than not the ride is packed and I have to do the elevator thing all over again.

Plus entering through the exit of a ride, you miss a lot of the theming.

I know the OP's intention isn't to pick on everyone who uses the wheelchairs, and i know that there are abuses, but I'd gladly give up my wheelchair, to cruise Tom Sawyer Island with my son, to walk hand in hand with my wife around the park, if someone wants to take my Parkinson's.

[fourmountain]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

I understand your frustration. During the times when I have to use my GAC, I feel guilty. The first time I went to city hall to get assistance, I took two letters from doctors, my California DMV plaquard paperwork, and a note from my physical therapist explaining my needs. You see, if I'm not using my wheelchair (which I hate taking to Disneyland), you would think I'm a perfectly healthy individual. The CMs *did* look at my paperwork (I know some have said it doesn't matter, but the CM was very appreciative that I'd brought the paperwork I brought). And, after I explained what my needs were and how I might be assisted, they issued me a GAC. I don't use it all the time, but it's nice to have when I *do* need it. I think you'll find that a great many of us are shy about using our GAC. If we get to wait a little less, we feel bad. However, let me share my perspective.

I don't get to spend entire days in the park because of my illness. If I do stay all day, I'm not riding the volume of rides that a regular guest might. I have to stop and rest frequently. This sometimes means going to First Aid and lying down while my kids sit with me. I'm a single mom, too. So, I'm a disabled person herding four children (two who are under 7 years old) around the park.

I can't walk as fast as most. I can't be in the sun as long as practically anyone. But, I want my kids to have normal childhoods. That means that, most of the time, I wait in line with everyone else. Because this keeps my children from seeing my disability as a BENEFIT. I never want them to see my disability as THEIR excuse. I also have a hard time just standing for a long period, so I've sent one of my older, teen kids through a line while I wait with the little ones elsewhere. I hate doing that though because that means I don't get to spend that time with them and I don't know what's going on while they're in line (who they're talking to, who's talking to them, if their needs are being met). I guess what I'm saying is: you don't know the backstory of everyone who has a GAC or wheelchair. Sure, there are cheats and I think if it's OBVIOUS they're cheating, then their pass should be revoked. If it makes you feel better, I've seen CM's exercise discretion. As others have said, karma is a real beyotch and I've seen the GAC lines get very lengthy.

[Rongo]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

I've seen a gaggle of 20-somethings, with one in an ECV, go in through the exit of Indy. When they came back out, the guy in the ECV hopped out and another one in their party got into it, and they happily went on their way.
One can debate this issue to death - who should and shouldn't be in wheelchairs or ECVs, what "evidence" should be required to rent one, what special access should be provided - but the reality is that seeing something like that is galling, annoying, and just generally pisses people off. Sadly, that ire is spread to pretty much anyone who looks young and healthy in a chair.
I've wracked my brain about it since that day, but I can't imagine there is much that can be done -- because there are people who legitimately need assistance, and it would be so demeaning to require them to prove it. I know that I certainly wouldn't appreciate it. So, the "fakers" continue to get away with it so that those who really need assistance can enjoy the magic with the rest of us.

[Darkbeer]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

Here is a great case I saw recently over at TripAdvisor....

Going to disneyland with a broken leg - Anaheim Forum - TripAdvisor

(Note, Aussie's call ECV's Ride On's...

Yes i did notice a lot of those ride ons,I had a run in with one lady




Miss and I were sitting down for a bit,,when this lady on a ride on,,with another girl in a wheelchair hitching a ride,,came zooming pass,and ran into a little boy(she was speeding) she is yelling "(stupid fault just get out of my way) a few people stoped still and we all kinda cant belive what happened,,,""so i yell out hey lady your going too fast"" then the young girl in the wheelchair behind,,tells me to F OFF.and they speed off




I really should of got up and chased her and got the number of her bike thing(just didnt think then)


Lucky it was the only real bad thing i saw,,lots of little near misses though

Those things and lots of little kids you just have to be careful.




But that lady really needed to be booted out of the park,,i was so angry for ages,the happist place on earth and she drives like a mad woman??

Now, it only takes a couple of idiots to make a bad name for everyone...

But the first thing, if Security saw this, they should strongly advise them that if they get caught pulling someone else (aka the manual Wheelchair) they would be "asked" to leave. It was truly unsafe.

[DuffyGuardian]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

Still too many fake wheelchair users. Not even sure why Disneyland doesn't force Wheelchair users to wait in the normal queue like everyone else. Some queues have been created with wheelchair access in mind (example Indiana Jones).

If you add the wheelchair issue with the stroller issue and Disneyland becomes super jammed

Stroller Issue = Kids that could walk are riding in a stroller. To much space is taken up by Stroller Parks. Mostly because the parents are to lazy to watch or hold onto there kid throughout the day.
If you blame the big crowds and safety... then don't take your kid to Disneyland on a crowded day.

It is an amazing thing once you start noticing it at the park.
My trip to Tokyo Disneyland Resort this Spring = no issues at all... I dont even remember seeing a stroller or a wheelchair.

My trip to Tokyo Disneyland Resort (fall 08) I saw strollers, wheel chairs, no ecv's.

Tokyo was built as a bigger park. They knew the crowds would be huge and they learned from Disneyland, WDW that they need the bigger walkways. That is why at Tokyo, there really isn't an issue. Plus they do use smaller storllers, no jogging stollers in the park. Just small ones. That I saw.

Lets face it DL was build before they knew what a hit it was really going to be. Its the smallest I believe out of the Disneyland parks of the world. So its harder to get around when its crowded. And years ago there was an off season, so those who didn't want to deal with the crowds went during off season. I havn't seen an off season in years.

[DuffyGuardian]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

As a person who has to use an ECV or i cannot enjoy the park with my son, I can say from personal experience that there are pros and cons.

I have gotten looks from people because I am young and don't have a physical deformity.

I cannot go to Tom Sawyer Island and run and play with my son, which upsets me a great deal.

I have to maneuver a somewhat difficult piece of equipment around crowds. Imagine trying to get out of the park at close and having to deal with crowds full of inattentive parents that let their kids run wild and then get mad at me when their "precious" runs into me, foolish teenagers who shove each other cause (it's so funny) and people who just stop all of the sudden right in front of me.

I do get on faster on SOME rides like Indy, but i have to navigate part of the que with very tight twists and turns, drive into an elevator that can barely fit the ECV, navigate a small hallway, do the elevator thing again to finally get to the ride que. Then sometimes the CM's will be nice enough to move the ECV, but more often than not the ride is packed and I have to do the elevator thing all over again.

Plus entering through the exit of a ride, you miss a lot of the theming.

I know the OP's intention isn't to pick on everyone who uses the wheelchairs, and i know that there are abuses, but I'd gladly give up my wheelchair, to cruise Tom Sawyer Island with my son, to walk hand in hand with my wife around the park, if someone wants to take my Parkinson's.

Im glad you still go to the parks. I know how hard it is with ECV's. My mom too has Parkinson's and needs a knee replacement and can't walk the parks. She too wishes she could walk with the family instead of scooting.

I have scoliosis and had two back surgerys when I was 13 years old. To look at me you wouldn't know it. I hide my scar that runs the lenght of my back under a shirt. I am now 32 years old and there have been times on our trips to DLR and WDW that my back has given out on me. I too get the looks like your are to young to be in one. People have no clue, I would glad give up the ECV to be able to walk with no pain, hold my husbands hand and not have to deal with the crowds and the ecv. But I am luck to have it at times other wise I would miss out.

I to agree it may get abused, but really who am I to say? I wish people understood how hard ECV/wheelchairs were on the people in them. How hard it is to move in the park when there is any kind of crowd. We have to stay out of DL in the evenings due to its just to hard to move. Its a-shame, I love DL at night. Wish people knew how lucky they were to be able to move on their own with no pain.

[ChessurInWonderland]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

A few years ago, I started having pain just under my big toe. For a month, the doctor's had no idea what was wrong, until finally one saw the bone had a crack in it. They didn't know how I got it, or if I was born with it, but I needed a cast. I couldn't walk with it, so they had me use crutches, and when I went the DLRm my mom would rent me a wheelchair so I could get around easier. I used my crutches a little to get out of my wheelchair and into each vehicle on the rides, and I thought it was nice to be able to skip some of the lines. I'm an optimistic person, after going a long time, and my bone getting worse and worse, to the point that my mom had to take me out of summer school, which she paid a lot of money for at my montessori and really enjoyed, but there was no elevator to my class, only many stairs, I decided to look at the bright side of things, and I'll admit it. However, I think it's wrong when people fake it. When waiting in line for wheelchairs, I had seen many teenagers dancing, running, and walking perfectly fine around the resort, then they get in line for a wheelchair and mysteriously have to hop, giggling, and then pretending to cringe in pain with every hop-step when near the front to get a wheelchair before leaving, giggling.

[Bobd20011]

Re: So many wheelchairs FAKER at Disneyland Resort.

I always thought that it was magical that when people with disabilities attended Disneyland, their day was made a little more special by being able to get on rides a little faster. After reading these posts, I started to realize that parks may be very difficult to navigate with a disability, and that this is but one benefit, but there are a lot of trade-offs.



And for those of you looking at persons in wheelchairs, trying to determine if they belong in a wheelchair, knock it off! :bang: