“Families with autistic children have sued Walt Disney Co., alleging the company does not provide adequate access to theme park visitors with autism who have difficulty waiting in long lines for rides.” [Reuters/Chicago Tribune]
“Families with autistic children have sued Walt Disney Co., alleging the company does not provide adequate access to theme park visitors with autism who have difficulty waiting in long lines for rides.” [Reuters/Chicago Tribune]
7 Comments
This is a case of everyone is equal but some are more equal than others. If I go to Disneyland I pay the same price as everyone else and should be treated as everyone is. I understand special needs children have difficulties and this may sound cruel but that’s their parents’ problem, not mine. They know how their kids will react and need to plan for it not make others plan for them. I will be crucified for this but if they can’t wait in line, maybe this isn’t the place for them. Disney is trying to accommodate them and they’re still not happy. There is no constitutional right to cut in line. If you make yourself more equal, you make others less equal. How is that fair?
I disagree. This is a case of a company deciding to get rid of an accommodation policy to benefit disabled kids because some non-disabled jerks wanted to jump lines too. It’s not the disabled children’s fault, nor is it the parents fault. It’s the fault of able-bodied jerks like “common sense” who cry and whine about “special privileges” for people who start out with major disadvantages in life. If you can’t see how these people could possibly deserve the ability to cut in line as an ADA accommodation, then it’s easier to justify cutting yourself–which is why the policy got canned in the first place.
Ella, your unwarranted ad hominem against “Common Sense” detracts from your good points. So, how do we keep the able-bodied jerks from cutting in line? Or the scum who rent a crippled guide to shepherd the whole family to the front of the line?
And of course they are suing Disney. They know that if they sue Bob’s petting zoo, no one except maybe Bob will really care. And a sympathetic press sure won’t write about a nobody like Bob.
The story almost writes itself: mean, evil Disney is making autistic children stand for hours in the sun, film at eleven.
Disney, and other entertainment conglomerates, have always been extremely accomodating to people who need a little extra assistance to enjoy the parks. There have also always been people who have abused the extra help privileges, and Disney is adjusting the privileges.
Don’t be surprised when Disney announces a new method of accomodating people who need a little extra help. Of course, you won’t read about it on the front page.
And I disagree with you, Ella. This is a case of a company freely offering accommodations to people with disabilities and people abusing that accommodation. So the company didn’t eliminate the accommodation, they changed it to something that is far less abusable.
Everyone wants to be treated equal… until they are. Like Common Sense, I can feel for someone in that situation but by what “right” does that mean other kids have to wait longer. No kid is good at waiting but it seems these parents wants the world to cater to their kids. It’s going to sound cold and cruel, but at some point they’re going to have to learn the world doesn’t revolve around them. Maybe this could be used as preparation for the rest of their life.
ella, i am neither unfeeling or a jerk or ablebodied. disney did not eliminate the policy, they changed it to be harder to abuse. at what point do you, ella declare a child special needs? if a child with autism qualifies how about a child with ADD. or one who has diabetes and need to go check blood sugar. or a red head with sensitive skin? or a child with a patience problem? how about nearsighted? or blind? do all these children also have a right as you call it to jump the line? they are all special needs. where does the line get drawn? or is it just autistic children who need a break? at some point we all qualify under some definition of special needs. did they start life with disadvantages? of course they did. but you need to learn how to deal with your difficulties, not expect the entire world to stop. and when an accommodation has been made, don’t go around suing people because it’s not what you what…deal with it.