Just back, really aware of changes on the handling of disabled guests

[Michigan]

We keep having problems with HM. I know part of it is the girls don't want to do the stretching room so when we get inside and they tell us to exit through the doors and wait we seem to wait and wait and wait and wait sometimes more then 15 minutes and half of the time we get accused of trying to skip the line. Then they seem to want to argue because the girls look fine except for being in wheelchairs that they need to park their chairs and walk to the rides. More then once they have been asked when they say they can't walk do you mean you don't want to walk.

 

[jmartinez1895]

. More then once they have been asked when they say they can't walk do you mean you don't want to walk.

That right there would make me very very angry. IMO even if they saw your girls running around just five minuted ago, if you say they can't walk then that's the end of it( Just an example of course). Maybe they where just trying to find out if they really could not walk or if maybe they could walk the short distance to transfer, but that is not a nice way to ask at all. We where asked if our son ( using stroller as a wheelchair) could walk about 20 feet or if he needed to remain in his seat. I thought that was a perfectly acceptable way of getting the information they needed to assist us, but to ask if your child just does not want to walk is way out of line. I hope you reported this person,.

 

[sue and co]

I have experienced difficulties at HM in the past - I do use a wheelchair but can walk short distances but also have other problems and have found that at HM in particular they are very rude about listening to the problems even with a GAC. They try to insist I have to do the stretching room even though this is a special problem for my combination of disabilities and on the last trip absolutely refused to let me (and my family which were within the limit of the GAC) bypass this or to call a manager so we could complain. I do appreciate the difficulty of meeting needs and being fair to all guests but we did not mind waiting for any length of time we just needed to not do the stretching room. On other attractions we found the CM's willing to listen but on HM they were just fixed on one mindset of going the main route regardless of need.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Obviously there's problems with the lines themselves but the bigger problem is the attitudes people are encountering. Perhaps Disney needs to reevaluate the CMs they're putting in host positions.

 

[mrsksomeday]

We keep having problems with HM. I know part of it is the girls don't want to do the stretching room so when we get inside and they tell us to exit through the doors and wait we seem to wait and wait and wait and wait sometimes more then 15 minutes and half of the time we get accused of trying to skip the line. Then they seem to want to argue because the girls look fine except for being in wheelchairs that they need to park their chairs and walk to the rides. More then once they have been asked when they say they can't walk do you mean you don't want to walk.

I hope you told guest relations in the park and followed up with a letter. This attitude by CM's is completely unacceptable.

 

[berries]

This is making me really nervous for our trip coming up. I was just saying how great it is to go to WDW as they always help with the GAC. Looks like we will skip the HM for sure.

The last thing I want to deal with is rude CMs ruining our Disney trip. my dd has a hidden disability... High functioning autism. So they cant look at her and tell.

 

[cynzilla]

Ok, I have been trying to figure this out for my upcoming trip. I have a Severe Spinal Cord Issue, called Syringomyelia, which is an INVISIBLE DISABILITY and I always get a GAC with a stamp that says " Use Alt entrance where available" I also have an EVC.

So, when I get to the HM, do I go to the back gate or do I go through the regular queue? I do NOT want to go in the stretching room due to my limited visibility, and I need the belt to be slowed so I can get on the doom buggy.

I am sorry I have been trying to keep up with this for weeks.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

As long as you are using a mobility aid, such as a wheelchair, ECV, or even a cane, and your only problem is related to mobility and/or stamina you do not need to have a GAC.

Generally the only time that you would need the GAC is for an addition invisible disability, such as low vision level or hearing difficulties, where you would need to be seated near the front of a theater.

 

[SueM in MN]

Ok, I have been trying to figure this out for my upcoming trip. I have a Severe Spinal Cord Issue, called Syringomyelia, which is an INVISIBLE DISABILITY and I always get a GAC with a stamp that says " Use Alt entrance where available" I also have an EVC.

So, when I get to the HM, do I go to the back gate or do I go through the regular queue? I do NOT want to go in the stretching room due to my limited visibility, and I need the belt to be slowed so I can get on the doom buggy.

I am sorry I have been trying to keep up with this for weeks.

Go to the CM at the entrance to the line. In as few words as possible, explain that you want to ride, do not want to go into the stretching room and need to stay on your ECV because you can’t walk more than 200 feet (or whatever your ability is).

Don’t go to the back gate. Even though people entered there, it was never actually an entrance point (unless you had talked to a CM at the entrance and were told to go in there). It was not a staffed area, so the CMs inside the attraction did not know people had entered there.
Now, it’s even less likely that anyone will notice you if you enter thru the exit because they have re-arranged where the CMs are working and no one is apparently staffing that area.

 

[Canajan]

We were at the Haunted Mansion on January 27 and 31 with our 12-year-old daughter who uses a wheelchair. We went on HM 3 times, and we were lucky that everything went very well. The CMs were attentive and helpful, and we had a great time.

When we went a year ago, we boarded at the exit, which was fine. This time, my daughter was really thrilled that she could finally see the stretching room, and she loved the interactive queue. So, the changes at HM definitely enhanced our experience. I know that other posters here are not equally happy, and that different disabilities pose different challenges. Obviously, there's no one-size-fits-all solution for accessibility. But I wanted to mention our very positive experience as well, and to say that riding HM was actually the highlight in MK for us.

 

[PatMcDuck]

We just went to the Haunted Mansion today. NO problems, and I think it went better than the old way that I remember. I seem to remember waiting in front of the building (in the HOT SUN) for a CM to come and bring us to another area to wait, and eventually being brought inside down a narrow corridor and boarding at the exit of the ride.

Today we went thru the regular line, and did the stretching room, and the CM asked us to wait until last, which we did. Then they led us thru a different door, and we actually went outside and parked Sean's chair, then back inside and boarded at the exit. (he can walk short distances)

The CMs were perfectly nice, the procedure seems a little odd, inside, then outside, then back inside, but at least you get the stretching room experience. The way it used to be, I remember sometimes waiting outside in the sun for a long time, for a CM to come and bring us in. And sometimes there would be 3-4 family groups waiting there, so it would take so long.

 

[Deesknee]

I'm sorry so many are having issues with cm's lately. I also have an invisible disease. I've only had it a few years. I have really missed the stretching room, but the one time I tried it I didn't do well. So, I am excited I can take my chair in now. I do however have a question for those of you who have done the stretching room, then been escorted out, parked your chairs and went in another door. My question is this, do you still have to walk down the dark corridor? I remember it as an alternate enterance. I parked my chair, and went in this corridor that was very dark & waited to be queued up to get on the doombuggy.

 

[SueM in MN]

I'm sorry so many are having issues with cm's lately. I also have an invisible disease. I've only had it a few years. I have really missed the stretching room, but the one time I tried it I didn't do well. So, I am excited I can take my chair in now. I do however have a question for those of you who have done the stretching room, then been escorted out, parked your chairs and went in another door. My question is this, do you still have to walk down the dark corridor? I remember it as an alternate enterance. I parked my chair, and went in this corridor that was very dark & waited to be queued up to get on the doombuggy.

I have pictures of the corridor and will try to post tonight.

 

[Michigan]

I think for us the biggest problem is the girls don't want to do the stretching room. If the cm's notified someone that we went out the door and was waiting we probably wouldn't have a bad of an experience as we do.

 

[dclfun]

I was happy that I can do the stretching room again after YEARS of not being able to enjoy this part of the attraction. I figure everyone else has no option so I don't mind that I'm going to go through this area again in my w/c. I'm not sure if Skye will enjoy it though or get stepped on and bashed in the head with purses, but she'll stay right next to me and we'll manage. Pat, I'm glad you didn't have a problem today and that the CM's were nice. I really don't want to encounter someone rude as others have. If someone asked me if I "just don't want to walk" I would turn right around and go to Guest Services and ask for one of their managers. Seems to be much that has gone on that's totally unacceptable, IMO. I'm hoping for better experiences for all of us in the future.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Here is what I have found with the HM.. if you have a wheelchair/scooter and want to experience the full attraction, you should have no problems. The problems tend to arise when you cannot do the full attraction such as the the dark holding room, as they make everyone do that now, no if ands or buts period and then if you want to skip the stretching room. If you want to skip that, you must let the CM at the front door know ahead of time and why you are skipping it .. wheelchair or not. Yes, you still go down a very dimly lit hallway with a door that will lead you back out side.

The next problem that will arise there is when you swing back around and inside to where the CM meets the wheelchair guests after they get out of the stretching room and you have skipped it. You must wait at the rope for their attention. If you don't have a wheelchair, they may give you an extremely hard time about entering thru the unloading dock. This seemed to be what I experienced. The last time I tried, they were a little better, no 5th degree interrogation prior to allowing this (even with the GAC that has alter entrance stamp, low vision written and highlighted as well as the stamp for alter seating in a theater on it... I did have my thread going about this a short time back.. and it seems the HM is the only place where their new changes really effected me in a negative way... and where the CM's were negative as well.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

This reminds me a lot about what a podcasters ho used to work in security at Disneyland said about the Indiana Jones ride when it first opened. The entire line for it was designed to be wheelchair accessible and often people would come up to him or other CM ast the ride and ask where the exit was for them to go to it as most of the attractions at Disneyland were not designed for use with wheelchairs in mind so they had to use the exit. Then fastpass was added to the attraction which made a mess of the out door line and made it inaccessible to a guest in a wheelchair so now they do have to go to the exit.

Well I can understand that this is frustrating to those that can't do the stretching room, there seams to be a bit of a learning curve for Disney on this. Keep in mind that for years there were people who couldn't experience the stretching room and now can because the line was rebuilt with them in mind. Also don't forget going down the exit can be a safety issue they not only have to slow or stop the ride for you they have to make sure it is clear of unloading guests and also stop the exit ramp as well. Yes you may have to wait longer now but remember it is for yours and the Cm's safety.

 

[PatMcDuck]

My question is this, do you still have to walk down the dark corridor? I remember it as an alternate enterance. I parked my chair, and went in this corridor that was very dark & waited to be queued up to get on the doombuggy.

I know the corridor you are talking about, and NO, they did not take us thru there, they got us to the exit another way.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Well I can understand that this is frustrating to those that can't do the stretching room, there seams to be a bit of a learning curve for Disney on this. Keep in mind that for years there were people who couldn't experience the stretching room and now can because the line was rebuilt with them in mind. Also don't forget going down the exit can be a safety issue they not only have to slow or stop the ride for you they have to make sure it is clear of unloading guests and also stop the exit ramp as well. Yes you may have to wait longer now but remember it is for yours and the Cm's safety.

Disney has completely forgotten the vision impaired and those who cannot do the dark room, holding area before doing the stretching room. Everyone must now go through there regardless of what their GAC has on it. I don't think this is fair. If one cannot see very well in dark areas to walk, they should not be processed through the dark room to only exit out and then walk down the dimly lit hallway to end up back outside. I am sorry, but there is no logic there at all. The worst yet is there is no one there (CM) to guide you down either! You are on your own doing this... and they say this is for your safety???

 

[Deesknee]

I know the corridor you are talking about, and NO, they did not take us thru there, they got us to the exit another way.

Thank you PatMcDuck. I am a bit excited to see the stretching room again. Hopefully any of the cm's that are giving people attitude will be dealt with.