As I tend to not be able to "just let things go", I called Disney up this morning. I asked them about the policy changes and how this will directly impact MY CHILD. Molly has Autism, ADD, Seizures, Heat Intolerance, Sensory Disorder, Developmental Coordination Disorder, and Asthma, with more diagnoses likely after upcoming doctor appointments. Due to all of these conditions and her treatments she also fatigues very easily and is unable to stand for lengthy periods of time. Heat and fatigue mean more seizures and uncontrollable meltdowns. We discovered, very early on, that a lot of these issues could be kept in check if Molly was allowed to stay in her special chair while waiting in line or watching shows. Instead of managing meltdowns and constantly replacing ice packs in her cooling vests, we are able to push her through the parks and wait in lines with her seated. She is able to focus on reading the map or her beloved guide book, instead of falling into people or accidentally stepping on everyone within a certain radius of her. I still carry and manage my 2 younger, somewhat typically developing children. There are still rules and expectations put in place for their behaviors.
To the people who say, then don't go to Disney if she'll have a meltdown. I ask you, what you think I should do? Should I sit in my house all day, emerging only when you will not be inconvenienced by my child trying to express her needs? Should I not try to make memories for my family that are not filled with hospital rooms and doctor's visits? Is it not fair that I get to capture those happy moments on my kids' faces? My daughter was made different, her brain works differently. She's had people tell her their kids can't be friends with her because she's different. She's been told she cannot do gymnastics like her sister because she's different. She's been told, no - you can't eat that piece of cake or that apple because it's not on your special medical diet. She's been told no so many times in her almost 8 years. She's also been told, yes you have to have another blood test and yes another doctor has to examine you and yes you have to have all those buttons glued to your head yet again. You, the naysayers, have no idea the day to day dealings with my child. You also have no idea the intense planning and saving that goes into a Disney vacation for this family. We only go during cooler months and when it isn't as crowded. This means that the kids miss school - but since Molly cannot handle crowds or heat - we already make this accommodation. We save for years to plan our trip. We don't go out to eat, we don't go to the movies, we tell our kids "no" a whole lot - so that we can say yes to a magical trip every few years - filled with memories and happiness.
According to Disney, Molly can still stay in her adapted stroller for those rides with lines wide enough to accommodate it. This means almost every single ride in Disney World. She has always waited in these lines and has never been ushered to the front. There are only a handful of rides that I can think of in Old Fantasyland that don't have lines wide enough for the chair. For these, she would have to get a special pass to come back to the ride at a specified time. We've never cut the line. That is a privilege reserved for kids on a Make-A-Wish Trip. These children with life-threatening illnesses and their families are THE ONLY kids that cut to the front of the line. This past trip, we were waiting to see Minnie Mouse. Molly was in her chair, 3 year old Kennedy was impatient and 6 month old Zoey was crying. We were put on hold so that a family on a Magical Make-A-Wish Trip could hug and take a picture with Minnie. I explained to my child that just like her, that little girl had to go to the hospital a lot and meeting Minnie made her very happy, but that unlike Molly she just couldn't wait today. I don't know if Molly understood or not, but I watched the smile on the Make-A-Wish kid's face and tears welled up in my eyes. Truth is, someday that could be us, making as many memories as possible in our kid's favorite place in the world - but today it wasn't, today we could wait five more minutes to see Minnie, because we had 5 more minutes. 
And so for Peter Pan's Flight, Small World and the handful more that aren't wheelchair accessible, we'll get a Guest Assistance Pass or a regular Fast Pass. The new policy is put into place because people were abusing the system and Disney had to respond in a way that was both fair and still accommodating. It won't make everyone happy, nothing ever does! My concern really isn't for the new policy, it's more for the culture that some people seem to be raising. One that truly locks special needs children into a room and doesn't let them out to mingle with typical citizens. Shame on that culture. Open your eyes and yourself to the beauty of a special needs child, the gifts they possess and you will feel your heart open with love. For the culture of families that embrace every child, no matter how different, Thank You! Thank you for raising accepting citizens who understand that underneath disabilities and limitations, there are people who all possess a special gift.
We're planning our next trip to Disney, and it will be filled with accommodations we put in place for our children, typical and special. It will be helped by Disney being understanding and helpful and it would be nice if every single person in the parks just smiled at my daughter as she rides around in her adapted stroller beaming like the princess she is!
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