Disney rides for guests with no hands?

[Joanna71985]

Is this really what Disney does? Would seem to me they would be leaving themselves open to lawsuits these days. I really empathize with anyone with disabilities that prevent them from doing all the main stream activities that most others enjoy. But, the fact remains that Disney would most likely be liable if something were to go wrong.

The rides at Disney are not as intense as rides at Universal (or Six Flags), so holding on during a ride isn't necessary

 

[wilkeliza]

The rides at Disney are not as intense as rides at Universal (or Six Flags), so holding on during a ride isn't necessary

Despicable Me is really no more intense then any ride at Disney. Heck the tea cups are more intense then Dispicable Me. The problem with Universal's rule (as well as other theme parks) is that the rule ends up going on rides where it really isn't necessary. They are just so afraid of being sued that they put the rule in place. The Cat in The Hat is about the same as Winnie the Pooh. The rules for Cat in the Hat directly calls out upperbody strenght, grasp ability, at least one limb that goes past the seat, and several other requirements. Dispicable Me also calls out ability to continuously grasp the handle bar and have a limb (real or prosthetic) that goes past the bench. I do wonder on rides that it is okay for a service animal to sit on the floor why it isn't okay for a kid who can sit and are with an adult who can help them not slide around why it is such a big deal if they can't psychically hold on to the handle bar. There are other ways to brace yourself.

I have heard that Universal goes even further then what is listed and will do a blanket policy. That is why they are currently being sued by someone who was told she couldn't ride due to her disability even though she had ridden similar rides at other theme parks.

 

[SMD]

Think of the child who was injured when he fell out of the Roger Rabbit vehicle at Disneyland. The ride should have been safe, but the lap bar didn't go down far enough. Theme parks have to trust that people will do basic things like brace themselves to avoid injury and hold themselves up so they don't slip under lap bars and that parents will do the minimum amount of supervision of the kids sitting next to them. I don't blame them for having some basic rules to best ensure that happens. While you may think it's safe for your child or you can hold them in place, that's asking a lot for an employee operating a ride to make the determination over and over again on a case by case basis in the amount of time they have to assess things.

 

[Bearshouse]

Basic rules are fine but when the ride clearly states may remain in wheelchair to ride and then Universal turns around and says oh we mean grandmas wheel chair not a custom full support chair it is very humiliating. We as parents of kids who spend their entire lives stuck in a wheelchair are very aware of the dangers of our child riding rides. Over the last few years his ability to ride some rides has diminished and we have taken note and not ridden them.

I can tell you that the laughter and joy on his face as we ride Mine Train is what every parent wants for their child. Also when he got to ride Toy Story in his wheelchair with his little sister because she was finally old enough for them to do was amazing. In fact I was in tears and we heard her yelling "beat the parents" beat the parents. For 3 minutes they were just siblings, no boundaries, no worries, no you cant ride with brother, there was no no's. If Disney changes their rules then we will remember all the trips and all the "normal" days we got to have. Until then we will be riding whatever his dad or I can hold onto on.

So look for us in June we will be the family in matching shirts, silly hats, and we will open the park and need the street sweeps to sweep us out. We will tirelessly move our son from chair to ride until he tires. We will take breaks at First Aid and eat the most amazing food. Because for one week, 7 days, we are a family with the biggest smiles on our faces.


Yesterday is gone, Today is here and tomorrow is never guaranteed.

 

[Nevada Jen]

To the pp. Exactly. Making safety rules solely to avoid getting sued is discriminatory. If my daughter can safely ride she should be able to.

 

[wilkeliza]

Think of the child who was injured when he fell out of the Roger Rabbit vehicle at Disneyland. The ride should have been safe, but the lap bar didn't go down far enough. Theme parks have to trust that people will do basic things like brace themselves to avoid injury and hold themselves up so they don't slip under lap bars and that parents will do the minimum amount of supervision of the kids sitting next to them. I don't blame them for having some basic rules to best ensure that happens. While you may think it's safe for your child or you can hold them in place, that's asking a lot for an employee operating a ride to make the determination over and over again on a case by case basis in the amount of time they have to assess things.

I didn't think that little boy was disabled in any way before the ride so it isn't the same situation. They actually loaded him wrong (mom was inside he was out) and when he dropped his toy he leaned to grab it and fell out. The ride didn't have sensors on the bottom of the car to create an estop situation from something entering the track either so he was crushed by the car behind him. Had he been loaded properly it would have never happened. I'm not against theme park regulations at all but some just make 0 sense.

 

[SMD]

I didn't think that little boy was disabled in any way before the ride so it isn't the same situation. They actually loaded him wrong (mom was inside he was out) and when he dropped his toy he leaned to grab it and fell out. The ride didn't have sensors on the bottom of the car to create an estop situation from something entering the track either so he was crushed by the car behind him. Had he been loaded properly it would have never happened. I'm not against theme park regulations at all but some just make 0 sense.

But there was also some assumption that parents supervise their kids on rides. I know that now it's normal for kids not to sit on the outside, but it didn't used to be something that Disney enforced. My point was, just like you can't assume a parent would stop their child from sticking their hand between the side of the boat and a platform, you can't assume a parent will hold their child in place on a thrill ride. Just because Disney doesn't have those rules at this time doesn't mean Universal is automatically being overly cautious.

 

[bumbershoot]

It never occurred to me to thank Disney for letting people make their own choices about what is safe for them.

Most people will make what they think is their choice, then if something happens they'll realize they wanted to have a nanny, and they'll sue.

So Disney isn't letting people make their decisions; they just don't have that sort of ride.

Despicable Me is really no more intense then any ride at Disney.

OH I disagree. I've seen kids get jolted and wiggled down way low in their seats. DH saw a woman pop out of her top when it was Jimmy Neutron, because the bouncing was so intense. It's a bouncy ride. All you need to do is ride it on a day when your back is hurting and you'll know how bouncy and wiggy and jolty it is.


For Universal: https://www.universalorlando.com/park-guide/universal-orlando-riders-guide.pdf. I found this when DS had broken his arm (because he chose to run while wearing new tap shoes on a floor he KNEW was slippery, and no I'm not suing the hotel or the convention center or the convention, despite almost everyone in my life thinking I should get a payout) and we went to Universal with DS in a full arm cast.

This is what they state as a blanket rule. IMO it all makes a lot of sense. I'm glad that the Tuscon lady has had such a great life, but if she had read through this ahead of time she might not have been embarrassed. (I do wonder if she tried Rip Ride Rockit...that one has nothing to do with the upper body once you're locked in) (unlike if she had no lower limbs, in which case she wouldn't BE locked in, like the horrible accident with the Ride of Steel coaster at the Darien Lake Theme Park Resort back in 2011 with the man with no legs on a ride with a lower body restraint)


First, there ARE some rides with one of these as a rule:

Guests should secure or remove prosthetic limbs before
riding to prevent hazards or loss due to ride forces.

OR

Guests must remove prosthetic limbs before riding to
prevent hazards or loss due to ride forces.

Then...

To Ride, You Must Be Able To:


CONTINUOUSLY GRASP WITH
AT LEAST ONE UPPER EXTREMITY.
EXPLANATION: The guest must have at least one upper
extremity or prosthesis exhibiting good grip control with
the ability to brace and strong enough to allow the guest to
maintain the proper riding position through the duration of the
ride, where specified.

INDEPENDENTLY MAINTAIN YOURSELF
IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION WHILE SEATED.
EXPLANATION: The guest must have the body and spinal
control to sit upright without the aid of other people or devices
and be able to maintain the proper riding posture even during
bumping or other characteristic movements of the ride. Certain
units, such as Caro-Seuss-el™ animals, require the ability to
form a saddle posture.

INDEPENDENTLY ABSORB SUDDEN AND DRAMATIC
MOVEMENTS OF THE ATTRACTION WHICH MAY
INCLUDE SPINNING, TURNING, ACCELERATING,
STOPPING, CLIMBING, ETC.
EXPLANATION: The guest must have sufficient awareness of
the nature of the ride and the ability to sit upright and grip,
grasp or hold the restraint mechanism and/or brace with legs,
as needed, during the dynamic motion of the ride without the
aid of other people or devices.

POSSESS SUFFICIENT UPPER BODY STRENGTH TO
INDEPENDENTLY SUPPORT YOUR TORSO, NECK,
AND HEAD DURING THE MOVEMENT OF THE RIDE.
EXPLANATION: The guest must have the sufficient muscle
control to support their head, neck, and upper torso in a
standard, forward-looking position without the aid of other
people or devices during the movement of the ride.

I simply cannot argue with those things. But then I wouldn't take my son on the teacups until he was around 3, when I felt he had enough neck strength (and he was a strong kid, but I'm a former chiropractor and I'm careful with his spine), and I wish everyone would do that. So I can comprehend why they, from their hearts and from their insurance policies, would want people to have all of those abilities.

Of course this means that some rides cannot be ridden by some.

DS was lucky in that the cast just kept him from Hulk and Dragon Challenge. If it had kept him from more, so be it. I didn't want him more hurt, and I wouldn't want him to be in danger of falling out.



WDW does have some restrictions.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/mobility-disabilities/

 

[Mommee]

Not the same, but I wear bilateral tip-of-thumb-to-elbow rigid braces when I'm at Disney. I don't use my hands at all to brace. I can't do the "big" thrill rides, but on the others my forearms and legs are enough to brace me. My husband holds out his forearm for me to put my forearm on to help me out of the rides. I have unstable shoulders so grasping me and pulling doesn't work, but probably would be easier for someone else.
I did learn the hard way that sending you left at toy story mania takes you to an area with no access to the carts with the modified guns. I use a wheelchair, but they only asked if I could transfer and it was our first time through since the new track was opened. Lesson learned.