Hidden disabilities - Sunflower lanyard

[Daniela Soares]

Does anybody know if the sunflower lanyard is recognized at Disney Parks by the CM's?

 

[mamabunny]

Can you tell us more about the sunflower lanyard?

There are many folks here with hidden or invisible disabilities, and we have found many strategies to help cope with lots of different kinds of issues.

Can you tell us what accommodation or special treatment do you hope for with the lanyard? If you are comfortable discussing your issues, maybe we can help you with ideas on how to best handle those.

 

[DisneyOma]

I had no idea what you meant, and I've worked in special education for over 20 years, so my guess would be it's not that widely known yet. Also, anyone can wear one, so people can't really assume it's for hidden disabilities. I've made dozens of sunflower pattern masks because people really like the pattern. People could pick a sunflower patterned lanyard to wear for the same reason, just because they like the pattern? Are CMs to assume everyone wearing one has a hidden disability? If so, maybe we should really just approach all people with that thought in mind (or just patience and kindness, anyways).

 

[Daniela Soares]

Can you tell us more about the sunflower lanyard?

There are many folks here with hidden or invisible disabilities, and we have found many strategies to help cope with lots of different kinds of issues.

Can you tell us what accommodation or special treatment do you hope for with the lanyard? If you are comfortable discussing your issues, maybe we can help you with ideas on how to best handle those.

Hello

The usage of the sunflower lanyard just show that you or someone on your group has hidden disabilities. Into the airports, for example, when know about it they care that these people maybe can't stay in security processes too long or long queues (when the hidden disability envolves panic sindrom or autism, staying in a queue is torture).
There's many information in the official uk website where shows how supermarkets, airports etc are reacting on this, maybe it should be a nice example for you question.
Disney has the DAS which helps a lot but if CM should know about the lanyard, they will understand only in a look that this person has some issues.
In my case, we have a panic issue in our family, and using it shows sometime when in crises that the person need special attention at that moment.
In the past, we had an issue at FoP - when even with the DAS a CM showed us the wrong queue to stay and we kept a long time into it. When arriving into the end, almost arriving into the attraction, this person was so so tired and we had an issue. And one CM started screeming with this person. If the CM was aware of the lanyard, she would understand that the issue was because involved a special person not a simple issue because of the queue.

 

[Starwind]

As far as I know, while there may be a small number of individual CMs who are aware of its meaning, it is not something WDW trains on.

FYI, info about the Sunflower lanyard scheme can be found here: https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com/about-hidden-disabilities-sunflower and its history here: https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com/our-history It started in 2016 at Gatwick Airport in the UK.

SW

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Hello

The usage of the sunflower lanyard just show that you or someone on your group has hidden disabilities. Into the airports, for example, when know about it they care that these people maybe can't stay in security processes too long or long queues (when the hidden disability envolves panic sindrom or autism, staying in a queue is torture).
There's many information in the official uk website where shows how supermarkets, airports etc are reacting on this, maybe it should be a nice example for you question.
Disney has the DAS which helps a lot but if CM should know about the lanyard, they will understand only in a look that this person has some issues.
In my case, we have a panic issue in our family, and using it shows sometime when in crises that the person need special attention at that moment.
In the past, we had an issue at FoP - when even with the DAS a CM showed us the wrong queue to stay and we kept a long time into it. When arriving into the end, almost arriving into the attraction, this person was so so tired and we had an issue. And one CM started screeming with this person. If the CM was aware of the lanyard, she would understand that the issue was because involved a special person not a simple issue because of the queue.

not sure how you could make it work here too many people have and use in normal life. CMs see so many people in an hour not even a day they are not going to be looking that closely at anyone. in the situation you used the CM is not going to be looking closely enough to even see the lanyard. plus if only one person has the special lanyard in a group lets say 8, as that is size for my party usually, how is CM going to be able to see it on one person if that person isnt closest to CM

 

[Daniela Soares]

The lanyard is just to show, in general, that someone in the group or the person has a special situation.

The item itself don't ask special treatment, but in a crisis for example, with it and knowledge, people around will understand that is a health crisis not any kind of fight or discussion or other stuff.

So, in CM cases, i was not expecting them to see all lanyard used, one by one, but if in any crisis happening they could identify that this person has something different than a "normal" person screeming etc.

 

[DisneyOma]

Hello

The usage of the sunflower lanyard just show that you or someone on your group has hidden disabilities. Into the airports, for example, when know about it they care that these people maybe can't stay in security processes too long or long queues (when the hidden disability envolves panic sindrom or autism, staying in a queue is torture).
There's many information in the official uk website where shows how supermarkets, airports etc are reacting on this, maybe it should be a nice example for you question.
Disney has the DAS which helps a lot but if CM should know about the lanyard, they will understand only in a look that this person has some issues.
In my case, we have a panic issue in our family, and using it shows sometime when in crises that the person need special attention at that moment.
In the past, we had an issue at FoP - when even with the DAS a CM showed us the wrong queue to stay and we kept a long time into it. When arriving into the end, almost arriving into the attraction, this person was so so tired and we had an issue. And one CM started screeming with this person. If the CM was aware of the lanyard, she would understand that the issue was because involved a special person not a simple issue because of the queue.

The lanyard is just to show, in general, that someone in the group or the person has a special situation.

The item itself don't ask special treatment, but in a crisis for example, with it and knowledge, people around will understand that is a health crisis not any kind of fight or discussion or other stuff.

So, in CM cases, i was not expecting them to see all lanyard used, one by one, but if in any crisis happening they could identify that this person has something different than a "normal" person screeming etc.

I think you're really expecting a lot out of a pattern of fabric. For airport issues, here in the US, one would contact TSA for assistance before going to the airport. And I really don't see a CM, or anyone else, stopping in the middle of a situation to say, "wait, that person has sunflowers on a thing around their neck". Or if it does become more common knowledge around here, everyone will be wearing them? Something that is a commonplace object really isn't a good signal item?

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

It sounds like you are from the UK. If so, it could just be a UK thing. I’ve never heard of it or seen in here in the IS and I have invisible disabilities, as do the children of several of my friends.

 

[SteveMouse]

Not to mention that the range of issues that one might need assistance about is pretty diverse, such an issue that limits ambulation (range of walking), the range of autism-related issues, severe anxiety, and many more.

 

[mamabunny]

@Daniela Soares While I truly appreciate the effort that we see in the links that @Starwind found for us, here in the US the sunflower lanyard is not really seen as a "marker" for hidden disabilities. That is because (in part) in the US we have the HIPPA laws that keeps personal medical information private.

At WDW, a person with any kind of disability that can be assisted by waiting *outside* the normal queue environment can ask for a DAS, and depending on the circumstance, may be allowed to wait outside the normal queue for their turn. As I believe you know, it's NOT a front of the line pass.

Here at the DIS, we don't give out "scripts" or tell people how to get a DAS pass, other than that you have to be able to describe *why* you (or your family member) can't wait in the regular queue. The Cast Members don't care about a diagnosis, they don't care about anything other than why the person needs to wait outside the line, and how that would benefit them.

Not all hidden disabilities will be helped by the DAS - and not all "visible" disabilities are helped by it either.

You will find that (generally speaking) in the US people with disabilities don't need recognition devices (like a special lanyard) because the overall culture and laws regarding discrimination are different here.

If there is something that you, or someone in your travel party to WDW needs some information or assistance with, please let us know

 

[cobright]

This is a really neat idea, but after looking at a few pictures I would say that most CMs will assume its a pin trading lanyard.

 

[fabfemmeboy]

It's a neat idea, and I'm all for optional visible symbols to help clue people in (but then I usually wear a rainbow magen david necklace!), but as others have said - it's just not something that we really "do" here in the States, so I doubt very much that the CMs would know its significance.

 

[Pridemom]

I work in Civil Rights and ADA and have only heard of the sunflower used for people with seizure disorders.

 

[SueM in MN]

I work in Civil Rights and ADA and have only heard of the sunflower used for people with seizure disorders.

My daughter has a seizure disorder and I’m pretty aware of resources regarding disabilities. I’ve never heard of the sunflower symbol or sunflower lanyard used outside of the U.K.

Since it’s not specific, it doesn’t signify anything except that the person has a special need. As a nurse, I don’t understand how that would be of any particular assistance to me in figuring out how to help them or even if they need help.

 

[Disneynerdz16]

Will it work with cerebral palsy.. my case is more mild and I have an hearing loss... and will it work in the states? I’m leaving soon to go to WDW soon.

 

[Disneynerdz16]

Also could we teach Disney CM about the significance of it?

 

[lanejudy]

Will it work with cerebral palsy.. my case is more mild and I have an hearing loss... and will it work in the states? I’m leaving soon to go to WDW soon.

Also could we teach Disney CM about the significance of it?

As discussed above - the sunflower lanyard isn’t known in the US. What sort of assistance are you hoping for at WDW? In my experience CMs do what they can to help when they are alerted to a need. They won’t recognize the lanyard, but you are welcome to approach a CM to make a request - slowing a moving walkway or seating where you can read lips, etc.

 

[Lilsia]

Expecting cast members to constantly be scanning people's bodies to try to look for obscure signs that they may have some special need is absurd. Not to mention there's too much room to offend somebody if they get it wrong with the way people are now. If you have a special need and need an accommodation just let the cast member know don't put that burden on them. They already deal with enough as it is.

 

[LizzyDragon]

The only jewelry I can think of here in the US that is widely known and signifies a medical condition is a medical alert bracelet or dog tag. Even then, those generally only come into play if the wearer is unconscious or in some kind of medical distress where normal communication isn't possible.