Rich Moms Using "Disabled" Guides to Cut at Disney

I think I'll put this in the "who cares" file.
People pay money to have other people do things they don't want to do every day.

I object to the use of "rich moms". Just because one immoral woman does it, don't lump everyone into it.

How is this different from the people who fake disabilities so they don't have to work? Or a person who lies about their "hardships" on the side of the road so people will give him money? Or the mom who tells her child to tell the teacher he needs shoes so mom can save her money to go to clubs and buy cigarettes? I could go on and on.

People take advantage of others in all walks of life and at every income level. In this case, the people in the wheelchairs are being paid to sell their access. It looks bad on the part of everyone involved, imo.

Yeah, it's not fair but cheaters are everywhere, rich, middle class or poor.

Ya know, off and on I have had a season pass to Six Flags and have seen people skip lines in the same but different way which begs the question.... How is this different from the white trash borrowing, buying or stealing a wheelchair and doing the same thing?
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I figured since you can label those women rich "Park Avenue" it is fair that I call these people white trash.
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Ya know at least some disabled person is making better money than they could otherwise.

Oh please there are plenty of poor moms who would do this too if they had the money.
It has nothing to do with being rich, or being from New York.
Some people will always find a way to work the system to their benefit.

Totally wrong, what the hell is wrong with some people?

Of course this would be Obamas fault (face palm).
Someone found a way to circumvent the system, simple as that.
I don't agree with it and Disneys hands are pretty much tied regarding any changes at their parks due to very strict and specific ADA guidelines.

Our son has ADHD and a number of other brain disorders. We had to bring a letter from his doctor outlining his disabilities and it had to be on the medical provider's letterhead, so I would assume the guides had a valid medical reason.

Makes me sick, though, to hear of people trying to take advantage of special accommodations intended for those who truly need it.

These rich people could just pay the extra $200/person or whatever the fee is there for the special treatment plan that gives you front-of-the-line and behind-the-scenes privileges. Six Flags offers this, but not sure about Disney. Disgusting to use the medical pass instead.

Well, as I like to say, that's between them and their god, so whatever, I suppose.

It's not something I would do. Then again, I once found an article online for a Park Avenue-type mommies group which suggested how to exploit their nannies by hiring them to do the nanny work during the week and then hiring them for 'separate' hours to do housekeeping, that way they wouldn't have to pay overtime.

I don't think every rich person does/thinks this way, (really, being a jerk knows no economic discrimination) but that stuff? Definitely not my kind of people.

I'm with Kim O. It is offensive to lump all "rich moms" in this category.

There are low life's in every class. Just don't lump them all together because a lot of people are good, honest people.

I did not read the story because I do not click on links, however, NO, I would not participate in something like that because I do have a strong moral and ethical compass.

Regardless of the rule, some people (rich and poor) will always find a way to circumvent the system. For some people, this is in fact their profession...to con....defraud and lie.

Personally, I wouldn't do that. I'd get my butt in line with everyone else.

I have a disabled step daughter and my husband took her to Disney and used the handicapped passes. It was a life saver for them because she would not have been able to stand in line for any of the rides and ended up having the time of her life. I'm pissed to think that people take advantage of this. Because then there are people in the disabled line making REAL disabled people wait even longer.

I volunteer at our churches Food Pantry. We *know* there are people who come who don't really need it. It's not our place to question them beyond what we are able to do. We tell ourselves that is between them and God. However, when we run out of food, people may be missing out when they really need it because others took food when they really shouldn't have.

Some things we can stress about and some things we can't.

Just went to Disneyland last month....less than a week after I blew out a major ligament in the bottom of my foot. Dr. gave me a note and I was traveling with three kids and three adults, and still didn't even use it to my advantage. Waited in every line with a huge walking cast from ankle to knee for three days. Had a blast and felt that it wasn't fair to use my injury when there are truly people who need a wheelchair and disabled access. Stupid me!! Also, just figured my kids would make me push them all around the park and they would have. ( ;

I read this today in my local paper and I am disgusted by people that do this. Disney changed the rules a while back making people have some sort of documentation from a doctor because regular people were taking advantage. Now having rich people pay disabled people to do this is even worse.

I think it's ridiculous, but honestly, I'm really glad some of these ridiculous people's money is going to people in wheelchairs. Wheelchair users face a LOT of job discrimination, and if they can part these absurd people from a little bit of their money, then more power to them.

Wheelchair-bound is an offensive term, just so people know. The preferred terms to use are:

She uses a wheelchair.
People that use wheelchairs.
That's Susan over there. Yes, she uses a wheelchair.

I work with people that use wheelchairs. My office-mate has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. I have consumers that I see daily that use wheelchairs. Not a single one would ever find it acceptable to hear someone say that they are "wheelchair bound" because they're not. They don't live in the chair and the chair is not who they are.

Wheelchairs are not cheap. Chances are if someone uses a wheelchair, then they need it. For some people, they need it sometimes or occasionally. Others need it a majority of the time or all of the time. Whether a regular chair or an electric wheelchair, there aren't going to be many people who are willingly using a wheelchair and certainly not using them to try to get away with something.

That idea is ludicrous. Obviously someone using a wheelchair is going to get something out of it... it's making transportation easy for them and therefore making communities accessible. I don't doubt that there are a few people who do what's being claimed in that link, but by no means is it a lot of people taking advantage of the masses.

Those of us who are disabled are not out to take the rest of you for a ride. Again, ludicrous. What we want is an even playing field. Disabled persons don't expect special treatment, but they do expect to be treated with respect and sometimes that means accommodations. There's a difference between special treatment and accommodations.

When it comes to amusement parks offering special passes for people that have disabilities, the parks usually request a valid doctor's note proving that there's a disability. There are limitations on those passes too. But there are REASONS for the accommodations those passes offer, and it's not to get one over on fully abled people. It's not to get special treatment. It's to get a level playing field. People that have a mental disability, neurological disorder, or a physical disability may have issues that you can't even comprehend that validate reasons why they need the speed pass.

Luckily the passes don't need to be voted on or approved or judged by the general public in order for someone to obtain a pass. They only need the permission of the guest services, who virtually always will ask for a current valid doctor's note explaining and proving the disability.

You said it 8kidsdad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's pathetic.. and so are those people whom in my city get disability placards when they truly aren't disabled.. all this, so that they can park anywhere at anytime for free.. the city is overflowing with these people who cheat..

If anyone is doing this, it is totally wrong,but this post sounds very biased to me. Why do you care that these moms are 'literally from New York'. So what? If a mom from say, Tucson, AR did the same thing, would it not be just as wrong? You seem to have posted this just to stir up some sort of controversy. I am sure there are some rotten lying moms in New York or on Park Ave. - just like there would be ANYWHERE. The location of where the moms come from has nothing to do with anything at all. What is the point of this post? It does not seem to ask for any advice on anything.

i've gone back and forth as to whether or not to get a disabled pass for my dd she is 8 and has had surgery on her heel cord, she walks with a limp and a full day at disney will probably mean a full night of screaming with leg cramps. but it feels wrong because i could just get her a stroller, right??

so i know that isn't what this article is about but it seems like there are so many disabled people that i wonder how people many actually have no reason to wait in line and that seems wrong too. I mean if you just had knee surgery or just broke your foot what are you doing at disney. but that does't take into account permanant disabiliites. soo ugg

Of course this is WRONG.

This sounds like something a teenager would do because they didn't really know any better and thought theirself smart and clever by fooling everybody, laughing all the way.

They should be booted in the butt

i have a few opinions
1. waiting in line isnt part of the experience...sorry i dont pay top dollar to bond with my daughter in the heat while waiting in an insanely long line....you do it because you have to but you cant tell M. you wouldnt rather no lines. i mean who goes to the longest line for more bonding time? the guy that wrote that is stupid
2. i'm torn. i feel happy that they get to make 130 an hour as a "tour guide" i mean thats killer money and they have a market, kinda genuius, and theyre not being used because they are selling the service, but then again i dont think i'd like teaching my daughter the lesson that we use people with disabilities to get around things

That's a trick that's not going to work anymore.

Pretty disgusting. Doesn't Disney have a rides reservation system?

Ah, heck. Good for them (wheelchair bound & loves Disney = turns those two things into a job).

I actually feel better about this one than hiting the illegals standing outside HomeDepot to stand in line for your party. (Loooooooong practice of this, going back to the 80s at least, when lines averaged 4 hours, pre FastPass, is still up and running).

Because:
- The disabled person actually gets paid a living wage
- The disabled person gets to ride the rides

99.99999% of people will NEVER hire a desperate illegal immigrant to stand in line for them, nor a person in a wheelchair to skip the lines. (Totally made up stat). But most if not all would agree that its "wrong" to do. Even if you're like me, and couldnt care less if other people do. Because there's NO rule against having a friend stand in line (or 1 parent while the other takes kiddo to pee, etc.), nor to bring no family members in. In fact, the only reason I WOULD care is if Disney changed their rules... And made it against policy for

- Strangers group up for group discounts (conventions, mommy groups, churches, school groups),
- injured locals go for free (same thing... Whole sports teams go when one of their members bites it hard and gets casted up, etc.). Its tradition in many SoCal schools that if your classmate breaks a leg (or goes through chemo, etc.) that the entire class pitches in for tix & you group discount up & take your classmate & their family.
- Parents can take children to bathroom
- Friends race lines
- Etc.

Because if Disney changed the rules, none of these things (and many many other "normal" things would be disallowed.

So while I might not do it, I couldn't care less if others do.

A million flowers to Ben!!!

We bought annual passes this year and went for the first time in March. In November I had had pretty significant ankle surgery. I was super worried about all the standing and walking while we were there. I used a cane and wore my brace to help alleviate some of the pain from standing for long periods of time. I only used the handicapped entrances when I just really had had enough and couldn't stand anymore or on rides with a lot of stairs. Even though I knew I needed it, I didn't look overly incapacitated and got a lot of looks from people.

I think that what these women did is despicable. There are other ways to avoid the lines. Like using www.ridemax.com It's fabulous. I think what it really comes down to is your morals and the example you want to set for your kids. If you teach them that it's okay to "cheat" at things like this, it seems to me it would set precedence for the rest of their life.

Just how much are these "rich moms" paying? The people they are paying are really people in wheelchairs who are accompanying them and doing a service. They are being compensated, right? So many jobs are not appropriate for people with disabilities and as long as they are able to give informed consent, what is the big deal? How many people are ACTUALLY doing this? I mean, hundreds? Thousands?? Did it really impact your Disney trip? I don't see what is so disgusting about it. Someone is able to pay a price so that they get upgraded service. It's not like they are pretending to be disabled so they can cut lines.

I do wish they had a way to legitimately pay to skip the lines but no, I would never do this. I like to think the punishment these parents ultimately will get are spoiled, ungrateful, dishonest children who grow into the same as adults. I've also read though that average people are using handicapped help at airports to get through security lines more quickily. It's apparently easy. I guess you limp in and say you need wheelchair assistance. It's disgusting.

I didn't read the article, but I think I get the gist from your post.
You know, there are certain types of people ghe just HAVE to get their way and will do whatever they can to get it.
So while I understand this oust is about people paying a disabled person to be part of their Disney "party" so they can cut lines, I think the attitude is very common with LITs of stuff.
It can be wrangling to get their kid into the "popular" teachers class, to lying on a reduced lunch fee application, to hawking the Internet for coupons for shows they want to see.... on and on and on.
There are always those who think they are above the "wait your turn" part of life. Or ghe "luck of the draw" part of life.
Personally, I think it's disgusting on any level.
At a crowded place, you look around and see so many people patiently waiting their turn so the kids have a TURN at a ride, an exhibit, etc. then you always see the "other" ones...that think they're better somehow, than to have to be on par with the masses.
Some people think money (or rudeness) can solve any problem in the world.
Not so. I wonder how people like that can look at themselves in the mirror!?
How sad to want what you want when you want it so badly that you'd deceive other people.
So, no, I would never consider doing that!
Many are in for a rude awakening down the line

If I could afford it, I'd probably do the same thing. I don't think it's that big a deal.

i saw that yesterday. made me chuckle. i had thought i have heard it all. i would say, jailtime, but whom are we kidding. there are people who misuse the system all the time. to the lady who said she is on welfare and it has saved her family. i say kudos to you, and when will you do something to get out of welfare?