Customer service fail

[Mad Dog]

I don't think there is any difference at all. I can also assure you this is a big complaint generator at both resorts, I'm not sure why neither has tried to find a better solution.

My guess would be that neither resort wants to encourage or make it overly easy for people requiring either to attend. Just do what's legally responsible, but not get too many of those in the park that are hard to accommodate. If the resorts wanted that segment they probably would have set up an easy to use system, and then there's another possible reason........Side note, because this question of why the procedures aren't easier just reminded me of something that I saw last month on the Cabana walkway. We were walking up the steps to the bridge crossover. Four healthy teenage boys were running an empty wheelchair up the handicap ramp. They booked past us so fast that they passed us up. When we got to the IOA entrance, they were waiting to get through the turnstiles. One was sitting in the wheelchair and the other three were standing with him. It was quite obvious they had found their perfect plan and were using the handicapped rules to get the four of them better access to the rides. I know this doesn't happen with everyone, and there are truly injured people like Izzy's friend that really need the vehicles, but it probably happens more often than we realize. I recall the scandal at the Disney parks a couple of years ago where off duty CM's, and other guests were faking disabilities to get better access to rides. And the TV news expose of a group of handicapped people that were selling their services to large groups so they could get preferential ride status. That prompted Disney to alter & tighten up their Special Disability access rules....Just saying, and kind of guessing, but these things may be the real reason why the wheelchair & ECV rentals aren't overly convenient.

 

[IzzyB]

I don't think there is any difference at all. I can also assure you this is a big complaint generator at both resorts, I'm not sure why neither has tried to find a better solution.

The biggest difference I think is that at Disney the courtesy wheelchair is taken up to the point of renting the ECV where that is not the case with Universal. So you have ever to wait in 2 lines entering and exiting. Which is a real pain, especially since the lines were way longer at both places than the single line at Disney.

The next difference is how ECVs are not allowed in any ride line at Universal and they are allowed in most Disney lines. And when not allowed they have alternate entrances. Today has been an interesting experience at each entrance trying to figure out what to do.

The next would be places to eat. They actually made her walk into leaky couldran. I am not sure how that is even allowed. I would think they would have to have some way for handicapped people to get in. My friend was so fed up she just did it, but the more she walks on her foot the more it won't heal.

I get not wanting to have people abuse the system, but I feel by doing that they have made it really hard for the people that truly do need the system. My friend has a handicapped pass and a doctor's note, she truly needs to stay off the foot. She hurt it after she planned this trip. With custody and everything she really couldn't just change it.

 

[IzzyB]

Oh and if those boys were using a standard wheelchair they were going to skip very few ride lines. If we had a standard wheelchair so far mummy is the only line we would have skipped. They keep running out of the transfer wheelchairs so we have gotten back door access to some rides. It was not our plan, but at least they have a backup. Also, many many ECVs have been parked in stroller parking. If you have any ability to walk and stand they are making them go into the lines. And I get that, as we were not looking to skip lines. If I was I would have kept up my son's GAP passes after he died since they never asked to see him after our first trip. That is not the type of person I am. I am just looking for an easier system than what is in place today. It took forever to get from car to first ride.

 

[UNIrd]

Leaky Cauldron isn't wheelchair accessible?

 

[s8film40]

MK is the only park that truly isn't wheelchair accessible in some cases. This sometimes works for the benefit of those that are disabled and sometimes makes things more difficult. Many parts of MK are not ADA compliant at all since the park was built before they ADA they are exempt. The positive side is some rides aren't set up for access so they just bring people in the back. The Peoplemover for example is completely inaccessible if you are in a wheelchair and can't stand.

 

[GAcoaster]

This happens all day long at Disney with guests going to Magic Kingdom. They take the courtesy wheelchair from the parking lots to the TTC. There they have to transfer from the wheelchair to the monorail and most of the time there are no courtesy wheelchairs at Magic Kingdom so they have to walk down the ramp, go through security and rent the wheelchair or ECV inside the park entrance. They can rent a regular wheelchair at the TTC and take it with them to Magic Kingdom, then trade that up to an ECV, but most do not because they don't understand how the system works. Whenever I see this happen all I can think is that if you really need a wheelchair or an ECV you really need to research the setup before come to the park and are probably better off renting that ECV or wheelchair offsite and bringing it with you so it's always with you. And you save money NOT renting from the park.

 

[sparky]

Leaky Cauldron isn't wheelchair accessible?

It is. All of the Wizarding World is accessible. It was just built, so they had to make it accessible. It isn't easy getting around in a wheelchair, but it can be done. Lots of ECV using people who frequent Disney parks find Universal difficult.

 

[IzzyB]

Leaky Cauldron isn't wheelchair accessible?

They told her she couldn't go in and had to park it. Whether the guy had no clue what they were talking about I don't know. But I would hope the person at the entrance would have a clue.

 

[UNIrd]

They told her she couldn't go in and had to park it. Whether the guy had no clue what they were talking about I don't know. But I would hope the person at the entrance would have a clue.

Hmm. Wonder what spell they use to make wheelchair-bound people walk..

 

[IzzyB]

This happens all day long at Disney with guests going to Magic Kingdom. They take the courtesy wheelchair from the parking lots to the TTC. There they have to transfer from the wheelchair to the monorail and most of the time there are no courtesy wheelchairs at Magic Kingdom so they have to walk down the ramp, go through security and rent the wheelchair or ECV inside the park entrance. They can rent a regular wheelchair at the TTC and take it with them to Magic Kingdom, then trade that up to an ECV, but most do not because they don't understand how the system works. Whenever I see this happen all I can think is that if you really need a wheelchair or an ECV you really need to research the setup before come to the park and are probably better off renting that ECV or wheelchair offsite and bringing it with you so it's always with you. And you save money NOT renting from the park.

She did research this. Called Universal, looked off site, etc. All off site places said she had to rent for more than one day. Which means we would have had to get it home and to the other parks. We don't have a car that could transport an ECV. So she called the parks and got all the information, but Universal really never gave her all the information she needed. We already knew about magic kingdom and other Disney parks. I did not know about them not going on the monorail but was always going to have her go on the boat because it is way easier with strollers and wheelchairs. She also was expecting the long trip based on what I told her. We were not expecting it at Universal because she called ahead and they did not mention any of this. Which was the frustrating part of the day. Not to mention you pay a crap load of money and still end up killing yourself pushing a wheelchair thru many lines. The push back to the garage was a killer. We are all very tired.

My point in this is that I have been trying to talk all of my friends and family into going to Universal. Every time I do it seems something customer service wise happens and my family and friends complain about the day and say, "This is not Disney". I get the young kids families, but this was someone that has the perfect age kids for Universal. Not to mention then my husband tells me, "see universal sucks". We all loved the rides, but the other crap that they put up with all day, doubt my friends will be so interested in rushing back to Universal next trip down here. Which is ashame, and my husband has more reasons to not renew our passes.

 

[IzzyB]

Hmm. Wonder what spell they use to make wheelchair-bound people walk..

My guess is they make people transfer, but they may have not had transfer wheelchairs at the time as they only seem to have 2 at each place. So instead of figuring it out they figured they would tell her to park and walk. She is stubborn and doesn't stand up for herself (just complains later) so she didn't say anything. If I was back with her, I would have complained, but I was up with the kids.

 

[sparky]

She did research this. Called Universal, looked off site, etc. All off site places said she had to rent for more than one day. Which means we would have had to get it home and to the other parks. We don't have a car that could transport an ECV. So she called the parks and got all the information, but Universal really never gave her all the information she needed. We already knew about magic kingdom and other Disney parks. I did not know about them not going on the monorail but was always going to have her go on the boat because it is way easier with strollers and wheelchairs. She also was expecting the long trip based on what I told her. We were not expecting it at Universal because she called ahead and they did not mention any of this. Which was the frustrating part of the day. Not to mention you pay a crap load of money and still end up killing yourself pushing a wheelchair thru many lines. The push back to the garage was a killer. We are all very tired.

My point in this is that I have been trying to talk all of my friends and family into going to Universal. Every time I do it seems something customer service wise happens and my family and friends complain about the day and say, "This is not Disney". I get the young kids families, but this was someone that has the perfect age kids for Universal. Not to mention then my husband tells me, "see universal sucks". We all loved the rides, but the other crap that they put up with all day, doubt my friends will be so interested in rushing back to Universal next trip down here. Which is ashame, and my husband has more reasons to not renew our passes.

OK. Why do you want them to like Universal so much?
People who are committed Disney fans are looking for things to complain about.
They have the same kinds of wheelchair transport issues at Disney, but those problems are "magically" forgotten.
I would just forget trying to convert them.
They want Disney and will always see the universal parks as not magical.

 

[hockey87]

They told her she couldn't go in and had to park it. Whether the guy had no clue what they were talking about I don't know. But I would hope the person at the entrance would have a clue.

Was she in a wheelchair? Or an ECV?

 

[IzzyB]

OK. Why do you want them to like Universal so much?
People who are committed Disney fans are looking for things to complain about.
They have the same kinds of wheelchair transport issues at Disney, but those problems are "magically" forgotten.
I would just forget trying to convert them.
They want Disney and will always see the universal parks as not magical.

Why do you assume this friend likes Disney so much? She has been to Disney a handful of times. Once as a young kid and a couple times with her kids while staying with us. She would be the typical family visiting Orlando on a non-regular basis because her kids ask to go. You assumed a lot about my post. We did Epcot first, then studios, today is MK, and tomorrow IOA. Her experience so far has been better at Universal.

 

[IzzyB]

Was she in a wheelchair? Or an ECV?

ECV, I have said several times she rented an ECV, because she didn't want us pushing her. We have a 1 and 5 year old she has a 9 and 13 year old. She felt it would be too much adding in us pushing.

She was going to do a water park, but after she broke her foot she knew she couldnt, so she put the money she was going to spend at the water park towards and ECV.

 

[sparky]

ECV, I have said several times she rented an ECV, because she didn't want us pushing her. We have a 1 and 5 year old she has a 9 and 13 year old. She felt it would be too much adding in us pushing.

She was going to do a water park, but after she broke her foot she knew she couldnt, so she put the money she was going to spend at the water park towards and ECV.

Ohhh, now I get the problem. An ECV is big, I think most Disney restaurants require you leave it outside as well. They simply take up more floor space than can be possible in the close quarters of most resort type restaurants.
Universal is not at all ECV friendly. I think in my two vacations to Universal I saw 2 people on ECVs in the parks.

 

[sparky]

Why do you assume this friend likes Disney so much? She has been to Disney a handful of times. Once as a young kid and a couple times with her kids while staying with us. She would be the typical family visiting Orlando on a non-regular basis because her kids ask to go. You assumed a lot about my post. We did Epcot first, then studios, today is MK, and tomorrow IOA. Her experience so far has been better at Universal.

This is not personal toward your friend. You made statements that people you take say "it's not Disney", and your husband says Universal "sucks". They clearly prefer a different type of theme park. It's ok, it's not a good fit for everyone.
We no longer have any interest in the type of experience Disney offers, others have no interest in the type of experience Universal offers.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Also, you note they "made her walk" - well obviously she was capable of doing so. Waiting for a transfer chair was always an option.

The truth is that extremely few people riding on ECVs are incapable of walking short distances.

Your friend had a temporary mobility impairment. This is not remotely comparable to someone with a real disability relating to mobility.

People with those types of disabilities bring their own wheelchairs (which they move under their own power - no cries that their children can't push them) and are universally well accommodated across the parks and resorts with a few exceptions.

You don't go to the Grand Canyon in a leg cast and ride a hover round and then complain you didn't get to explore everything. Step one foot outside he US (or one scooter wheel) and the level of accommodation even for wheelchairs drops dramatically. Using scooters as your friend did is relatively unheard of and frowned upon - often a caricature of American excess and gluttony when even depicted.

Do we sympathize when guests go to the parks and are confused about which ride is in which park? Do we sympathize when they go in and expect a short wait for something popular? How about the folks who expect to eat in Conderella castle without a reservation or that Mickey Mouse will come to their hotel room?

We always say they should read and research where they are going and plan accordingly. Guides for guests with disabilities - temporary or otherwise - clearly spell out what to expect and what is offered. There's no surprises. This is all known.

Your friend had a bad experience because she made a lot of uninformed assumptions and suffered the results thereof.

 

[OLSinFLA]

I cannot begin to tell you how many of the courtesy wheelchairs end up stolen (And people are brazen. When I worked at Universal I must have had at least 12 come through with "Magic Kingdom" displayed prominently on the back). Also, any attraction that accommodates wheelchairs but not ECVs has an easier way for them to get in (usually via the exit). Some rides will require the guest to transfer from the ECV to a standard wheelchair to ride. Those are clearly marked.

 

[s8film40]

I cannot begin to tell you how many of the courtesy wheelchairs end up stolen (And people are brazen. When I worked at Universal I must have had at least 12 come through with "Magic Kingdom" displayed prominently on the back). Also, any attraction that accommodates wheelchairs but not ECVs has an easier way for them to get in (usually via the exit). Some rides will require the guest to transfer from the ECV to a standard wheelchair to ride. Those are clearly marked.

Yep, I've seen MK wheelchairs at Legoland, MCO airport and various other places all over the Central Florida area. Had a friend one time send me a photo of one at an airport in another city.