Disney Settles Class Action Lawsuit for Visually Impaired

[Lou... 3,118]

Those are two open source CMS programs

Of course they are. Everyone knows that.

[Lil Lisa 53]

Of course they are. Everyone knows that.

:rofl2:

[loftman52 0]

The rest of the story

If you want to know why this class action lawsuit is so messed up, check this out. All of the plaintiffs signed a contract stating that they would not ask or receive any money from this class action lawsuit. From the very start one of the plaintiffs told both sides that she would not accept any money. “I don’t what any money. I what Disney to fix the problems”. Because of this she was removed as Class Representative. But she was still part of the lawsuit. In court on May 3 2012 she asked judge Gee if they were going to fix the problems at the hotels. Mr. Raizman the head Disney lawyer said that Disney would not be fixing the Hotels. (Read the class action certification). Then the judge tried twice to get the plaintiff to take Disney bribe money. When she said no, Judge Gee then asked her if she wanted to be removed from the case. When she realized that the judge was on Disney side she said ok. The only plaintiff willing to fight for the blind and she was removed from the case. Do not take my word for it, check out the court transcript. The judge did not know what state the plaintiff lived in.

[Lou... 3,118]

Ok Loftman52, spill the beans, who are you really?

Of all the threads on here about Disney, why in the world did you pick this one to make your first post?

Also, can you give us a link or source to where you're getting as you say, the rest of the story?

[Retired & Tired (Judy) 90]

We have a child who is legally blind but she does enjoy the parades.....most of the characters who are walking come over to her and she can see them. She can see the colors, etc. and loves the music. I know we are always with her and there are adults who do not have a full time care giver but I do agree that at times the ADA pushes a little too far. And then when there is a REAl need to be addressed it is ignored. I do not see the harm in making the websites and menus available to those with limited or no vision. You should try pushing a wheel chair down main street and trying to cross.......wheels caught in the tracks, etc....but we do not complain because we do not HAVE to cross...that is our choice. Get to the ramp portion of the sidewalk and have to stand for a long time waiting for folks who do not need the ramp to move away.

O.K. I will stop giving my opinions now.

[loftman52 0]

Lou

So you want more, do you Lou? OK than, here some more info. Ask a Disney V.P. about the top down audit and watch him face turn the same color as Barnabas Collins face. More about the top down audit tomorrow, stay tuned.

[Lou... 3,118]

So you want more

More about your post on the rest of the story.

Ask a Disney V.P. about the top down audit

There is no chance of me running into a Disney VP unless I hit them with a bus.

More about the top down audit tomorrow, stay tuned.

As exciting as anything with the word audit in it may sound to some, you're going to lose me.

[loftman52 0]

Lou

The rest of the story part 2

Two years ago I was asked by the plaintiff two simple questions 1) how accessible is Disney if you are blind? 2) What has Disney done to make itself accessible to people that are deaf and who are in wheelchairs? I sent over 600 hours researching those two questions. On the latter question Disney has done extensive modifications to its rides to make them enjoyable to people in wheelchairs. Jungle Cruise ride, Finding Nemo submarine ride, and it's a small world ride. All of these rides were designed before the ADA was passed into law in 1990. Disney was not required under the ADA to modify these rides but they spent millions of dollars to doing so. But on the other hand Disney has never made a single braille menu for any of its restaurants. Under this negotiated settlement Disney will put in 16 braille menus at Walt Disney World at only its high-end restaurants. Walt Disney World has are over 400 restaurants on Walt Disney World property. What this means is that Walt Disney World goes from having zero percent braille menus to only 4%. Back to the first question, I created a series of Excel spreadsheets entitled: book 1 - resorts, book 2 -parks & attractions, book 3 - the Internet, book 4 - other class-action lawsuits, and Book 5 - miscellaneous. I found over 3000 items that Disney would have to fix to bring their facilities to the same level that they've created for their deaf and wheelchair-bound customers. Disney has had book 1 - resorts in its possession for well over a year. That book goes into great depth about the problems and in some cases provides a solution. The rest of books were completed in January of this year. In the great scheme of things it is going to cost Disney some money to make their business accessible to the blind. The only reason it's going to cost them money is that they have waited 41 years since the death of Roy Disney to consider this problem. In the last 18 months Disney has lost over $400 million on two films: Mars wants’ moms’ and John Carter. If Disney had taken only 5 % of that loss and put it to making their business accessible to the blind they could have created a business that is 100% accessible to the blind and visually impaired customers from their parks to their movies. Disney solution is a purely business solutions, it is far cheaper for Disney to pay the plaintiffs lawyer fees then to make their business accessible to the blind. It is my personal opinion that Disney upper manager see the blind not as customers, employees, or even human beings.

[Gots2pitt.. Jeff 64]

The last time I was at Disney, it seemed that the largest group being discriminated against was the Terminally Stupid. Disney does not do nearly enough to make all attractions accessible to them. I don't know how they possibly navigate the web site, and transportation is impossible for them to utilize. Please consider the Terminally Stupid on your next Disney visit. Take a moment to help them find the restroom they are standing right next to, make sure they know when the 3 o'clock parade is, and aim them toward the entrance to an attraction rather than the exit.

Hey what are you trying to say (note my tag)? :rofl2:

[Lou... 3,118]

But on the other hand Disney has never made a single braille menu for any of its restaurants.

It doesn't make sense not to do it considering the small cost involved.

Was Disney singled out in this case due to deep pockets?

There are much larger restaurant chains. What's the percentage of them that have braille menus?

Walt Disney World has are over 400 restaurants on Walt Disney World property.

Not sure where you got that number.

Disney operates 82 table service restaurants at WDW.

Disney solution is a purely business solutions,

They are a business after all.

It is my personal opinion that Disney upper manager see the blind not as customers, employees, or even human beings.

Not knowing all facts on either side, it appears that Disney dropped the ball with this segment of the population, but some of the demands seemed a little much.